A Walk in the Woods...

[slippedhalo]

OOC: This is a placemarker for the beginning brainstorming for a thread about a small society of faeries and how their world is changed by the arrival of a shrunken human...A wizard's apprentice who accidentally drank his Master's shrinking potion and stumbled upon the faerie hideaway...

Cast:
Apprentice: Ravenloft's Character
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h2/AngeliaAvrielle/Feeries/5622888_13503401614852da896128a.jpg

Queen Waterdancer: MY CHARACTER
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h2/AngeliaAvrielle/bluefairyandblueunicorn-2.jpg
(can create mist and rain with her movements when she concentrates on her dance)

Embers Red: MY CHARACTER
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h2/AngeliaAvrielle/Feeries/fire-fairy-sexy-woman-31000.jpg
(controls heat and flame)

Wyndee -Luna Wolf's character
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h2/AngeliaAvrielle/Feeries/sexy-angel-002.jpg
(controls air)

Rose -ShireWolfe's character.
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h2/AngeliaAvrielle/Feeries/fae.jpg
(can make life grow in barren places and can sometimes heal light wounds)

More to come...

Monique Minx's is to come below...

 

[slippedhalo]

Lovely -WRITER NEEDED
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h2/AngeliaAvrielle/Feeries/1084487935_faery.jpg
(animal communication)

 

[slippedhalo]

White-Lightly -NEEDS A WRITER
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h2/AngeliaAvrielle/Feeries/fairy_forest_print_sexy_fairy_in_th.jpg
(communicates with the spirits of the dead)

 

[monique_minx]

"Winter"

Snow Fairy - Power over snow and ice...creator of same...more to come as I think of it!!

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm246/cynical_barbidoll/snow-fairy.jpg

 

[slippedhalo]

Charmliegh -Reserved for YoungLisa upon her return.
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h2/AngeliaAvrielle/Feeries/The_Mushroom_Faerie.jpg
(Can read other fae's thoughts and can charm non faeries)

 

[slippedhalo]

IC:

It was the day before Winter Solstice and the preparations for The Great Moon Feast were being busily prepared by the faeries of Greatknottree. Embers was charged with the duty of making sure all of the lanterns were lit as soon as the sun set every day of the feastweek. She was placing every lantern in it's precisely perfect position in and around the villiage of Greatknottree and waiting for her twin sister (no two twins were more different than they) Winter, to join her outside. Winter had ice sculptures to make and icicle decorations to compose for the branches of their fine tree villiage. This was the year they would get invited to participate in the Pageant of The Virgins so it was a matter of honor that they do their allotted tasks as perfectly as possible. They were being watched and judged among their peers.

They were all a little nervous for the events of the days to come, especially the last day of the festival. The males of Watersedge usually came by for the Pageant of The Virgins and the Darkness Feast on the festival's very last day. Many of the males took one-night brides then, some returned to their old mates wanting a little taste of the Harvest Festival, Summer Funfest, or Spring Unveiling trysts to renew for a while.

Faerie women and men never got along well. The men are known to be very domineering and could sometimes get violent and unnecessarily rude. The women were usually prone to physical attraction to them but for very short periods of time. Usually, once the sex was over and the light of day prevailed, the male behavior became more of an annoyance than an attraction to their mates who would insist it was time they returned to their own homes. Usually, the men rarely stuck around much longer than for the parties and the sex anyway so the arrangement worked out well and ensured the species continued, though dwindling as of late. So, due to their opposing natures they usually only came together on feast days, or for arrangements, called marriages, where both parties had to sign a contract agreeing to mate together whenever Greatknottree and Watersedge villiages came together. The women found mating with the males a tedious and sometimes painful affair which they purposely alotted only to special occasions so they could get good and drunk beforehand...Such as Winter Solstice's Great Moon Feast...

