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Author's Note: This is chapter 1 of a story I've been playing with on Patreon for a while. It's already to chapter 15 there so I should have plenty of chapters to post here for a while. Further chapters are available on Patreon.~Amethyst.
 

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 Chapter 1: Kaelyn and the Faerie

My frown deepened as thunder once again boomed overhead. I was crouched in the mud and shivering as the heavy rain continued to dampen both my worn-out cloak and my spirits. It had been obvious when I first awoke to the sound of thunder this morning that it would be a miserable day for hunting, but at least it made tracking easier. So far, I had not had much luck to speak of though. All of the game birds seemed to be staying out of the rain, probably somewhere warm and reasonably dry, oh how I envied them.

“It looks like my fortune may be changing for the better,” I muttered as I knelt down to examine the deer tracks in the mud. The tracks were less than an hour old and there were three sets of them, two adults and a fawn. “Please, Narrisse, let one be a stag,” I pleaded in silent prayer to the Goddess of beasts and the hunt.

Once, long ago, I could have prayed and made an offering to the Goddess at the holy circle of the Gods. That time was long gone though, along with the holy circle, destroyed by the Church of One and a great temple to their God had been built in its place. The church was established over fifty years ago, after an ancient ruin was discovered in the Duke’s forest, and now it ruled the city of Greendell and the lands surrounding it.

Now, the church’s influence over Duke Garen and his people was near absolute, and it was quickly spreading to other nearby towns and villages under Duke Garen’s rule. Not many in Greendell followed the Old Gods or the old ways anymore, and none did so in public for fear of ending up in the church dungeons, a place from which nobody returned from alive. It was almost as dangerous as being exposed as one of the Touched.

The priests of the church said that the Touched were cursed and the consorts of demons, that they needed to be cleansed. However, they also disapproved of music, theatre, or anything else remotely entertaining, claiming that they were frivolous and took people’s attention away from where it should be focused, on their God. Sometimes, I sometimes felt that they feared the magic of the Touched, gifts given by the Old Gods to their favored mortals.

Five years ago a man from the church had come to my family’s home to search it and then murdered my parents for being Touched after my father had healed a friend who had been injured in a fall. My mother’s gift was minor and harmless but they had killed her too, claiming that my parents were both consorting with demons and plotting against the church and the Duke, and using my mother’s favorite brooch as evidence. This left me, a girl of only twelve summers, to try to survive in a city that seemed hostile to everything that I was.

I could still remember that night in vivid detail. The man and the priests with him had made me watch as he killed my parents and the men of the city guard had just stood by and watched. Then he had warned me that he would come for me one day as well, if I did not give up the old ways or if I turned out to be Touched. The church had of course offered to take me in and place me in a church-run orphanage until I could learn the skills of a ‘proper wife’ so I be married off. I would not have taken that offer even if they had not been the ones to murder my parents though. So, I gathered some of my belongings and some keepsakes from my parents, such as my mother’s instruments, and fled the city proper.

I shivered again, but this time not from the cold. This time it was from the thought of what would have happened had I been in the care of the church when I had become Touched less than a year later. My gifts were meager, I could sense magic and manipulate metal to a small degree, but it would not have mattered to them. Indeed, it was best to keep a safe distance from the Church of One.

So now, I lived in an abandoned hunting shack in the forest, little more than a shed really, with a small hearth and barely enough room for me to sleep and keep what meager possessions that I had. I survived on what food that I could grow, hunt, or forage; mostly a few vegetables, berries, truffles, quail, and deer on rare occasions. I truly hoped that today would be one of those times, the winter had been a long and lean one, expending most of the money that I had saved, and it would be at least a month before my small garden produced anything worth eating.

On those rare occasions that I managed to kill a deer, I would disguise myself as a boy by binding my chest tightly and covering my long hair with a hunting hood. I was fairly short, but that, along with my rather plain appearance, lean figure, and some well-placed dirt gave me the appearance of a boy of maybe thirteen or fourteen summers. Dressed like that, I could usually blend into the crowds fairly easily and somewhat safely take the hide and some of the venison into the city to barter in the marketplace for eggs, bread, and anything else that I could get.

Of course, I would need to be cautious around the priests in their black and red robes though. I did not often venture into Greendell, and usually I would try to avoid the sickening feeling of the magic coming from the Church but if I killed a deer today, it would be worth it to barter or make some coin. I had not eaten much more than dried meat, thin soup, and bakery castoffs for months.

I attempted to shake off my grim thoughts as I rose and followed the tracks southward, my bow held at the ready and each step carefully measured to make as little noise as possible. The rain began to fall harder beating a steady staccato on the ground, the leaves of the trees, and my cloak. The sound of occasional thunder seemed to shake my very bones as I followed the tracks for what felt like an eternity. Finally, I heard a rustling in the bushes ahead. Swiftly, I reached behind my shoulder, slipped an arrow from my quiver, and was ready to put it to the drawstring. Then it all happened at once.

I felt it first; an unfamiliar type of magic not far ahead and moving toward me quickly, though rather than becoming stronger as it approached, it seemed to be fading. Not far behind it, there was a second, stronger source of magic. That magic was dark, chaotic, and disturbingly familiar. Not even a second later, there was a distant shouting, I thought it to be a man’s voice, but I couldn’t make out the words over another boom of thunder. Then the three deer that I had been tracking; a stag, a doe, and a fawn burst from the bushes bleating in terror, the stag snorting and knocking me into the mud as they fled back along the game trail that I had been following.

“Torr’s balls!” The curse fled my lips silently; my heart beating rapidly as I hurriedly snatched my fallen bow and arrow and dove into the cover of some thick brush at the side of the trail. Once I was somewhat shielded from sight, I rose into a crouch and again nocked my arrow. Deliberately, I slowed my breathing in an attempt to remain calm and ease the wild racing of my heart as I watched the trail and tracked the pair of magical presences with my mind’s eye. They were almost on top of me and my heart leaped into my throat as I heard the rustling of the same bushes that the deer had burst through only moments before.

A woman, or perhaps a slender man, wearing a dark grey robe limped through the foliage and stumbled, falling with an audible splat into the mud, mere inches away from the spot that I had so recently vacated. The person wore a dark green cloak over their long grey wool robe, had three black arrows protruding from their back, and cried out in pain as they hit the ground. They tried to get to their knees; shaking, their breathing haggard, and groaning in pain, but they fell back to the ground, succeeding only in falling to their side this time instead of on their face. It was that face, desperate eyes looking imploringly at me through the foliage, which caused me to let slip a gasp of surprise and nearly drop both bow and arrow.

The woman, for it surely was a woman, was not human. Long and muddied locks of silver hair half-covered a pale face distorted in agony, and those pained and pleading amber eyes continued to stare at me as though the brush between us did not exist. Beneath her cloak, near-transparent iridescent wings twitched in pain. “A Faerie!” The thought caused my heart to race once again. I had heard the stories, of course. Everyone had heard stories about the Fae but I had never thought that in all my life I would see one in the flesh. Yet now there was one right in front of me, not ten hands away… dying.

“Who would do such a thing?” I wondered as my heart clenched in revulsion and fear. The Fae might be mischievous at times, but generally, they were helpful to those who respected them and the woods they cared for. The wrath of the Fae on those who had wronged them could be terrible indeed; foul curses if they could not physically find you, but if they did, they never forgot a debt owed and had powerful magic at their disposal to catch their prey. Not many eluded them for long and once they caught you, you would suffer an eternity of the worst tortures that the fair folk could dream up. What kind of fool or monster would risk such a fate?

My question was answered as a man with a bow stepped through the brush. Long dark hair hung wetly where it fell from beneath his helm, framing a scarred and clean-shaven face with dark hard eyes. He wore dark leather armor and boots, a sleeveless black and red tabard bearing the crimson nine-pointed star of the Church of One, and a cruel smile as he stopped to look down upon his prey. His smile was joined by a laugh as the Faerie in the mud tried to crawl away. “You led me on a merry chase, I’ll give you that,” he said with a sneer, “but it’s time that I finish the job.” He tossed his bow casually to the side and licked his lips as his hand erupted in black flames.

A Touched working for the church? No, I recognized this man; his face had been forever carved into my memory five years ago, the night that my parents were murdered. A sudden urge to run as far and as fast as I could nearly overwhelmed me in that moment. Hate and fear warred within me and my hand turned white-knuckled as I gripped my bow tightly enough for the wood to creak in protest. The man did not seem to sense my presence, I could slip away, run to safety, and he would be none the wiser. And the Faerie would die.

The pleading eyes of the Faerie burned themselves into my mind’s eye as that thought assailed my mind, as surely as the face of my parents’ murderer had been burned into it on the day that my parents had died. Now he stood in front of me, threatening one of the forest folk, and I knew in my heart that leaving the Faerie there to die at his hands would be wrong. I could not do anything when my parents were killed, but I could now. In the same instance that my decision was made, I took aim through the brush, pulled back the drawstring, and let the arrow fly.

A child could not have missed at that range and I had been hunting with my father since I could walk and carry a bow. The arrow pierced the man’s neck with enough force that the arrowhead came bursting out the other side in a spray of blood. My parents’ murderer just stared ahead in shock for several seconds before the black flames in his hand vanished, then he made a gurgling sound, began coughing up blood, and fell to his knees. A moment later, he collapsed to the ground in a lifeless heap beside his intended victim as a foul black smoke rose from his corpse.

I rushed from my cover to the fallen Faerie. “Hold still,” I told her, trying to sound reassuring, “I am going to try to get those arrows out.” The silver-haired woman nodded tiredly but said nothing as I pushed her cloak aside to examine the wounds. Two of them had pierced her gossamer wings before burying themselves in her back, and the third had penetrated fairly deeply.

My focus shifted to the arrows as I carefully inspected them before attempting to pull the first one free. The shaft came free, but it seemed to have snapped just shy of the arrowhead, causing me to grimace. My frown only deepened as the same thing happened with the other two. While it had made it easier to extract them from her wings without doing further damage to them, each had snapped in the exact same spot, it was as if the arrows had been designed to leave their heads inside the victim.

I took the woman’s hand gently, telling her, “I think that I can remove the arrowheads, but it will probably be very painful.” The Faerie nodded again, her eyes pleading and her face a mask of pain as I closed my eyes and used my mind’s eye to search for the metal of the arrowheads within the wounds. I found the first one easily enough, it had not gone in too deeply, so I reached out with my power to slowly pull it out, trying to be as gentle as possible. The second was similar to the first and came out easily enough, but the third had penetrated deeply and it was near her heart, or at least where the heart would be on a human.

I knew that I could not leave it inside though; the previous two arrowheads had been fashioned from cold iron, toxic to the Fae. I had to be careful not to physically touch them since my mother had warned me that some touched could be sensitive to cold iron was well, so once again I reached out with my power. The Faerie had managed to stay silent while I had removed the first two arrowheads, but it was not so this time. The screams of pain as I removed the final arrowhead made me cringe in sympathy and nearly stop altogether from loss of concentration before I finally removed it and used my gift to hurl the arrowhead into the woods as I had its predecessors.

With the arrowheads removed and far away, the wounds were now bleeding even worse than before. I was not sure how the Faerie was still alive, but I knew that if I did not act quickly that the ethereal creature would not be alive for long. Quickly, I cut strips from the hem of my tunic, shortening it to just above my hips before I felt that I had enough. The thick linen was damp, but I hoped that it would be enough to staunch the bleeding as I proceeded to bind the wounds as best I could.

With the arrow wounds taken care of, I took a moment to take mental stock of the creature that I was tending to. There were many types of Fae in the stories that I had heard from my parents as a child, but this particular Fae looked to be one of the Faerie since she resembled a Pixie and had similar wings while being similar in size to a human. She was perhaps a little taller than me, slightly pale, and inhumanly beautiful, even while covered in mud and blood. She was slender and fragile-looking, especially in her current condition, but what really made her stand out, other than the wings, were her long and pointed ears and her amber eyes with their slit pupils.

She also had a sword that I had not noticed earlier. The sheath that housed it hung from a sturdy leather belt and it looked to be a long and slender blade with a slight curve to it, if the sheath was any indication. It was the Faerie’s pained golden eyes that had my attention though, and I found it difficult to look away. “Are you injured anywhere else,” I finally asked.

“M… my ankle,” the Faerie replied in a near whisper. Even in pain, her voice had a musical quality to it, as if she was singing. I moved to inspect the ankle in question but I was stopped when the Fae suddenly grabbed my wrist firmly. Despite her frail appearance, her grip was like iron as she shook her head and said, “Please, the Demon will come here to attempt to finish its work once it has taken another willing host, and it will not come alone this time. We must hurry, child, you must help me get to Tarin’dol.”

 

 

 

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Author's Note: Here's chapter 2 of The Faerie Blade. Further chapters are available on Patreon.~Amethyst.
 

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 Chapter 2: Kaelyn’s Oath

The Faerie, whose name I learned was Sharai, spent over an hour leading me southward toward their destination as I supported her weight. She did not have to do much leading for half of that time though, once I began to feel a source of magic radiating from the direction that we were travelling. The magic was strangely familiar and comforting and I tried to keep up as fast a pace as Sharai could manage on her injured ankle.

I was thankful that our destination did not seem to be far. If this was to be a long journey, I would have preferred to return to my hunting shack for supplies, what money I had, and my mothers… no, my instruments. I had promised to help this Faerie though, she needed proper medical care, and I did not dare turn back while a Demon might be on our trail.

Still, this was further south than I had ever ventured before and Sharai seemed to know the area, so I let her lead the way until we arrived at our destination. Not only did it give the Faerie something to focus on other than her injuries but also, with her determining our direction, I could focus on keeping my senses peeled for danger. I did not want to run into a pack of wolves, a bear, or something while half-carrying an injured person. Even if the Faerie might have some way to calm any beasts we might encounter, I was worried about Sharai pushing herself too hard in her current state.

I was also wary of pursuit, keeping my magic sense alert for any signs of that sickening Demon magic following us. The Church of One was relentless when it came to hunting down the Touched or those who followed the Old Gods and I had a feeling that that would prove doubly true for the Fae. I did not think that it was a coincidence that the one chasing Sharai had been a Demon either.

That sickening magic that I had felt from the Demon-possessed man who had killed my parents was the same that I had felt from the cathedral in Greendell, and the various members of their clergy that I had painstakingly avoided whenever inside the city walls. The church was obviously responsible for these Demons but that just brought other questions to my mind. Were the Demons possessing these people against their will, or were the people aware and in control?

The thought of either possibility made me sick to my stomach. As horrible as it sounded to not be in control of one’s own body, it was the second possibility that disturbed me far more. Who would willingly give up their bodies to such creatures? What did they get out of it? Would such a person do it for power or something far more sinister? It was not hard to picture the latter with the church’s campaign against those who had magic.

With my mind occupied and Sharai conserving her strength, our conversations were limited as we made our way southward through the forest paths. While I had many questions that I wanted to ask the Faerie woman, I felt it better to wait with my senses focused on avoiding danger and my thoughts straying toward the Demons and the Church of One. My questions could be answered once we arrived at our destination and Sharai was recovering from her injuries.

The thick scrub and pines that we had been traveling through on the straightest possible route to our destination began to thin and we emerged from the tree line atop an embankment overlooking more of the forest below. Not far ahead, I could see a large clearing with a massive oak tree at its center. “That is our destination,” Sharai said tiredly, pointing to the clearing with a trembling hand.

I had been expecting a city of some sort, so I was surprised at this turn of events. Pleasantly surprised since it would allow Sharai to see a healer or doctor soon. “Let’s find a safe way down for you then. We’re almost there, Sharai,” I told her encouragingly.

It took a while longer than I would have preferred to find a relatively safe path down the embankment and, even then, I had Sharai wrap her arms around my neck as I carried the injured Fae downward. It was not easy, given my small stature, and I had to stop a couple of times to rest. Once we made it to the bottom though, it was only a short walk to a copse of hawthorn and ash trees that surrounded the clearing.

“This is Tarin’dol?” I inquired dubiously as we stepped into the clearing and I found myself gazing at the massive oak tree before me that was as large in girth as a small cottage. It stood in the center of the clearing, which in turn stood at the center of the circular grove of hawthorn and ash trees. It was also brimming with that comforting, soothing, and familiar magic that I had sensed getting closer with each step for the last quarter of our journey through the woods.

I had been helping to support Sharai’s weight for the entire journey since her ankle was not in any condition to carry her weight, as were her wings for flying. Even if either wings or ankle had been in any shape to carry her, she likely would not have gotten far on her own. But even with my help, the Faerie was now pale, shaking, and far too warm to the touch. I was not even sure how she had managed to travel this far with her strength so spent.

Sharai shook her head slowly at my question, a pained expression on her face. “No, it is much further, in Nightglade Forest, far beyond the borders of Evalis. This is one of our old Woodwarden outposts in the center of one of Hespira’s sacred groves, perhaps one of the last remaining in the Dukedom of Caspia. You should be safe here, for now, while you do what is needed.”

My eyes widened as the Faerie urged me toward the tree. Hespira was the Goddess of Nature, Love, and Compassion. She was rumored to be one of the oldest of the Old Gods and the Fae were her chosen people. Still, the other part of what the Faerie had said concerned me most.

“And what is it that I need to do? I thought that you wanted me to get you to this Tarin’dol place?” I asked tentatively. I knew better than to make deals with the Fae without knowing all of the details beforehand. Even getting her to that far-off destination was seeming like a more difficult prospect with each passing moment though. The Faerie was weakening with every assisted step that she took and I had never left Evalis before, I had not even left the Dukedom of Caspia and this was the furthest that I had ever ventured from the city of my birth.

“We both know that I will not make it that far in this condition, young Kaelyn. This outpost should have everything that we will need for the task ahead of you,” the Faerie countered as she put her shaking hand upon the bark of the tree. Then I felt my companion using her magic as she said, “Naevus’ta kosa.”

The bark of the tree split open, the gap growing ever larger until it was large enough for us to step through. I gaped in wonder at the sight and feel of what had just happened. This was not a Touched gift, this was true magic and I was seeing and sensing it for the first time. “Wha…”

My awed exclamation was cut off, as Sharai seemed to lose all of her remaining strength and collapsed into my arms. “Quickly… inside. The opening… will close in… a moment.” Hearing that, and seeing that the Faerie had no strength to use such magic again, I gritted my teeth and picked Sharai up in my arms for long enough to carry her through the temporary doorway that began to close almost as soon as we were through. Sharai was so light, and she was burning up with fever.

The interior of the great oak came alight with a half dozen ghostly silver faerie fires as I stepped inside, giving me a good look at the inside of the shelter. The interior of the tree had been hollowed out into a comfortable living space and the wood of the walls and floors looked so smooth that I was sure that the place must have been formed by magic. Stone steps to my left led downward but I ignored that for the moment.

Of more immediate concern to me were the four small wood-framed beds that were piled high with rushes, with woolen blankets atop for comfort. I quickly placed the weakened Faerie atop one of them to rest, cut off her soaked clothes with my hunting knife, checked the bandages, and covered her up with blankets to keep her warm. Then I shed my own sopping wet, torn, and filthy clothes and wrapped a blanket around myself in hopes to cease my shivering.

It seemed warm inside our current shelter but I needed to ensure that Sharai was taken care of, and I did not want to get sick in the process. If that happened, I would not be able to be of much help to either the Faerie woman or myself. The faerie fires seemed to be providing heat as well as light and I felt myself beginning to warm up under my blanket as I frantically searched for anything that might be useful. My eyes darted around the large living space, taking in cupboards filled with clay pots, bows, quivers of arrows, and what looked like clothes.

Surely the pots must contain healing salves and the like, or at least ingredients to make them, so I quickly headed for those. Some of the dried herbs I recognized as healing herbs; vervain, comfrey, mint, anise, basil, and feverfew. There were also a few that contained contents that were more questionable, deadly ones such as belladonna, and some things that I could not even identify. “You need me to make some sort of healing salve or infusion, right?” I guessed as I looked toward the Faerie in concern and hoped that she had not fainted from exhaustion.

“No, it is too late for that,” Sharai responded with a strained voice and a weak shake of her head. “I have lost too much blood, and the cold iron was inside me for too long and too close to my heart. I am dying; I can feel it. There are more important matters to take care of than fruitless attempts to save my life. If you wish to save my spirit, then please do exactly as I tell you. I am sorry, young one, but I must ask you to travel to Tarin’dol in my place, they must be warned of what evil has taken root in Evalis before it spreads further. If you do as I say and all goes well, I will remain in spirit to guide you.”

For a moment, I stared uncertainly at the silver-haired Fae. I had only gotten involved to save Sharai’s life. I was ill prepared for a journey into the unknown and although Sharai seemed to have good intentions, I had the feeling that she was being deliberately vague about what was needed. Which meant that she might be worried that I would refuse her. But it could also be that she did not have enough time left for explanations.

I hesitated, and Sharai could see it in my expression. “Please, I have little time left, Kaelyn,” she pleaded with a desperate expression on her face. “You helped me at great risk to yourself, now I ask you to help countless others, human and Fae alike. You are Touched, a descendant of a union between a human and a Fae. So, I ask you as kin, do as I ask and I will tell you everything that you wish to know when the task is complete.”

My eyes went wide at her revelation. The Touched were part Fae? A flash of memory came to mind from when I was a small child. A glimpse of my mother’s slightly pointed ears as she had taken my father and me to a grove, very like the one that I recently entered. We had gone to pay homage to Hespira, though few humans who still worshipped the Old Gods ever did so. Was that why this place felt comfortable and familiar? I had so many questions, and now it seemed that the only way that I was going to get answers was to help Sharai. “What do I need to do?” I asked.

I followed Sharai’s instructions as quickly and accurately as I was capable of while Sharai became weaker and her voice more strained with each passing moment. I took a mortar and pestle to the bed where Sharai laid and measured out ingredients under her supervision. Belladonna, vervain, wormwood, mint, feverfew, and comfrey were followed by a golden powder that Sharai claimed to be from the ground horn of a dragon. Sharai told me that the last was supposed to serve as a magical binding agent for what I was making.

Once all the ingredients were thoroughly ground and mixed, Sharai instructed, “Now you must add nine drops of my blood. From a fresh cut, my wounds were caused by cold iron and that could make the magic far less effective. Nine drops, no more or less, and then mix it all well into a thick paste.”

I pricked the Faerie’s left hand with the tip of my bronze hunting knife, followed the instructions carefully, and once I had a thick muddy-looking paste I looked again to Sharai. “What do I do with it now?”

“I must… infuse it with mana,” Sharai replied weakly. I placed the mortar with the paste into the Faerie’s hands and could sense a brief and very weak pulse of magic from the Faerie, who barely managed to hand the mortar back to me before collapsing back onto the bed several shades paler and covered in a sheen of perspiration.

“Now what?” I pressed, not wanting to waste words while Sharai seemed to be weakening further by the minute. I could sense a faint aura of magic from the mixture in my hands but I had no idea what its purpose was, much less what to do with it. For all I knew, I could have been required to rub it all over my body and dance around the room naked while chanting something in the Fae language.

“Swallow it… all of it.” When I heard those words, I hesitated. That mixture could very well be poisonous, given the belladonna that it contained and I wasn’t sure that I wanted to swallow someone else’s blood either. Sharai weakly insisted, “You must. Your magic is too weak; this will… bring out your true potential. Neva’kul will only submit to one with Fae blood, a strong will, and powerful magic… and there is no time… to find another. Please.”

The Faerie’s face was pale, her lips were turning blue and her breathing was haggard. Frowning, I scooped up the paste with my fingers, quickly took it all in my mouth, and swallowed. It was the worst thing that I had ever tasted and my stomach immediately attempted to reject it. I shuddered and had to fight against an overwhelming urge to vomit.

Then I felt a warmth flowing through me, a warmth that turned to a heat that threatened to consume me from the inside out as the embers of my magic were fanned into a roaring blaze. The discomfort in my stomach was briefly forgotten in that sudden inferno and I was only vaguely aware that Sharai had removed her sword from its sheath, was gripping the blade hard enough to draw blood, and was speaking haltingly in her own language. Her gaze then settled on me before speaking once again. “T-take… my sword… grip the blade… and swear… by blood, blade, and magic… to bind yourself to Neva’kul and… see its will done.”

I attempted to ignore the increasingly uncomfortable cramps in my stomach as I took Sharai’s sword from the Faerie’s shaking hands. As I had thought, the blade was long and slender with a slight curve to it, but three glyphs that I did not recognize were engraved in the flat of the blade and glowed with an ethereal azure light. My hand shook as I gripped the blade, and I winced it bit into my flesh and drew blood, which flowed along the edge of the blade to mix with Sharai’s. “I s-swear by blood, blade, and magic to bind myself to Neva’kul and to see its will done,” I repeated tremulously.

Holding the sword, I could feel the magic coursing through it. The magic had a will and it threatened to overwhelm both my mind and my magic. I gritted my teeth and pushed back with all of the mental fortitude that I possessed, pushing my own magic into the blade in an attempt to fight back. For a time, my mind was lost to everything but that battle as I pushed every bit of the magical inferno that now burned within me into winning. Something deep inside told me that to lose would cost me far more than just my life.

I was uncertain how long that battle of wills lasted but finally, the will of the blade stopped fighting me and I could feel its approval in my mind. Then the presence in my mind faded. It was not gone completely, I could still feel it at the edges of my consciousness, but that was when my attention returned to the world around me. I was in agony, a burning pain unlike any that I had ever felt before in my life, and I could hear the sound of screaming. Then I realized that the one screaming was me.

The excruciating cramps in my stomach had spread and were now shooting through my entire body in wave after wave of agony. It was like my skin, muscles, bones, and everything else were being stabbed, burned, twisted, and stretched all at once. Eventually, it faded to a feeling that was more like millions of ants crawling just beneath the surface of my skin. I was barely aware that I was on my hands and knees on the floor beside Sharai’s bed, the sword laying on the floor forgotten as I panted and whimpered.

Was it over? The hypothetical ants moved away from my face and extremities, leaving numbness in their wake as they all decided to migrate toward my upper back. White hot and visceral agony returned, focused on those two spots on my back, the pain causing me to arch my back like an overextended bow as I screamed once more. Something burst and warm wetness cascaded down my back and when the pain finally faded, I felt a strange brief buzzing sensation.

I collapsed to the floor once more, spent and shaking in exhaustion. I ached everywhere and it seemed that I was lying in a small pool of blood, but at that moment, I just could not make myself care. I was spent and there were far more important matters to take care of at the moment, such as fainting.

 

 

 

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Author's Note: Here's chapter 3 of The Faerie Blade. Further chapters are available on Patreon.~Amethyst.
 

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 Chapter 3: Kaelyn’s Inheritance

When consciousness returned to me, I was no longer in pain; in fact, I had never felt better in my life, at least physically. I was not so sure about how I felt mentally though. There was the discomfort and itchiness of dried blood on my skin, my body felt strange and unfamiliar, and there was a presence somewhere in the back of my mind that made me feel as though I was being watched.

It took a moment for the fog of my mind to clear enough to recall what had happened before I had passed out. “Torr’s balls!” I cursed, wondering just how long I had been unconscious as I shot up to check on Sharai, trying to ignore the dried blood, the strange sensations in my back, and that presence at the edge of my mind. The Faerie was deathly still though, her chest absent of the rise and fall of breath, her eyes sightless, and her skin reduced to a deathly pallor.

“Shit,” I cursed again. “She was supposed to answer my questions, and how am I supposed to find this Tarin’dol place without her? I don’t even know what she wanted to tell the people there.”

-Fear not, Kaelyn. I will answer your questions as you wash and dress,- Sharai’s voice said, tickling the edges of my mind.

My head snapped around in search of the source of the voice. “What…”

-Look to your sword, Kaelyn,- the familiar voice instructed.

“My sword? But I don’t have a…” I started to argue as I looked around and my eyes settled upon the Faerie blade laying on the floor. Strangely, I could see no traces of blood on the gleaming blade, only those four unusual glyphs along the flat of the blade, alight with azure radiance. For a moment, I just looked at it in confusion. I had been certain that it only had three glyphs before.

-Neva’kul belongs to you now. You made it submit to your will and magic. Its power is now yours, so long as you are willing to see its will done. We are both bound to it now; your oath has bound you as its wielder and the instrument of its will, and mine bound my spirit as its voice and your guide. I replaced my guide and set her spirit free, as you will one day do for me when your life nears its end and you pass Neva’kul on to another.-

“Its will? But it is just a sword, is it not?” Even as I spoke those words, I did not truly believe them. I had felt the will and the magic of the blade resisting me until I had felt that sense of approval from it. I was slightly distracted though by the disturbing news that Sharai’s spirit seemed to be trapped in the sword until I took her place to set her free.

-Neva’kul is one of five Vos’oraik, they would be called “oath bringers” in your language. They were forged by the Elven sage Darion during a time of great evil, when Demons threatened all life on our world,- the spirit explained. -Darion infused each of the Vos’oraik with his magic and a will to protect the weak and innocent, and to see the Demons banished from this world. It is just blind will and raw emotion though; the Vos’oraik cannot truly communicate with their wielders. That is why my predecessors and I have bound ourselves to Neva’kul in death, to teach those who come after us, interpret its will, and infuse it with our gift.-

“Your gift? And there are four other swords like this?” I asked.

There was a short silence before Sharai answered. -Yes, Neva’kul and the four others were made for five of the most powerful Fae warriors and magic users of the time. The Vos’oraik can sense one another’s presence when close. As for the gifts, that is what the glyphs represent, the gifts of those who wielded Neva’kul before you. You may use each glyph once per day by focusing on them. All Fae are attuned to magic, it is a part of who we are. Each of us can sense magic, use the magical abilities unique to our species of Fae, and has a magical ability unique to ourselves. The last are our gifts. It seems that the Touched have inherited that, even though they cannot seem to sense magic or use it in other ways as full-blooded Fae can. Your gift is to manipulate metal.-

“But I can sense magic just fine, it was how I knew that you and the possessed man were approaching before I hid,” I countered with a frown. “I have never heard of another Touched being able to do that though, except for my mother.”

-Some Fae lineages have magic that is more powerful and a stronger connection to magic in general than most, while others have difficulty connecting to and manifesting their magic. The magic catalyst that I had you make and swallow was created for those who have trouble manifesting their full magical potential. I had hoped to draw out enough power for you to gain Neva’kul’s approval, but the catalyst has never been used on a Touched before and I certainly did not expect you to change physically. Perhaps you are descended from one of the stronger lineages and the part of you that was human was holding you back. It would explain a few things.-

I had carefully avoided looking down at myself since waking. I had a feeling that my body had been changed, and it seemed that Sharai had just confirmed that, but I had no idea how I had changed or what I now was. “Sharai… w-what do I look like now?” I asked hesitantly, not certain if I truly wished to know the answer.

-Fear not, child, you are not misshapen. In fact, you are quite striking. I do not know if it is due to the influence of your Fae lineage or some effect from my blood being used in the catalyst but you are a Faerie now, as I… was.- There was an awkward, heavy silence before Sharai continued speaking. -Perhaps it would be better if you look for yourself, you should cleanse yourself anyway. There is a place where you can do both in the cavern beneath us. Keep your sword with you, you must be near Neva’kul if you wish to speak with me.-

I sheathed the blade, removed the sheath from the belt of Sharai’s corpse with shaking hands, and asked uncertainly, “Sh… should I bury you? I do not know what your customs are.”

-No, child. Without my spirit, the Fading will soon take my body. It will vanish as what magic remains in it returns to the Weave. I must thank you for removing the cold iron, it interferes with most types of magic and would have prevented the return of my body to the Weave.- Sharai must have sensed the next question on my mind before I could even summon the words. -The Weave is the flow of the world’s mana, it is everywhere and in everything, though some places and creatures have more than others. We Fae possess a lot of mana while most humans have very little, not even enough to use without draining themselves of it completely, and that would kill them.-

I nodded silently as I made my way to the stairs and then downward with the sheathed sword in hand. The stairs went down a fair distance, lit by faerie fires like those in the room above until I ended up in a small underground cavern. It too was lit by silvery faerie fires, and had a pool of water fed by an underground stream running through the cavern. Cubbies had been formed in the stone walls of the cavern to hold towels and hand cloths, soap, brushes, and a small clay pot. There was also a tall mirror of polished silver metal that immediately caught my attention.

More accurately, it was the reflection in that mirror that held my gaze. A young woman stood there naked, half covered in blood, and staring back at me. Before I would have been looking at a short and wispy girl of seventeen summers with tanned skin, black hair, dull brown eyes, and lacking much in the way of feminine curves. Indeed, with my long hair tied back and my modest breasts bound flat, it had been easy for me to appear as a boy of twelve or thirteen. A very plain boy.

The ethereal creature that I now saw reflected back at me was anything but plain and would never be mistaken for a boy, human or otherwise. I was certain that I had grown quite a bit taller for one thing. Where before I had been dusky, short, and slender, now I was tall and lithe with ivory skin. My feminine curves were more pronounced with somewhat wide hips for my lithe frame, a flat tummy, an apple-shaped bottom, and noticeably larger breasts. I was still nowhere near having the full figure with expansive bust and wide birthing hips of some of the women I had seen in the marketplace though. Compared to them, my charms were modest indeed but there could be no doubt that my reflection was of a young woman, even if I was no longer a human one.

My face was angular, smooth, and beautiful as if it was sculpted from white marble. I could still see some of my old self there, but there were a lot of both subtle and blatant changes that combined to make me look different overall. Longer pointed ears, slightly higher cheekbones, a more delicate nose and chin, fuller pouty rose-pink lips, and large slit-pupiled eyes like shining amethysts beneath thin arched eyebrows. All of this atop a long and slender neck and framed by waist-length ringlets of lavender hair that shone with an almost metallic sheen.

I gasped at my reflection in stunned awe. Was that truly me? Tremors erupted in my back, and that buzzing that I had felt earlier returned, as a slight pale blur could be seen behind my reflected body. I turned around, pulled my long hair over my shoulder, and tilted my head so that I could get a good look at my back and saw a set of four gossamer wings, like those that Sharai had in life. On closer inspection they looked like the wings of a dragonfly, only they had a violet tint to them and were much larger, hanging down to my knees once I managed to keep them still for a moment.

I tore my eyes away from the mirror and went to take care of getting myself clean. I needed time to think about this. My feelings were conflicted on both my new appearance and my apparent change in species. Other than my family, I had been largely mistreated by other humans, and humans working for the Church of One had been the ones to kill my parents, but I had never even seen a Fae before Sharai and had had no desire to be one.

This was going to make dealing with others difficult as well. I knew nothing about the Fae aside from legends and folk tales and I was not truly one of them. As for humans, those in Duke Garen’s territory would likely kill me on sight. At the very least, humans would not trust me. How would the people of Tarin’dol react to me? Would they trust whatever message that Sharai wanted me to give them?

Those thoughts weighed heavily on my mind as I bathed. Eventually, I managed to focus on getting properly cleaned though. The bath was far more comfortable than I was used to, even if the water was cold. The soap and the pot full of herbal mixture that Sharai had had me wash my hair with both smelled wonderful, for one thing. I did not know what material the towels and cloths were made from but they were far softer and less irritating than the coarse scraps of cloth that I was used to drying myself with on those rare occasions where I could bathe properly.

Finally, as I finished drying myself as best I could and headed back up the stairs I asked, “Sharai, you seem to know this place. Have you been here before?”

-I have been here before,- the Faerie spirit admitted. -My troupe inhabited this forest and I was a Woodwarden here until I received Neva’kul from the previous wielder and decided to go explore the world beyond our forest. That was almost seventy summers ago. I came back to see how my troupe was faring and when I arrived I found that darkness covers these lands. The Seeming that had protected my village was gone and my people were massacred. The village was destroyed and I found weapons of cold iron in the corpses, preventing their bodies from rejoining the Weave.-

“I bet it was the Church of One,” I spat bitterly. “That man who was chasing you was one of theirs and they kill the Touched or anyone who follows the old Gods, so it would not surprise me if they were involved. I could feel their sickening magic whenever I was in Greendell.”

-Yes, I went to investigate the source of the darkness and I found the very Demons that the five Vos’oraik were created to fight against. I was outnumbered and the courtyard of their ‘church’ is rife with cold iron that dispelled my glamour and prevented me from using my magic. I was seen as I approached and managed to get away, but not before taking one of their foul arrows,- Sharai replied as a chill ran down my spine.

“So, that black smoke that I saw was a Demon possessing that man?” I asked, swallowing a lump in my throat.

-Indeed They can possess those with little natural magic and take control of them but it is far easier for them to possess those that they have made a pact with, They offer power, and that is something that humans crave far too often. Those foul creatures were banished thousands of years ago, and only servants of one of the Gods could have summoned them to this world, the God who created them. He has no worshippers though. All likenesses of him in the circles of the Gods were destroyed, all artifacts related to him were ruined, his worshippers were wiped out, and his name has been unspoken since. Now that evil is spreading once more, so you must warn Tarin’dol and find the other Vos’oraik bearers.-

The chill that had taken up residence in my spine quickly became a shudder. “The Unspoken One,” I gasped. My parents had warned me that few people even dared speaking that name for fear that it might bring his gaze upon them. A God so terrible that the other Gods had struck his name and likeness from all memory thousands of years ago. It was said that he caused the fall of the Ancient Ones. Moreover, he had had over fifty years to establish a foothold in Caspia, perhaps even the entire kingdom of Evalis. I gritted my teeth, clenched my fists, and grimaced as I asked, “How do we get to Tarin’dol?”

-First, you get properly dressed and gather what supplies we will need for our trip,- Sharai replied carefully.

It took me less time than I had feared to find clothes that fit decently and get myself dressed. My old clothes were far too small, not to mention that they were wet, torn, dirty, and threadbare. Thankfully, there were clothes in one of the shelter’s cupboards that seemed designed with Faerie, and their wings, in mind. It looked like there were clothes for other types of Fae as well, but Sharai suggested that the Faerie clothes would work best for me and would be easier to adjust if needed.

The clothes were meant for Woodwardens who were patrolling the forest so they were lightweight and easy to move in but they were also different from what I was used to. I found a pair of dark brown soft-soled boots, matching bracers, and a belt that fit decently, as well as a thick dark green wool cloak that fell to my calves and would hide my wings if needed. The rest of the clothes were in a similar shade of green but the material was unfamiliar to me.

As Sharai told me how to put on the unfamiliar garments, she also informed me that they were made from the woven silk of star-spiders that some communities of Fae cared for and harvested like humans did sheep. The massive spiders were named for the bright green star-shaped pattern on the back of their otherwise black bodies. They were poisonous, easily as large as a grown man’s hand, and bred quickly but clothing made from their silk was durable, somewhat stretchy, and felt nice on the skin.

I started with the unusual loincloth, placing the patch of cloth between my legs as instructed and then used the attached laces to tie it above my hips on either side to hold the garment in place. The long skirt that I put on after was split along the outer part of my legs from my thighs to where the hem ended just below my knees and met my boots. I knew that it would show an indecent amount of leg whenever I moved and was not certain that I liked the idea. Even the whores in the city only showed little more than their ankles and I would be showing far more than that every time that I took a step.

The blouse, if one could call it that, was even worse. My new wings made blouses difficult and I could not wear a chemise or any sort of breast binder. The blouse was basically just a piece of cloth similar to the loincloth that tied behind my neck and lower back to cover my front and leave my wings free. As a result, it molded itself to my chest and midriff while leaving my shoulders, back, and arms all bare. Even what it did cover left little to the imagination. I frowned at myself in the mirror before adding my new cloak and buckling on my sword belt.

Sensing my discomfort, Sharai tried to reassure me. -You are dressed no less modestly than any other Faerie and you will need to have your wings free if we are going to get to Tarin’dol quickly. We will have to get you some light armor once we get there, the smiths there are amongst the best on the continent.-

“But I do not even know how to use my wings,” I complained.

-As we make our journey I will teach you everything that you need to know. How to fly, and how to use that sword as well,- the spirit promised.

“What about magic?” I pressed eagerly.

-You can already sense magic and use your gift reliably, and you will improve through practice. I will teach you to use your Faerie abilities as well. Any other magic you will have to learn through study and hard work. I was not a mage, I was a swordswoman, but I will teach you the basics of magecraft and what few spells that I do know.-

With that promise made, Sharai had me pull a leather pack from one of the cupboards and fill it with a change of clothes and a pair of wool blankets. I would have to forage for food so I also found a bow more suitable for my new size and a pair of quivers filled with arrows. Once the bow and quivers were lashed securely to the pack, I shouldered it and pressed my hand to where Sharai told me the exit would be.

-Close your eyes, feel for the enchantment, and then push a little bit of your mana into it as you say, “Naevus’ta kosa.” It is not a spell, just a phrase meant to activate the enchantment already in place,- Sharai instructed.

I did as instructed and as the words left my mouth, I felt the enchantment activate and the hidden door was revealed once again. The thought that I had just used magic, even if it was a premade enchantment brought a grin to my face and excitement bubbled in my chest. “I’ve never gotten to do something like that before. I could sense magic but what I could do with metal was never more than a parlor trick.”

-Do not discount your gift, Kaelyn,- Sharai offered sagely. -You are much more powerful now than you were before and you can manipulate metal. You have manipulated cold iron, our greatest weakness. That gives you a defense that no other Fae has. Now hurry, the shadows grow long and tonight you learn to fly.-

 

 

 

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Author's Note: Here's chapter 4 of The Faerie Blade. Further chapters are available on Patreon.~Amethyst.
 

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 Chapter 4: Kaelyn Taking Flight

Despite still trying to adjust to my new body, and how it moved, I managed to make quite a bit of distance before sunset. The longer legs certainly helped with that and I felt more energetic in general as well. Once I had stopped moving as I felt that I was supposed to be and just let myself move naturally, I found myself to be very quick, agile, and graceful. I was travelling northwest, which was a little unnerving since we had been traveling south to get to the sacred grove and it felt like I was heading back toward the danger. When night fell and I finally stopped to catch my breath, I worked up the nerve to ask, “Why are we going this way?”

-Between the rain and mud and you having to support me, we left a trail that a child could follow. The Demon, and others like it, will be able to track us to the sacred grove. When they find it, they will likely destroy it, as they have the others in the Dukedom of Caspia, and send one or more of their number to follow your tracks here. Now that it is dark, you will be able to fly with far less risk of being spotted and we will head southwest,- Sharai explained.

I considered that for a moment. While I was eager to learn to fly, it was also a daunting prospect and I was worried about being seen. From what little that I knew of the geography of Evalis, southwest would take us out of Duke Garen’s lands, but the capital city of Majair was also in that direction. “Should we risk going so close to the capital?” I asked uncertainly.

-We must see if this darkness infects the entire kingdom or if it is so far confined to Caspia,- the spirit insisted. -If it has spread as far as the capital and the King, then there could be a war on the horizon. It is not far out of our way since we must continue southward regardless. We will need to pass through the kingdom of Kalidar to get to Zhahimel and the gates beyond.-

My mother had told me stories about the legendary city-state of Zhahimel when I was a small child and those stories had fascinated me. It was the last major city on the southern end of the continent before the Southern Divide, a great mountain range. Zhahimel was a massive fortress city that sat between sheer cliffs in the only pass through those mountains and they had built great gates between their city and the remainder of the pass that led through those mountains and to the Fellwoods beyond.

The Fellwoods were the forested lands that covered the entire southern tip of the continent and people claimed that those woods were haunted and hosted such horrors that only the Fae dared to venture there. Many thought that the gates had been originally built and sealed to keep out what creatures laid beyond, though there was no record of those gates ever being breached. In addition, in case anything did manage to get through that mountain pass and the gates that sealed it off, there were the Daughters of Zhahime, an order of warrior priestesses that controlled and defended the city.

As a small child, I had often fantasized about joining that order. They accepted women of all races who were willing to swear their service to their order and Zhahime, the Goddess of War, Honor, and Justice and the twin sister of Hespira. They trained in all forms of combat and those with the potential to use magic were taught that as well.

My eyes went wide as Sharai dictated our course. “We’re going to Zhahimel? And through the gates? But that would take us into…”

-The Fellwoods?- Sharai finished with a laugh. -Do not believe everything that you have heard, young one. What others call the Fellwoods we call home. Its true name is Nightglade Forest; it has been called that since before the time of the Ancient Ones. Tarin’dol is on the southern coast, so we have quite a journey ahead of us.-

“But didn’t you say that your troupe inhabited this forest?” I asked.

-Yes, some troupes travel to ancient forests like this one in other lands to preserve them. Most humans know better than to enter a forest under Fae protection,- the spirit explained patiently. I could not argue that fact since if I had known Fae were living somewhere in the forest I would have stayed out. It was too bad that the church and its Demons had no such reservations. -In tense times, such as those that I fear are ahead of us, those troupes also act as ambassadors of the Fae to the local rulers, or as spies if needed.-

I placed my pack on the ground and sat beside it to begin braiding my long hair. I was afraid of it getting tangled up with my wings if left loose while I was flying, or attempting to anyway. I would likely have to put my cloak in my pack for the same reason. As I worked though, another question came to mind. “Sharai, if we have to go into the Fell… umm… Nightglade Forest, how am I going to get past the gates that bar the pass? Is the forest truly haunted?”

-The Daughters of Zhahime are our allies and have spread those rumors for well over a thousand years. The order was founded in part by Fae, and the fortress and the rumors about the forest were built to defend our home. Zhahimel is now an independent city-state but they still guard the pass and keep anyone except Fae, or those accompanied by us, from entering those gates. Since you are a Faerie, you simply need to ask to enter, or fly right over,- Sharai offered in a teasing tone.

I returned to my task as I blushed in embarrassment. As I braided my hair and kept my senses alert for any approaching danger, Sharai took the opportunity to explain what abilities that I should have as a Faerie. The first was flight, of course. While I was slightly worried that my wings would not be strong enough to support my weight, the spirit assured me that I would be fine.

Not only were Faerie a lot lighter than they looked, as I had discovered when I first carried Sharai, but their wings were usually very durable and would draw mana from the air around them to magically reinforce themselves when in constant motion. A side effect of this was that the air around them would heat up, giving the added benefit of keeping a Faerie warm while in flight. Sharai said that the heated bubble of air around her had always made her feel lighter somehow as well.

Faerie could also cast faerie fires. This ability was common to several types of Fae. It was used to create a ghostly fire or several if the caster was so inclined, like those that had been lighting the interior of the great oak in the sacred grove and the cavern beneath it. The spell was just light and heat but it did not burn what it came in contact with and could be moved in response to the caster’s desires. Sharai said that I could learn that later since I would be flying soon and would not need the light with my acute night vision.

The Faerie’s final inherent magical ability was to cast glamours upon themselves. Sharai described it as forming an image of what she wanted to look like in her mind and then either drawing in mana or using some from her reserves to place that appearance over top of her own. I decided to wait to attempt that ability until it was needed or I had a better idea of how magic worked in general. With my gift, all that I had ever had to do was to feel the metal with my mind’s eye and then move it how I desired.

All Fae have the potential to use magic; it was one of the benefits of being a magical creature. Some needed to draw that ability out though, which was why that horrible concoction that I had swallowed had been created in the first place. As Sharai had told me earlier though, if I wished to learn magecraft I would need to do so through study and practice, and I would need someone to teach me more than the basic cantrips that Sharai had learned in life.

Next, Sharai gave me a quick overview of what magical abilities had been bound to my new sword, along with the spirits of its former wielders. My spirit guide was hoping that we could avoid combat for the moment but she figured that it would be best if I knew what both Neva’kul and I were capable of. -The glyph closest to the guard of the blade is an ability that belonged to the first wielder of Neva’kul, Joarra. It allowed her to concentrate the mana around her into the blade of her sword and release it in a blast of destructive magical energy along the path of the swing or thrust of her blade. It was a terrifying ability, and why she was chosen to wield Neva’kul. A thrust could destroy whatever was in its path and even blow holes through the walls of a stone keep, while a slash could send all but the most stalwart of opponents in its path flying.-

I was still in awe of the thought of having such a power in my hands as Sharai went on to describe the second glyph and the ability that it represented. Gaivin, the second wielder of Neva’kul, had been an Elf and while he was a fair swordsman, he had a reputation as a bit of a jerk and a shameless flirt who would bed anyone, whether they were Fae, human, or otherwise. His ability was a simple charm that would affect humans and people of other non-magical races unless they had some form of magical protection. It would render anyone looking at him at the time love-struck, lusting, and very eager to please until the next sunrise. I immediately decided that I would never use that unless my situation was dire indeed.

The third glyph had come from Tamisun, the Faerie who had passed Neva’kul on to Sharai. She could greatly increase her speed and reflexes for short bursts. Even if it could only be used once per day it was something that Sharai told me could be very useful should I find myself facing a more powerful or experienced opponent.

Sharai’s ability would prove useful in the same way. She had been able to create a pair of illusory copies of herself that could act independently after being summoned. It had allowed her to win or escape a lot of fights that she never would have otherwise as her opponents tried to attack or counter one of the copies instead of the real Sharai. The illusions would not leave tracks and disappeared after roughly ten minutes but they were a good distraction. She admitted to having to find cover or use a flash cantrip so that her opponents would not know which of her was the real one though.

Finally, I had my hair in a tight braid and my cloak in my pack as Sharai finished her explanations. Now it was time to fly or, at the very least, attempt to. I still was not used to having wings or the extra muscles in my back to control them yet and the sensations back there felt strange and difficult to control. As a result, both Sharai and I soon became frustrated with my lack of progress. -You should be able to do this. All Faerie are born with natural instincts for using their wings and flying. Flying is easier than walking for most of us.-

“I was not born a Faerie though,” I pointed out dejectedly as I slumped back down on the ground.

-Kaelyn, you are a Faerie, no matter the circumstances of your birth, you would not look as you now do otherwise. Will you allow me to take over?-

“What do you mean, take over?” I asked in confusion.

-We are both bound to Neva’kul. I can use that connection to control your body for short periods, though it is something that you need to allow to happen. It will be tiring for me even with your cooperation and I cannot do it if you fight against me, If you can feel what it is like to use your wings when I am in control then perhaps it will help your repressed instincts to take hold.- Sharai gently explained.

I worried at my lower lip as I considered it. The prospect of someone else controlling my body was unsettling but I also knew that Sharai and I were going to be together for a very long time and that I would need to trust her if I was going to live long enough to get to Tarin’dol. After a long moment, I let out a sigh and asked, “What do I need to do?”

-You will feel a sense of pressure in your mind. Do not push back against it but rather relax and allow it to push you backward.- Almost immediately after the words were spoken in my mind, I sensed something pushing inside of my head. I took a deep breath and relaxed as I tried to just let it push me as instructed. It was a strange sensation, I could see from my eyes and all of my other senses seemed to be working as well but I was suddenly aware that I was no longer the one in control.

My head moved from side to side and my body moved in a series of unfamiliar stretches as my voice said, “It is very strange being on this side of a takeover. Ah well, no time to dwell on that. We are going to need to start training your body for combat and teach you to use a sword properly soon but for now, let us work these lovely wings of yours.”

“Well, we had better hurry because I can sense the dark magic of one of the church’s Demons approaching,” I thought back to her. It was on the edges of the range of my magic sense but it was approaching, probably following the trail that I had left from the sacred grove.

“Yes, you are right,” Sharai agreed in our body’s voice, “your magic sense is very acute; your range is farther than mine was.” I attempted a mental nod in response. My range seemed much further now than it had been before. I had not been able to sense Sharai and her pursuer until they were almost upon me before our meeting but now I could sense almost to the sacred grove and we had covered a fair distance before darkness had fallen.

My hands reached out under Sharai’s control to grab my pack and then she started slowly moving my wings so that both she and I could get a sense of them, and how it felt when they moved. “I am afraid that we have little time for you to practice flying, Kaelyn. I thought it would take them longer to gather a search party, find our trail, and follow it to the grove. I will fly us for as long as I can keep control. Focus on your wings as they move, try to become familiar with them and how I move them and the rest of your body when I turn, hover, or move up or down. Once I release control, you and your instincts will have to take over.”

With that, my wings began to buzz behind me and my body took to the sky. Even though I was not in control of our flight, it was both exhilarating and terrifying at the same time. After a few minutes, I lost my terror and began to enjoy myself as I allowed myself to relax and just feel what it was like to fly and how Sharai moved our currently shared body. I felt so free. It was so quiet and peaceful up in the sky with only the insects, birds, or occasional bats to be seen.

The enjoyment lasted only until I saw the malevolent orange glow to the east. Those monsters were burning the sacred grove. Had I been in control of the body I might have gone to do something about it but I was not. “I understand how you feel, Kaelyn, but your life is more important. We must find out how far this evil has spread and report to Tarin’dol,” Sharai insisted in our shared thoughts.

Sharai pushed herself to keep control for as long as she could, flying as quickly as my new Faerie body was capable of, but not long after the ominous glow of the burning grove had faded into the distance her time ran out. When her presence faded to a dull sense of her exhaustion, emanating from Neva’kul, I was suddenly in control once again. On the other hand, perhaps not, since in my panic at the sudden shift, I began falling.

 

 

 

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Author's Note: Here's chapter 5 of The Faerie Blade. Further chapters are available on Patreon.~Amethyst.
 

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 Chapter 5: Kaelyn’s Training

The closer the trees of the forest beneath me became, the more I panicked. I tried to calm myself and focus on moving the muscles in my back and my wings as I had felt Sharai doing, but it was very hard to think clearly and do that with the air rushing past me and the ground coming ever closer. Sharai had said that flying was as easy as walking for Faerie but I did not have to think to walk, I just did it. If I could do it with flying too then I would not be falling, at least that was what I thought. Maybe that was the problem though; maybe I was overthinking it somehow.

I was truly afraid that I was going to hit the forest canopy. The treetops were close enough that my now acute night vision could see the shifting of the leaves from the evening breeze and I lost all focus on trying to control my wings consciously. The foremost thought in my mind was how much it was going to hurt when I collided with the ground. I closed my eyes, not wanting to see my end coming

I could not breathe, could not think, I could only wait for the inevitable as my heart hammered in my chest. Suddenly, my wings began to buzz rapidly and I could feel the same sensations coming from them and my upper back as I had felt when Sharai had been controlling my body. Maybe Sharai had been right about it being instinctual after all. My eyes shot open as I began to hover just shy of the treetops and I let out the breath that I had not realized I had been holding.

Sharai still was not responding, so I seemed to be on my own regarding how to control my flight now that I was actually flying. Well, hovering, but it was a start. I just needed to put some of the advice and secondhand experience that Sharai had given me into effect. It took a while but eventually, I was able to turn my hover into forward motion and gain some altitude as well.

Once I had gained some altitude, I got my bearings and then continued on my way southwest. As I flew I experimented, putting into practice things that Sharai had done earlier while trying to coach me. I kept on flying until I began to grow weary and could see the woodlands below giving way to farms and fields in the distance.

Not wanting to venture into human lands without Sharai to help me figure out how to cast a glamour first, I decided to gather some food and find a place to make camp for the night. I managed to lower my altitude and dropped the last hand length or so, stumbling a bit when I hit the ground. “Not the most graceful of landings,” I muttered to myself, “but it was my first time. Hopefully, my flying and landings will improve with time and practice.”

Just to be safe, I removed my new cloak from my pack and put it on to obscure my wings in case I encountered any people. I did not think that was very likely but it was possible, and the cloak helped ward off the evening chill now that my wings weren’t moving and warming the air around me. With the cloak on and the hood up to obscure my face and ears, I began to search for food and a place to sleep.

My search netted me some wild mushrooms, berries, and nuts. There was enough game that I could have hunted but I did not want to risk a fire and only wished to eat and find a secure place to sleep for the night. Despite my short rest earlier, when I had fainted after my transformation, I was tired from flying and from what was probably one of the most stressful days of my life to date. I had not eaten at all either, and I had been hungry even before all of the excitement and the physically taxing transformation.

Now I was starving and my stomach confirmed it by growling loudly in protest, so I gathered and ate as I walked. By the time that I found a place to set up camp for the night, I had managed to sate the hunger that was gnawing at me. I found a hollow beneath the roots of a large ash tree alongside a stream that would do for the night and made myself as comfortable as I could with my pair of blankets.

I could not lay down and it was a somewhat tight fit but I thought that it would be safe for the night, even if I was not very comfortable. As tired as I was, comfort fell below security on my list of priorities. It would be secure and that was the important thing, comfort was of little concern, and as tired as I was, I soon fell asleep.

Confusion briefly gripped me when I awoke. I was uncertain of where I was, how I had managed to sleep in such an uncomfortable position, and what the source of the discomfort in my back was. It was several moments before I awoke enough to remember yesterday’s events. Once that had happened I quickly discovered that the discomfort was from having one of my wings pinched in an awkward position between myself and the wall of my small den.

