<div class="floatright">(https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/c4/99/6f/c4996f9f2ea069dc7a9698fdd48040f9.jpg)<div align="center"><strong><em>Liadian o'Braonán </em></strong></div></div>Too slow the days had passed during the last fortnight as she had been in the village of her childhood all the while yearning to venture to the woods. Perhaps it was just that now at the age of seventeen it was harder to deflect the mentions of a suitable husband when her parents brought up the notion, though the reminder that she had magic had made them delay this long. Her two older brothers had both wed, and the second oldest lass, Muirin, just this past spring. Yet Liadain avoided such complications, living for the days where she was able to escape into the depth of the wild forest that backed against their small village to enter another realm. Her parents would not believe the truth if she told them how she had first met the ancient being she had named Conri upon discovering he had lost memory of even his name. They would scoff at the notion that in a circle of ancient standing stones she pricked a finger and let the blood droplet that welled from it touch against the center stone and by that key entered a world unlike any they had known.<br/><br/>Each season it became harder to feel as if she belonged to the world of the village anymore, with the magic that thrummed within her only deepening as time passed rather then lessening. While she was no real rival to Conri's own magic for a human she was inordinately gifted, and while her parents and siblings had accepted the gifts she had given them, glass jars to store preserves, extra fertility in the soil and anti fire charms in the hay loft they did not speak of them to others and disguised them as best they could. To the others in the village she went to visit an aunt in a village through the forest, not that most would venture through the tangled wood and so her story had held up well enough in the past years.<br/><br/>Now as the sense of Conri's dark magic swept over her, encircling her even Liadian stepped from the mortal realm into his other world with a smile on her lips. The darkness of the wood when she first ventured into his domain did not worry her, the path was familiar and beloved at this point. Swiftly she took it, her footsteps sure of their placement even with the snaking roots of trees and rustling of creatures who preferred the shadows on either side of her path. His beasts never plagued her, or rather, hadn't since she had first come upon this place when she had claimed only twelve winters to her name and been following the dim recollection of a dream.<br/><br/>And yet....<br/><br/>The sense of something subtle being off lingered as it had the past few days in the village, a sense of someone watching her, following her though any magic she attempted to discern who it might be had revealed nothing. Frowning the maiden hastened her pace until she reached where the sun slipped through the canopy high above and whistled sharply to summon to her side the wolf pack that she had first found Conri with. Three of the wolves appeared, their ears pricked for while she had been a playmate these past five years she did not typically call to them before greeting the fae. With some protection to argument her own abilities the girl turned toward the path she had just followed, her troubled blue eyes unable to discern the figure of another. Calling the spark of lightning to her palm, to let it dance upon her slender fingers was easy enough, yet there was nothing to strike at save the same forest she had seen hundreds of times. Perhaps she was simply too excitable, though any lass would be when given departing kisses like those Conri had begun to claim.<br/><br/>"I suppose I must be over reacting..." Liadian dismissed the magic she had beckoned to her hand and instead gave each of the wolves an affectionate pet behind the ears. They woofed at her, sniffing to catch the scents of the outside world even as they welcomed her back. "Go on with you, I'll come visit when I convince the ancient one to romp with us." Particularly since he had promised to teach her how to shape shift into a wolf soon. Tails wagged in approval before the young wolves raced off to rejoin the pack and she tugged at her long braid to refocus herself. While it was no secret that she was smitten with the male Liadian had no wish to let him see her being spooked over nothing. Or concerned over the murmurs of a betrothal. She would wed no mortal man, not when she had already vowed herself to belong to him forever. Yet what would he think if she offered to stay rather than depart each fortnight? He was an ancient being use to his solitude, and while she no longer annoyed him as she once had he might enjoy his solitude.<br/><br/>Standing on the path would get her no where though, so she turned her attention back to the forest around her, casting out her senses as Conri had taught her to locate him amid the hum of wildlife and nature. Ah, there. A smile curved on her lips as the fair skinned maiden started for where she sensed him, unraveling her braid as she went for he had remarked on enjoying the sight of her hair unbound. Yes, she was simply over reacting, and perhaps before he sent her away again she would gather the courage to bring up remaining this time.