Occasionally, ceremonies would have to be created in order to encourage young people to mate more often in the hopes of a few extra pregnancies resulting therefrom. Babies and children of both sexes were raised by their mothers and her many sisters, cousins and female companions (faeries are not at all opposed to bisexual behavior and many women have even more female lovers than male). Male children would go off to live with their fathers, uncles, and brothers when they got into the double digit ages and grew nearer to man than androgenous child in pysiological and behavioral affect (between 10 and 12 for the average boy). They would then visit their mothers once every other month to update her on how their lives were progressing, could attend the daytime Greatknottree festivities upon each year's quarter, and then finally return for a good three days and nights for the Pageant of The Virgins upon the winter of their nineteenth year when they are expected to find a virgin bride (either a series of three one-night-brides or more the permanent kind) and spend the three days in a sort of orgy. Before then, no male is allowed at the festivals past the dinner hour and no female below the age of eighteen may remain that late either.

As the twins decorated and prepared for the festivities, this, their first year of being allowed to partake in all of the festivities (overwhelming a concept as that may be...) they had no idea that neaby a predator unlike any they'd ever known before watched from the shadows, a man, more afraid of them at this moment than they'd ever been of humankind in their lives. Because, this man had never seen a real faerie before and he had never ever been so small as to feel like the pile of acorns he hid behind was ever worth his notice...Nor had he ever viewed the jealous squirrel chittering away menacingly at him as frightening before...But, he'd also never been smaller than a squirrel in his whole life, until today...

 

[ShireWolfe]

For Rose, the season of winter, while beautiful in it's own right, was one where she was rather unhappy. There were so few living flowers out, and many trees lost their leaves. While she knew they would return in the spring, or be replaced by their children, winter allways seemed rather bleak to her.

Thankfully, the inside of Greatknottree was allways warm enough to support some plant life, which was usually where she could be found in Winter, tending to the fungi, mosses, flowers, leaves, and berries growing inside the tree. Plants and flowers were important to all faeries, but more so to Rose, with her powers. She absolutely loved working with, tending to, and watching plants grow.

Now, she was fluttering around their home, coaxing the flowers to bloom in unison, and ensure the berries and fruits were ripe, and coax nectars from the flowers to drink.

Smiling as she flies past the lantern lighting Ember, she gives her a wave as she heads up for the large, single rose growing up above, to coax it's nectar out.

 

[Luna_Wolf72]

Wyndee

Using her natural abilites, Wyndee cleared the spots needed for the midwinter dance circle. The breeze wafted bits of wood, bark and other debris away, leaving a clean, well swept circle for tonight's dance.

Of course, there was only so much one could do beforehand. After all, one never knew just who the Goddess would decide to send for a visit. Gods be truthful, one wasn't sure if one was apt to wake up when it became so cold. Wyndee was a Spring Faery, one of those who enjoyed the boisterous weather and airs found in far more warmer climes, and times.

She allowed the breeze that she had been working with to die down and shook her head as she watched the bustle. The Fey of Greatknottree were certainly dilligent. It was why , even though she hated the seasonal changes, she had stayed at this place for so long.

 

[slippedhalo]

Embers waved to her good friend and cousin, Rose, as she flitted by. "How goes, it cuz? Are you at all nervous about the final day of the festival?" she asked...The question on the minds of all the younger women of Greatknottree...Some were looking forward to the three nights to follow, some were frightened, all seemed at least a little bit nervous. Although Embers had never seen a grown man other than her uncle Granite get loud and violent when drunk (at the end of last year's Harvest Feast just before the young ones were all ordered to bed) it was enough, along with the tales other girls told of their first Feast of Darkness...to make her worried of being bullied by her first few lovers. Her eyes held Rose's and they shared the same worry, it seemed.

 

[ShireWolfe]

Nodding, Rose's wings flutters as she runs her fingers over the petals of her name-sake flower, using her powers to stimulate it into producing the nectar that all faeries enjoy and drink. Tossing her long blonde hair over her shoulder with the toss of her head, a look of trepidation is quite visible behind her eyes.