Somehow, I had managed to twist the wing it seemed. It was uncomfortable but there was no damage that I could find, at least not once I left the den and had a good stretch to work out the kinks of sleeping in such close quarters. As Sharai had said, my wings seemed very durable but they were also quite flexible and only really seemed to harden in flight when drawing in mana to reinforce themselves. They were very pretty too, especially when the early morning sunlight hit them just right.

I wasted no time in shaking the dirt and leaves from my blankets and placing them in my pack. Once that was done, I put on my cloak, adjusted my sword belt, and went to gather some nuts and berries for breakfast. As I ate my scavenged morning meal, Sharai’s presence in my mind seemed to grow stronger. -My apologies, Kaelyn. I should have relinquished control to you sooner. I overexerted myself trying to put some distance between us and the Demon that was following our trail.-

“No harm done, Sharai,” I assured the Faerie spirit. “I was worried about you and a bit scared when I started falling, but it seems that you were right about me having the instincts. I think that perhaps I was still thinking of myself as human, regardless of my new body. I was able to get some practice flying on my own and kept my course to the southwest, but I decided to stop when I saw farmlands in the distance.”

-If you continued following the course that I set us on, those farms are probably those surrounding the capital. That means that we are beyond the Dukedom of Caspia. If the influence of the Demons has spread to the rest of Evalis, Majair is where we shall discover it,- Sharai offered thoughtfully.

“Do you know much about Majair?” I asked.

-Sadly, I do not,- my spirit guide replied. To me, it felt like the spirit might be frowning and her tone was wary. -I did not have cause to pass through the capital on my way to visit my troupe. Human cities can be stifling and I preferred to stick to the forests and glades. We shall have to rely on your knowledge of humans and their cities, Kaelyn.-

I gave a frown of my own at that news. I had only rarely gone into Greendell since my parents had been murdered and I had fled to eke out what life that I could in the forest. I had only interacted with its people when I had meat or hides to sell or needed food or supplies that I couldn’t grow, make, or hunt myself. If we needed to rely on my familiarity with humans, then we may well be doomed.

Perhaps I was exaggerating, but it certainly felt like I was as unfamiliar with them as a normal Fae would be. I had some money, but it was not much and probably would not go very far. I was a little worried about how I was going to navigate an unfamiliar city as well, one that was likely much larger than Greendell. “Can we not just wait for nightfall and then fly over the city? It would be faster, and I am certain that I could detect the dark magic of the church.”

-It would not be wise to fly openly over a human city. In fact, it is probably best if we do not fly in human lands at all, to be safe. If this ‘church’ of yours is present in the city then they will be on guard against our kind, as they were in Greendell,- Sharai countered.

“They aren’t my church,” I snapped, clenching my fists at my sides. “They killed my parents and would have killed me too if I had not kept my distance.”

-My apologies, Kaelyn, I did not mean to imply that you supported them, only that they are a human organization.-

“Well, I am not exactly human anymore, am I? If you asked the Church of One, I never was. They call us Demons when they… they…” I stammered, trying to collect myself as I closed my eyes, shoving away the memories that threatened to overwhelm me as tears stung my eyes. “The possessed man who was chasing you, he… he was the one who killed my parents. He threatened to kill me too if I ended up being Touched. I was so scared when I saw him, but I could not let him kill someone else in front of me… not again. And then you…”

-My death was not your doing, Kaelyn. You did your best to save my life and you did save my spirit. For that, I am grateful.- the spirit chided gently. -This only makes it more apparent that we must be cautious though. The Demons and their church are hunting the Fae and Touched. They know what we are capable of and they know our weaknesses. I believe that it would be wiser to attempt to blend in and gather information from the city’s inhabitants. For that, you will need to learn to cast glamours.-

With that in mind, Sharai spent the morning teaching me to use my other Faerie abilities in preparation for our foray into the capital of Evalis. She suspected that my instincts would give me a natural sense of my abilities, much as they eventually had with flying. Surprisingly, she began by teaching me to conjure faerie fires. I was able to learn the trick of how to summon and control them fairly quickly, as Sharai had guessed, but I was not entirely sure why I was doing it at all.

I looked at the faerie fire as I moved it with my thoughts, much as I would a piece of metal with my gift. It was an almost rose pink in color and Sharai had told me that the color varied from Fae to Fae. It would not change the properties of the fire though, only the appearance. It was the properties that concerned me though, as I reached out to touch the pink flame. Despite the heat that the flames gave off, they did not burn me, but Sharai had insisted that I needed to know this as well as how to cast a glamour.

“Why, Sharai?” I finally asked. “I do not see how this will help us in the capital. Using it to provide light and heat would only draw attention to me and it will not burn anything.”

-That is not entirely true. It will not burn anything in the physical world. Faerie fire is a purifying flame, the embodiment of light. As such, they will burn away darkness. Should you use it on the Demons while they are not in a host and their shadow forms are unprotected then you can harm them. You can even destroy them if you can completely consume their shadow form before they can take a new host or they return to the pit that spawned them,- my mentor explained.

“So we can return them to where they came from?” I inquired in piqued interest.

-The Demons require a host to be corporeal; they cannot remain anchored to our world for long without one. It is easier for them to possess people who they have made a pact with, but they can force themselves upon those who are weak in will and magic. It is far more difficult for them to hold that type of possession for long periods or use their demonic magic unless they get that person to make a pact and stop fighting against them though. As you saw, they will search for a new host as soon as theirs is killed and even if they are returned to the pit, those who summoned them before can merely do it again unless they too are killed. In either case, the Demon will return. It is far better to destroy them, in my opinion.-

I frowned as I thought about the Demons returning repeatedly and extinguished my faerie fire as I asked, “How do you know all of this, Sharai?”

Sharai responded in a solemn tone, -The knowledge on the Demons, and how to combat them, has been passed down from one wielder to another since Joarra first passed Neva’kul on to Gaivin, to ensure that we would have it should they return somehow. It is one of the reasons why we bind ourselves to Neva’kul again in death just as we did in life.-

Once she felt that I could reliably conjure and manipulate a faerie fire on command, Sharai moved on to teaching me how to cast a glamour. It was significantly more difficult than conjuring the faerie fires. First, I had to get an image of what I wanted to look like in my mind and hold it there while I drew in enough mana from the world around me. I could do it from my mana reserves as well but Sharai wanted me to learn to actively drink in the mana around me as well, so she had me work that way throughout the morning lesson. It also ensured that my mana reserves would not be drained should I need to use my gift for some reason.

When I had that image firmly in mind and the mana gathered, I had to focus on pushing mana into that image until it felt stable and then will that appearance to cover my own. It was not limited to just disguise either since she said that I could create glamours of clothing as well, so long as I had a solid image in my mind. To anyone that saw or touched me, the glamour would be as close to reality as I could imagine it. With that in mind, Sharai had me working on not just how I wanted the image to look, but how I wanted it to engage the other senses as well.

I had trouble at first with just the image but adding things like scents, textures, and other details took a lot of mental discipline, especially while trying to gather and manipulate mana as well. My instincts seemed to help with the magic portion but keeping all of the details straight in my mind was extremely difficult. Sharai kept encouraging me though and told me that I could do it. Fae minds were built for this type of thing, and I merely needed to keep my thoughts organized and build the image in my mind one piece at a time.

It was not until almost midday that I was able to produce a glamour that Sharai felt was acceptable. The image that I had used was that of a lanky young man who was toned and tanned from working outside wearing simple clothes; tunic, breeches, boots, and a cloak. It was not too different from what I was wearing and I had attempted to make the young man look as forgettable as possible with slightly shaggy brown hair, dull brown eyes, and otherwise bland features.

Once Sharai had given her approval, I was allowed to gather some food for a midday meal, which included berries, some tubers, and an injured rabbit that I had stumbled across and put out of its misery. Sharai felt that it would be safe to have a fire to cook it and we had decided to put off going to the capital until early the next morning. The rest of the day would be dedicated to improving my ability to cast glamours through repetition, with occasional mental breaks to exercise my body as Sharai began to teach me the basics of using a sword.

The latter did not go well. While my Faerie instincts and Sharai’s patience seemed to be helping with the glamour casting, learning to use a sword was considerably more difficult. Sharai had to keep correcting me on seemingly everything, and that took time since she had to explain what she meant since she could not show me. By the time I settled down for sleep that night, I was mentally and physically exhausted.

 

 

 

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Author's Note: Here's chapter 6 of The Faerie Blade. Further chapters are available on Patreon.~Amethyst.
 

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 Chapter 6: Kaelyn in the Capital

Chapter 6: Kaelyn in the Capital

I awoke before dawn the next morning. Sharai seemed to be already awake and I had to wonder if the spirit trapped inside of Neva’kul could sleep at all. I had not been able to rouse her after nearly dropping from the sky but did she sleep? What was it like for her to be dead and bound to the oath-bringer and me?

“Sharai, are you… okay with the way things are? Being bound to Neva’kul, I mean? I am fortunate and happy to have you guide me, but what is it like for you?” I asked the spirit hesitantly.

-I chose this, Kaelyn. I swore the oath to bind my soul to Neva’kul just as you swore to wield it. I have known that this would be my eventual fate since Tamisun passed the blade on to me. I could have just allowed the Fading to take me, but the Demons have returned and you need a guide more than any of the previous bearers of Neva’kul.- Sharai replied patiently.

“I… understand. I guess that I am just worried about whether it is uncomfortable or unpleasant for you,” I admitted.

-Worry not, this existence is not unpleasant. It feels like I am floating and I am not entirely trapped, I can sense what is happening around us and I have you to talk to. Now enough of these worries, let us get in some sword practice before we leave for the city.-

Once again, Sharai started training me but it was not long before we stopped. It was taking ages just to correct any improper stance or motions on my part because Shari had to resort to describing what I was doing wrong rather than being able to show me. “Could you take over and show me?” I finally asked in frustration.

The spirit seemed to consider it for a moment before admitting, -It would allow you to see and feel how the movements should be done. If you keep training in doing the movements properly, eventually your body will start to remember how it should be done when in a battle and will react instinctively. This is why repetition is used in training. Very well, Kaelyn, please allow me to take over.-

Almost immediately, I felt Sharai’s presence pushing at my mind and I relaxed and allowed myself to be pushed backward. Sharai wasted no time in smoothly drawing Neva’kul from its sheath and then sheathed it just as effortlessly. “Efficiency with the sword begins the moment that you draw the blade. In battle, wasted movements or fumbling will kill you,” she explained in our voice as she repeated the motions, allowing me to get a sense of how she tilted the sheath ever so slightly, how she gripped the hilt, and the motion of pulling the blade free.

Sharai repeated each action twenty times before going through a series of blocks, thrusts, parries, slashes, and other movements that I had no idea about. She repeated each movement twenty times and once she was done, she combined them all, flowing from one movement to the next in a long and intricate dance that she performed with liquid ease. The entire time, I concentrated on how our body moved from one position to the next and how those motions felt to me.

Finally, Sharai halted as the sun peeked over the horizon. “That is enough for the day; I do not wish to exhaust myself as I did when flying. We shall practice like this before dawn every morning until you are able to reproduce the first dance on your own. The first dance is the basics of swordplay. When you can perform the first dance fluidly on your own without thinking, we will move on to the second dance.”

“How many dances are there?” I asked as our body sheathed the blade once again.

I felt Sharai’s presence pull back to allow me control of my body once again before the spirit replied. -For most Fae, there are five; Säel’Eräde, Säel’Uíre, Säel’Phíera, Säel’Wühir, and Säel’Sülwaír. The fifth dance is one known only by the greatest of swordmasters among the Fae. There is a sixth that I will be teaching you as well eventually, Säel’Fäerie, but it is meant for aerial combat.-

Sharai may not have been in control anymore but that did not mean that training was over quite yet, I wanted to practice my archery as well before leaving for the capital. I was a fair archer and knew the proper stance and use of the bow, but I would be using both a new body and a new bow and I was sure that it was going to affect my shooting. I was right, but thankfully it did not take me long to compensate. Still, I would have to practice until it became a habit or I was used to the way that my new body felt and moved.

With that finished, I scavenged some food for breakfast and tried to cast a glamour for my trip into the city. It took three tries before Sharai was satisfied that I would not be detected but I was soon disguised as a tall and willowy blonde girl close to my own age in a simple dress, shoes, and headscarf that I had seen commonly worn on my trips into Greendell. With my glamour in place to hide both my appearance and weapons, I began walking toward the capital.

Even walking, I had set a much brisker pace than I had been expecting to get to Majair. Maybe it was because of my now longer legs, the fact that my new body felt more energetic, or a mix of the two, but that pace quickly ate up the distance from our camp in the forest, through the farmlands, and to the capital. As a result, it was still fairly early in the morning when I arrived at the city gates. It seemed though, that I was not early enough to avoid waiting in line.

“Torr’s balls,” I cursed under my breath as I took my place in line behind a cart loaded with vegetables from the farmlands surrounding the city. They were probably bound for the marketplace and despite my frown in the direction of both cart and vegetables; they were not the source of my current upset. No, that honor belonged to the line itself, and the guards that surely waited at the city gates at its end.

I should have realized that this could be a problem. Those guards would be checking papers and making a note of everyone who entered and left the city. Greendell had had similar checkpoints to enter the city but I had never used them, I knew secret and little-used ways in and out of that city, but I had no such knowledge of the capital. I could probably get by with a traveler’s pass but I would need to give them a reason for my visit and a name, and I dared not use my own.

Once again, I wished that I had been able to return to what had passed for my home before setting out on this journey. I had had more money hidden away and if I had my instruments with me, I could have possibly passed as a traveling musician or street busker. They would have provided a familiar comfort on this trip as well.

It was not until midmorning that I was able to get inside the city gates. I gave my name as Laesa Miller and claimed that I was passing through on my way south and just had to take the opportunity to see the capital. Once inside, I had spent much of the time until noon wandering the streets and making my way through the slums to the marketplace where I now found myself. I had used a pair of copper coins from my dismally barren coin purse to purchase a meal from one of the street vendors; two meat-filled pastries and a mug of cider. Now I was sitting on a bench and watching the people frequenting the market as I ate.

The pastries were dry and bland and I was not sure what the meat was, but at least the meal had been cheap and filled my stomach. The cider was considerably better, with a slightly spicy and earthy flavor that I found myself enjoying far more than the bland meat pastries. I was still getting used to the idea that I could eat meat at all now since I had heard that the Fae could not.

It seemed that ‘could not’ was actually ‘would not’ though, as Sharai had explained yesterday while I had cooked the rabbit that I had put out of its misery. They were a practical people and, while they would normally not intentionally hunt and kill other living creatures to fill their own bellies, there were rare occasions that they would kill denizens of the forests that they protected. Such as with the injured rabbit; it had been suffering and would have died anyway, due to a predator eager for an easy meal or by starving because it could not move. Sharai had said that it would be a waste to let the animal’s corpse rot when its death could feed me instead.

Another case would be if the animals were an invasive species or a danger to the balance of the life of the forest. No matter what the circumstances though, the Fae would always make sure the death was quick and clean so the animal would not suffer, and they would thank it for the food that it provided. As for my current situation, the animal was already dead and cooked, and eating what was available would help me to blend in among the humans.

Majair was much larger than Greendell, intimidating in both size and the sheer number of people walking the streets and going about their daily business. I would have expected a city this large and active to be more boisterous with people hurrying to and fro, but most kept their heads down and watched their surroundings furtively as they moved quickly from place to place. There were not even as many cut-purses or beggars as I would have imagined for a city the size of the capital.

It made for a very tense atmosphere and between that and not knowing my way around, I was afraid that I was going to stick out like a country girl on her first trip to the big city. Sadly, that was not very far from the truth. As a result, blending in was not as easy as I had hoped. I just wanted to finish our business and leave this place.

So far, I had not felt any dark demonic-feeling magic, but I had only really passed through the slums and into the marketplace. This was a very large city so there was still a lot of ground to cover, it might take me several days to explore the entire city. I was not certain if I would have enough coin to stay at an inn though and, even if I did, doing so could expose me if I was not extremely cautious.

-Perhaps an inn or tavern would be a good place to listen to the talk of the capital,- Sharai agreed in my mind. -Tongues loosen under good food and drink but we have very little of your human currency left to procure such a room for our stay, and no way to make more. I loathe suggesting such a thing, but could you use your gift? Coins are made of metal, after all.-

A long sigh escaped my lips as I thought back, “My gift doesn’t work on all metals, Sharai. Believe me, I have tried. Steel, iron, and a few other metals are easy to control but I cannot seem to grip gold, silver, or copper easily and it becomes more difficult the purer they are. The purity of the metals used in the coins of Evalis is very high. My father once told me that it is a point of pride for the kingdom.”

With a shake of my head and a long sigh, I stood up once more to continue walking the city. I had wandered into a wealthier looking area past the marketplace when I passed a small shop with musical instruments displayed in the window. It looked like the shop was closed, and had been for a while, but I still stopped to stare longingly at the hanging instruments. -Why do those instruments call you so?- Sharai inquired.

“My mother taught me to play a few instruments; I was strumming on a harp and playing the pipes before I could walk. My father used to tease her that it was not very practical so he taught me to hunt, but he always loved to listen to us play. After my parents… died, I took what I could carry and left Greendell to live alone in a small hunting shack in the woods. It was lonely there, especially at night, but with my instruments, I had my music to keep me company,” I thought back to the spirit sadly as I stared at a beautiful cherry wood lap harp.

-I am truly sorry, Kaelyn,- the spirit said regretfully. -You saved me and I have gotten you involved in all of this Demon business, pushed you to bind yourself to Neva’kul, and even changed who and what you are with little thought to what you might be leaving behind to take up this quest.-

It was a moment before I could reply, my thoughts racing and my mind focused on the ghosts of the past. “I was already involved, Sharai, they killed my parents. I am glad that I was able to at least save your spirit and being a Faerie is not the end of the world. This is important, I want to help you with it, and speaking honestly, I had little to leave behind. If I had an instrument though, I might be able to earn enough coin to help with our expenses while in cities like this. I would have done so in Greendell, if I had not been trying to avoid the Church of One and they did not see musicians as much better than the Touched.”

We were both quiet for several minutes as I stared at the lovely little harp in the window. I saw a nice flute, a lute, and a fiddle that soon caught my eye as well. It was not until I felt the distinct sensation of being watched as I examined the latter that I was able to tear my eyes away. It wasn’t a bad feeling, and no sense of the Church’s evil magic accompanied it though, so I turned from the window and was about to walk away when a woman’s voice with a strange accent spoke behind me, just loud enough to be picked up by my newly sensitive Fae ears. “It is strange to see a lone Faerie travellin’ alone in this city, especially one as young as yerself. Do ya play, girl?”

My head snapped around in surprise, my heart thrumming wildly in my chest. I had not even heard the woman approach and she had apparently seen right through my glamour. With the rest of what she had said, the comment about my age barely registered. Sharai had explained that Fae are not considered adults until around fifty years old, when they receive silver rings from their troupe to wear on both forefingers that mark them as adults. Despite looking to be sixteen or seventeen by human standards, I still had over thirty years to go before the Fae would consider me an adult. Even if I did have a troupe to induct me into adulthood.

When my eyes landed on the speaker though, my surprise became even greater and my eyes nearly jumped out of my head. She was a Ravieri. Her cerulean skin, contrasted starkly by white hair and silver eyes would make that apparent to anyone, as would the large fuzzy white cat-like ears atop her head and the long white tail swishing behind her as she smiled, showing the tips of her long and sharp incisors. Her hair was long and fell around her in dozens of braids, each tied off with a colorful ribbon and ending at her waist. She was also nearly as tall and svelte as I was, though with a more prominent chest that strained her dark blue tunic near to bursting. She was dressed in simple traveling clothes with several instrument cases slung over her shoulders and sticking out from her pack.

My mother had told me stories of the Ravieri, along with some of the other non-human races. It was said that they were as gifted with magic as the Fae and they lived in the Spearhold Mountains far to the north in Galandir, though they rarely left their mountain home. Seeing one as far south as Evalis was practically unheard of. This one appeared not much older than I was, but appearances could be deceptive. My mother said that Ravieri aged slower than humans do and could live to be many centuries old.

I was still trying to get over my shock when the Ravieri woman shoved a wooden case in my arms without even giving me a chance to answer her question. Not that I could have answered in my currently stunned state. I fumbled with the case for a moment before staring at it, unsure of just what was happening.

“Well, go on, open it an’ play me sumthin’. Ya were lookin’ at those instruments there wi’ such longin’. That means ya either play or ya want to. Let’s see what ya got then, aye?” the Ravieri pressed.

Not seeing any way to get out of this situation, other than running, I carefully unfastened the stays on the wooden case and opened it to reveal a fiddle and bow. They were worn with age but seemed well cared for, and a quick test showed the fiddle to be properly tuned as well. This woman took good care of her instruments. With a nervous swallow, I allowed the strange woman to take the case from me as I took both fiddle and bow in hand and got a feel for them.

The fiddle was not my best instrument but I could play it well enough, or rather I had been able to before I changed species. My new body was graceful and fluid with dexterous hands though, so I was confident that it would not take long to get comfortable with it. After a few minutes of fingering and bow exercises to get a feel for both my hands and the unfamiliar fiddle, I began to play a jaunty jig that my mother had said was popular in her youth and was well suited to the fiddle.

Singing wasn’t easy while fiddling but I had gotten used to practicing that years ago, it was the unfamiliar clear soprano coming from my lips that nearly made me hesitate as I began to sing To Zhahimel I Go in time to the music.

I have left my hearth and home
To journey far away
And ever southward I shall roam
To reach my goal someday
Each step takes me further
From everything I know
I am on a grand adventure
To Zhahimel I go

Zhahimel, it calls to me
The city of the free
I am certain this must be
The call of destiny

I was born a simple village girl
‘Twas not the life for me
So now I am travellin’ the world
And such sights I will see
I will climb through mountains high
Sail river valleys low
Pass through the forests of the Fae
To Zhahimel I go

Zhahimel, it calls to me
The city of the free
I am certain this must be
The call of destiny

To Zhahimel I have run away
To go and join the Order
Then I will train hard every day
To become a great warrior
Zhahime, I vow to fight with honor
And courage I will show
When I battle Fellwoods horrors
To Zhahimel I go

Zhahimel, it calls to me
The city of the free
I am certain this must be
The call of destiny

I finished the tune with a flourish before allowing myself to look at the Ravieri, who was staring at me in surprise with her hands tightly clenching the fiddle’s wooden case. It was a moment before the cerulean-skinned woman spoke, an intent look on her face as she seemed to assess the Faerie girl in front of her. Then, her voice nearly a whisper, she asked, “Girl, who is yer Master?”

 

 

 

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Author's Note: Here's chapter 7 of The Faerie Blade. Further chapters are available on Patreon.~Amethyst.
 

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 Chapter 7: Kaelyn and the Bard

I just stood there stunned, unable to think of whatever response the Ravieri seemed to be waiting for as those silver eyes of hers watched me intently. “M-m-master?” I finally managed to stammer, “I am not sure of what you speak.”

For a moment, I thought that this might be some aspect of Fae culture that I was unfamiliar with, but Sharai had not offered up any suggestions. In fact, she seemed as confused as I was on the subject. Finally, the Ravieri gave me a strange look and said, “Yer Master, lass. Ya may be a wee bit rusty, but toward the end ya were gettin’ used t’ playin’ an unfamiliar instrument. Ya checked the tunin’ an’ did proper fingerin’ an’ bow exercises before startin’ t’ play too. Ya got talent an’ some proper trainin’, guild trainin’ if my ears don’t deceive me.”

-Perhaps she is speaking of the Bardic Guild?- Sharai wondered pensively.

“The Bardic Guild?” I asked uncertainly. I recalled my mother once telling me of such a guild for musicians when I was young. She had not mentioned it since that time though and the one time that I had brought it up when I was a little older, she had told me not to speak of such things in public where those with the Church of One might hear. It was less than a season later that she and my father were murdered.

“Aye, lass,” the cerulean-skinned woman replied with a nod of her head that caused her white braids to bob and sway. I blushed as I realized that I had responded to Sharai aloud and that the Ravieri woman seemed to think that I was speaking to her and was responding in kind. “Not that I’ve seen ‘ide nor ‘air of another Bard since enterin’ Evalis a fortnight ago, not ‘til I saw ya lustin’ over yon instruments. The Guild Hall ‘ere has been closed down an’ not a harp t’ be seen, so I figure that yer all hidin’. Worry not, lass, ya can trust me. Nirlyn Snowmane, Master Bard, at yer service.”

As she said the last, the woman winked and shifted the cloak she wore to reveal a gold brooch in the shape of a harp that was worn over her heart. In the body of the harp were three tiny gemstones; an emerald, a sapphire, and an amethyst. A sharp gasp slipped unbidden from between my lips. It was not because I recognized the name, or even knew much about the Bardic Guild, but because I recognized the brooch. My mother used to have one that was very similar but silver instead of gold and without any of the gemstones.

“What…” I began in a gasp before trailing off as confusion about the striking similarity of the brooch to my mother’s took my voice.

Nirlyn, seemingly believing that the aborted question was in regards to her introduction, shrugged but her grin did not lessen any. “Don’t worry, lass I don’t expect ya t’ recognize the name. I only recently passed the master’s exams. That’s actually why I’m in Evalis, I’m headin’ t’ a town called Greendell t’ look fer my sister an’ hopefully catch up an’ share the good news wit’ her.”

I was so disarmed by the Ravieri woman’s casual air and confused by the brooch that for a moment I could not speak. When I did finally find my tongue, I was so stupefied by the thought of a Ravieri, or any non-human, in Greendell that I sputtered, “Your sister?”

“Not my real sister, o’ course,” Nirlyn quickly corrected. “Her name is Kalara Sparrowsong, and we had the same Master in the guild and trained together. We became journeymen together too but then she got married an’ decided t’ stop travellin’ t’ go an’ raise a family with ‘er man.”

She knew my mother? And my mother was a Bard too? There was certainly no other Kalara Sparrowsong in Greendell. Kalara was not a common name in Evalis, and having a second name was even less common for women here. My mother was not originally from Evalis though.

In the years before her death, my mother spoke little of her life before coming to Evalis, perhaps because she feared how the church might react with their views on musicians. All that I really knew about her past was that her people were travelers, she had earned her name through her people’s traditions and refused to give it up, and she and my father had met back when he was working as a guard for a traveling merchant caravan. When they had gotten married, they had come to Greendell to take over my grandparents’ farm.

I was so shocked by her casual mention of my mother’s name that my suddenly numb fingers nearly dropped the fiddle. Shock and confusion must have been written all over my face because Nirlyn smiled widely, displaying her sharp canines as she asked, “Ya do know ‘er then, lass? I thought that ya might. That was one o’ her songs ya were singin’ an’ playin’ after all.”

“I… she…” I started and aborted my reply before shaking my head.

-Kaelyn? Are you alright, child?- Sharai asked in apparent concern over my currently racing heart and mind.

“That was my mother’s name,” I managed to think at my spirit guide as I tried to get a handle on my wayward tongue so that the Bard in front of me would not think me some sort of simpleton. It was as my eyes nervously darted around that I noticed that we were gathering a crowd. To be accurate the crowd was probably Nirlyn’s doing since people were staring and while I was wearing a glamour, the Ravieri was very obviously not human. Finally, I managed to stammer, “It is… complicated. This… may not be the best place for this conversation though.”

“No, maybe not,” Nirlyn agreed, though she made no move to lead us away from the gathering crowd. Instead, she took her time taking the fiddle back and placing it in its case as she spoke cheerfully, loud enough for the crowd to clearly hear her, “Ya’ll need to get used to gatherin’ crowds with a voice like that, lass. Like honey, it is, sweetest I’ve heard in all my years o’ journeyin’. Yer a bit rough ‘round the edges, but I’m sure that we can work on that, aye?”

She was really laying it on thick. Moreover, why did she keep stealing glances at the people who were stopped in the street staring at her, and by extension, me? That was when I noticed the children in colorful clothing slipping in and out of the growing crowd. There were a half dozen of them, four girls and two boys and their colorful clothing was a stark contrast to their dusky skin and dark hair. In appearance, they reminded me of myself before I was changed, right down to the slightly pointed ears, and I could sense a faint feeling of magic on each of them.

Only once the last of them had slipped out of the crowd and around a corner, did Nirlyn sigh and say, “Yer right, lass, we should be off somewhere a might more private fer our talk.” Then she took my hand in hers and half dragged me around the same corner that I had seen those children go around. She did not stop leading until we were in a tight little alley between two large buildings that seemed to serve as both homes and businesses, set on the edge of the marketplace.

The six children were all there waiting, pulling pilfered purses from their voluminous and colorful skirts or, in the case of the boys, from inside their vests. Whoever they were, they had gotten a good haul. Each of the boys had two coin purses that had been hidden in their vests, while the eldest-looking of the girls had managed to snatch five of them. They each handed their haul over to the Ravieri Bard who placed their ill-gotten gains in an empty lute case, though I guess it was a loot case in this instance.

I had overheard people complaining about ‘Gypsies’ once when I was a child. They had described people who looked much like my mother and me, and said that they were thieves, beggars, and always up to no good. Many of those complaints had come from a young man in the red robes of a neophyte priest of the church who was complaining about how they were sneaking into the city somehow, so I had largely ignored them. He had said they were like the Touched, more demon than human, and could not be trusted though. That part had stuck with me, as had that word.

My mother had frowned at that term when I had repeated it later and told me to never use it again, that it was a slur created by humans who did not understand them and they preferred to be called Voyagers. “Are these Voyagers?” I wondered to myself as I watched Nirlyn smile and congratulate them all on a job well done.

-Yes, I have met their kind before in my travels, though I do not know much about them. They are a secretive people,- Sharai offered.

That was when the Bard closed up the lute case and returned it to its previous place, slung over her shoulder. “Alright, off ya go, back t’ camp with ya. I’ll meet ya’ll back there in a wee bit, an’ I’ll bring sweets.” Then she pulled a feather from her pack and held it out to the children who were grinning at the promise of sweets as they reached out to touch the feather.

As soon as they had touched it, the features of the children began to change and shift. They shrank in size, sprouted feathers, and their lower faces elongated into beaks. The process took only seconds and a moment later six young hawks took to the air from piles of fallen clothing where before there had been human children. My shock was mirrored by Sharai’s as she exclaimed, -By the Goddess, they’re Changelings!-

“Changelings?” I wondered, this time managing to remember to think it rather than speaking aloud.

-They are one of the types of Fae,- the Faerie spirit explained. -Nobody has heard from them since the fall of the Ancient Ones, and many of us believe that they were wiped out in the war with the Demons. Our entire people nearly met the same fate before we purged the world of all traces of Demons and their foul God. The stories say that they could be taken for humans at first glance and that their species' ability was to be able to change their shape to match animals or other species by merely touching them.-

I was just thinking that the rumors of their death had been exaggerated and considering what that meant for me when those thoughts were pushed aside by Nirlyn speaking to me as she picked up the children’s discarded clothing and stuffed it in her largely empty pack. “So, it seems that Tanna was right after all, no’ that ‘er gift has been wrong yet when it gives ‘er a peek.” At my look of confusion, she smiled and clarified. “Tanna’s gift is precognition. Sometimes she’ll get a sense o’ what the future will bring, an’ she said that if I came into this city today an’ looked for a music shop near the marketplace I’d meet someone who could answer our questions ‘bout Kalara. She said that I could lead ya t’ what yer lookin fer too.”

She was not the only one with questions to be answered; I had a lot of my own now. I did not want to be discussing anything that either of us might want to talk about in this city though, especially with all of the attention that a Ravieri would bring to us. “I will answer any questions you have about my mother after we are somewhere safe and more private than this dingy alley,” I offered, wincing as I realized that I had said more than I wanted to.

Nirlyn’s look of sudden look interest told me that she had caught my slip-up, but she did not press the issue. She seemed mildly surprised by it, but she did not seem to disbelieve it. Instead, she nodded her agreement and offered, “I can take ya t’ our camp once we find whatever it is yer lookin fer, lass. It’ll be plenty safe there, an’ the troupe may ‘ave questions fer ya as well. So, what brings ya to Majair, lass?”

“We… I mean… I need to find out if the Church of One has gotten a foothold in the capital. Have you seen anyone in black and red robes or anyone who stinks of dark magic?”

The Bard looked thoughtful for a moment before sighing and nodding. “My kind can’t sense magic like ya Fae can, but I’ve got good ears an’ I’ve seen plenty of those black an’ red robes since we got ‘ere a week ago. They’ve got a grand cathedral in the nobles district an’ it’s said that the King ‘imself attends the midnight service on Sundays. We avoid that area when the others sneak into the city, they say that the feel o’ the dark magic is suffocatin’. Those robed ones watch the Guild Hall like hawks though an’ there’s nobody out buskin’, ‘cause the robes watch that too if they hear ‘bout it. An’ no one will spare a copper while they’re lookin’ on.”

I nearly fell to the flagstones as all the strength left my legs. So, they had spread to the capital after all, and it seemed as if they had the King’s ear too. I wondered if all the musicians had left the capital for greener pastures or if they had been hauled off to the church dungeons with their earnings taken by the church. It was likely a mix of both.

“I guess that confirms it then,” I said with a defeated sigh. “That is most certainly them. To be honest, I am surprised that you and your camp have not been dragged off to the church dungeons yet if you have been here a week. They hate the Fae and the Touched and hunt us like animals. Non-humans have been unwelcome in Greendell for as long as I can remember and, from what I have seen there, the church will try to stamp out anything that might take people’s attention away from working and paying tithes.”

“Aye, tithes. From the grumblin’ I’ve been hearin’, the folks ‘ereabout aren’t happy ‘bout that. Seems the King recently proclaimed that all citizens will ‘ave t’ pay tithes fer the church as well as their usual taxes,” Nirlyn replied in a near-whisper that I doubted anyone but a Fae would have heard.

-Of course,- Sharai commented bitterly in my head. -Demons will always try to make humans feel powerless and overwhelmed. That makes them easier to tempt and corrupt into desiring, and then accepting, the power that they offer.-

“As fer people tryin’ t’ find the camp, they ‘ave been, but we move the camp daily an’ cover our tracks. That an’ a wee bit o’ magic t’ keep folks lookin’ away keeps them off our trail. An’ when the others enter an’ leave the city, they don’t go by the gates.” the Ravieri continued quietly, unaware of my brief distraction.

“And what about you?” I asked quietly as we made our way toward the tents of the main market square. “You stand out.”

“Oh, aye, an’ that makes me a fine distraction when the troupe wants t’ gather some coin,” she agreed cheerfully before adding, “they only take from those that can afford it though or those who deserve it. Coin means a lot in cities like this. After dark falls, the gate guards are very happy t’ take a bit o’ coin that they don’t ‘ave t’ report fer taxin’ an’ tithin’. They can feed their families, an’ I can come an’ go as I need to. I usually don’t even need to enspell them.”

“Why walk so openly in a city hostile to non-humans though? Is that not reckless?” I asked.

“No’ when I went straight t’ the King an’ told ‘im I was investigatin’ the disappearances o’ several Bards in Evalis an’ why we’ve no’ heard from the Guild Hall ‘ere in over a year. No’ even a king will interfere with the investigation o’ one o’ the major guilds, even if that robed fellow who was sittin’ in on the meetin’ didn’t like it. If one guild cuts ties with Evalis, we can convince the others to as well, an’ then they’ll lose access to the best craftsmen on the continent, An’ if I disappear it’ll only make the guild more suspicious,” the Ravieri told me seriously.

“Was what you said about knowing my mo… Kalara even true? Or just part of your investigation,” I asked suspiciously, almost slipping up again.

“It’s true, Kaelyn. I count yer mother as my sister an’ friend,” she insisted, stopping to place a hand gently on my shoulder. She had used my name and suddenly my chest was full of butterflies since I had not introduced myself. “She used t’ send letters to us through other Bards passin’ through, but those were infrequent an’ the last was a little over five years ago. It was why I volunteered fer this. The troupe I’m travellin’ with, they’re family to ‘er, an’ a fair number o’ us are Bards too. We have more reason than most fer findin’ out what’s goin’ on ‘ere. In the letters, she mentioned you an’ told us about the Church o’ One.”

She paused and let out a deep sigh before quietly continuing. “Kalara thought that they were goin’ to be a problem an’ was sendin’ us what information she could on ‘em. I’m sure that the King at least suspects sumthin’ an’ is lookin’ the other way, but I’m even more certain that those priests ‘ave sumthin’ to do with yer mother’s disappearance, an’ the others. The Guild Hall is bare as a newborn’s ass, so no clues there. I guess that they’re hopin’ I won’t find anythin’ incriminatin’ and will ‘ave to give up. They’re right though, I’ve no’ found anythin’ to take to the guild yet, or ‘ave I?” As she finished speaking, her eyes settled intently on me.

I looked away, not certain if I could trust this woman, even if she truly did know my mother. She was far too accepting of the idea that I was my mother’s daughter when I was not even the same species anymore. Her attempts to be friendly and make me think that I had family out there were only making me more suspicious, and angry. “If you cared about my mother, then why did it take you five years to come to look for her!” I snapped, barely keeping my voice down to a heated whisper.

The Bard looked as if I had slapped her and a pained look settled over her features as she told me gently, “We’ve been lookin’, lass. ‘Bout six months after ‘er last letter was dated, a mutual friend passed through Greendell with a letter fer ‘er an’ couldn’t find a trace o’ either o’ ya, so we got worried. We’ve ‘ad other Bards goin’ there and lookin’ fer signs regularly since then. The troupe took a travel route that would take them there, an’ anywhere that Kalara or ya could ‘ave went, as regularly as possible to search fer any new signs an’ talk t’ folk, but nobody was talkin’ an’ we ‘ad nothin’ else t’ go on until Tanna’s recent prediction. The Masters o’ the guild didn’t even think we ‘ad enough grounds fer an investigation, aside from the disappearances themselves, an’ they wanted a Master to ‘andle the investigation. I ‘ad to take the tests just so I could be the one to come ‘ere in time to be ‘ere on this day. Wasn’t expectin’ ya t' be a Faerie though.”

“I… as I said, it is complicated,” I managed to tell her as I tried to regain my composure. I still did not know whether I should trust her, and certainly not whether I could tell her the whole story.

“Aye, lass, I’m sure ya ‘ave quite the tale t’ tell, though I wonder what could be so complicated that ya would drink Faerie blood of all things.” I was about to protest when I remembered one of the ingredients in that foul substance that Sharai had had me make and swallow. The look on my face seemed to confirm her guess though. “That’s no normal shift yer doin’, lass, yer usin’ a glamour. Voyagers can’t use glamours, an’ tryin’ t’ use magical abilities of a species they’ve copied through touch doesn’t work, it disrupts the shift. Drinkin’ blood though, that makes fer a permanent shift an’ grants you the species’ abilities too. Do ya know nothin’ o’ yer heritage?”

I tried to ignore the feeling of intense guilt I felt from Sharai as her presence in my mind faded enough that I could barely feel her there. I would have to talk to her about it later. As for the Bard’s question, I shook my head. “No, I do not. I thought that I was just Touched until I changed into this. I think that my mother was limiting what she said so I would not accidentally let something slip in public. She mentioned some things when I was small, but then told me to be quiet about them when I was older.”

“Perhaps she was waitin’ t’ see if ya started showin’ signs of a gift first,” she suggested. “Yer only half Voyager, she probably wasn’t even sure that ya were goin’ to show any abilities. A personal gift is usually the first sign in mixed breeds since it can be used accidentally. Even then, it could just be because yer Touched, unless ya ‘ave magic sense too. I’m told that shiftin’ requires both trainin’ an’ intent t’ change while touchin’ some part of the creature though. Ya probably would ‘ave never known ya could do it unless ya were taught.”

“I came into my gift a year after Mama and Papa were… after I lost them,” I admitted, tears starting to flow as thought again about that day. We reached a tent where they sold sweets and Nirlyn stopped to buy a small sack for the Voyager children as promised. Then we stopped at a booth selling ale in wooden mugs. She bought two and handed one to me as she whispered, “Take a quick look over my shoulder, lass, but don’t be obvious. We’re bein’ followed, I’ve been smellin’ them fer a while now. Perhaps that church fellow thinks I’m takin’ too much o’ an interest in ya, an’ he’s worried that yer no’ runnin’ off. Can ya use those wings o’ yers yet?”

My heart did a flip when I did as she asked and saw a man in a black and red robe trying to look like he was browsing a tent’s wares while his eyes were on us. I did not sense any dark magic, so our pursuer likely was not possessed by a Demon. He was far too interested in us though and so were the two guards with him. “I see them,” I whispered back behind my mug before taking a long pull of the warm ale and nodding in response to her question.

“Good, ‘and me yer cloak and pack an’ be ready to follow me when my ride gets ‘ere,” Nirlyn replied, having already downed the entire contents of her mug. “She could take a few minutes though, so we may need a wee distraction if he decides t’ come… Torr’s ‘airy balls!” she hissed as the priest and the guards gave up on guile and started walking right toward us. Then she let out the most ear-piercing whistle that I had ever heard in a series of quick notes.

I winced at the sound and then sighed, shrugged off my cloak and pack, and took one last pull from my mug for courage before drawing Neva’kul with my free hand and handing the mug back to the Bard. “Hold my ale.”

 

 

 

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Author's Note: Here's chapter 8 of The Faerie Blade. Further chapters are available on Patreon.~Amethyst.
 

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 Chapter 8: Kaelyn’s Escape

Taking a deep breath, I started toward the priest and the guards with Neva’kul in hand while the Ravieri Bard downed the rest of my ale and gathered my pack and cloak. I was well aware that one lesson did not make me an expert, or even a beginner swordswoman, but I needed to buy some time. As I held my sword uncertainly between myself and the approaching men, I tried to get a read on them and come up with some manner of plan.

Neither of the guards had drawn their blades yet, fortunately. They seemed too surprised at first, as I seemingly pulled mine from thin air due to the concealment of my glamour, and stopped in their tracks uncertainly to stare at me. “Magic,” the priest said with an expression and tone that hovered somewhere betwixt jealousy and disgust.

As much as I hated the Church of One, a single priest was not a good reason to cause mass panic or use any of the abilities that Neva’kul could offer. I would hold Sharai’s and Tamisun’s abilities in reserve in case this went badly, but I did not want to cause mass destruction by using Joarra’s ability in a crowded marketplace. Most of these people were victims as much as I was and held firmly under the thumb of the church if the grumblings that Niryln had heard were accurate.

Gaivin’s lust-generating ability was the last thing that I wanted to use in this or any other situation though. I did not want those three men lovestruck and lusting after me, nor any of the bystanders who were taking an interest in our standoff. That left me with my own limited abilities. Swordplay was not one of those yet, but keeping my blade at the ready would hopefully make my opponents overly cautious.

I almost asked Sharai to take over, she probably could have handled two guards and an unarmed priest with no problems. She probably would have done so if I had asked. I could still feel her guilt like a darkness in the back of my mind, but I knew in my heart that she would not allow her feelings to put me in danger if she could help somehow. Still, I felt the need to prove that I was adjusting and would at least try to handle such situations for myself before begging for her help. She was my guide, not my wet-nurse, so I could not go running to her every time a situation made me uncertain.

As I gripped Neva’kul tightly and considered the situation, a grin lit up my face as I looked toward the priest. He had become guarded and afraid as soon as the word magic had left his mouth and was now moving slightly behind one of the guards to use him as cover. If he wanted magic, I would show him some magic.

I focused my minds-eye and felt around for the sense of metals that I would be able to manipulate. My gift seemed more sensitive now, and much stronger, just as Sharai had promised. I had had little time to work with it since I had been trying to adjust to my new form and new abilities, but it was something that I was familiar with. Even as I sensed the metals around me, I reached out for one of the guards’ steel swords before his hesitant hand could reach the hilt and caused the blade to lurch upward, still in its sheath.

The weapon sheath reoriented itself before the guard could get the hilt of his blade in hand; the pommel and hilt jerking suddenly down and away from his reaching hand while the loosely secured sheath flew upward. The tip of the sheath managed to strike the priest moving behind the guard in the groin with enough force to make him collapse, wheezing as he clutched his manhood. As the pair of guards whirled toward their groaning companion in confusion, I summoned a large ball of my rose-hued faerie fire in my hand.

“Do not worry about him, his punishment was far less than a priest of that foul organization deserves. This is what you should be worrying about,” I told them with a manic grin as I sent the ball of pink flames flying toward them. Since it was faerie fire it would not burn or harm them, but none of them knew that.

The two guards reacted instantly, their eyes going wide as they dove aside and out of the path of the fiery projectile. The priest, who was still kneeling on the ground and trying to recover from the pain in his groin looked up at the movement and shrieked like a soprano in an opera as he had just enough time to see the ball of flame flying toward him. When it hit and I dispersed it he had his eyes closed and was still screaming as if he was actually on fire.

That was when I became aware of the sound of wingbeats and since I was keeping mine still for the moment I risked a quick glance at the source. I was just in time to see what looked like a Dragonkin land beside Nirlyn to snatch the Bard up in her arms as Nirlyn called out, “Time to go, Kaelyn!” Then the Dragonkin, a female from the brief look I got, leaped back up into the air, her large wings beating furiously as she took to the skies once more. I wasted no time in moving my own wings so that I could follow. My business in Majair was done, and I hoped to never see the place again.

We flew northwest, landing in the forest that I had left earlier that morning. By the time that I had touched down, only slightly more gracefully than my previous landing, the Dragonkin girl had released Nirlyn and they were both looking me in interest. I had dispelled my glamour while in flight since I saw no use in hiding myself. Niryln had seen right through the glamour while in the city anyway.

“Yer very strikin’. My kind can’t sense magic like ya Fae, but we can see it. I could see the magic o’ yer glamour, an’ could get a sense o’ what ya really are, but I couldn’t see what ya really look like ‘til now,” the Bard commented casually as she looked me over. Then she gestured to the Dragonkin girl who was gaping at me and added, “This is my apprentice, Vesha. I found ‘er as a hatchlin’ a few years after yer mother left us, an’ me an’ the troupe ‘ave been carin’ fer ‘er since. Vesha, this is Kaelyn.”

As she was speaking and the Dragonkin girl was staring at me, I found myself looking at Vesha with similar interest. I had never seen a Dragonkin before, but then, I had not seen any non-humans until I met Sharai. Since then, I had met Nirlyn, the Voyager/Changeling children, found out that my mother was a Voyager, and now I was meeting a Dragonkin as well.

Vesha looked to be around the same age as me and was dressed simply in boots, hose, and a thigh-length tunic, all in dull brown tones. She was pretty with a human-looking face, soft features, and plump lips but she had bright amber eyes with slit pupils, and curved black horns emerging from her temples that swept back along the sides of her head above her slightly pointed ears. The black horns were a sharp contrast to her long crimson hair and before she closed her mouth, I could see elongated canines.

She was also tall enough that I was at eye level with her chin. That was impressive since my new body was quite a bit taller than the average woman now, Niryln seemed to be of average height if you did not count the catlike ears atop her head, and the tips of those were just below eye level for me. And since Vesha had seemed to have very little trouble carrying Nirlyn, I assumed that the Dragonkin was as strong as she was big.

She certainly had the muscle tone under that lightly tanned skin of hers, at least from what I could see of her bare arms. I could see that she had curves too from the way that the tunic was belted tightly at her slim waist but seemed to strain the fabric in both her chest and hips. Her long crimson-scaled tail and the matching large draconian wings probably made it difficult to find clothing that fit comfortably though. I saw those same crimson scales along the sides of her neck, the back of her hands, and the outer parts of her arms as well and I found myself wondering just how far they went.

We both stared at one another for a long moment until Vesha managed to compose herself. With a smile that set my stomach fluttering more than my wings ever could, she said, “It’s nice to meet you, Kaelyn.” Her voice was husky, soft, and slightly deeper than I was expecting with a slight rumble to it.

What was this strange feeling? I felt warm, my knees were weak, and the words lodged themselves in my throat for a moment before I managed to reply nervously, “Umm... you as well, Apprentice Vesha.” I took a deep breath to try to calm my racing heart and turned back to Nirlyn to ask the Ravieri, “You said something about taking me to your camp?”

Nirlyn nodded and replied, “Aye, we’ll need t’ wait ‘til dark though, lass. Too much risk that people might‘ve seen which direction we flew off in. That’s why we flew ‘ere, t’ lead ‘em in the wrong direction. ’Til then, we can walk an’ talk.”

We did not walk in any specific direction, merely wandering the natural paths of the forest. As for the talking, Nirlyn and I did most of that, though Vesha did contribute her opinions occasionally. Each time that she did, I found my eyes being drawn to her and my heart seemed to quicken.

I was still unsure whether I could trust Nirlyn or the troupe she spoke of and she seemed to sense that so she started by telling me about my mother and their relationship. As she had mentioned before, the troupe that she was traveling with was the one that my mother was born to. They had met when the troupe came across Nirlyn as a young adolescent, injured at the side of the road with no memory of her past. Like they had later with Vesha, the troupe took Nirlyn in as a foundling and raised her as one of their own. Apparently, troupes of Voyagers raise children communally so she was treated as any other child of the troupe and she and my mother bonded over a shared interest in music.

A couple of years after they found Nirlyn, the troupe met a traveling Master Bard named Orrus Silvertongue. He saw potential in my mother and Nirlyn and took them on as apprentices at a time when a lot of Guilds, including the Bardic Guild, were against recruiting females, non-humans, or Voyagers. Even though Voyagers could pass as human well enough, there was a lot of stigma about “Gypsy filth” among the Guilds back then.

His decision to take on a Voyager and an obvious non-human, and girls at that, was not a popular one. It took Niryln and my mother twice as long as any other apprentice to be allowed to take the Journeyman exams and they had to work five times as hard as any other apprentices to prove themselves. They did it though, despite all of their detractors, and now the Bardic Guild and several others were starting to take on apprentices by skill and talent rather than race and gender.

She told me other things too, things about my mother that I never knew, and offered to show me all of my mother’s letters when we got to their camp. She had kept them all and had practically memorized them. She told me that the early ones were mostly about my mother’s life in Greendell and there was a lot about me after I was born as well, but the later ones started to include more and more about the threat of the Church of One to those with magic.

After my mother’s last letter and hearing that the Bard passing through had not been able to find us, Nirlyn and the rest of the troupe had become worried and attempted to find us both physically and with whatever magic they could, but they could not find any trace of myself or my mother with scrying magic. They figured that my mother was probably dead because of that but they had nothing connected to me to properly scry with so they held out hope and kept trying to find me or some information about what happened to us.

Then one of the troupe elders, Tanna, predicted that they would find what they sought if Nirlyn was in a certain city on a certain day and in front of a certain shop. The troupe changed their route to take them to the main Bardic Guildhall in Derevik so that Nirlyn could make an appeal to look into the disappearances in Evalis. Then they stayed long enough for her to convince the Guild Council of the need and then to allow her to take her Master’s exam and lead the investigation.

She even answered my questions about the Voyagers. They, and by extension me, were indeed Changelings, though they had not called themselves that since the Demons were defeated after the fall of the Ancient Ones. The Changelings had been nearly wiped out and since hostility had increased between Fae and humans and they could pass as humans if they were careful they decided to reinvent themselves, something that was a common enough concept among their kind. Except they reinvented their culture to appear as secretive and mysterious wanderers so that they could travel the continent freely and watch for signs that the Demons might return.

Finally, she finished with a sigh as the sun was near setting. “They didn’t change who they were at their core though; they still worship Hespira, they still care fer the land, they still ‘old grudges like nobody’s business, an’ they still enjoy a good bit o’ mischief like what ya pulled on the guards an’ that priest. Yer mother would ‘ave been proud, lass.”

I looked down at my feet and took a deep breath. “I guess it is my turn then. My mother and father were murdered by a man from the Church of One. But that is not all. The Demons are back, the church is worshiping their god, they’re corrupting and possessing those that they can, and persecuting the Touched and those who still follow the old ways. They wiped out an entire troupe of Fae in the forest outside Greendell.”

Since I had gotten the ball rolling, I told them everything. Nirlyn’s face shifted from sad to furious and then to sympathetic as I told her about watching the man murder my parents, how I had been living for the past five years, my encounter with Sharai, and everything that had happened since. I finished by telling them that I was on my way to Tarin’dol to warn them about the Demons’ return.

The Ravieri Bard and her apprentice needed a few minutes to process everything that I told them but I knew exactly how they felt after receiving so much information about who and what my mother was, and what I am, not long before. While they sat there thinking I focused my thoughts on my spirit guide. “Sharai, please do not blame yourself for me changing as I have. You could not have known that I was a Changeling or that your blood would have that effect. You thought that they were wiped out. Besides, I like my new form and I like having you with me. I am not angry with you. So please, stop hiding and be my partner again. We have a long journey ahead and you still have much to teach me.”

-I… are you certain, Kaelyn?- the Faerie spirit asked tentatively.

“Yes, we are partners, Sharai. I need you if we are going to bring down the church and the Demons,” I told her with all seriousness. “And I think I would miss you if you continue to shut me out.”

I was about to say more to try to convince her but I could feel her acceptance and maybe a little affection in my mind. That was also when Nirlyn spoke up again. “Yer right, lass. Tarin’dol needs to be told ‘bout this. I’ll talk t’ the elders ‘bout us takin’ ya there. We will need t’ go t’ Derevik first though.”

As much as the idea of not having to make such a journey by myself appealed to me I asked, “Why Derevik?”

“I need t’ report t’ the Guild Council, lass,” the Master Bard replied. “The guild needs t’ be told ‘bout this an’ what happened t’ Kalara, an’ likely our other Bards as well. I’ll need ya t’ act as a witness. They can then spread the word t’ others who need t’ know as we make our way to Tarin’dol. I also need t’ inform the guild o’ my new apprentice.”

I looked toward Vesha but the Dragonkin seemed as confused as I was. I realized that I was staring again and flushed as I quickly tore my eyes away to direct my gaze back to Nirlyn. “New apprentice?”

“Aye. Kaelyn Bladebearer, I am askin’ ya t’ join the Bardic Guild, as my apprentice,” she said formally. “Kalara taught ya well, ya inherited ‘er talent, an’ any fool can see ‘ow much ya love music.”

I could barely make myself say the words, “I cannot. I need to learn how to use this sword and I should learn more about magic as well if I am going to be fighting Demons.”

-You should do it, Kaelyn,- Sharai encouraged. -I will still teach you swordplay and we can find someone to teach you magic, I am certain that some of the Changelings in the troupe that she mentioned would know some. I can feel your longing when you think about music though. If this is what you truly want then I will help you, as your partner.-

“I didn’t say it’d be easy, lass. It’ll be hard work but it’ll be worth it too. Ya can set aside time t’ learn to use the sword an’ yer new abilities. Yer already a fair musician from what I’ve seen, better’n many yer age. As fer magic, I can teach ya that well ‘nough,” the Ravieri said with a hearty laugh, completely unaware of Sharai’s encouragement.

I should have realized she would know some magic since my mother had told me that Ravieri were nearly as talented with it as the Fae but I had yet to see her use any. “But if you know magic, why did I have to distract those guards?”

“I was testin’ ya, lass, seein’ if ya were yer mother’s daughter after all,” she responded with a shrug as she pulled aside her cloak to reveal her harp brooch. “Consider this yer first lesson as my apprentice. Copper harps are fer apprentices, silver fer Journeymen, an’ gold fer Masters. Only the Master pins ‘ave gems though, an’ they represent the different areas o’ mastery. The emerald on mine means vocal mastery, the sapphire means that I’ve mastered at least five instruments, but the amethyst is new. Since I’m the first non-human Master Bard, an’ humans usually can’t use magic, there’s been no need fer it ‘til now. It means I’m a spellsinger.”

I turned my attention back to Vesha, worried that she might be jealous that her master was so interested in taking me as an apprentice. It would take attention and teaching away from her and for some reason the thought of her resenting or hating me hurt far more than it should have for someone that I had only just met. To my surprise though, the Dragonkin was smiling wide enough to show off her long canines. My heart skipped a beat and I almost failed to notice the sense of familiar dark magic heading toward us from the direction of the city. “A Demon is on its way,” I near whispered as I tried to suppress a shudder.

“We’d best get goin’ then,” Nirlyn half-growled. “Much as I’d like t’ stay an’ give it what it’s got comin’, we don’t know who or what it might be bringin’ with it. They could ‘ave soldiers since they ‘ave the King’s ear. I’ll not endanger ya girl’s by fightin’ at a disadvantage. Let’s get back t’ camp so we can pull up stakes an’ get out o’ this cursed country. We got what we came fer.”

