CW:

BULDERII POV!!! Talk of catching a new godling, and implications of horrid things being done to remove her mantle and possibly enslave her.

I slip into the Manor’s entryway to regard the dozen song-drenched figures waiting in the maw of this beast.

She knew the Fae would seek us out. With either the urgency of a lazy creature injured and annoyed by our easy capture and interrogation of their Elder, or cautious curiosity… even we did not know for certain which would happen.

And Thendra was quite amused to see which it was.

The five Reavers before me are quickly joined by the entire lurking clutch. Some young and pulsing with hunger to the bountiful souls before them, while the three survivors from the last brood remain quiet and still.

Remembering well the Wretch their rewoven allies fell to and sensing kindred songs on the Fae.

I stick to the back, bow slung over my shoulder, but five arrows clutched loosely in open caution. Letting one of the others growl warnings and little demands of the two Fae who step forward.

“We’re here to speak with your Mistress.” A feathered Fae woman speaks, keeping voice level. “Either send for her or we’ll brush you all aside and find her ourselves.”

A younger of the pack slinks off without needing to be told while no more words are exchanged.

And soon our Hr̥daya stands in the stairwell, and our brood goes still as she purrs. “Fae.”

She’s been… strange of late. Endlessly amused at odd moments and seemingly at random times.

The lead woman’s eyes fix on her. “Ah. Is this your gaggle?”

Thendra nods. “It is.”

“Wonderful, My name is Opherity. And are you this…” The Fae woman’s nose scrunches up like the next word tastes foul to her. “Thendra, brute I’ve heard all manner of dark songs about?”

My Hr̥daya smirks, “And if I am?”

“Then we’d very much like to share a peaceful talk with you.” Opherity responds as the Fae about her seem to tense. Songs tilting to things that seem to sit on the edge of a chasm, prepared to tumble into sudden motion at even a hint of violence.

Thendra laughs. “I could be convinced to extend Guest Rights to a few of you, but only when Oaths of peace are sworn.”

The Fae’s eyes narrow. “You’d have us sit vulnerable while your brood lurks close?”

“I’ve only sought conflict with your kind when it was brought to me and mine.” Thendra shrugs.

Another Fae hisses past the woman, one with feline features and sweeping tail. “You entered our woods, attacked one of our people!”

My Hr̥daya grins at the Fae. “And three of yours once stood where you do, seeking to burn and bury all within this manor.”

He moves to spit more words, but Opherity silences him with a snap of angry song before turning back to Thendra. “We can argue over past grievances till the Dream’s End, but none of us would gain from it. We’re here to discuss keeping that time from coming. Which this Rift will feel first if you don’t help us handle the new Godling of Theradas.”

And we can feel it too. The coming tides sweeping in to swallow this Rift and those drifting close about it. But… that is not a thing simple Reavers should notice.

Thendra looks mildly surprised, then thoughtful, contemplative even, despite her eyes glimmering with jaded humor only I can recognize and feel the amusement beneath. “Then pick two of your number, and I’ll choose two of mine. We will sit to speak near the open doors while the others stand close.”

“Agreed.” Opherity nods, and we adjust this space to accommodate.

After drinks are offered and refused, I remain standing at Thendra’s back while one of the three older Reavers sits at her side.

“So, I’ll lay our demands bare.” Opherity begins. “We want her, Lyra. Exact location or general directions, any will do. For this we will offer what was spoken of back in our woods by the Fae you tortured. A removal of any Curses laid alongside bounties of coin or otherwise. Probably more if you name things reasonable to our limited tolerances.”

“And… why would I trade away my Lyra’s trust so easily?” My Hr̥daya muses.

“You think the favor of a Godling, especially one as… capricious as the keeper of Theradas, is a thing worth valuing instead of the steadfast promises of the Fae?” Opherity quirks an eyebrow in disapproval.

Thendra seems to relax, rests an arm on the back of the couch as she looks over the Fae and those standing behind. “Other than two of your kind, Fae have sought only conflict with me and mine. All others have broken Oaths like so much rotted wood. Sought to steal from us or otherwise attack our allies.”