"Oh, very... I haven't seen a male since... well, since father." The girl mumbled, easily the more inexperienced and shy of the young faeries gathered at Greatknottree. One reason for this, was that while Ember and Winter were cousins of hers, Rose hailed from lands far further south, and had come to honour the festival at Greatknottree, mostly at the request of her mother, whom had met her own mate, Rose's father, here.

"And I think we might be short of bluebell nectar... they don't seem to be very happy..." I mumble, finding some solace in tending to the plants at least.

 

[slippedhalo]

Embers nodded her head, according her cousin the privacy she seemed to require to recompose herself again. They both blushed deeply for a moment, pretending to admire the flowers. "They are lovely..." she said, changing the subject quickly, "...smell absolutely delectable. I can't wait until we may sip..."

A brassy noise and thundering drumming from the direction of the wooded hillside made both faeries turn their heads to look. A musical sound..."...It seems the males have brought musicians." she said, trying to sound calm. She pressed on the jewel at the pulspoint of her wrist and telepathically called out to the other females within range, it was time for the welcoming comittee to assemble at the entrance and the others to get inside and find a place to wait for their leaders to tell them the festival would commence.

Reaching out for her cousin's hand she whispered, "Come, Rose, it's time to get inside...Stand with Winter and me by the honeysuckle vine at the grand entryway. She found a great place to watch and wait for the Parade of the Warriors there..."

 

[Tarakin]

The day before Winter Solstice and the The Great Moon Feast.

The Erlking smiled at the thought, a slow, predatorly smile. The longest night was at hand, the night were the powers of the Unseele Court would be greatest, the night were the veil between the worlds was thinnest. But this time his folk wouldn't invade the dreams of men or switch the babies in their cradles with some of their own. At least not yet. A bit later, yes, maybe even a night or two. But before? The Erlking had other plans. The Seele, the good elves of the Fairy Queen, hadn't been graced by his presence for far too long. It was not good for them to dance too joyous and without thinking about him. Not good at all. A reminder would do them good. Very good.

It hadn't been much trouble to convince the lowly brownies of Watersedge to stay home for tonight and not join the females of Greatknottree for a change. The Erlking and his muryan, the pale shadow dancers of the dark fey, would gladly replace them in their duty. It had been too long, and he wasn't the only one smiling in anticipation hidden deep in the wood, away from the evil rays of the burning sun.

There! Was that the first lantern? The night did come at last? The Great Moon Feast was about to start, and it would be a very special feast indeed. The Erlking smiled and waved his men forward.

Winter Solstice.




http://www.arnold-preuss.de/garbage/55/558304/3404420.jpg

 

[slippedhalo]

Queen Waterdancer was told to hurry to the entryway into Greatknottree because it appeared a parade of warriors were coming to the festivities hours early. She and her court rushed to their places and she stared down the great wood furrow which welcomed travellers as a path into their world...She shook her head of white and blue tresses and turned to her daughter, Princess White-Lightly, "Wait...something isn't right. This is too soon and those are not our males I hear coming through the gates." She tried to remain calm but her nerves jangled...Her eyes scanned the horizon and the marching males coming their way. "Who are they?..."

She looked to her left, Hawk had stepped forward, the girl had the best eyesight...was like a living binocular set. She shook her head and said with great solumnity, "...Muryan..."

"...MURYAN?!" The queen's voice rose in alarm and she had to fight back the urge to call for the fae guard. No, they had not attacked, and everyone was welcome to a festival, even if they were not liked...at all. "...not for almost a thousand years have they sought entrance to these realms. Why now?" she said softly, her eyes squinted to count their numbers....Too many. It appeared the ladies of Greatknottree were outnumbered.

