They say the Fey Wild is dangerous. That any who crosses the boundary never returns.

That is fine with me. It means they will not follow me.

I trip over a root, and slide hard through the mud. The rain is cold, but I don't feel it anymore.

The shouts of the mob grow closer. Behind me the sky burns red with their torches. "Witch!" they scream at me. "Burn the witch!"

I scrabble at the mud, and pull myself to my feet. My dress tears. The line isn't far.

I can make it.

I just have to cross the river.

The mob releases dogs. They are faster than me, but I am already splashing into the shallows of the river. The mob shutters to a stop before the waves. Even the dogs fear the fast moving water.

"Come back witch!"

"Burn her!"

"Does anyone have a bow?"

They never expected me to cross the river. No one has ever sought refuge in the Fey Wild. By the time they organize a bow, I am already in the tree line. The arrows thud against the trees shielding me.

I walk slowly on, and take the moment to catch my breath. Eventually, the screams of the mob fade. I don't know if they have gone home, or if I am too deep to hear them. I keep walking.

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According to legend, I should have met a fey by now. Maybe they aren't real. Scary stories to frighten children into keeping their rooms tidy. What do the fey even look like?

And then I know. One alights in front of me, glowing and beautiful.

"You willingly left the village and came to us."

"I did."

"Why? No one comes here willingly. Don't you worry for your soul?"

"I delivered bread for the baker." The fey nods, encouraging me to continue, "This one man, he… he would try to make me stay... he would lunge to grab me... this morning I was not fast enough to get away." I am crying now. Ugly dobs between each word. "When his wife saw, she dragged me to the town square, accusing me of witchcraft. Seduction." I look at the fey imploringly, "I didn't… I swear! I didn't!"

The fey lowers himself to the ground and puts a hand on my cheek. "Of course you didn't. Give me your name child and you will never need think of this again."

"What… what will happen if I give you my name?"

"Your memories will remain, but your fear and anguish will be left behind. I will carve your name with this pain into the hearts of the ones who harmed you. They will live with your pain for the rest of their days."

"And then what?"

"You may rest here, with us. And when you are ready, you may choose a new name and build a new life. A life without pain."

"I can leave?"

"Almost all who came before you did. But they all left a different person than they came."

A new life… one without this pain. It seems too good to be true. "What is the cost?"

He places his other hand on my other cheek, "Sweet one, you do not pay the price. Those who drove you here do."

"Are you… will you kill them?"

He smiles, "Would that change your decision?"

"No," I breath, "no, it wouldn't." I look him in the eye and give him my name. The second it leaves my lips, the pain eases and I can't seem to remember my name.

He takes my hand and leads me further into the forest. It isn't long before we enter the fey village. The fey are dancing in the town square, there are far fewer humans than I thought there would be. Most are women, but there are a few younger boys. I recognize one of the boys as a child that was frequently abused by his father… though I can't remember his name.

Everyone seems happy.

Losing my name was much better than being burned at the stake.