Q in the fae lands

Willy had spent an evening charming the captain and filling him with fine liquor and warmth enough to get him to reveal his plans. Of why he'd taken Nyx. Of what would become of him.

Armed with the truth, the Daoine prince spoke to the navigator last before putting his plan into motion.

He found Bond and Q together. They did not see the gigantic fae until he was upon them and dropped his glamour.

"It is time to end the fae enslavement," he told the captain.

Bond began to protest and Willy held up his hand.

Q was gone.

"You will find him where Nyx's story is meant to end. And until you come...I'll see to your wizard."

And then Willy was gone, leaving Bond with little choice but to order the crew to action. He hadn't planned to take care of the fae court problem just yet, but now he had no choice.

The fae appeared next to Q with a warm smile. The day was lovely, the air clean and perfumed with all things green and growing. On the ship, Willy had appeared to be little more than a traveler. Before Q now, he wore long, rich robes and a golden diadem.

"You are quite safe, wizard. You have my word," the prince said simply.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

bibbidi_bobbidi_boffin

Q raised both hands, ready to cast, but faced with a fae of the court- He hesitated. Merlin had once told him, you never pick fights with fae.

Unsure, he lowered his hands.

"Where are we?" he asked quietly. "What do you want from me?"

From:

willysilver

"Of you, my friend, nothing but inspiration. Inspiration for your love to make haste to save you from this terrible fate," He smiled, showing Q the lovely view of a palace and the village and farmland surrounding it.

"Come, we will be welcome guests," he assured him,

From:

bibbidi_bobbidi_boffin

"Terrible fate and welcome guests aren't ideas I often link together, personally," Q said, though he followed. It wasn't as if he had anywhere else to go or run to.

"What has he done to you then?" he asked. "Bond, I mean."

From:

willysilver

"To me, nothing. The prince cannot survive captivity. And the captain's schemes with the fae court must end. I have brought you here to force him to come here. He would not be swayed otherwise," he explained.

"I mean you no harm. I mean no one harm, you understand."

From:

bibbidi_bobbidi_boffin

Q had no reason to take him at his word, but he nodded anyway. He knew to play it carefully and safely for now.

"So this is about Nyx? For what it's worth, I never wanted him on the ship. I was against it from the start..."

From:

willysilver

"I lay no blame upon you, my friend," Willy assured him. "But the captain's plan can take no longer. He will come get you, and in turn, bring Nyx home."

From:

bibbidi_bobbidi_boffin

"And that will free him?" Q asked, since the bond was honestly a mystery to him.

From:

willysilver

"The Queen's scepter can unlock it," he assured him. "There are other ways, but killing the Keeper was forbidden, so this is the next simplest."

From:

bibbidi_bobbidi_boffin

Q looked uneasy, then wet his lips with a nervous flick of his tongue.

"I might have some bad news then... The queen is dead. I heard when we last made port. Their uncle rules now, and there are already calls for him to leave the trone. If Nyx returns, I can't imagine he'd be eager to help. He's clearly not looking to give up his crown."

From:

willysilver

"Leave that to me," he said with confidence.

"I still carry my diplomatic credentials."

From:

bibbidi_bobbidi_boffin

Q looked unsure, but he wasn't eager to entangle himself in fae matters. Best let them work it out themselves.

"Bond must be furious," he said instead, frowning thoughtfully. "I warned him to keep away from fae, no one ever listens to me though. Merlin used to tell me that you never upset a fae. Not if you wanted a long and happy life."

From:

willysilver

"Merlin was wise," Willy smiled. "You were his apprentice?"

From:

bibbidi_bobbidi_boffin

"Something along those lines, yes. I was his ward, and he was my teacher," Q nodded.

From:

willysilver

"And you chose...piracy? Why do you not serve a king? Or plot world domination?" Willy asked, genuinely curious.

From:

bibbidi_bobbidi_boffin

Q hesitated, then took his glasses off to clean them.

"I was... There was someone at the castle who was- Well he was abusing me. Sexually," Q said quietly. It was the first time he'd said it outright. "He called me lover, told me to do the same. ...It was bad, and it only got worse. The ship was my escape. Bond took me in, took good care of me. Or, well, he did the best he could."

From:

willysilver

"What a terrible fate that Bond is the better option," the fae sympathized.

From:

bibbidi_bobbidi_boffin

"He's not a bad man," Q insisted. "He's just a man who sometimes does bad things, that's all."

From:

willysilver

"Love blinds you," Willy said. "...As it should."

The pair faced a wagon coming toward them. A pony pulled it, but the carriage, too, walked along on small hooves. The tall fae pulled Q to the side as it passed.

From:

bibbidi_bobbidi_boffin

Q seemed startled by the sight, but curious.

"So, you're from here too?" he asked, not shy about admitting his ignorance when it came to fae.

From:

willysilver

"Another kingdom, but these lands, yes," Willy nodded. "You can find kin in all realms but the fae realms are the safest, and where most kin choose to remain. The world of men can be unkind at best and dangerous at all times."

From:

bibbidi_bobbidi_boffin

"I've never been on land here," Q admitted. "Bond always made me stay on the ship, especially when I was younger. ...We didn't pick you up here," he noted.

From:

willysilver

"No, I have been traveling for some time," he explained. "In the world of men for many, many years now. Longer than you've been alive, I should say," he smiled.

From:

bibbidi_bobbidi_boffin

"Fae live very long lives," Q noted with a nod. "I imagine you look nothing like your age... By human standards, that is. To you, most mortals must seem like children. I'm thirty... I imagine that's nothing to you."

From:

willysilver

"I have children your age. Grandchildren, I'm sure," he replied. "Merlin was a young man when I met him, and already I had been in the world of men for years."