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“The queen,” he repeated as if judging the term for inherent validity. “I will meet her.”

Drexella laughed. “No. You will not. People can’t simply decide they’ll meet the queen. She decides who she will and will not meet.”

“She’s particular?”

“Very.”

“Well then. Introduce me.”

“Why should I?”

“Because, if you agree, I’ll give you a kiss in trade.”

A part of her wanted to protest, but she found herself saying, “You will?”

He pulled her into an embrace and kissed her like she’d never been kissed before. Thoroughly and blissfully.

“I will go home with you,” he said. “To the castle.”

She agreed as if she’d lost the ability to do anything other than agree with the stranger she met in the forest that day.

“Where do you live when you are not here on holiday?” I asked.

“Asia.”

“Yes. Well. That’s a big place. Where in Asia?”

“Zhangjiajie, Hunan Province.”

I didn’t recognize that first thing he said, but I’d eaten enough Chinese food to recognize the word “Hunan”.

“Is that in China?” I asked.

“Yes.” Brightgen glared at him until he got the message and corrected his lack of respect for the court. “Yes, Your Honor.”

“What are your travel plans?”

“I’ve been instructed to remain here until this proceeding is concluded.”

“So, if I rule in your favor, you’ll be on your way?”

“That is my plan,” he said.

“Alright. You may sit down.” I turned to Ms. Merriwether. “I have questions for your client.”

“Yes, Magistrate.” Ms. Merriwether motioned for Drexella to rise.

“Ms. Hogsworth. Why is it important to you to share custody of your child, by the way, what is her name?”

“Kang Mai Jin, Your Honor.”

“Lovely name,” I said. “Tell me why you want the defendant to share custody.”

“My baby isn’t fae. At least not completely. Her father is a forest deity from a world I don’t understand.” I glanced at the defendant, who seemed completely uninterested in the proceeding. “I don’t know how to raise a child with powers I don’t possess. She has needs I can’t meet.

“After learning that my daughter is half nine-tailed fox, I looked into what that means. There aren’t more than a handful in the whole world. They’re very powerful by our standards.”

I stopped her there. “When you say ‘our standards’, to what are you referring?”

“The magic kind that people of British faerie are likely to encounter.”

I nodded. “Thank you. Please continue.”

“This is the environment where my daughter will grow up. How am I to stop her if she should want to, say, reverse the direction of a river? Or cause a canopy of forest to block out the sun. Even a half nine-tailed fox will likely have power and abilities far beyond my own.” Her eyes drifted to the defendant’s table. “But not his.”

Though succinct, that was one of the most congruent arguments heard in this court to date. At least by me.

“Well said, Ms. Hogsworth. While I sympathize with your predicament and agree that it presents a dilemma, I don’t think this court is empowered to force a native of Asia to live in this part of the world.

” To the fox I said, “Mr. Kang.” He stood after being prompted by counsel. “Do you have other children?”

“No, Your Honor. I was unprepared for, ah, differences in nature. I didn’t know unintended procreation occurs with fae.”

“So, you’re saying the pregnancy was unintentional and you didn’t know fertilization could occur?” I asked.

“Indeed. I am saying that. Yes.”

Though I had questions about his statement, lots of questions, I decided to forego and stick to the point.

“Well, that’s neither here nor there,” I said.

“Nor is it any of my business, really. I shouldn’t have asked, and hereby withdraw the question.

” Not that such a thing is possible anywhere except in the mind of jurists.

“The point is this. Will you share custody if Ms. Hogsworth and your daughter move to… where was it?” I looked at Lochlan

“Zhangjiajie,” said Lochlan.

“Yes. That,” I said.

Kang looked thoughtful. He leaned out so that he could take a look at Drexella Hogsworth, then stepped back in place. “I would.”

“Ms. Merriwether. Please confer with your client to determine if that proposal holds the promise of a solution?”

Along with the everyone else in attendance, I waited while Drexella and her attorney engaged a whispered conference. Hengest approached Lochlan from my right and handed him a note. After a brief review, Lochlan handed me the note.

Queen Arantxa of Howland Horn, who was also Drexella’s employer, was requesting a brief audience saying she had pertinent information to add.

“Court will adjourn for a fifteen-minute break,” I told Lochlan. “Ask Arantxa to come to my chambers.”

Arantxa was beautiful, but that goes without saying since the same could be said of all the fae queens, but each has her own memorable traits.

Physically, the House of Howland Horn queen had stunning gray eyes and pale blond hair that fell to her shoulder blades.

She would stop traffic at any intersection in the human world.

But when I think of her, the first thing that comes to mind is extraordinary grace and a regal air that transcends even that of other queens.

“Welcome, Your Highness,” I said. “Please sit.” I motioned to the twin crewel sofa that sat on the other side of a table with full tea service. “Tea?”

She looked at the service as she sat. “Oh. No, thank you, Magistrate.”

I set the pot down, sat back, and waited. I didn’t want to be flippant, but when she said nothing more, I finally quipped, “You called the meeting.”

“Oh, yes.” She laughed softly. “So, I did. Regarding this situation with my lady in waiting… I like her company and would hate to see her move so far away.” I waited through a pause of her choosing. “I didn’t hear it suggested that transportation could be provided.”

That was intriguing. “Transportation.”

“Yes. I’m able to open a passage that Drexella could use to travel, with her daughter, to China within seconds.”

My eyes grew big. “Seconds?” I will never get past the miracles these fae take for granted.

“Yes. She could take Mai Ling to her father for the duration of his part of the custody arrangement, then pick her up the same way.”

I couldn’t help but grin. “Your Highness, I’m so glad you asked for an audience. I’d be surprised if Drexella wanted to move to a place where she’d be regarded as an oddity.”

The queen nodded her head just once. “I wanted to give you permission to offer my services.”

“The court is in your debt. Thank you,” I said.

She stood. “In that case, I’ll take my leave and retake my place in the courtroom.”

The attendants opened the door for the queen on her approach. As she exited, she looked back over her shoulder, smiled, and said, “Luck be with you.”

She didn’t wait for a response.

Hengest called court to order once again.

“The House of Howland Horn has made a suggestion coupled with a most generous offer.” I looked at Drexella.

“You should be flattered. You’ve made a most favorable impression on your queen, and she doesn’t want to lose you if it can be helped.

” Drexella turned to look in the direction of Howland Horne’s box before turning back to me.

“Queen Arantxa will provide express transportation to and from Mr. Kang’s residence in accordance with the terms of custody, assuming you’re able to reach an agreement.

Do you want to discuss that with counsel? ”

“No, Your Honor. I accept.” Drexella was smiling ear to ear. “That’s awesome.”

My eyes went a little wide at her use of human hyperbole, but I quickly reminded myself that one never knows what will happen at court.

Turning to Kang, I said, “Is that something the defendant can agree to?”

“A word with my client, Your Honor?” Brightgen asked.

“Of course.”

He leaned over and briefly spoke to Kang in hushed tones.

“Yes, Magistrate. My client is open to this. He has a half-sister who occupies a wing of his residence. He says she’ll be pleased to help raise Mai Ling.”

“Very well. Bailiff Hengest will arrange for a private room you can use to craft the terms of the custody agreement. When it’s complete with signatures, give it to the bailiff.

After my signoff, the court clerk will enter it into the registry.

This case is dismissed. Court will reconvene tomorrow at ten. ”

I banged my gavel which, truthfully, was one of the delights of being magistrate.