He wasn't going to debate the fact that her mother thought hard about the stories she wrote, but that was a different matter. "Right, that's how we met. Just like Cinderella meeting her prince at the ball or Sleeping Beauty meeting her prince in the forest. It's something people call love at first sight. I wouldn't say it was love at first sight when I met your mom, but it was close. I knew right away that there was something about her and about you that I liked and was missing in my life."

"But you didn't get married for a whole 'nother year," Lyneth pointed out reasonably. "And you went on dates and lived with us and everything before you asked her, and she said yes, and then it was months and months, and Mummy isn't a princess, anyway."

"Yes, but they have to speed things up in stories, or they would get boring. And it doesn't matter if Mummy is a princess or not. Every little girl is a princess, Lynnie. You're our princess. At the heart of the story, it's about love conquering all. Do you know what that means?"

The little face screwed up for a long moment as if she were thinking very hard about what he was trying to say. She understood, of course she did; they had worked very hard on making sure Lyneth understood that it was love that would win the fight that was coming their way - her love for them as much as theirs for her. But she couldn't resist the urge to tease Des just a little. "That I got to marry the first boy what wakes me up with a kiss?"

That got a chuckle from him. "If that was the case, you'd have to marry me ....or maybe Knip," he teased back, tapping her nose again. "Now, I think that's enough questions for one night, sleepyhead. Tomorrow is another day." He leaned close to gently brush his lips against her forehead.

Two little arms wriggled up out of the bed covers to wrap around his neck as he kissed her forehead. "Love you, Daddy," the little girl promised faithfully, and she meant every word. She planted a kiss of her own on his chin before letting go, snuggling down into her bed with her teddy hugged close as the fairies that inhabited the plants on her windowsill crept out to tuck her in and keep a close, watchful eye on their fairychild as she slept.

"I love you, too, sweetheart," he whispered back, meaning every word of it. It had been Lyneth who had first charmed him that Christmas they'd first met and opened the door to his heart. He whispered a silent prayer to whatever gods might be listening to watch over his little girl and keep her safe, just like he did every night, lingering a few minutes longer to watch as she drifted off to sleep.

It didn't take long for Lyneth to drift off to sleep, settled and comfortable, secure in the knowledge that her family loved her. A chorus of tiny voices wished Des a good night as the fairies settled down all around her, prepared to watch all night if they had to, and a moment later, fur rubbed along his leg as Knip sauntered into the bedroom, jumping up onto the bed to drape himself comfortably at the small of Lyneth's back.

"Keep her safe," he whispered to the fairies and Knip and whoever else was watching that he might not be aware of, tucking the covers around her and touching a second kiss to her cheek. "Night, baby girl. Sleep well," he whispered, before moving to his feet to creep out of the room, leaving the door slightly ajar for worried parents' ears to hear if anything was amiss.

"Des?" Piper's voice came from the nursery, where she had been obsessively checking the defenses they had around Dylan - the unicorn Collie had sent to them, the iron scissors Alaric and his classmates had created to protect Lyneth the first time around, and even a fine mesh of pure iron laid over the crib like a mosquito net. It was too much and not enough all at once, but it would keep Dylan safe from the Fae's touch long enough for his parents and sister to be roused if anything should happen. "Is she sleeping?"

"I think so," Des replied quietly as he joined her in the nursery, coming to a halt in the doorway as she double-checked the safeguards they'd put in place around their son. All of this was wearing on both of them, but so long as the children were safe, that was all that really mattered. He almost wished Lyneth's father would show his hand, but maybe it was part of his plan to wear them down while they waited for him to make his first move. "Dylan, too?" he asked, though he could tell from the quiet that the baby was resting as peacefully as his sister.

Piper nodded, running a hand through her ebony hair as she moved to join him in the doorway, switching off the main light to leave only the nightlight and mobile illuminating the space. "If I didn't know better, I'd say he was snoring," she admitted with a weary smile.