Opherity huffs in annoyance. “You’d have done better to let us. We’d have freed you from her Curses and blighted songs. Let you freely mire yourselves in this wretched Rift afterwards. Lyra is…” She pauses, seems to consider something. “Look. Thendra. She’s not just some human girl gifted songs due to a Fae mother’s pity. We can put her to use. But afterwards this Rift will need a new Godling.”

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Ah… Awnya’s gifted revelations to the Huntress. Tilting even the elders to desperate action beyond what they were otherwise chasing…

Thendra ensures her jade eyes glimmer with nothing but interest. Despite how easy it is for me to feel her carefully consider the trap these song weavers are being led into.

“Oh? The Fae will be able to control who that Mantle passes to?” She purrs.

Opherity nods. “Yes. And the girl will be contained after the mantle of Theradas is torn from her. Any vengeance she might have wanted to level against you and yours not just restrained, but forgotten entirely as she is set to a better purpose.”

“Hmmm…” My Hr̥daya muses in false thought, then tip-taps a finger on her still angry red scar. “Lyra mentioned even your kind struggled to remove her workings from decades ago. Before she’s drank up years of Soul-Flame and bears a Godling’s Flame. How can you be so certain this is an Oath you can keep?”

The Fae pauses, glances back at a man at her side. One with dark scales and three arms tipped with sapphire talons.

He’s been staring at the mark this entire time, and only now looks at Opherity to murmur. “It’s woven tight, but at the Lyra’s cleansing and containment it should fade. Maybe not all at once, but if this one later consumes the mantle of the girl who wove it… It’ll crack.”

“There.” Opherity looks back to her. “Our current expert’s honest opinion. And even if it remains, the mantle will deaden its bite.”

“The Mantle of a Godling, and all that entails, for information about the place where my Lyra nests?” Thendra murmurs.

“Yes. You don’t even need to deliver her to us.” The Fae nods. “Give us a location, and we’ll handle her pacification.”

My Hr̥daya laughs and shakes her head in mock disbelief. “You think her defeat will be so easily obtained?”

“Honestly? No. But we’re not fool enough to invite a gaggle of flesh-eating soul drinkers to nip at our heels.” Opherity rebukes. “We’d ask you to stay here, under watch of a few of our Fae to ensure you don’t consider breaking our agreement while we go after her. Then, once she’s captured, we’ll bring you the mantle and let you consume it.”

“Hmmm… No.” Thendra purrs with a grin. “I've sworn oaths of neutrality with the red-haired songstress who nests with her now. Your songs carry sweet promises, but the threats opposed to them are toothless Fae.”

Opherity’s expression sours, and many of the Fae shift uncomfortably as Thendra’s gaze moves over the group. Bearing a thing of mocking taunts.

The Fae woman sighs, “No threats Reaver, you’re going to tell us. One way or another. I’m simply offering to let you make the choice to cooperate willingly.”

Thendra barks out a laugh, “Ah. Here it is, finally, the Fae mercy my Lyra endured every time she sought safety with your kind.”

A shift, and then I’m twisting back to see…

The Huntress from the Fae Wood, and two others at her back. All wearing soft humanoid shapes as they loom in the stairwell behind us. One a woman even larger than Thendra and covered in dark maroon scales, the other small and laden with pale fur.

My Hr̥daya’s amusement is… almost overpowering my own instincts. But this bow is already notching an arrow as my body moves to consider the threat. Instincts from the depth I'll never fully recall or understand rising up to prepare me to play my part in our Hr̥daya's scheme.

“Tell this one that if she so much as lifts that bow at me again, I’m going to tear her arms off.” The Huntress growls. Eyes boring into mine.

Thendra’s face has gained a mask of careful considerations as she glances back to regard the intruders she allowed to slip past into our home. But within she roils with nothing but humor at this. At the hunters that think themselves able to confound the monster she’s tamed.