 

 

 

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Author's Note: Here's chapter 9 of The Faerie Blade. Further chapters are available on Patreon.~Amethyst.
 

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 Chapter 9: Apprentice Kaelyn

We were very careful to fly around the capital and to avoid the Demon and any other possible searchers who may have been sent by the Church of One as we flew southward to where the troupe had made camp. I could sense the magic well before we came close to the camp and wondered, “Is that them?”

-Most likely,- Sharai stated in reply to my errant thought. -They have set up a temporary Seeming. It will keep most mortals from sensing their presence and encourage them to ignore anything that seems out of place. Only Fae or other magical beings can sense them like that. I believe that the Demons should not be able to sense it unless they are very close. They did not sense my glamour until I was inside their Church and the cold iron there dispelled it.-

“But how did they find your troupe then?” I asked as I saw the glow of a large campfire in the distance.

I could feel the stab of pain and loss in her thoughts as my spirit guide responded. -One of them likely came upon our Seeming by chance while scouting the forest and returned to their lair to gather others of their ilk. Our village did not move as Voyager caravans do so they merely needed to lead their cohorts back there. It is the only sensible explanation for such a large and organized attack. There were enough of them to wipe out my troupe and they had weapons of cold iron.-

I did not know what else to say and tried to send her comforting thoughts as I followed the Dragonkin who was carrying Nirlyn to land in the center of a circle of eight large wagons painted in bright colors. A few young men with swords or spears patrolled outside the wagons where dozens of large white creatures grazed, and at the center of the camp was a large bonfire with close to two dozen people relaxing and talking in small groups as they ate their evening meal and soaked in the warmth of the fire. To my eyes, most, if not all of them, looked like Voyagers, very similar to how I once looked with their dark hair and dusky skin.

Except for the six children that I had seen in the city earlier and two adolescents, all of them seemed to be adults, though none showed a trace of gray in their dark hair. I supposed that made sense though. My mother was still very youthful-looking and I recalled people complimenting her on how good she looked for her age and trying to learn her secret.

Now that I knew that she had been a Voyager and that the Voyagers were Fae, I realized that any secrets she had told them likely would not have done them much good long-term. The Fae are immortal unless someone manages to slay one of them… us. Sharai told me that, like other Fae, I could expect to stop aging completely once I reached full maturity. The idea of that was going to take some getting used to.

Vesha glided downward in tight circles and then, once she was roughly a grown man’s height off of the ground, she pulled in her wings and allowed herself to drop the remaining distance. She bent her knees with the landing before placing her Master gently on the ground. I carefully touched down beside her and took an uncertain look around. People were staring and I heard the word ‘Faerie’ whispered here and there before Nirlyn suddenly stood up from where she had stopped to offer the promised bag of sweets to the children and took charge.

“I got good news an’ bad news, folks,” she started with a grim expression and serious tone. “Good news is that I found Kalara’s daughter. The bad news is that things ‘ere are worse than we thought.” The Master Bard told them everything that I had told her, not even sparing the children’s ears. She told them about my parents’ murder, the Demons' return under the guise of the Church of One, everything that had happened to me, and how I had become a Faerie and the bearer of one of the five Vos’oraik.

As she explained things to the troupe, small platters of food were given to Niryln, Vesha, and me, and Nirlyn paused occasionally to eat as she talked. From the hurried way that she did so, it appeared that she wanted things done quickly so we could get on the road. The food was good but I was a little too distracted to appreciate it since the more that Nirlyn revealed, the more that those gathered took an obvious interest in me.

After that, there was a brief discussion on what to do. Brief because people seemed to agree with Niryln that we needed to take me to the Bardic Guild headquarters, and home of the Guild Council, in Derevik to report about everything that I had told the Ravieri Bard about. After the Bardic Guild knew and could send out Bards to circulate information to other nations and guilds, then we would make our way to Tarin’dol to warn the Fae there and hopefully find the four other bearers of the Vos’oraik.

During that discussion, she also split the gold that the children had managed to heist, giving an even share to each wagon. To my great surprise, she had split the share for her own wagon three ways and I had gotten a share as well as she and Vesha. I had tried to object, but she had sternly told me that I was one of the troupe too, and old enough to use it wisely.

With the discussion over, the camp became a flurry of activity as the gear was packed and secured in wagons. We weren’t excluded from this as Niryln half-dragged me to a bright blue and gold wagon. It had a bench and some sort of rigging and harness that looked like it was meant for animals to pull it. I had seen large animals that I had trouble identifying grazing just outside the circle of wagons, so they here probably the beasts of burden.

The wagon was large, half again wider than I was tall, and three times that in length. The wheels were large and looked to be made of ironwood so they were probably durable as well. All in all, it was like a small cottage on wheels, mostly made of wood, with a shuttered window on each side and a slightly curved roof of wooden shingles that had a metal chimney of sorts sticking out of it near the end with the door. I wanted to think of the end with the door as the front but since it was on the opposite side of the harness and driver’s bench, it was probably actually the rear of the vehicle. There was a small door behind the driver’s bench as well though and expensive oil lanterns hung on each outer corner of the wagon.

Nirlyn had me place my few belongings inside while she and Vesha did the same. It was as spacious as the outside indicated and the ceiling was high enough that I had to stand on my toes to reach it with my fingertips. Since Nirlyn had been spending most of her time in the city and Vesha had been there as well while keeping to the rooftops and listening for her Master’s call, most of their things were already stowed away. With that in mind, we just had to worry about my things and what Nirlyn had taken with her into the city. As a result, it did not take us long to finish once Nirlyn had assigned me an empty cupboard to place my belongings in. Not knowing what else to do, I looked in interest around the interior of the wagon.

Seeing my curious gaze wandering around the wagon, Vesha decided to give me a tour and explain some things while we waited to get underway and Nirlyn went to go help someone named Joak and his son gather the beasts to secure them into the wagon harnesses. “Let me show you where everything is,” she said with a smile that did funny things to my heart and made my knees go weak. What was wrong with me anyway?

She started the ‘tour’ by taking me to the small door in front that led to the driver’s bench, telling me that it would let us change drivers while underway so that we could all properly rest on longer trips. Then she gestured to the walls to either side just back of the door where she pointed out two handles. I thought might be for cupboards since they were near the four small closet-like cupboards where we had stowed our gear but one was really high on the wall and the other was about halfway down.

The Dragonkin girl reached for the upper one and pulled downward to swing out a comfortable-sized cot with a mattress stuffed as thick as my hand was long with rushes, and covered with warm-looking comforters that had been folded before but became disheveled when she pulled the hidden bed from its cubby. “These are the bunks; there are two on each side so you’ll have somewhere to sleep. Master Nirlyn and I usually use the bottom bunks on either side so you’ll have to use one of the top ones. You can sleep above me if you like. You’ve already seen the storage cupboards, of course.”

“That certainly saves space,” I murmured thoughtfully, my face reddening for some reason at the thought of sleeping in such close proximity to her.

Vesha smiled and nodded in agreement, as she led me to the rear half of the wagon and gestured to other cupboards that filled the wall space to either side of the middle third of the wagon’s length. “We usually store food and supplies in these ones; it’s handy in case we need to travel without the rest of the troupe for some reason.”

Behind the cupboards and toward the rear of the wagon was a counter on one side that looked to be for preparing meals, with cupboards underneath holding pots, pans, and other cooking implements. Between it and the rear wall, there was a door that I thought might be more cupboard space at first but I was shocked to find that it was a small privy. I found out later that it emptied into a bronze chamber pot that could be retrieved from a cubby on the underside of the rear of the wagon to be emptied.

On the other side of the rear third of the wagon was a bronze basin with some sort of small water pump over it and a tray of rough soap beside it to wash up or to fill kettles or pots for cooking. The basin also had a cork plugging a pipe at the bottom that when removed would drain the water outside when you were finished with it. Vesha showed me the bronze water reservoir in a cupboard underneath the basin and beside the basin was something that resembled a wood stove. It was so interesting, there were thin metal trays that could be pulled out and filled with coal or other fuel just beneath the steel grate on the top.

I supposed that the trays would allow people to cook using pots and pans while regulating the heat better than using the residual heat of the metal of the stove itself. The inside did use wood for fuel though, to both provide heat for the wagon and allow baking in a small oven compartment above where the wood was placed in the very bottom. “This is so inventive,” I commented with a smile.

“The Voyagers have been doing this since the fall of the Ancient Ones. They have come up with some ingenious ways to make travel more comfortable,” Vesha agreed with a nod. “The ride is a lot smoother than you would think too. They use something called suspension to keep the wagons from bouncing or shaking too much.”

I looked around thoughtfully as something occurred to me. “How can they afford such luxuries? The basin and such are bronze but that stove is steel, those were oil lamps outside, and the wheels are ironwood. Surely picking pockets is not that profitable?” I could see why they had to use steel for the stove, cold iron would have been deadly for our kind, but good steel with all traces of cold iron smelted out of it was expensive.

“We,” the Dragonkin corrected as she placed a hand gently on my shoulder and caused my breath to quicken in response. “Everyone contributes to the troupe by doing what they do best and everyone shares in what we earn. Sometimes things might be lean for the Bards and dancers and sometimes we might get more than enough so we can help those who are having a lean time. The little ones have light fingers and aren’t learning a trade yet so they’re doing what they can by lifting a purse or two from those what can afford it. We busk the streets and play for those willing to pay well for a bit of music, Wilden offers his services as a Healer and apothecary, and Godan, our wagonmaster, often makes wagons like this for wealthy merchants while we winter in the south.”

It was not long after that explanation that Nirlyn returned. “We’re almost ready t’ leave; Joak an’ Sten are gettin’ the last o’ the kirgens in the harnesses now. I imagine that Kaelyn ‘ere has never driven a wagon afore so I want ya t’ show ‘er the ropes, Vesha. Ya can also tell ‘er ‘bout ‘er duties as my apprentice, an’ my duties t’ her.”

I almost said that I had not agreed to anything yet but there was no harm in seeing where this went. I had until we arrived at the Bardic Guild headquarters in Derevik to change my mind after all. “Of course, Master. I’d be happy to. It’ll be a good way for me and Kaelyn to get to know one another better,” the Dragonkin agreed with a toothsome grin.

I had little time to say anything myself then as Vesha half-dragged me toward the small door at the front of the wagon and through. After getting out herself, she helped me to navigate my way into the driver’s seat beside her and behind two of the biggest animals that I had ever seen up close. They had the muscle and bulk of oxen but were easily twice the size of any ox that I had seen before. They had short stubby tails, were covered in luxuriously thick white wool, and their heads were vaguely like a ram’s, especially those massive spiraling horns.

“Nirlyn called these kirgen?” I asked as I gaped at the rears of the pair of unfamiliar beasts.

“Yes,” Vesha confirmed as she giggled at the look on my face. “Most Voyager wagons like this use teams of six horses but Joak got a good deal on some kirgen about four years ago when we met a Ravieri trader, and he’s been raising and breeding them since. The Ravieri use them for a lot of things. One pair is enough to pull a wagon like this, they aren’t scared of anything, and Zenna weaves cloth from their wool for clothing. We have some females too but they don’t pull the wagons, we mostly keep them for breeding and their milk. We have a herd of around thirty kirgen now but the females should be near birthing season soon.”

“It sounds like you have more kirgens than people in this troupe,” I said, hoping to lead her into telling more about the troupe.

“Yes, including you, there are only twenty-five of us in this troupe,” she replied with a smile that told me she knew exactly what I had been trying to do. “Usually, when a troupe gets over seventy or eighty people some break off to form their own new troupe. Our old troupe was getting too big and since some of us wanted to keep searching for signs of you or your mother when Master Nirlyn lost contact with her, those of us who wanted to do that broke off to form our own troupe.”

“How do you all know my mother?” I asked uncertainly.

The Dragonkin looked thoughtful for a moment before answering. “Well, obviously I didn’t, and you know about Master Nirlyn. Our troupe elders are actually your grandparents, Lorne and Vaela. Bryden is your uncle, and he of course brought his wife and their daughter, Shava. She was the oldest of the children who came into the city to pick some pockets. The others were close friends and troupe-mates of your mother, and their spouses and children.”

For a moment, I was too stunned to say anything. I knew that the troupe seemed to care about my mother but I had not considered that I might have actual family among them. That adept little thief was my cousin? I found myself just staring blankly at the rear end of a kirgen as I tried to process that. Sharai didn’t help matters when her voice slipped into my thoughts. -That settles it. We will travel with them and you will accept the apprenticeship that Nirlyn offered, Kaelyn.-

“Do I not get a choice in the matter?” I thought back as I worried my lip in thought.

-You and I both know that you want this, Kaelyn. This is your troupe; you have family here and a chance to follow a dream that is dear to your heart. What reason is there to refuse when not only do our goals align, but they will also accompany us to Tarin’dol, making our journey safer? I will not allow you to give it up out of a sense of duty to me when they can help us as well as give you what you long for.-

I was surprised when Vesha took my hand in hers and asked, “Are you alright?” Her hand was warmer than I had expected, and butterflies danced in my chest as I saw the warmth and concern in her eyes as she continued to embrace my hand with her own.

“I… uhh…” I tried to answer breathlessly.

“We are ready to start moving,” an unfamiliar woman’s voice said from the darkness beyond the light cast by the wagon’s lanterns. A woman and a man were approaching, the elders that had been holding up most of the discussion of plans with Nirlyn earlier. My grandparents. They looked not much older than me but they had this air of experience and wisdom to them and their eyes were misty as they seemed to look at me longer than was necessary Then my grandmother smiled and said, “We will introduce you to everyone on the road, Kaelyn. We do not wish to overstay our welcome in Evalis so we should move swiftly. Your wagon will be following ours, Vesha.”

I nodded, unable to speak and uncertain of what else to do. Then, after we took one last long look at one another, my grandparents turned and left. Vesha was still holding my hand and gave it a gentle squeeze before letting go to take the reins. Moments later the caravan was on our way out of the secluded forest glade and making our way toward the road that would take us southward and away from the capital of Evalis.

 

 

 

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Author's Note: Here's chapter 10 of The Faerie Blade. Further chapters are available on Patreon.~Amethyst.
 

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 Chapter 10: Kaelyn and the Troupe

For the next little while, Vesha told me everything that she knew about the kirgens and driving a wagon while I watched and listened carefully. Then, she had me get some practical experience by taking the reins myself. It was a new experience for me since I did not have much experience working with animals. Since we were following behind the wagon in front of us though, and the kirgens were more experienced than I was in this, I did not have to do all that much and it was an easy way to get some experience in the driver’s seat.

It also allowed me to get used to driving while being distracted, in a not-so-dangerous way. The Kirgens pulling the wagon knew to follow the wagon ahead of us, so I only needed to make sure that they were giving the wagon ahead of us enough space in case we needed to stop and that they did not drift off course. The distraction was in the form of the Dragonkin girl sitting beside me. I often found myself taking quick glances in her direction as she talked to me and every time that I did, my heart fluttered for some inexplicable reason.

Maybe it was because I had never seen a Dragonkin before, but I quickly dismissed that thought. I had never seen a Ravieri before either, and Nirlyn was not eliciting this type of reaction. I tried to put it out of my mind and focus on what Vesha was saying. “…usually don’t travel at night, but we’re trying to put as much space between us and the Demons in the capital as we can. Kirgens have a lot more stamina than horses and can keep up a grueling pace for a lot longer, but it’s still going to be at least a good three or four days before we reach the Kalidar border. I imagine that we’ll only be stopping long enough to rest ourselves and the kirgens for a while before moving on, at least until we reach the border.”

“We are going through Kalidar? I thought that we needed to go to… umm… Derevik?” I asked, turning toward her and making my heart flutter nervously once again.

Vesha nodded and then explained, “Evalis is a big country, the biggest on the continent, and the closest border to us is the one shared with Kalidar. That route has the best road too. Once we get to Kalidar we should be safe enough to travel as usual and then we’ll turn east and pass through Nalean to get to Haydin. Derevik is Haydin’s capital, on the coast of the Sea of Storms. Once we’ve finished our business there, we’ll make our way back to Kalidar and toward the city-state of Zhahimel at the northern edge of the Skyreach Mountains. Then we’ll have to convince them to let us through the gates to the pass and the Fellwoods beyond.”

-That should not be difficult,- Sharai told me. -Many of the Daughters of Zhahime are Fae or the children of Fae. The current High Priestess is an Elf. You are obviously a Faerie and if one of your troupe can demonstrate their shapeshifting ability to show that your people are the lost Changelings, she will surely allow the caravan to pass through the gates.-

I quickly passed that on to Vesha and she nodded thoughtfully. “That is a possibility. We’ll have to mention it to Master Nirlyn. Speaking of Master Nirlyn, we should talk about your apprenticeship, Kaelyn.”

With that, the Dragonkin began to tell me what my apprenticeship to Nirlyn would entail. Basically, my duties were to listen and learn, practice what I was taught, and do any tasks that she asked of me, within reason. Nirlyn on the other hand was to provide her apprentices with shelter and food, to teach us to the best of her abilities, to protect us, and to help us to pursue our talents and goals within and outside of our craft as she thought necessary for our development.

The caravan kept moving until dawn lit the sky and we found a small clearing to set up a quick camp to let the kirgens graze and rest while the troupe got a bit of sleep. It wasn’t a proper camp since we would be taking off again as soon as everyone was awake, but my grandmother did set up a Seeming to keep us from being noticed. I was stretching my legs a bit after the long ride when Nirlyn decided that I needed to meet everyone in the troupe officially before we all went for a short sleep.

First, she took us to where a man, a woman, and a boy of roughly fourteen summers were tending to the kirgens. I almost didn’t see them in the herd of massive white beasts until we were nearly upon them. The man was larger and more muscular than most of the Voyagers I had seen in the camp, and he looked up at our approach and nodded. “Bringin’ Kalara’s daughter to meet everyone, Nirlyn?”

“Aye, seemed like a good time, afore we’re all in dreamland,” the Master Bard agreed with a nod. “This is Kaelyn, as ya might’ve guessed. Kaelyn, this is Joak; his wife, Glimma; an’ their son, Sten. Joak is our Beastmaster, an’ Glimma and Sten ‘elp ‘im with the animals.”

“It is nice to meet you all,” I offered, shuffling my feet nervously.

“Welcome home,” Sten offered with a friendly grin. Like his father, he was probably going to be big when fully grown and he wore a similar style of black leather vest, pants, and boots as his father with a dark green tunic underneath, a brightly colored sash about his waist, and a headscarf to match the sash. It seemed to be what most of the men of the troupe wore, though the color of tunics, sashes, and scarves varied.

“Aye, welcome home, lass,” Joak agreed with a grin that matched his son’s. “I’m glad we finally found you. Bryden and I are spirit brothers, and your mother was like a little sister to me, Nirlyn too once we found her.”

“You take care of the kirgens right? That must be a lot of work,” I said as I looked around at the three dozen or so massive white beasts of burden.

“It’s a labor of love, lass. The kirgens are fine strong beasts, and as smart and loyal as a good horse if you treat them right. To be fair, Sten and I take care of the kirgens, Glimma is our Owl-keeper.”

“Owl-keeper?” I asked with a look at Glimma. She was very pretty in the way of most Voyagers with dusky unblemished skin, bright near-amber eyes, a curvy but slight figure, and long wavy black hair tied back with a bright gold scarf that matched the hoops she wore in her ears. She was dressed much like the other adult women of the troupe with a tight leather bodice with an inner lining that looked soft like silk. She wore no chemise underneath, so it left her shoulders bare and a rainbow of brightly colored ribbons were woven around her bare arms before being tied in a series of bows around her wrists. Plain sandals peeked out from beneath the hem of an ankle-length skirt that was dyed in a rainbow of colorful patterns.

Vesha had told me that she and Nirlyn usually dressed similarly. Niryln had toned it down while in Majair though since she did not want the king or the Church of One to know of her connection to a Voyager troupe. The only sign of her allegiance to the troupe was the colorful ribbons that she had tied off her braids with and it was not exactly an obvious one. Vesha had chosen simple clothes that would allow her to blend in atop the buildings and that she would not care about getting damaged or dirty.

“Aye,” Glimma said with a gentle smile. “We Voyagers use owls for many purposes. We train them to carry messages to drop points in various cities, to search for injured or sickly animals that we can put out of their misery rather than hunting healthy ones, and to keep watch at night and wake us by ringing the bell if danger approaches too close to the Seeming. After breakfast, come to our wagon and I’ll introduce you to our flock. We just had some hatch the other day.”

“We could use owls to send a message to Derevik,” Nirlyn explained, “but this is the kind o’ news that needs to be delivered directly to the Council. We’ll be sendin’ a message lettin’ them know that we found ya an’ are on our way to Derevik though.”

Next, we went on to meet Daivin and his family. Daivin had become an apprentice Bard not long after my mother and Nirlyn, and they used to practice together. He was not a Voyager himself, but he had met his future wife, who was, through my mother and Nirlyn. He was a human man in his mid to late thirties with long dark blond hair and hazel eyes but if it were not for that, you would have thought he was born a Voyager from the way he talked and dressed.

You could tell from looking that he and his wife, Selice, were very much in love and they had two children together, Torin and Korine. Like me, before my transformation, they were half-bloods who took after the Voyager side of the family in appearance. Torin had been one of the boys picking pockets in the city along with the other pre-teen kids. Korine was fifteen though, and her father’s apprentice, so she would probably be practicing with Vesha and me often.

Then, Nirlyn took me to meet our Wagonmaster, Godan, and his family. He was a jovial man who promised to have many stories about my mother as a child. His wife, Zenna, was a kind and outgoing woman who was the seamstress for our troupe. She wove cloth from kirgen wool, dyed it, and made many of the clothes for our troupe that did not require leatherwork. She also wanted me to stop in and visit with her so she could measure me to make me some proper clothes for a Voyager.

The friendly couple had a pair of six-year-old twins, Kegan and Kirla. Those two were a bundle of energy, as I had borne witness to during their picking of pockets in the capital. They were also very outspoken as Kirla proved by asking, “Mama says you’re like us, why haven’t you changed back yet?”

I winced at the feeling of guilt that seemed to bring up in Sharai. I was trying to think of an explanation when Nirlyn squatted down to pat her on the head. “She used a permanent shift, l’il one. She’s like that fer good now, though she can use glamours now to make ‘erself look different. ‘Tis the price fer gaining the abilities an’ form she has now.” She turned to me and then explained further, “Physically, yer a Faerie now, ya gave up yer shiftin’ abilities when ya made a permanent shift. Technically yer still a Changeling though, so it’s a toss-up what yer kids’ll be like.”

I was still trying to reassure Sharai that I did not blame her and that I liked my new form when we made our way to the wagon of Wilden, the troupe Healer. He was a quiet man for the most part and seemed knowledgeable on herb lore and various other healing methods. He had a healing gift, like my father had, though it was not very powerful. Nirlyn told me that most Voyagers have fairly weak gifts, but our shapeshifting is near limitless as long we have some piece of a creature to work with.

Maybe that was why my gift became so much more powerful when I shifted into a Faerie. I only knew of Sharai and the two other Faerie that had wielded Neva’kul, Tamisun and Joarra. All three of them seemed to have powerful gifts compared to what mine had been like before changing, so maybe Faerie just had more powerful gifts in general.

Wilden’s wife was Tanna, the Seer who had predicted where and when Nirlyn would find me. I thought that Seeing was a fairly impressive gift, but it wasn’t something that she could control consciously, and her visions only came rarely. She mostly helped Wilden with his work by gathering herbs and other necessary ingredients found in the wild for his craft. They had an eight-year-old daughter, Jaya, who wanted to be a Healer like her father, though her parents thought that might change when she reached puberty and her gift manifested. As we walked to the next tent, I wondered though why gifts manifested at puberty but even the children could shapeshift once they had been taught how.

Sharai provided the answer, and I was glad that it was able to distract her a bit from her guilt. -The racial abilities that most Fae possess, and the ability to detect magic, are present at birth. Most are taught to use them as children. You did not know that you could shapeshift and your ability to sense magic was very weak before, though it may have strengthened when your gift manifested. Half Fae are unpredictable that way. Gifts are granted to us by Hespira though. We believe that She has a plan for each of us and some of us, like you, may need strong and unusual gifts. Some may need no gifts at all aside from the abilities of their species, though it is extremely rare that a Fae is born with no gift at all.-

“Thank you, Sharai,” I thought to her as we arrived with Nirlyn outside another wagon, this one belonging to Hagen and Mara. The pair acted as scouts and hunters for the troupe and had a five-year-old daughter, Cylia, who was the youngest of the children in the troupe. Mara practically crushed me in a hug when we were introduced and Cylia looked at me in awe, especially my wings.

It seemed that Mara had fond memories of Nirlyn and my mother singing and playing for her and the other children when she was a child and saw them as big sister figures. She had never had the talent or drive to join the Bardic Guild herself, but some of her happiest memories were those spent with my mother and my new Master. I was told that if I needed help with anything at all to come to see ‘big sis Mara’.

I did have one question for her. I thought that the Fae did not hunt, so I was wondering about that. She explained that they usually tried to go after injured or sickly animals but that they also looked for signs of any imbalance in the ecosystem that we were traveling through. Sometimes, if there were not enough predators there could be too much prey, all competing for the same food, and some would starve as a result if it was not taken care of. The same went for predators; they could wipe out the local prey and end up starving. Mara’s gift was actually sensing what type of wildlife was in the area, which was very helpful.

They always said a prayer to Hespira over the animals they killed and tried to make the kill quick and painless. They also used everything that could be used from the animal’s corpse. Hagen was a tanner of sorts and prepared the furs and leather for the use of the troupe or for trade. Sharai seemed thoughtful at Mara’s explanation, but she did not seem to disapprove, as I had feared that she might.

There were only two wagons that we had not visited yet, that of my grandparents and my mother’s brother, Bryden, and his family. Nirlyn took me to the latter first and did not seem surprised to find the troupe Elders there waiting along with their son and his family. My uncle looked a lot like my mother, even with the similarities in coloring that all Voyagers seemed to share, though that was not surprising. Seeing the three of them, I could see the family resemblance and their resemblance to my mother. Even though the skin tone and general coloring were different, my new face still bore some familial similarity to one or the other of my grandparents in things like the shape of the eyes, the high cheekbones, and the delicate nose.

As soon as we approached the wagon my uncle Bryden and his wife, Sivelle, both wrapped me up in a tight hug. It was getting less awkward and more welcome as I began to think of these people less as strangers and more like a family that I had not met until now. “Thank Hespira that we found you,” my uncle said with a choking breath. “You look like your mother, even with those Faerie features.”

They had barely released me when my grandparents had to get their embraces in as well. “You’re here now, Kaelyn. You’re with family and we’re going to take good care of you. Kalara would have wanted that,” my grandmother Vaela, spoke soothingly in my ear.

“Aye, an’ she’d want us to make sure that the bastards that killed her paid in blood too,” my grandfather agreed. “We’ll get this news to the Bardic Guild and the Fae in Tarin’dol, and then we’ll make those Demons wish they’d never returned. And this time, we’ll be sure to make certain there’s nothing left to remember the cursed God that they serve.”

-They are definitely Fae,- Sharai said with a tone somewhere between amused and angry. -We shall get the sweetest of vengeance together. I owe them for my death and the death of my troupe too.-

I passed that on to the family gathered around me once my cousin claimed her hug as well and every one of their faces clouded over with cold fury, even my cousin Shava who was only ten. “Aye, we’ll get vengeance for Sharai and her troupe as well, mark my words,” Sivelle vowed with steely determination. I found out later that Sivelle’s father was an Elf and she and her mother had lived with her father in a village outpost much like Sharai’s during the winters before she had met and married my uncle. It did explain why her ears were slightly longer and more pointed than most Voyagers.

“Aye, but we’ll ‘ave to wait patiently fer that, an’ find out what we’re up ‘gainst,” Nirlyn muttered, her tail and ears twitching anxiously. “Vengeance well-planned is vengeance well-earned. Best we get a good rest, we should be movin’ again soon, an’ each mornin’ we wake gets us closer to our goals.”

 

 

 

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Author's Note: Here's chapter 11 of The Faerie Blade. Further chapters are available on Patreon.~Amethyst.
 

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 Chapter 11: Kaelyn Settles In

Despite how tired I was, it took me a while to fall asleep. It was not because I was sleeping in a strange wagon with people that I barely knew, nor did the thoughts of my very long and very strange day keep me awake. No, it was my bed. It was comfortable, far more comfortable than anywhere else that I had slept since my parents’ murders, and that was the problem. I was too used to sleeping on hard-packed earth and sleeping in comfort was relatively new to me.

Surprisingly, even though I fell asleep after Nirlyn and Vesha, I was the first of us to wake up. It was not because I had not slept well, I felt fully rested and the comfort of my cot had been welcome once I got used to the idea of not sleeping on the ground with one eye open. As I was mulling the answer while silently getting dressed to not wake anyone, the answer came to me. Or rather, Sharai gave it to me.

-The Fae require less sleep than most of the other races of Esmere,- my spirit guide explained as I padded silently toward the door of the wagon. -Your body was half-human before so you likely required as much sleep as your Human father, but now that you are a Faery, you will find yourself needing roughly half that.-

With that newly acquired information, it was no surprise to see that most of the troupe was already awake. Most seemed to be preparing a morning meal or going about other chores so that the caravan could leave as soon as the few non-Fae or half-Fae among us woke and ate. Since I did not know what I could do to help and I did not want to be in the way, I found a spot that the kirgens had already grazed clean of grass and allowed Sharai to take control so we could do my daily sword training.

As we did before going into Majair, we ran through the various key motions repeatedly and then Sharai guided our body through the first dance as I attempted to absorb it all. It was as she smoothly returned Neva’kul to its sheath that a voice said, “Whoa, that was beautiful. I wanna learn to use a sword like that. Can you teach me, cousin?”

Sharai turned our body and we were greeted with the sight of my cousin, Shava, leaning against one of the wagons as she gaped at us in awe. “Child, I am not Kaelyn. I am merely using her body to teach her how to properly wield a sword. I am Sharai, the spirit bound to Kaelyn and the blade that she bears,” the Faery spirit explained in our voice.

Shava did not seem the least bit concerned by this information. “So? You could still teach me, right?”

“Even with Kaelyn’s consent, my time using her body is limited. However, should you wish it and your parents allow it, I will consider teaching you the movements as I guide Kaelyn’s body through them each morning. For now, I must rest as Kaelyn continues her training.” With that, Sharai relinquished control of my body and I found myself facing a very eager cousin that I barely knew.

Despite her claim, Sharai was not as tired as she let on. However, she was correct that I needed to continue my weapons training before my new Master and fellow apprentice awoke. Sharai did not think that I was ready to attempt a repetition of the first dance on my own yet so that left archery practice. I gave my cousin a nod and a smile and offered, “Good morning, Shava. Sharai is very good with a sword, but I am afraid that I am still a beginner without her guiding my movements. I am much better with the bow, but I still even need to practice with that since my body is different now than it used to be.”

“Hagan an’ Mara use bows,” my cousin said thoughtfully as I looked for a suitable target. I found a jagged stump of a fallen tree that I would not feel terrible about shooting and then a flash of inspiration hit. I summoned a rose-colored faerie fire and sent it flying toward the top of the stump while Shava watched intently. The distance that I had sent the ball of flame was straining me slightly, but this way I could practice both my archery and one of my magical abilities.

“That is a faerie fire,” I explained to my cousin. “It gives off warmth and light but it will not burn anything so my goal will be to send my arrows through the fire.” I put an arrow to the string and, remembering to compensate for the changes in my body, I let it fly. It passed through the pinkish flames, just barely. Good, but not a bullseye. I continued to release arrow after arrow until my quiver was empty and my aim steadily improved, though I would be glad when I adjusted enough to my new body to not have to think through each shot and compensate before firing.

With Shava’s help, I retrieved the arrows from the stump behind the faerie fire and my cousin’s curiosity had her touching the pinkish flames tentatively. They were warm to the touch but not overly hot and, as promised, did not burn her so she just held her hand there for a moment. “You can do magic. I can sense it, but the only real magic I can do is change my form,” she said, sounding a little disappointed.

“Well, that is something that I cannot do, at least not anymore. I never even got a chance to properly learn to. I think that is a wonderful ability, and I am sure that you will come into your gift soon as well. Would you like to give archery a try?” I offered her my bow and one of the retrieved arrows and her eyes lit up. She quickly nodded and we walked back toward the wagon, though I stopped us about a third of the way there and cautioned her, “This bow will likely be a bit too big for you so do not expect too much. Maybe we can make a bow and some arrows closer to your size later though.”

My cousin nodded and I turned her to face the target and helped her to nock an arrow. Then I corrected her stance as much as possible for someone using a bow that was too large for them and stepped back to give her some space. I could see the strain on her face as she pulled back and fired and then the look of disappointment as her arrow fell short and wide of the target. “Aww.”

“It is your first time,” I encouraged, “and you are using a weapon too large for you with too high a draw weight. You will do better once we have a bow and arrows more suited to you. We will try again then.”

With that, I dispelled my faerie fire and had Shava collect her arrow, and then my cousin led me to the fire where it seemed breakfast was ready. Breakfast consisted of mint tea and hearty oatmeal with fresh kirgen milk and some dried fruit. It was simple fare and yet far better than I was used to. The milk was somewhat sweet and a luxury to me. I had not had fresh milk of any sort in a very long time.

I was mostly finished with my breakfast by the time Vesha and Nirlyn emerged from our wagon to eat as well. As much as I wanted to sit and talk to the pair about music and get to know them both better, my new master sent me off with Zenna so she could measure me. The clothes that I had gotten from the Woodwarden outpost were well suited to roaming the forests but they made me feel a bit exposed and Zenna thought that I would feel less self-conscious and more comfortable once I was dressed as a proper Voyager.

The hardest part for her was going to be making something that would leave room for my wings to remain free since the women of the troupe usually wore bodices. She did get my measurements though, including some around my wings, mumbling all the while about possibilities and what would look good with my coloring. Finally, she shooed me off so she could get to work before the caravan was underway once more.

It seemed that breakfast was over and Joak and Sten were starting to guide the kirgens toward the wagons and their harnesses. It looked like it might take a while and seeing them reminded me that Glimma had asked me to come to see her before we got underway as well. It was not hard to find their wagon since it was the one with the hooting sounds coming from it.

It seemed a bit larger than the other wagons but that could have been due to the wooden enclosures on the sides. There was this sort of long box built into each side of the wagon that ran the length of the wagon above the wheels. Both were roughly three and a half hands high and wide with a shingled roof of their own just beneath the wagon’s windows, and along the outer side were a dozen round holes cut in the sides that would have been just a bit too small to stick my head inside. I found Glimma peering into one such hole with a perplexed look on her face.

“Good morrow, Glimma,” I said as much to warn her of my approaching presence as to greet her. I could sense some faint magic coming from where she was and I did not want to interrupt her if she was using magic or her gift for some reason. Since I had heard earlier that her gift was to speak with her owls, I could not discount it.

She turned toward me and the look on her face softened into a smile. “Good morrow, Kaelyn. It is going to take a while to get used to seeing a Faerie in our midst, but we are all so glad that Nirlyn found you.”

“It is going to take me a while to get used to having a troupe, but I am equally glad,” I countered before asking, “Is something the matter? You looked worried or confused about something just now.”

“We had another owlet hatch this morning, but her mother wants nothing to do with her and won’t feed her,” Glimma explained before gesturing me toward the hole. “Come take a look.”

I looked inside but the owls I saw were nothing like the ones that I had seen in the forest. The adult was a bit smaller than the grey owls that I was used to and had a sleeker look to it with predominantly black feathers. There was a splash of white at its neck, the tip of its tail feathers, and its wingtips and its golden eyes regarded me cautiously, moving to cover two of the small owlets in the nest. That was when I noticed that the magic was not coming from Glimma, it was coming from the owlet in the corner of the nest.

She looked much like her siblings, still having her dark grey and downy baby plumage, though rather than the golden hue of her siblings’ eyes; hers were a bright and unnatural emerald hue. She tried to approach her mother but she shrieked at the owlet, warning her away. “She’s mana-touched,” I whispered in realization. Sharai had told me about them, and a few other things, while telling me more about the Weave and how living creatures are connected to it.

Normally animals are like humans and are born with very little natural mana. Just like humans can sometimes be born with more than the average mana capacity of their species, so can animals. It happens very rarely in both cases and when it happens, the creature in question is altered somewhat by the extra mana flowing through them and finds itself drawn to magic eventually. Humans tended to become mages when born like this, which is why human mages are rare. Mana-touched animals, on the other hand, either die because their parents will not care for them, or a mage or other magic user finds them and takes them as a familiar.

“Aye,” Glimma agreed. “We use Tharian Hawk-owls because they’re fast fliers and very intelligent, so it’s easy for me to speak with and train them. Nara there refuses to allow the wee girl to get close though, she thinks she’s a Tainted.”

“She is not!” I exclaimed, reaching out a hand to tentatively stroke the mana-touched owlet’s soft downy feathers. Tainted are nothing like mana-touched. Mana-touched are born that way, a sort of natural adaptation, while Tainted are people, animals, or other living beings who are changed into monstrous creatures by long-term exposure to tainted mana. Sharai told me that there are sites all over Esmere that the Fae avoid because the mana flow in those places is still contaminated by the dark magic once performed there by the Demons and followers of the Unspoken One. It was one of the biggest reasons that the Fae had fought them and tried to prevent them from ever coming back, because they irrevocably damaged the Weave.

Glimma put a hand gently on my shoulder. “Aye, I know that, lass. Nara and her kind may be even smarter than most owls but they still rely largely on their instincts, and her instincts are telling her that the babe is unnatural. I fear that none of the owls will want her near them.”

“What can we do?” I asked as I continued to gently stroke the owlet’s feathers and she nuzzled against my hand.

“You can take care of her if you like,” she suggested. “I can’t keep her here with the other owls but I can help someone else to care for her. We’ll need to prepare some things before we’re underway though.”

My response was to nod and gingerly take the owlet in my hand to remove her from the nest. “What do we need to do?”

Glimma hurriedly took me inside her wagon, which looked very similar in layout to Nirlyn’s. There she found a small wooden crate that was empty and still had some packing straw inside to serve as a nest. I placed the owlet inside and then she led me to the food storage cupboard nearest their stove. It was tightly closed and once she opened it, I was surprised to find that it was cold on the inside.

“We use this one to store meat and vegetables that would spoil quickly otherwise,” she explained as she removed a bowl that contained tiny scraps of meat. “There is one in each of the troupe’s wagons. An Ilari enchanter in Scorcia spelled them for us and it cost us a good deal of gold, but it is well worth it for the convenience. Place this in the one in your wagon to keep it fresh and feed her as much as she’ll take every three hours or so when she’s awake. She will probably let you know when she’s hungry though. When you have time during our next stop, come see me and I will teach you more about how to care for her.”

Glimma helped me by carrying the crate with the mana-touched owlet to Nirlyn’s wagon while I brought the bowl of meat scraps. Then she left me to go finish preparations to get back on the road while I fed the green-eyed owlet scraps of meat. She did not eat much, but then, she could practically fit in the palm of my hand. I had placed her back in the crate and was getting to my feet to put the meat in the cold cupboard that Glimma had shown me when the door to the wagon opened and Vesha stepped inside.

“All ready to go?” she asked. As she made her way closer and I placed the meat in the cold cupboard, she looked down in the crate. “Glimma said that you were taking care of one of the owlets. It’s not like her to let one out of her sight unless… oh. Well, I guess that explains it.”

The way she just shrugged it off and turned to smile at me sent flutters through my chest. Her smile was enough to set my heart beating faster and found myself having trouble speaking. Why did she affect me so? Was it some sort of Dragonkin thing? Robbed of speech, I merely bobbed my head up and down in a nod.

My lack of speech did not seem to bother her, but it seemed like not much of anything bothered her. “Anyway, the kirgens are in the harness and we’ll be moving out soon. Master Nirlyn is going to drive and one of us will take over after lunch. That’ll probably be me since she wants to get a feel for what your strengths are and what she’ll need to focus your training on. Until then, I guess I have you all to myself. We can have some free time to play and get to know one another better,” she offered with a smile that set my heart and cheeks aflame.

 

 

 

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Author's Note: Here's chapter 12 of The Faerie Blade. Further chapters are available on Patreon.~Amethyst.
 

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 Chapter 12: Kaelyn's Heart

“Play? Get to know one another better?” My mind seemed to be stuck on those words, and for some reason, my heart skipped a beat at the thought of Vesha having me all to herself.

“Of course. Master Nirlyn says, ‘If yer no’ doin’ anythin’ important, ya ‘ave time t’ practice.’ We’ll have a lot of time on the road, and practicing our playing will keep us from getting too bored. It’ll help you get used to playing with others in a group too. We’ll need to take breaks though, so we can talk and get to know each other while you feed your new little friend there,” the Dragonkin girl offered.

A giggle escaped my lips as she impersonated our Master’s accent and I managed to nod as the heat from my cheeks and the fluttering in my heart subsided. “Right, playing our instruments. I used to play with my mother, but I’ve been practicing on my own whenever I could since I lost her and my father.”

“Aye, and since I didn’t see any instruments on you, you can borrow some of mine or Master Nirlyn’s until we can get you some of your own in Derevik. Some of the best instrument craftsmen on the continent live and work there. The Bardic Guild doesn’t just include those who play instruments, but those who make them as well.”

I let out a sigh at that. I missed my mother’s old instruments. They had seen better days and I had to be careful when I used them, but they were hers, and it was a connection to my mother that was solid and real. They were the only thing that I had left of her. Only now, that was not the case. I no longer had her instruments but I had her family and her people now. I had her troupe… no, our troupe.

I attempted to shake off my melancholy as I considered Vesha’s words. “I do not think that I would have the money for such finely made instruments,” I told her with a sad smile.

“You will make plenty of money as we make our way to Derevik, Kaelyn,” my fellow apprentice assured me. “The journey will take weeks, we will be plying our trade as we travel, and there will be little else to spend it on during the journey. Master Nirlyn pools the money that we get for busking and playing and then splits it equally three ways, probably four ways now. One share for each of us and one to the troupe to buy communal food and supplies and contribute to other expenses. If Daivin and Korine join us, or Selice dances for us, then they’d get shares too, but generally, we split up for security.”

“Security? Such as city guards and the like?” I asked, somewhat confused.

The Dragonkin let out a throaty giggle that made my heart do strange things. “Aye, I guess that could be the case sometimes. If we’re not all caught that means there’s someone to come to the rescue. ‘Tis true that not all people, or their cities or towns, are welcoming of Voyagers, like Majair. You, Master Nirlyn, and I would make fair targets in some of those places too since we’re not Human. I was talking mostly about financial security though. We’re all Bards and members of this troupe so we support each other. If we split up there’s more chance that at least one of our groups will make some good coin. If one of our trios has a good night, and the other does not, we’ll share the wealth. It helps us to all save up some for when the really lean times hit.”

“I have never known people to be so kind and supportive of each other before, not since my parents died. It is why I chose to live in the forest. Well, that and fear of the church,” I admitted sadly.

“It’s the Voyager way,” Vesha said with a warm smile. “We take care of our own, and avenge them if needed. I wasn’t born a Voyager, they found me as a baby and raised me as one of their own though. It is because of their kindness and love that I am here and alive today. You’ll get used to it, Kaelyn. Come, let’s find an instrument for you to practice. What do you play?”

As she took me by the hand to help me to my feet, I looked up at her transfixed for a moment. It was not her kind smile that had me staring. It was the feeling of my hand in hers, the warmth that it seemed to infuse me with, and how beautiful she was. Her face was so very pretty, and with those amber draconic eyes, her bright crimson hair, and the horns, she was exotically so.

She might have passed for a Fae if not for the horns, those majestic wings, and her tail, and the scales along the sides of her neck and arms looked so smooth, like polished rubies against her otherwise tanned skin. She was such a contrast, beautiful and fierce looking and both strong and gentle. The soft prettiness of her face and the curves of her body were captivating, but equally captivating were the less pronounced curves of the powerful muscles in her arms and shoulders.

She had such strength to her but she held it back, choosing to be gentle rather than fierce, and I could feel that in the grip she held my hand with. What was this heat building up inside me at her mere touch and smile? Why did she make me shiver, even with this heat building up inside me? Why did looking into her eyes seem to make me forget how to breathe?

Wait, she asked me a question, did she not? I had not answered her yet and with each second that a reply seemed to elude my lips, I became ever more self-conscious. “Oh… I… I play the fiddle, pipes, lute, and harp,” I managed to respond haltingly after a long and awkward silence where my words refused to heed my call.

I tried to focus on my breathing, and not the Dragonkin’s pretty face or those powerful arms and shoulders. Why did I wish to be held in those arms? My heart fluttered, and my efforts to get my breathing under control seemed to be for naught. As she nodded and turned to lead me to the cupboards where the instruments were stored, I despaired in my mind, “What is wrong with me?”

Sharai’s voice was gentle and warm inside my thoughts as she offered, -Love is strange, is it not? The feelings that it generates seem to come out of nowhere sometimes, darting in and out like a playful Pixie and leaving you feeling topsy-turvy with no sense of which way is up and which is down.-

“Love?!” My breath seemed to catch in my throat and my heart beat a wild and frenzied rhythm in my chest as I repeated the word in my mind and allowed Vesha to pull me along to the instruments cupboards.

-Aye, Kaelyn. It remains to be seen whether it is love at first sight or a mere fanciful and brief attraction though. We shall see if it is the lasting kind in time, if you wish to pursue it that is. At the very least, you seem to be attracted to her.-

“But are not love and attraction between man and woman?” I asked frantically in my mind. The church had said as much. Usually, I would not put much mind to what the church said but I did not recall my parents teaching me about such things. They were in love, even as a child I had been able to see that. Such things as this were far outside my experience though.

-Often it is,- Sharai agreed in a gentle tone. -Not always though. We Fae believe that love is a connection between souls, and what matters what flesh or form the bodies wear when two souls are bound so closely? The Touched are proof of that. Your mother was a Changeling and your father a Human, but they loved one another, did they not? In my time I have seen love between different forms of Fae, love between different species altogether, love between two men, love between two women, and even love between more than two people.-

“But I cannot…”

My spirit guide did not let me finish that thought. -Obviously, you can, or we would not be having this conversation, Kaelyn. There is nothing wrong with feeling love for another person, there is even less wrong if she finds that she loves you back. Only giving in to the preconceptions of others and denying both of you that love would be truly wrong. We are Fae; we do not allow others to dictate our hearts, words, or actions, less so if they do so through mindless prejudice.-

I tried to control my breathing and focus my eyes on the three instruments that Vesha was showing me in one of the cupboards as I asked, “What do I do then?”

-You take your time. Get to know Vesha and see if your feelings for her are true or just attraction, though there is nothing wrong with spending a night in the company of someone to whom you are attracted. It can be enjoyable, but it is far too often a fleeting affair. If your feelings for her seem to grow stronger rather than fade away, try to find out if she feels the same. For now though, I suggest that you choose an instrument before you end up looking like a fool.- The words were offered tenderly with a hint of a laugh in her mental voice at the end.

I gave a mental nod of affirmation, took a deep breath, and tried to calm myself as I scrutinized the instruments being offered. The first was the fiddle that Master Nirlyn had me play when we met, another was a delicate lap harp with an intricately carved body that was meticulously maintained, and the third was a set of reed pipes that looked to have been dyed a vibrant blue-green hue. The ten lengths of reed were firmly lashed together with cord and beeswax, smooth to the touch, and it reminded me of music lessons with my mother when I was very young. She had had a set of pipes very much like this one.

I tentatively took the pipes in hand, caressing them as the memory of playing a similar set with my mother brought a bittersweet smile to my face. A sigh slipped forth between my curled-up lips as I said, “My mother had pipes like these. I think that they were even dyed the same color.”

“They’re not dyed,” Vesha told me as she extracted a lute for herself. “Those are kava reeds. They grow along the shore of the Afshan River and are hard to find, but they make the sweetest-sounding woodwind pipes that I’ve ever heard. They’re very durable and their color doesn’t fade over time after being cut. Those are Master Nirlyn’s, she mentioned that their Master taught her and your mother to make them not long after they became his apprentices. I’m hoping that we can find some kava reeds so you and I can make our own sets soon. We’ll be traveling along the Afshan River on our way to Derevik since the city is built where the river flows into the Sea of Storms.”

I barely heard her explanation. At first, it was because I was lost in the memory. I was four summers old, and my mother thought that I was finally a big enough girl to be allowed to touch her instruments. It was a beautiful spring day; the sky was blue, birds were singing, and she sat me in her lap as she showed me where to place my fingers and where to blow. From those first experimental sounds on those pipes, while sitting in my mother’s lap under an old oak tree and a cloudless blue sky, I fell in love with music. More than that. I found a deeper love for my mother, and I wanted to be just like her when I grew up.

I clutched the pipes in my hands as the memory faded, holding them close to my chest as I fell to my knees and started to sob uncontrollably. The cold emptiness that I had been carrying inside me for years now filled with grief, sorrow, anger, and a burning need to make the Church of One and the Demons pay tenfold for what they had taken from me. It was as if all the pain and sorrow that I had not been able to allow myself to give in to since my parents were murdered decided to burst free from me all at once. Hot tears streamed down my face and sobs wracked my chest, leaving my lungs burning with the effort of trying to breathe and set free my anguish at the same time.

I am not entirely certain why I broke down at that moment. Perhaps it was because it was finally safe to do so, or because I was with family now and that just brought it all to the surface of my thoughts. Maybe I had just been detached from it this whole time while trying to survive and it was all just catching up to me now as I held those pipes and relived a cherished memory in my mind. Likely, it was all of the above. It mattered not why though, as all the while I could not bring myself to say a word of explanation to my fellow apprentice as I clutched those pipes, so like my mother’s, tightly to my chest.

For a long while, Vesha said nothing, but her actions spoke volumes. She placed her lute aside and knelt beside me on the floor of the wagon, wrapping me up in her strong arms. She held me close as I cried it all out. She did not try to tell me that it would get better or that she understood what I was feeling. She just quietly held me, rubbed my back between my wings, and made me feel truly safe and secure for the first time since my parents had died.

It was some time before I managed to calm myself, long enough that it was time to feed my new owlet again. Vesha said nothing about my breakdown, nor did she try to push me to talk about it or start practicing as we had planned to do before. Instead, she sat beside me and watched me feed the green-eyed owlet. When the Dragonkin girl finally spoke, it was to suggest, “You should give her a name.”

There was a long silence as we both thought on the matter. I could not think of anything that appealed to me and Sharai had been silent since my emotional outburst. I think that she was trying to give me what space and privacy she could while I sorted through my thoughts and feelings. It was she who finally suggested the name though. -How about Zaiya? It can mean either ‘gentle breeze’ or ‘small treasure’ in the Fae language.-

“Zaiya?” I said, trying to get the feel of it on my tongue as I stroked the owlet’s feathers. She was finished eating for the moment and I nodded as I looked down at the owlet and offered a weak smile. “Your name is Zaiya,” I told her, and I could have sworn that I saw comprehension in those bright green eyes as I spoke the name.

“Seems like she likes it,” Vesha offered with an encouraging smile as I placed Zaiya back in her improvised nest.

I nodded in agreement and moved to retrieve the pipes and the lute from where Vesha had placed them while I fed the owlet in question. Then I handed my fellow apprentice the lute, sat cross-legged across from her, placed the pipes to my lips as I fingered the reeds gently, and then began to experimentally play the opening notes of a dirge that my mother taught me when my paternal grandmother died. It was only half-remembered, but it quickly came back to me, as Vesha seemed to recognize the song and joined in on her lute.

I listened and tried to match her pace and it did not seem to take long before we were in harmony, despite my lack of experience accompanying others. Then I allowed myself to get lost in the music that we were playing, pouring my grief and loss into those pipes and the music. For a long while, as our wagon traveled along the road in the caravan, the only sound inside was that mournful, melancholy melody as Vesha helped me to say my last goodbye to my parents.

 

 

 

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Author's Note: Here's chapter 13 of The Faerie Blade. Further chapters are available on Patreon.~Amethyst.
 

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 Chapter 13: Kaelyn's Stand

Over the next four days, I fell into a pattern as we made our way toward the border that would take us out of Evalis and into Kalidar. I would wake up long before my fellow apprentice or our Master, feed Zaiya, and then get dressed before going outside for sword practice with my cousin, Shava. First, Sharai would have me go through some of the key movements of the first dance on my own and explain the motions to Shava. Then, as my spirit guide put my body through the movements of the complete first dance and I attempted to absorb them in both mind and body, she would call out the movements for my cousin, who was wielding a heavy stick for the moment.

Sharai was fairly pleased with the progress of both of us by the fifth morning on the road. The movements, and how they flowed into one another, were becoming more natural to me and she felt that I would soon be able to make my way through the first dance on my own. I thought that this was far too soon since I was still trying to consciously remember every movement, but she pointed out how the muscles of my body were remembering the motions through repetition, even if my mind was taking a little longer. She would not start teaching me the next dance though until I had it committed to the memory of both my body and mind.

Shava was learning a lot slower and was not able to move as fluidly from one motion into another as I was, but she was determined to learn, and Sharai would often tell me how to correct her stance, how she held her weapon, or the motions that she was having difficulty with. I found that this ended up helping me to learn faster as well. By the third day, Hagan and Mara had made my cousin a bow and some arrows more suitable to her size so I was teaching my cousin archery as well as practicing myself.

After practice, Shava and I would wash up before joining the rest of the troupe for breakfast. We would usually be mostly done eating and just talking by the time the non-Fae among us woke up to join us. That time talking, while Daivin, Vesha, and Master Nirlyn ate, helped me to get to know the other people in my troupe better and to start to become comfortable with this new life. I was still surprised, and a bit in awe about how everyone in the troupe supported one another.

They would ask how my studies were going and sometimes Korine or I would talk about the instruments or songs that we were learning to play. Shava would excitedly tell the others about what Sharai and I were teaching her, which had resulted in Hagan making some practice weapons more suitable for her size. First, there were the bow and arrows. As we talked this morning though, I could see that Hagan’s whittling had a large branch he had found almost looking like a sword now, one that looked like it was going to be very similar in shape to Neva’kul.

After breakfast, I would go back to our wagon to feed Zaiya again and pack up anything that was loose for travel. Once we were on the road, most of the rest of the day would be spent practicing playing my instruments and singing with Vesha or Master Nirlyn, learning new songs, doing other tasks that Master Nirlyn assigned, and occasionally taking breaks to care for Zaiya. Then, once darkness fell, I would take over for Vesha in the driver’s seat since I was the one with the best night vision. Vesha had no night vision to speak of and our Master’s was decent, but nowhere near as good as that of a Faerie.

The pace that our caravan was setting was far more rushed than usual for Voyagers as we hurried toward the border, only stopping for long enough to let our people and the kirgens get a night of rest under the protection of a Seeming. Vesha told me that we usually stopped at villages and towns for a day or two to ply our trades and try to make some coin, but we had quickly passed by any that we had encountered so far. News about the Demons and the Church of One had to be taken to the main Guildhall in Derevik as quickly as possible, and I had a feeling that they would try to stop us.

The church had the King of Evalis under their sway and while they might not know what information we had, Master Nirlyn had left the capital with me suddenly and dramatically in front of an official of the church. I had also used magic fairly brazenly. They would be looking for us; I had no doubts about that, and the feeling gnawed at the back of my mind more voraciously with each day that we got closer to the border.

Today was different though. I was tired from lack of sleep, we were camped at the edge of a forest that straddled both Evalis and Kalidar, and our breakfast discussion was longer than usual as we decided what to do. “We could be across the border and in Kalidar by late afternoon if we keep following the road, or there’s the forest path. It’ll take longer but there’s less risk of anyone trying to stop us,” my grandmother said as we were all gathered around the dying embers of the fire.

“Maybe we should try the forest path,” I suggested uncertainly. “I… felt Demons pass by us along the road last night. There was nearly half a dozen of them, I think. They probably did not notice our Seeming since they were right at the edge of my magic sense, but they were moving fast, in the direction of the border.”

“Probably trying to catch up with us before we could cross,” Uncle Bryden suggested with a frown. “When they get there, they’ll probably find out that we haven’t passed through yet. They’ll probably wait for us there, and maybe send some of their numbers to check the forest path as well.”