"Must take after his mother," Des teased, though it was him who snored on occasion and not her. He slid an arm around her shoulder to pull her close and touch a kiss to her temple when she joined him in the doorway, once again lingering a moment to make sure their son, too, was safely sleeping.

"Oh, thank you," Piper laughed softly, curling her arms about his waist as he drew her against him, more than happy to stay and watch over their son a little while longer. Despite knowing that she was the vulnerable one in their little family, she'd refused point blank to do more than carry iron on her person wherever she went. It was their children that were important, in Piper's eyes. Under the crib, Loki yawned and made himself more comfortable, the perfect pair of eyes to join the fairies in protecting Dylan while he slept.

Desmond wasn't only worried about the children, but Piper, too, knowing if the Fae couldn't get their hands on Lyneth or Dylan, they might go after Piper. The fact was they couldn't do any more than they were already doing. All they could do was hope when the time came, they had properly prepared for it. "Just kidding," he assured her as they stood close together in watchful vigil of their son, but they couldn't stand guard over their children forever. "Feel like I sleep with one eye and ear open these days," he murmured.

"I know," she murmured unhappily. Drawing in a slow breath, she made the effort to leave the room, one hand in Des' grasp pulling him with her. "You said that the Autumn Queen told you that it would happen before two years had gone by," she reminded him as they moved toward the stairs. "If we can get to November with nothing happening, maybe we can relax. That's two years from her visit."

"That's what she said, but how do we know he won't change his mind" I thought he'd have made his move by now, but he hasn't, and I'm starting to wonder if he's waiting us out," he told her as he followed her from the room. He wasn't sure how much Lyneth's Fae father knew about their preparations, but every day spent waiting for the other shoe to drop was like torture.

"Waiting us out?" Piper paused at the top of the stairs, her blue eyes wide with shock at the thought of that. "Waiting until we think we're safe before moving in, you mean?" She bit her lip, torn now between going downstairs and actually relaxing a little, or settling down in Dylan or Lyneth's room for the duration of the night.

"Something like that, yeah," Des replied, not wanting to worry her, and yet they needed to consider all the possibilities. They couldn't afford to let their guard down for a second; yet, there wasn't much more they could do. He wondered how long before it started taking a toll on their sanity.

Desmond tried the door one last time, but it wouldn't budge, his heart sinking to know Lyneth was behind there somewhere all on her own, but if anyone knew how to handle Fae, it should be Lyneth - or so he hoped. Somehow, he knew in his heart that she would never willingly surrender to them, not unless she thought her family was in danger, and it was up to him to make sure that didn't happen. "Piper!" he shouted, dashing after her to the nursery, just in time to find one of the Fae warriors disappearing in a cascade of dust. He didn't stop to ask questions or even take a breath, clutching the blade in his hand as he sliced his way through the melee to reach his son.

To fight in close quarters was not fun, especially when all you were armed with was a cast iron pan and no particular skill when it came to fighting at all. Worse, as Des forced his way through the collection of invaders gathered around their son's crib, Piper saw the being she had thought put down reform behind them, twisting to protect Des' back as reaching arms stretched toward them. It was just as well Dylan was only three months; no child should be subjected to the names Piper was calling each and every Fae around her as she flailed with her pot.

Des, at least, had a blade made of iron and sharp enough to draw blood. The months of training were paying off as he cut and sliced a path through the Summer Warriors to reach his son. When a pair of unfamiliar arms stretched out to snatch up their son, Desmond surged forward, lifting the iron blade to drive it into the chest of the warrior who was threatening their son.

Each limb that was sliced off erupted into dust only to reform, each head stoved in by the pan did the same. And yet when Des' iron blade touched a heart formed of Fae magic, there was no renewal of the life imbued there. These creatures could die, but only at the touch of magic or iron to the heart. Realizing this, Piper dived forward, past another reaching pair of arms to snatch Dylan up from the crib. Her pan dropped to the floor in a loud clatter, replaced by the blunted iron scissors that hung over the child's resting place. But despite this, she knew she was all but useless in this fight. It was down to Des to protect his family for as long as it took.

