Bargain with a Dark Faerie

      “For Fyora’s sake, I didn't want it to be like this!" Aerin slammed an angry fist on the wooden table, shaking it and the mugs of mead resting upon it. His eyes darted around the room darkly at the surrounding knights: a grisly old Lupe with tattered clothes who was half asleep, a gruff Mynci with a scarred eye, and a meek-looking young Ixi whose armour looked a little too big.

     “Of course, Aerin. No one means for these things to happen," the Mynci mused tactfully, "but you know Lockhart had it coming. That knight has been sticking his nose where it doesn't belong for a while now." Aerin broke eye contact with the Mynci, the words piercing through his armour. As the Draik stared blankly at the tavern wall, the Mynci continued. "Besides, that was some strong magic!" He chuckled darkly. "I told you Jareth was the right choice. His power is incredible." A sick grin was plastered across his unshaven face. The other knights remained silent, taking swigs from their drinks.

     “I know, and I am grateful that you introduced us, but this isn't what I signed up for. I am not some sort of pawn in their scheme!" The Draik's outburst was loud, drawing worried glances from some of the other tavern-goers.

     “Hush, boy!" The Mynci's tone changed as he scolded Aerin harshly. "Watch yourself. These fine folks here don't need to hear about our dealings with the fae. That would only get us reported to the ol' grouch himself." This unaffectionate nickname was one of the many ways that dissenters referred to the reigning king of Meridell, an aged Skeith named Skarl. Skarl had been ruling Meridell since before Aerin was alive, but there was a growing faction of citizens (even including some knights) who believed that the monarch was too weak to efficiently lead his kingdom. Aerin, embarrassed at the Mynci knight's chiding remarks, held his tongue. "Now that Lockhart is out of the picture, young Silas can take his place." The Mynci motioned to the Ixi whose hands were shaking as he took a drink from his mug. "With him in the King's guard, we can keep a better eye on the old man, just like Jareth wants."

     “Whatever," Aerin snapped. "We could have just waited for one of the older guards to retire. We didn't have to-" his voice trailed off, as if saying it out loud would make it real. The Draik grabbed his cup and gulped down the mead. "Anyways," he slammed the mug on the table. "I'm going to go. I'll catch you guys later." He threw his cloak over his shoulders and spun around to leave.

     “Don't run away from your destiny, Aerin. After all, it's a destiny you chose for yourself," the Mynci snarled with a cruel grin as Aerin flung open the tavern door and vanished into the night.

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     “Elwein!" Hú's voice rang through the air. The once-bustling fairgrounds were now vacant and the festivities had moved to the local taverns. "El?" The Lupe was beginning to seriously worry about her. It had been hours since the Ixi took off into the crowd after witnessing the events from the afternoon jousting match. Hú's mind raced, thinking of where his friend might be. She hadn't been at her house, her favourite tavern, or even the inn where she worked as a barmaid. Hú was running out of places to look for her, and the possibility that Elwein had gone looking for answers in the woods was increasing. The dark forest at the edge of Meridell was rumoured to be full of magical creatures called the faeries. Most residents were terrified of the beings lurking there, blaming them for anything from minor inconveniences to local deaths. Hú had never been in the woods, besides one brief time as a schoolyard dare. Elwein, however, wasn't afraid of much. She would approach even the scariest tavern goer and demand they apologize for giving her a dirty look.

     Rumors that residents had made deals with the faeries weren't uncommon; anyone from heroic knights to old shrews was accused of bargaining with the magical creatures in exchange for supernatural gifts. However, the one warning that always persisted was that making a bargain with an immortal was dangerous; temporary mortal desires were an easy fix for the fae, but it was often not worth the steep price that one must pay in exchange. Knowing Elwein, she may have marched right into the woods to find a faerie and demand to know about any bargain involving her precious Aerin. Even more dangerous, she may be willing to make one herself to dig the young knight out of trouble, and Hú couldn't bear the thought of her throwing her life away for a man who didn't even know she existed.