“We will likely have to take the forest path then,” my grandfather stated with a sour expression. “At least if it comes to a fight, we’ll have an advantage there. There are rumors of Fae in Kaazir Forest though, what does Sharai have to say, Kaelyn? Are the rumors true? And how will they react to us traveling through their territory?”

-Kaazir Forest,- Sharai spoke pensively in my mind. -There is indeed a Fae village; I stopped there on my way into Evalis to go home. They should be warned about the church and the Demons. If you and I meet with them first and can convince them that your troupe is mostly Changelings, they should welcome us as kin.-

I passed that information on to the others and my grandparents both nodded as my grandmother said, “It’s decided then. We’ll take the forest path.” With that, we began to pack up camp and prepared to move out.

It was late in the afternoon, and I was riding up on the driver’s bench with Vesha when I felt a discordant clashing of magic to the southeast of us and let out a sharp whistle to let the other wagons know to stop. There were six distinct sources, four of them felt like they belonged, like they were in harmony with the forest around them, but the other two sources were so dark and malevolent that I had to jump off the bench before the wagon was fully stopped to empty my stomach.

Vesha had barely brought the kirgens to a stop before jumping down from the driver’s bench to place a soothing hand on my back. “Demons… up ahead…” I managed to get out as I tried to spit the taste of vomit from my mouth and pointed in the general direction.

The other wagons had stopped and several of our adult members of the troupe quickly gathered around. It was not long before my grandparents started issuing orders. That was one of the sources of magic faded away, and it was not one of the nasty ones. -We must help them!- Sharai’s frantic voice in my mind pleaded.

I could not help but agree. I did not want to feel another source of nature magic fade and then die out like that. I shot into the sky and toward the sources of magic as fast as my wings would carry me. I was only dimly aware the shouts emanating from behind me as I flew toward the battle ahead of me.

Three figures that I assumed to be Fae were pinned down behind some large rocks with what looked like a Nymph lying dead nearby. Between them and me, there were close to a dozen human men in armor and two other men with dark auras hurling black flames and lightning at them while one tried to counter with spells and her two companions fired arrows. Three humans were either dead or unconscious, but the Fae were outnumbered and the humans all had cold iron weapons, even the two throwing that dark magic around. I could sense the metal on them.

Torr’s balls,” I cursed under my breath as I hovered, assessed the situation, and tried to come up with a plan. These Demons and their lackeys had come prepared to kill Fae, but they had no horses since the thick foliage would make riding them difficult. They probably marched straight here from the border station. I was not sure if it was because they knew about the village in these woods or because they thought that I might be Fae and were here to block the forest path to ensure I did not leave Evalis. Either way, I needed to do something, fast.

“Kaelyn, wait,” Vesha’s voice hissed as she caught up with me.

“But I have to…” I started to answer before she cut me off.

“You have to stay and listen to the plan!” she snapped, trying to keep her voice low. “You’re not on your own anymore; you’re part of a family! We do things together and you have people who care about you and worry when you fly off toward the danger like that! I swear, if we get out of this alive, I’m going to shackle our arms together so you can’t leave m… us like that again.”

She was angry, flustered, and probably one of those who I had worried as well. I felt smaller than I had ever felt in my life for not considering everyone else’s feelings. “What is the plan?” I asked, unable to look her in the eyes as I shook my head. “Th… the others should hold back, they have cold iron weapons, and the only people we have with weapons are Hagan, Mara, and Uncle Bryden.”

That was not entirely true, most Voyagers kept at least a knife on them for protection, and cutting purse strings, but those would do little good against cold iron swords and arrowheads. “As I said, we do things together,” Vesha said, giving me a stern look. It was quickly replaced by a wild grin though as she added, “Who said that Voyagers need weapons to fight? Do you think that you can use your gift to help those three while I wreak some chaos down there? You and I will be the distraction while the others catch up and get ready.”

“Yes,” I agreed, not even having to think it over. I would protect those people. “The biggest threats are the Demons though.”

“The guys throwing around that dark magic, right?” the Dragonkin asked. When I nodded, she smiled. “Let’s fight fire with fire then.”

Without another word, Vesha plummeted downward, hurling a barrage of fireballs from her hands ahead of her, and then dropped herself into the midst of the group. She picked up one of the unscathed soldiers before they realized what was happening and threw him into a trio of his companions. Meanwhile, I was flying down toward the trio behind the rocks already summoning my gift and feeling for the metals around me to deflect any cold iron arrowheads.

I landed behind their cover to join the three living Fae, an Elven man, a Faerie woman, and a Spriggan man. They all showed signs of being hit with cold iron arrowheads, and when they had tried to remove them the heads had snapped off, just as they had with Sharai.

“Hello. I am Kaelyn, and the Dragonkin is Vesha, we thought that you could use some assistance,” I offered grimly as I reached for my bow, only to realize that I had not brought it with me. I sighed and offered, “I will try to get that cold iron out of you, but it is going to hurt.”

I could already see the signs of cold iron poisoning in two of them, though the Spriggan seemed to be the worst off. I had to pull two arrowheads from him, one from his shoulder and the other from his leg. How they had managed to keep fighting them off until now, other than grim determination was beyond me. The Elf had one deep in his thigh that had him screaming as I removed it.

I thought that the Faerie must have been the one casting the spells since she showed only minor signs of cold iron poisoning. One of her wings had been clipped and since the arrow had gone right through, I was hopeful that her wing could be saved by a proper Healer. She also had a nasty wound in her right shoulder and a burn on her left hand. From the knife and the arrowhead lying nearby, I assumed that she had taken a shallow wound to the shoulder and had dug the arrowhead out. -With your help, they have managed to avoid serious cold iron poisoning, they will be ill for a while and probably scar, but they should live,- Sharai informed me as I used scraps of cloth to bandage their wounds.

“Do not move,” I cautioned them as I peeked over the rocks separating me from our adversaries.

Vesha’s fists had burst into flame, and she was pounding on the Demon who had been throwing those black flames, which seemed useless against the Dragonkin. “You call that fire? This is fire!” she yelled as he screamed in pain and tried to put some distance between them.

The soldiers were burned and bloodied from her attacks, and their bows were now useless, meaning that they had to try to attack her with swords. That meant getting close though, and whenever someone did that Vesha blocked it with a scale-covered appendage and then bashed them aside with a wing or a flaming fist. She was like a force of nature, and it was both terrifying and beautiful. Where was the other Demon though?

I focused on my magic sense and I could feel the taint of his magic coming closer. He had used the soldiers as cover while Vesha was fighting his comrade and was coming right for our cover to finish off the Fae. He had a cold smile on his lips as he stepped around the boulder, black lightning already sparking in one hand and a cold iron blade in the other. I already had Neva’kul in hand and thrust toward him as I called upon Joarra’s glyph to gather the mana around me into the blade of my sword and release it.

The blast of destructive magical energy that I unleashed along the path of the thrust tore a furrow into the forest floor and sent my opponent flying even as it eviscerated him. The furrow was close to twice my height in width and ten times that in length. I was suddenly very tired and barely managed to stagger toward the black smoke that hovered where the body of a man had been before I had obliterated it. Gritting my teeth, I summoned a faerie fire, determined to not let it disappear until the Demon’s soul was fully consumed.

Sharai had said that Joarra’s attack was powerful, but I had thought that she might have been overstating it. She also had not warned me about how much it could drain the user, or that it would get that much attention. The Fae were staring at me, Vesha was staring at me as she dropped the other Demon’s flaming corpse to the ground, even the enemy soldiers were staring at me as my pinkish flames consumed the Demon’s soul and I sent a second faerie fire to do the same to the one fleeing the smoldering corpse at Vesha’s feet.

I tried to stand proudly and defiantly, and not to show that I could barely stand, as I turned back to my enemies, put a false grin on my face, and asked, “Who is next?”

Cold iron blades dropped hastily to the ground in surrender and that was when a half dozen kirgens burst out from the trees and mercilessly rammed, stomped, and pulverized our now unarmed enemies. “Just in time,” Vesha said with a tired laugh as her flames went out and she walked toward me through the kirgens that were turning the church’s men into a thin paste. “Kaelyn, how did you…” I was barely aware of the beautiful Dragonkin’s expression changing from wonder to concern as she rushed forward to catch me in her arms and I thought that I saw one of the kirgens shift into Uncle Bryden as I lost consciousness.

 

 

 

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Author's Note: Here's chapter 14 of The Faerie Blade. Further chapters are available on Patreon.~Amethyst.
 

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 Chapter 14: Kaelyn’s First Kiss

I was surprised to wake up in our wagon. We did not seem to be moving at the moment and I could feel the familiar magic of a Seeming around us, though larger and much more powerful than the one that my grandmother usually cast for our troupe’s caravan. Looking around, I saw that the wagon was empty save for Vesha, and me. The Dragonkin was currently sitting on a stool beside my bed and feeding Zaiya for me.

It was a moment before she looked up from feeding the owlet and noticed my gaze upon her. A smile touched her lips and she looked relieved as she let out a sigh. “It’s good to see you awake, Kaelyn. You had us all worried when you collapsed. Wilden said that you weren’t hurt though, only exhausted.”

-You exhausted your mana reserves,- Sharai explained. -You used a large portion of your mana while using your gift to protect those Fae from arrows, and when removing the cold iron arrowheads from them. You did not take the time to properly replenish your reserves from the mana around you before using Joarra’s glyph. The attack may draw on the mana around you, but it still requires a large portion of your own mana to focus the attack. It can be tiring even when your mana reserves are full, which is why I only used it rarely, and only as a last resort. You must always remember to draw on mana from the Weave to replace what you have used from your reserves, Kaelyn. If you were not Fae, that could have killed you.-

“I guess that killing that Demon drained my mana reserves,” I explained to Vesha with a blush. It was not the first time that Sharai had lectured me on properly replenishing my mana reserves. Usually, it was while I was training my gift in what little spare time that I had available since joining the troupe and becoming Master Nirlyn’s apprentice. I let out a sigh and apologized to my spirit guide. “I am sorry, Sharai. I am still trying to get used to consciously drawing on the mana around me. I will practice more.”

-It is I who should apologize, Kaelyn.- Sharai countered, her voice in my mind heavy with guilt. -When you sensed the clash between Demons and Fae, I feared for Thaeria, the Fae village in these woods. I could not let another village fall victim to the church, as mine did. My fear pushed you to act rashly. Had Vesha not stopped you from jumping into battle without thinking, you could have been hurt, or worse. I apologize, and I shall strive to not allow it to happen again in the future.-

“It was not just you, I was worried too. It is something that we can both work on,” I offered and was pleased to feel the guilt that I sensed from her lessen slightly.

Vesha was watching me with concern in her eyes as she placed Zaiya carefully back in her box-nest. “Wilden figured that it was something like that after we told him about that attack that you used. What was that exactly?”

I shrugged as I decided that I had had enough rest and moved into a sitting position so I was not looking up at the Dragonkin, well, not as much anyway. “It was one of the abilities of Neva’kul. There are four that I can use once a day, each representing the gifts of the past users who have been bonded to the blade. That one is the only one that is offensive in nature though,” I replied as I settled into a more comfortable position. Then I asked a question of my own. “Are you okay? You took on that other Demon and the soldiers practically by yourself.”

“I’m fine,” she assured me. “A couple of them managed to get a lucky cut or two in where I don’t have scales protecting me, but Wilden was able to heal those easily. My scales and wings protected me from everything else, and that Demon’s flames barely tickled me. I was more worried about you.”

My breath caught in my throat, my heart skipped a beat, and I found myself flushing as I looked down at my lap. I had to tell myself that she was only worried as a friend and fellow apprentice. There was no way that she could feel about me the same way that I felt about her. Once I felt that I could speak without embarrassing both of us, I nodded. “Yes, you mentioned that everyone was worried before. I am sorry for flying off like that, and for worrying all of you again by letting my mana get so low. I guess that I am still not used to having a family to worry about me.”

“Kaelyn, I wasn’t worried about you like the others. I... you…” Vesha blushed and looked away for a moment and then took a deep breath before suddenly closing the distance between us. Before I even realized what was happening, her arms were around me, she was holding me close, and her lips were on mine.

A jolt went through me as our lips met. Her lips were warm and soft, but they pressed firmly and insistently into my own. For an instant, I was too stunned to do anything, but once I realized that she was kissing me, I quickly reciprocated, my lips mashing as eagerly against hers as hers seemed to be against mine as I realized that this might be my only chance. I wanted to make the most of it before she came to her senses, so I channeled the feelings for her that were growing inside me through my lips and put my arms around her, letting my hands caress her wings and the powerful muscles in her back.

It seemed both an instant and an eternity later that we parted, both gasping for air. Vesha caught her breath first and pulled away with a horrified look on her face. Had I misread her intentions just now? Of course, there was no way that she could feel for me as I did for her. “I’m sorry! I shouldn’t have done that! You probably aren’t… I couldn’t help myself… I… I’ve wanted to do that since we met, and I had to do it now, before I lost my courage. I’m sorry, I took advantage of you. I’ll understand if you don’t wish to…”

I silenced her by pulling her down to my level and kissing her again. When I broke it off again, I looked her straight in the eyes and I was mildly surprised that I did not lose my voice or stammer from nerves as I spoke. “Vesha, if I had minded, I would not have kissed you back. I have wanted to do that for a while too, but I did not think that you would be interested in me in that way.”

Vesha gaped at me and I was not sure if she was shocked because I was interested in her, because I took charge, or because of what I said. Her expression turned to one of confusion as she asked. “Why wouldn’t I be interested? Voyagers have no taboos about attraction to or having relationships with people of the same gender or different races, and you are beautiful, brave, and we have many similar interests, such as music. I feared that you might not be ready for such a thing though since you have not been with us long.”

“I have been trying to keep an open mind and I… like you,” I admitted, my cheeks burning. “I think that I have been attracted to you since we first met. You have been making me feel things that I have never felt before. I… just… where does this leave us?”

“Well, since we both seem to be attracted to and interested in one another, I guess that it leaves us courting one another. We should try to get to know one another better, and spend more time together to see if we are truly compatible and…” Instead of saying anything more, Vesha cupped my face in her hands, pulling me toward her to kiss me once again as she wrapped me up in her arms and wings.

The kiss was even better than before now that I knew that she seemed to be as interested in me as I was in her. It was like flying, only we did not leave the ground. I felt so warm and safe in her arms too, safer than I had felt since before my parents died. When we finally broke our embrace and I could breathe well enough to speak once more, I smiled and said breathily, “That is good, because I find myself wanting to spend more time with you and learn more about you. When you fought all of those men and the Demon earlier… I… you were beautiful and amazing. Can all Dragonkin fight and use magic like that?”

“I wouldn’t know,” Vesha replied with a distant expression that made me worry for a moment that I had brought up a bad memory or something. “I’ve never met any others of my kind, and there was nobody around that Master Nirlyn could ask when she found me abandoned and half-starving. From what they found nearby, they think I hatched from an egg, but that is as much as we know about my kind. Everything else, I’ve had to discover for myself by following my instincts. I can’t actually use magic like the Fae or some other races can though.”

“But that fire that you were throwing around…” I began to counter before realizing that I hadn’t actually sensed her using any magic when she was doing it.

The Dragonkin’s brow furrowed and she let out a sigh before saying, “The fire, it’s always there inside me, wanting to get out. It’s been like that since I started to become a woman. I burned down a few wagons when I was first trying to learn to control it and keep it inside. What I used in the forest, it was barely scratching the surface. I think that I can go much hotter, and that there are things that I can do that I still haven’t discovered yet. I have to keep it inside though, or be very careful when I do use it. If I don’t, then the people that I care about could get hurt.”

“Does it hurt?” I asked in concern. “Keeping the fire inside of you, I mean.”

She shook her head. “No, it’s a part of me, but it’s nice when I can let loose and do something good with it. Speaking of that, I should get going. The Fae that we rescued asked if I could gather up the cold iron since it won’t hurt me, and provide a fire hot enough to smelt it until it is no longer harmful.” She leaned in to kiss me again but did not hold it for long before she pulled away. “I should go do that soon, before it gets dark. You were out for a couple of hours, and we will likely be having the evening meal soon with our hosts.”

“Hosts? Are we in the Fae village?” I asked. “I can sense a Seeming around us, and it is powerful.”

“Aye,” she replied with a nod and smile that I thought might make my heart melt. “After Wilden used his healing gift on those Woodwardens that we rescued, and they figured out that our kirgen reinforcements were all Changelings, we were invited to stay the night here while you recovered. Master Nirlyn and your grandparents are with the Woodwardens right now, warning the village leaders about the Church of One and the Demons. They’re also going to try to barter for supplies that we are running low on.”

It was not long after Vesha left to take care of her task that Master Nirlyn returned to the wagon. She was happy to see me up and about, but chastised me for worrying everyone as I did when I flew off, and again when I passed out. She did not seem truly upset with me though, in fact, she seemed very pleased about something as she put away some supplies that she had gotten.

“We warned the village elders ‘ere ‘bout the dangers on their doorstep,” she offered conversationally as she looked through pouches and small wooden boxes and put them away. “You may ‘ave killed both o’ those Demons, but when they an’ those soldiers don’t report in, someone is goin’ t’ send someone t’ check out this forest. The Fae ‘ere are goin’ t’ move further south, t’ the Kalidar side o’ the border. They’ll be gettin’ ready t’ move in the mornin’, but tonight, they’ve asked us fer a wee bit o’ entertainment after the evenin’ meal. We’ll all be playin’, along wi’ Daivin an’ Korine, so ya best prepare yerself.”

My heart thrummed in a nervous excitement. I had never played before an actual audience before, and these were Fae. I had not played accompaniment to more than one person at a time either though, and had never played alongside Korine or her father before. “W-what instrument should I play?” I asked uncertainly.

“Let’s ‘ave ya play the ‘arp tonight, yer probably the best o’ us on tha’ instrument,” my Master replied thoughtfully. “Yer Ma taught ya well on the ‘arp, yer even better than I am. No’ the lap ‘arp, but the grand one.”

I let out a small squeal of happiness. I had of course seen the Grand Harp; but it seldom came out of the large leather case that protected it from the elements. I hadn’t even seen the harp itself yet, only the covering. It was nearly as tall as Master Nirlyn, and Vesha had told me that it was beautifully crafted and meant for performing for nobles. I had been wanting to play it since I saw the case. “Shall I check the tuning, Master?”

“Aye, lass, ya can check it shortly. First, there’s another instrument, tha’ I want t’ show ya. When those Woodwardens tha’ you an’ Vehsa saved ‘eard tha’ ya were my apprentices, the Faerie among them asked tha’ I give ya a gift, t’ show ‘er appreciation.” With that, Master Nirlyn placed something on the floor in front of me. “It’s about time tha’ ya started t’ learn a fifth instrument anyway.”

At first, I looked dubiously down at the box and its contents. What I was looking at looked more like the jewelry box of some highborn lady than a case for an instrument, and the contents made it even harder to believe otherwise. “This is the instrument that you want me to learn?” I asked my Master as I tried to determine how exactly I was supposed to play jewelry.

Inside the box was a set of what looked like rings, numerous bracelets, and perhaps necklaces made from what looked like silver with a bit of a bluish tint and pretty little blue crystals embedded. There was a lot of jewelry in there, some of which I couldn’t identify the purpose of. More concerning was that I had been able to sense the magic slumbering inside as soon as Master Nirlyn opened the silk-lined box.

I was still trying to figure out what I was supposed to do with it when Master Nirlyn smiled and responded to my question. “Aye, lass. ‘Tis an instrument once favored by the Fae in olden times. Aishlin, the Faerie ya saved, said tha’ this has been in ‘er family since the Ancient Ones still ‘ad a thrivin’ society. Ya don’t see ‘em aroun’ much anymore. The Fae call ‘em Tien’jin, but they’re more commonly known as the dancer’s chorus. I’d heard about them, but I wasn’t able t’ get my ‘ands on a set ‘til now.”

-Tien’jin? I have never heard them played myself, but they are not really a common instrument these days, even among our people. I have heard that it is an instrument that is difficult to master though, and many give up long before doing so,- Sharai provided.

“It’s no’ yer standard musical instrument,” my master admitted as she continued speaking, oblivious to Sharai’s comment. “Ya don’t play this wit’ yer hands, at leas’ no’ directly. Ya wear ‘em, an’ the crystals are enchanted t’ respond to the movements o’ the wearer. When ya wear the ‘ole set, the crystals will link an’ respond t’ yer movements by lightin’ up an’ playin’ a note. An’ each crystal plays a diff’rent note.”

“That sounds like it could get very unharmonious whenever I move,” I told her with a frown.

The Master Bard laughed and shook her head. “Nay, they won’t be goin’ off willy nilly, lass. Aishlin tol’ me tha’ the main crystal can activate or deactivate the enchantment fer normal motion, an’ the movements needed t’ set them off need t’ be quick an’ precise. It’s a dance y’see. It’s no’ about learnin’ t’ play the music an’ dancin’ along though, it’s learnin’ the dance tha’ will play the song.”

That sounded hard and I had no idea where to start, or even how to dance, unless you counted my sword practice with Sharai. “Why me? Why can’t you or Vesha learn to play this?”

“Vesha tried dancin’ once. Let’s jus’ say tha’ she’s no’ a dancer an’ leave it at that.” The Ravieri gave a shudder before adding, “Besides, Aishlin wanted you to ‘ave this, an’ this set was made fer a Faerie. We’re also no’ the ones who need t’ learn this, Kaelyn. Aye, this will allow us t’ ge’ some attention an’ mebbe give us a unique sound, but it’s no’ why ya need t’ learn t’ play this. Swordswomen an’ dancers ‘ave one common need, lass. They need t’ be aware o’ their bodies. No, strike tha’, they need t’ move beyond awareness o’ their bodies an’ learn t’ move wi’out wasted movement an’ wi’out thinkin’ about it. It has t’ be natural, flowin’ from one movement t’ the next, each precise an’ deliberate, but comin’ as easily as breathin’.”

My eyes widened as I realized what she was planning, even as Sharai’s voice said, -That’s brilliant!-

My master saw the realization bloom on my face and grinned, showing her overly large canines. “Oh, aye, lass. I tol’ ya tha’ my duty as yer Master was to help ya reach yer goals. An’ ya need t’ become a natural with tha’ sword as quick as possible. Sharai is doin’ a fine job teachin’ ya, but I figure this will ‘elp things along. You’ll be wearin’ these all o’ the time tha’ yer awake from now on, an’ we’ll be addin’ dance lessons wi’ Selice to yer daily routine afore bed each night.”

I looked at the ‘instrument’ in a new light. It all looked so delicate, but my Master assured me that they were plenty durable since they were made from moonsilver. That accounted for the bluish silver hue of the metal, and moonsilver was supposed to be stronger than steel. It was also worth more than gold, especially to the Fae. I did not even want to think about how much this gift was worth. “Why give me such a thing, Master? This is a rare antique, enchanted and made from moonsilver, it must be worth a fortune.”

Master Nirlyn shrugged, meaning that she was probably as in the dark as I was about it. “You’ll ‘ave t’ ask Aishlin ‘bout tha’, lass. She’s waitin’ fer ya by the main fire to ‘elp ya put it all on. Don’t keep ‘er waitin’, ya can tune the ‘arp when ya get back.”

 

 

 

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Author's Note: A day late because I've been busy and stressed, but here's chapter 15 of The Faerie Blade. Further chapters are available on Patreon.~Amethyst.
 

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 Chapter 15: Kaelyn and the Tien’jin

It was not hard to find the main fire. Several were spread around the clearing that our wagons rested in, surrounded by some of the largest trees that I had ever seen, except for the oak in Hespira’s sacred grove. One fire was considerably larger than the others and was placed in the very center of the clearing. What I did not see were any sort of buildings to indicate that a village existed, much less that we were inside of it as Vesha had indicated. “I thought there was a village?” I thought to Sharai in confusion.

-Look above you, child,- the spirit bade me in reply.

I did as asked, only to stop and stare. There were cottages and walkways high up in the branches of the trees, illuminated by faerie fires in various colors. Occasionally, my sharp Faerie eyes could spot figures moving along the walkways, flying between them, running along the branches, or making their way up or down vine ladders that hugged the sides of the trees. I found myself smiling at the sight before moving on toward the large bonfire at the center of the clearing.

There were few people there yet, some of my fellow Voyagers, a pair of Brownies, and the svelte cerulean-haired Faerie woman from the woods. Aishlin’s right shoulder and left hand had been properly bandaged. Umm… hello… Aishlin, is it? How are you feeling?”

The Faerie looked up and smiled at my tentative inquiry, “Probably a mite better than you, after draining your mana reserves as you did, child. Your Healer managed to save my wing, but I will have to avoid flying for a few days to let the healing take full effect. He also placed an enchantment on these bandages to draw out any further cold iron toxin as his healing spells work on my other wounds. Your troupe is fortunate to have such a knowledgeable Healer among you. I see that you have brought the Tien’jin, as I requested of your Master.”

I looked down at the ornate box in my hands a little self-consciously. “Yes. She said it was a gift, but why would you give me such a thing? It must be extremely valuable.”

Aishlin smiled kindly and gestured for me to sit beside her. “What value can be placed on a life? Let alone three lives. You and your fellow apprentice saved my companions, and me. What is a mere trinket that I will never use again against that?”

“Never use again?” I asked with a mix of curiosity and concern.

“I once attempted to master them in my youth,” she explained with a sad smile and a shake of her head. “I think that all those of my lineage have at some point in their lives. I thought that I would be the one to do so since I thought myself a talented dancer. It takes more than being able to move one’s body properly though. I did not have the proper knowledge or appreciation of the work that goes into making music.”

Aishlin looked thoughtfully at the box in my hands for a moment before a smile touched her lips and she spoke again. “Those Tien’jin have been passed down through my family since before the fall of the Ancient Ones, but never have they been in the hands of someone who could truly appreciate them or use them to their true potential. I think that you are such a person, but I do not possess the aptitude or inclination. They are an instrument and are meant to be played, not hidden away in a box. A challenging instrument to be sure, but from what your Master has said of you, I believe that you are up to the challenge. All that I ask is that you return here someday, once you have mastered them. I would like to see them used at their best.”

“But…” I started to object.

The other Faerie turned serious as she reached out to put a finger to my lips. “Hush, young one. I did not call you here to discuss why the Tien’jin are now yours, but to help you learn about them and show you how to wear them properly.”

With that, she had me put on the Tien’jin under her instructions and observation. Each piece had a sigil in the Fae language engraved on the back of the plate where the crystals were mounted that told where it was meant to be worn. I had no experience with the Fae written language though so I had to get Sharai to translate them for me.

We started with the main crystal, which was embedded in a choker that went around my throat, a delicate chain of moonsilver with the crystal mounted in the center, and a clasp to connect to one of the chain links and secure it firmly around my neck. Similar pieces were meant to be worn on each of my upper arms and thighs, as well as a circlet for my head, each with the crystal displayed front and center. Then there were the clips that would connect to the tips of each of my wings, which explained why this set was made for a Faerie.

After that, things got a little trickier. First, there were the pieces that secured around my wrists. Connected to their crystal plates were short chains connected to other mounted crystals, which would fit over the back of my hands. Then that branched out into five other chains, which in turn connected to rings that would be worn over each of my fingers and thumbs. I had to start by putting on the rings first and then getting everything else in a position to secure the chains around my wrists. The rings on the pinky finger and thumb also housed small crystals. There was a similar setup on my ankles and feet, but with only a single ring to be worn on my middle toes.

The one that I wore around my waist was probably the most troublesome though. First, where a crystal rested over my navel, it had a chain that ran between my breasts to attach it to the choker, with another of the crystals positioned in my cleavage. Two more chains connected to it traveled down along my outer hips, with the crystals positioned over those hips, to connect to the chains around my thighs. It was a little awkward and uncomfortable, but Aishlin said that I would get used to them.

I was worried that the arrangement would be difficult to wear over clothes, especially skirts, and my fears proved true as it caused my clothing to bunch in uncomfortable ways. “I may not be an expert, but I do not see how I am supposed to be able to dance like this,” I complained.

“Those garments would make it difficult,” the other Faerie agreed. “You could wear them beneath your clothing, but it would muffle the tones and obscure the light that the crystals create. Traditionally, Tien’jin dancers wore as little as possible, aside from the Tien’jin themselves. The music was only part of the show, you see. The flashing lights of the crystals in time with the tones and the movements of the wearer were meant to enrapture the senses of the audience. Tien’jin dancers often wore delicate scents as well, for this reason. You could have custom clothing made for when you perform though.”

I could feel the heat rising to my cheeks as Aishlin imparted that information. “I… umm… well… I will consider that,” I replied awkwardly. I could see the wisdom in trying to master the Tien’jin, if only to help progress my mastery of swordplay as well, but the thought of dancing in front of others while wearing next to nothing made me feel like crawling into the closest hole that I could find. Maybe I would have to ask Zenna about something that I could wear while practicing, she was already working on trying to make me something like traditional Voyager’s clothing, though my wings made that difficult.

Sharai had told me that the Fae had no taboos about nudity, and from what I had seen since joining my troupe, the same extended to their Voyager kin. People often saw one another naked after changing shapes and nobody but me had batted an eye about it. I was fairly certain that the only reason that they did wear clothing was for the theatre of it; to convince people in the cities or who they encountered on the road that Voyagers were Human travelers from distant lands. It allowed them to blend in, the colorful scarves that they wore on their heads hid the tips of their ears, and vests and voluminous skirts afforded great hiding places for hidden weapons or stolen goods.

“Aye, do that, lass,” Aishlin said with a faint smile. “Now that you have the crystals all properly placed, you can activate the enchantment on them by speaking the word ‘Mivüs’. Speaking the same word will deactivate the enchantment.”

“Mivüs,” I said almost too quietly to be heard in my uncertainty. The instant that I spoke the word, I could feel the magic in the crystals flare to life. The cacophony of light and sound that I expected as soon as I moved never materialized though.

At my look of bewilderment, the Faerie Woodwarden laughed. “Your movements must be precise, quick, and graceful to make the crystals sing for you. Part of the challenge is developing that control and grace and learning to combine your movements fluidly into song. I was told once that a Tien’jin dancer must find the song in their heart and dance to it. Only once they have done that and the song of the crystals matches it will they be able to discover the dances of other songs. I was a dancer, not a musician, and had no song in my heart; I danced to the music of others. I think that you will fare better, young Bard.”

Find the song in my heart? Did I possess such a thing? I loved music, but until now, I had largely played the songs that my mother had taught me as a child. Master Niryln told me that my mother was a composer. Could I do that too? Could I write songs like those she had taught me to sing and play? “I hope I can.” The words escaped my lips with a wistful sigh before I was aware of speaking them.

“I believe that you will,” she told me without a hint of doubt. “I would not have given you the Tien’jin if I thought otherwise. Now that you know how they should be worn, let us return them to their case, they are not meant to be worn over clothing.”

“I… thank you for the gift, Aishlin. I will treasure it and do my best to master the Tien’jin. When I do, I will come back to find your village someday as you asked,” I replied, my cheeks painted crimson by my awkwardness.

Once we had removed the Tien’jin and placed them all carefully back in the ornate box from whence they came, Aishlin said with a faint smile touching her lips, “I should let you return to your Master now, lass. She bade me not to keep you for long, should I value the evening’s entertainment, and I should very much like to see you play. It is not often that we have Bards visit, and there are not many in our village with the talent for music, beyond simple jigs and reels.”

“I am afraid that I have not been a Bard for long,” I admitted as my cheeks flushed once more. “I am not even an apprentice officially yet. I will give my best though.” With that, I picked up the box and returned to the wagon that I shared with Vesha and Master Nirlyn.

With the box containing my new instrument stowed carefully away in one of the cupboards for my belongings, I was in a very good mood as I got to practice with the Grand Harp for the first time under Master Nirlyn’s watchful eye. Not only was I going to be playing alongside Bards tonight, as one of them, but also I was playing a beautiful instrument and I had an instrument that belonged to me, not just something that I was borrowing from Master Nirlyn or Vesha.

It certainly was not the instrument that I would have chosen, or even have imagined before it was presented to me, but it was mine. While I was a little uncertain about some of the peculiarities involved in learning to play it, I also found myself excited by the prospect. It would be a challenge, it would help me to become a better swordswoman, and I would be one of the very few people in all of Esmere to play such an instrument. If I did manage to master it, I might perhaps be the only one to do so for hundreds of years.

As I practiced, I was pleased that Master Nirlyn seldom had to correct my finger placement or strumming. Some of the songs that she had me playing were new to me though and I had never played such a large harp before, so it took several repetitions to get comfortable playing. I could read music fairly well but Master Nirlyn wanted me to practice more so I could learn to play songs other than those I had committed to memory or that she personally taught me. She also wanted to start teaching me to write music, something that she called music theory, composition, and how to read and write more than just the basic letters and words that I had learned as a child.

She said that she had gotten a pretty good feel for my strengths and weaknesses since I had joined the troupe, and these were areas that I needed to work on. I could sing fairly well, though she felt that I needed to get used to the range of my new voice, and I was competent with the fiddle, lute, and pipes. The harp was my favorite instrument before meeting her and she said that it showed in how well I played it.

She had not been trying to flatter me when she said that I was the best of us on the harp, I had learned early on in my lessons with her that Master Nirlyn did not believe in flattery or unearned praise. Whether she thought that I was doing terribly, needed to work on something, or had some ideas on how I could do better she always told me candidly. She believed that apprentices do not learn by being coddled, they learn by being taught and guided. Therefore, if I played a note that she felt would curdle kirgen milk, she told me as much, usually with very colorful language.

Still, the Grand Harp was the most wonderful instrument that I had ever laid hands on, and I took great care in doing it justice as I played. I had been practicing for a while when Vesha returned from her task and took out her dulcimer and hammers to join me. Master Nirlyn had decided to play her pipes that evening and had talked with Daivin who said that he would be playing the snare drum while his daughter and apprentice, Korine, would be singing for us and playing her lute.

Before I knew it, we were heading outside for the evening meal with our hosts. The food was simple fare, a hearty stew, a thick traveler’s bread that was a staple among the Fae, and some roasted acorns and sweet blueberries. I could feel my nerves building as we ate and our performance grew ever nearer. Vesha sensed my nervousness and placed a hand on mine to give it a gentle squeeze that seemed to both calm and excite me at the same time.

Before long, Master Nirlyn and Journeyman Daivin returned to our wagon to retrieve the great harp and place it where we would be playing, far enough from the fire to prevent the heat from warping any of our instruments. Then they and the others gathered their instruments as I took a deep breath and stepped up to the Grand Harp to caress the body gently. It gave me comfort and I lost some of my nervousness. The rest faded as the others joined me and Master Nirlyn whispered, “Relax, lass. We’ll only be playin’ songs yer familiar wi’ tonight. There’s no pressure ‘ere, jus’ a l’il music among friends, aye?”

Those words had barely left her lips when Daivin set the beat for The Ballad of Min Melrue. It was a song that would rely heavily on the harp and I found myself getting lost in the music as I tried to match pace with Daivin, and then the others as well while doing my part. From there we went straight into The Faerie’s Favor, and then I had to switch to the fiddle that Master Nirlyn had brought out for a few songs as we took a moment before launching into a lively jig by the name of Mossfoot Mary.

It was late when we finally had to stop playing. We were all becoming weary and Korine was starting to strain her voice. Our audience enjoyed the performance though and while playing I enjoyed myself more than any other time since the days when my mother was teaching me to play. The encounter with the Demons and my various worries were momentarily forgotten, and that night I fell asleep with a smile on my face.

 

 

 

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Author's Note: Here's chapter 16 of The Faerie Blade. Further chapters are available on Patreon.~Amethyst.
 

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 Chapter 16: Kaelyn and the Fading of Lorai

When I awoke the next morning, I fed Zaiya, donned one of the two sets of clothing I had gotten from the Woodwarden outpost at Hespira’s sacred grove, and stepped outside to face the morning. I was mildly surprised to find that our camp, and the Fae village in the trees above us, were in a flurry of activity. Only part of that activity could be attributed to those from our troupe making breakfast. Everyone else who did not need more sleep, and was not currently otherwise occupied, was moving supplies and various other objects of interest from the homes of the Fae into our troupe’s wagons.

I had been about to go in search of Shava to begin our morning weapons practice under Sharai’s guidance, but my cousin was one of those currently heading toward one of the wagons with her arms full. Even the smaller children were helping out by carrying various things to the wagons. At the center of it all, my grandmother was directing things.

The moment that my grandmother saw me, she motioned me over to her. “Good, you’re awake, Kaelyn. Our hosts are preparing to leave to rebuild their village further south, on the Kalidar side of the border, and we have offered to help them to move their most valued possessions and anything that they will need for the new village since we’re traveling in that direction anyway, but they have requested your assistance with something as well.”

“Of course, Grandmother. What exactly do you need me to do?” I asked in response. I was not certain how I might be able to help, other than carrying things like everyone else, but it would be nice to feel like I was useful to my troupe and the Fae that were hosting us somehow.

In answer, my grandmother pointed to a space between a pair amongst the ring of large trees surrounding the clearing and into the thicker forest. “In that direction, not far beyond the clearing you will find a small hill by a stream, they await you there, Kaelyn. Aishlin will tell you what needs to be done.”

I nodded and then quickly flew off in the direction that she had indicated since it would be faster than walking. “Sorry, Sharai, it looks like we won’t have time to practice this morning,” I told my spirit guide apologetically.

-One morning of practice missed will not mean much in the long run, Kaelyn,- the Faerie spirit’s voice replied softly in my mind. -Helping the people of this village to move to a safer location is far more important at the moment.-

It was not very long before the hill that my grandmother spoke of came into sight. Awaiting me were five Fae of various types, and when I saw just what they were gathered around, my purpose here became clear to me. Laid there atop the hill and surrounded by wildflowers was the body of a Nymph, the one that I had been too late to save. Watching over her was Aishlin, the two other Woodwardens that had been with her during the battle, and a pair of unfamiliar Fae.

Aishlin and her companions looked better today, though both the Spriggan and the Elf of the group were obviously favoring one leg to keep the weight off the other and the Spriggan had his right arm in an improvised sling as well, to keep it from moving too much. Aishlin had more color in her face, was dressed in Woodwarden clothes similar to my own, and her cerulean blue hair was tied back in a braid. She, much like the others present, wore a somber expression on her face and there was a sadness in her golden eyes as she looked up at my approach.

The Spriggan was the first that I had ever seen, but we had not truly met officially, nor did I have time for more than a cursory look at the time of the fight. I had been too busy focusing on protecting them and removing the cold iron arrowheads. He was thin, almost gaunt, though I later discovered that this was a trait that most Spriggans share, and wore clothing similar to mine and Aishlin’s, but tailored more toward a male and the thin frame of his kind. His bark-like skin was mint green, he had long leaf-green hair that was styled in a mass of braids that fell around his head, and his emerald eyes showed the depth of his mourning.

The Elvish man wore a pained expression from a mix of sorrow and the healing wound in his thigh. He was tall and pale with dark hair interwoven with colorful beads, and this time he was not wearing the leather armor that he had worn on patrol. Instead, he wore dark and loose clothes that looked to be made of star-spider silk and obscured much of his well-toned body.

Then there was the pair that I had not seen before. The Nymph woman resembled the deceased one on the ground too greatly to be a coincidence and from the way that she and the unfamiliar Elf with her held one another in their grief, I could only assume that they were her parents. The Elf was slender, like most that I had seen, and had blond hair while the Nymph shared her daughter’s mahogany-colored hair, hourglass figure, and many of her facial features.

“Thank you for coming, Kaelyn,” Aishlin offered somberly as I touched down on the ground slightly more gracefully than during my previous attempts. “I was hoping that you might be able to help Lorai find peace.”

“Lorai? That was her name?” I asked as I looked down at the Nymph’s body nestled among the flowers. “I… I am truly sorry that I was not able to get there to help sooner, maybe I could have saved her.”

“Do not blame yourself, child, Lorai would not have wanted that,” the Spriggan chided me gently. “You came as quickly as you could to help people who were strangers to you. It is something that Lorai would have done as well.”

Aishlin nodded in agreement. “Grindle is right. You did what you could and Lorai would not have faulted you for that. The Spriggan is Grindle and Narin is the dark-haired Elf, they are my fellow Woodwardens. We and Lorai grew up together and chose to ward the woods together once we were of age.” She gestured to her fellow injured Woodwardens before gesturing to the mourning couple and adding, “And these are Lorai’s parents, Maira and Doren. We were… hoping that you might do us a favor.”

“You need me to remove the arrowheads, right? So her body can return to the Weave?” I asked as I looked down at Lorai’s body once again.

“Yes, please, Lorai’s body must be allowed to return to the Weave, as her spirit has. I will not leave her body here to be fed upon by scavengers as we flee,” Narin said in a choked voice and a hint of desperation before looking away as Grindle placed a steadying hand on his back.

“Lorai was Narin’s intended,” Aishlin explained somberly. “The four of us were all very close, but Narin has most keenly felt her loss. He and her parents. When I suggested that you might be able to remove the cold iron from her body completely, as you did with us, Maira and Doren asked if you would do so. If you could, we would all be very grateful.”

“Of course, I will,” I offered the dismal group. I quickly knelt beside Lorai’s body and stretched my senses to look for any trace of the deadly cold iron. It took a moment, but soon I found what I was looking for. She had taken three arrows to the chest and one of those had pierced her heart. Like the other arrows that the Demons and their followers used, the heads had snapped off the shafts when they had tried to remove them.

Fortunately, the heads were made well enough that they had not broken into smaller pieces, so I was able to extract all three of them without leaving any little pieces behind. I carefully manipulated each arrowhead onto a scrap of silk provided by Aishlin, and once they were all in place I was very careful not to let any of them touch my skin as I folded the silk around them to keep it from harming any Fae. Later I would give them to Vesha to melt down.

Only once I could no longer sense any more cold iron inside Lorai’s body, did I carefully tie the ends of the scrap of silk so the dangerous arrowheads could not easily come free. “I have removed all of the cold iron that I could sense inside of her,” I finally told those gathered around the body and me. “How long do you think it will be before we know if this worked?”

“Her spirit departed her body almost a full day ago; the mana within has already begun to break down and Fade, Kaelyn. With what was binding her to the physical world now removed, we should see soon.”

“I should leave you to say your goodbyes then,” I offered as I rose fluidly to my feet, holding the improvised silk satchel in my hands. Sharai had told me that witnessing the Fading of someone was a personal thing, something generally reserved for those closest to them, those who had an impact on their lives. I had not seen Sharai’s body Fade, I had been too busy getting clean and learning the basics of my new situation from Sharai following my transformation. Her body had been there when I went down to the cave to cleanse myself but had vanished by the time I returned above to prepare for my journey.

“No, please stay.” It was Lorai’s mother, Maira, who spoke.

“I did not know her, it is not my place. This is for those who were important to her,” I countered while trying to look away. I could already sense the mana beginning to leave Lorai’s body. It would not be long now.

“She only Fades now because of your intervention, Kaelyn, I can think of nothing more important than that. Because of you, her body can rejoin her spirit as part of the Weave and perhaps she can live again someday,” Doren said in support of his wife. “Lorai would want you here.”

Sharai had been mostly quiet, allowing me to handle this myself, but I could feel the pride welling up from her in the back of my mind as she told me, -They offer you a great honor, Kaelyn, one that you have earned.-

“I… thank you, I am honored,” I managed to say as I turned my gaze back toward Lorai’s body laying amidst the wildflowers.

Tiny motes of viridian light rose from her body, seeming to drift away at random, as they faded to naught. More motes separated themselves from her to float away to nothingness with each passing moment, and with each particle that vacated her prone form to dissipate, so too did her body become more and more ethereal. I could clearly see through her when finally her wraithlike remains burst apart in a flash of viridian, motes of mana exploding outward to seemingly dance around those of us gathered there, a final gentle caress, and perhaps a farewell, to those that Lorai cared about before they too faded away to oblivion.

It was beautiful and as we stood there in the sudden still silence of the forest, as if it too mourned her passing, an awed whisper escaped my lips. “So beautiful, there is a song in that.” I quickly clapped my mouth shut, afraid that I may have given offense.

“Aye, The Fading of Lorai… it sounds like a lovely tune. She would have liked that. I would be honored… to hear it when we next meet.” Narin choked out in a voice trembling with loss amidst his tears for his lover.

“She was such a… modest girl. She never would have believed… that a Bard would write a song for her, but if one did, it would have made her very happy. When you master those Tien’jin, please come play that song for us,” Aishlin agreed as she wiped at her tears with the sleeve on her good arm.

I stood there on the hill with them for several more minutes in silence for the fallen before we returned to the clearing where they returned to their homes to retrieve anything of value that they wished to take with them. I was almost immediately recruited by Zenna to help her and the village weaver to move the latter’s valuable supplies, including a swarm of star-spiders into Zenna’s and Godan’s wagon. Thankfully, the spiders were well-tamed and trained not to harm Fae.

I did have to listen to the pair of them talk shop though, mostly about clothes that might work for me. However, they also talked about trading some cloth made from star-spider silk for some of Zenna’s kirgen wool cloth. By the time that I was finished helping them, breakfast was well ready and Vesha and Master Nirlyn were already awake and eating.

It was midmorning by the time we had all of the troupe’s wagons mostly filled with the most valuable and personal possessions of the two hundred or so Fae villagers and were able to get underway. A group of Pixies was flying ahead to scout the road for any more soldiers or Demons since they were small and could easily stay hidden. Our progress was slow though because, with the wagons filled, most of us had to walk. Those of us who could fly could not risk it while still on the Evalis side of the border.

Still, by early evening, we had crossed the border into Kalidar lands, and those of us who could fly ended up scouting ahead for possible new locations for the village of Thaeria. It was not until two days later that we arrived at a spot in the forest that the Fae felt would be suitable and made camp there for the night. Those days had allowed little time for practice. Nevertheless, Shava and I managed to slip in our training sessions before breakfast, and Vesha, Korine, and I managed to get some practice with our instruments after the evening meals.

The next morning we said our farewells to the people of Thaeria village. Now that we had helped them, our pace would be quite a bit faster and things would return to normal as we made our way through Kalidar and then Nalean on our way to Haydin’s capital of Derevik. Normal for the rest of the troupe, not for me.

Since I had joined the troupe, we had been either rushing to try to escape Evalis alive or slowed down with our wagons filled to the brim and more company than we knew what to do with. Now, as we made our way to our destination, we would travel at a leisurely but steady pace and stop to camp outside any towns or cities that we came across for a time to make some coin and barter or buy anything that we might need. The others in the troupe thought that this would be a great time to get me accustomed to the life of a Voyager and I found myself looking forward to that.

 

 

 

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Author's Note: I would have liked to post this yesterday, but I was crazy busy with work all weekend and didn't get home until late last night. Anyway, here's chapter 17 of The Faerie Blade. Further chapters are available on Patreon.~Amethyst.
 

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 Chapter 17: Kaelyn’s New Clothes

Things settled into a new pattern after we left the Fae of Thaeria village to build their new home. The fully Fae members of the troupe would awake well before dawn and while preparations for the morning meal were underway, I would feed Zaiya. Once the owlet was fed and I had shown her some love, I would leave the wagon while Vesha and Master Nirlyn were still sleeping to start my sword practice with Shava under Sharai’s tutelage.

Sharai would start with control of my body while running through the motions of the first dance while I focused on the way our body was moving and how those motions felt, and then she would watch Shava go through it while occasionally correcting her stance or the way she moved or held her wooden sword. Then she would relinquish control of the body to me and Shava and I would go through the first dance again on our own, with her telling me any corrections or adjustments that Shava or I needed to make. After that followed practicing some of the more important individual motions and techniques that Sharai thought were particularly important to focus on.

Once sword training was done, Shava and I would get some archery practice in. Mostly I was teaching her from what I had learned from my father and my own experience, but sometimes Mara and Hagan would watch us practice and give us both some pointers. It was helping too since Shava was starting to improve and I found myself improving as well, and having to compensate less as I got used to my new Faery body and followed their advice. I was beginning to think that I might come out of this a better archer than I was before.

By the time we were done practicing, breakfast was usually ready, and we would eat as the sun rose. Vesha, Master Nirlyn, Daivin, and the half-human kids would usually come for their own breakfast once we were finished eating and while Joak and Sten were hitching the kirgens up to the wagons for the day’s travel. Then, after cleaning up and packing up camp, we would be on our way for the day.

We traveled at a fast pace to make good time but would start looking for places to make camp by midday. Kirgens can move as fast as a good horse at full speed, even when pulling the wagons, and their stamina is impressive. They could keep going hard until midday and cover what would normally be a full day’s trek for other Voyager caravans, I guess that was part of why Joak had wanted them for our troupe.

Once we set up camp and the Seeming was in place to keep us safe and out of the notice of anyone traveling the same road, we would have a simple meal and then work on whatever we had to do for the rest of the day. Joak and Sten cared for the kirgens and found them a spot to graze, Glimma took care of her owls, and the Bards among us practiced and had lessons. With three apprentices now, Master Nirlyn and Journeyman Daivin decided to teach all three of us general music and Bard teachings at once and have us practice together.

Our group lessons covered diplomacy, manners when dealing with wealthy patrons, music theory, voice control, reading and writing music, harmonization, and composition. I was thrilled that we were learning composition since I wanted to write a song that would do Lorai’s Fading justice. It was a beautiful and melancholy moment that deserved to be recognized and I learned a lot more about her as a person from those who knew her best while we traveled with the Fae of her village and searched for a new place for them to call home. I was itching to write a song about it, I just had no idea how yet.

For any special studies that we wanted to pursue, we had one on one lessons with one of them as well. These private lessons mostly consisted of our individual instruments, and magic for me and Korine since Vesha had no talent for it. Since Daivin was human and couldn’t use magic either, he started giving the Dragonkin lessons on sleight of hand while his daughter/apprentice eagerly joined me in learning magic from Master Nirlyn.

Korine might have been half human but she was also half Changeling so she probably had enough mana that she could learn what Master Nirlyn called spellsinging. Not that we were learning actual magic yet. For the moment, it was largely the theory of magic and the basics of how it works since she wanted us to know that before she started teaching us actual magic, but she promised to teach us more once we had a good grasp of the basics.

Our lessons usually took us well into the evening when those who helped with the cooking finished making the evening meal. We would eat with the rest of the troupe and then be able to relax for the rest of the evening until bed. It was a nice time for me to get to know others from the troupe better and spend some time with Vesha as we explored the possibility of a relationship. Korine seemed to always find some excuse to go talk to the other kids of the troupe or her parents and give us some alone time.

I was supposed to be getting dancing lessons from Selice after dinner, but I had successfully avoided it thus far. It wasn’t that I did not want to learn to dance, I was eager to learn, but wearing the Tien’jin with clothing had proven difficult. If I wore them under the clothes, the light and sounds were too muted, and they would not fit properly over my clothing or sense my movements properly when I could get them to fit over top without awkward bunching.

It was four days after we had left the Fae of Thaeria village when Zenna, the troupe’s seamstress, found me snuggled against Vesha’s warm body and enjoying her company after the evening meal. Apparently, she had come to correct my clothing dilemma. “There you are, Kaelyn, I should have figured you would be with Vesha. Come now, lass, I finally have proper clothes for you, and we had best make sure that everything fits right and proper.”

I was reluctant to leave Vesha’s embrace but I had to be practical, and I did not wish to seem ungrateful to Zenna. She had been working hard on new clothes for me and I did appreciate it, especially since I had been switching between the two sets of Woodwarden clothes that I had gotten since I was first changed. So, after sharing one last quick kiss with Vesha, I stood up and stretched to get some kinks out of my back. “Thank you, Zenna, it will be nice to have something else to wear,” I admitted.

Zenna led me to her family’s wagon and once inside she revealed a stack of clothing on one of the bottom bunks. She had me try on all of it to ensure a proper fit, but the bodices were a little hard to get used to. I had never worn one before and these were different from a normal bodice to allow for my wings. They did not lace up as high on my waist, and ribbons at my collarbone tied behind my neck to keep the upper half from falling open and exposing my breasts.

The bodices were black and made from some of the star-spider silk that we had gotten from the Fae of Thaeria village, with leather laces. I would be showing a lot of skin if I did not wear a cloak with them, but I guess that I would not be alone in that. In fact, if not for my shoulders and upper back being bare, the garments looked much like the bodices favored by every woman in the troupe, save Vesha.

The Dragonkin’s wings were larger than mine and more like a dragon’s, so they would have made even something like my new bodices impossible for her. Thus, she usually favored tunics with a long slit in the back to allow her wings through. A button cinching it at the top of the slit kept the garment from falling off.

The skirts were ankle-length, bright and colorful, and made from the kirgen wool cloth that Zenna wove for most of the troupe’s clothing. There were also head scarves, and long star-spider silk ribbons in various bright colors to compliment the skirts and be woven around the arms from shoulder to wrist in traditional Voyager fashion. Rather than loincloths or breeches, there were form-fitting silk undergarments similar to those that I had gotten from the Woodwarden outpost that Zenna called a moonskin.

“Moonskin?” I wondered aloud as I pulled a pair in place and fastened the ties to keep them secure. They were tight enough against my womanhood that they would have left little to the imagination were I somehow exposed.

“Aye, loose breeches and loincloths can get messy when your moon cycle comes along, so the Fae and we Voyager women wear these. Should your moon cycle come, it will hold a bloodmoss pad in place so you’re not leaving a mess with every step,” Zenna explained. Then she decided to answer my next question before I could ask it. “Bloodmoss is fairly common; you might know it as witch’s moss. It absorbs blood and other liquids well, so we wrap some in a strip of cloth and slip it securely inside our moonskin when our cycle comes.”

“Is that the moss that I see Mara bringing back sometimes when she and Hagen return from scouting or hunting?”

“Aye, she tries to bring some back every day in case any of us need some,” she replied with a nod. “Niryln or Vesha can show you what to do and where to get strips of cloth and the moss when your cycle comes around.”

I continued to try on the rest of the clothes after that. Overall, there were half a dozen skirt and bodice combinations, and twice that many moonskins. They all seemed a good fit but Zenna said that we would need to get me some good sandals when we reached the next town. She did make me a good wool cloak to keep me warm and dry though, and to cover my wings if needed. She felt that it would be warmer than the Woodwarden’s cloak that I was currently using, though she suggested that I would probably want to keep that as well, for warmer weather.

“And last but not least,” Zenna said once I thought that I had tried everything on. She produced something else from her worktable and offered the garments to me. I looked at the tiny bits of violet-dyed star-spider silk in confusion for a moment. The first part looked like a moonskin, but the second piece was confusing, a pair of triangular bits of the same material and color that were connected by braided silk ribbons.

“What… wha…” I…” I sputtered, in confusion and some dread. I had an inkling of an idea what they were for, but I could not possibly reveal so much skin in front of others, it would be scandalous. It was bad enough that most of my arms, shoulders, and back would be bare when wearing my new bodices.

“It’s for your dancing,” she explained, confirming my fears. “You said that clothes were a problem with your Tien’jin, but these won’t get in the way.”

“I should say not, they will barely cover anything! I may as well dance naked!” I retorted as my eyes went wide while I stared at the flimsy garments in my hands.

“Ah, right, you were raised human,” the troupe seamstress said with a sigh. Then she put a hand on my shoulder and offered gently, “You know that we do not have any nudity taboos, Kaelyn. You need to get used to that. You are going to see others unclothed; we will see you that way as well. We have already, every time that you have bathed with the women and children of the troupe. Do not be ashamed of your body, there is no need to hide it from those who care about you and know you.”

My cheeks were bright red. I knew what she was telling me, and she was right, but it was not easy to just discard everything that I knew and do something that human society had told me was wrong my entire life. I was not human though, was I? I had not truly been before, and I certainly was not now. I took a deep breath and nodded. It was not going to be easy to adjust to, but I was a Voyager, and our ways were not human ways. We only pretended to be human sometimes to fit in. “I… I will try it.”

“Good, it should allow you plenty of mobility and it will cover the more personal bits when you practice or perform. Let’s see you with it on and see what you think, Kaelyn.” With that, she showed me how to put the garments on.

The bottom part was easy enough; it was much like the moonskin she had shown me earlier, just a bit thicker to preserve what modesty I might have when this was done. It also had a sheer bit of silk in the same color that draped from my hips to my knees to slightly obscure things between my legs, much like a loincloth would. The top was to be tied behind my lower back and my neck to allow the pair of silk triangles to cover my breasts. “I… Well, I can move in it,” I offered uncertainly as I tried a few stretches, my cheeks bright red.