 

[Luna_Wolf72]

Wyndee

After finishing her chores for the evening, Wyndee had decided to go to her apartments hidden deep within the trees and bathe. Every year, it became harder and harder for her to hide her active dislike for the males of the species. Every year, it became more and more important that she kindle, so that she could leave those males alone. One child would make all of the grunting, heaving and disrespectful noises worthwhile.

She strode around her country abode, enjoying the feel of the warm breezes she kept circulating within the naturally shaped wooden structure. Her skin, brownest of all the fey, spoke of her southern climate more tellingly than anything else and in the dead of winter, she really missed the sun.

Dressing was a chore. She never felt as attractive as the other fey women. She looked nothing like them, outside of her ears and wings. She was shorter, more compact, her hair a mop of black that was never under any control and the breezes that followed her around like bad pets, made short work of any style she could fashion.

For the feast, she chose gold and white silk. It showed off the brown of her skin to perfection and highlighted the opalescent gleam in her eyes. Tiny slippers covered her feet. Without thought, she attached a small bone handled knife, given to her by her mother on the first day of her first moon time. The sheath that held it wrapped once around her thigh and she smoothed the skirt over it so that it was not easily noted.

Finally, she went to join the others. She heard the clamoring of the warriors and looked around. It was far too early for them to be here. She moved with more haste, making her way toward her far cousins to find out what had hppened.

 

[Tarakin]

The Erlking

Music accompanied the Muryan as they entered the place of the feast, but it was not joyful music. Somehow the tiny bells that decorated the pale dancer-warriors sounded hollow, even militaristic, when the tattooed warriors entered the meadow with feline grace. Their ranks of the front lines parted, in a choreographed perfection, and the only one taking additional steps was the Erlking himself - and those of his Muryan who surrounded and secured the supposed area of the feast. Any illusion of them doing it to ward of outside danger, as if there would be any, was soon dispelled by the warriors looking inward. It was not a security force, it was a prison guard, albeit a small one. But did the feared Muryan really need greater numbers?

The Erlking's steel gray eyes never left the eyes of the Queen of Greatknottree while his warriors took position, but he didn't say a single word. Queen Waterdancer seemed to be a bit nervous. The ghost of a smile crept upon his lips. Good. They haven't forgotten me yet. Good indeed.

Suddenly the Erlking moved - by bowing exceptionally deep. He reached for the Queen's hand and kissed it. He could feel the warm blood under the skin, and the shiver his cold kiss sended through her majesty. To her grace, the Queen didn't flinch. The Erlking straighted himself again. Was there a hint of panic in her eyes?

"Mylady, you are not thinking about calling the guard, are you? Like your daughter, the princess, does? Please. Everyone is welcome to a festival, even me and my folk, is it not so? I fear you have to agree. Ah, yes, I see you do. Good."

The Erlking smiled again, every pore oozing his secureness of having the upper hand - and knowing that the Queen knew that also.

"But where are my manners? Please, continue with any preparations for the festival. I know we are early, you may not be ready yet. Oh, and the brownies you expected have to be excused for today, I'm sorry. We met them on our way, they send you the deepest regrets, but they are otherwise occupied right now - after meeting us, I fear. But then you may have enough males in Greatknottree already without some extra brownies clogging the cookie-boxes, don't you? I'm sure we are all you can ever handle, your majesty."

Another one of his smiles, and this time it did reach the king's eyes while he watched his message sinking in. Then he decided to twist the thorn a little more, leaving the Queen's eyes for the first time.

"You have a nice daughter, my queen," the Erlking said, his eyes settling on the red and black wings of the princess, but even longer on her female charms. "In fact, I see quiet a few underlings of yours that will be - interesting to experience."

The King's eyes were now trailing toward a darker skinned fey with black hair and the wings of an angel, who was just arriving. They rested for a moment on the knife she carried, but there was no other reaction to be seen before they continued to a fey who looked almost the same, but with translucent wings. There the eyes finally rested on a snowflake, which defied the season and rested on the fae's shoulder, for some reason refusing to meld. Finally the Erlking met the eyes of the Queen again. His own eyes had changed into small green slits, the eyes of a hunting cat. A cat that knew his prey was cornered.