     Suddenly, Hú heard a twig snap nearby. The Lupe spun around, laying eyes on none other than Aerin himself. "A-Aerin!"

     The Draik looked confused, not recognizing Hú. "Who are you?" he sputtered angrily. Hú could tell the knight was not in a good mood.

     “My name is Hú. You don't know me, but my friend Elwein is completely head over heels for you." Hearing these words, confusion flashed across Aerin's face. "Eh- that doesn't matter now. What matters is she's a hard-headed girl who doesn't let things go, and she disappeared this afternoon after we watched YOUR jousting match." Hú's frustration was apparent, and the words stung.

     Aerin squeezed his eyes shut, blurting out, "That's not-" He sighed. "Whatever. It's in the past. What does this have to do with me?"

     Hú's eyes narrowed. "Well, other than watching you literally destroy your competition, something seemed off to me. El refused to listen, but it's obvious that your victory wasn't won from talent alone." Aerin was looking more and more defensive but Hú continued, "I told El I wouldn't be surprised if you had made a deal with the fae-"

     “ENOUGH!" Aerin's eyes flashed with anger and his hand went to the sheathed sword on his waist. "That's enough from you, commoner." Hú stood firmly, not wanting to show fear, but the Draik was menacingly tall. "What I do is none of your business, and even if your foolish friend was stupid enough to run off into the woods, that doesn't concern me." Aerin's words were harsh, but it was almost like his heart wasn't behind them. "Now leave this place."

     Hú didn't move. "No. She ran off because of you, so it's your responsibility to help me find her. You're a knight, aren't you? Isn't that your job?" Hú's words were dripping with venom, and they struck home.

     The Draik released his grip on his sword, relaxing his stance slightly. Then he groaned loudly before burying his head in his hands. After a moment, he spoke: "Fine. I will help you look for your friend in the woods. I have business to attend to there, anyways. But, you must swear to not ask questions and to not breathe a word to anyone of what you may see or hear there." Aerin's tone was deadly serious. "If you do, I'll know who to come for, and I won't hesitate." His hand moved once again to his sword, threatening what would happen if Hú were to break this vow.

     Hú nodded silently. "I understand."

     Aerin growled in frustration. "Okay, let's go. Follow me." With their agreement settled, the two-headed silently across the field towards for winding path that entered into the woods.

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     Elwein's heart pounded in her chest as she placed a hand on a large, gnarled tree. Although the moon was full, a thick fog permeated the woods and obscured her vision. She felt confident upon entering the woods, but her steadfastness faded quickly as she wandered deeper and deeper into the trees. At this point, it felt like she'd been wandering for days and hadn't made any progress. Every time she thought she recognized a spot of moss or a twisted branch, she was proven wrong by the unforgiving maze. Even worse, Elwein couldn't shake the feeling that she was being watched. She typically wasn't a believer in the old legends, but each passing second in the misty woods was making her less and less sure of her previous convictions.

     Suddenly, the loud 'Hoo' of a Whoot shook her to the core. Her breath quickened as her hands started to shake, gripping helplessly at the trunk of the tree as if it could protect her. "W-who's there?" Her words were pointless, as the Whoot wouldn't reply, but they gave her some last shred of comfort that there may be someone else out there hiding in the trees Much to her surprise, however, there was a response. It wasn't a verbal acknowledgement, but a visual one; a small glow came into view as it bobbed through the fog. A light! Someone was coming! Elwein's voice grew more confident as she called to the lantern, "Hey! Over here! Help!"

     The glow came closer and closer to the Ixi, who was now bursting with hope, but her heart dropped as she realized what she was looking at. The light was no lantern; it was just an orb of blue light that floated in the air right in front of her. She shrieked in fear and shrunk back against the tree trunk, but the orb did not react. Instead, it floated around curiously as if it were checking her out. Before she could react again, more orbs seemed to appear out of nowhere. "What in the world-" before she could utter another word, the orbs converged right in front of her and her vision began to blur. She lifted her arms to shield herself, but they felt like they were made of lead. As she began to lose consciousness, she thought she saw one more glowing figure make its way towards her...

To be continued…