This is from Episode "V" of "The Thin Line." Then-Pte. Winterbough is recovering from a near-fatal dose of stranglewort poison contracted while saving his officer's life, in the midst of both of them preventing an assassination of the Crown Prince and Marshal of their realm. Winterbough has awoken in a room in the Royal Palace.

"The room I was in was somewhat peculiar. It was tiled in a soft pastel blue. Off in one corner, there was a small stand from which a number of large velveteen ants dangled. A large, painted wooden ant on rockers was nearby, its gay colours dulled a little bit with dust. The room itself did not appear to have been used in quite some time."

It is one of the themes in  tegerio's stories about Faerie that there is a terrible drop in fertility in the land of the elves. I adopted this theme for part of "The Thin Line," showing in one image how the lack of children affects even the royal family. There is a definite air in the room, and you can see how it affects Winterbough's mood (a nice touch by the artist).

 tegerio was ideal to draw these scene, in these circumstances. Winterbough's antler was broken by one of the arrows used by the assassin. I love the detail in the rocking-ant, and the little mobile.