"Please continue your preparations, dear majesty," he ordered, "I'm sure my warriors can't wait for the festival to begin."

 

[Luna_Wolf72]

Wyndee

Muryan!! Oh sweet Mother!! Wyndee made her way closer to the light court, her eyes darting from place to place before finally settling on the Erlking. He was imposing. She was suddenly gladdened by her late appearance, even more, she was heartened by the fact that she was unlike the others in so many ways. No one would pay her any mind, she wasn't a virgin.

She was always glad to have someone warm her from time to time, though she preferred her warmth to have more curves...even so, the dark court??? Wyndee struggled to hide a shiver and failed. The shiver became more of a convulsion when his eyes brushed over her and went almost directly to the knife she had hidden beneath her skirts.

She struggled to hide the fear. This was going to be a very hard night. She wasn't sure what the others were going to do but if one of those things even attempted to touch her....well, what could she do really? It was as he said, and even the Queen had agreed. If she didn's want to cause offense, she had to play the courting game as if those fey were the brownies the village had expected. She moved back, aligning herself with some of the others.

She knew she could escape. Her chores were finished. And yet, running away now would make her appear scared and cause one of those warriors to pay special attention to her. Goddess knew, she didn't want that. She looked around, wondering if there was someone she could help, or something she could do....

 

[Ravenloft]

Camdon hesitantly pushed at the acorn over which the gargantuan squirrel chittered jealously for toward the rodent. "Here, if you want the bloody thing so bad... Have it... And leave me be... Please?" He whispered, carefully drawing back so that the beast could have its prize. The massive thing snatched up its acorn and gave a single squeek before bolting away.

In his studies since he'd had the good fortune of being taken off the streets as a boy and placed among the ranks of future mages by a kind and fatherly scholar who'd caught him trying to pilfer from him, Camdon had seen a number of odd creatures. Mostly in etchings contained within the tombs he was given to learn from, but none of them had prepared him for the sights he came upon today. "Oh... Why did I drink that stupid potion?" He lamented as he hunkered down in hiding as the tinkle of empty sounding bells marked the entrance of a squadron of men.

Camdon held his breath as the tattooed men slunk past his hiding place like so many panthers stalking their intended prey. He watched and listened as a stately woman came forth, wearing a crown, to meet the obvious leader of the men she had called the Muryan. The was no mistaking the air of arrogance he put forth, nor the feeling of unease that seemed to pour from the females present.

Camdon wrinkled his nose, quickly getting the jist of what was going on. Some form of a fertility festival, and these Muryan were apparently crashing the 'party'. He found himself standing up from his hiding place and walking forward into the midsts of the fey. "Excuse me, excuse me please, but..." Camdon nearly balked as a multitude of eyes fell upon him. "But, you say everyone is invited?" Camdon cleared his throat and bore up under the sharp stares directed upon him. "Keep it together Cam..." He thought to himself as he spoke with far greater boldness than he felt. "I am a mage, come from the human kingdom of Browning, here to offer you a message of... Harmonious... Um... Accord!"

 

[monique_minx]

Winter hovered quickly, darting around the tree and brandishing her hand in a flurry of motion as icicles appeared everywhere and snow started falling to the ground. She was running behind time and grumbled constantly, why'd she have to be in charge of so much work?! Decorating was a pain in the ass when she could be enjoying her season!

Her blue hair flipped and iced at the ends, it was clear that she could feel the power of the season beginning to course through her veins. Her ice blue eyes glinted in what little sunlight was left of the day and her wispy white wings were working overtime to help her finish the work. Her blue dress seemed unmarked by the dirt that flew from the tree branches each time an icicle appeared there and she was relieved because after this she would have no opportunity to change.

