The night had grown from a setting sun, setting the sky and air alight with pinpricks of pulsating radiance. Fireflies drew pictures of chemically-created light in the air, wings beating a million times a second to keep up with the light in front of them.

It was Phion whom they danced for. She had wondered what it would be like to see them all create something. Giggling, the doe asked for another picture, this time of a bird. The fireflies re-arranged themselves, moving ever more quickly to create the trick of lines that a deer saw. She smiled, thanking them. In response, the little beings covered her body in creeping, crawling kisses. They loved the doe, the fireflies, because she was like them. She was a source of light in the forest's darkness. And she did not swat at them when they got close.

Phion giggled a little louder, the light sound floating through the air like that of a nymph's laughter as they all lit up once, before flying off with a buzzling, blinking goodbye. Phion again was alone in the forest, save for a few crickets. Her eyes went to one singing a joyful song on a low blade of grass. Laying her slender neck to the earth, the doe smiled at the cricket. She asked nicely if he would allow her to sing as he played his toe-tapping fiddle. After a little persuasion, she finally was granted leave to sing. The sound was heavenly as it floated from her lips, and then the playing stopped. She had done it again. Again she had hypnotized another. Kissing the cricket, she apologized, saying that she would be content to just listen. After all, he had warned her and she was sorry.

The doe listened to the cricket's song, hardly listening to any of the forest around her...

And those were the words of a prince, a misunderstood prince...

Below the cut, with an appearance by Eventide.