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She was known by many names, not all of them flattering, and her reputation for indifferent cruelty and mischief earned her respect as well as fear from her kind. However, she chose to go by the name Rhoswyn, or white rose, given to her by Robin Goodfellow himself. They weren't friends as much as co-conspirators, but they got along well enough. Between schemes Rhoswyn tended to get bored, and the dry spell she was in seemed to be lasting longer than most. She sighed, dark eyes flicking in annoyance towards a few pixies giggling as they flew past her, tiny glowing bodies darting through the balmy summer air. The sky was just growing dim in the twilight, and the deep woods began to fill with the sounds of her brethren.

An idea struck her then. Why wait around here for something to happen? The world of humans was full of endless opportunities for entertainment, though brief. And twilight was the best time to cross the border into their realm. Rhoswyn grinned wickedly, lights dancing in her sharp eyes, and inhaled deeply before putting on her glamour and taking a meaningful step forward, into the parallel land that awaited her.

Everything twisted. It was unsettling, but after a few deep breaths she felt steady enough to take in her surroundings. The edge of the forest Rhoswyn resided in, the same and yet different, was at her back. Smells of sweat and filth, as well as the sweet scent of mortality, hard to describe, filled her first. Then her keen eyes took in the odd setting she had arrived in. There were small clusters of buildings, sturdy unnatural things in her opinion, and a few open empty fields. Young people walked in groups down sidewalks, chatting amicably, although some were alone. A sign at the entrance of the campus declared it to be an esteemed private college. The cunning smile spread across her face again. This was going to be fun.

Rhoswyn sat gracefully on a rough wooden bench, her lithe frame settling to get comfortable. Splinters gently dug into her tender skin, pricking lightly as if to greet her. She was small compared to the other humans, standing at around five foot one, and her sharp, delicate features were oddly pretty. Some people glanced at the strange girl sitting alone at the bench, but she ignored them, her eyes searching for something. Soon, Rhoswyn saw a gathering that caught her interest, although she appeared as unaware as before. It was best to act like she was lost in thought; it made her seem more innocuous.

A circle of eight or nine burly students stood in a circle, surrounding a slender young man. They were trying to be threatening, she could tell, from the way they puffed out their chests and squared their shoulders. With overly sensitive ears, she listened as the leader walked toward the boy, his gruff voice low as he interrogated his victim. From what she could tell, the boy didn't know what was happening, or why. Rhoswyn let her curious nature lead her and rose quickly, casually making her way towards the group of humans without appearing to be aware of her surroundings. Her tiny bare feet were soundless as she strolled down the sidewalk, the gritty concrete rough against her slightly calloused soles. A light breeze ruffled her silken, almost colorless hair, pale strands fluttering around her, caressing her. She was attuned to the natural world and it recognized her before any of these humans ever would.

Rhoswyn watched as the boy was shoved rudely to the ground, but continued her calmly paced approach until she stood directly behind the large young man, who was chuckling pridefully at his own strength. Mentally Rhoswyn was deciding the easiest way to deal with the brute, acting as soon as the thoughts arose. Best to act harmless, if she revealed herself too quickly it might turn against her. She tapped him lightly on the shoulder, and her voice, though soft, carried lovely musical undertones.

"Excuse me, would you mind letting me by?" she asked, looking up through her long dark lashes. Everything about her was attractive physically, it helped to lure prey and gain trust. She smiled flirtatiously. Her white teeth gleamed briefly and a single dimple appeared in her right cheek. Pretending to be impressed with the leader of the gang was the best way to get what she wanted. "I need to talk to him," Rhoswyn added when he didn't move, pointing with an unnaturally long, pale finger and the boy on the ground.

She had found a plaything. He was almost as pretty as a fey, tall and slender with large eyes and fair hair. However, he was clumsier, and his mortality clung to him like wet clothing. Rhoswyn instinctively decided she wanted him, like a child who sees a toy in a shop window. Hopefully he would keep her attention, if not she would merely find another until something bigger came along.

She smiled again gratefully over her shoulder as she quickly walked to the center of the circle. Rhoswyn barely came up to the boy's shoulder, so to make eye contact she needed to tilt her face up. He tried to look away but her eyes managed to catch his and held his gaze firmly. "Because," she said, her mind racing for a suitable reason until she decided on the truth, "I like you." The words didn't sound romantic or flirtatious at all. Just straightfoward, although the proprietary undertones were there if someone listened close enough.