Zenna looked me over for a long moment before nodding in what seemed to be satisfaction. “Good, it’s a fair fit and it will leave your little baubles free to make their music and pretty lights. I based the outfit on something that scarf dancers among other troupes and the Fae use to dance in and entice the men. I would have made you a face scarf as they wear as well, but concealing your face would do little good.”

“Why is that?” I asked as I tugged nervously at the silk top I was wearing.

“You’re the only Faerie in our troupe, Kaelyn, and your coloring stands out. You can also use glamours to disguise yourself should you need to blend in.” She paused for a moment to let that sink in and then smiled at me. “I’d wager that you’ll be fine once you’ve had some time to get used to being a Faerie and part of our troupe. You had best hurry; Selice is waiting to begin your dance lessons. I’ll run your new clothes to your wagon for you.”

“Thank you, Zenna,” I managed to say before hurrying from the wagon. I did appreciate the new clothes and her taking them to my wagon. I also thought that maybe she was right, and I just needed some time to adjust.

Still, that time had not yet come, and I felt exposed and uncomfortable as I left the wagon to find Selice. That was when Sharai’s voice gently soothed me. -This is your troupe they will not judge you and, as she said, you will get used to this in time. What you wear is not so different than what other Tien’jin dancers have worn before you. When you dance, do not concentrate on how you may appear to others; focus on the music that you wish to make and the movements that will make it possible. That is your passion, and with it, all else will fade away.-

 

 

 

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Author's Note: I would have liked to post this on Sunday, but I was crazy busy with work all weekend and didn't get home until late. Then I spent most of Christmas recovering and writing. Anyway, here's chapter 18 of The Faerie Blade. Further chapters are available on Patreon.~Amethyst.
 

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 Chapter 18: Kaelyn’s First Steps

The night was cool with summer yet on the horizon and my sparse outfit, if indeed such a lack of clothing could be called such, provided no protection against the cool night air. I resorted to summoning a pair of rose-hued faerie fires to provide warmth as I dashed across the camp. My heart was still fluttering in my chest at the thought of being so exposed as I found Selice waiting by the wagon that she and Daivin shared with their two children; seven-year-old Torin, and my fellow Bardic apprentice, Korine.

The dancer was waiting for me, sitting upon a wooden bench that had likely been brought out from their wagon, and I stopped in my tracks as she looked up at my approach and seemed to assess both my sparse clothing and the body that it failed to properly cover. My cheeks flushed red in response and I looked down at the floor as I awkwardly attempted to cover myself with my hands. “I… umm… Zenna said that you wished to start my lessons? Should I… go put my Tien’jin on?” I inquired hesitantly.

Selice shook her head and smiled. “No, dear, you won’t be needing them tonight. Wear them tomorrow night though, so we can get an idea of what movements will cause them to make sounds. Tonight I will just be running you through some basic stretches and exercises so I can get a feel for what you are capable of and what we will need to work on going forward.”

With that, Selice stood up and began stretching her limber body in various ways, which she had me copy to the best of my ability. I was surprised at my ability to move my body, she had to correct me on the precise way to place my limbs occasionally, but my Faerie body was already very flexible and my sword practice with Sharai had helped with that. I was not quite able to contort my body in some of the ways that my new teacher could, but she believed that it would not take me long to get to that point. As long as we did those stretches every day at the start of our practice, I would be able to focus on learning the various movements and timing them with the music.

Learning new ways to move my body was something that I was getting used to from learning to use my sword, but while I was starting to get a feel for the sword technique and feeling Neva’kul as part of myself, this was different. Selice was teaching me to be aware of my body; how to move it gracefully, fluidly, and with a smooth subtlety not needed with my sword lessons. It was not just my arms and legs either. There was the tilt of my head, the expression on my face, and the positioning of my fingers when I reached out my hand. Everything was purposeful and meant to be visually captivating to those watching, with an exacting precision that had to appear as if it took little or no thought or effort.

It was much harder than she made it look, though she assured me that, in time and with constant practice, it would come as naturally as breathing. I sighed but nodded as she made that claim since Sharai had told me much the same about learning to use the sword and felt that these dance lessons would help with that. I found that Voyager dancing was not like the simple jigs that I has been picturing in my mind, it was delicate sweeping movements, keeping one’s body in constant motion, and even interacting with one’s environment as if planned without faltering and making it all seem intended and natural.

“Worry not, Kaelyn, much like your sword practice; we will get you used to the flow of your body and the ways to express it,” she assured me as we took a brief break. “These movements are just to get you aware of your body; how it moves, and how to express yourself with that movement, much like how you smile when happy or frown when deep in thought. It is a stepping-stone. Voyagers do not choreograph our movements because each dance is unique to the moment. We do not just move our bodies to the music; we feel the music, we embody it.”

“How do we embody the music?” I inquired as I tried to understand what she was saying.

“A song can change in subtle ways with each playing; the tempo, the way that the environment carries the sound, the mood of the musicians, and even the audience can contribute to this. Don’t think about how your body should move to the music, let each note guide you to become the music as it is in the moment and show that through your movements, the expression on your face, and the way that you carry yourself,” she replied.

“But to use the Tien’jin, will I not have to move the same way each time I play a song?”

“Change can be subtle, Kaelyn. Even if the general movements of the body are the same the nuances of those motions can change, as can a smile when you are truly happy or just attempting to appear so. I believe that the path to learning to make music through dance is to become one with the music. Once you can feel the music as it is in the moment and make others see it, you should be able to feel the songs in your heart as well and play them through your dance.”

“Feel the song in my heart…” I trailed off with a sigh. Aishlin had told me something similar but I was not certain that I would ever be able to truly grasp what either of them meant.

Selice offered a patient smile as she placed a hand reassuringly on my bare shoulder. “I do not expect you to find it quickly, or easily, Kaelyn. Every dance begins with but a single step, as does the journey to finding oneself, and you are here taking that step. Other steps invariably follow that first one and become easier to feel as the dance progresses. Do not overthink the motion, feel it, and allow it to take you to your destination.”

“How did someone who looks so young get to be so wise?” I wondered to myself. It was easy to forget sometimes that she had a daughter who was almost as old as me and Vesha. But then, my grandparents looked as young as she did.

-Remember that she, and most of the other members of your troupe, is a Changeling, Kaelyn. Fae do not show physical signs of aging once we reach maturity. She could very well be hundreds or even thousands of years old or not much older than she looks, the only way to be sure would be for her to offer that information. She likely learned these lessons once, just as you are now. True wisdom is knowing that you are not wise, and accepting the wisdom offered to you,- Sharai chided me from within my mind.

“Aye,” I responded to both of them after a moment of thought. Then I turned to Selice and inquired, “What is the next step then?”

The dancer laughed and smiled patiently. “The next step will be as much work for me as it will be for you, but I must admit that I am looking forward to the challenge. I can help you to become comfortable and natural in the movements of most of your body, but I do not possess wings. You and Sharai will need to teach me so I can help you to properly exercise them and master their movements in your dance as well. May I have a strand of your hair, Kaelyn?”

I managed to shake off my surprise enough to nod and plucked a single lavender hair to hand to Selice. She took it carefully and pondered it with a pensive expression before shrugging and removing her clothing as she explained. “You Faerie are quite tall and I would probably damage my clothes if I shifted with them on.”

She was right; most of the Voyager women in the troupe were at least half a head shorter than me, and even many of the men of the troupe were not quite at eye level with me. I was only now starting to get used to my change in height by having to look down at nearly everyone but Vesha. I tried to concentrate on that thought and not on her now naked body as my cheeks flushed. She was naked, and I was not far off either in my dancing ‘clothes’. Oh look, she is shifting; I should watch that, preferably her face.

I tried to do just that and it was not hard to focus on. The change was somewhat drastic in appearance, much as it had been with me, though she just seemed to flow from one form to the other and thankfully avoided the extremely painful transformation that I had gone through. I guess that was because she was only really shifting to appear as a Faerie on the surface and not changing completely as I had.

I had seen others shifting before, of course, but usually they were shifting into an animal or bird and the changes were more obvious and jarring that way. The shift did not take but a moment, and in that time, her face changed its features as if a master sculptor was working with clay, her skin became paler, she grew taller and her eyes and hair shifted to match my own. Then it was like looking at a living mirror.

She had become my duplicate in every way and it was somewhat shocking to hear my own voice say, “Hmmm, perhaps I should get Zenna to make a second outfit like the one you’re wearing. She already has the measurements and we could do some very captivating paired dancing together like this. I know of some wealthy men who would pay well to see twins dancing together, especially Faerie twins.”

She looked like me, and she was standing there naked where anyone that might walk by could see. “Yes! Please get her to do that if you plan on using my body often for these lessons!” I blurted out, my face bright red. “W-why do you look like me anyway?! I did not look anything like Sharai when I became a Faerie!”

My copy sighed but told me patiently, “You need to get used to casual nudity, Kaelyn. It will be difficult to avoid with our troupe and, believe me; you have nothing to be ashamed of. As for why I look like you, I used your hair for my shift and that means I copy you, not just some generic Faerie. With a permanent shift, like what you went through, it works differently; the blood provides the template of the species that you copy and the physical changes that go with it, but you become who would have been if born to that species. You are still yourself at your core though, and still have the blood and soul of a Changeling, so the surface changes reflect that and not the person whose blood you used. It is why your face still resembles your mother’s and grandparents’ so much.”

“S-sorry, it was just a bit startling. I have never seen any of you copy another person before,” I said as I looked away and tried to stop blushing.

“We do not copy people often,” she admitted. “As you can see, it is an ability that could easily be abused, so we try not to do so without good reason. In this case, it will be useful for your training.”

“And how would pretending to be my twin for the humans be useful?” I mumbled as I thought of her errant comment earlier.

“Oh, that’s easy,” she replied with a mischievous grin. “It would be fun, of course, and a good bit of mischief. I wasn’t lying about the money that we could make doing that occasionally either. I’m not talking about mere coppers or even silvers. We could get paid in gold if we played our cards right.”

I had to admit that it was tempting when she put it like that. Having some gold set aside would make things a lot easier if the troupe hit hard times for some reason down the road, and then there was the allure of mischief. Like any self-respecting Fae, Changelings love pranks and fun little deceptions from time to time, it was part of why the Voyager ruse and hiding their Fae heritage held enough interest for them to try to blend in as mere eccentric and mysterious traveling humans. I was no different. Despite the tension at the time, I had greatly enjoyed making fools of the priest and the two guards that I had fought in Majair.

Despite my current embarrassment, I found a smile twitching at my lips at the thought of pulling one over some rich and self-important humans with my ‘twin’. “I shall consider it,” I told her, not bothering to hide the smile that had now fully formed at the thought.

“Excellent,” she replied with a gleeful cackle. It took us both a moment to compose ourselves so we could get back to the serious work of training. “Now, tell me, Kaelyn. Does Sharai have any useful information on how I can get used to having wings, and any exercises for them?”

Sharai didn’t seem to have much that would help. As she had told me after I first changed, all Faerie are born with natural instincts for using their wings and flying. She did have some exercises for wing control that would help us learn to move each of our four wings independently, but Selice would have to get a feel for having them first. Sharai decided that the best way, since she wouldn’t be able to fly without a permanent shift, was to have me stand behind her and move her wings for her so she could get used to the sensations.

It was late and we were both getting very tired when Selice finally had us stop for the night. We had gotten far enough that she had a good idea of what she would need to do to practice working with wings a bit during the day inside her wagon while we were on the road, and she had my strand of hair in a safe place so that she could shift when she had the time to practice. Before I left to return to my wagon, she reminded me to wear my Tien’jin when I came to her the next night after dinner to continue my training.

 

 

 

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Author's Note: Here's chapter 19 of The Faerie Blade. Further chapters are available on Patreon.~Amethyst.
 

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 Chapter 19: Kaelyn at the Crossroads

Over the next few days, I was very busy as our troupe traveled eastward. It was a good thing that Fae do not require as much sleep as humans because I needed all of the extra hours that I could get. I continued to wake well before dawn to have my lessons in using a sword alongside my cousin. First, Sharai would guide my body through the movements, and then have me try to replicate it on my own before briefly taking over my body once more to instruct Shava.

We would keep going until breakfast, and then after eating, our caravan would be on the road once again. When I wasn’t driving the wagon, I would be either having lessons with Master Nirlyn or practicing with Vesha. We practiced our preferred instruments, vocal work, and various other tasks set by our Master, though we would also occasionally take breaks so I could feed and care for Zaiya. These breaks to care for my owlet also allowed Vesha and me to snuggle and talk.

Despite my feelings and attraction to the Dragonkin, we were taking our relationship slowly as we tried to get to know one another better. As much as I was attracted to her and wanted to give a relationship between us a chance, I was still getting used to the idea that two women, let alone two women of different species could have such a relationship. Vesha seemed to realize that, and she was giving me time to adjust.

Once the caravan stopped for the day, Korine and I would have lessons on the basics of spellsinging with Master Nirlyn while the camp was being set up for the night and the evening meal was being prepared. After dinner, I would return to our wagon to feed Zaiya and put on my Tien’jin and the sparse clothing that Zenna had made me for practicing my dancing. Then I had my dance lessons with Selice.

As self-conscious as I was while dancing in little more than scraps of cloth and my Tien’jin, I did have to admit that Master Niryln had been wise to encourage these lessons. The various exercises that Selice would put me through to warm up were helping me to become more aware of my body and how it could move. Those first few nights, Selice was still trying to get used to having wings while in my copied form so we mainly focused on those exercises, teaching me basic movements of Fae dancing, and experimenting with what movements would cause the crystals of the Tien’jin to create sounds.

Usually, by the time I got cozy in my bunk each night, it was not long before sleep claimed me. I was exhausted, but I was determined to keep it up. I could feel that all of the work that I was putting in was beginning to show results and I needed to keep pushing myself. I desperately wanted to master using Neva’kul so I could get vengeance upon the Demons, send them back where they came from, and ensure that they and their nameless God would never plague our world again.

As much as I wanted that though, I also wanted to become a Bard worthy of my mother and my Master. My mother had taught me to love music, but I did not appreciate how truly talented she had been until I met Master Nirlyn. She said that many of the songs that my mother had taught me had been her own compositions, and I wanted to create music like that too. Few bards have the potential to become a master in the guild, but had my mother not chosen to take a leave to have a family she could have been one of those few.

She was a rare talent, Master Nirlyn said. She had taught me well and Master Nirlyn believed that I had inherited that talent as well as her love for music. If I could show progress toward mastering a fifth instrument, especially one as rare and difficult as the Tien’jin, and devoted myself to my other lessons, then I would probably be ready to take the Journeyman tests with Vesha when we arrived in Derevik. It would take us roughly two months, or a little longer, to get there and I wanted to use that time to learn everything that I could.

The one thing that concerned me was that our detour to the Bardic Guild headquarters would more than double the time that it would take us to travel to Tarin’dol directly. That would be more time for the Demons and their Church to grow in power and spread their influence further. As much as Sharai wanted me to be able to pursue my dreams, I could tell that this was weighing on her mind as well.

We need not have worried. My grandparents had taken my dire warnings about the Church and Demons very seriously, it would seem. The night before we had left the new location of Thaeria village, Glimma had sent owls bearing message tubes. One was from Master Nirlyn and bound for the Bardic Guild in Derevik, and it contained all of the information that my Master had thought was important to relay on the current situation.

The other owl was sent to an old friend of my grandparents who was a warrior priestess in Zhahimel. There were two copies of a letter in that tube, one meant for the High Priestess of the Daughters of Zhahime and the other was to be sent to Tarin’dol by the fastest means possible. The village elders of Thaeria had also planned on sending a Pixie messenger with an oral message directly to the Fae Council in Tarin’dol after we left the village.

Hopefully, by the time that we arrived in Tarin’dol, one of those messages will have arrived and the Fae Council would be gathering its resources and planning a course of action. Maybe they would be able to contact the bearers of the other Vos’oraik by then as well. There was not much else that I could personally do at this point, and the message would probably reach Tarin’dol faster than I could while traveling on my own.

I had to trust in my grandparents and my Master and hope for the best. In the meantime, I would devote myself to working hard so I would be ready to fight when the time came, and so I could learn as much as I could from my teachers until then. So, when I woke up this morning I was prepared for another long day of hard work and practice.

Sharai announced yesterday that I had become fluid and natural enough at the first dance, Säel’Eräde, to move on to learning the second dance, Säel’Uíre. Where the first dance was the very basics of Fae swordsmanship, the second dance was meant to build upon those basics with new footwork, various counters, assaults, and dodging and parrying techniques to buy time and get the measure of one’s opponent while awaiting an opening. As Sharai guided my body through the motions of the second dance, and then had me work on the various individual motions on my own under her instruction, Shava was doggedly working on trying to master the motions of the first dance.

I could tell that my cousin was frustrated that she was progressing slower than I was, especially as I helped her to make corrections to her form while she attempted to make her way through the entire first dance. It was not helping her focus as I guided her through archery practice afterward, which only served to make her even more despondent. She seemed so disappointed by the time we finally stopped to eat breakfast that I decided to have a word with her as we ate.

“Shava, you are progressing well, even Sharai is impressed by how hard you are working at mastering the first dance,” I told her as I placed an arm around her shoulders.

She shrugged my arm off as she looked vacantly down at her meal. “Then how come I’m not ready for the second dance?”

“You are not being fair to yourself, Shava,” I told her gently. “You are only ten summers old, I have been learning longer than you have, and I have Sharai helping to guide my body through the movements until I get used to them.”

-May I have a word with her?- Sharai asked. Without a word, I agreed by stepping back mentally and allowing her control. “Child, Kaelyn is correct. My connection to her gives her distinct advantages to learning what I am teaching. You are learning the way that I did, the way that most people learn, though you are starting your lessons far earlier in your life than I did. You are gifted, determined to learn, and you are learning much faster than I did when I began my lessons. Do not compare your progress to hers; focus on learning and improving as you have been until now.”

Having said her piece, Sharai returned control of my body to me. “And when you focus properly, you have been doing as well with archery as you have with the sword, especially since Hagen and Mara made you a bow and arrows more suited to your size. Do not allow anyone to doubt your ability or resolve, especially not you.”

“I… I guess so, I just want to get better,” my cousin offered uncertainly as she picked at her food.

“And you are,” I told her honestly. “Every day the motions become more natural to you and Sharai has to get me to correct your form less. Your aim with your bow gets better each day as well. I know that you want to learn faster and to be honest so do I, but all that either of us can do to make that happen is to continue doing our best. Now eat up, we need to start breaking up camp soon so we can get back on the road.”

It was not long after that when Master Nirlyn, Vesha, and the few others of the troupe who were not completely Fae, and thus needed more sleep, joined us. Much of the talk over breakfast was about our travel plans. Grandma was hoping that we would reach the town of Loden before sunset that evening. Unlike the small village that we had passed by a couple of days ago, this was a town and with the amount of people there, it would be a good place to stop for a day or two to make some coin and stock up on supplies. I could probably buy some proper sandals there and look through the shops for other things that I might need as well.

After Loden, it would take us roughly a week to get to Hindra, the capital of Kalidar. Hindra was a large trading city on Soren Bay and would mark the halfway point of our trip through Kalidar. Once out of Kalidar, it would take us at least another two weeks to travel through Nalean and then we would have to make our way through Haydin to the capital of Derevik on the east coast. We could either travel there by the roads, which would take upward of two weeks or hope to catch a boat willing to carry our caravan down the Afshan River in the town of Rivermeet. The latter would shave more than a week off our trip, but my grandparents were uncertain whether we could find a trustworthy captain willing to transport our troupe and our wagons downriver.

It was as we were discussing our options once we eventually reached Rivermeet, that Wilden let out a shrill whistle, drawing everyone’s attention to where he sat with his wife Tanna, and their daughter Jaya. Our troupe Healer wore a look of concern as he sat there, his eyes focused on those of his wife. I could not blame him since her eyes had my attention as well, now that I was looking in her direction. They were glowing with an eerie green light, visible even across the fire in the morning light.

Tanna spoke in a voice that did not sound like her own, the pitch and cadence unfamiliar and strange. “Where the path diverges today, so too must the path of the blade bearer and the child of fire. Their Vel’Nassar awaits them near the darkness to the north. If they can solve the riddle, they shall find their proof in the shadows of the past. Blade bearer; seek out the sister of spirit and steel. She is the prize you seek, but not the prize you need. The dark defender bears the key to your safe passage. Child of fire; seek your truth. Deep within the catacombs, the eternal flame holds your answers, and your salvation. Fear not the darkness when embraced by the light.”

The moment that the last word left her lips, that eerie light left Tanna’s eyes and she collapsed. For a moment, silence fell over the troupe, as the words seemed to have frozen everybody. The words had burned themselves into my mind but there was one thing that stumped me. I had no idea what a Vel’Nassar was. -A Divine task?- Sharai asked in a mix of wonder and confusion.

Master Nirlyn was the first to speak, a grim expression on her face. “There can only be one place, tha’ she could ‘ave meant. I am no’ sendin’ m’ apprentices off alone t’ a Gods-damned dark zone!”

A dark zone. One of the places that all Fae avoided, places so corrupted by the dark rituals of the Demons and their God during the war with them, that even thousands of years later the flow of mana was still contaminated. There would be Tainted there, and the risk of becoming Tainted ourselves.

I was beginning to panic about that until my grandmother gave my Master a withering glare. “Nirlyn, I know that you feel responsible for these girls, and care for them, but this is their decision to make. Tanna did not say that they would need to enter the dark zone; she said that their Vel’Nassar would take place near it. For Vesha, it even makes sense; this is near where you found her as a babe after all. I can sense the Goddess’s hand in this.”

“W-what is this all about?” I asked uncertainly.

“The Vel’Nassar is a tradition that we Voyagers began not long after the Great War when there were few of us left, and we first began to wander the world pretending to be Humans,” my grandfather explained. “Instead of forcing our children to wait to be considered adults until they reached fifty years of age, we began a rite of passage. If the troupe believes a youngling who has reached eighteen years of age to be mature enough, they will ask Hespira for guidance and assign that child a task to fulfill in Her name, to prove that they are truly ready to wear the rings of an adult. When they return with the proof that the task has been done, they are considered an adult.”

Uncle Bryden was frowning as he added, “It’s usually a task chosen by the troupe, something to challenge them without truly risking their lives. Only rarely has the Goddess actually intervened with direct guidance like this. It is no coincidence that Tanna has received this vision now. Not when we are so close to the place where we first found Vesha, and on the day of Kaelyn’s birth no less. One of Tanna’s visions guided us to Kaelyn as well, at a very specific place and time, and our path since then has brought us here.”

I did not even realize that it was my birthday today. I knew the date of my birth of course; it was mentioned in my mother’s letters, and I had vague memories of celebrating it before my parents had been murdered. I also knew that it was now nearing the summer solstice and that I would be turning eighteen soon, but I had long ago stopped keeping track of the days to focus on my survival. I found myself considering the words of Tanna’s vision though, they seemed important, and I felt like I needed to do this, no matter how dangerous it might be. It was not about proving myself though, something about this called to me.

There was a lot of arguing while I was lost in my thoughts. Master Nirlyn did not want either of us going anywhere near a dark zone, especially on our own. The troupe had finally found me after all of these years and she did not want them to risk losing me again, maybe for good this time. Aunt Seville pointed out that we would not have to go alone. Our tasks were not mutually exclusive, nor did the vision state that we needed to do so on our own. In fact, it seemed to imply that we should do so together.

Mara also pointed out that we both had the means to defend ourselves or just fly away and join the troupe in Loden if we had second thoughts or things became too dangerous. As much as they all had opinions though, they all knew that the decision was not theirs to make. It was ours, and we both had reasons to want to go. I could feel something; I was needed there, and the vision had heavily hinted that Vesha would find the answers that she sought about herself there.

We had made our decision and as soon as we had done so, my grandparents ordered everyone to break up camp so we could get back on the road. Vesha drove our wagon for the morning so that Master Nirlyn would be fresh to take the reins after the midday meal until the troupe arrived at Loden. I could not be sure whether she was just worried about us, or angry with us for our decision, as she guided me through my lessons, but it hurt to know that we had upset her so. Still, I did not renege on my decision or attempt to excuse it, I just asked her to trust in us.

It was slightly before noon when we reached the crossroads. From there, continuing eastward would have the troupe arriving in Loden in a few hours. The road to the northeast was less traveled, barely more than a rough track that would take travelers to the tiny village of Novare. The third branch was another major road that turned southwest and traveled through western Kalidar and then into Scorcia.

As we all broke for lunch, Master Nirlyn told us that this was the crossroads where she had first found Vesha and the shattered remains of her egg. There was a sad and distant look on her face as she said, “Ya were weak an’ hungry then, lass, an’ I needed t’ nurse ya t’ health an’ keep ya safe. Yer strong now, but yer like a daughter ta me, so I’m always goin’ ta worry ‘bout ya. Kaelyn, yer ma sister’s daughter, an’ ya remind me so much o’ yer mother at times. She was an ‘ardheaded pain in the arse sometimes too. Ya both better come back ta meet us in Loden.”

“I need to do this… Mama, I need to find out who I am,” Vesha said tearfully as she hugged the Ravieri Bard.

“Ya haven’ called me tha’ since I took ya as m’ apprentice,” Master Nirlyn replied, her voice wavering.

“I wanted to be a proper apprentice to you, Mama, but you will always be my mother. I’m sorry if you ever thought that I stopped thinking of you that way. You raised me, and I love you. That will never change, no matter what I discover about myself,” the Dragonkin replied, burying her head in her mother’s neck and wrapping her large wings around them both.

I cursed my sharp hearing as I attempted to let them have their moment. We had already said our farewells to the rest of the troupe and promised to try to be safe. They were all a little worried about us, but they also knew what we were capable of, and we had Tanna’s vision to help us. My grandparents were very particular about that. They made sure that I remembered the exact wording of the prophecy and warned me to use those words as my guide. They told me that Tanna’s visions were almost never wrong, and always contained the clues needed for success.

Once my Master and fellow apprentice had collected themselves somewhat and separated, I tried to appear confident. “We will be fine, Master Nirlyn. We will do our best to keep each other safe and my magic sense should help us to stay clear of the dark zone itself. We will meet you all in Loden soon. Please, take care of Zaiya for me while we are gone.”

“I will, lass, but if yer no’ back wi’ the troupe by sunset t’morrow, I’m comin’ after ya.” she stated after an awkward silence. That was the deal that we had made, to reassure her and the others in the troupe, and we were all bound to that promise. It gave us nearly a day and a half to find what we were searching for before the others considered our Vel’Nassar a failure and sent out search parties to find us, or what was left of us. With that grim thought in my mind, Vesha and I took to the sky and flew northward.

 

 

 

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Author's Note: Here's chapter 20 of The Faerie Blade. Further chapters are available on Patreon.~Amethyst.
 

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 Chapter 20: Kaelyn and the Ruins

It took over an hour of flying before we could see the dark zone. I felt it before I saw it, a bone-deep chill and the sickening sensation from mana so polluted by the evil magic of the Demons that I could feel my very soul recoiling in horror at its mere existence. Visually, it was a vast circle of black and blighted landscape, long left within death’s unrelenting grasp. “It is all dead,” I muttered as I looked away and tried not to throw up.

-Aye, Kaelyn, naught grows or lives in the dark zones, at least, nothing good,- Sharai warned. -Be cautious, even outside the dark zone, you might encounter that which was fouled within. Where there are dark zones there are Tainted, and worse yet, Darklings. The latter seldom stray far from the dark mana that spawned them though, lest they lose what mockery of life they possess.-

“Darklings? And why would they do that if they need the tainted mana to survive?” I asked. I knew that Tainted were people, animals, or other living things who were changed by long-term exposure to corrupted mana into monstrous creatures. I had never heard the other term though.

-Aye, Darklings. Souls of Faded Fae who died within a dark zone, forever tainted by dark mana and unable to return to the Weave. Shadowy parodies of what they once were in life and jealous of the living, especially Fae.-

I shivered at the thought but fortunately, the terrifying thoughts that brought to mind were scattered as Vesha’s voice asked, “Are you alright, Kaelyn?”

“Aye,” I managed after a moment and a deep breath to calm my mind. “Sharai was just warning me that we should be wary of Tainted and Darklings, even if we do not enter the dark zone itself.”

Vesha gave a grim nod of agreement. “She’s right. Let’s try and find these catacombs that Tanna mentioned. I want to finish this quest as soon as possible; I do not want to be wandering around here after the sun sets. If we do have to make camp somewhere, I would rather find someplace that can be easily defended.”

I was in full agreement with the Dragonkin and quickly scanned the ground around the dark zone. “Catacombs…” I turned the word over upon my tongue, considering what it might imply, and went over the prophecy in my mind again and again as we flew around the perimeter of the dark zone while keeping a safe distance. It was half an hour later that I spotted what looked like unusual rock formations poking up through the treetops, and one great spire that looked out of place somehow among the trees.

I could see the strange rock formations stretching into the dark zone as well, there was a sort of pattern to them. Wait, those were ruins. “Vesha, look there!” I called out. “Tanna said that we would find our proof in the shadows of the past!”

The ruins were vast, easily as large as the city of Majair though most of it was rubble, long since reclaimed by nature. There was little remaining now except for the occasional intact building jutting up past the treetops and the strange tower, but the fact that anything still stood at all after several millennia was a testament to the Ancient Ones. Ironically, it looked like the ruins within the dark zone fared better than outside, but I was not about to risk venturing there to explore them. Besides, we had a time limit, one that was passing faster than I liked.

It was nearing sunset now, leaving us little more than a day to finish our task and meet our troupe in Loden, and we had yet to find anything in these ruins that might lead us into the catacombs spoken of in the prophecy. We had looked through rubble and inside what few buildings that had, by some miracle, remained standing after so long, but we were getting nowhere.

I sat upon a moss-covered stone near another pile of ancient rubble that had yielded nothing and let out a sigh. There was too much of this ancient city for us to haphazardly search before our time was up. Perhaps it was time for a break while we figured out a proper plan. “Maybe we should find a secure place to make camp for the night, Vesha. The shadows are growing long, and this place makes me uneasy.”

Vesha’s shoulders sagged. I was fairly certain that she was feeling as disappointed as I was, but then she stood up straight and turned to look at me with wide eyes, “Wait, what did you just say?”

“I said that we should probably find a place to make camp,” I repeated wearily.

“No! The other part!” she exclaimed with a grin as she pointed toward the tallest of the towers that we had yet seen, a strange fusion of stone and metal that had withstood the test of time better than its counterparts. “You said the shadows are getting long, what if we’ve been going at this all wrong? What if, instead of looking at the rubble and in the buildings themselves, we need to look in the shadows they cast? In the shadows of the past.”

I was back on my feet in an instant as I realized that she might just be on to something. That was the riddle we needed to solve, and Vesha had probably just done so. “We need to hurry; we do not have long before the sun sets.”

As if by some unconscious accord, we both took to the air and flew straight for the tower, as it cast the largest shadow. I found myself watching the shadows uneasily as we traversed the city, but it was not solely to search for what we sought. This place made me uneasy, and I feared that there might be more in those shadows than our goal, something evil.

The tower cast a large shadow, it almost reached the dark zone to the east of us, and we had to search quickly. I could probably keep searching even after sunset with my night vision, but Vesha had no such advantage. The last light was nearly upon us when I spotted stone steps leading underground. I had almost missed them as they had been partially buried in the collapse of the large building that had once sheltered them.

I quickly called Vesha over and she had to be practically on top of the steps and summon a flame to her hand before she could see the opening in the fading light. “Good job, Kaelyn, I think this is it. Let’s go, maybe we can find a defendable spot to get some rest. We are far too close to the dark zone for my comfort.”

“I can sense dark magic down there. It is faint but moving, and there is more than one source. There are probably Tainted down there,” I cautioned. “At least the tunnel seems to be moving away from the dark zone, judging by where I’m sensing the movement.”

“Torr’s hairy balls!” she cursed in response, a frown darkening her face. “It looks like we’re not going to get through this trial without some sort of fight. Can you tell how close and how many?”

I shook my head, mirroring her frown. “It is hard to say. We are far too close to the dark zone and it has… a presence. It is making sensing magic difficult, especially anything similar to the corrupted mana there. It will become easier as we move away from the dark zone but…”

Suddenly, Vesha shoved me roughly to the side, hissing in pain as her arm took a thrust that would have likely skewered me from behind. Her scales had taken the blow but even they had not completely protected her and I could see small rivulets of blood in the light of the flames that erupted from her mouth to send the shadowy creature back several steps. I had not even sensed its approach with the interference from the nearby dark zone and as I got a good look at it in the light of Vesha’s flames, Sharai’s voice exclaimed, -A Darkling!-

It reminded me of a Demon outside a corporeal body, smoke and shadow vainly holding on to the shape and form the creature had once had as a Fae. In life, she had probably once been a Faerie, like me. I could not make out any distinct features, save for the balefully glowering crimson eyes, but she was similar to me in shape and size, and wisps of darkness behind her parodied my wings.

She wore silvery-blue armor that mostly covered her shadowy form from the neck down, including a full plate cuirass with an attached chainmail skirt of sorts that reached mid-thigh on her. Thick plated pauldrons, vambraces, gauntlets, greaves, and sabatons were also worn over finely woven chainmail leggings and a hooded coif. The armor shone in the light of Vesha’s flames and did not look like it had ever seen a day of battle. The strangest thing though, was her sword; an unnatural swirling mix of light and shadow.

Vesha’s flames had seemed to surprise the Darkling more than hurt her and she turned away from the Dragonkin to leap at me once again with a scream of fury. I let Sharai take control and she rolled our body backward before getting to our feet and drawing Neva’kul to parry the Darkling’s attack in one smooth motion. “Vesha, you cannot harm this one, it is neither living nor corporeal. Only magic can hope to stand against such a creature, and Neva’kul is a magical blade,” she warned in our voice.

“Can we harm it?” I thought at her nervously.

-I… do not know. I have never attempted to fight a shade such as this, and that armor is completely made from moonsilver, heavily enchanted as well to be in such pristine condition. I shall need to attack the unprotected areas,- was her reply as she parried another attack and countered with a thrust toward the creature's unprotected head as I felt her channeling my body’s mana into the blade.

Neva’kul passed right through the creature’s head as if it was the smoke it resembled, only seeming to anger her further. She used the thrust against us, forcing Sharai to roll our body to the side to prevent her strange blade, which had somehow switched hands in the blink of an eye, from getting inside our guard.

“How did she switch hands so fast?!” I seethed as we got to our feet just in time to block another frenzied attack. “And I thought you said that Neva’kul could hurt her!”

-The blade is probably the corrupted remnant of the gift she had in life, and I said that magic was our only hope, not that it was certain to work,- Sharai snapped back. Her frustration was understandable. We both knew that eventually, she was going to tire and when that happened, I would be facing the Darkling alone, without the benefit of Sharai’s fighting experience. If we could not hurt it, even with Neva’kul, how were we going to live through this?

Our fight raged on and sunset had faded into twilight. I was glad for the speed and agility that our body possessed as Sharai, parried, dodged, and backed out of the reach of another rapid flurry of attacks. Without her guiding my body, I would likely be dead by now. Thanks to Sharai, our opponent had yet to so much as scratch me, but that wasn’t going to last. Our breathing was becoming labored, her attacks were coming closer and closer to hitting each time, and we still had no way to actually hurt the Darkling.

Sharai had even tried using magic, but what small spells that she knew were not offensive in nature. They did not bother the Darkling any more than Vesha’s flames had, everything seemed to just pass right through it if it wasn’t stopped by the armor first. She was swiftly tiring from appending so much time in control of my body while casting spells and infusing mana into Neva’kul whenever she attacked possible weak spots.

-Kaelyn, I will need to rest soon. You may have to use Tamisun’s glyph to increase your speed and reflexes. If you must do that, use mine as well. Perhaps you can escape using your copies as a distraction,- Sharai told me tiredly. –I am sorry, I should have learned to use more magic than simple cantrips when I was alive, as Tamisun told me. I always thought that I would have plenty of time to learn.-

How could we beat this thing? It was more annoying than fighting Demons. At least Demons were reliant on a physical body that you could kill. Then they could be destroyed with the purifying flames of faerie fire. Wait. This thing was a Fae soul, corrupted by the tainted mana in the dark zone. Maybe Sharai was right about using magic after all.

“Sharai, cast a faerie fire!” My projected thought surprised her as she deflected the Darkling’s weapon wearily and leaped backward to put some distance between us, but one brief glimpse at what I was thinking had her quickly summoning a massive rose-hued faerie fire that completely encompassed our adversary. Her screams were torturous, and it took longer to purify her than any of the Demons that I had done so with. Sharai relinquished control of my body once she was certain that it was working and Vesha approached as soon as the screaming began and for a time, the pair of us stood there silently as we watched my flames consume the Darkling.

Finally, the screaming stopped, the empty armor crashed to the ground, and a naked translucent figure stepped out from inside the flames, closing the distance between us. She was a Faerie with long red-gold hair and amber eyes and wings, and I allowed my flames to vanish since I suspected that their work was now done. Vesha was about to step between us, but the spirit smiled and shook her head as she simply stepped through the Dragonkin’s extended arm.

I was exhausted but I remained standing as the spirit took my hands in hers, eliciting a shiver all the way up my arms and down my spine. “Thank you for setting me free, youngling, may this gift keep you safe,” the woman’s voice whispered as a burning agony was seared into the back of my left hand. When she removed her hands from mine, I saw a strange golden glyph on the back of her left hand, one that matched the one now on my hand, where the burning sensation had been a moment before.

The apparition stepped away, briefly casting a sorrowful look toward Vesha, or rather her arm. The scales were turning black where the Darkling’s first blow had managed to penetrate her scales. “I am sorry, young Salamander, the darkness spreads. Hurry to the chamber of fire.” She was quickly fading from sight as she gave that last warning and when the last word left her lips, she burst into countless motes of light. The lights swirled around us in one final farewell before floating up into the sky and fading from sight.

 

 

 

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Author's Note: Here's chapter 21 of The Faerie Blade. Sorry, this chapter should have been posted on Sunday, but life got in the way and yesterday I kept getting backend fetch fails when I tried to access the site. No chapter of FoN this week either because I've been having issues focusing and just muse problems in general the past week. ~Amethyst.
 

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 Chapter 21: Kaelyn in the Catacombs

Vesha saw me staring at the black scales and frowned as she attempted to get me to focus on something else. “What is that mark on your hand, Kaelyn? The spirit mentioned a gift.”

I glanced at the odd-looking golden glyph on the back of my left hand, but I had no idea what it might be. Sharai’s mental voice sounded very tired as she offered, -It is a binding glyph, though I have not seen such a thing since I was in Tarin’dol.-

Sharai went on to explain that they were far more common during the war with the Demons, but that some noble families still used them today. Nobles of high station would use them to bind an enchanted object to themselves, or several, since more enchantments could be bound once the mark was imbued in their flesh. The imbuing process was expensive though and only the upper echelon of Fae nobility could usually afford it. The marks could be passed down to a chosen heir when one was dying though, so there were some binding glyphs that had been passed down through families since the war. Any enchanted objects bound to the glyph would then be passed on to the heir as well.

-In your case, Kaelyn, I would assume that her armor was bound to the glyph; moonsilver armor is expensive, even for high nobles, and she would have wanted to ensure that it could not be stolen or fall into the wrong hands. In armor from the war, it was often enchanted so that it could be summoned when needed, to reduce its weight, to magically repair any damage to it, and to keep itself in pristine condition. I would assume, given its condition, that this set of armor has such enchantments,- the Faerie spirit concluded.

“The dark defender bears the key to your safe passage,” I muttered, quoting Tanna’s prophecy. I quickly explained it to Vesha and we both stared at the armor that was laying on the ground. Still, in that brief silence, I found my eyes drawn back to the blackening scales on Vesha’s arm. “What is happening to her?” I asked Sharai in concern.

Sharai wearily explained, -She was stabbed with a weapon made from concentrated tainted mana and I believe that it is corrupting her from within. She is becoming Tainted. It is happening slowly, but being so close to the dark zone is probably not helping her, Kaelyn.-

My heart skipped a beat. “No! She cannot… Surely, there must be something we can do. It... it has not progressed far, perhaps we could use faery fire to purify her?”

-Kaelyn,- my spirit guide gently but tiredly prodded, -I have never seen this happen before, it is possible that trying to purify her could do more harm than good. She could lose her arm, or it could kill her. Remember, Tanna said that the eternal flame would hold Vesha’s answers, and her salvation. The shade also indicated that she should hurry to the chamber of fire. If we are going to save her, this is probably the best chance that we have. Now quickly, we must make our way into the catacombs. We all require rest, and we should not do so in the open here on the surface, lest more Darklings be drawn to our presence.-

“Aye, let us go,” I agreed with a sigh before tearing my gaze away from Vesha’s arm and glancing at the armor once more. “How do I summon it, Sharai?” I asked, glad that the former owner was a Faerie so the armor would have openings for my wings.

-Focus on the mark, and through it call to the armor. Envision it protecting you.- I closed my eyes and thought about the golden glyph on my left hand, pictured myself wearing it, A moment later, I felt a faint pulse of magic in both the glyph and the armor and felt a weight settle upon me.

It was lighter than I thought it would be, but I guess that was not surprising with the enchantments that Sharai had mentioned. It was certainly more comfortable than I had been expecting as well, padded in several places to dull the strength of blows and some that seemed to support my breasts as well as protect my chest. The cuirass was tight in a few places, but there were straps to adjust that and at least it wouldn’t fall off. It felt like I was wearing star-spider silk rather than armor, though I later discovered that I was since there were simple garments of the fabric underneath the armor that Sharai thought were meant to prevent chafing and discomfort.

That was when I realized that those garments had replaced my own, save for the moonskin that I could still feel covering my nethers. There was even a pair of soft-soled boots beneath the greaves and sabatons. The Woodwarden clothes that I had been wearing before, for ease of movement, were now haphazardly piled where the armor had lain but a moment earlier. Vesha looked from my clothes to the armor that I was now wearing, and I could have sworn that her cheeks flushed.

Sharai, meanwhile, was muttering. -We shall have to find an enchanter to see if your sword belt and Neva’kul’s sheath can be added to the summoning enchantment. Being separated from your weapon and me in an emergency would be a problem.-

I gave her a mental nod in response and quickly belted Neva’kul back in place over the armor before adding my cloak as well. Then, after hurriedly packing the remainder of my clothes in my traveling satchel with the food and supplies that were already inside, I turned to Vesha and said, “Let us go, we should find a place in the catacombs to rest for the night, preferably further away from the dark zone.”

I was bone weary by the time we finally found a place in the catacombs where we felt it would be safe to rest for the night. It was a maze of long-forgotten graves, and we were forced to battle nearly a dozen Tainted before I could no longer sense their dark mana nearby. They were monstrous creatures that had once been rats, insects, and various burrowing animals, but between Vesha’s strength and flames, my faerie fires, and Neva’kul, they were easily disposed of. My new armor had likely saved my life several times already and I was getting valuable experience in using Neva’kul in actual combat.

Once we had ensured that the crypt that we had decided to sleep in for the night was as secure as we could make it, we ate a portion of the food that we had brought and then were swiftly claimed by slumber. I was the first of us to wake, though that was unsurprising since Fae generally need less sleep than most other Races. I allowed her to rest until she awoke, while I watched her in concern. Most of the scales on her upper arm were black now and the flesh that they did not cover was an unhealthy gray.

When Vesha awoke, we shared a meal of travel bread, some dried meat, and watered-down wine in silence before continuing onward. As we walked and attempted to navigate the maze of tunnels while avoiding Tainted, I often cast worried looks toward the Dragonkin beside me and the blackening scales on her arm. She had been trying to hide it, but I could tell that the darkness that was trying to claim her was causing her a good deal of pain and that only worried me more.

I was considering calling a brief rest when something diverted my attention from my concern over my companion. I could feel something, an unfamiliar pulling sensation that emanated from somewhere ahead of us. I stopped in my tracks, and I scarcely noticed when Vesha stopped several paces ahead and turned around to ask in concern, “Are you okay, Kaelyn?”

Sharai, whose mind had been slumbering within Neva’kul since we found our shelter the night before, was suddenly very awake. -This feeling… one of the other Vos’oraik lies ahead.-

“The sister of spirit and steel,” I gasped; the words so quiet that it seemed Vesha had not heard them, even in the current eerie silence of the catacombs.

The Dragonkin regarded me with a worried expression. “Is everything okay? Are you sensing more Tainted?”

I shook my head in response before I managed to find the words. “One of the other Vos’oraik is down here, somewhere ahead of us. I believe that is what I am here to find.”

“Wait, so there is someone down here with one of the other four magic swords like yours?”

-I do not know,- Sharai thought in answer to Vesha’s query. -It has not moved while we have been standing here, though it is possible that the bearer is simply resting and waiting for us to come to them. The Vos’oraik are not all like Neva’kul though. Each weapon was forged with the gift and combat style of its chosen wielder in mind. Neva’kul is no mere sword either. It is a mageblade.-

We began navigating the tunnels once more as my spirit guide explained in further detail what had been passed down from her predecessors about the Vos’oraik, and I attempted to summarize for Vesha. Joarra, the first bearer of Neva’kul, was both a fine swordswoman and a competent mage, and her gift allowed her to concentrate the mana around her into the blade of her sword and release it in a blast of destructive magical energy along the path of the swing or thrust of her blade, earning her the title ‘Joarra the Cataclysm’. When the Elven sage Darion forged Neva’kul for her, he created a Faerie-styled blade that would also allow her to not only channel her spells through it, but to amplify them as well.

The other Vos’oraik were similarly well suited to play to the strengths of their intended wielders. Niyr’votak was a wand made for Darion’s own son and apprentice, Cerric. He was a potent mage in his own right and he possessed the most powerful healing gift known among the Fae during the war, so the wand was meant to both channel and amplify his magic as well. Mek’simna was a massive cudgel forged for the Spriggan warrior, Torl, whose gift could increase his strength twentyfold. The fourth was called Fal’hevar, and it was forged for a Changeling swordswoman known as Alara the Unbloodied, due to her gift to make her skin as hard as steel.

The final Vos’oraik was a scythe named Quo’zarin, forged for a Pixie named Cecily. Despite her tiny size, she was a fierce fighter and possessed a gift that allowed her to command the wind itself. It was said that if she wished it, she could batter her opponents with the force of a hurricane while her scythe unerringly sought their weak points.

I wondered which one we would encounter as I followed the pull of the other weapon through the catacombs. Thankfully, I was sensing fewer Tainted as we got further from the dark zone, and it was mostly an easy matter to avoid them. Still, I worried for Vesha. By the time that we had stopped to eat a light meal and rest for a few minutes, the darkness had claimed almost her entire left arm and she was no longer able to hide the discomfort that it was causing her.

We needed to hurry. I would have gladly given up the chance to find Neva’kul’s sister weapon and succeed in my trial if only we had some idea where this chamber of fire was, but we had no idea other than it was somewhere within the catacombs. The only course of action that we had was to continue toward the other Vos’oraik and hope that we would find some clues about the chamber of fire as we did.

Not long after we ate our meal, I found myself staring at the tunnel before me in a mix of frustration and concern. Unlike the catacombs that we had been exploring thus far, this tunnel seemed to be a natural formation with a downward slope and lacked the semi-open burial chambers and occasional crypt doors that lined the walls of the catacombs we had explored until now. I could also feel a source of mana down there, something that I could not identify. It did not feel dark or evil, closer to chaotic if I had to put a word to it, and it was far more potent than anything I had encountered before. It felt even more potent than the dark zone.

“Are you certain that is the only way?” Vesha asked, gritting her teeth from the pain in her arm. Seeing her in such pain was like a knife to my heart. She was usually so confident and powerful, but right then I just wanted to be able to comfort her and assure her that we would find what we needed to purge the darkness. I could not though. I had no idea how much time we had before sunset while underground, and even less whether Vesha would last that long if we did not find what we were looking for.

“Aye,” I told her sadly. “We already checked the closest branches of these tunnels. They all double back or take us in directions away from the Vos’oraik. It is down there, I am certain of it, and so far, all we have seen up here are crypts, nothing that even gives us a clue where the chamber of fire or an eternal flame could be unless it is the source of this mana that I am sensing.”

“I guess it is the only lead that we have so far,” she agreed. “Time may very well be running short as well, so we had best hurry.”

I nodded, took a deep breath to steel myself for the unknown, and then gripped Vesha’s good hand in mine as tightly as I could. We were in this together and I would not give up until we found this eternal flame that Tanna had said would be Vesha’s salvation. “Let us go then,” I agreed, squeezing her hand in mine.

The slope of the tunnel was steep, it curved and twisted constantly, but it did not branch off at any point, so at least we did not have to choose between paths. It also began to feel ever warmer until finally, the tunnel opened up into a massive cavern. Before us lay the ruins of an underground city, or perhaps more like a small town, not as grand and vast as the one on the surface above us, but it looked equally ancient and better preserved. I could feel that we were close now, somewhere inside those ruins, one of the Vos’oraik awaited.

The thought of retrieving the proof of my adulthood was secondary for now though, because Vesha’s salvation was in sight. There were no signs of life that I could discern with my senses, but the vast chamber was almost uncomfortably warm for me, and the ruins were bathed in ruddy light by a pillar of flame at their center that reached to the ceiling of the cavern. It was the source of the chaotic mana that I was sensing, and I knew that it could only be one thing. We had found the eternal flame.

 

 

 

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Author's Note: Here's chapter 22 of The Faerie Blade. ~Amethyst.
 

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 Chapter 22: Kaelyn in the Ruins

“Vesha, do you think you can fly?” I asked my Dragonkin companion with a worried look at her. She had been looking worse and worse as we progressed down the tunnel; her left arm was that unhealthy gray with black scales all the way up to and including the shoulder now and she was pale and in constant pain.

Yet, if she could manage to fly, then we could get to the flames of the center of the chamber far sooner. The chamber was vast, and the pillar of flame appeared to be near the center. If we had to walk through that and maneuver our way through the ruins, it would take us much longer, especially with how bad Vesha looked right now. The Dragonkin gave a pained nod and said through gritted teeth, “I can manage flying if it gets us there faster.”

I allowed her to go first, only leaping off the ledge and into the air to follow her once I was sure that her wings were supporting her. I was half-afraid that she would fall and that I would need to catch her and carry her to the pillar of flame. Fortunately, her wings held and were able to support her weight, though not with the usual powerful wingbeats I had seen from her before. No, this time she mostly glided, only beating her wings to keep aloft when absolutely needed.

I breathed a sigh of relief as I took to the air behind her, but I did not relinquish any of my caution, following her as closely as I dared in case I might need to catch her. I had been worried that my new armor might make it difficult to fly, but the enchantments made it surprisingly light, and it had been made for a Faerie. So that worry was quickly dismissed and forgotten as I focused my attention on Vesha flying in front of me.

As we flew, I kept one eye on Vesha and the other on the ruins passing beneath us, watching them for any signs of movement or danger. The sheer amount of chaotic mana being spewed out by the eternal flame was making it as difficult to sense other sources of mana or magic as being close to the dark zone had. I did not want to lose the girl I was in love with to an attack from a Tainted or something when we were so close to what could be her salvation.

Normally the ruins would have fascinated me, but I was so worried about Vesha that I could focus on little else at the moment. I had trouble enough just watching them for potential dangers in my current state of mind. I firmly told myself that there would be some time yet to explore the ruins and find the Vos’oraik within them once Vesha did whatever was needed with the eternal flame.

It was not until the heat in front of us became truly uncomfortable that I called out, “We should land, Vesha!” We were so close to the pillar of flame now that it nearly filled my sight, and the light and heat were making it difficult to keep my gaze on the Dragonkin in front of me.

Vesha’s only response was to begin to circle and make her way downward to the ground. Since my wings gave me more control than hers, I slowed to hover and then made my way downward to a massive pyramid at the center of the cavern and city that had apparently been built around the pillar of flame. Despite my concern for Vesha, I found myself fascinated by the structure.

Had the pyramid come first? Or was it built around the eternal flame? If the latter, how had they managed to do so with the sheer amount of heat that the pillar emitted? I landed near an altar of some sort, giving the impression that this was some sort of temple. Did the people who lived here worship the pillar? I had so many questions running through my mind.

Vesha landed close by, though her landing was hardly a graceful one as stumbled, winced, and hissed in pain. I thought about Tanna’s prophesy and attempted to figure out what to do as I glanced once again in concern at Vesha. “Tanna said that the eternal flame would hold your answers and your salvation, and to not fear the darkness when embraced by the light. So, what do you think, Vesha?”

Vesha did not answer. She was staring at the pillar of flames in rapt fascination and awe as she shuffled toward it. How could she stand the heat? Was it because she was a Dragonkin? I was sweating profusely and lightheaded just being this close. Embraced by the light… that pillar lit this entire cavern, maybe she needed to get closer,

I found myself frowning. I did not like this, how could I help her if I could not get close to those flames? I stepped forward, determined to stand by the girl that I was in love with, and the flames flared, seemingly in protest. The flare was enough to throw me backward and I fell to the ground cursing. Vesha merely continued shuffling forward until she stepped within the pillar of flames. As soon as she had stepped within, the flames turned white hot, and I gaped in horror as Vesha was consumed.

Vesha stared at the flames in wonder. Something about them called to her, right down to her soul, like a song that she could not stop thinking about. It was as if she was incomplete, and that pillar of fire was the one thing that could make her whole. Everything else faded away; the pain, the fear, even the world around her.

She was vaguely aware of Kaelyn speaking to her, but the words were lost in the call of the fire. Even as the flames before her called to her, the flames inside of her yearned to be free with an intensity that she had never felt before. They wished to merge with the eternal flame. She knew, instinctively, what she needed to do.

She shuffled forward, giving herself to the call, and stepped into the flames. A comforting warmth enveloped her and for the first time since she had become a young woman, she stopped holding the fire within her back. She became fire and a chorus of voices sang in her mind, -Welcome, young one, we have been awaiting you for some time.-

“Who are you?” Vesha wondered. It was strange, she felt light and unencumbered, and while she couldn’t see, or use any of her other senses, it was like she was aware of everything around her. There was the pleasant warmth of the eternal flame, the vast cavern, the ruins, Kaelyn starting to get nervous close by, and the thousands of other living presences that she felt in the flames around her. Those presences projected so much love for her.

One voice among the many sang, -We are those who came before you, those who formed your egg. We are Salamanders, fire elementals birthed by and bound to the eternal flame. Once, long ago, we lived in the city that surrounds the temple of fire and the eternal flame. We lived in peace with the Sa’vash who lived in the city of Alustriel above us and shared our power with them.-

Not recognizing the name, Vesha inquired, “The Sa’vash?”

-You would know them as the Ancient Ones. They mastered magic and technology far beyond what the world will ever see again and created wonders that spanned the entire continent, and Alustriel was their capital. They were much like the Fae, tied closely to the Weave, and they strove to become perfect. In their quest for perfection, they became long-lived and powerful, but it cost a great many of them the ability to have children, and thus their society began to decline.-

-And then came the war with the Demons and their outcast God,- another sang in a pained voice. -Humans far outnumbered the Sa’vash and were jealous of their power, even though the Sa’vash shared their wonders with the other races equally. The Demons used that jealousy to tempt the humans. And so began a war that embroiled the entire world. They corrupted much of the city above with their foul rituals and killed those whom we valued as friends. We fought alongside others against the Demons and their ilk in the war that followed, but in the end, the society of the Sa’vash, and their wonders, were forever lost to the world. Few of their kind survived, and those fled we know not where.-

-The war ended, and the Demons were defeated, but in our mourning, we grew weary of our physical existence and returned to the fire that birthed us,- another added. Vesha found herself wondering how they could do such a thing. While she felt strangely comfortable in this state, it was different from what she was used to, and she worried about how her troupe, her mother, and Kaelyn would feel if she had to stay this way.

-We are part of the eternal flame, we shall exist for as long as it remains and the element of fire exists, but we do not need to remain in a physical form. We are the embodiment of fire, child. We only require our physical forms to interact with others. Should you wish to return to that form you shall, and you can exist in that state as long as you desire. The body is but a construct, to contain your fire within when you wish to have a physical form. We are born as physical beings until we reach maturity, and many of us remained that way for most of our existence until the war, only reverting to fire when such forms would be impractical or when we were injured. The war cost us our passion for the physical world-

“I was becoming Tainted. If I return to my physical form, will I…” Even in her thoughts, Vesha could not force herself to finish that question.

