Lydia turned back to the female kelpie, who was leaning over the fountain, pouring water into her hair. She threaded her fingers through her locks, styling them. Lydia watched as she conjured a few hairpins, moved locks around her crown, pinning them in place and framed her face with lighter strands bit by bit. Lydia glanced down at her own reflection and the simple twist in her hair. Annette caught her gaze. Lydia blinked and returned the look in the water with a small smile.
Annette glared. "I really don't like you." Lydia paled. "Because of you, he changed. And for what?" The woman whirled around, hair back in perfect ringlets. "For someone who is too ignorant to even understand his feelings. A meek mouse."
Lydia twisted her dress in her hands. "I do understand."
"You won't return them."
Lydia's eyes watered. "I can't... it's too early."
Annette bit her lip. "You're --"
"Leave, Annette," a smooth voice ordered, clipped. Half in the shadows of an oak, arms folded, Kelpie stared his cousin down. "I won't let you finish that thought."
Annette folded her own arms. "I came here for a reason, you know."
"I imagine. It can wait."
Annette held his gaze for a couple minutes. "Fine. I'm leaving for now." She walked over and paused. "You are too soft." She spun around a hedge.
"I'm sorry I left you alone with her like that, Lydia."
"That's alright," Lydia muttered, twirling the water with her finger. "Are you-"
"I'm fine," Kelpie said, cutting her off. "It was only a scratch and I swallowed much more liver the last time."
"I -I'm sorry that Edgar--"
"Don't apologize for him." Kelpie interrupted once more. Staring into her dazed hazel eyes, he sighed and strode over to her side. "Putting that aside, Lydia, are you --"
"Lydia," Nico yowled, moving out from under the bushes, "didn't you have something you wanted to write down before this kelpie caused a ruckus?"
Lydia and Kelpie stepped back from each other. Lydia bent down. "Nico, where were you all this time?" She giggled. "You didn't really run away, did you?"
"I would have you know that when faeries of the Unseelie Court clash, it is not pretty. I was looking for Raven. He would have been a really nice distraction."
Nico..." Kelpie started.
"I was doing my best to protect you," Nico continued, spreading his arms and ignoring Kelpie.
Lydia smiled. "I'm sure you were, Nico. Thank you." She rose and met Kelpie's gaze once more. "I'm sorry, Kelpie, can we continue this conversation at another time? I don't think it will be good if I don't record all I noticed at the Prince's court as soon as possible, and I was too tired to do it last night."
Kelpie sighed, shrugging with a slight smirk. "You're hopeless. Don't use your obligations as a fairy doctor to work too long."
"I won't." Lydia replied with a larger smile. Kelpie watched as she took the steps and disappeared into the house.
"You should have noticed, Cat--"
"I am not a cat! I am a fairy cat." Nico retorted.
"You are still a feline," he argued back, facing Nico. "You interrupted me on purpose."
"I don't know what you mean."
Kelpie persisted. "Hiding from it doesn't help her."
Nico folded his own arms and glanced at the house. "It really isn't your place to decide that, underwater--"
"You... "
"She didn't want to talk about it, and really, you should know that her mind isn't clear enough for that."
Kelpie blinked. "Now, why would she --"
"Time to go. Get out of here already. You smell queer from letting yourself loose. You don't want to attract Raven's faerie, do you?" Nico popped out of existence with a leap.
"That fairy cat," Kelpie muttered. He turned his eyes to the house, still for a few minutes, then chuckled. "I'll come by in the evening. I still have a question for you, Lydia." Spinning around, he leapt into the fountain.
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I hope you enjoyed the little Kelpie/Lydia scenes. Next chapter we have more Edgar appearances and Annette returns with a catch~
