"What a lucky encounter," Peter says smiling at the chef when Dear Kind Sweetness' attention is away. "But it's good that you were resourceful enough with what you got from it."

"Oh, I was very lucky. She gave me a wish."

    There is a sudden hush across the whole table... and for the first time that night, the Queen's voice is heard, beautiful and melodious like wind chimes. "And what did you wish for?"

"I wished I knew," she replies, simply, and winks her non-black eye.

"Well, asking for that kind of wish can't be overrated," Peter says impressed.

    The queen titters, and the feasting resumes. Dear Kind Sweetness stops grilling Kaede directly, and the conversation takes a more relaxed tone. "So what do you wanna do in the future?" asks one of the fairies.

"I'm studying to be a lawyer," Kaede replies.

    "What's that?"

"Someone who helps other people navigate contracts and conflict, more or less."

"Oh, did you decide that before or after the magic business?"

"It was one of my options but the magic business was the final deciding factor."

"I see. Hopefully, you have been found it useful," he says looking like he is absently refilling her tea - while not being absent about it at all - then refilling his own tea.

"Oh, I definitely have. It is much easier to help people, now."

"You sound very driven to do that. Don't you?"

"It's very hard to gauge what one sounds like from the inside."

"True, true. Regardless, I'm happy to have met you."

"I'm happy to have met you, too."

Cue a chorus of fairies going "awwwwww".

Of course they'd do that. To add to the show Peter gives her his best puppy-love eyes.

"You're adorable," she tells him.

    "He is very useful, too," interjects Dear Kind Sweetness. "So helpful interfacing with the humans. We don't know what we would do without him."

So that's how that goes. She turns to look directly at the fairy. "I am confident you would do just fine. Surely you did before him?"

    "Ah, well, yes, but our previous Human used to help, then, and only retired once our current Human was of an age."

A far too early age, she thinks but does not say. "And when he, too, grows old?"

    "Then he will find us a suitable replacement, of course!"

"Of course." She takes a sip from a cup of tea that Peter served her then sets it down. "And I am sure he has many enchantments protecting his health. Humans are very fragile creatures, after all, and you must have every safeguard to ensure he will not be taken from you earlier than when he could pay his debt off."

    Once again the conversation quietens, although it does not reach the deathly silent from before. "Of course," agrees Dear Kind Sweetness after this pause, taking this opportunity to drink some of her own tea.

It takes some effort to put the tea down without spilling it.

Peter... never heard about this. He knew there was some way out, but it was never explicitly spelled out. He holds himself very still.

Kaede decides to not prod the fairy hive again just now and focuses a bit on her food, but her light smile is definitely sharper—more inhuman—than it was before.