She stood on tiptoe and whispered in his ear, adding, "And I can get you away from these jerks, so come on, stop asking questions." A slow smile spread from ear to ear, a secretive smile that said I'm sharing my mischief with you, don't you want to have a little fun? It was a tempting, taunting grin, and it made Rhoswyn's black eyes light up and shimmer. If the boy denied her, she would find another way to snag him. The game had officially begun.

Her gaze sharpened in displeasure when the boy refused her, but she let herself be shoved out of the way. Still, she stood stubbornly on the sidelines, her arms crossed. Rhoswyn had involved herself and now she was going to wait until this nonsense played itself out. The boy might get broken, and then she could fix him. If humans owed a favor to her kind, they had ways of calling them in. Rhoswyn wanted him to come with her willingly, of course, but she had a back up plan.

She watched as the boy's eyes widened, and the smell of fear, sickly sweet, grew around him. He shot off then, quick as a hunted animal, disappearing between buildings as quick as his legs could carry him. Before they could act, Rhoswyn darted forward and snatched the bag he left behind, then ran swiftly towards the woods where she had come from, melting into the small spaces between the trees.

It was the forest she lived in, but so empty compared to the true woods. Air stirred the lonely trees, making the leaves whisper, and she sat leaning against the trunk of a large oak tree, bark pressed to her back. Nimble fingers opened the boy's bag and sifted through it, folders and papers, the writing odd and unintelligible to Rhoswyn's eyes. She could change her perceptions enough to understand spoken human tongues, but it required far more effort to make out the written language. Her people had little use for writing, their knowledge was passed from mouth to mouth, or discovered alone through actions.

The only useful thing she managed to do was work some quick tracking magic using the bag as her connection. Sighing, Rhoswyn decided to return the useless spoils. Hurried quickly onto the campus again, pulling the rolling bag behind her. She was led by the small spell she had cast, and didn't mind pushing through the people with surprising strength as she made her way to the buildings the boy was huddled between. Finally, she found him gasping and coughing on the unforgiving pavement; unpleasant odors from the dumpster nearby wafted in the air.

He didn't even notice her at first he was so caught up in an attempt to catch his breath again. Rhoswyn watched him silently a few moments then knelt alongside him, putting the bag between her and him. Hesitantly, she reached out with delicate hands and helped the boy sit up, which seemed to help with his breathing. Rhoswyn's hands were cool and smooth as she touched his skin. "Sorry, I just came to give you your bag back," she said bashfully, her eyes cast down and away from his face, feigning embarrassment.

Rhoswyn smiled comfortingly. He was so frail, it was endearing really. No fey, not even a child, could be as weak as this boy was now in his sickness. "You're welcome, just call me Wyn," she said, pulling her hands away when he seemed to regain control. "I saw you, and I wanted to talk is all. Besides, I knew those other guys wouldn't hurt me, they wouldn't prove anything by hitting a girl."

He was so flushed, and his body radiated heat. It was strange to Rhoswyn, who's body temperature rested almost ten degrees lower at least than the average human. "It's stupid for them to try and fight with you too, actually, if you're sick. Beating up a sick boy doesn't seem to have much glory either," she mused, a wry smile twisting on her face. Without thinking, she reached over and brushed a few locks of hair from his face, enjoying the feeling. She was a solitary creature, and being so physically close to something was a pleasantly strange experience. She saw now why many fairy folk lured humans to them. It was exciting to feel their life pressed so close, knowing it burned hot inside them for a short time before fading away.

Rhoswyn felt puzzled by the boy's refusal of his condition. She could smell the sickness, cloying and sickly sweet, like honeysuckle. But she saw that it wasn't something open for discussion, so the words pushing at the back of her throat remained unsaid. Silently Rhoswyn watch him go, her head cocked slightly sideways. "You're welcome, see you around," she replied to his last comment, her smile friendly and curious.

She didn't even learn his name, Rhoswyn realized with some dismay. To be honest, this seemed far more challenging than she thought initially. It's what I get for not playing with humans often, she thought, chastising herself. Still, she made no move to stop the boy from departing; Rhoswyn just let the thoughts race swift as a river in her head. To get a hold of this boy, she realized, she would have to win him over. Find a way to make him want her, or love her, and he might just follow her back home.