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Hazel had the stranger pegged as a knight before he had even parted his lips to utter his first word. Perhaps it was in the way he carried himself, perhaps in the way he moved, but there was something about the fey knights that was immediately distinguishable. They were haughty, too at ease in their world. This one, she thought, was even more so than usual. He was plainly attractive as all fey were, but his features were distinctly sharp and precise. She watched him send his creature into the brush and become suddenly uneasy. It was unusual for her to feel anything but warmth in the presence of a faerie, but something about the hollow way he smiled at her cautioned her to be wary. Of course he would not harm her; that was not the way of the Seelie, but that understanding did nothing to ease her discomfort. 

While he took it upon himself to tour the confines of her garden and scrutinize her home, Sinis leaped from her porch and sprinted to her. His tiny dagger-claws pierced through her clothing as he scurried up her leg, across her torso, and settled on her shoulder. He chittered in her ear, his face so close that his cold nose bumped almost rhythmically into her jaw. The low chatter became so loud that Hazel had a hard time hearing what the fay was saying when he finally returned to them. She set a hand on Sinis’ silky head to still him, and he reluctantly quieted. The strange fay began to revolve around her, but Hazel did not attempt to keep up with his peculiar rotations. She stayed quite still and listened to him. He cheerily seemed to be trying to gouge out her shame and remorse, and though they stirred on the surface, she only frowned. 

“It seems that time has caused the fay to forget exactly what the duties of a Guardian entail.” She sighed when he finished his spiel. “We were never created to protect you from immediate threats, but rather to mediate between the human world and ensure that your existence remains concealed from the majority, as well as try to stave off activity from the hunters. The fay yesterday was a terrible blunder that rests partially on my shoulders, but it is not my duty to put myself in the line of fire to protect a fay, especially one from the Unseelie court. The necessary steps are being taken to ensure that it will not happen again. Would your queen have preferred me to jump in front of Hale’s bullet?” Hazel’s voice was as light and clear as always, but apprehension whispered in her chest. “I suppose that she would.” 

“I think your queen knows her request violates our own private pact, and I would venture to guess that is why she sent you instead of coming herself.” Hazel was being edgier than usual, but time had taught her that mildness did not always work with those from the court. She wiped her soil-stained hands on her pants and plucked the paper he had produced from his pocket. She took a moment to look it over before glancing back up at him. “Tell your queen that I do not appreciate her prettily disguised threats, and that if she needed help dealing with the Unseelie, all she had to do was ask; I know just the solution the court’s little problem.” 

Smiling sweetly at the knight she said, “Can I help you with anything else? Perhaps you’d like some tea before your journey back to the court?” 

Posturing, that was all the queen was doing. It was the same song and dance Hazel had been dealing with for years, though this move was particularly bold. The Everwood’s had been Guardians for years; stripping her of her guardianship would take a lot more than a hasty discussion made by the court. She was not concerned for her title; rather, she was concerned that the queen was taking such sly measures to try and rip it from her.