“And there is something else you should know.” Opherity says with a careful tone. “If Lyra, or one bearing the mantle she wears, doesn’t return to Theradas this city will be overcome with Blight. And every single day that she’s away more of it and the surrounding Rifts will die. Permanently.”

My Hr̥daya looks back to the Fae woman before her, seemingly ignoring her words of warning. “You mean to break your Oaths to me? Violate the rights given to you as my guests?”

Opherity snorts, “Oaths offered to kind such as yours aren’t worth keeping. Especially when you mean to protect a girl who will hide away while more Rifts are consumed.”

“Broken Oaths come with their own costs, Fae.” Thendra murmurs. “Are you and yours willing to pay their dues?”

I suspect the next words from the Fae woman’s mouth to be things of finality. Dismissing my Hr̥daya’s words while pressing the three Elders that have entered behind into action. But…

Then the floor tilts. And only Thendra, myself, and the Reavers remain fully steady while all others tumble or sway.

The Fae must not have taken the Old Goat Elder’s words seriously, or his daughter’s, about this place. Dismissed their words on what dangers it poses as unthinkable for a gaggle of Reavers to achieve. Even when gifted plain words spoken more truthfully than even I had expected from Thendra that day to those Fae.

“Wh–” The Fae woman stammers as she sways in the chair into those at her side.

Words are not songs, and threats spoken do not break our offerings of Guest Rights. So while I keep my bow notched, I do not quite raise it to aim at the trio at the steps as they struggle to keep their feet beneath them.

“Both in the immediate future, and the distant.” Thendra continues as if she did not just nudge her manor into hinting at just how well it could eat them all. “So I ask again, are you willing to pay those costs?”

Every Fae freezes. From the moment they arrived they were dripping with a fear I only just now understand. The terror when beings taught that death is theirs, and theirs alone to choose, stride forward with that truth in question.

And this motion reminded them just how their numbers and songs would not save them from the beast they stand within.

“Reaver.” Opherity hisses, eyes tumbling between the Fae she’d been so confident would handle the brunt of any real danger and the manor about. “What have you–”

“I could take the intrusion of those behind me as a violation of our agreement, Fae.” Thendra growls, but then settles her tone into an almost... amused purring. “But… it is as I have said. I do not seek conflict with your kind. And yet you come to my home, endlessly, demanding all manner of things from me and mine.”

“You raise ancient beasts to wake and snarl at us.” The smaller Fae back in the stairwell hisses, fur bristling to stand on end. Already steady and rolling forward a step toward us. “You!?! How?”

My Hr̥daya only lets a dark grin touch her lips while ignoring the yipping Fae behind her. But… her mood is souring.

“You’ll Rot, Just like the rest. You know this.” The Huntress from before murmurs, almost thoughtfully, as she steps forward to lay a hand on the smaller hunter's shoulder. “You believe us.”

Thendra’s grin only widens, but within there is the smallest hitch of... not worry. No. If this Fae becomes a threat she will adjust her motions in less than a heartbeat and slay everyone here. None will survive. Possibly... possibly even her Reavers.

“You… What?” Opherity pales, eyes moving between the Huntress and Thendra.

“Choose. Break your Oaths, and bear their costs. Or… leave.” She settles back into her chair, radiating calm despite the souring anger I feel bubbling within her. The annoyance that this Fae might begin to piece together wider schemes and need to be removed instead of used.

Some of the color returns to the Fae’s face as she locks eyes with my Hr̥daya. Swallowing before standing. Nodding to the three deep within the manor. “Let us all step from this place in peace, and we will seek no conflict with you within your home.”

Thendra nods, her face turning to annoyance as within she reclaims some amusement at the fear that drips from Opherity. How it is a thing of prey drawing back into what it thinks is the protection of her Pack.

Because the threat is clear. The Fae will be watching this place. Ready to spring upon all who would venture forth.

Thinking that even one of us would fall to them without this manor’s protections if Thendra freed us from her demands of restraint.