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Autumn was the preferred season for many Goblins.
Bog was no exception and since the last days of summer he had been eager to take Marianne out, as soon as the season would change his homeland.
The Fairy princess had been confused about his eagerness. In her kingdom autumn wasn't so nice. Many flowers and plants started to die, the grainfields lay fallow and the wind became cold and biting.
They had departed from the Goblin castle in the early hours before even the sun had risen, much to Marianne's displeasure. But when they had settled on a high branch - so they could look over most of the canopies - and the rising sun had coated the former grey looking forest in a warm, golden light, she had gasped in awe. When Bog had noticed the sparkles in her eyes, he had known that she loved it as much as he did and had grinned with boyish delight.
After that he showed her around and it became clear to the princess how much more wonderful autumn was in the forest. In the past she had seen the change of colors from the trees in the distance. It was such a different experience to fly through the now red and yellow colored forest, when she was so used to the various shades of green.
And there were so many other things to discover!
They watched how squirrels hiding their winter stocks. Bog explained that the Hunter Tribe kept track of those stocks and should the winter be really harsh and the Goblins wouldn't have any food, they would take a small amount from the animals, just enough to survive.
They glided down on the falling leaves from the highest trees. It was some kind of sport for the Goblins and also the only way for them to get a similar feeling to flying.
There were a bunch of plants that would only bloom in autumn and also fruits like nuts were only ripe enough to pick during that season, like the chestnut and conker. The latter was used a lot by the more artistic Goblins to built sculptures, while the chestnut was a delicacy when roasted over fire. Marianne surely never had tasted something so good in her whole life.
The whole day they spent their time like this and also wanted to stay the night outside, since the fluorescent plants would emit a different light in this season, too. But the weather thwarted their plans.
As soon as the strength of the wind picked up Bog cursed for not noticing the change in the weather sooner. He simply had been too distracted for it and now they had to look out for some kind of shelter.
While he still could fly through the storm, which got stronger by every second, Marianne barely moved from the spot, since her big wings were a good contact surface for the wind. It only got worse, when she was hit by a leave and totally lost control over her flight and was blown away like a leaf herself. Crying out her name, Bog flew after her, using the wind as speed boost and managed to get ahead of her. He caught the Fairy in his arms before she could crash into a tree or something similar.
Without wasting another second he flew down to the ground and searched for a hole or something similar. Between a few rocks he spotted a little gap, just big enough that he maybe could fit in. Marianne surely could crawl into it without problem. With that as his priority, Bog flew to the crack and ushered her into it. He followed her right after, but the space in the gap was very small and Bog barely fit into it. They managed to get into something of a comfortable position by Marianne sitting on his lap, facing him and Bog sitting with his back to the opening. At least the wind couldn't blew in like that, but his back surely would be sore the next day. But he didn't care.
"Ye alright?" Bog asked Marianne concerned, who was trembling a bit. To sooth her, he stroke his knuckles over her cheek.
"Yes. Yes, I'm fine," she answered, after taking in a deep breath. "I think...I just panicked a bit back there."
"That's understandable," he replied and still checked if she was hurt somewhere. "A doubt ye have such strong storms on yer fields, right?" Even when it was a bit darker in the gap he was relieve to not find any injuries.
Marianne only gave a nod as answer and then stretched a bit to look over his shoulder. Outside she could see leaves and branches flying around like crazy and it also had started to rain now. A really horrible scenario for her.
"Are you sure it's a good idea to have your back to the opening?" she asked Bog after she recognized that his back was getting wet from the rain that splashed on the ground.
"It's not that A have many options." To emphasize his statement, Bog tried to move, but his knees only scrapped along the stony walls. "Don't worry about me, tough girl. A will survive it."
Seeing his point, but still not pleased with his situation, Marianne grumbled a bit and slumped back into his lap. At least he had managed to tuck his wings inside the gap.
"What about your Goblins? Will they be okay?" That had been her next concern. These winds were so strong that smaller Goblins like Stuff and Thang could be blown around and getting hurt.
"A'm sure they have sensed the change in the wind soon enough and have found shelter. We are used to these kinds of storms," he tried to calm her, but her expression only turned into a grimace.
"You have many storms like this?" she asked in disbelieve and he nodded.
"They often come from the ocean in the east. On the coast area the winds are even worse," he explained. Marianne's face turned from a shocked expression to a confused scrunch.
"Why don't we have them on the Light fields? I mean, we are not that far away from the forest."