-You are fire, child,- a voice gently chided. -The tainted mana that was corrupting your physical form has been expunged and destroyed by the eternal flame. Only in your natural state of fire can you connect with the Weave, when you are ready to return to your physical form, draw that mana into your flames and picture your body healthy and whole.-

Fearing that was a dismissal, Vesha pleaded, “Wait! Who am I?! Why was I abandoned?!”

-Calm yourself, child, you shall have your answers,- a masculine voice urged. -The eternal flame is an elemental node of fire; there are a few others like it, but none quite as grand as this one. Each is connected for fire elementals such as us, just as other elementals are attuned to their own nodes. If you reach out with your mind in this state, you can allow yourself to see through the other nodes, or even travel to them. That is how we discovered some time ago that the Demons have returned. You know this as well, and we have decided to lend our aid in defeating them.-

-We needed one of our own out in the world, to call upon us when the time is right, so we each gave a small spark of ourselves and fused them together to form a new elemental child. You are our child. I am Ulielle, and since I could hold my physical form the longest, I was the one who carried you from here and ensured that I placed you in the care of people who would care for you and raise you with love,- a far more feminine voice explained.

Ulielle paused for a moment, and Vesha could feel a sense of deep affection once she continued to speak. -I followed the caravan of Changelings for days, hoping that they would give you a good life. You were eager to be free of your egg though, it began to crack even as I took you to a crossroads where I hoped you would be easily found by them. I watched from a distance even after I could no longer hold a physical form, and only left once the lone Ravieri among them bonded with you and I was certain that the caravan would give you a good home.-

“Why give me up at all?! Why not raise me yourselves?!” Vesha snapped. Had she been in her physical form, she was certain that there would be tears in her eyes.

-Here? In the ruins of a city long lost to the past, where the creatures of darkness far too often intrude? It would have been far crueler than finding you a caring mother not of your own kind,- another voice pointed out.

Then another added, -Our home has always been here, and the outside world has forgotten us. We have remained in our natural forms for thousands of years, young one, and that takes a toll on our kind. For us, taking a physical form is like using a muscle, if we go too long without doing so the ability weakens. Most of us could only hold our physical forms for a day or two at the maximum after that long without having one. Even now, after nearly two decades of practice, most of us can go no longer than a few weeks. Even if one of us could have retained our physical form long enough to raise you, we knew little of the modern world.-

-It is not that we did not love you, child,- one of the voices sang despondently. -You are the first Salamander born in millennia and each of us has given a part of ourselves to give you life. It is because we love you that we gave you to someone who could care for you properly, and show you the love that you deserve while growing up in your physical form. Please, remember that, and that some piece of each of us will always be with you.-

-You should return to your physical form, child,- a voice suggested, though there was a feeling of reluctance about it. -Your companion is worried, and you will need to leave soon if you are to return to the surface before dark, when those corrupted by the dark zone are more active. When you have need of us to fight the Demons, find a node of fire and contact us. Or… even if you just need to feel our presence or learn more about our kind.-

“I… I will,” Vesha promised. She was sure that her mother would understand. She still loved Nirlyn dearly and saw her as her mother, but now that she knew who and what she was after a lifetime of questioning, she still wanted to know more, to connect with the people who had given her life. For the moment though, she needed to worry about Kaelyn, and getting out of the ancient ruins.

It was a moment before she could filter out everything else that she was sensing around her enough to feel the mana, or at least she thought it was the mana since she had no real experience using magic. It was easier than she had imagined pulling it into her flames and when she felt that she could hold no more, she attempted to regain her physical form. She focused on her body, the familiar comfort of it; scales, flesh, wings, and even her horns and tail.

She pictured herself as healthy as she had been when she and Kaelyn had separated from the troupe and then, with some coaching from her many parents, she concentrated on reforming that body with the mana she had absorbed. Her first indication that she had succeeded was the familiar scent of fire mixed with the stale and earthy scents of the cavern. The only sound other than her own breathing was that of Kaelyn’s, and she sounded panicked.

Vesha stepped out from the pillar of fire, surprised and relieved that she no longer felt the agony searing through her left arm whenever she moved. She glanced down at it, finding her flesh and scales to be their usual colors, and breathed a sigh of relief as she approached the Faerie that she had been smitten with from the moment they met. That sigh turned into a gasp for air as said Faerie collided with her.

Vesha had just vanished, seemingly completely consumed by the pillar of flames. I stood there, paralyzed for a moment in sheer terror at the thought that Vesha had been killed by the very fire we had been told would be her salvation. No, I could not believe that. I could not lose Vesha, I could not bear it, my heart felt ready to shatter at the mere thought of it.

Perhaps the flames were just obscuring my view of her. If I could get closer… The thought was quickly countered as I tried to do so and was once again sent flying backward as the flames flared, almost as if they were trying to protect me from getting too close to the heat of the inferno. I pulled myself to my feet, determined to do something, anything. -Kaelyn, stop!- Sharai’s voice commanded.

“But Vesha…” I started to argue.

-Do you truly think that Vesha, of all people, could be harmed by fire?- my spirit guide pointed out. -The prophecy said that this would hold her answers and her salvation. We need to trust her right now and hope that whatever is going on in there, she can handle it. You are not resistant to fire, if you keep trying to get closer, you will get burned. Do you think your troupe would want that? Do you think Vesha would?-

“I… you’re right,” I admitted morosely. I clenched my fists tightly at my sides and stared intently at the pillar of flames, willing Vesha to emerge from within. With each passing minute that she did not, I grew ever more nervous and worried. It was only once I was starting to become truly panicked at the thought of possibly losing her that Vesha emerged from the flames, seemingly unscathed and looking a lot healthier than when she had gone in.

As soon as she was far enough away from the flames that I would not risk getting burned, I ran to wrap her in a tight embrace, burying my head against her shoulder and holding her tight. “Thank the Gods, you are well! I was so worried about you! You are well, right?” I asked the last as I pulled away and looked her over in concern.

“As good as new,” Vesha replied while flexing her previously injured arm.

Oh, Goddess, she was so muscular and beautiful, and I just wanted to be held in those strong arms of hers. She was also very naked, and I could feel my face flushing from more than just the warmth of the cavern as I nodded, unable to speak for a moment. Once I was able to reclaim my errant voice, I managed to say, “Good, you can tell me all about what happened in there once we have found the Vos’oraik and are on our way to Loden.”

She nodded and agreed as she tried to cover herself. “Aye, we should hurry and find your proof. I was told we don’t have much time if we want to get out of here before dark.”

 

 

 

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Author's Note: Here's chapter 23 of The Faerie Blade. ~Amethyst.
 

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 Chapter 23: Kaelyn’s Proof

I flushed as Vesha suggested that we leave. Her clothes and her satchel had been utterly consumed by the eternal flame and I was not certain what we could do about the situation since there was no possible chance that anything in my pack would fit her. Her current state of undress was very distracting for me. Vesha seemed less concerned, being more used to casual nudity, but she saw the effect it was having on me and tried not to flaunt her body needlessly.

We had managed to get Vesha somewhat covered by my cloak and were about to take off when a voice called out, “Wait a moment!” I turned, surprised to see another Dragonkin woman emerging from the flames. She was wearing some type of robe and stepped forward to wrap her arms around Vesha. I felt a flare of jealousy burn through me until I heard her tell Vesha, “Apologies, Vesha. We were so excited at seeing our child, at having you with us for even a moment, that we forgot to tell you.”

“Ulielle?” the younger Dragonkin asked as she hugged her back tightly.

“Aye, child,” the other replied, stroking Vesha’s hair like a mother would. “Now, as we told you, you must hurry to find what your companion seeks. When you have retrieved it, return here. Leaving through the catacombs would take too long and be too dangerous for you both with daylight waning. I will take you through the temple, to a place where you can get to the city above us much faster.

Knowing that we had little time, I flew through the long-abandoned cavern town as quickly as I could toward the pull of the Vos’oraik with Vesha following close behind. I could tell from the direction of the pull that it was with us down here in the cavern town rather than above us in the great city. I still could not sense any movement as we got closer and began to get a sinking feeling that the bearer was long dead.

That made me wonder how long the enchanted weapon had lain in wait in this long-forgotten place. Had it been here since the fall of the Ancient Ones? Or had they been exploring the catacombs like us and fallen victim to Tainted? For that matter, what had happened to the people who called this cavern home and had built the temple we had found around the eternal flame?

As we flew, I could not see any remains of the people who had once lived in this place. There were no skeletons to be seen, while there had been plenty of preserved remains in the catacombs we had come through to get here, from the city of the Ancient Ones. Had the people fled for some reason? Perhaps when the dark zone was created so close by? Were they the Dragonkin, as I was beginning to suspect?

The questions plagued my mind until the pull of the Vos’oraik was so strong that it seemed to come from all around me at once. It was somewhere below us. It took a moment to get Vesha’s attention so I could point downward. She had been nearly as absorbed in looking over the ruins as I had and she had this look on her face as if she was memorizing things, like this place had some special meaning to her.

Perhaps it did if the flames had truly given her the answers she sought when we came here. Another Dragonkin appearing from the eternal flame made that seem likely. I yearned to ask her, but we needed to hurry, and I had a feeling that such a conversation would only distract me from my goal.

Vesha nodded at my gesture and began to circle to bleed off speed and make her way to the ground while I made my way downward in a more direct manner. I lightly touched down on the ground and looked around, wary of the possibility of Tainted since the mana from the eternal flame was still disrupting my magic sense. For now, I would have to use my other senses and remain alert for possible danger.

Vesha dropped to the ground beside me, landing with an audible *thump* that seemed to shake the ground. It probably would have kicked up dust as well if the rapid beating of my wings had not already dispersed a cloud of it when I made my slightly more graceful landing a moment earlier. “It is somewhere close by,” I warned as I continued to look around cautiously. “Perhaps we should check inside the buildings.”

That such simple stone buildings remained standing after all this time was a testament to those who built this place. I think that was because they were not built from stone bricks or anything like that. Instead, they were smooth and seamless, almost as if they had been molded like clay from the stone of the cavern itself. The streets were still in remarkable condition as well, made of a smooth black stone that seemed to shine in the ruddy light provided by the distant pillar of flame.

“That sounds like a good idea,” Vesha offered in response to my suggestion. “Be careful and call out if you find anything.”

I was reluctant to part after her close call with nearly becoming Tainted, but we both took a building and began to search. These were probably homes, simple two or three-room cottages and almost everything of a personal nature had seemingly been claimed by the ravages of time. There was some stonework and tools that were nearly buried in dust, but no sign of any weapons in the first two buildings that I checked so I went to a third, but found Vesha already inside, dusting off some long-forgotten pottery near the hearth to examine it.

I watched for a moment as she cleaned off several large cups, plates, and bowls that were intact, and stared at them as if burning their image into her memory. Like I had been trying to do with her face for most of the day. She did not seem to notice me at first and there was a solemn look on her face as she went about her task. She looked up, caught me watching, and gave me a sad smile. “Any luck? I found a few things that I wish we could bring with us, as a reminder of this place. We can always use some things like this for our wagon. They’re well made, and I don’t think my… people would mind.”

“I have not found anything yet,” I admitted, uncertain what else to say to the sad expression on my love’s face. Especially as she had just confirmed my suspicion about the people who had once lived here. I dropped my satchel beside her. Then I offered with a weak smile, “You can get rid of my old boots to make space, I have the ones that came with the armor, and I’ll be getting some sandals in Loden, I hope. Wrap them in my clothes to keep them from being damaged. I will go check another building.”

I left Vesha to her task with a grateful smile on her face that made my heart melt. I had checked two more buildings when I found a sword in a metal sheath with a delicate metal chain-like belt attached. The sheath hinted at a curved blade that was similar in shape, but slightly shorter than Neva’kul. Carefully unsheathing it, I found one glyph embedded in the flat of the blade. This was it; I could feel the magic in the blade now that I was up close, though it did not seem to react to my probing magic.

-Fal’hevar slumbers, waiting for a new wielder to give their oath to the blade,- Sharai explained quietly in my mind. -The spirit within is bound to the blade and its wielder, she can speak with no one else.-

“Fal’hevar,” I thought to myself in awe. A weapon made for a Changeling, and I was going to bring it home, where it belonged. Pride swelled up within my chest as I gripped the blade’s sheath in my hand and returned to Vesha. I had my proof, and now it was time to leave this place.

We made our way back to the temple as quickly as possible and once we had landed and were greeted by the Dragonkin woman that Vesha called Ulielle, I could hold my curiosity back no longer as I tried not to cling to my fellow Bardic apprentice. “You’re a Dragonkin like Vesha, are you… related?”

Ulielle gave me a patient smile over her shoulder as she led us toward a large arch that would take us inside the temple. “We are not Dragonkin, child. That is a label created by Humans. We are Salamanders, elementals of fire and we reside within the eternal flame. Vesha is our child; each of us has given a piece of ourselves to give her life. You are her lover, are you not?”

I flushed bright red and had trouble finding my words. “I… we have not… I…”

This only caused the Salamander to laugh. “Never have I seen a Fae get so flustered by the mere thought of sex. Well, you are both adults now, so I imagine it won’t be long…”

“She wasn’t raised among Fae,” Vesha explained as I scanned the halls of the temple for a hole to hide in. Unfortunately, the smooth construction offered no such avenues of escape. The temple was also uncomfortably hot for me, and everything was coated in a thick coat of dust.

“Still, it is obvious that you share feelings for one another, she seems reluctant to let you out of her sight. I wish you both well, and I hope that you will keep one another safe and happy,” she offered gently before stepping into a room to our right, which contained some simple stone furnishings and a large metal chest.

“This doesn’t look like there is a tunnel to the surface,” Vesha stated in confusion at what appeared to be somebody’s sleeping quarters.

Ulielle quickly explained, “When we still lived in our physical forms, I was the High Priestess of the Temple of Fire, and these were my quarters. I have not been here since we formed your egg, Vehsa, but I put some clothes here for when you came of age. They are made of materials created by the Sa’vash and enchanted for Salamanders. The clothing is all durable, fireproof, will repair itself if damaged, and is connected to the wearer in a way that should you need to change to your true elemental form, they too will become flame, and revert to what they were before when you take your physical form once more.”

The elder Salamander opened the large metal chest at the foot of what had probably been a bed of some sort, a loud squeak of protest issued by the long-unused hinges. She had to sort through a variety of clothes since she had put away clothes for both women and men of varying sizes, but she was able to find several outfits that would fit Vesha as well as a satchel with similar enchantments to place them in. For Vesha, the best part was that, in addition to the enchantments, these clothes were made for Salamanders like her and had appropriate openings for her wings and tail.

There were a pair of simple dresses, a trio of simple tunics like those Vesha usually favored, a few colorful skirts, hosiery, and even some undergarments. She also found a pair of boots and some simple sandals that would fit her. The undergarments included strappy garments to keep her breasts from jostling but still leave her wings free. They had several clever clasps to secure the garment in place, which Ulielle had to instruct Vesha on how to fasten properly.

Vesha swiftly donned some of the underclothes, followed by a cream-colored tunic, a crimson skirt, and sandals, and once she had stuffed the rest in her new satchel, Ulielle was once again leading us through the temple. We went down several floors, which felt odd to me since we were supposed to be returning to the surface. Eventually, we came to a large chamber with a strange large metal square in the center of the floor. The metal had a strange violet sheen to it and I could see the magic emanating from it as easily as I had been able to see it on the clothes that Vesha had been given.

Ulielle led us to the one furthest away from the chamber’s entrance before wrapping Vesha in a hug. Then she startled me by nearly crushing me in a similar embrace. Once she had let me go, she smiled at both of us and cautioned, “Once you step upon the telepad, you will be transported to the surface within Alustriel’s great spire. It sits directly above us, and once it drew upon the power of the eternal flame to fuel the city’s many magical and technological marvels. Take flight swiftly, and put some distance between yourself and the ruins before darkness falls. Take care of one another, and be safe. May we meet again soon.”

“We will,” Vesha vowed, wiping away tears. “I want you all to meet my troupe and my mother sometime soon. So all of you better keep practicing at holding your physical forms longer.” Then, she put one of her strong arms around me and we stepped upon the strange violet-hued metal.

My stomach violently protested the feeling like it had been turned inside out as we reappeared inside the tower. I barely managed to not retch, and it took a moment for me to get my bearings. Vesha seemed no better off and a quick look around the large chamber showed that no Tainted or Darklings had taken up residence. The building seemed mostly a ruin filled with unfamiliar and seemingly damaged devices that I could only guess what they had once been used for.

Ruddy sunlight peeked through western windows and damaged sections of the wall and cast long shadows within the building. I attempted to give Vesha a reassuring smile as I clutched my satchel tightly in one hand and my prize, Fal’hevar, in the other and led her across the floor cluttered with the metallic corpses of the wonders of the Ancient Ones. There was much that I wanted to see and know, but given our last encounter with a Darkling, I took Ulielle’s advice to heart and was determined to leave this place as swiftly as our wings would carry us.

When we stepped outside, the sun was kissing the horizon, and the sky above blushed as a result. It made me think of Vesha beside me as the heat from her body made the cooling evening air more comfortable. She was warm, bright, and beautiful and I had nearly lost her. “Vesha?” I barely managed to speak her name.

She turned toward me, and I furiously beat my wings so that I could hover and meet her eye to eye. Whatever her reply was about to be, my lips cut it off as I kissed her with every bit of love that I felt for her. When I finally drew away, gasping for breath, I said, “Do not ever scare me like that again. I l… love you, and I do not wish to come so close to losing you again.”

For a moment, she just gazed at me with a half-stunned grin on her face. “Aye, I love you too, Kaelyn. I have since I first laid eyes on you.”

-Yes, yes, like it is not obvious to everyone with the two of you,- Sharai chided playfully. -Now let us make for Loden quickly, before the troupe worries and decides to send search parties.-

I nodded in agreement with my spirit guide and gripped both my satchel and my prize tighter. “Let’s go home,” I said as I took to the sky. Vesha was right behind me, the powerful beats of her wings sending her into the air. She quickly caught up and, with our senses alert for danger; we flew swiftly southward toward Loden, where our troupe awaited.

 

 

 

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Author's Note: Here's chapter 24 of The Faerie Blade. ~Amethyst.
 

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 Chapter 24: Back to the Troupe

Sunset had given way to twilight by the time that we saw the shadows and intermittent torchlight of the town from above. Loden was not a big city and could likely not afford expensive oil lamps, except within the residences of wealthier residents or the mayor, who served as the local Lord’s vassal. We had to fly around the town for a while to spot the main road and the clearing alongside it where our troupe had made camp. Usually, I would just have to feel for the magic of the Seeming, but I had been told that we would not be trying to hide and were making our stop in Loden easily apparent for several reasons.

It seemed that the people of Loden were used to Voyager caravans passing through since this was a main travel route and many troupes often used it and stopped to stay briefly during their travels. We could use it to resupply and earn some coin, and troupes passing through usually made camp in the clearing outside town since we did not wish to keep our presence secretive here. Loden usually welcomed the excitement that a troupe staying for a few days offered and many villagers would seek us out if they needed an experienced Healer, wanted protective wards cast around their farms, or wanted to have their futures read.

My grandparents had told me that most troupes had fortunetellers for stops like these. They were all well versed in rolling bones, reading palms, tealeaf reading, and Savas cards, the latter of which were named after the God of Luck, Fortune, and Fate. Some few were truly blessed by Savas and had a gift for it, but mostly it was just another way to make money from the locals, like busking or picking pockets. I was told that Tanna exclusively used the cards and was usually fairly accurate, though it was far less precise and more generalized than her visions.

Vesha had been through this route before and knew where the clearing was and as we got close, I could sense the faint magic that the various members of our troupe possessed. After that, I just needed to fly straight since I could not feel any sources of magic in the town below. It was truly a shame that most Changelings seemed to have a much weaker magic sense and magic potential than other Fae.

They made up for it with the versatility that shapeshifting offered, but most of us could not sense magical dangers until they were nearly upon us, as I had proven when I first encountered Sharai and her Demon pursuer. Even my grandmother’s magic sense, the strongest of the whole troupe other than mine since she was our strongest mage, probably would not allow her to sense my approach until we were forty to fifty hands away. Master Nirlyn could see magic, but she needed to be looking in the right direction since it was something to do with her eyes rather than a magical ability. If we were quick enough, I did not think that anyone but my grandmother would sense us until we were upon them.

When we approached the camp from above, my sharp eyes could see the whole troupe gathered around a large fire and having what appeared to be a very animated conversation. It was easy to pick out Master Nirlyn as the lone Ravieri, and she looked tense sitting there with her arms crossed. She sounded particularly unhappy as well as we descended and her words reached us. “Sunset ‘as passed. We need t’ start searchin’ fer ‘em. They could be hurt or dead, we never should ‘ave let them go on their own.”

“Such is the nature of the Vel’Nassar, Nirlyn, there is always some danger involved. You know this as well as any of us,” my grandfather chided. “You are not the only one worried for them, they are both precious to this entire troupe and we almost lost Kaelyn once already. They are of age and we could hardly refuse such a trial when it was given through one of Tanna’s visions.”

“Aye,” my grandmother agreed with a nod to my grandfather before I saw her briefly gaze up as we descended and got within the range of her magic sense. It seemed that she had indeed sensed me coming as she added, “They are brave and capable girls, so let us give them a while longer. If they are not here by the time dinner is ready, I will have Glimma send out the owls while we prepare a proper search party to go after them. Yes, they could be in danger, but they could also be a lot closer to home than you fear.”

Well, that was just the kind of opening that Vesha had been hoping for. Since her hearing was not as good as a Faerie’s, I quickly gave her the signal as she circled downward. Then I allowed myself to drop the remaining distance before catching myself in a hover an arm’s length away from the ground. I was almost off on my timing since I was surprised when Vesha burst into flame, becoming a fiery serpent that shot toward the ground at my side. I was almost as stunned by her appearance as the rest of the troupe as we settled down to the ground by the fire and the flaming serpent once again returned to being the girl that I knew and loved.

Vesha, casually acting as if she had not just shocked everyone, including me, into stunned disbelief, grinned at our Master and said, “Sorry we’re late, Mom, but a lot happened.”

Other than me, my grandmother was the first to manage to shake her disbelief. Master Nirlyn was not far behind though as a look of relief washed over her, followed quickly by a theatrical sigh as she muttered, “Aye, yer both Bards through an’ through, makin’ a flashy entrance like that one. I take it ya found yer proof then?”

Vesha nodded but hesitated as if uncertain what to say. “I found my pa… lifegivers. They were able to give me the answers that I needed, Mom. I’m a Salamander and they didn’t abandon me after all, they just thought that you could give me a better life since they can’t hold physical forms for long. They’re working on it, but it might take a while for them to be able to hold those forms long-term. They want to help us fight the Demons though, when the time comes.”

I held up my own proof for everyone around the fire to see. “This is Fal’hevar, and like Neva’kul, she is one of the five Vos’oraik. Her original bearer, Alara, was a Changeling like us. She needs a new bearer, but I am certain that she will be a great help in our fight against the Demons. It is what she was created for after all. I think she was down there since the fall of the Ancients. Hopefully, whoever binds themselves to her will be able to tell us more when they can talk to her spirit.”

My grandparents both nodded, bearing proud smiles. It was my grandfather who spoke though, as his expression turned pensive. “It must be fate that she has found her way back into Changeling hands after so long alone. There are few of us with the training to use such a weapon though; most of us do not see the need for more than a dagger. Bryden, Mara, and Hagen have some experience with swords, perhaps one of them would do. Kaelyn, what would someone have to do to bind themselves to Fal’hevar?”

I tried to remember what it had taken to bind myself to Neva’kul, but I was uncertain whether we had everything required to make that foul mixture that I had to swallow, and if I would even wish that on anyone that I cared about. Sharai took that as her cue to explain. -Kaelyn, you only needed that to unlock your magical potential. Neva’kul is a mageblade, and would only accept someone of Fae blood with powerful magic and a strong will. I would assume that Niyr’votak has similar requirements, but the others relied largely on physical prowess. Fae blood, a strong will, and a desire to master the blade and destroy the Demons should be enough, and then, they just need to swear by blood, blade, and magic to bind themselves to Fal’hevar and see its will done, as you did with Neva’kul.-

I passed on that information to the others but quickly added, “For whoever decides to take on the blade, I do not think that the decision should be made lightly since you will have to prove yourself worthy. With Neva’kul, it was a battle of magic and wills, and I have a strong feeling that the cost for losing such a battle is far more than being deemed not worthy of the blade.”

-Aye, you are right. Kaelyn,- Sharai said in my mind, her tone sounding almost haunted. -I was not Tamisun’s only apprentice. There were three of us, but when she Faded, I was the only one of us who proved worthy to bear Neva’kul. Bakis was arrogant, he saw Neva’kul as a prize to be won, and himself as the inevitable winner. Sheeva was a powerful mage and had a desire to see Neva’kul’s will done, but her will was not strong enough.-

“What happened to them?” I asked, uncertain whether I wished to know the answer.

-Neva’kul saw through Bakis’s arrogance and selfishness in their battle of wills. He was deemed unworthy, and his mind ravaged for his arrogance. He was left with a mind like an infant’s; his family in Tarin’dol was forced to care for his every need from that day on. Despite her power and wishing to wield Neva’kul for the right reasons, Sheeva’s will was overwhelmed. For over a year, her body slumbered as her mind healed. I guess that she found her willpower while sleeping because when I passed through her Glade on the way to visit home, I was told that she left to join the Daughters of Zhahime as soon as she was healthy enough to make the journey.-

A sigh escaped my lips at this revelation. I had been extremely lucky that I had been worthy and, looking back, I now saw the wisdom in Sharai having me make and swallow the mixture that ended up changing me. I had had enough trouble winning that battle with my suddenly increased magical ability, without it I would have surely lost. I frowned and cautioned those gathered around the fire, “Sharai tells me that the costs of losing such a battle are indeed great. We need to be sure that whoever attempts to bond with Fal’hevar is doing so for the right reasons and that they have a very strong will.”

“I’ll do it,” Shava said clearly over the mumblings of the rest of the troupe. There was not a shred of hesitation or uncertainty in her voice, and everyone turned to gape at her.

I had been half expecting this though and let out another long sigh before telling her as gently as I could. “Shava, you do not need to prove yourself to me, Sharai and I have both seen how hard you are working on your lessons.”

“You are only ten summers old, Shava, you are still a child,” my grandfather stated sternly.

“I’ll be eleven soon!” Shava protested before adding, “And Kaelyn was surviving on her own in the forest when she wasn’t much older than that.”

“Kaelyn’s circumstances were different,” Uncle Bryden pointed out, “and it was only skill and good fortune that allowed her to do so.”

“But I…”

“Enough, Shava!” my grandmother stated, cutting off whatever new protest she had been about to make. “We will discuss suitable candidates later. For now, it is time to eat and there are more important matters to discuss. Vesha and Kaelyn, you have completed your trial and tomorrow we will have a proper feast to celebrate your new status as adults. Bryden, do you have enough silver to make their rings?”

“Aye, Mother, I will get them both fitted, and the rings made before the feast tomorrow,” my uncle replied. I had heard that his gift was somewhat similar to my own, but where I could only push and pull through some unknown force to move and manipulate certain metals, Uncle Bryden could change the state of precious metals and even reshape them with his gift. He had shown me the various pieces of jewelry and some ornamental daggers that he had made with his gift to sell when the troupe made stops like the one in Loden.

As we all ate dinner, plans were made for the celebration to come the next evening and it seemed that the topic of Fal’hevar was forgotten for the moment. Then, after a quick trip to my wagon to change out of my armor and place Neva’kul’s sister blade in our wagon for safekeeping, I returned to the fire. I also brought Zaiya out so that I could feed her and give her some attention after being away, and she seemed very happy to see me.

While I fed the owlet and gently stroked her feathers, Vesha and I told the troupe the story of what had happened while we were gone. My new armor, and the fact that I had gotten it after using faerie fire to purify a Darkling and allowing her to Fade, were keen topics of interest. If faerie fire could be used to purify Darklings, and corrupted mana in general, then there was hope that dark zones could be reclaimed for the Weave, though it would likely amount to a gargantuan effort.

Another big topic of conversation was what had happened when Vesha had entered the eternal flame since not even I knew the full details of that. She told us what she had learned about her people, why she had been born, and how the troupe had been chosen to find and raise her. She was also able to tell us some of what she had learned about the city, the Ancient Ones, and a few things about the Great War and the fall of the Ancient Ones, or the Sa’vash as they were once called. It looked like that conversation was going to go well into the night when I heard a scream come from the direction of our wagon.

Shava ate her meal quietly and sullenly, her thoughts elsewhere. Ever since she had first seen Fal’hevar revealed in the ruddy light of the fire, the blade seemed to call to her. Even now, with it placed safely in the wagon shared by Nirlyn and her apprentices, she could still feel the pull of it. Her interest was not due to her needing to prove herself either, as her cousin and everyone else seemed to believe.

More than anything, Shava wanted to be a warrior. Even before her cousin had joined the troupe, she had been fascinated by her father’s, Mara’s, and Hagen’s weapons, though she had been too nervous to approach them about her interest. It wasn’t until she saw her cousin practicing her swordplay on that first morning that she realized that this was what she wanted to do with her life. Sharai and her cousin teaching her only seemed to make her more certain of it.

She did not want to catch up to her cousin because she felt lacking, but because she wanted to make the Demons and their church pay. They had done so much to hurt Kaelyn, and they had killed her parents. They needed to pay the blood price for that and to be stopped from hurting anyone else. Her cousin was determined to fight them and Shava could do no less.

In the short time that they had spent together, she had come to greatly admire her cousin, and she felt that they had become close while training together. She was close to all the members of her troupe; such was the nature of her people, but Kaelyn was special. She had seen something in her, and she and Sharai had gone out of their way to help her learn about her passion and grow stronger. Her cousin was her hero, everything that she wanted to be, though she did not share her musical interest and could go without the whole Faerie thing.

Shava saw herself as an apprentice of sorts to her cousin, much as Kaelyn was to Nirlyn. She would do anything for her and wanted to fight the Demons by her side when the time came. She needed to get stronger for that, she needed to push herself to become the best that she could possibly be. She knew in her heart that she had what was needed to claim Fal’hevar, but Mara, Hagen, and even her father had no passion for the sword, no drive to fight the Demons at Kaelyn’s side.

Oh sure, they wanted to help her get vengeance, but that could be said of any member of the troupe and Shava did not think that it would be enough to claim the magical blade. Shava knew she was young, and that many among the troupe thought that her fascination with her cousin and learning the sword was a phase, but she also knew that this was what she needed to do. This was her destiny and the blade called to her, even now, as she listened with half an ear to conversations about Salamanders and Ancient Ones.

She slipped quietly away while everyone’s attention was on whatever Vesha was talking about and followed the call toward Nirlyn’s wagon. The doors were locked, she had heard her grandmother tell Niryln to do so once Fal’hevar was placed inside, specifically to stop Shava from doing exactly what she was about to do. Locked doors would not stop her though.

Shava was an early bloomer, possibly because she was a quarter Elf, or so her mother said since she too had blossomed early. She had her first moon cycle not long before Kaelyn had joined the troupe, and had accidentally discovered her gift a few days later, though she had not yet revealed it. Now, it almost seemed as if it was meant for this very moment.

She took a deep breath and focused on the magic within her, pulling it to the surface of her skin until it stretched out over her entire body. It felt similar to shapeshifting, but very different too as she felt it take hold. Looking down at herself, she smiled as she saw that her body had become faint to her eyes, almost as if she was a spirit. Unsure of how long she could hold this state, she quickly dove through the door of the wagon and then willed herself solid again before she could begin to sink through the floor.

The blade sat beside her cousin’s new armor, which had been haphazardly piled atop her cot. Shava reached out but hesitated for a moment as her hand neared the hilt. It felt like she was stealing, and Voyager’s don’t steal from their troupe. “No,” she told herself firmly. “This belongs to the whole troupe; they just haven’t decided who should wield it yet. I’m protecting the others by trying before they can. With this, I can help Kaelyn fight against the Demons; I can protect my troupe from them.”

She reached out once more and took the unfamiliar weight of the sword in hand. It was heavier than she had imagined, she would have to get used to the weight by practicing with it. She removed the blade from the sheath and saw that it seemed to be in pristine condition, not even a fleck of rust or a chip to be seen with her eyes. There was only that strange solitary glyph etched into the flat of the blade by the cross guard.

The edge proved to still be razor sharp too as she reached out to grip it tightly in hand. As her blood ran down the blade, she gritted her teeth and ignored the pain to hiss out, “I swear b-by blood, blade, and magic to bind myself to Fal’hevar and to see its will done.”

Suddenly it was as if something was pushing against her thoughts, a searing agony in her head that was determined to make her falter. Shava screamed aloud, but stood her mental ground, pushing right back. No. She would do this. She would get past whatever this was because she needed to. For Kaelyn, for her troupe, and most importantly for herself. She would get strong enough and skilled enough to take down the Demons by her cousin’s side and protect everyone. Nothing was going to stop her, not even a magical sword.

Just as swiftly as the barrage against her mind had begun, it receded, giving way to a sense of… pride and amusement? Shava collapsed to the floor, her throat raw from screaming and more exhausted than she had ever been in her life. -Well done, lass. You are much as I was when I was your age. I was hoping that you would have the courage to try to win Fal’hevar’s favor. You are young, but determined, and more suitable than the others of your troupe. I am Alara, the first bearer of Fal’hevar, and I have been awaiting you for a very long time.-

“I’m Shava, well met, Alara,” she replied with a weary smile as she heard the door to the wagon being hurriedly unlocked.

-Rest well, Shava, when you wake we will have much to…- Whatever else the spirit might have been trying to say was lost to the Voyager girl as she passed out.

 

 

 

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Author's Note: Here's chapter 25 of The Faerie Blade. ~Amethyst.
 

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 Chapter 25: Kaelyn’s Apprentice

As the scream rang out from the direction of our wagon, all of the adults around the fire, including me and Vesha, swiftly got to our feet and hurried in the direction of the sound. It sounded like Shava and, given the direction that it had come from; I was very worried about my cousin as we rushed to find her. “Do you think that she is trying to claim Fal’hevar?” I asked Sharai.

-Without a doubt,- the spirit of Neva’kul replied grimly. -Your cousin greatly admires you, Kaelyn, and I believe that she wishes to be able to fight at our side. I believe that she will succeed in claiming it too, or rather, that Fal’hevar will claim her as its rightful wielder. She possesses the determination and will that the Vos’oraik all seek from their wielders.-

“How though? Master Nirlyn locked the doors to the wagon.” The Elders had also been worried that Shava would attempt something like this before another wielder could be found for the blade; it was why they had me place the weapon in our wagon and had my Master lock the doors. Now as she hurried to unlock them, I could not help but recall what Sharai had told me about those who attempted to claim Neva’kul and failed. I gently stroked Zaiya’s downy feathers but was not sure if the action was meant to soothe the owlet or myself.

-She is quite the adept little thief, and still a child. Perhaps she went through a window or found another way inside. The how of it matters not, Kaelyn,- Sharai countered. She sensed the worries in my thoughts and attempted to ease them. -Worry not, if there is anyone in this troupe who could gain the approval of one of the Vos’oraik, other than yourself, it would be your cousin. She is quite willful, and her determination and desire to master swordsmanship is impressive.-

Master Nirlyn unlocked the door after what seemed an eternity and I heard Shava say, “I’m Shava, well met, Alara,” before Uncle Bryden and Aunt Sivelle rushed inside, followed closely by my grandparents, myself, and Wilden. When I got inside, Shava was sprawled out on the floor with Fal’hevar unsheathed and gripped tightly in her hand. It appeared that her other hand was bleeding, but there was not a drop of blood on the gleaming blade. Wilden was already kneeling beside her, and calling out for his wife, Tanna, to get his Healer’s bag.

-The bond has been made,- Sharai spoke into my panicked thoughts. -She shall be fine; she is merely in need of rest, as you were when you bonded with Neva’kul.-

After a moment of checking her heartbeat and breathing, and casting two spells, the second being a small healing spell on my cousin’s hand, Wilden had seemingly come to the same conclusion. “Except for the cut on her hand, I could find nothing wrong with her. I think she just needs to rest, she should be fine by morning.”

“Sharai believes the same,” I offered. “She says that the bond has been made, and Shava just needs rest.”

“Bond?” Aunt Sivelle asked in concern.

“Aye,” I replied with a curt nod. “She has bound herself to Fal’hevar, as its wielder and the instrument of its will, as I am to Neva’kul.”

“Its will?” Wilden asked as he finished his examination of my cousin and got to his feet.

“Fal’hevar, well, all of the Vos’oraik were created with a purpose and infused with a will to see that purpose done. To protect the innocent and purge the Demons and all followers of the Unspoken One from our world. Or, at least that is what Sharai has told me,” I offered.

I could see the moment that both my uncle and aunt realized what that meant. Aunt Sivelle looked very worried, while Uncle Bryden’s expression grew hard. It was the latter who shook his head and announced, “Shava is only ten summers old, she is still a child. I am not going to allow her to endanger herself that way. That damn sword will just have to bond with someone else; we will hide it away until another bearer can be chosen.”

-That would be unwise,- Sharai told me in sudden concern. -Fal’hevar has chosen Shava, it will accept no one else until she meets her end. Bad things happen to those who attempt to circumvent the will of a Vos’oraik. She is bound to her path as much as the blade, attempting to separate them would be painful and induce feelings of extreme anxiety in Shava. It is part of the bond, and why I have told you to always keep Neva’kul close, even if you are not wearing it.-

I was about to pass that information on to the others when my grandmother beat me to it by frowning at her son and snapping, “Don’t be a fool, Bryden! Do you remember nothing that I have taught you of magic?! She is oath-bound to a magical artifact, and trying to forcibly break such a bond would most likely kill her. Separating them would likely be nearly as bad.”

She turned to me with a questioning look as she said the last and I nodded sadly. “Aye, Grandmother, it would only earn the ire of Fal’hevar and cause Shava pain. It is why Sharai has encouraged me always to keep Neva’kul close by, even when bathing or practicing my dancing.”

“So, what do we do then?” Aunt Sivelle asked as she wrung her hands nervously.

My grandfather snorted as he looked down at Shava. “First, we give her a stern talking to when she wakes about respecting the feelings and property of her troupe. After that, we will have to trust Kaelyn and Sharai to teach her to use that blade properly. Keep training her with the bow as well, Kaelyn, and Vaela is the troupe’s most powerful and experienced mage, so she will start teaching Shava magecraft as well. If Shava is to be bound to this course of action regardless, the best thing that we can do is give her the tools to keep herself alive while doing it.”

When I left my wagon to train before dawn the next morning, Shava was awkwardly awaiting me outside wearing Fal’hevar’s odd chain-like belt and metal sheath, the tip of the latter dragging upon the ground as she dismally slouched. For a long moment, her gaze hovered around my knees before she took a deep breath and looked me in the eyes. “I… I’m sorry, Kaelyn. I know that I shouldn’t have broken into your wagon last night and… but I… it was the only way.”

She then babbled in a torrent of words about why she had done it. I could barely follow what she was saying and I had to wonder how she could keep going without seeming to stop to breathe. Her reasons were not entirely unexpected, and I found myself agreeing with most of what she said. She wanted to protect the troupe, from both trying for Fal’hevar and failing, and from the Demons and other dangers.

She had the determination and will to do what needed to be done, and while I did not know the others of the troupe well enough yet to determine whether any of them would have been suitable candidates for the sword, I could not help but think that, despite her youth, my cousin was indeed the best candidate. She was determined to become the best that she could be with a sword since Sharai and I had started training her, and both Sharai and I suspected that she wished to fight by our side. She had certainly made it clear enough how she idolized me since that first day she saw me practicing.

When my cousin did finally stop babbling, I gently chastised her. “Next time that you decide to do something reckless like that, at least discuss it with me first, Shava. The Elders have officially put Sharai and me in charge of your combat training, so we are going to be working you harder than ever on both weapons and now that you have a sword of your own, we can add sparring into the mix.”

“Uh, yeah, and Grandmother will be teaching me magic too. And when neither of you is teaching me, I’m supposed to be training my gift too. Alara says that she can probably help me with that, and find ways to use it in combat since it’s sort of the opposite of hers,” my cousin said with a sigh. At my questioning look she blushed and looked away before elaborating. “I discovered it just before you joined the troupe, and it’s how I got into your wagon. Alara says that I make myself ethereal.”

I could almost feel Sharai raising an eyebrow in my mind as she said, -A useful skill that, both defensively in combat and for getting into places that she shouldn’t be. Between that and Alara’s gift, your apprentice’s defensive capabilities will be admirable.-

I mentally nodded in agreement, but the apprentice comment had me almost jumping in surprise. I guess that she technically was since I was the one doing most of the teaching, even when Sharai possessed my body, it was still ‘me’ teaching her. It was nothing official like with the guilds, but going by what Shava had said earlier, she already seemed to consider herself my apprentice. My first day as an adult, and already I could feel the responsibilities weighing on me.

I tried not to let that show since I was currently focusing on being stern for my ‘apprentice’. “Yes, and I have just decided that when I have my dancing lessons with Selice, you will be joining us. It will help improve your range of movement and body awareness. You are going to be very busy from now on, Shava. Consider it your penance for what you did.”

Shava sighed but nodded with a dismal expression on her face. I probably was not the first, or even the second, to deliver such a lecture to her this morning, and the day was just getting started. It was clear that these extra lessons were not what she had wanted when she decided to take up the sword, but she either saw the use in them or resigned herself to taking the good with the bad. “I understand, and I am sorry that I had to claim Fal’hevar the way that I did.”

“I know, and we will go get started on practice in a few minutes. Before that, now that we have someone who can speak with Alara, I do have one question that has been driving me mad since I found Fal’hevar. What was it doing all alone in the middle of the ruins of the Salamanders’ cavern village?”

Shava’s posture shifted abruptly, her shoulders and back straightening and her face taking on a carefully calm expression that was not like Shava at all. I wondered if it was that jarring to others when Sharai took over for me since I had a strong feeling that Alara had just done so with my cousin. Moreover, she looked stiff and somewhat uncoordinated, as though she could not quite remember how her body worked, though that was not surprising after thousands of years as a spirit trapped in a sword.

“This is strange after so long…” she mumbled distractedly before turning her attention back to me. “It is a pleasure to meet my saviors at last, Shava thinks very highly of both you and Sharai, Kaelyn. To answer your question, I will have to tell you a story. It will be easier this way than having Shava relay everything. I have a question that I would like to ask in return though.” At my nod of acceptance, she asked, “That armor you wear is… familiar. What became of the Darkling that bore it? Did you slay it somehow?”

I thought about the question for a moment before shaking my head and smiling sadly. “No, I set her free. I purified her with faerie fire, and she Faded soon after. She passed this on to me before Fading.”

“I…see.” the spirit possessing my cousin said, her voice quivering as her eyes became misty. “…thank you.” Then she took a deep breath to steady herself and began to tell her tale.

The Great War was at its height, and both sides had taken heavy losses. The Sa’vash had abandoned most of their cities and retreated to the capital of Alustriel, where a large contingent of Fae and other allies of the Sa’vash had gathered as a rallying point. It was there that the Elven sage, Darion, created the weapons that he hoped would change the war, weapons made for Fae warriors who had become legends during the war for their dedication to eradicating the Demons and everything associated with them.

Of course, Alara was one of those five and the weapons were infused with their will to see the Demons, and all traces of them, purged from our world. The weapons made them even more powerful than they had been before and it was beginning to look like the war might be taking a turn in their favor as they went on the offensive and took down one Demon stronghold after another. All was going well, but for the fact that the followers of the Forgotten One had infiltrated Alustriel.

Their tainted magic had created a dark zone in the city itself, and Alara and a contingent of Fae warriors and mages under the command of General Espalia were sent to evacuate the still accessible parts of the city, combat the horrors that the dark zone had created, and look into ways of purifying the tainted mana. The fighting was intense, and exposure to the tainted mana would eventually turn their own forces into more Darklings and Tainted for them to fight with ever-dwindling numbers. Even General Espalia was turned, and Alara told me that it was her armor that I now wore.

Despite the assistance of the Fae, the Salamanders, and their other allies, the Sa’vash could not reclaim their capital, and the few survivors were forced to flee the city. Alara had been injured while fighting the Darkling that had once been General Espalia. She had hesitated to fight her lover, and the blade of light that Espalia could summon with her gift could cut through even Alara’s steely skin.

They had lost the battle for Alustriel. The Sa’vash were gone, the Salamanders had all but given up, and their allies were scattered, trying to win other battles and, most importantly, the war. Her lover had been turned into an eldritch horror, her only apprentice was dead, and Alara could feel the mana in her body becoming tainted from the wounds she had received during her battle with Espalia as she retreated to the chamber of fire where the Salamanders made their home.

Alara did not wish to become a Darkling and fled through the tunnels to the chamber of fire and the city within in an attempt to make her way to the temple, hoping that the Salamanders might take her weapon and pass it on to someone worthy. She never made it to the temple. The pain was too great, and she knew that she would become a Darkling if she waited any longer, so she hid from the Tainted pursuing her in someone’s home. Then she bound her soul to Fal’hevar in death before her body could turn completely into what she feared most.

It was a sobering tale. So much tragedy, and yet, perhaps there was hope since I had saved Espalia and Alara had avoided becoming a Darkling by binding her soul to Fal’hevar. With the tale told, she allowed Shava control of her own body once again, entrusting her training to me and Sharai since she had been far too long without a body to be helpful in that regard. I let Shava show me to where she had trained the morning before and then we got to work.

 

 

 

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Author's Note: Here's chapter 26 of The Faerie Blade. ~Amethyst.
 

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 Chapter 26: Kaelyn in Loden

Sharai worked both Shava and me harder than usual. My cousin would likely be ready to start learning the second dance within the next few days, so Sharai had Shava watch me as I practiced it, after we had both gone through the first dance several times and practiced the various basic movements to my spirit guide’s satisfaction. She also had us pairing off against one another with our blades in sparring matches.

Shava needed to get used to using Fal’hevar in practice since it was very different from her wooden practice blade, and I needed to get used to moving around and using Neva’kul while wearing my new armor. I was very careful to keep my strikes slow enough that my cousin had enough time to react, while my armor protected me from any accidents on her part. Thankfully, my armor was not too heavy or cumbersome, so I was sure that I would be used to wearing it soon.

After that, we both practiced with our bows until Shava could barely use her arms anymore, with me often interjecting to offer pointers or correct her stance and her draw. As much as I could see that she wanted to complain, my cousin grimly gritted her teeth and endured it. She had asked for the training after all, and now she needed it and knew that we were not going to be easy on her any longer. The intense training session was even tiring me out.

We were both very tired and ready for a break when I finally finished our training session and led us back into camp for breakfast. We had been at it a lot longer than usual, even Master Nirlyn, Vesha, and the other non-Fae and half-Fae among the troupe were eating their morning meals when we arrived. Breakfast was a bit different than the usual oatmeal and dried fruit and nuts that we had carefully rationed during our trip so far.

The troupe had not been able to trade for anything or steal, while we were in Evalis, so our supplies had been limited to what they already had stored or could gather in the forests. They could have tried stealing goods, but even the little ones had to change into hawks to get in and out of the capital, and that would not have allowed them to carry much food, which was why they stole coin instead and Master Nirlyn smuggled it out in instrument cases.

The troupe had spent much of the day yesterday before Vesha and I returned resupplying in Loden. It was a good-sized town along a major trade route, so they had plenty to trade for and every wagon’s cold cupboard and food storage space had been filled with supplies for our trek eastward to Derevik. Still, I was somewhat surprised when our grandmother gave us both platters with griddlecakes, fried eggs, and slices of boar meat along with our morning peppermint tea. The meal had been cooked on a large metal plate that I had seen used before to cook our evening meals, which sat above the fire on removable legs of the same metal.

“Eat,” Grandmother told us. Her eyes were boring into my cousin though as she added, “You will need your energy for magic lessons.”

Shava winced and quickly covered up a groan as she took the offered platter and we both sat down with the others to eat. She did not complain though, since she seemed to know that it was necessary, and complaining would not change that. I think that she was also trying to be on her best behavior since she felt genuinely bad about resorting to the lengths that she had to ensure that she was the one to bond with Fal’hevar.

I just ate quietly as Master Nirlyn and Vesha made plans for the day. I had not had a breakfast like this since before my parents were killed and, while I enjoyed it, the familiarity of it after so long brought up bittersweet memories. I attempted to set the darker thoughts aside and just enjoy the good meal. I had a family again, bigger than I ever thought I would have. I needed to focus on them, and what was going on now, rather than dwelling on a past I could not change.

What was going on now was that my fellow Bards were planning our day. While most of the troupe would be planning our coming-of-age celebration and finishing any business they had in Loden today, Master Nirlyn had canceled our Bard lessons for the day. Instead, Vesha and Korine could take me into town to buy some proper sandals and other things that I might want or need since I had very little in the way of personal possessions. Once we were finished, we would bring anything that we had bought for me back to camp and collect some instruments so we could return to Loden to busk and make some coin until it was time to return to the troupe for the celebration.

Before we could do any of that though, Uncle Bryden wanted to see Vesha and me. As soon as everyone was finished eating breakfast and making plans for the day, he had the pair of us follow him to his wagon and then inside. The layout of the wagon was similar to ours, except that there was a large loft bed above the door to the driver’s bench and the pair of hidden pullout cots on one side of the wagon were blocked by a wooden workbench with tools, various bits of metal, and a pair of buckets filled with beeswax.

Uncle Bryden did his jewelry making there and I assumed that Aunt Sivelle did her work there as well. Her gift was similar to Glimma’s, but where Glimma was able to speak with her owls, Aunt Sivelle was able to calm bees and other insects and sometimes influence them as well. The ability allowed her to gather honey and wax whenever Hagen and Mara found beehives while scouting. She made beautifully sculpted candles for the troupe, and sometimes for trade as well if she had enough beeswax.

Uncle Bryden opened one of the drawers in the workbench, pulling out a small satchel, which he emptied onto the workbench to reveal over a dozen carved wooden rings and long pegs of various sizes. “Let’s find a good fit for you, lasses, so I can get to work,” he offered with a smile.

It took several tries, but we both managed to find rings that would neither be too tight nor slide off the appropriate fingers at an inopportune moment. Once we had, Uncle Bryden placed them on the corresponding pegs and returned the rest to the satchel. It was not what I had been expecting at all from a ring fitting though, to be fair, I had never been measured for a ring before. “That is all?” I asked, having expected the process to take much longer.

“Aye, Kaelyn, that’s all I’ll be needing the pair of you for. I will form the rings around the pegs. Having it fitted like this will allow me to get the size right the first time and concentrate more on the craftsmanship. Now, off you go! I have work to do and, unless I misremember, you two need to go into town to get some things. Today is the only chance you’ll get since we’re leaving on the morrow.”

At my look of disappointment, Vesha placed a hand gently on my shoulder and I looked up to see her smiling reassuringly. “Worry not, we’ll make it to Hindra in four days or so, and we’ll stay a bit longer there. Loden is merely a town along a trade route, but Kalidar’s capital is a major trade center and a true city of wonders. We will be able to make good coin there, and there is so much to spend it on too,” she told me with a grin.

“It will also be the only major city along our route until we get to Derevik,” my uncle put in as he shooed us out of the wagon, “so you had best enjoy your time there. Any other stops will be short, like this one.”

After changing out of my armor and feeding and spending a bit of time with Zaiya, I returned the owlet to her makeshift nest so I could accompany Korine and Vesha into Loden. Both of them had visited the town several times before since it was on one of the major trade routes and they were able to remember where some of the better craftsmen were located, as well as the market square. The town was actually a lot like Greendell, where I had grown up, but that was hardly a compliment.

I had forgotten just how bad towns like this could smell, and my nose was far more sensitive since I had become a Faerie. At least Majair had had a sewer system to help keep the filth and waste from both humans and animals from being underfoot and to limit the stench, but Loden was not so fortunate. The smell made me queasy; it was no wonder that Fae other than voyagers largely avoided human settlements.

As we got to the area of town where the craftsmen made their livings, the smell was lessened some as the scents, sounds, and sight of tanners, blacksmiths, carpenters, weavers, apothecaries, enchanters, and other artisans all vied for our attention. However, we seemed to be getting plenty of attention as well. At first, I attributed it to the large Salamander girl who was being very protective of Korine and me, but then I realized that I had forgotten to cast a glamour before leaving camp.

As rare as it was to see Voyagers in town, they did often pass through here, and not only our troupe, so Korine was barely getting second glances. Vesha was a little more unusual, and the clothes that she had gotten from Ulielle in the Temple of Fire were a little more brightly colored than people around here wore, but she had been here several times and had dealt with some of the artisans here on previous trips. I, on the other hand, was a Faerie walking openly around town.

“Why did one of you not tell me to wear a glamour?” I hissed quietly to my companions.

“It’s not exactly something that we’re used to having to think about,” Korine whispered in reply, “and it isn’t like we’ve been trying to hide that we have a Faerie in the troupe. Before you got back last night, some of the curious townsfolk that came to get Tanna to read their fortunes caught my mother practicing her dancing in your form.”

I silently cursed until Vesha put an arm around me, kissed me softly, and said, “The troupe wasn’t planning to hide what you are, Kaelyn. At worst, people will assume that you’re an adoptee like me, but really, who you are isn’t anyone’s business but the troupe’s. If you’re on your own, don’t want to attract too much attention, or need a disguise then feel free to use a glamour, but we don’t expect you to hide yourself like that all of the time. I’d rather see your beautiful face than any illusion.”

-They are right,- Sharai, contributed as I blushed from Vesha’s words. -Eventually, word is going to get around that your troupe has a Faerie in their midst. Vesha and Nirlyn are already rare enough to attract attention, and keeping yourself under a glamour all of the time would be impractical and constantly drain your mana reserves. You should be able to be yourself when with your family. Besides, you will find that outside of Evalis, most people still worship the Gods and respect the Fae. Surely, some do so through fear, but Fae are not as maligned as they seem to be in the country of your birth.-

I let out a slow breath to calm myself. “I… Okay. I shall try to relax and ignore the stares. Sharai says that keeping a glamour on all of the time would be impractical anyway.”

We stopped as Vesha and Korine found the place they were looking for. “This is Aldus Cobbler’s shop,” Korine explained. “He’s one of the craftsmen in Loden that we deal with regularly when we pass through to get things we can’t make on our own. We have specific people that we deal with in practically every town and city on our travel routes because they’re willing to deal with us fairly and don’t judge us simply for being Voyagers. There is the most amazing apothecary in Hindra that we’ll have to take you to when we’re there, she has a gift and makes the most wonderful potions and salves.”

We stepped inside, and a bell above the door announced our arrival, though Vesha playfully called out, “Are you here, old man?!”

“Is that you, Vesha?! I heard your troupe was in town! You haven’t burned another pair of my fine shoes to a crisp, have you?! It’s been barely three months since I made you a new pair!” a grumpy-sounding voice called out. “I’ll be with you in a moment!”

Vesha blushed and looked down at the floor. Her last sandals had been burned, along with the rest of her clothes, in the Pillar of Flame until there was nothing left when she communed with her family. “Maybe…” she muttered quietly before calling back, “Nah, I’m good for shoes! We came here for Kaelyn this time!”

“Kaelyn? Is that one of the little ones? I don’t recognize the name,” an elderly man said as he parted the curtain to step out into the shop. He had barely passed the curtain when he stopped dead in his tracks, stared, and gasped out, “Merciful Gods, as I live an’ breathe. One of the fair folk, here, in my shop. Fair Lady, what may this humble cobbler do for you today?”

Words failed me at the awe in his tone, and on his face. I did not know how to respond to this and had been half expecting to be cast out or yelled at. Was Sharai right about people outside of Evalis? Well, at least some of them, it seemed, since he seemed to be on good terms with the troupe as well. Such people in Greendell had been both rare and silent, for fear of the Church of One.

Thankfully, Vesha quickly realized that I was at a loss for words and made introductions. “Kaelyn, this is old man Aldus. Old man, this is Kaelyn. She’s Mama’s new apprentice and was recently brought into the troupe. She was living alone and didn’t have much when she joined us, so she needs some proper sandals, and maybe some boots to keep her feet clean in town.”

“I… umm… well met, Aldus… Sir,” I stammered uncertainly as I tried to rein in my errant tongue.

The man’s look of awe turned into a kindly smile. “I see. She’s still young it seems, and probably not used to being around so many humans. You Voyagers are different; you’re practically Fae yourselves with your respect for nature and the way you hold grudges. At least she’s polite, unlike some of her troupe-mates,” he said with a teasing tone as he looked at Vesha before turning that kind smile back to me. “No need to ‘Sir’ me, lass, I’m a humble cobbler and shoemaker, not some knight.”

