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nightgown, Marina began to bandage the falcon’s wing. “So—if you’re really a fairy, why do you appear to be a falcon with an arrow wound on your wing?”
    “Well, you see, I was actually doing a bit of eavesdropping earlier today,” Thomasina, the falcon, said. “Ouch!”
    “I’m securing the bandaging as carefully as I can. It would be much easier, of course, if you really were a fairy, if you’d pop back to a human-like form. An arm would be far easier to tend to than a wing, you know.”
    “Fairies, you know, can shift shapes quite easily,” Thomasina said.
    “Then it would be so convenient and helpful if you were to shift now.”
    “You’re not letting me finish the story. I had to get away quickly—there are those who should never be given a chance to catch a fairy—and so I turned myself into a wolf. Bad choice, I’m afraid, made too quickly. Then the monster who put the arrow into me was on my tail, and that time, just a bit belatedly, I thought
falcon.
But now, you see … I’m quite weakened by all this, so I must remain in this form.”
    “As you say.”
    “Young lady, you are quite patronizing.”
    “I don’t mean to be.”
    “Oh, that’s right. You believe yourself to be in the midst of a serious mind disease.”
    “What I think is that I’m going to see you’re well bandaged and set for the night. Then I’m heading home, and I’ll soak in a long bath, and”—she paused, making a face—”I’ll go to supper, as I must, of course, drink a great quantity of wine to get through it, and sleep just as long as I possibly can. You mustn’t worry, though. I will be back tomorrow.”
    “You can’t tell anyone that I’m a magical being.”
    “I hadn’t intended to in the least.”
    The falcon stared at her, angling its head. “What are you doing up here in your nightdress?”
    Marina laughed. “Hm, quickly—I’m supposed to marry this awful man I despise. But I’m going to do so, because I think it’s really the right thing. I don’t like being home because my parents are gone, my stepfather is a wishy-washy man led around by a woman who is a witch, and it’s rather miserable. That’s about it. I come here to … dream, I guess,” she said softly.
    “And that’s why you wear your nightgown? The better to dream?”
    Marina shook her head, smiling. “The better to escape quickly—I had to pretend I was heading out, rather than be forced to join a hunting party. I have a cloak, somewhere, and my horse is not far away.”
    “You do seem to be having a strange existence. As I said, I can help you. Fairies can grant a human three wishes, you know. At Christmastide. It’s quite convenient for you that it happens to be Christmastide.”
    “Ah, Thomasina, what a sweet thought! But I do believe that we must help ourselves in life. I could run away, you see, but I don’t think that would do anyone any good. I love Lendo very much, and I do think I’m quite a match for the wretched fellow I’m to marry.”
    “Well …” the falcon said softly. “I am, of course, pleased to hear you have confidence in yourself, but … well, my dear, even the strongest man, or the most powerful lord, needs assistance at some point in life.”
    “True, but I will be just fine. Of course … if there were any other way … but there isn’t. So.”
    “So. Your life is wretched—but you’re resigned. And so you come here … and spend your days in dreams. I’m not so sure that’s helping you. Three wishes, girl. Take a chance.”
    Marina laughed. “Well, I must say, I’d enjoy it heartily if that swaggering braggart, Carlo Baristo, were to fall flat into a watering trough,” she said, savoring the image her words brought to mind. Then she noted how far the sun had gone down, and she rose quickly. “I must go. I believe you’re fairly sheltered here … and close enough to the water to drink. I’ll be back as soon as I can in the morning to make sure you’re doing well. I wish