Finally the last icicle was completed and she moved to the centre table, her wings fluttering as she landed, her arm moved in a beautiful gesture and a large ice fountain appeared as the centrepiece. Every detail was ornate and carefully crafted out of her magic, each small fairy of Greatknottree was represented with care and Winter could see herself with her arm wrapped around Embers as they stood looking into the fountain - frozen in ice and time.

She smiled and finally heard the music, her brow furrowed as she thought she had finished ahead of time. She shook her head and made her way to the entryway, quickly finding her twin and wrapping her arm around Embers' waist as she looked on. Muryan...someone said and Winter growled softly, looking to the Queen who seemed slightly panicked at the idea but sucked it inside as they drew closer.

Winter whispered in her sister's ear, "They're out of their goddamn minds if they think they're coming near this faerie!" She spoke in a huff as the Erlking spoke to their Queen.

She shot a look at her cousin Rose and then her eyes drifted to Wyndee, she certainly hoped those women were of similar minds before she heard a voice and frowned as she and Ember turned in unison.

"I am a mage, come from the human kingdom of Browning, here to offer you a message of... Harmonious... Um... Accord!"

Winter screwed her face up in confusion, humans were not this small! Humans could crush a poor faerie and what is more...they didn't know faeries existed or at least the majority didn't! She looked at the Queen, it was not her place to answer this...mage? The word didn't register with Winter and she turned to her side, releasing Embers from her arms so she could watch both the Muryan and this supposed human carefully.

 

[slippedhalo]

Queen Waterdancer tried not to show any reaction to the Elking's mention of her daughter and his eyes roaming over her court. She had steeled herself against any sort of protectiveness before considering White-Lightly's entrance into the Pageant of the Virgins a year previously. Now, as much as it sickened her to think of her child being anywhere intimately near this tyrant she also knew that it was up to her grown child to decide for herself if she would keep up tradition and enter into any sort of temporary unions with any of these males. Technically, they had no real reason to say the Muryan had to leave so she felt her hands were tied. Any male of any biological compatability was welcome to a feast of theirs and if no better offers came the women, their race, could not afford to say 'no' more than one time at most. It would serve their people best if she told her faeries to be brave in spirit and fortitude and just be on with it, reminding them they would not like it much more if it were brownies either. Males are males. The brownies were not any more respectful, only more familiar and less...openly violent. Still, she supposed it could be worse. There could have been no one to share festivities with.

Just as she was about to order her ladies to welcome the males as best they could a voice rang out and a...miniature wingless faerie with odd ears stepped forth."I am a mage, come from the human kingdom of Browning, here to offer you a message of... Harmonious... Um... Accord!"

Her eyes went wide and murmuring commenced among all of the fae who watched the scene unfolding. She looked from this diminuative human to the Earlking who appeared just as surprised as she, then back to the human once more. "...You are...human? But...humans are so...How did you get so...?" It took a few seconds to regain her composure and she asked in a near angry tone, "How did you find our villiage? What is it you hope to achieve here? You know you may never return to the world of humans now that you have seen all you've seen!" she said, a statement, not a question at the end. He would have to remain as their subject of study, perhaps a slave...or he would have to die. He could not return and tell about them to others of his species. It would be the end of everything. Humans were the most violent creatures of all!

 

[ShireWolfe]

Oh, no, oh no, oh no.

Rose was petrified. She had been scared of meeting the Brownies of Watersedge, but now they had been replaced by the Muryan? It was nearly enough to make the gentle, life-bringing, faerie to faint, as she cowered behind Ember and Winter, as if trying to hide.

She knew, of course, of the Muryan. The Unseelie Court. The spawn of nightmares. The children of chaos. All whom belonged to the Seelie did. Brownies, pixies, leperchauns, faeries... all knew of the Muryan, their polar opposites. Peering from between Winter and Ember, the Rose could at least find -some- solace that they hadn't brought Redcaps at least... those things were dreaded, even in the Unseelie court, feeding off violence, and able to eat -anything-.

