Peek: Summer in Spring (Patreon)

Reality blooms into existence around the young fey scion, so many sensations vying for her attention! Chilled surroundings being warmed by the sun. Greenery everywhere, with occasional bastions of snow skulking in the shadows. Birds singing the advent of spring. The scent of early flowers hoping to tempt bees and other pollinators out with the promise of the first sweet sips of spring's nectar.

And beyond all that, a wellspring of power and curiosity, watching her take her first steps and first flaps of her wings. She's humbled and awed by the presence, understanding instantly that its the dungeon that birthed her. She is prepared to follow whatever commands it has for her... but the dungeon seems a bit preoccupied at the moment with trying to name her.

Brief concepts of mischief and trickery flash over the bond with the dungeon, but the intelligence rejects them. While it expects some chicanery from the new fey scion, that is not her purpose. No, her purpose is to guide and grow, and so the dungeon names her Titania.

It's a lot of responsibility, but her Oberon knows she can handle it. He also knows she has time to grow into it. He has plans, such vast and glorious plans that even a glimpse is enough to make her weep at the splendor, yet also cry out in joy as well!

And she has her part to play in that plan, one that she is eager to get to! The Oberon doesn't order her to get to it immediately, however. He wishes her to familiarize herself with her nascent kingdom of Summer, as well as her subjects. As of yet, she has her fellow pixies to care for and command. For now, she has them do as she intends to do: explore and understand the territory of Summer, and how to more effectively realize its purpose.

And there is so much to see! Hidden hollows beneath roots, shaded canopies, humid caves, rolling hills, bright clearings, and so much more! She loses herself, for a time, in the discovery of all the life here already. Then she notices something opposed to that life. Borer beetles. While parasites like those would ordinarily have a place in life, these one are twisted and wrong, somehow.

With a thought, she amplifies a thorn from a nearby bush and claims it as her own, before rushing at the despoiler of the Oberon's territory! How dare it try to impede the plans of such wonderful life?! She doesn't even give it the dignity of being challenged, and instead skewers the invader, pinning it to the tree it was hoping to slowly murder.

She doesn't let it writhe in agony for long, much as it may deserve it. Its presence is an affront to the Oberon, and if it's able to suffer, it is still here. It's not difficult to dispatch the vile foe with it so entrapped, and soon she retrieves her thorn from the tree.

This is a good thorn. She will keep it. She may even be able to enlist the help of the other scions to improve it even further. Her Oberon has so many scions, each more potent than the last! The only one she may eclipse in power would be Poppy, and her Oberon has already declared them to be sisters. She should visit her younger sibling, and see if she requires any assistance.

She will be a good sister. Their purposes align so readily, it's no wonder her Oberon decided to call them siblings. She should bring a gift to her younger sister, to show there's no need for rivalries. Her sister seems a quiet sort, but that simply means Titania can guide the conversation, once it starts. But what to gift her?

While there is certainly endless bounty around her in her Summer, there are surely even newer things elsewhere in her Oberon's territory? Confirmation comes as her Oberon orders a few samples of plants brought from his stores, and Titania leaps at the chance to help. Not only can she accelerate her Oberon's plans, but she can get a worthy gift for her sister!

The journy is long, but at least not arduous, and soon she is basking in the warehouse of her Oberon, hardly able to narrow down which priceless seeds to take back! Thankfully, she will not have to do it on her own. Her pixies help carry the precious cargo, and she even enlists the help of some ants and bats to ensure they will grow perfectly.

And she finds a perfect seed to gift her sister, too: a tranquil poppy. It has exacting needs to grow, but such a challenge is the perfect thing to let her younger sibling show her skill, and to prepare her for the massive project of her Oberon.

She smiles as she darts back to Summer, seed clutched to her chest. She knows Poppy will love it, and she even hopes she can help her tend to it. Her sister probably won't need the help, but what are siblings for if not giving help anyway?