"The closet!" Des called back as Piper dashed past him to snatch up their son. He'd stashed iron blades in various places around the house, just in case, but the short sword Rufus had given him was tucked away in the closet for safe-keeping, well out of the reach of a certain Fae child to whom it could be deadly. It was alarming, to say the least, to see all of their efforts go to naught, the warriors only momentarily slowed down before they were reformed and renewing their attack. Rufus had warned Des of such, but outnumbered and only brandishing what amounted to a dagger, it was next to impossible to make every slash count. What he needed was the sword, and he was cursing himself for not keeping it close at hand, but without much warning, how could they possibly have prepared for the attack.

Yelping as she ducked the wild grab of yet another arm toward the screaming baby cradled against her chest, Piper nodded in answer to her husband's shout, whirling away to rip open the closet door. As she fumbled to find the short sword she knew Des had concealed there, one of the Warriors broke away from the fight with her husband, raising his stone blade to strike at her unprotected back.

Desmond's heart froze in terror, as one of the Warriors broke away to pursue Piper, and he shouted a warning, slashing his way toward her before driving the blade home into the Fae's back just as that stone blade was ready to strike. But it cost him - the remaining Warriors turning to follow - and several stone blades found their mark, drawing blood from the man as he rushed past. Des grabbed the sword from Piper's hand and whirled back around, shielding his wife and son from the attackers, ignoring the pain and blood of his own wounds to defend them to the death, if he must.

He was terrified for his family, terrified for Lyneth, but no matter how hard he fought, there were simply too many of them. And then the hair on the back of his neck rose again, a shiver of cold running through him. He thought for a moment it was the loss of blood, but when he exhaled, a cloud of breath formed in the air, like it was the dead of winter. The Fae Warriors seemed to freeze in place, if only for a moment, arms raised to strike the final blow, as the tall, fair-haired stranger appeared out of a cloud of of cold and mist, to stand between the little family and the Fae Warriors.

"Des!" Piper's cry was almost anguished as she took in the blood seeping from so many slices and gashes on her husband's form, pressed back until she was almost in the closet with Dylan held tightly in her grasp. There were too many of them, too many to count, too many to kill. Even if Lyneth chose them, she might well come back to a house filled only with death.

Even as this awful thought filled her mind, Piper felt goosebumps rise on her bare arms, the chill of a full winter seeming to wrap about her. She could taste snow on the air, her breath forming a cloud as she gasped for breath, knowing the magic for what it was, but not who it had come from. And suddenly there was the young man who had warned them, the being who had forced his way into their home to fight off the first wave of attackers who wanted them dead. The Fae might well have weighted the dice, but it seemed there was at least one among their number who did not approve of such a tactic. The Summer Warriors snarled as the vicious grip of Winter froze them in place, fighting against the will that could destroy them if he so chose.

As Piper laid her hand against Des' back, cornered and frightened, her thoughts flew to Lyneth. Where was her little girl now? She could only hope and pray that their love for her, for their family, would be enough ...

~*~

Dylan's screaming cries had woken Lyneth out of her first flush of sleep with a start. There was something wrong with the sound of her baby brother's crying, some sense of urgency, of fear, something that had not been there before now. Blinking, she pushed herself up, rubbing her eyes, and jumped again at the sound of glass smashing in the kitchen below.

Beside her on the bed, Knip was hunched, his hackles raised, growling that peculiar feline growl that was as much a warning to any attacker as it was for his little mistress that something was very wrong. The fairies that were usually so quiet at nighttime were fluttering all around her, piping voices raised in alarm as her door - left open by her father when he had said good night - slowly drew itself closed with an audible click. The air felt thick, greasy with magic, and for one horrible moment, the little girl felt fear grip her heart, tears rising to her eyes as she considered all the awful things that might have happened to her family while she was sleeping.