Bog had to think about this for a moment, before he shrugged uncertain. "A guess all the trees are lessening the strength of the wind and so ye only get the fraction of the actual storm."
"Huh, sounds logical," she said and leant against his chest. Bog sensed that she was shivering and so he put his arms around her and drew her closer. Even with him holding back most of the biting wind it still became colder with the minute, due to the beginning evening and cool weather. He gently rubbed over her arms to make her warm again.
Marianne hummed in appreciation and also cuddled closer to him.
"It's good that the trees make the wind weak," she murmured after a minute. "Such a storm would be devastating for our land and people." Now she let out an amused huff. "In a way, the forest is protecting the Fairy kingdom."
Bog chuckled at the delight in her voice from this realization and he also liked the thought of it.
"Oh, I can't wait to rub this into the council's face," Marianne cackled in an impish way. He had to snort.
"Ye know, A slowly feel sorry for the guys in the council of yers. A think they get it by now that this alliance is nothing they can stop."
"Maybe, but since they gave me so much trouble, I don't let any chance slip to paint the Dark Forest in a positive light. Not that it needs much help from me for that." She added the last sentence with a happy smile that also spread on Bog's face. It was obvious that she was referring to the beautiful sight they had this morning. But then his expression turned a bit remorseful.
"A'm really sorry that our trip ended like this. A should have paid more attention," he apologized. Marianne only looked at him confused, before she let out a laugh.
"Well, it's not like you can control the weather or so." When Bog was about argument, she simply put her finger on his lips to silence him. "Please, don't apologize for it Bog. It's not your fault. And while I really could have done without the storm-" she let out a content sigh-"it was such a wonderful day. And I really don't mind how I ended up." The smirk was audible in her voice and she wriggled a bit to get into a more comfortable pose, not without rubbing her hips against his abdomen. His deep growl and gentle scratching of his claws made her giggle, but she stopped with the teasing right away. This was really not the place for things like this.
After Bog regained his composure he shot Marianne a glare and tugged at one of her ears for her teasing. She let out an irritated grunt and wanted to swat his arm, but he caught her wrist and started to kiss her knuckles. Any hostility between them melted away in seconds. The gap was too small to play around, anyway.
"A'm really glad you think so. A was a bit...afraid ye wouldn't like how the autumn changes my kingdom." he said with a shy smile and rubbed his thumb over the back of her hand.
"Worrywart," Marianne snorted. "How could I not like it? Heck, I actually love it." She had that sparkle in her eyes again that made Bog go all giddy and warm inside.
"Autumn is really no pretty thing in my kingdom," she continues. "All looks more grey and bleakly. But in the forest it's like it gets even more colorful than I could have ever imagined. I truly understand now why you Goblins like it so much."
The chuckle was a thing that came from deep within his chest and he gave her hand a gentle squeeze.
"A'm more than happy to hear that. Indeed ma kind likes this time of year a lot for...many reasons." The sudden waver in his voice made Marianne quirk an eyebrow in confusion. His blushing and that he averted his eyes from her only made the confusion grow. But before she could form the question that was on her tongue, Bog cleared his throat and continued. "Anyway, as much as we like it, it's also the busiest season for us and we can only enjoy the beginning of it, with all the preparations for the Mabon-Feast and winter."
He had barely finished his sentence, when Bog's expression suddenly changed, as if he had just realized something.
"Come to think of...," he slowly started to speak and looked at her with keen interest. "A actually have no idea how ye Fairy spent the winter. Does it even get cold enough in yer kingdom to snow?"
Marianne blinked confused at his question, before answered with a laugh. "Of course it gets does. It's winter after all."
"It wouldn't have surprised me, when it's always like spring on yer side," he said with a shrug and sheepish smile.
"Another one of your Fairy cliché's you Goblins have?" she asked him with a teasing grin, which was answered with a hesitant nod. Marianne had to snort. "Oh, that would've been really nice, but we get autumn and winter just like anyone else."
Her expression changed into a musing frown as she thought of how to explain the way Fairy spent the winter. "It depends on how hard the winter will be. During a mild winter we stay in our kingdom, but we go underground and sleep a lot in communal rooms to keep us warm. If it gets too cold we migrate to the south where we spent the winter in the Forest kingdom of the Dryads. They are another allied kingdom of ours," she added and then grinned widely at him. "I'm sure you would like it there. It's not as dark and fascinating as your forest, but I'm sure you would feel almost like home there."