“Sorry,” I quickly apologized.

“No need to apologize for being polite, lass. Maybe you can teach that fellow apprentice of yours a thing or two, but I won’t hold my breath waiting on it. Now, come into the back and have a seat so I can measure you properly,” he offered as he stepped back and opened the curtain to his workroom.

 

 

 

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Author's Note: Here's chapter 27 of The Faerie Blade. ~Amethyst.
 

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 Chapter 27: Kaelyn’s New Shoes

Measuring me for proper footwear did not take as long as I feared and was much as I remembered from when my parents would take me to one of Greendell’s shoemakers when I was a child. Half a dozen apprentices worked on various tasks in the background, but they kept their minds and hands on their tasks rather than paying attention to their Master’s current clients. Aldus was quick and professional, though he seemed very enamored with the Fae, as evidenced by the conversation while he worked. Well, ‘conversation’ might not be the proper term since my companions and I were content to listen while he worked and told us the story behind his interest in the Fae.

When Aldus was our age, he dreamed of life as an adventurer; traveling the world, seeing distant lands and great wonders, and returning home someday with grand stories to tell. It was not long though before he discovered that life on the road was not as he had imagined it. It was not exciting, it was dangerous, and the sights that he saw in his short journey were of the sort that plague one’s nightmares.

He had found work as a guard for a merchant’s caravan, and they were barely a fortnight into their journey when they were set upon by Orcs. Aldus saw his compatriots slaughtered, but those had been the lucky ones, they had died quickly. They did not have to see the creatures eat their fallen comrades and rape the few women amongst them who yet lived. They did not have to live with the knowledge that their lives would only last as long as the remains of their dead friends keeping their captors fed.

Then, one night he had awoken to screaming. While people screaming was hardly unusual in the camp that the Orcs had made from their ruined caravan, this time the screams came from their captors. The heinous creatures were systematically slaughtered by a host of Fae from the nearby forest and their captives were set free.

The Fae did not just kill their captors and free them though. Once they had finished burning the remains of the Orcs and their camp, they took those broken people home to their Glade, fed them, and helped them to recover and heal, from physical injuries and to ease the burden on their fragile minds as well. Once he was hale and healthy once more, Aldus returned home to Loden to apprentice with his father and cast aside his dreams of adventure, but he never forgot his saviors.

“So, you see, Fair Lady, I owe your people my life,” the shoemaker and cobbler said as he finished both his story and measurements. “Aye, the fair folk are not to be trifled with; you have a taste for mischief, one should be careful making deals with you, and you hold a grudge that has been earned until the end of your days, but your mercy, kindness, and gentle care for those in need is given freely and honestly.”

Sharai was quiet but I could feel her pride at his words, much as I could feel her simmering hate and fury earlier. She had become incensed when he had first brought up the Orcs and I had been forced to divide my attention between Aldus’s story and her views on Orcs. Goblins and Orcs are barely intelligent enough to be considered sentient, and it makes both species savage and beholden to their instincts but smart enough to organize and use weapons. The Fae consider them a plague to be cleansed wherever they take root.

While Goblins stick to caves and the deeper and darker places of the world and only prey upon those who venture into their territory, the Orcs are far more troublesome to the world at large. Orcs wander in large tribes, attacking whatever they come across. They murder, torture, rape, and sometimes enslave other intelligent beings and have earned the eternal ire of all Fae through their actions. In fact, the Seemings that Fae, including us Voyagers, use to obscure their homes from outsiders were first created as a defense against Orcs.

The Fae loathing of Orcs ran strong and deep, an enmity that had lasted millennia and rivaled our hatred of the Demons and their forgotten God for how their dark rituals forever tainted the Weave. I had spotted quiet fury in the eyes and expressions of both Vesha and Korine as Aldus told his tale of woe and felt Sharai’s in the back of my mind, and yet I could only feel that cold fury second hand. Oh, I was angry and disgusted by what Aldus and the others had been through for certain, but that primal hate that I sensed in the others was not there.

I had barely heard of Orcs before this and Greendell was too large to have to worry about one of their tribes attacking. My mother tried to raise me as a human to keep me safe from the church, so I was never told the stories, or given the warnings, that other Voyager children grew up with. Instead of that primal hatred, I felt only grief fill my heart as I realized that I was a Voyager in name only, still largely unfamiliar with my people and their history.

Of course, Sharai sensed this emotion, and the thoughts which had caused it. -Yes, you still have much to learn about your people and their ways, Kaelyn. You have much to learn about being Fae as well, but you have time to learn. It is like learning to use your sword. You will only do so by putting aside your doubts and immersing yourself in it. Tonight’s coming-of-age ceremony will be an opportunity to bridge that gap and regain some of what was once lost to you, but even spending time with your people, as you are now, will help. You have just now learned something new about our people as well; consider it just another step of many to becoming a Voyager in more than just name. A journey begins with a single step, which you took when joining your troupe. Over time you will continue to tread new ground, and take many more steps toward the summit,- she told me soothingly.

The words lessened the ache in my heart, and I managed a weak smile for the craftsman. “I am glad to see that you remember my people so fondly, Aldus. Our troupe found me to the north and took me in, and it is rare to see someone with such an unbiased view of us there. The church in Evalis hunts our kind and these days, few in that country know anything of us other than commonly told stories of mischief, grudges, and vengeance.”

I truly was glad to see it. Stories told in Greendell about the Fae were stilted and not kind, and the church encouraged and often exaggerated them in its stance against magic and non-humans in general. My mother and I were among the few who did not follow their rhetoric on the matter, and those few remained quiet and hidden, for their own safety. Besides, kind words to a man who already saw the truth cost me nothing, and the brief smile they brought to his face was well worth it.

“Aye,” he agreed once the smile faded into a frown. “I have heard of the Church of One. They have abandoned the Gods, preach against magic, and say that the Fae and other non-human races consort with Demons.”

I nodded in confirmation as Vesha tried to lighten the mood by teasing, “You hardly ever leave this shop, old man, how’d you hear that?”

Aldus snorted, but a smile once again touched his lips. “Except for the Lamia from the swamps of southeast Haydin, all travelers have feet, Vesha. Those feet inevitably bring them to shoemakers and cobblers like me, just like you wagon-dragging troublemakers,” he teased back. Despite his taunt, it seemed that he was fond of our troupe, going by the playful smile. “And how long are you here for this time? Are you leaving soon, or will I have time to finish Kaelyn’s sandals?”

Korine answered in the Salamander’s stead. “Just a short stop this time, Aldus. We’re in a hurry to get to Derevik so Master Nirlyn can report on things up north and make Kaelyn into a proper apprentice. We’ll be having a feast tonight to celebrate, but we’re leaving in the morning.”

“Yep,” Vesha interjected with a fang-displaying grin and a playful swish of her draconic tail. “Kaelyn and I completed our rite of passage, so we’re both going to be adults after tonight’s ceremony. You should get out of your shop for a bit and come celebrate with us.”

“You? An adult? Does your poor mother realize what she is unleashing upon the unsuspecting world?” Aldus teasingly scoffed before his attention returned to me. “Less than a day is not going to be enough to make you proper shoes, even with my apprentices to help.”

I was disappointed, but not terribly surprised by the words. I knew that quality work took time, and I was not even sure if I could afford them anyway. “I understand,” I said with a sigh.

Aldus barely heard me, as he was currently staring thoughtfully at the wax slate on which he had written my measurements. “Perhaps…” he muttered before finally smiling. “Come, lass, your measurements are close if my memory is not failing me. Follow me and let us see if my mind is still sound.”

With that, he led us out of the workshop and back to the storefront, where samples of his craft sat on shelves and lined the front window. They ensured that any who might have missed the sign above the door that read, “Aldus Cobbler: Shoemaking and Repairs,” could see what the shop specialized in. “These are mostly apprentice work, castoffs, and orders that were never claimed,” he explained as he took us to one shelf in particular.

Eight pairs of various footwear that seemed of finer make than the others did sat upon that shelf, but he removed three pairs and placed them in my arms. There was a pair of sandals similar to those that Voyagers wear for their simplicity, made of polished dark brown leather soles and straps. The boots would likely be knee-high when worn and were made of black-dyed suede with sturdy laces, a low heel, and lined with fleece inside and along the top for colder weather. There was also a pair of simple yet elegant black leather closed shoes with pointed toes that Korine told me were popular with the nobility.

These were master quality work. It showed, and Aldus confirmed it as he instructed, “Well, try them on and we shall see how close the fit is. I made these myself, from the stitching up. One of the local Count’s daughters fancied herself a world traveler and ordered these six months ago but never came to claim them; I heard that she was taken by the sweating sickness.”

I tried on the closed shoe first since it seemed the simplest to put on. To my surprise, it was more comfortable than I had been expecting, not too tight, too loose, or pinching my toes. I found the boots and sandals to fit similarly well. I changed back into the soft-soled boots that had come with my armor and bore the same enchantments, which thankfully kept them from being ruined by the mud and shit in the streets, and then looked at the sandals thoughtfully as I wondered if I could afford such fine work.

“The fit is good, how much for the sandals?” I finally asked, expecting to lose a good chunk of what coin I had.

“They’re yours,” the old man offered with a shrug. “The boots and shoes too. They are just going to waste and taking up room in my shop, and they were already paid for. If they fit and you can use them, then you should use them instead of them just sitting here and collecting dust.”

“I… I could not possibly…” I began to protest.

“Consider it a gift for your coming of age, and a mark of my esteem for your people. Wear them well, Kaelyn,” Aldus offered in a tone that I was sure meant that he would not be taking ‘no’ for an answer.

-It would be rude to refuse him,- Sharai gently pointed out. -He too has his pride, and it looks as if he has been waiting a long time to return the kindness that our people once extended to him.-

She was right, and I did not wish to insult him or wound his pride by refusing. “I… thank you, Aldus. Your kindness is appreciated, and I shall wear them with pride. I hope that you will come to our camp tonight to celebrate with us.”

“Aye, Fair Lady, I shall be there,” he replied before gesturing toward Vesha with a grin. “I will need to see that one become an adult to believe it.”

“You wound me, old man,” the Salamander playfully taunted back with a hand over her heart. Then she helped to gather up my new footwear in a sack that she had brought along for any purchases we made and took my hand as she and Korine led me out of the shop. The pair took me to see the other craftsmen in town that the troupe was friendly with but most of them had nothing that I needed or wanted at the moment.

There was an enchanter, but she was not very powerful and wouldn’t be able to extend the enchantment on my armor to Neva’kul or her sheath, and even if she could have, I would probably need to make more coin before I could afford it. She suggested that I visit her former Master when we stopped in Hindra. She suggested that Lady Arinade might be willing to work out an exchange for allowing her to study the enchantments on both my armor and blade since they were ancient, and the art had been lost to all but a very few Fae.

Before returning to the camp, we checked out the town’s small marketplace, though we bought little except a few sweets for ourselves and the children of the troupe. The little ones were very happy with that purchase when we returned to camp and shared our haul. Shava was deep into her magic lessons with our grandmother by that point though, so we left her share with Aunt Sivelle. Then the three of us returned to our respective wagons so I could leave my new footwear with my other belongings, and so we could each gather our chosen instruments for an afternoon of busking with Master Nirlyn and Journeyman Daivin.

 

 

 

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Author's Note: Here's chapter 28 of The Faerie Blade. Further chapters are available on my Patreon page. ~Amethyst.
 

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 Chapter 28: Kaelyn the Adult

Busking went well; Master Nirlyn had found us a good spot with a lot of traffic near the market square and even dividing the take between the five of us and Selice, who danced for us, we managed to make some good coin. I ended up playing my lute since it was the instrument that I needed the most practice with. Master Nirlyn had me do most of the singing as well, mostly because she wanted me to get used to the range of my new voice and learn to make the most of it.

I spent most of the afternoon playing and singing alongside my fellow Bards. By the time the sun neared the horizon, and it was time to return to camp, I was a very happy musician. This was where I belonged, traveling with my troupe, making music with the other Bards, and improving my skills with my instruments. I was even eager to get back to my dance lessons with Selice so that I could someday master the Tien’jin, though she assured me on the way back to camp that we would return to those lessons tomorrow night. Tonight, we would celebrate Vesha and me becoming adults.

We returned to camp as the sun was setting, but aside from Hagen and Mara standing guard and the children playing, there was not a person to be seen. From the wisps of smoke and wonderful scents emerging from the majority of the wagons, I had my suspicions as to why so few of the troupe were currently outside. “It seems like the evening’s feast is almost ready,” Daivin said with a smile as he confirmed my suspicions.

“Aye, they’ve likely been a’ work since no’ long after we left t’ go buskin’,” Master Nirlyn agreed. “Let’s get these instruments pu’ away so we can ‘elp gettin’ things set up. No’ you girls though, this is yer day so ya can relax ‘til we call ya. On the morrow, you’ll be ‘ard at work on yer lessons again.”

The last was directed at Vesha and me, and the look on our Master’s face made it clear that we were to enjoy the time and just relax while we had the chance. We returned to our wagon and after I made sure to feed Zaiya and spend a little time with her, Vesha and I spent the rest of our time snuggled together on my cot. It was nice to lay there as she held me in her arms, occasionally kissing and caressing one another as we enjoyed one another’s company.

We were contentedly snuggled there, kissing and letting our hands roam beneath the other’s clothes when there was a knock on our wagon door. One of Vesha’s hands was cupping and caressing my breast through my bodice and the other was beneath my skirts teasingly running along my thigh. The stimulation was enticing and had me moaning into her lips and breathing heavily as we kissed. Thus, it was with some reluctance that I allowed my lips to part from hers and we broke apart to stand up and straighten our clothing.

Vesha was not quite as aroused as I seemed to be, so as soon as her clothes were mostly righted, she went to answer the door, giving me a precious moment or two to collect myself. “Mama… is everything ready then?”

“Aye, daughter dear,” I heard Master Nirlyn’s voice reply in an amused tone. “So, you an’ Kaelyn can stop tunin’ each other’s instruments an’ make yerselves presentable.”

My face turned bright red even as Vesha sputtered, “What?! Mama… I… I mean we…”

“Yer tunic is ridin’ up, dear,” her mother interrupted with a laugh. “An’ I assume Kaelyn is straightenin’ ‘erself up? It’s nothin’ t’ be hidin’, lass, we all see the way the pair o’ ye look at one another an’ stick close. Some o’ us ‘ave been takin’ bets on when the two o’ ya would stop lookin’ an’ start showin’ yer interest right an’ proper. I guess this means Tanna wins. Ne’er bet against a Seer.”

“Mama!” Vesha sputtered again.

“Relax, an’ both o’ ya get presentable an’ come join the party while the food is still ‘ot,” the Master Bard managed to get out before Vesha practically slammed the door on her.

The Salamander’s face was probably as red as I imagined mine to be, and she quickly looked down at herself and pulled her tunic back down to its proper position. “Sorry about that, Kaelyn. Mama probably won’t tease us for long, but the rest of the troupe will probably know by the time we get out there. There’s nothing like a good bit of gossip to entertain the troupe, but they probably won’t be too hard on us since you’re still trying to get used to all of this.”

I nodded as I made sure that none of my clothes were as out of place as Vesha’s had been. “Aye, I guess a little teasing is to be expected. I have seen other members of the troupe get teased, but I have not seen anyone be mean about it yet. It always seems more playful?”

“Yep, playful is a good word for it. It’s just part of being a Voyager and the way that we interact with one another, and there is usually no harm intended. Now we should get out there, the longer we take the dirtier their minds are going to get,” the beautiful Salamander explained with a smile that practically lit up the entire wagon.

I took a deep breath to steady myself and tried to look as casual as I could as Vesha opened the door and led me out of the wagon. The moment we had stepped out, Master Nirlyn slipped past us to enter the wagon. She was not in there long though since she caught up with us before we even got to the large bonfire that the entire troupe was gathered around. When she caught us up, she was carrying a pair of cloth-wrapped bundles under one arm and a small satchel in the other hand that sounded like there were coins inside.

Master Nirlyn guided us both to an empty spot where someone had placed two chairs from one of the wagons. Everyone else was sitting on the logs or rocks that we had used during the morning meal. Once we were seated, as she had instructed, she placed the large bundles carefully on the ground. “Tanna won our little wager, everyone,” she announced as she tossed the satchel to Tanna before taking a seat beside the bundles she had placed on the ground.

Our Master’s announcement was met with a chorus of groans from the other adults of the troupe as Tanna snatched the flying satchel out of the air with a satisfied smile. Glimma did not seem convinced, at least not for a moment. “Are you sure, Nirlyn? I don’t… ooooh, look at how they’re both blushing! Caught in the act I’d wager.”

“You’d best not, lest you end up owing me more coin,” Tanna told the Owl-keeper with a grin.

The teasing went on for a while, most of it directed at Vesha and me, as we ate. Nobody was mean about it though and it was an overall happy atmosphere. Things became more relaxed, and the teasing tapered off as Aldus and a few other artisans whom I had met in town earlier in the day came to join the festivities.

There were so many foods to choose from; salads made from fresh greens, hot stew, delicately spiced brook trout fillets, seasoned boar meat and pan-fried potatoes in a thick gravy, and roast quails stuffed with mushrooms, ground boar meat, and spicy diced pahra bulbs. Someone had even made some sort of flaky pastries too, stuffed with wild berries and with a sweet glaze on top made from honey and ground sweetroot. I had never been to such a celebration in my life, let alone as one of the guests of honor, and it was a wonderful way to end an almost perfect day.

Once everyone had eaten their fill and the evening air began to fill with contented post-meal conversation, my grandfather stood up and cleared his throat, calling for the attention of those gathered. Only once he had that attention, and silence overtook the camp, did he finally speak. “Troupemates and honored guests. We are gathered here tonight in celebration. Two younglings from our troupe were given tasks to perform in Hespira’s name, to prove themselves ready to become adults.”

“They are younglings no more,” my grandmother continued as she stood by Grandpa’s side. “They faced peril and horrors beyond what anyone should have to face, and they returned to us whole and triumphant, bearing the proof of their deeds. They returned to us as adults. Vesha, please stand tall before us and hold out your hands.”

Vesha stood up and approached my grandparents as calmly as if she were playing an instrument. She did not say a word and I could not be sure if that was due to tradition or just the solemnness of the occasion. I suddenly felt woefully unprepared for when it would be my turn to stand in her place. The Salamander presented both hands to my grandparents as she beamed proudly.

Grandma placed a simple silver ring that gleamed in the firelight on the forefinger of her left hand. It was engraved with sigils that looked Fae to me. At the same time, Grandpa placed a matching one on the forefinger of her right hand as well. As the rings were slipped onto Vesha’s fingers, my grandmother solemnly said, “These rings are a symbol. They represent all that you have overcome and show the world that you have put your childhood behind you and are ready to embrace the role of an adult of your troupe.”

“With that role comes both privileges and responsibilities,” my grandfather continued. “Do you, Vesha, vow to contribute to your troupe in hard times and prosperity, protect your troupe from harm should the need arise, avenge those you cannot protect, and set an example for the children who come after you?”

Vesha took a deep breath and then repeated, “I vow to contribute to my troupe in hard times and prosperity, protect my troupe from harm should the need arise, avenge those I cannot protect, and set an example for the children who come after me.”

Grandma nodded solemnly, though I could see her faint smile as she said, “Then before Hespira and your troupe, I name you Vesha Firemantle, Bard of Sparrowsong Troupe. You have earned that name by Voyager traditions. Carry it well and do your troupe proud.”

I was in shock as I heard the name of our troupe spoken for the first time. My mother’s earned name had been Kalara Sparrowsong and I did not think the name of the troupe was a coincidence. I was barely aware of Vesha returning to her seat beside me and had to make myself focus on the solemn task at hand, as my grandfather called to me, “Kaelyn, please stand tall before us and hold out your hands.”

I stood up on suddenly shaking legs and attempted to emulate the calm that Vesha had shown when doing so only moments earlier. My throat was tight, and I did not think that I could speak a word if I tried. I was sure that everyone could see my hands trembling as I held them out to my grandparents. -Worry not, Kaelyn, you have already done the hard part, or you would not be here now,- Sharai told me in a reassuring tone.

My grandmother placed a silver ring, much like the one that she had placed on Vesha earlier, on the forefinger of my left hand. It too was engraved with symbols that looked Fae to me, though they looked slightly different from the runes on Vesha’s. My grandfather slid the matching one on the forefinger of my right hand in unison. -It is Fae script,- Sharai explained. -They seem to bear the name that you have earned. It is interesting to see how the Voyagers differ from the traditions of old and yet still honor them. Fae wear the rings on the same fingers when they are considered adults, though ours bear no script, and one must be fifty years of age.-

I was barely hearing Sharai as I attempted to focus on the moment. The rings were cool as they were slid onto my fingers, and they seemed to have weight to them. “These rings are a symbol,” my grandmother solemnly stated. “They represent all that you have overcome and show the world that you have put your childhood behind you and are ready to embrace the role of an adult of your troupe.”

“With that role comes both privileges and responsibilities,” Grandpa added. “Do you, Kaelyn, vow to contribute to your troupe in hard times and prosperity, protect your troupe from harm should the need arise, avenge those you cannot protect, and set an example for the children who come after you?”

I swallowed the sudden lump in my throat. Despite the peppermint tea that I had drank with dinner, I felt suddenly parched. Still, I took a deep breath to calm myself and then answered, “I vow to contribute to my troupe in hard times and prosperity, protect my troupe from harm should the need arise, avenge those I cannot protect, and set an example for the children who come after me.”

Grandma was really trying to keep up the appearance of being solemn, but a smile cracked that stony exterior as she announced, “Then before Hespira and your troupe, I name you Kaelyn Darkbane, Bard and Bladebearer of Sparrowsong Troupe. You have earned that name by Voyager traditions. Carry it well and do your troupe proud.”

The name was a surprise. I had been hoping for something musical, like my mother’s earned name, but the names were earned through the task we had been set to prove that we were ready to become adults. We had both fought many Tainted, but each of us had also done something pivotal as well during our time in those ruins. Vesha had found out what she truly was and mastered the fire within her when doing so; she made it a part of her. With Sharai’s help, I had fought a Darkling and purified her, setting her free and gaining her armor. After that, claiming Fal’hevar had been easy by comparison.

I quietly thanked them both and did not bother trying to hide the tears in my eyes as I sat down beside Vesha once again. “I… didn’t know the name of our troupe until today,” I said in a hushed tone.

“When we decided t’ break off from the larger troupe an’ form our own, ‘twas yer mother that kept us all together. She was important to all of us in some way, we all wanted t’ find ‘er an’ you. Our love fer her inspired us all; it only made sense t’ name the new troupe after her,” Master Nirlyn said as she reached over to gently squeeze my hand.

We continued to celebrate late into the night. Once our guests had left to return to their homes in Loden and the children were abed, I was ready to go get some sleep myself. I was about to excuse myself to go do so when my grandfather reappeared beside the fire hefting a small cask and called out, “It is tradition that we have a toast to the new adults, so I’m breaking out the good brandy that I got last time we were in Derevik!”

When the cheers following that announcement subsided, my grandmother added, “Nirlyn, if you haven’t given them their gifts yet, now is the time,” as she emerged from behind her husband bearing a large tray of clay mugs.

While my grandparents started filling mugs and passing them around, Master Nirlyn wasted no time in shoving a cloth-wrapped package into Vesha’s hands and then another into mine. “It’s traditional fer the troupe t’ present the new adult, with a gift t’ help them in their new life,” she quickly explained. “You first, Vesha.”

The Salamander did as she was bid and unwrapped the cloth, which turned out to be a beautiful crimson cloak made from kirgen wool, with a fleece-lined hood. Inside was a folded star-spider silk gown that had been dyed a bright gold to contrast her scales and hair and a lute case. Vesha just stared for a moment, completely at a loss for words.

I was at a similar loss for words when I opened my bundle to find a similar cloak and gown, though the latter was dyed a pale lavender and the former was midnight black, contrasting the white of the fleece that lined the hood. Inside was a fiddle case. “Glimma and Sivelle helped me to get the cloaks and the gowns finished before the two of you got back,” Zenna explained. “We thought that you could both use something nice to wear in case you get asked to play for merchants or nobles.”

“Everyone chipped in t’ buy the instruments when we were last in Derevik,” Niryln added. “We knew tha’ Vesha was going t’ be an adult soon an’ I thought it was about time tha’ she ‘ad an instrument of ‘er own instead o’ usin’ mine all o’ the time. The fiddle was t’ be a gift fer yer mother, if we found ‘er, Kaelyn. Hers needed replacin’ even afore she decided t’ settle down an’ have a family with yer Da. It’s only right tha’ it goes t’ you. An’ it’s sumthin’ ya already know how t’ play too.”

Where my favorite instrument was undeniably the harp, my mother had loved both the harp and the fiddle equally. I was well aware that her fiddle in particular had been well worn even before she taught me to play. She said that it had been her first instrument and I always had to be extremely careful whenever I played it. By the time that I fled southward with Sharai only half the strings remained, the neck was warping, and the bow needed replacing.

I did not think that my mother would have ever bought a new one for herself though, if she were still alive today. She had loved that instrument and had always been very sentimental about it. It was actually the last instrument that she started teaching me to play since she wanted to be sure that I wouldn’t damage it. Tears filled my eyes as I opened the case in my lap and gazed at the instrument within.

Both the fiddle and the bow were simple and well-made. The body and neck were delightfully smooth to the touch and the wood was stained a deep mahogany color. It was beautiful in its simplicity and as I took it in my hands and ran the bow experimentally over the strings, the world around me faded away as I reveled in the rich sound that it provided. Certainly, it needed to be tuned, and this was not an instrument to impress others, but it was mine. It was an instrument lovingly crafted to make music, and I was eager to do that.

Not tonight though, I would have time to get to know my new companion tomorrow. I gingerly placed it back in its case and wrapped the cloak around both it and the gown once again. Then, I looked at those gathered around, my family, with teary eyes as I said, “Thank you.”

Hugs were exchanged all around and then a mug with a very potent-smelling liquid was shoved into my hands. Vesha already had one in hand, and I looked at the brandy a little uncertainly since I had never had alcohol before. I did not have much time to mull over those thoughts though, as Uncle Bryden raised his mug and said, “To Vesha and Kaelyn, may you both realize your dreams, succeed in all your endeavors, and always make your troupe as proud of you as we are today.”

Mugs were raised as the toast was heartily repeated and I drank deeply from the mug in my hands. The coughing fit that followed my first taste of the very strong alcohol, proved this to be a mistake. I finished my drink at a more sedate pace after that, enjoying the warmth that the drink instilled in me, and the companionship of the other adults of my troupe. The first mug was followed by another, and then another. Everything became a blur after that, and I awoke the next morning half-naked on my cot wrapped up cozily in Vesha’s arms.

 

 

 

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Author's Note: Here's chapter 29 of The Faerie Blade. Further chapters are available on my Patreon page. ~Amethyst.
 

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 Chapter 29: The Morning After

I did not want to leave my cot. I was so warm and cozy, wrapped up in Vesha’s arms and it felt so perfect in my sleepy daze. If only I did not have such a terrible headache and feel so sick to my stomach. Did I eat something that did not agree with me at the celebration last night?

Working through the throbbing agony in my head, I managed to recall the first couple of mugs of my grandfather’s rum, and not much after that. Was this the result of going too deep into my cups? My headache was getting worse by the moment. and I was suddenly having to fight to keep the contents of my stomach inside my stomach. I truly hoped that I did not do something that I would regret later the night before. It was only when the need to expel the alcohol and last night’s feast became violently urgent that I attempted to work myself free of the warm comfort that embraced me.

It was only as I clumsily struggled to free myself, Vesha’s arm tightened around my rebelling belly, and her free hand lazily caressed my naked breast that some very important realizations dawned. The first was that it was the closeness of Vesha, holding me in her arms, that was keeping me warm. The other realizations assaulted my tired, beleaguered, and pain-distracted mind all at once. I was only clad in my moonskin, Vesha’s wandering hand was stirring some wonderful sensations despite my current state, and I could distinctly feel the pulsating warmth of her own naked breasts pressed into my back, just below my wings, as she held me.

My traitorous stomach chose that moment to remind me of how very upset it was and I desperately scrambled free of Vesha’s arms. Heedless of my current state of dress, or lack thereof, I rushed out of our wagon to empty the contents of my stomach at the camp’s latrine. Had I been thinking clearly, I could have used the wagon’s privy, but my mind was well muddled and I was still getting used to having such luxuries available.

It was still dark outside, but on the verge of twilight, and the air outside was cool enough to prickle my skin, especially after the comfortable warmth of Vesha’s embrace. The relentless torrent of freezing rain that pelted me was not helping any, and sticky mud squelched beneath my bare feet and between my toes, as I hurried to my destination. I was well and truly drenched, not to mention cold, by the time I made the short trip to the covered latrine building which housed a half dozen privies. Even that discomfort was of secondary concern to me as I entered the closest water closet and emptied my stomach.

I had other things on my mind, clamoring for my attention through the throbbing pain and fuzziness of my mind as well. “Dear Goddess, what did I do last night? How did Vesha and I end up like that? Did we…” my heart raced at the unfinished thought, as I purged last night’s meal and brandy.

Sharai’s laughter in my mind was unusually grating in my current state, especially since I did not know what she was laughing about until she calmed enough to voice her thoughts. -All you did was enjoy the company of your troupe, Kaelyn, so you may stop worrying. You had too much to drink and it got cold and started raining while you were all drinking so Vesha brought you to bed, helped you to undress, and stayed with you to help you warm up. Nothing occurred other than some kissing, loving words, and cuddling. You were in no state to do more, and your love did not wish to take advantage.-

Oh, thank goodness. It was hard to deny that I was in love with Vesha now, but I did not think that I was ready for more than kissing, cuddling, and a little touching yet. Besides, when we did make love for the first time, I wanted to remember it.

Once I had finished emptying my stomach, I looked warily at the miserable and wet condition of the camp. “I do not look forward to training in that,” I muttered.

-It would probably be best if you do not today,- Sharai suggested as the camp was lit by a flash of lightning. Almost immediately on the heels of the flash, thunder boomed and practically shook the ground. -You are not feeling well and this is a bad storm. Normally, I would say that there are going to be days when we will have to fight even if we feel terrible and it is pouring rain like today and that our enemies will not hold back just because we do not feel like fighting, so we fight, and train, no matter what the conditions. However, in this case, I think it best to be cautious. You and Shava could become ill, or injure yourselves, by attempting to train and spar under these conditions.-

I breathed a sigh of relief and dashed from the shelter of the latrine to that of the camp’s small bathhouse. Since this camp was along a major travel route and regularly used by Voyagers, the various troupes to pass through here had the two structures built to make things more comfortable for themselves and any other travelers who might need to use the site during their travels. The latrine drained into a pit that was far enough away from the camp so the smell would not bother anyone, and farmers often came to empty the waste to fertilize their fields.

Like the latrine, the bathhouse was open to the air on one side with a slanted tiled roof, though it had a cobblestone floor and an ingenious water pump connected to a well inside. There was even a sort of trough along the eaves of the roof that would gather rainwater like we were seeing now and carry it along a copper pipe to drain into the well. Inside, there were wooden buckets available to fill to fill the four large copper claw-footed tubs around the well with water, or for cooking or other purposes. The tubs were very spacious for a single person and could easily fit two or three people if they were feeling friendly.

I had been told that there were facilities like this at many of the camps near cities and large towns that the Voyagers used often and where they might want to stay for more than a day or two. I had never seen them in Evalis but it was not surprising, given how unwelcoming the country was to Voyagers and non-humans. I was assured that they were more common near large population centers throughout Kalidar, Nalean, and Haydin though. There were even a few in the smaller nations of Scorcia and Crow, though our travels would not be taking us in that direction.

Inside the bathhouse, I found two other early risers. Glimma had a pair of large pots with her and was attempting to start a fire with damp wood, while my cousin was filling one of the pots with water. The former took one look at me and clucked sympathetically, “A wee bit too much to drink last night, Kaelyn? Don’t worry, you’re not alone, I have a feeling that most of us will be feeling the effects of last night’s merriment for a while, myself included.”

Glimma looked like I felt, tired and sick. “You are cooking in here today?” I asked.

“Aye, it’ll keep us from getting too wet, if I can get this bloody fire going. It won’t be anything special today though, just some hearty oatmeal and some tea made from willow bark and various herbs, it doesn’t taste the best, but it should help with the hangovers,” she replied as she frowned at the wood.

“Allow me,” I offered. Once she had backed up a bit, I summoned a rose-hued faerie fire. “There you go, Glimma. That does not need any fuel and should provide plenty of heat to cook with.”

The Owl-keeper’s face lit up almost as much as the fire I had just cast. “Oh, I keep forgetting that you can do that. This will be so useful for cooking; does it tire you to cast them?”

“Not really,” I replied after a moment of thought. “I could probably keep a dozen of them lit until they need to be dismissed. It does not take much of my mana, and it would be good practice in helping me to remember to keep replenishing my mana reserves whenever I use even the smallest magic. I was actually coming in here hoping that I could heat up some water for a hot bath. Umm… not that I do not appreciate having the baths here, but soaking in some nice hot water right now would be wonderful.”

“Are we still training today?” Shava asked. She did not seem to be complaining about the possibility, only asking for clarification.

“No, Shava,” I confirmed. “Normally we would, even in poor weather, but Sharai is worried that we could become sick in this freezing rain or harm ourselves under these conditions.”

My cousin let out a relieved sigh as she continued filling one of the pots from a bucket. As much as she wanted to improve with the sword, training in this weather would only make us both miserable. Glimma meanwhile, was considering the implications of what I had said a moment earlier with a look of wonder on her face. “Hot bath? You’re right, that would feel amazing right now. It usually takes so much work heating the water for one, unless we’re near a hot spring. Vesha could provide fire but she always had issues with her control, it was nothing or an inferno. Kaelyn, you’re my new best friend,” she stated with a grin.

While Glimma waited for the large pots of water to boil for the simple breakfast and her special tea, the three of us set to work filling all four tubs, so any other early risers who wanted a hot bath could have one. The tubs could be emptied afterward by removing the metal ball sitting in the hole in the bottom. As we got them filled, I summoned a pair of faerie fires beneath each tub to heat the water as we added more. It also served to take off some of the chill in the air from the rain. Once we had each of the tubs roughly half-full, we just needed to wait for the water in them to get hot enough that I could dismiss my faerie fires.

The large pot of oatmeal and the tea were ready before the baths, but the three of us ate our meal together so we could relax for a bit in the bath afterward. Glimma was right; the tea’s taste left a lot to be desired. It was very bitter, but it did seem to help my headache and nausea, and the simple oatmeal was not too hard on my stomach.

A few others came to have their breakfast as we ate ours, but only my aunt Sivelle stayed to enjoy a hot bath with us since Hagen and Mara, donning thick cloaks, wanted to scout the road ahead before the caravan got underway. Shava and her mother ended up sharing one of the baths, while Glimma and I shared the other, leaving two open for anyone else who happened to wake up early.

I was still a little nervous being naked around others, but I was starting to get used to casual nudity among the troupe and I was trying to be less self-conscious. They had all seen me bare on the few occasions that we had bathed together before, and I had shown up in only my moonskin so what would be the point in covering up now? Glimma was naked when I showed up since she did not see the point in getting her clothes soaked and had planned to use the cooking fire to stay warm. She did run back to her wagon to retrieve a few things though, as did Sivelle, which included towels to dry ourselves and changes of clothes.

As we bathed, Glimma and I helped one another wash our backs and hair, and she had some sweet-scented herbal mixtures for getting our skin clean and soft, and our hair shiny and healthy-looking. Apparently, she had gotten them from an alchemist and apothecary that the troupe did business with in Hindra. I believed that it might have been the same woman that Vesha and Korine wanted to take me to when we arrived there.

Most of the other full-blooded Fae of the troupe filed in as we enjoyed our baths and ate their simple breakfasts, some of whom looked even more hungover than I felt. Only Selice, Zenna, Tanna, and my grandmother decided to take advantage of the hot baths though. The men were being gentlemanly and allowing their wives the pleasure while they started packing up camp, and the children seemed to think that they were wet enough already. By the time that Master Nirlyn, Vesha, and the other late sleepers ate their breakfast we would likely be ready to get on the road.

When I emerged from the bath clean and warm, I quickly flew across the camp to our wagon and dashed inside. Thankfully, I was able to get there quickly enough that the chill of the rain did not set in; the movement of my wings dried them off and kept me fairly warm, and I was able to avoid getting my feet covered in mud as well. I quickly dressed in my warmest clothes, fed Zaiya, and spent some time playing with the owlet until the others got up, ate their morning meal, and we were on the road once more.

 

 

 

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Author's Note: Here's chapter 30 of The Faerie Blade. Further chapters are available on my Patreon page. ~Amethyst.
 

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 Chapter 30: Kaelyn and the Menagerie

The storm continued to rage throughout the day as we traveled along the road toward Kalidar’s capital city, Hindra. I was glad that Kalidar maintained the stone-paved road so well since we would have been in for a very uncomfortable journey on less well-maintained dirt roads that would have turned to mud. As it was, we all got thoroughly soaked when it was our turn at the reins.

Master Nirlyn took the first turn driving the kirgen, while Vesha and I spent most of the morning alternating between snuggling, practicing with our instruments, and working on our other studies as well. Vesha helped me with my reading and writing since she was far more literate than I was and better at reading music sheets as well. Music theory, composition, and the basics of magic were better left for when Master Nirlyn could be there to properly instruct us though, and Korine would have to be in on those lessons as well.

So, the majority of our morning, until Vesha took over for Master Nirlyn on the driver’s bench, was spent becoming familiar with our new instruments. Both my new fiddle and Vesha’s new lute were finely crafted instruments with a rich sound to them. I felt that I would probably end up playing the fiddle a lot more often, now that I had such a fine one that belonged to me rather than one I would have to borrow. The harp was still my favorite instrument, but this fine fiddle was probably a close second once I had a chance to play it and enjoy the melodious sounds that I could make with it. Vesha seemed to be over the moon with her lute as well.

When midday came around and the storm had not yet abated, it was decided that we would all have a quick and simple meal inside of our wagons before pressing onward. The meal was as cold as the rain outside, consisting of bread, cheese, and dried meat that the troupe had gotten in Loden while restocking our supplies. It was not great, but it was filling, and I made some hot tea on our wagon’s stove to go with it and ward off the chill of the damp weather.

It was late afternoon, and moving swiftly toward evening, when the wagons ahead of me slowed to a stop. Very wet, and feeling miserable, I reined in the kirgen to bring them to a stop as I waited to see what was going on. It was still quite some time before we were due to stop to set up camp and begin preparations for the evening meal, so the longer that we lingered the more uncomfortable that I became. Something was wrong.

I was not reassured when my grandfather approached from the front of the caravan with Mara, who had been scouting the road ahead of us for fallen trees or other unexpected obstacles, and Uncle Bryden. I had been assured that bandits would not be a problem since this road led directly to the capital and was both well-traveled and regularly patrolled by Kalidaran soldiers. The grim expression on my grandfather’s face as they approached did not reassure me at all.

“Kaelyn, we will be setting up camp just ahead, Vaela and Shava will cast the Seeming while we move the wagons into place. I want you, Niryln, Vesha, Bryden, and Hagen to go with Mara, she found something troublesome while scouting the road up ahead. We’ll have someone drive your wagons to the campsite we’ve chosen,” my grandfather stated as Mara continued past our wagon to her own, presumably to get her husband, Hagen.

My stomach sank at his words, and I reached behind the driver’s bench to rap loudly upon the door. It was not lost on me that the people who would be accompanying Mara would be those in our troupe most capable of combat. Mara and Hagen were the troupe’s hunters and scouts and had seen their fair share of fights. Uncle Bryden had experience with swords and other weapons and was probably the best knife fighter in the troupe. As for the rest of us, Master Nirlyn was a Spellsinger; Vesha had her thick scales, strength, and fire; and I had Neva’kul and my armor, and Sharai could take control if we encountered something that I couldn’t handle on my own. Vesha and I could also fly, making us the quickest and capable of aerial scouting.

Sensing that my grandfather had a reason for his choices, I removed my sword belt bearing Neva’kul and laid the blade on the bench to my side. Then I quickly summoned my armor before hopping off the bench and returning both belt and blade to their proper place. My grandfather nodded approvingly as my Master and fellow apprentice emerged from the wagon.

Master Nirlyn took one look at my grandfather, Uncle Bryden, and me and sighed, “Trouble ahead, Lorne?”

“Aye, Mara spotted something,” he agreed with a frown. “Even if we did decide to push onward, it would take time to clear the road or make our way around the blockage.”

“Mara said it looks like a merchant caravan of some sort, but most of the wagons have been destroyed. Couldn’t have happened more than a few hours ago. She has a bad feeling about it, and didn’t want to get any closer without backup, in case whatever caused the damage is still around,” my uncle explained.

“Something doesn’t smell right, an’ I’d rather be safe than sorry,” the scout in question added in a serious tone as she and her husband approached from their wagon with their five-year-old daughter, Cylia. “We’ll leave Cylia with Zenna until we get back; she can play with the twins for a bit.” Sending her to play with the twins was a good idea; they were only a year older than she was and always full of energy. They would keep her well occupied until we returned.

As usual, Cylia’s face brightened when she saw me. She always seemed enraptured with my wings and brightly colored hair. I crouched down to her level and managed a smile for her. “Are you going to play with Kirla and Kegan?” At her energetic nod, I leaned in to whisper conspiratorially, “I still have some of those sweets that we got in Loden yesterday, when we get back, I will bring you all some.”

The young girl squealed happily and wrapped me up in a hug, and I quickly picked her up to carry her as we made our way toward the front of the caravan with her parents and the rest of the group. Zenna and Godan’s wagon was only a couple ahead of us in the procession, so she was soon safe and drying off inside while excitedly telling the twins about my sweet offer.

Soon we left my grandfather behind to sort out moving the wagons to a clearing a short distance away from the road that Mara had found on her way back to the troupe. My grandmother and Shava were already there as I could sense the former casting the Seeming that would keep us safe and hidden from mortal eyes. I was glad that Shava was with her. Our grandmother was serious about teaching her magic and without that keeping her busy; I feared that my cousin might follow us to try to help. She was still new to learning combat and, unlike Sharai; Alara was too long without a body of her own to use Shava’s effectively and keep her safe.

Eventually, we crested a hill that allowed us to view the road for leagues ahead of us. “I stopped here,” Mara announced. “As I said, something doesn’t smell right.”

I nodded in agreement, as I saw the remains of wagons and other detritus spread out across the road in the shallow valley ahead. “It is faint, just at the edge of my senses, but can sense magic down there. There is something else as well, something dark. I think that whatever destroyed that caravan was a Tainted. Are there any dark zones near here?”

Hagen and Mara quickly shook their heads. “No, at least not that were nearby when we last came through,” Hagen replied. “The closest dark zone is the one that you and Vesha explored.”

That’s way too far northwest for any Tainted to have strayed this far,” Vesha said with a grimace. The expression on her face seemed to darken even further as she suggested, “What if it’s a Shadow Elemental?”

Everyone’s eyes widened at the possibility. There were stories, but none that could be confirmed, of Elementals who were tainted by a dark zone. The element that they were formed from became infused with the dark mana that permeated the dark zone and it was said that they could leave the dark zones, that they themselves were like living dark zones, tainting all that they came across.

Mara shook her head furiously as if hoping to negate the very idea before looking around nervously. “Those are just a myth, right? Their existence has never been confirmed.”

“Not by any culture still around today,” Vesha replied in a hushed tone. “They’re real though, I learned a lot about my people during my time within the eternal flame, both what they told me and memories that I absorbed by being one with them inside the flame. They had to kill a few of their kind who met that fate. I would have likely become one myself if I hadn’t been in my physical form when I was cut by that Darkling. My body was becoming Tainted, but it hadn’t yet infected the fire at my core when I let the eternal flame consume my physical shell and became a true Salamander, like those who gave me life. They believe that faerie fire might have purified me though, as it did the Darkling, had my core been tainted.”

-It is possible,- Sharai agreed. -Nobody has ever thought to use it to purify spirits though, only to provide warmth, light, and consume the souls of Demons and those corrupted by tainted mana. You though, intended to purify her soul, rather than destroy it, when you used faerie fire on the Darkling that was once General Espalia; something that my people never thought possible before. Perhaps the intent is more important when using faerie fire than any of our people have believed until now.-

Uncle Bryden wore a dark expression as he summed up, “So, our possibilities include a Shadow Elemental, a new dark zone in the area, or Tainted are straying much farther away from dark zones than they once did. I don’t like any of those.”

“Could be sumthin’ else, bu’ those are the mos’ likely options,” Master Nirlyn agreed as a deep frown creased her features. Then she focused her attention on her adopted daughter and me. “The two o’ ya best get in the air an’ see what’s what.”

Mara nodded in agreement. “She’s right, if whatever caused that is still down there, maybe you can spot it from the air and get some idea of what we’re dealing with. Vesha, you can do that. Kaelyn, I want you to fly a large circle around the valley. If there’s a new dark zone in the area, hopefully, you’ll be able to spot it, and the range of your magic sense is much greater than the rest of us.”

We both nodded and set our wings in motion to take to the air. While the Salamander headed straight for the destruction ahead, I turned immediately to the southeast to encircle the valley as quickly as my wings could carry me. I was not sure whether I should be concerned or relieved when I neither saw nor sensed anything that would indicate a dark zone. In fact, the only dark magic that I could sense was when I returned to my starting point and once again sensed whatever was down in that valley.

“I did not sense anything that could be a dark zone, and no other dark magic than whatever is down there,” I announced when I landed. I would have preferred to stay in the air where my moving wings could keep me warm and somewhat dry.

Vesha had arrived before me and looked down at the destroyed caravan before adding her own report. “The rain wasn’t making it easy, but I saw a lot of dead bodies, smashed wagons, and a couple of things moving. One of them was huge.”

“We need to go down there, but if we’re dealing with Tainted, we’ll need to be careful to not get too close,” Hagen muttered. “Mara and I will keep our bows ready and Nirlyn can use magic if need be.”

“I’ll keep my throwing knives handy,” Uncle Bryden answered Hagen’s unasked question.

“Kaelyn and I can take the point,” Vesha offered. “My scales and her armor and sword should keep us safe enough if anything manages to get in close, but I have my fire to keep them from doing that, and she has a few options too.”

“Aye, tha’s prob’ly fer the best. You an’ I ‘ave the best noses o’ the bunch, an’ Kaelyn an’ I ‘ave the best ears. I’ll cover our rear,” Master Nirlyn agreed with a nod.

We made our way cautiously down the road, straining our senses for any hints of danger. I also summoned half a dozen faerie fires for the dual purpose of keeping us all warm in the cold rain and having them on hand in case a Tainted attacked. We had yet to encounter anything when we reached the first of the wagons, this one merely damaged rather than destroyed as most of the others were. It was painted in bright colors, nearly as bright as our troupe’s wagons, and there were words and images painted on what was left of the wagon’s side.

I wondered briefly if maybe they were another troupe of Voyagers, but their wagons did not seem quite as well made as ours. I could also see the remains of steel cages and sense the metal all around us. “A travellin’ menagerie,” Master Nirlyn explained from somewhere behind us. “They collect rare an’ unusual creatures from all over Esmere. People like this would pay good coin fer tha’ owl o’ yers, Kaeyln.”

“And even more for Kaelyn and Vesha,” Uncle Bryden spat bitterly. “They traffic in the misery of other living creatures.”

“Aye, tha’ they do,” the Master Bard dismally agreed. “Let’s ‘ope some survived t’ earn their freedom.”

“There are a lot of magical presences around us, possibly Mana-touched. There’s a really strong presence in the next wagon,” I said as my gaze shifted between the wagon in question and the dark presence ahead of us. I could only feel one at the moment, or perhaps they were close together? I didn’t even have to point out the Tainted though since it was visible even through the torrential rain and nearly as large as the wagon that it was currently trying to destroy.

“Let’s take care of the Tainted first, then we can search for survivors,” Hagen suggested. It was then, as we were about to leave the wagon behind to get a better look at the behemoth, that I heard shuffling movement and what sounded like a small child crying coming from where I was feeling the strong magical presence. Heedless of Hagen’s words, I rushed toward the sound.

The wagon was half-destroyed and inside there were mangled cages with the remains of whatever poor creatures had inhabited them crushed and bloodied inside. Only one of the larger cages remained intact, near one end of the wagon that had not been reduced to splintered wreckage. It was half covered in broken planks of wood and other detritus, but once that was quickly cleared away, I saw a small child, perhaps two years old with pointed ears and hair the color of a clear blue sky. Teary eyes of the same shade looked up at me imploringly.

“An Elf?” I wondered aloud. The girl stared up at me with a perplexed expression as if trying to understand me. I reached out a hand carefully and said as gently as I could, “Do not be afraid, we will get you out of here.”

The flash of surprise from Sharai nearly staggered me. -That is not a normal coloring for an Elf, Kaelyn. Unlike Pixies and us Faeries, elves do not have such striking coloring; usually, they have brown eyes and hair in shades of blond or brown. Mana-touched animals and humans are rare enough, but I only know of one Mana-touched Fae in our entire history. Even as young as she is, I can feel the great power sleeping within her. This girl has the potential to be one of the greatest mages that the world has ever seen. How did these humans get their hands on such a treasure?! And how dare they lock her up like some animal!-

Uncle Bryden was already at work picking the lock on the cage and he seemed as surprised and angered at seeing the Elven girl inside as Sharai was. The girl shrank away from him and the others who had joined me though. Did Voyagers too closely resemble the Humans who held her captive? She did not seem as afraid of Vesha, who many would find far more intimidating. Master Nirlyn had not entered the wagon with the others though; she was outside of the ruined wagon, occasionally sniffing the air and carefully watching the massive Tainted, in case it decided to focus on us rather than the wagons.

I had carefully scooped the young Elven girl up in my arms and was leaving the destroyed wagon when a sensation hit me that nearly stopped my heart. The second Tainted suddenly reappeared to my magic sense, as if it had been somehow hiding its presence. I gasped, “Oh Goddess, they separated! One of the Tainted hid itself and got behind us somehow! It is moving toward our troupe!”

 

 

 

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Author's Note: Here's chapter 31 of The Faerie Blade. Further chapters are available on my Patreon page. ~Amethyst.
 

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 Chapter 31: Kaelyn and the Captives

Everyone’s eyes went wide at my words, but Uncle Bryden was the first to speak, “Kaelyn, you’re the swiftest of us, go and warn the others, and try to protect them until we return. We will catch up as quickly as we can.”

I took to the air, not even taking a moment to place the young Elven girl in one of the other’s arms. Time was of the essence, and she would probably be safer in one of the wagons and behind the Seeming that I could already sense from where the troupe would be setting up camp. Hoping that the Tainted would pass them by, but not willing to risk being wrong, I hurried through the pouring rain toward the camp.

The Tainted was getting uncomfortably close; I could see a pale figure shuffling along the road through the rain when I was nearing the camp. I caught sight of the camp and silently cursed. We were camped too close to the road, and I was worried that the Tainted would sense the magic of the Seeming as I arrived to see the other Voyagers setting up the wagons for the night and leading the kirgen away to graze. Wait, they were moving them into the trees, I could hear raised voices as well, and a couple of the adults seemed to be ushering the children into one of the wagons.

I quickly landed by my grandparents’ wagon where my grandfather was directing people. As soon as he spotted me touching down on the ground, my grandfather looked at me with a serious expression. “Thank Hespira that you’re back, Kaelyn. Vaela sensed a dark magical presence approaching. She and Shava went to head it off on the road and buy us some time, but they’re probably going to need your help. Shava is still a child, and your grandmother has very little experience using combat magi… who is that child?”

“I will go out to help them; can you take care of this little one for me? We will explain later,” I hurriedly replied as I attempted to hand the child cradled in my arms to him. She was dressed in rags and had some sort of collar around her neck that radiated magic.

“I’ll put her in Godan’s wagon with the other children, Zenna and Sivelle won’t object to watching one more,” he answered with a nod as he reached out to take the blue-haired Elven child from my arms.

The girl, who had almost fallen asleep in my arms when I was flying us here through the rain as swiftly as I dared, screamed in protest and clung desperately to me. “It will be okay, he is just going to take you to spend some time with other children,” I told her gently as I pried her off me and placed her in my grandfather’s arms.

She was struggling to get back to me, and I wished that I could have been gentler about it, but I needed to get out there and defend the camp from what was coming. I could not fight with a child in my arms, and I was not about to try doing so. I would only endanger both of us in the process.

Leaving my grandfather with the now screaming and crying girl held awkwardly in his arms, I ran off, following the pull of Fal’hevar toward my cousin and grandmother. Halfway there, I lost my sense of the Tainted’s presence once again. When I arrived, I found Shava vainly stabbing and slashing at a person-shaped mass of water and my grandmother drawing sigils in the air and chanting under her breath. The mass of water was reaching for Shava, so I quickly summoned a faerie fire between it and my cousin, consuming its outstretched arm and causing it to shriek in rage and agony.

It was as the water was recoiling from the pink flames that I realized that the Tainted hadn’t vanished, it was just merging with the rain and spreading out its presence, which was making it hard to sense what was the creature and what was not in this deluge. I quickly placed myself between the tainted mass of water and my cousin as it backed away from my flames. It was difficult to tell since the water only had a basic humanoid form and no features to speak of, but I got the distinct sense that it was watching me warily.

“I will handle this, Shava,” I told my cousin.

“If it was still flesh and blood, I could have taken it,” she grouched, but she did back off. “It looked almost like a Tainted Fae until I injured it and it turned into that.”

The water creature reformed its arm and tried to go around my faerie fire, but I moved the flames to keep them between us while I got my opponent’s measure. I bathed Neva’kul’s blade in faerie fire as I allowed the creature an opening, and slashed at it, causing it to once more shriek and back away. The wound filled in quickly with more water from the rain though, and I thought that I could sense the dark mana spreading to the new water. Its newly formed arm felt as tainted as the rest of it too, so it would seem that purifying it one piece at a time was not going to work.

-It was likely an Undine, one of the water elementals,- Sharai advised. -If you wish to attempt to purify it, you will need to make sure that your flames consume all of its core water. If even a drop remains fouled by dark mana, the infection will just spread again.-

My grandmother finished whatever spell she had been preparing, blowing most of its torso apart, but the Shadow Elemental seemed unbothered and quickly reformed. How could I keep it from re-tainting other parts of its core as I purified others? Sharai was right, we needed to get it all at once, but how was I going to get it to hold still for my flames to get its entire core now that it was wary of them?

“Grandma, can you freeze it?” I asked in a hushed tone while keeping an eye on the Shadow Elemental, and my flaming sword between us.

“Aye, give me a few minutes, Kaelyn,” she replied just as quietly before beginning to once again chant and draw sigils in the air.

My opponent was ignoring both my grandmother and Shava, so clearly, it saw the rose-hued flames I was wielding as the only real threat to it. Good, I needed to keep its attention off them and on me. I did not want my cousin to get hurt, and my grandmother needed time to weave her spell.

Fortunately, I was not facing an experienced combatant and my meager skills with the sword and my faerie fire were enough to keep it mostly at a safe distance from the others and me. It did attempt to reach around my guard with tendrils of its tainted water though, and I was not sure if these were attempts to infect me with its dark mana or to suffocate me since the latter of these attacks had been directed at my face. Quickly summoned shields of faerie fire put a halt to these attacks though.

I was keeping a cautious eye on the movement of the water when I felt a surge of magic from my grandmother as she released her spell. The air in front of me became noticeably colder as the elemental, the ground around it, and even the raindrops in the air froze solid in an instant. I wasted no time in summoning all of the faerie fire that I could manage at once, focusing on its purification aspect, and engulfing the ice sculpture and the ground around it for good measure.

An otherworldly scream came from within the flames and for several minutes, we watched as the ice melted from the heat. I could feel the darkness within fading as the rose-hued flames burned. Did I purge all of it? If not, I had no idea how I was going to kill an elemental that was not in a physical form. I gathered more mana, to be ready in case I needed to try something else.

After what seemed to be an eternity, a steaming mass of water emerged from the flames. I did not sense any tainted mana, but I did not drop my guard and kept my flames at the ready. For a moment, the mass of steaming water held its form but did not approach any closer, but then the water seemed to ripple and flow back into the humanoid shape it wore while we fought.