There was another crash, this time from the nursery across the hall from her room, and suddenly that fear wasn't enough to keep her in bed and safe. Lyneth plunged from the bed, ignoring the tearing sound as Knip's attempt to hold her back ripped open her pajamas. Whatever was wrong, whatever was happening, she had to protect her baby brother. Daddy could protect Mummy, but there was no one up here to protect Dylan, and he was crying so loudly, and ...

Her bedroom door opened at her touch, and she ran out, not into the hallway and nursery as she had been expecting, but into a warm, green woodland, dappled with moonlight through the canopy of the trees that grew tall all around her. She heard the door click shut behind her, locking away any attempt made to follow her into this astonishing place. Isolating her from the fairy friends she had made, the protective presence of her Kneazle. She had been cornered, and some part of her knew it.

Bare feet came to an abrupt halt on the soft mossy grass. Despite the beauty of the wood in which she found herself, she knew she was no longer on Rhy'Din. She was no longer in a position to protect her baby brother, to save her mother and father, and both parts of her, Fae and human, felt the first stirring of anger in her heart. This was no accident, this separation of Lyneth from the human family she loved and who loved her. This was the work of the Fae who had sired her, the Fae who frightened Mummy so much.

The antlered Fae stared at her for a long moment, reading the truth in her words, in her eyes, shocked to the core that any Fae would risk the very fabric of the world in which they lived, just for the sake of a few humans. But then ....she was not truly Fae, was she? He looked closer, and there ....there was the burn of human emotion, something he could not understand and would never make sense of. Love, that force that bound the mortal realms together; that poisoned the glamor of Fae magic and made it so much dust in the wind. This young Fae, this little human, she had learned to love, and to savor being loved. She adored the mother who had borne her, the father who had chosen to love her, the baby brother who cherished her.

He was too late.

He had lost his most promising seed to the love of her human family.

"Then go," he sighed, his bitter disappointment shadowing his handsome face with ugliness. "Live a long life with your family, and learn to regret this moment in the pain of loss."

He raised a hand, and the door to her bedroom seemed to open again. There were the fairies, and there was Knip, clawing at some unseen force, desperate to reach her and be sure she was safe once again. Without a backward glance, Lyneth ran back to them, abandoning the promise and temptation of the Fae woodland and the life of royal ease that had been offered to her.

The door clicked shut behind her as she swept Knip up into her arms, the usually aloof feline allowing his little mistress to shower him in kisses before she abruptly let him go, spinning back to her door to wrench it open and burst out into the hallway. Dylan's cries still echoed through the house, the door to his nursery standing open to reveal her parents standing there, protective and fierce, facing down the Summer Warriors that crowded into the small space with them. And someone else, too - tall and fair, and strangely familiar to her young eyes.

For the first time in her short life, Lyneth felt the full power of her autumn heritage rise up within her, answering the call of the very human rage that flared at the sight of her family, the people she loved most in all the world, threatened by inhuman creatures with no understanding of the force that kept the fight alive. Without thinking, the child Lyneth grew, transforming into the tall, graceful beauty her parents had seen only once before. Dark hair tumbled about her face and shoulders, framing the bright turquoise eyes that marked her as half-Fae; delicate wings burst forth from her back to flutter agitatedly as she glared at the Warriors only now turning to recognize the danger at their rear.

"Leave my family alone."

A blast of pure energy erupted from the human-Fae, lancing into the forms of the Warriors who stood between her and her family. Their bodies crumbled to the dust of summer at the first touch, stone knives falling to the floor as the hands that held them disintegrated into nothingness. And at last, all that was left was the brief tang of leaf mold on the air as Lyneth, little Lyneth, resumed her child's form and ran to her parents, throwing herself into their arms under the watchful gaze of their green-eyed stranger.

This was home. This was family. And it was hers, now and forever.

((And there we have it ....the end of the Fae and Faerytales storyline that began nearly four years ago! Hugely enormous thanks to everyone involved!))