10 YEARS LATER...
The forest was still. A single deer clopped across bracken and dead leaves, eyes flickering to every little movement, before it reluctantly lowered its head to eat.
A young man stood alone in a forest, draped and drowned in furs and leathers. He blended in as well as the soil itself, unseen amongst shadows. He extended the arrow- ready to fire. The bright feathers were nearly aligned with the scar across his cheek. His chestnut brown eyes streamed down the wood to what the tip was headed for. He made a small adjustment so the flint arrow tip marked a creature's head while it chewed on grass, none the wiser. He breathed out and fired! It flew soundlessly, spinning rapidly. The first, and only, thing heard was the animal dropping dead. He rose from the shadows and rushed through towering trees and thick bracken, his shaggy brown hair collecting leaf dew and sticks in his haste. He moved ghost-silent as he approached his kill. Within the woods a single noise could travel forever onward. It was a perfect hit between the eyes. While he lowered his bow its crimson blood began to spittle out and feed the grass.
***
I woke up from the sunlight streaming through my window, hair rolling down my shoulders. A servant, with a gentle knock, allowed themselves in and scuttled toward my bedside. With a big yawn I was handed a platter of cheese and fruits. ‘A Mighty Meeting is being held today, your highness.’ The servant began as he handed me a fork.
‘I-n referen-to?’ My words fumbled out.
‘I was not informed in such things.’
I twitched awake. It must have been serious. I got up while being handed a goblet of water. ‘Could you bring me one of the important dresses?’
‘Yes, your highness. I placed down my breakfast on the dresser and began brushing my curls. Strands of golden hair floated onto unfinished pages of writings and drawings. The autumn festival was coming up and I was finally getting around to submitting a play. Although my drawings were mere stick figures… something I was not proud of.
‘There’s a chill in the air, so I recommend this one.’ He unfurled soft fabric from a massive wardrobe.
With a simple, regal green dress I sat in my own throne in the great hall. White pillars lined the walls as matchstick thin windows let tendrils of light in. The entire room was either white marble or stone, uplifting and bright no matter the weather.
I was beside my mother stone still watch the fae converge, reminding me of how birds of prey scan the land for mice. My father’s fingers drummed against the side of his war axe, slumping slightly waiting for the meeting to begin. Their hazel hairs greyed slightly with age but their eyes still sparkled all the same. I swallowed. A Mighty Meeting was nothing to belittle, every major leader was forced to attend or be removed from power… I rubbed my hands together. This wasn’t going to be fun… Quickly the hall was filled with the three major fae leaders and their trusted and closest knights and advisors.
‘This is ridiculous.’ A water fae stated in the mighty hall, his voice echoing. ‘We are not even safe in our own cities!’
‘The threat is only relevant to the Earth Fae we have no reason to be here!’ The Sky fae dared say.
‘The Continent-Sara Contract says different, or dare I speak of ’02?’ An Earth fae reminded us all of a terrible famine in which the earth fae were abandoned in a time of crisis.
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My father’s fingers tightened around the axe, careful of its blade. ‘It’s coming for us all!’ His voice echoed stronger than the rest, like steel as his back straightened and shoulders rolled back. ‘Don’t cower and pretend the problem isn’t there, until its breaking down your door!’
‘Any old problem and you call a great meeting?’ The Water Fae started, ‘should we be drinking tea by now?’
‘You forget your place!’ My father stood, and grabbed his axe.
‘You overplay your privilege.’
Suddenly my father jumped off the risen floor down to the fae! Fighting broke out among the parties, shouting slurs.
Thea didn’t flinch at the sudden scraping of steel but rather rolled my eyes. Childish. I glanced to my mother, and my skin prickled from her gaze, which made me sit up straighter and stare forward. In silence the queen rose from her throne as the crowd of fae fought, and when she stepped into the chaos the men parted like an ocean. Every fae kneeled, apologized or cowered away. A growing hush overcame the room as she walked deeper into the fray. She found her husband in a grapple of the Water Fae King, while being grappled himself by the Air Fae King. Without a word she grabbed them all by the hair or ear and walked them back to the front. Releasing all three she stood back onto the platform turned to face them with a soft gaze. ‘Honey, I… Sorry, Dear.’ He shuffled back to his throne and deflated into it. She faced the other kings looking ashamed like children being caught eating sweets, ‘I understand you are all scared, but fighting like children isn’t going to fix anything. We must be united against this threat.’ She held her hands in front her, shoulders back, and head held high. ‘We must be one against the enemy like a rushing wave.’ My chest tingled, forcing me to breathe in. Every eye was focused on my mother, her voice soft yet demanding attention and it was never so clear why she was Queen.
***
He took a deep breath.
The rapids rushed underneath, but it wasn’t the volatility of the waves which unnerved him but the height which he could fall. The log across the raven was thick, wide, having been there for at least fifty years or so. The hunter looked down but felt a lurch, suddenly like he could fall. He tried to raise a foot to walk across the log but it retreated itself like it had a mind of its own. He tried again but his body remained stone-rigid. He caved at his own cowardice and hurried back, deciding to find another way across… one far closer to the ground. But on turning away his ear twitched and suddenly jumped forward as a black beast charged where he was standing not a moment earlier! He pulled back his bow as the monster pulled its body weight around to charge again. Then he got a good look at the thing: its black skin was practically peeling off, other parts twitching like masses of flies as oil-like liquid spilled from its gapping mouth.
Sickening.
His eyes widened as he grew still from the things repulsiveness. The pendent of an animal paw seemed to grow hot as it felt like there were hands clutching his chest. The hunter had never seen something so vial! It charged at him again, releasing a dying shriek, snapping him back into the moment and let his arrow lose! The steel shot easily through the rotting body, the odor overpowering as its wrecked body flew toward him. Its skin touched his like acid, forcing a scream from his lips while pushing himself away. Suddenly breathless he viciously wiped away the ooze from his pained skin… what on Shaw just happened?! What was that?! Its sick blood began to spittle into the grass, before flooding out like a broken dam and rotted whatever it touched…