"Why are they here? Th-they shouldn't be here... right? Ember? Winter?" Rose whispered, not daring to raise her voice as she overheard Winter's harsh whisper to Ember, and not caring much for the privacy of the twins right now, with the darkness of the Muryan assembled before the faeries of Greatknottree.

As the word "Human" began to spread and murmour amongst the crowd, Rose's heart sank even further. Were they going be stomped out as well now, after having been violated by the Muryan? Shuddering, the blonde young faerie latched onto Ember's hand in terror.

 

[slippedhalo]

Embers sqeezed her sister's and cousin's hands tightly, her shimmering gold and red wings enfolding theirs, becoming a half-moon shaped sheild of virtual protection for the trio. Reassuring them made her feel less weak and afraid but in great truth she was very afraid. Then, she looked down at the royal court and before them, at the fae sized human male...He looked...mild, friendly...She found herself feeling a little for him if he was truly a shrunken person of his kind. He must be one of the only ones if not THE only one. That would be a very lonely existence. No wonder he came hoping for entrance to the faerie festival. She was afraid to admit to her friends and family but deep down she was certain if she had met this particular human in private she would not have been at all reluctant to speak with him as the others seemed to be now. Embers Red had always had a curiosity for the unusual and a weak spot for the underdog.

 

[Ravenloft]

Camdon's boldness grew as he saw how his presence had so flustered these Fey, even the one they called Erylking remained silent. "I am, my good Queen. My people have magic as well, although it takes us years of study to learn it. I stand before you now, as I am due to such magic, which has rendered me as tall as your kind." Camdon answered, giving her as stately of a bow as he could manage. "Find? I am afraid that it was nothing more than a fortuitous hapenstance really. I was chased here, into your midsts by a dreadfully menacing squirrel."

Camdon paused, considering what the queen said about never returning to the world of man. "Ah, but that is just the thing... We both live under the same great sky, your world dwells within our own, and if only our kind knew, we would be far more respectful of it, I am sure. But sadly, your voices have yet to be heard. I come to offer my voice amongst the humans on your behalf, but would not be so boastful as to speak for you without your permission to do so, nor without the words you would have me speak."

 

[slippedhalo]

It was Moonglow who dared to question the expression of acceptance on the Queen's face. She wanted to know more about what had happened to the brownies back at Creekside. She pushed forward, her earth colored hair falling into her face as it slipped from her upsweep as she moved quickly through the gathered crowd toward the leader of the Muryan, "What have you done with our males? I need to know if they are alright. I have five sons and seven mates I am still on good terms with in Creekside. Pray tell me they are not hurt or...Goddess help us, tell me...they are alive?"

A murmur through the crowd rose in pitch as more women demanded to know the fate of their sons, nephews, fathers, uncles and friends.

Queen Waterdancer nodded once and put up a hand to quiet the din. "Indeed, we seem to have been taken by surprise this season. Males, Muryan...and...Human, come sit at our table, partake in a meal with us and we will hold discussion calmly. Answer all of our questions and behave as we expect and prefer and you may continue to be welcome. Do not and risk our wrath."

She led the way to the dining chamber, a sweep of her hand instructing the nearly ill prepared faerie musicians to begin their music and the crowd parted for the royal court and their guests, following slowly on hesitant feet and trembling wing, Waterdancer was forced to act calm andin control as the leader and hostess here but inside she was fuming at these changes and outraged that likely their party crashers had done something horribly wrong to have kept their intended guests away. Then, there was this human male. She eyed him speculatively as they all entered the great hall and found their seats, the most important and influential sat with the guests on the ground level. The others took seats on floating benches at the floating tables arranged throughout the space. He seemed in awe of their dininghall and she was inwardly pleased to be able to make a showy impression. Oh, he would never represent them to Humans. No. Humans must never know of their kind. It wasn't just a civil law, it was also one of the foundations of their faith. Living in secret was their way of life. No wizard's apprentice would be allowed to just change that at a whim.

