A Human’s Guide to Surviving Magical Mishaps by Kit Bryan
Rule 97- Sometimes you have to ask for what you want—if you don't, things might never change.

Lucy turns up early the next evening, eager to see if Pan will be showing up again. Sure enough, a little after the sun goes down there's a knock at my front door. Lucy rushes to answer it and I can't say that I mind. I'm comfortable on the couch and don't want to waste the energy getting up if I don't have to. We ordered pizza tonight which has already arrived, we were just waiting on Pan to arrive. This time she is far more comfortable with us. She basically invites herself inside and drops down onto the couch as lazily as someone with huge wings possibly can. Seeing through her glamour is harder to me than seeing through Ashton's, but I guess I've had less practice. Still, as long as I focus on where her wings SHOULD be I can usually see something. Trying to spot her tail works fairly well too. Pan helps herself to some food, she's gotten real comfortable with us real fast. Not that I mind, I like that she's happy and relaxed around us. I'm fairly sure that Luce and I have made a new friend.

Pan tosses me her little bag and I catch it easily.

"Please, help yourself." She says. The bag isn't heavy but I'm starting to think that doesn't mean much. It's like the stuff isn't heavy until it comes out of the bag. I'd ask, but I already know the bag can magically change size, why not weight too? Lucy crowds in next to me, pizza hanging from her mouth as she moves to get a better view. I pull open the bag and find a large selection of boxes in varying sizes.

"Okay?" I say in confusion. Lucy bounces with glee.

"This means there are plenty of packages to open. Can I open one?" She begs.

"Sure, let's all open one at the same time." I decide. I'll probably be sending whatever it is back, but that doesn't mean we can't spend some time enjoying the process of unpacking things. Wse all pick out a box. I pick a smallish blue one, Pan picks a medium sized red one and Lucy takes her time and digs through to find the largest box in there. It's also a deep blue colour with fancy gold designs on the lid.

"Okay everyone. Open your box on three... One, two, THREE!" We all pull our boxes open. I am speechless. My box contains the most gorgeous set of amethyst earrings I have ever seen. They're so clearly fae because I've never seen a human craft anything so ornate, magic HAS to be involved somehow. Lucy is squealing as she pulls out a golden tiara with some kind of flower design shaped in it. She immediately places it on her head, flattening down her curls a little to make it sit straight. Pan tips her box towards me. It holds a necklace made of some kind of crystal, like the entire thing. It's stunning and looks like it would probably be worn as a choker of some kind. The crystal has swirling patterns carved all over it. "Wow, these are amazing!" I can't help but express my awe.. Lucy is on top of the world and we all start opening the rest of the boxes.

Half an hour later we are surrounded by a stack of jewellery boxes, Lucy is covered from head to toe in rings, necklaces, bracelets, earrings and so on. She decided to wear as many of the items as she could manage.

"I've never seen such beautiful items." I admit. Pan grins.

"Does this mean that you will be keeping some of your gifts this time?" She enquires. I shake my head.

"Nope, if it was a single item, picked especially for me or something, then I would have a hard time saying no. But as beautiful as these are, they're a random assortment that I suspect have been chosen for their value. I don't need them. Ashton still seems to think he owes me something and taking these would be admitting to that. He doesn't owe me anything." I decide. Lucy sighs but agrees and starts slowly removing all the items she is wearing and returning them to their boxes. I appreciate her show of solidarity because I can see how much she loves some of these items. They ARE gorgeous. Maybe one day I'll have to find a way to get fae accessories imported. I have no idea how I would do that. Maybe humans should trade something with the fae? Technology maybe? I already know they adore photos and cameras. Arrangements like that with the fae have always seemed so out of this world and impossible in the past, but I'm starting to think that maybe that isn't the case. I've met a total of six fae now. Three of them have been wonderful and three of them horrible. I feel like I can safely say that I've seen the best and worst that they have to offer.

Pan heads off once she's finished eating and once again jokes that she will see us tomorrow night. The thing is, she isn't wrong. The next night she returns with a bag full of what Pan explains are fae charms. Basically enchanted objects. There are ones to provide a glamour, ones to start fires, even charms to do household tasks like washing dishes. There are so many different ones and I so badly want to take them, but I can't. It wouldn't be right. In the human realm these are worth even more than the gifts he sent previously. Not to mention I think I would be kind of worried people would mug me for them or break into my home if they knew I had them. I might get lonely around here but that is not how I want to get more company! I reject them and Pan agrees to return them with a tired sigh. I frown.

"Is something wrong?" I ask her.

"Look, as much as I enjoy visiting you, I have not been able to go out in the daylight for days. I may not look like it, but I do actually have good vision and all this travel between the fae realm and human realm has left me no time to recover. Can you please just accept something, or at least give me a letter to pass on explaining that sending more gifts is a waste of time? I am happy to come and see you again, but I would like to take a few days off at least." She pleads and I feel instantly guilty. I hadn't considered how difficult this must be for her. I've been keeping the lights in my home fairly dim anyway, but unlike Ashton and Fin she has barely reacted to them so it didn't occur to me that she was suffering. I realise something strange in what she just said.

"How did you know that I've seen through your glamour? I didn't mention it." I point out. Pan laughs.

"Oh, well when I arrived and sat on the couch, you automatically shifted the cushions behind me to make room for my wings. I wondered if it was an accident but when you sat down beside me I noted that you were very cautious not to sit on my tail by accident, which I appreciate by the way. The prince did mention that you were quite skilled at seeing through glamours. It just seemed obvious to me that you had done so already." She explains. Huh, I didn't even notice how careful I was being. Like yes I did rearrange the cushions, but that was just a natural movement as I sat down to make sure we both fit comfortably, and of course I didn't want to sit on her tail!

"I guess you're right. I looked through it the first evening you came. Oh! And I am so sorry. You're right, this back and forth isn't fair to you. I'll write Ashton a letter." A thought occurs to me.

"Actually. I have a gift for you that might help. One second." I dig through my bag and pull out my pair of good sunglasses. I can afford to replace them.

"Here, you can wear these." I offer them to Pan who looks confused. With her permission I put them on her and she beams a smile at me.

"These do seem to help. They block the light somewhat without seriously obscuring my vision. I appreciate the gift and I will cherish them." She promises. I wave her off.

"It's no big deal. Give me a minute, I'll write Ashton a letter." I promise.