Bog chuckled about her enthusiasm. "Well, ye really spurred ma curiosity on to see this kingdom. A would like to visit it some day."
While Marianne hummed pleased, he thought that he maybe really wanted to see this kingdom he highly doubted he could go with her during the winter. He had duties as king after all and even when the thought of not seeing Marianne for months was dreadful for him he couldn't abandoned them. But his curiosity was a bit stronger than his displeasure at the moment.
"But how do ye know before the winter actually starts, if it will be a mild or a severe one? Do ye Fairies have a reliable way to predict it?"
"No, not exactly," she said and shook her head. "We are in contact with members of a weather cult. Some of them come to us every autumn and in exchange of goods and food they tell us how the winter will be." Slightly annoyed she rubbed her forehead with one hand. "That's also why I was so busy the last week. Dad wanted me to be the leading figure in the talks with those members. It was a simple act, but still came out of nowhere. Barely had any time to prepare myself."
"A'm sure ye did a wonderful job tough girl," Bog said with a reassuring smile, whereupon Marianne blushed and looked very pleased. And he meant it. He know first hand that Marianne was good with political talks and bringing her point across, even when using her sword for this was much easier. "Though A have to say that yer father does these kind of things a lot lately."
Her groan was filled with annoyance and she dropped her head against his chest. "You can say that again."
Bog chuckled amused and started to scratch gently through her hair. Marianne's whole form relaxed immediately and she hummed in pleasure.
"Each time A'm more fascinated by the kind of contacts ye Fairies have. Are the forecasts of this weather cult always true?" His only answer was an agreeing mumble from the Fairy.
Bog had to snort and shook his head, but didn't stop with his stroking, just moving his fingers to the sides so that he could nuzzle is nose against the crown of her head. He relished the scent of hers, the smell of fresh grass, sunshine and all kinds of flowers. A smile played about his lips when the usual perfume of lavender met his nose, which she used because he once had said it would suit her. Besides those usual smells for Fairies there were also new odors on her, which were barely noticeable. But he did, because he knew her scent so well. The smell of the earthy forest floor, the moos they always slept on and the night-blue flower they both adored so much had become part of her as much as the flowers from the fields. A fact that warmed Bog's heart immensely and he let out a content growl, which was answered with a happy hum by Marianne. It turned into a sigh when he kissed the top of her head.
It maybe had been perfect timing that Marianne had been busy the last week, but he still had missed her a lot. He always got so gloomily when he was without her for a few days, let alone one or two weeks. It was pathetic for a Goblin king, but he couldn't help it. The prospect of being apart for even months dreaded him so much, not matter if she was in her kingdom or another. Unintentionally his grip around her became stronger and a little bit possessive. He didn't realized this until Marianne started to giggle.
"We get a mild winter by the way. Just in case you wanted to know," she said in a soothing voice and stroked over his chest. Even when he was a bit ashamed by his reaction, he was very touched by how good Marianne could read him. Not that it changed much of the situation.
"Thanks for telling me. A'm sure it will help ma people to prepare for the winter to a proper degree." And it really would help the Goblins. When the winter was too mild and too much food was stored, it easily happened that it gets spoiled, which was such a waste. With this information the tribes who were responsible for the food would have a better idea on how much to store for the next months. With his worries eased on this subject, it turned back to another.
"So ye will stay at the Fairy palace? Or better said underneath?" Bog idly wondered, if he could ask her to stay with him during winter. They would also stay underground, so it was not much different from the way she would spent the winter anyway and surely they wouldn't held much diplomatic meetings during that time of the year. But was it really the same? Autumn was already different in his kingdom, what was when it got colder than she was used to? The thought of her freezing to death just because of him hold him back to ask the question.
"Maybe. Maybe not." Marianne's purring voice cut through his musing and he looked at her in confusion. A sly smile was on her face and she started to walk her fingers from his abdomen up to his chest. Distracted by this gesture Bog had to gulp and his mind went further blank when she started to scratch his chin. His wings didn't have much space to move, but they still started to quiver. "The important thing is that I have to be underground. Where exactly that is doesn't really matter."
It was so obvious on what she hinted with this and Bog was again astonished similar their way of thinking was. As much as he wanted to agree and invite her to spent the winter with him, he still wasn't so sure about her safety and other things.
"A doubt yer father would agree to this. Especially since we don't know how different our winters are," he tried to make the gravity of the situation clear, which was not so convincingly, since he purred in a dark tone from her stroking.