 

[Tarakin]

The Erlking

The Erlking's eyes narrowed dangerously as the human entered the meadow. All had gone as planned until now, all the leaves had fallen were they were supposed to fall - and now this. A human? Here?

"By the four branches of the Mabinoghi, Queen Waterdancer!" The voice of the Erlking was dangerously low, stopping the queen on her way to the dinner chamber. Some were already seated, others froze on their way to the dinner table.

"A human in your realm? At Festival time? Were the brownies not enough for your girls? I could understand that easily, but now we are here for you."

The Erlking laughed, but there was no amusement in his laughter. He made a short gesture, and immediatly two of the guarding Muryan's flanked the human, who had finally stopped talking sunrubbish and indeed acted as being about to join his betters at the table. Confident in his soldiers even against a human the king turned toward the queen again.

"Never return to the world of humans indeed," the leader of the Unseele court parroted her with a sneer.

"Does he know he has to die?"

The sentence lingered in the air, hanging there heavily like the first snowladen clouds of winter. The king didn't watch the queen, she was supposedly far too clever to show anything on her face regarding the outwordler scum, but some of the youngsters would surely give away something. Was he here for a longer time already? Did they grew fond of him? But the reactions of the young fey didn't point in that direction. Well, most of them didn't. But what happened with that trio of feys over there, who hadn't joined the procession toward the tables yet?

The Erlking took a closer look. Despite the gold and red half moon shield out of Seelie wings he could smell the sweet scent of fear from behind the cover. It was intoxinating. He took a step toward them. He hadn't particulary noticed the red fey before, but next to her was the weary one with that snowflake. No, definitly these two were not the fearful ones. She - it was definitly a female smell, like fresh earth and flowers - was hidden behind that shield.

The leader of the Unseelie Court closed the distance to his prey with feline grace, the human for now forgotten. Then the Erlking took a seemingly bored look at his fingernails, which ended in needlelike clawtips. There was another smell in the air also. Compassion, coming from the red fey, the shielding fey. Good. He liked to inhale that , sucking it out of a fey until nothing was left behind but a dry husk. He adressed the trio directly now.

"Last time I checked, I was a king and you were no queens, ladies," his voice was very low, but still very audible, "and last time I checked, there were sunrules regarding that difference."

The Erlking loved to play the Seelie against their own rules and traditions. He demanded royally respect from his underlings of course, but respect was earned through might, not laws or customs. The Seelie hadn't learned that lesson yet, it seemed, and neither had they learned that the Unseelie Court was very different from their own. Well, on with the delightful game of tradition-trapping.

"Don't you learn to bow to your betters, sunfolk?" he asked, finally watching the girls now instead of his claws. Either they would break the fey traditions now, or he'd see who was hiding behind Red and White. Either way, he'd win. The Erlking smiled. If he was to be that winner, he liked games with an outcome so predictable.

 

[Ravenloft]

Camdon wondered to himself if the Creekside the one with earth colored hair spoke of was the one he knew, only a short walk from the woods he was in. At least it would be if he were his normal size. Now, it was probably several day's travel. He looked at the two Muryan's that the Erlking had instructed to flank him and thought of at least a dozen dirty moves he could use on them.

It was typical, apparently it didn't matter what culture or world, soldiers were all taught the same... Uniformally. Whereas a rogue like Camdon had the freedom to think outside and around such structured minds. Maybe that was why his mentor had decided to apprentice him.

Reguardless, Camdon moved into the dining hall along with everyone else at the Queen's behest. He was indeed awed by the magisty and magic of it all, so much so that he simply ignored the Erlkings threat on his life. Besides, he was confident that the potion he'd taken would wear off... Eventually...