"Well, we have to find out then," she said with a nonchalant shrug and still had this purring tone in her voice. "And don't worry about my father, I'm sure I can convince him to agree to this. After all I have to see how Goblins deal with the winter with my own eyes, so we can optimize the trades in the future." Her hand had wandered from his chin, over his cheek to his ear, where her fingers now toyed with it. Bog growled in pleasure and hated her at the same time for tempting him into agreeing to her with such cheap tricks. Enjoyable, but still cheap tricks.
When he was able to gather his wits again, he gently caught her wrist and hold it away from his face. While he looked with a stern expression at her, Marianne only attempted on making an innocent face.
"Ye shouldn't treat this so lightly Marianne. A've seen Goblins freezing through the winter and it isn't a nice experience. Even when this one is a mild one and even when ye won't...," he paused and drew a deep breath through his nose. "A just don't want you to suffer by a coldness that could be much worse than ye are used to."
"Oh, as if I would suffer any less when I'm at the Fairy palace," she said angrily. Surprised by this sudden outburst of her, Bog looked with wide eyes at her and let go of her hand. Marianne crossed her arms in front of her and mimicked his previous stern expression. "I know that it's risky, but I willing to try out and see how I can stand the winter in the forest. I will bring winter clothes with me and I'm sure you have a bunch of fur-blankets in your den, so I doubt I will get that cold." When Bog still didn't look completely convinced, she gave him a playful smile and added: "And should I still get too cold for my health, you can wrap me up in a dozen of blankets and fly me to my kingdom. How does this sound?"
"Hilarious," he said with a snort and Marianne joined in with a small laughter.
"Yeah, it does." When she sobered up again, her expression became neutral and she bowed her head down. "But well,... we don't have to do this, if you...don't want me around all the time."
"What?" he asked perplexed and disbelieving. "Of course A would love to spent all winter with ye tough girl. Why would ye think A wouldn't?"
Nervously Marianne started to fumble with her hair. She gnawed on her lips for several seconds before she answered, still not looking him into the eyes. "I...I don't know. W-we never have been together constantly for such a long period and I...I don't want to make you any troubles or annoy somehow."
Bog simply blinked in bewilderment at her. Why would she think she could...? Oh, but of course! He had learned that whenever Marianne would react so nervously in this way it had to do something with this Roland idiot. A part of him wondered what happened, but he didn't bother to ask. It wasn't important. What was important was that right now Marianne was afraid, afraid of making a mistake and he had to assure her that there was nothing she had to be afraid of.
Gently he put a finger under her chin, to lift up her head and looking with all sincerity he could muster at her. She looked back with surprise and uncertainty.
"Ye would never annoy me in any way Marianne." His voice was full of urgent honesty and hope that she would believe him. He let his words sink in for a few second, before he let out an amused huff and continued. "By the Gods, A surely would go crazy, if A couldn't see you for more than a month."
"The feeling is mutual," Marianne mumbled with a hesitant smile and Bog chuckled. He leant down to press his forehead against hers, his finger now tenderly stroking over her cheek. She took in a deep breath before she looked up at him. The pure expression of relieve and gratitude in her eyes made his heartbeat go faster. "I'm sorry Bog. That was unnecessarily dramatic from me."
"Don't apologize for that love. A understand it," he said with a reassuring smile. Her own one was again full of thankfulness and she rubbed her nose against his, which made him hum deeply.
"So, we have a deal?" she asked after a few moments. "I will convince my father to spent the winter here in the forest, but should it become too cold for me, you can drag me back to my kingdom."
Bog grinned at her choice of words and nodded. "A would be more than happy to welcome ye into my den for the season. If ye are really sure about trying this out."
"I am, to one hundred percent," she said in a confident tone that didn't allow any doubt about her decision. Then her expression became slightly more sassy and she went from sitting in his lap to kneeling between his legs, so she could wrap her arms around his neck. "Besides, if I had always stopped, just because something seemed to be too dangerous, I wouldn't be here with you."
"Ye might have a point there tough girl," Bog said and wasn't able to stop the grin spreading on his face, while he wound his arms around her hips.
Their foreheads were still pressed against each other, when they started to laugh in happiness about the prospect of spending three whole months together with no interruption. But those laughter quiet down very soon, when their lips found each other into a deep and passionate kiss.
Meanwhile the rain and wind had calmed down. The night sky was clear and it looked liked there never had been a storm mere minutes ago. But the royals of the Dark Forest and the Light Fields were too occupied with each other to notice right now.