My breath caught in my throat until water turned to flesh and a naked young woman collapsed to the ground. She looked vaguely like an Elf at first glance, maybe younger than I was, though from the waist down she was covered in silver scales that matched the color of her long hair. She was pale, her skin creamy white, and her ice-blue eyes gazed up at me wearily.

“That’s different,” Shava commented from behind me. “Her skin was gray and her scales and hair almost black before she turned into a blob of water.”

-I believe that you have successfully purified her, Kaelyn,- Sharai added. I could not sense any tainted mana within her, so I felt optimistic as well. The Undine spoke, her voice as weary as her expression. I did not understand what she was saying though and looked to my grandmother, who did not seem to understand either. Sharai offered, -She is speaking Nymrian, I believe, Tamisun told me once that the Undines live near the Nymren Islands and do a lot of trading there. I was not as well-traveled as she was though, so I am afraid that I cannot speak the language.-

“Sharai thinks that she is speaking Nymrian,” I passed on to the others before turning back to the Undine. “I cannot understand you. Do you speak Common?” My Fae language skills were limited, but improving among the Voyagers, so I was able to get the same idea across in halting and somewhat broken Fae. Neither received a response other than a sad and confused expression.

My grandmother sighed tiredly but considered the problem for a moment. “Perhaps we can find someone fluent in the language in Hindra, it is a large port city, and ships from all over Esmere trade goods there. It looks like we will have a guest with us for a few days.”

“Two, at the least,” I clarified. “The wagons ahead were from a traveling menagerie. We found an Elven child in a cage, Grandma, she is mana-touched and seems frightened of others or at least those that resemble humans too closely. She seemed fine with me though.”

Both my cousin and grandmother grimaced at that piece of news. “You just found the girl?”

I shook my head as I responded, “Thus far, yes. I asked Grandpa to place her with the other children, but she did not go without a fight. We did not get to check all of the wagons, but I sensed other magical presences and there was another Tainted there. I came back right after we found her because I sensed that one got behind us and was heading here. I should return to check on the others.”

“Aye, go. However, I would think that Vesha has the matter well in hand,” she said with a look toward a black plume of smoke in the distance that was visible even through the dark clouds and heavy rain. Once again, I took to the sky, leaving my grandmother to figure out what to do with the seemingly confused and exhausted Undine.

On my way toward the pillar of black smoke, I saw my uncle, Mara, and Hagen hurrying back toward the camp along the road. I quickly landed to let them know what had occurred with the Shadow Elemental and in turn, they apprised me of what had happened since I left. Vesha had sent them all back to help protect the troupe while she dealt with the large Tainted that was destroying the caravan. The Salamander worried about harming one of them if she had to go all out with her fire and wanted them at a safe distance before she attacked. Master Niryln had stayed to support her adopted daughter with magic from a safe distance while the others tried to catch up with me.

They had made good time since I had noticed them not long after leaving our camp. Since they were already so close, I suggested that they help the others finish setting up camp while I checked on my fellow apprentice and Master Nirlyn. I promised to scout the area from the air to ensure that there were no other Tainted around and then I would help Vesha and Master Nirlyn to look through the other wagons of the menagerie and search for survivors.

I did not sense any Tainted as I flew over the area scouting, which meant that Vesha had most likely killed the one that she planned to fight. The large charred and smoking corpse beside one of the ruined wagons, which was equally charred and smoking, confirmed this. Vesha and our Master were sifting through the debris of wagons when I landed.

“I purified the one that was headed toward our camp, she is an Undine, and I think that the heavy rain was making it hard to sense her tainted water form. Everyone is safe, and I suggested that Uncle Bryden and the others return to camp while we sort this out,” I announced as I approached the pair.

“Well, tha’ does explain them bein’ so far from a dark zone,” our Master said.

Vesha smiled at me, “I knew you could handle it, Sweetheart. I’m not sure what that big one was before it became Tainted, but it was strong. I think it broke some ribs when it rammed me into the side of one of the wagons. I had to shed my physical body and go full inferno to take it down.”

“Are you alright?” I asked in concern. “Did it do anything that could have tainted you?” I did not sense anything that would suggest it, but I wanted to hear it from her too.

“I’m fine, Kaelyn,” she assured me. “I changed into my fire state before it could try biting or scratching or anything, and it was probably an herbivore, so it didn’t have any claws. It just had a really big set of horns and a lot of weight behind them. And the good thing about shedding my body is I can create a new one without the injuries. Is the little girl okay?”

A sigh of relief slipped from between my lips before I nodded at her query. “She was not happy about it, but I had Grandpa place her with the other kids. Maybe she will not find other children as frightening.”

“Aye, mebbe, though I think tha’ wee one has been through a lot,” she said with a glance toward the wagon that we had found the girl in. “We might need t’ watch over her ‘til she gets used t’ bein’ around Voyagers. Let’s see if we can find any survivors, Kaelyn. Vesha, we’ll need yer strength t’ move these wagons an’ clear the road.”

We worked at searching and clearing the debris until the sun set, but we did not find any Human survivors. There were a dozen bodies, or what was left of them after being trampled by something large and heavy, and the bodies of a few horses as well. They had not been in their harnesses though and there were tracks to indicate that many more horses had bolted into the forest or back toward the capital. The magic sources that I was sensing came from collars similar to those around the Elven girl’s neck, and the remains of a couple of cages, but most of those animals were killed in their cages when the wagons were being destroyed.

The only living beings that we found were animals that were either seriously injured and needed to be put out of their misery or were too savage to be released without risk to the local wildlife. We would try to use those to augment our food supplies so they would not go to waste. We also planned to salvage what we could of the menagerie’s supplies and money for the same reason.

We did find a logbook of their ‘attractions’ and several clues to how the disaster happened. It looked like one of the wagons had broken a wheel and they set the horses to graze and had a meal while a pair of men fixed it. The big Tainted was originally a titan ox, a rare breed found only in the jungles of Melorue on the western continent, and its cage had been in the same wagon as the Undine’s. The log said that they found the Undine injured on their way to the port of Hindra from the small island nation of Srach.

Master Nirlyn believed that the Undine had been injured by a Tainted and was turning when they captured her, and then she somehow passed that corruption on to the titan ox. It grew even larger and stronger from the influence and managed to break out of the wagon, and probably set the Shadow Elemental free in the process. The cage’s barrier enchantment had been designed to not be breached from the inside, but that did not account for something large smashing the cage itself from the outside.

Sharai recognized the runes etched into the bars of the damaged empty cage that we believed the Undine had been held in and those on the collars as well. They were the kind used by the Drel, who inhabited the island of Srach. Cages like that were enchanted with a barrier that would prevent the captive inside from escaping using magic, physical force, or any other means. The collars were enspelled to deliver a severe shock should the wearer attempt to remove it, when a certain word is spoken, or should they try to attack their ‘owner’.

According to Sharai, calling the people of Srach a nation was being overly generous. The Drel are pirates and slave traders and will target anyone, even each other, so it is more a collection of constantly warring coastal towns and villages than a nation. They are also a constant problem for other island nations and settlements along the west coast of Scorcia and Nightglade Forest.

According to Master Nirlyn, the log indicated that they had picked up the Elven girl in a Srach slave market a month ago, but there was no indication of a name, where she had come from before that, or whether she had family. As far as we knew, she could have been born in captivity and we would never be able to find her family. She looked only two years of age or so, so even if she could talk yet, would she be able to remember anything?

I tried to put it out of my mind as we got to work gathering anything useful. Vesha had been busy while we were investigating and searching the wreckage of the wagons. She had managed to clear the road of the larger debris well enough that traffic could pass through. Using what large scraps of cloth that we could find, we packed as much of our salvage as we could and returned to camp, anything remaining could be picked up when the troupe passed through the next day. As we made our way back though, I could not help but think of the little Elven girl.

It seemed that Vesha could see right through me. She leaned down to kiss my cheek as we walked and said, “She’ll be okay, Sweetie. She isn’t in that horrible cage anymore and she’s with our troupe now. She is hardly the first stray that we’ve picked up. Mama was a stray, so was I, and you are in a way too. We will take good care of her.”

 

 

 

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Author's Note: Here's chapter 32 of The Faerie Blade. Further chapters are available on my Patreon page. ~Amethyst.
 

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 Chapter 32: Kaelyn and Kalara

When we returned to camp, my grandmother was waiting for us with a grim expression on her face. “How are our guests?” I asked uncertainly.

A sigh escaped my grandmother’s lips before she replied, “At the moment, they should both be eating dinner with the troupe. It is difficult to communicate with the Undine, and she seems confused and wary of us. I believe that we have convinced her that we mean her no harm and that she is our guest instead of a prisoner, but it might help if Vesha spends some time with her since they’re both Elementals and seem to be close in age. She will stay with your grandfather and me until we arrive at the capital, Kaelyn.”

Vesha nodded. “I doubt that I can communicate with her, but maybe seeing another Elemental will help her to relax and settle in until we can get to Hindra. I don’t think that the different types of Elementals interact much, since we generally stay close to our elemental nodes, but the knowledge I got from my time in the eternal flame tells me that we can see each other for what we are and that we generally respect one another.”

“Good, try to engage with her over dinner,” Grandma said with a nod before turning back to me. “It is the Elven girl that I am most concerned about though. The poor girl is half-starved and skittish. Even Cylia and the twins, who are closest to her age, couldn’t get her to play with them, Zenna told me that she fled to a corner of the wagon and started crying until she wore herself out. It is difficult to tell if she even understands us because she has either been too scared to try speaking to any of us or she can’t for some reason.”

“She could ‘ave been raised in captivity,” Master Nirlyn suggested. “We found documents tha’ said she was bought at a Srach slave market a month ago, but no records on ‘er afore tha’, so who knows ‘ow long she was there or when she was separated from ‘er parents.”

“We found her alone in a cage. The other cages in her wagon held wild animals, so I doubt that she got much social interaction to learn how to speak while with them. Or the humans running the menagerie traumatized her too much to speak,” I added bitterly as I thought of what Sharai had told me about the collar the young girl wore.

“Aye, that is possible,” my grandmother agreed with a scowl. “Wilden examined her after she fell asleep, he believes that she is roughly two and a half years old. She needs some proper meals and someone to care for her and show her some love. Lorne mentioned that she was reluctant to leave you, Kaelyn, so she might react best to you.”

Reluctant was putting it mildly; she had fought tooth and nail to hold onto me when I handed her over to my grandfather, all while screaming and crying in protest. I had just become an adult; did I really want to have a child to care for? Especially with so much else going on in my life. We had already decided that it might be best if she stayed in our wagon with Vesha, Master Nirlyn, and me, but I did not know anything about raising a child.

Well, the troupe did raise children communally. When one of their parents was busy or away from the camp, one of the other adults watched over them. Sometimes one or two of us would watch over all the children in the troupe at once while they play together or have their daily lessons in reading, writing, and other things with Tanna. The girl would have to become comfortable with the other members of the troupe before that could happen, but Vesha and Master Niryln would probably help me. Master Nirlyn had only been a couple of years older than I was when she adopted Vesha too.

After a moment of thought, I grudgingly nodded. “Aye, I will do what I can, at least until she is comfortable with the troupe, and we can choose a proper mother for her.”

We followed my grandmother to the fire, where the troupe was gathered for our evening meal. I spotted the Undine first, sitting with Tanna and Wilden. She seemed less confused now, but even sadder than before. I was not very surprised at that since I would probably be upset too if I were far away from home with a group of strangers that I could not communicate with. I imagined that she had more reason than that as well if she remembered anything that happened while she was tainted.

The young Elven girl was harder to spot, mostly because she had not been eating with the others, but rather hiding behind a tree while Selice attempted to coax her out. Once I spotted the situation, I quickly moved to join Selice and put on a smile in the hope that the child would not feel threatened. Crouching down to her level and summoning a pair of faerie fires so she could see me clearly, I told her, “It is going to be okay; you are safe here with u…”

I did not get to finish before the girl barreled into my chest and clung to me tightly. The poor girl was shaking in fear and her cheeks were wet with tears. “She’s been like that since we woke her and brought her out here for dinner,” Selice explained in a worried tone.

Maybe it was a bad idea to leave her with others when she resisted it so hard, but I did not want to endanger her by having her with me when I fought the Undine. People who looked human seemed to terrify her, but I was obviously not human, and I did not look like any of the other Voyagers. My skin was quite a bit paler, my hair lavender-hued instead of black, my eyes slit-pupiled and violet, and my pointed ears were a lot more prominent than those of my troupe. Then there were my wings as well.

-Perhaps one of her parents or fellow captives in Srach was a Faerie,- Sharai suggested as I held the girl and cooed softly to try and calm her. -It would explain her reactions to you.-

“It is possible,” I agreed as I gently stroked the girl’s blue hair. “Shhh, I am right here,” I assured her as I picked her up in my arms and carried her toward the fire to warm her up and get some food into her. At least the rain had stopped for the moment, though the girl’s antics had half covered her with mud and it was likely getting all over my clothes.

I carefully fed the girl before eating my meal and the poor girl was in rougher shape than I first believed. She had probably not had a decent meal in her life from the way that she tried wolfing it down at first, though she looked at me desperately before doing so, as if asking permission. At least she slowed down when I demonstrated eating slower, though it was a good thing that I was holding her plate for her. Every time that someone raised their voice a little too loud, she became startled and practically tried to burrow into my chest.

Once I was certain that she had enough to eat and plenty of water to drink from my water skin, I started to eat my own meal while she cuddled in my arms. As I ate, I took note of Vesha eating and attempting to interact with the Undine. The latter seemed less wary now in the Salamander’s presence, so perhaps Vesha being so obviously comfortable with her adopted troupe made the Undine realize that we were not going to hurt her.

I asked the girl in my arms, in both Common and Fae, whether she could understand me, but she just looked up at me in confusion. I think that she realized that I was talking to her, but she did not have the knowledge to understand what I was saying, let alone respond in any meaningful way. With a sigh, I finally gave up and slowly reached for the slightly mangled coin purse that I had lifted from one of the bodies that we found earlier.

The coin purse had drawn my attention, not because of the money that it might contain, but because I could feel a faint magic emanating from inside. The magic felt very similar to that on the collars and cages, so I had snatched the purse up to inspect. Inside I had found a small fortune in coins and a ring of small keys. The coins were gold and silver, not copper, and the keys were the source of the magic that I had sensed.

Hoping that the keys were what I suspected they were, I quickly extracted them to attempt to remove the girl’s collar. As soon as my hands got close, my new young charge panicked and tried to squirm away. I grimaced at that as it hinted that she knew all too well what happened when people attempted to remove that collar from around her neck. Pushing down the rage and desire for vengeance that boiled up inside of me at that thought, I tried to soothe the girl, hold her still, and unlock the cursed device all at once. “Shhhh shhhh, it will be alright. Soon, you will never have to worry about that collar again, little one.”

Each of the keys had a slightly different magical feel to them and I had to fumble through them before finding the one that seemed to be the closest match to the collar. I did not want to risk activating the spell on it and harming the poor girl. It was a struggle with her fighting me, but I finally managed to get the proper key in hand and insert it into the small lock that secured the collar in place. The key turned with an audible click and as the lock fell open, I released a breath that I had not realized I had been holding in relief.

I tossed the foul device to the ground and turned toward Vesha as I tried to soothe the poor girl who was now crying and clutching at her bare neck in confusion. “Honey, could you please destroy that horrid thing?”

“With pleasure,” she agreed. Then the Salamander stood up, snatched the metal collar up in her right hand, and then that very same hand erupted into flame. Within a minute, the flaming fist that clutched the offending device was white hot, the metal melting in her grip and dripping into a molten pool on the ground.

I was half-afraid that the display would have startled or even scared the Undine that Vesha had been sitting with a moment earlier. To my great surprise though, the Undine watched raptly as the deed was done, and then relaxed visibly as she nodded toward us and smiled faintly. It seemed that we had earned her trust.

Once the girl in my arms finally calmed down, I came to a decision. I could not keep calling her ‘the girl’ or variations thereof, especially if she was going to be staying with our troupe for the foreseeable future. “She needs a name,” I said.

“Aye, she does,” Aunt Sivelle agreed. Neither she nor the others offered any suggestions though.

Was this going to be all up to me then? It needed to be a good name, but I was unable to think of anything that I really liked and that suited the girl. I wondered briefly what my parents would have called her if they were still alive, but still, nothing came to me. Instead, my thoughts were just focused on my mother as I cradled the girl in my arms and made soothing sounds. My mother.

“I… I think that I would like to name her Kalara, after my mother,” I uncertainly propositioned after a moment as tears stung my eyes. All the while, I worried about how the troupe, and my grandparents in particular, would react to such a suggestion. I was not encouraged when I saw that their eyes seemed to be as teary as mine. In fact, most of the troupe seemed to have a glistening wetness about their eyes in the silence that followed.

It was my grandfather who finally broke the silence, nodding as he cleared his throat to speak. “Aye, that’s a fine idea, Kaelyn.”

The name had the unintended side effect of causing the members of the troupe to reminisce about my mother that night. We talked about the good times that they, and I, shared with her and hoped to become as close to her new namesake. Since the ground was still dangerously slick and muddy, Selice put off our dance practice for the night and it was only when Kalara drifted to sleep in my arms that I returned to my wagon a bit early to place her in the cot that I usually slept in.

I did not return to the others then, except to briefly give Cylia and the twins the sweets I had promised earlier, though I kept one for Kalara. I still needed to feed Zaiya and spend some quality time with the owlet, and as I was doing the latter, I soon discovered that Kalara had night terrors. I whispered to her softly and stroked her hair soothingly to calm her down when she awoke and then took the lap harp from the instrument cupboard to play and sing her a lullaby that I remembered my mother playing for me when I was a child.

 

 

 

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Author's Note: Here's chapter 33 of The Faerie Blade. I should have had this posted yesterday, but I was sorting out various technical issues all day. Further chapters are available on my Patreon page. ~Amethyst.
 

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 Chapter 33: Kaelyn’s Child

The next morning was almost what I had become used to since joining the troupe, if you did not count having a child to care for. I awoke a little earlier than I usually did, ready to get to my sword practice, but it took me a moment to recall why there was a small child snuggling in my arms. I had planned on pulling the cot above mine out from the wall and sleeping there, but I had not wanted Kalara to wake up in a strange environment and believe herself to be alone with how skittish she was.

So, I shared my usual cot with her and held her as she slept. It was not as if she took up much space, and she seemed to thrash around less in her sleep while I was holding her. When my addled morning brain finally filled in those little details, I attempted to extract myself from the bed without waking her so I could start my day.

Sky blue eyes opened to look up at me pleadingly and I sighed. “Come, but quietly,” I told her in a whisper. She may not be able to understand either language that I was familiar with yet, but I felt that talking to her and explaining things sometimes would help her to learn faster.

-There are spells that could be used to help us communicate with her and the Undine,- Sharai suggested wistfully, -alas they are well beyond the simple cantrips that I learned in life. For that matter, they would allow you to become more fluent in Fae as well. Perhaps the enchanter that you wish to see in Hindra, Lady Arinade, can be of assistance.-

I thought about it for a moment and then gave my spirit guide a mental nod. “I will ask her about it, hopefully she is capable of doing it and I will have enough coin for those and the other enchantments that I need to get to get. The enchanter in Loden did say that we could probably come to an arrangement for allowing Lady Arinade to study Neva’kul and my armor. That pouch I found the keys in had a small fortune in it as well, even split equally between the adult members of the troupe. At the very least, we should not have to worry about lean times for a while.”

Taking Kalara by the hand, I led her to our wagon’s small privy and sat her down until she finished her business. At least she seemed to have been taught to use a chamber pot since that had been the only thing in her cage aside from her and a thin covering of hay on the floor. She nearly jumped off the privy when I gently took her hand and showed her to trace the rune drawn on the wall beside her to activate the cleansing spell.

I could not blame her since I had nearly done the same time when I first used it, another of those little luxuries that the Voyagers had come up with to make their lives on the road easier. The rune was an enchantment tied to the privy and when traced, it would activate a spell what would cleanse the undercarriage of the person sitting there. It tickled a bit and took some getting used to, but it was far easier and more convenient and sanitary than using leaves or moss to wipe down there.

I smiled and nodded once the spell had quickly run its course and then I let her up, we left the privy, and I took her to the basin where I washed both our faces and hands. The poor girl needed a proper bath and some clean clothes to wear, but this would do for now and I would see Zenna about clothes for Kalara after breakfast. Once we were done, I summoned my armor, took Neva’kul in hand, and led Kalara toward the door so we would not wake Vesha and Master Nirlyn, who needed more sleep than we Fae did.

The Elfin girl seemed curious about the sleeping Ravieri and Salamander but not afraid. She had been the same with them last night, even allowing Vesha to hold her in my place for a short time when I had to leave the fire to us the privy. She looked at Zaiya, sleeping in her box nest as well, and stared in wonder for a moment before I could lead her outside. Zaiya was very cute since she still had her baby down, but I wondered if maybe there was more to it than that. They were both mana-touched so I had to wonder if she could sense that somehow, or the faint sense of magic that was emanating from the owlet.

Shava was waiting outside and poor Kalara immediately clung to my leg. I gently pried her off, knelt down to her level, and told her in as gentle a tone as I could manage, “That is Shava, my cousin. She will not harm you.”

Shava immediately understood what was going on and knelt to Kalara’s height as well, adjusting her headscarf and pulling her hair aside to show off her pointed ear. Then she pointed to the young Elf’s ear and said, “We are both Fae.” Being a quarter Elf helped since, like her mother, Shava had ears that were a little longer and even more pointed than most Voyagers. Kalara still seemed a bit wary and uncertain, but at least she stopped clinging so tightly to my leg.

The child watched as Sharai put Shava and me through our morning training session, and continued to do so as we did some sparring and our archery practice afterward. She seemed more focused on me than on what I was doing, as if afraid that I would disappear if she lost sight of me. What was it that drew her to me? Perhaps one of her parents or fellow captives was a Faerie as Sharai had suggested.

Once we finished our morning training session, I took Kalara’s hand, and we led her to the fire where those of us who were awake were eating breakfast. It was simple porridge with dried fruit and some tea, but it would be filling and ward off the chill of the cool spring morning. Once again, Kalara looked to me for permission before eating, and sometimes she would reach up to touch her neck for the collar that was no longer there before relaxing. I could not always be sure what had caused those reactions, but most often it was when someone raised their voice a little too high.

I was certain that she had not been treated well by the humans who ran the traveling menagerie and that she expected the same of others who looked human. It made me, Sharai, and all of the members of the troupe who saw this behavior simmer in fury. Were her abusers not already dead, we would have hunted them down and delivered vengeance for her.

Soon Master Nirlyn, Vesha, Daivin, and the half-human children began to arrive for their morning meal and my grandmother left to collect a sleepy-looking Undine from her wagon so she could eat as well. As the others who had already finished their morning meals began to clean up and pack up our camp, I approached Zenna while gently leading Kalara by the hand. Before I could even speak a word, the troupe seamstress smiled at us both and said, “I wager that you’re looking to get some clothes made for little Kalara?”

I nodded and returned the smile. “Aye. I would like to destroy those rags she is wearing as soon as possible, as we did that cursed collar.”

“I thought as much, and I share that sentiment,” Zenna agreed, as she looked Kalara over with a sympathetic look. “It seems as if they treated this poor child like some sort of wild animal.”

“Aye, she was in a cage when we found her with a chamber pot with caged animals as her only companions, and that and these ‘clothes’ are not even the worst of it. It looks and smells as if she has not been bathed in months; she is filthy and her hair is a knotted mess,” I told her with a frown. “And have you seen the way she jumps and reaches for her throat whenever someone raises their voice near her?”

A similar frown painted Zenna’s face as she said quietly, “We will have to be gentle with her and show her what having a family is like. Come with me to my wagon and I will get her measured. I should have something to replace those rags as well; we can burn them before we break camp.”

Zenna was as good as her word. I soon discovered that she had guessed at both of our new guests’ measurements and made simple clothing for both of them in case we needed to deal with humans. For Kalara she had made a basic dark blue dress from kirgen wool cloth after I had taken her to my wagon the night before. I had to hold Kalara’s hand while Zenna measured her, but she was able to get the job done quickly and soon I was able to strip those rags off her and put her in something that looked like it belonged on a person. Immediately after leaving Zenna’s wagon with Kalara in hand, I asked Vesha to give the rags the same treatment that she had given the collar the night before.

The Salamander was happy to do so and since she and Master Nirlyn had finished eating while we were with Zenna, we all headed back to our wagon afterward without sparing the ashes a second glance. While my Master and fellow apprentice worked on getting our two kirgen in the harness, I took Kalara inside and let her help me feed Zaiya. The owlet seemed as interested in Kalara as the Elvish girl was in Zaiya and I tried to show Kalara to be gentle with her by example since she could not understand my words. I did speak too, but it would likely be a while before Kalara could understand what I said or respond in kind.

Soon we were on the road once again, though we did stop by the remains of the caravan to pick up the saleable goods that Master Nirlyn, Vesha, and I had not been able to carry back to camp after our search and clearing the debris to the side so the road could be traveled. We would have to tell someone in Hindra about the incident so they could have people come and do a proper cleanup and keep an eye out for any animals that might have escaped, but Master Nirlyn and my grandparents would likely handle that. I stayed in the wagon with Kalara while the goods were loaded since I did not want to traumatize her any further.

It did not take long before we were on our way again and for the remainder of the day, Kalara refused to leave my side. First, she watched in fascination as Vesha and I practiced playing our various instruments and sang. The sounds that the different instruments made left her enraptured and she tried to touch a few of them. The majority of our instruments were too delicate though and most of them were Master Nirlyn’s, not ours. We did not want to allow her to touch them until we were certain that she understood that she needed to be gentle with them. Perhaps I could find something suitable for her in Hindra if she kept that interest.

She watched during my lessons with Master Nirlyn after Vesha relieved her on the driver’s bench as well. The lessons in reading, writing, and the basics of reading and playing sheet music took a little more focus than practicing, but Master Nirlyn managed to keep Kalara distracted by pulling out a small wooden box of cloth dolls and wooden toys that Vesha had played with as a child. She engaged the young Elf in play and once she was lost in playing, my Master was there to guide my lessons more personally.

After the troupe stopped for lunch, Kalara was tired enough that I was able to place her in my cot for a nap. Fortunately, she was asleep by the time that we were underway and Korine joined us for basic lessons on the theory behind magic in general and spellsinging in particular. This was something I was eager to learn, especially since Neva’kul was a mageblade and Faeries are usually gifted with magic. Even Sharai admitted that she would have known a lot more if she had tried to apply herself to it rather than focusing solely on the art of the sword.

Kalara was not happy when it was my turn to take over on the driver’s bench. She seemed to think that I was leaving and threw a tantrum until I took her with me to the small door behind the driver’s bench and showed her that I would be just outside and that Vesha and I were merely trading places. They later told me that she did calm down after that since she was curious about Vesha and Master Nirlyn. They got her more comfortable around them by allowing her to gently touch the more obvious features of their respective species and then got her playing again so Vesha could focus on her lessons.

Still, she sat in my lap and practically clung to me during dinner and afterward, when I returned to our wagon to change into my ‘clothes’ for dance practice. Her eyes went wide when Selice emerged from her own wagon clad similarly and then changed into my twin before her eyes. Then she watched in awed fascination as Selice attempted to teach Shava and me how to dance, her eyes darting from me to Selice the entire time as if wondering why there were now two of me.

After dinner, I had Kalara help me feed Zaiya and then spent some time playing with both of them until Kalara started getting drowsy. I put her in my bed to rest and then spent some quality time cuddling with Vesha and talking with her and Master Nirlyn about how the day had gone and what we could do to make things easier for Kalara and the rest of us as well. “How did you manage to raise Vesha while being a Journeyman? Taking care of a child all day while on the road is hard,” I finally said tiredly.

“It gets easier wi’ time,” Master Niryln admitted. “Tha’ an’ I ‘ad the whole troupe t’ help, an’ it was a lot bigger back then. Vesha wasn’t as clingy or scared o’ people as Kalara either, an’ she was a baby when we found ‘er so she was used t’ the troupe by that age. Once we can communicate. it’ll get easier, I think. ‘Til then, be grateful she’s no’ runnin’ off an’ gettin’ into trouble like Vesha did when she was that age.”

The next couple of days followed a similar course, until late in the afternoon two days later, not long after I took over for Vesha on the driver’s bench. We topped a ridge and there it was, laid before us in all of its splendor. I had never seen the ocean before and the vast blue expanse of the bay seemed to stretch off endlessly and sparkled like diamonds beneath the afternoon sun, dotted by what seemed like hundreds of ships of various makes and sizes.

Where the sea met land there was a large valley containing a city that dwarfed even Majair in size, bigger than I had even believed could ever be possible. From the shores, riddled with docks and yet more ships, the city spread throughout the valley and up the slopes. East of the gargantuan city, on the side of a steep cliff overlooking the bay, there was a palace made of white stone that shone and rivaled the sea for my attention in the afternoon light. Even as we descended the slope toward the city, I could see a dozen distinct spires rising from that castle into the sky, as if in challenge, with their bright blue and gold flags flapping in the wind. We had arrived at Hindra, the capital of Kalidar.

 

 

 

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Author's Note: Here's chapter 34 of The Faerie Blade. I should have had this posted yesterday, but I was sorting out various technical issues all day. Further chapters are available on my Patreon page. ~Amethyst.
 

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 Chapter 34: Kaelyn and the Avenue of Mystic Delights

As awe-inspiring as seeing Hindra from a distance was, walking the streets of the city was even more so. These were no dirt roads, but wide cobblestone streets that could easily fit two of our troupe’s wagons abreast. The city also boasted a vast sewer system that stretched out beneath the entirety of the city and a small army of street cleaners prevented the foul smells that I had been subjected to in Loden. Instead, the air was scented with the products of the various food stands that we passed as Vesha and Korine led me to our destination.

The people of Hindra took pride in their city and kingdom, and it showed from the bright blue and gold banners that hung from eaves and fluttered in the breeze. I also saw a fair number of non-human people walking the streets and they were treated as friends, neighbors, and honored customers as we made our way through the market district. Even our small group was barely given the occasional second glance; the tall and imposing Salamander leading the way followed by three of us in Voyager clothing, although only Korine looked like what most people would expect a Voyager to look like with her dark skin and hair, somewhat short stature, and her ears mostly covered by her colorful scarf.

The other two in our current group were of course me and Kalara, and the blue-haired Elven girl was clutching tightly to my hand for fear of getting lost in the crowds. Zenna had finished several sets of clothes for her yesterday and now she was dressed much like any other young Voyager girl, complete with a scarf wrapped around her head to hide her pointed ears. Not that it helped her stand out any less with her sky-blue hair and eyes. Just as my own colorful scarf would hide neither my long lavender hair nor the wings twitching nervously at my back.

Since we were with Vesha and did not have a way to cast a glamour on anyone except myself, I decided to remain unglamoured as well. As striking as Kalara and I were with our unique hair colors and my wings, other than the occasional second glance, people did not seem bothered by our appearances. Vesha stood out just as much with her bright crimson hair and draconian features anyway, and she was imposing enough that even the most curious thought twice before bothering us.

The four of us had set out as soon as the troupe finished setting up camp, while my grandparents and Master Nirlyn headed to the local soldiers’ barracks to inform the proper authorities about our trouble on the road from Loden and the fate of the travelling menagerie. I had been reluctant to bring Kalara into such a large city when I too was a stranger to it, but the girl still seemed reluctant to let me out of her sight and I had no way to communicate that she would be safe with the other children.

The children were also headed into the city to pick some pockets anyway, with Shava going along with them in case there was trouble. At one time, she would have been picking pockets alongside them, and I recalled her being a very adept cutpurse when we first met, but our grandparents were trying to show her that her new status as a blade bearer came with responsibilities, and today hers was to keep the little ones safe and out of any more trouble than purse-snatching. She was too memorable for thievery anyway with Fal’hevar strapped to her hip. Not many Voyagers wore weapons so brazenly, but she could not exactly hide it and our bonds with our weapons required us to keep them close.

As for the four of us, we were headed toward the shop of Lady Arinade, the enchanter that I had been referred to on Loden. We also wanted to visit the apothecary that my fellow apprentices had been telling me about for most of our walk through the city streets. Only half of my attention was on the wonders they were telling me about though since was trying to pay attention to which streets we were following and keeping my hand firmly grasping Kalara’s.

It would be far too easy to get lost in such a vast city, or to lose my new charge, and I did not wish for either to happen. As we walked, and I half paid attention to what my fellow apprentices were telling me about the wonderful concoctions at the apothecary, I kept a tally of potential busking locations along with the ever-growing list of streets and landmarks that I was committing to memory. “This is the Avenue of Mystic Delights,” Korine finally said as we turned from one busy street onto another. “Here is where we will find your enchanter as well as others like her, alchemists, apothecaries, and others selling magical services.”

Well-made stone and wood buildings lined the cobblestone street and signs stood over the doors, probably to advertise whatever services that they offered, though I had not yet progressed well enough on my letters to read some of them. Some of the shops bore large windows displaying magical items, artifacts, or items that had obvious enchantments meant to catch the eye, such as a dress that had wings on the back that almost looked like mine and would occasionally flutter. I harbored mixed feelings about that dress.

The dress was very simple, making the wings all the more eye-catching, but I felt a resentment arise in my heart at the thought of humans pretending to be Fae, and a Faerie in particular. I could sense the same feeling coming from Sharai. On the other hand, Kalara’s gaze was locked upon it as we looked in the window, and she was reluctant to leave. Her sky-blue eyes only left the dress for a moment, to look at my wings, before returning to the mannequin that bore the dress.

-It is a magical illusion, much like a glamour, and a good one too. They look remarkably lifelike,- Sharai admitted grudgingly.

Noticing that we were no longer at their side, Vesha and Korine returned to where we stood to look inside at what had captured our attention. “Huh, interesting enchantment,” Vesha offered as she glanced at the wings. “They’ve captured little Kalara’s attention, have they? Thirty-five silver is a fair price for such an interesting and realistic illusion, going by appearances alone, though I wonder if it is a temporary or permanent illusion. Still, I’ve seen much worse quality being sold for more.”

I looked down at little Kalara, her eyes still fixed on the wings in the shop window and let out a sigh. “Let us go inside, I would like to ask the shopkeeper some questions.”

Both of my fellow apprentices failed to properly cover the smirks on their faces. Three days and it seemed that Kalara already had me wrapped around her finger, this did not bode well for the future. They seemed to know it as well as I did, though Vesha leaned over to kiss me tenderly on the cheek as she whispered, “You’re so sweet, Honey.”

I bent over to pick Kalara up and the three of us stepped into the shop, where an Ilari woman stood behind the counter. Ilari vaguely resemble androgynous humans in general shape and facial features, but have plum-colored skin, long feathered tails, legs that end in hooves rather than feet, flat noses, sheep-like ears, and feathers in place of hair. This one had bright amber eyes and a mix of blue, green, and turquoise feathers on her head and tail, and the lack of large curled golden horns poking from her head feathers marked her as a female.

I was not surprised to see that a non-human owned the shop since the only humans who could work magic were those who were mana-touched. The Ilari also had a reputation as talented enchanters and magic-users, so finding one here was not surprising, though I had never seen one in person before, I only heard about them from others in the troupe. “Please, feel free to look around, I will be with you in a moment,” she offered as she looked over a book on the counter.

We made our way to the dress in the window, and I held out my free hand to tentatively touch one of the wings. To my surprise, it felt solid, though the texture felt wrong, almost scaly while mine were soft and smooth to the touch, like flower petals. I quickly approached the Ilari at the counter and began to ask, “About the wings on that dress…”

The woman’s eyes went wide as she looked up from her ledgers and began to stammer, “A…apologies L-lady Fae… I… just… Faerie wings are so lovely. I.. imitation is the…”

I quickly cut off her hurried apology. “Is the enchantment permanent or temporary? Can you customize the size, color, and texture? The texture on those feels wrong.”

Her amber eyes remained wide as she stammered, “M-my Lady?”

“The little one here wants wings of her own, it seems,” I told her with a sigh. “Those are very lovely and, except for the texture, quite realistic.”

“My apologies, I have never spoken with a Faerie before, only seen one from a distance in my youth,” she admitted after taking a deep breath to calm herself. “She led me out of the forest when I was lost, and I have been fascinated by your kind since. I am Dewblossom, and this is my shop. I strive for only the best of illusions, my Lady.”

“Please, call me Kaelyn,” I told her. “Now about the wings?”

“Aye, Lady Kaelyn, the illusion is permanent and can be bound to an item of clothing, a piece of jewelry, or any other trinket that the wearer keeps upon their person. I can change the color, size, shape, and texture to whatever my client wishes. I also sell some simple trinkets, should you need something to bind the spell to,” she offered, now all business as she looked at the young girl in my arms. “It is sweet that your daughter wishes to be more like you.”

I attempted to ignore the adding of ‘Lady’ before my name and the implication that I was Kalara’s mother. The way that Kalara clung to me and followed me everywhere like a lost duckling, I was probably going to have to get used to such assumptions. After discussing what I wanted and reluctantly allowing Dewblossom to gently feel one of my wings to get the texture right, I chose a simple wooden totem that was carved in the shape of a leaf and attached to a length of leather cord to place the enchantment upon.

I was worried at first that Kalara might not react well to having something put around her neck after the collar, so I bought two matching totems for seven coppers each and showed her that they were safe by putting one around my own neck first. Then I sat her on the counter and placed the other totem on her, while cooing reassuringly, so Dewblossom could imbed the illusion into the totem and attune it to Kalara. The illusory wings were azure in color, and I was very happy with the texture when I experimentally touched them.

It was the look on Kalara’s face as she looked at and reached back to touch her new illusory appendages that truly warmed my heart though. The smile on her face and the look of wonder in her eyes as we left the shop and continued on our way made the thirty silver and fourteen coppers that I paid well worth it. It was the first time that I had seen her so happy, and her giggles as Vesha picked her up and held over the crowd as we walked to make believe that Kalara was flying was a moment that I thought I would treasure forever.

Our next stop was the apothecary and alchemy shop owned by a friend of the troupe; a Puka named Ulvar. He was tall, slight of build, and slightly pale and he resembled a human if one did not count the crimson eyes and long hare-like ears atop his head that matched his raven hair for color. Puka are distantly related to the Fae, or so Sharai told me once I had been introduced to him. He seemed like a kind man and knew both Korine and Vesha well enough to greet them both cheerfully by name as we entered his sweet-scented shop. If he was surprised by the company that the pair was keeping, he did not show it.

We spent quite a while in Ulvar’s Apothecary and Alchemy, while Korine and Vesha introduced me to the various, salves, soaps, creams, lotions, hair cleansers, perfumes, eye and lip colors, and various other products that the Puka sold to keep women happy, healthy, and looking their best. It was a good thing that Korine had brought wicker shopping baskets along for the three of us because she and Vesha took the opportunity to stock up on everything that they usually bought when at Ulvar’s, and they insisted that I do the same for myself and get some soaps and hair products that Ulvar made for children for Kalara as well.

Vesha was sweet enough to carry my basket as well as her own as we made our way from Ulvar’s Apothecary and Alchemy to Arinade’s Enchantments. Kalara seemed to be getting tired so I was carrying her now, and carrying a heavy basket as well would have been awkward. Thankfully, it did not take us very long to find the shop in question. It did not have a large shop window to display its wares like many of the shops on the Avenue of Mystic Delights, but it did display a large sign with lovely green script that Korine and Vesha assured me spelled out the name of the shop we were searching for.

Adjusting Kalara in my arms and Neva’kul on my hip, I led the way into the shop. The sound of a bell rang out as we passed the threshold into the shop and a moment later a green curtain at the rear of the shop was pushed aside as a tall, slender, and attractive human woman with pink hair stepped through. “Welcome to Arinade’s Enchantments, how can I help you today?”

I stopped and stared for a moment. I had not sensed her magic among the various magical items in her shop. In fact, there were so many enchantments on this street that I had stopped trying to distinguish one from another. The magic that covered Arinade felt familiar though, and it should since it was one of the magical abilities that I possessed and had worked hard enough on to become adept with. She was wearing a glamour, and I was almost certain that she was a Faerie.

 

 

 

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Author's Note: Here's chapter 35 of The Faerie Blade. Further chapters are available on my Patreon page. ~Amethyst.
 

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 Chapter 35: Kaelyn and the Enchantress

Arinade’s glamoured eyes widened as she caught sight of me and then she smiled as called out, “A fellow Faerie! Please, bolt the door so we can enjoy some privacy.” It was as Vesha was seeing to that request that the pink-haired woman dropped her glamour, revealing her wings and pointed ears, though her hair color and much of her features remained the same. The pink-haired Faerie’s eyes then focused on Kalara in my arms. “Oh… my, a mana-touched Elf? She is certainly no half-Faerie, her magic doesn’t feel quite right, and she is brimming with untapped power. You were wise to purchase one of Dewblossom’s enchantments to obscure her true nature, though I do wonder why you did not just glamour the both of you. Even in a city as accepting and diverse as this, being seen as Fae can be… troublesome.”

Unfortunately, Faerie can only cast glamours on themselves with our inherent ability. Sharai said that if I wished to cast glamours on others, then I would have to work on studying magecraft or, in my case, spellsinging. “Aye,” I agreed, “it surely can be. I am not far into my magic lessons yet though, so I cannot yet cast a glamour upon little Kalara. I decided that since my companions are without glamours that I would not stand out too much more than they do. The little one seems to like my wings as well.”

“Then you were wise to give her a pair of her own, illusory though they may be,” the other Faerie agreed with a smile. “She seems quite taken with you, though you seem young to be caring for a child, barely an adult, by my eyes. Are you watching her for her parents?”

I gave a silent shake of my head before replying. “Nay, we found her upon the road in a cage within the ruins of a destroyed menagerie caravan. She and an Undine were the only survivors when the caravan was destroyed by a Tainted. I have taken to caring for her since she seems to trust me the most of my troupe.”

Her smile turned downward into a frown. “Menageries, a despicable practice, trafficking in the misery of others. They got what they were owed, and I am glad that the little one has survived and found herself a caring mother. I am Arinade, owner of this fine establishment and an Ambassador of Tarin’dol.”

-In other words, she was sent to Hindra to spy on the people of Kalidar and ensure that they aren’t a danger to the Fae,- Sharai contributed seriously.

“I am Kaelyn Darkbane, Apprentice Bard and Bladebearer of Sparrowsong Troupe, and these are my fellow apprentices, Vesha Firemantle and Korine. The little one is Kalara,” I replied to Arinade with equal formality. I tried to ignore Sharai’s comment, but it did make sense, given what little I knew about Fae politics.

If she thought that a Faerie and Salamander being members of a Voyager troupe was unusual, she did not let it show upon her face. On the other hand, my thoughts about her task here must have shown on my face because Arinade laughed and explained, “Fortunately, being an ambassador here in Hindra need not be done secretly since King Vergun Sal-Kalidar wishes to establish good relations with the Fae. He knows well what I truly am, and my role here, but allows me to continue the ruse of being a mere mana-touched Human for convenience. Fae are welcome in the city, and treated as honored guests by the King’s command, but the doting of well-wishers can become… tedious.”

I could completely understand that last part. I was uncomfortable with the respect and near-adoration that Dewblossom had shown me in her shop, and it wasn’t the first time that it had happened either. It was certainly an improvement upon people being overly wary or wanting to kill me on sight, as I would have been subjected to in Evalis, but I would prefer to be treated as any other person. People generally have strong feelings about the Fae, one way or another though, so that was unlikely to happen so long as I traveled without a glamour.

“Aye, your fellow Enchanter, Dewblossom, was very eager to please,” I said with a sigh, earning a laugh from the other Faerie.

“Yes, she has a slight obsession with our kind,” Arinade agreed, “but she is a kind soul. Now, why don’t you tell me what brings you here? Dewblossom is one of the best illusion enchanters that I have ever seen, but I suspect that you have come to me with something more practical in mind.”

“Several things, actually,” Korine replied in my stead. “A former apprentice of yours in Loden recommended you to us.”

“She also said that you might be willing to cut us a deal for a look at some old and rare enchantments,” Vesha added, getting the Enchanter’s attention. “We need some of those enchantments replicated, if possible.”

The Faerie shopkeeper looked over Vesha, or more accurately, was looking at her clothes. “Interesting. The enchantments on those clothes are old, some kind of preservation spell, but it’s not the usual preservation spell that we Fae use for clothing and other items. Unusual materials too. Wherever did you get those clothes?”

“I got them in an ancient temple dedicated to the eternal flame. I was told that they’re made from materials created by the Sa’vash, before their fall, and enchanted for Salamanders like me. The clothing is very durable, fireproof, will repair itself if damaged, and changes to flame with me when I take my true elemental form,” the Salamander explained.

The Faerie wore a pensive expression upon her face as she came out from behind the counter, looked over Vesha’s tunic, and experimentally touched the material on her shoulder. “I cannot replicate the materials themselves, the Sa’vash and their wonders are long gone, but now that I know what the enchantment does, I should be able to replicate it. I will require any clothing that you wish to have enchanted, of course. Before we discuss payment though, you mentioned that there were several things. I take it that there is more than the clothing that you wish for me to look at?”

I gently placed Kalara on the ground and removed the sword belt that bore Neva’kul, placing it on the counter, then I removed Neva’kul from its sheath. “Do you recognize this?”

“By the Goddess! That’s one of the Vos’oraik!” she gasped; her eyes wide as she tentatively reached out to touch one of the glyphs on the blade. “You’re one of the Five! I know Enchanters who would give their right arm for a chance to examine something like this, these were the very pinnacle of enchanted weapons, and nobody has been able to recreate their like since Darion himself.”

“My cousin has one of the other five, if you would like to come to our camp to have a closer look at both of them,” I suggested, now that we had her undivided attention. Then I extended my left hand to Arinade, displaying the binding glyph. “I recently inherited this,” I told her as I focused on the glyph on my hand to summon the armor, “and I would like to be able to summon my blade along with the armor when needed.”

The armor earned a raised eyebrow, but her attention was still dominated by Neva’kul, and possibly my offer to examine two of the Vos’oraik more closely. She let out a thoughtful hum before finally speaking. “The armor is old and valuable, moonsilver is rare indeed, but I have seen similar enchantments before. They are not too different from what we use today for the same purposes, some enchantments are timeless and in no need of improvement or change after all. It should be a simple matter for me to place a common item retrieval enchantment on the belt and sheath and bind them to your glyph.”

“And Neva’kul herself?” I asked as I reached for the belt and put it on.

“Your sword is another matter,” she replied with another thoughtful sigh as she caressed the glyphs on the blade pensively. “Adding such an enchantment to such a powerful enchanted item would normally be tricky. The blade is as bound to you as any enchantments attached to your binding glyph though, and it has a will and wants to be at your side, so if the spirit within allows the enchantment, I might be able to do it. I will need to examine it and its sister blade more closely though to ensure there are no protections in place that would prevent it.”

“And how much will this cost us?” I asked, taking Neva’kul by the hilt to return her to her sheath.

The pink-haired Faerie looked disappointed as I put the blade away but considered the question for a moment. “Examining two of the Vos’oraik is an opportunity that I cannot allow to slip through my fingers. It is far more than enough to pay for the simple retrieval enchantments that you require. In return, will allow you five other minor enchantments, or one major enchantment, of your choice for the opportunity. I have a catalogue that you may choose from.”

She stepped back behind her counter and bent down for a moment, reappearing with a thick leatherbound book that she placed before me. Then she turned to Vesha with a smile “As for you, I do like a challenge, but your enchantment will have to be a custom job, and likely not a minor enchantment, to do everything that you will require. It will also take time since I will have to get you to wear each item of clothing that you wish to have enchanted to properly bind them to you. I will need to see your elemental form as well. However, given the interesting nature of the enchantments you wish to have replicated, I will not charge you per item but rather a flat rate of two gold and fifteen silver. Is that agreeable?”

Vesha managed to haggle her way down to an even two gold as I looked through the book on the counter and tried to puzzle out the script inside with my very limited reading ability. Fortunately, Korine was willing to help by doing the reading and giving me the basics of the various enchantments, which seemed to follow no sorting system whatsoever. While we did see some very interesting major enchantments, I decided to instead go with the minor ones.

The first was another retrieval spell for Shava since she would be allowing Arinade to look at Fal’hevar as well, so I felt that she should get something out of it too. The second enchantment was a protection and durability spell for my new fiddle. I had not had it long, but it was from my troupe and already held a special place in my heart, so I did not wish to see it damaged. For the others, I requested three fluency enchantments.

Fluency enchantments, as described in Arinade’s catalogue, allow the enchanted person to quickly learn to read, write, and speak all languages known by the caster. In Arinade’s case, that would be Common and Fae. Not only would this allow me to get over my current literacy problem and properly learn the Fae language, but it would also allow me and my troupe to communicate with both Kalara and our Undine guest.

While such an enchantment seemed like it should be a major one to me, Arinade explained that in terms of mana and physical energy spent, it was a very minor, if useful, enchantment. She would require a moment of physical contact with us to make the connection for the spell, but what she referred to as the knowledge seed would begin to sprout and grow in our minds as we slept. The Enchanter did warn me that we might need to sleep a little longer than normal that night, but we would wake up in the morning as fluent in the two languages as she was.

Since it was approaching dinnertime anyway, Arinade closed her shop and reapplied her glamour to accompany us back to our camp, located in a large field just outside the city walls. She was eager to thoroughly examine the two Vos’oraik and compare them with her magic sense, and most of the enchantments that she would be doing for us were better done there than having to bring most of Vesha’s clothes, my fiddle, and a somewhat confused Undine to her shop. She filled a large satchel with everything that she would need for my enchantments as well as several other supplies and tools that she figured she might need to recreate the enchantments on Vesha’s clothes.

As we retraced our steps through the streets of Hindra, Vesha continued to carry my shopping basket as well as her own. Kalara was tired from all the walking and the excitement of being in an unfamiliar city, so I ended up carrying her most of the way. The troupe’s children seemed to be heading back to camp as well since I could sense Fal’hevar’s presence moving in the same direction several streets over.

Our paths intersected shortly before reaching the city gates and we saw Shava holding little Cylia’s hand and looking properly serious as she tried to keep track of the other children in her group. “Kegan and Kirla, I saw that! No more sweets, it’s almost time for dinner. Save some for later, and you promised to save some for Kalara too!”

It was funny seeing my cousin trying to be a responsible adult and rein in the other kids, but I was also proud that she was taking it seriously. Aside from watching the other children, she was also keeping an eye out for danger, her free hand hovering near Fal’hevar’s hilt. From the bags of sweets that the children carried and the bulging coin purse hanging from my cousin’s belt, it appeared that they had a productive outing. We quickly caught up with them and introduced Arinade as we reached the city gates and passed through.

Shava was uncertain at first, but after a quickly whispered conversation, she agreed to allow Arinade to examine Fal’hevar. My cousin seemed interested in the retrieval enchantment that I offered in return for her cooperation. She had already accidentally discovered that her sword and its accompanying belt and sheath would shift with her if she changed to a non-humanoid shape while wearing them, but she thought that the enchantment could also be useful if she was disarmed somehow in a battle. It was a good idea, and something that I had not considered but probably should have.

Our hushed conversation came to an end as we reached our camp. There was the usual flurry of activity as dinner was being prepared, animals were cared for, and firewood was brought to cook the evening meal and ward off the chill of a spring evening. One thing stood out as unusual and made me nervous though, there were armed strangers in the camp.

 

 

 

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Author's Note: Here's chapter 36 of The Faerie Blade. Further chapters are available on my Patreon page. ~Amethyst.
 

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 Chapter 36: Enchanting

The armed strangers turned out to be an officer of the Kalidarian army and a half dozen soldiers under his command who were speaking with my grandparents and Master Nirlyn about our encounter with the traveling menagerie and the Tainted that had destroyed it. We found out during dinner that the person in charge, Grand Captain Doram, had not been there when they reported the incident to the local barracks, and had come to us to get more information. He wanted to be certain that there was no longer a threat to the people in nearby settlements like Loden, and to get a general idea for what he should send in the way of troops.

Except for curious glances toward our group as we entered the camp, we were mostly ignored by thee soldiers as we headed to our respective wagons, or to whatever tasks that might have awaited us. My sharp ears were able to pick up pieces of the conversation as we passed though. “We only encountered the two Tainted,” my grandmother clarified. “If there were others, our scouts could not find any signs of them. Both of those we encountered were taken care of and cleansed with fire before we continued our journey to the capital.”

It was a half-truth. I had, after all, used faerie fire to cleanse the Undine, and it was technically fire. It just purified her rather than killed her, so she was now free of the dark mana that had tainted her. We had decided to keep that quiet for now though, until we could test if I could use it to purify people or portions of dark zones reliably. We did not want to get anyone’s hopes up until we were sure that this could be effective for more than just Elementals or Fae spirits.

We also did not want the poor Undine with us getting the attention that this could bring upon her if people knew that she had been Tainted and cured from it. She showed no signs of reverting back to her Tainted state, and she had been through enough already. She deserved to be free to go home.

“You mentioned survivors?” I would like to speak with them, perhaps we can get to the bottom of how this happened,” the man in charge of the soldiers insisted.

I clutched Kalara tightly to my chest as I heard that, but my grandfather quickly put that idea to rest, causing me to breathe a sigh of relief. “The two survivors were being held captive in cages, it is unlikely that they saw anything of note. One is a small child, neither seems to speak common, and they have both been through quite enough already.”

“I see,” the armored man replied. “Thank you for reporting this, and for your time. I will send a patrol to scout around the area that you indicated and ensure that...”

I stopped listening at that point as I hurried to catch up with the others and our guest. It was nearly time for our evening meal, and we wanted to put our purchases away and introduce Lady Arinade to the other members of our troupe. By the time we had placed our purchases in our wagons and away in their proper places, the soldiers had left the camp, and we were summoned by the dinner bell.

‘What an unusual troupe of Voyagers you are,” Arinade mentioned as we sat down for our meal. “To have a Faerie, Elementals, a mana-touched Elf, and a Ravieri in such a small troupe.”

The other Faerie had dispelled her glamour upon seeing Master Nirlyn, figuring that the Ravieri would see right through it anyway. She likely would have been right since she had seen through mine so easily when we first met. She seemed uncertain at first, but relaxed when she noticed that the people of our troupe didn’t give her a second glance. We welcomed her as a guest but didn’t fawn over her as people in the city had over me.

We had all gotten settled and were starting to eat when an owl landed by the fire and a moment later casually shifted into Mara, who had been conspicuously absent so far. She had a frown on her face as she turned toward my grandparents, “It seems that the reports you heard in the city were true. The road east has been blocked by a massive landslide. The army has people working on clearing it, but from the looks of it, we could be staying here in the capital for more than just a few days.”

“Well, there isn’t much we can do about it, so we’ll take the opportunity to make some extra coin and load up on supplies while we’re here,” my grandfather suggested practically. He did not look happy about it though. Honestly, I could not blame him since we had planned to only stay for two days, and this would delay our journey to Derevik to report to the Guild Council.

Nobody was happy about the delay, except for the Undine and Kalara, who could not understand what had been said. Arinade was gaping at Mara’s naked form though, and I had a feeling it was not because she had any problem with nudity. Arinade was Fae after all. The Undine and Kalara had been exposed to both nudity and the occasional shapeshifting enough during their past few days with the troupe, but to Arinade the latter had made her drop her jaw, and almost her plate as well.

“Changeling,” she said, her voice barely more than a whisper as she stared at Mara with wide eyes.

The sound caught Mara’s attention and she looked suddenly embarrassed as she noticed our guest for the first time. “Oops.”

“But you’re…” Arinade muttered in disbelief, her eyes still locked on Mara.

“Extinct?” My grandmother suggested to the Faerie with a raised eyebrow. “Rumors of our demise were greatly exaggerated, mostly by our own kind. When the Great War ended there were few of us left. We decided to reinvent ourselves and allow people to believe in the demise of our kind as we traveled far and wide as merely strange humans rather than Fae to watch for signs that the Demons might return. Perhaps, now is the time to allow our Fae kin to know the truth, but humans must never know what we truly are. Some can be trusted, but it cannot become common knowledge amongst them.”

“Aye, I was born human, and I only trust a fair few of them,” Daivin agreed from where he sat with an arm wrapped affectionately around Selice.

“Wait, so all of this time, you’ve been travelling and trying to come off as travelers from a distant land while you search for signs of the return of the Demons and their forgotten god?” Arinade asked in disbelief. “It’s been thousands of years, the Great War has been mostly forgotten, and we Fae destroyed everything even remotely tied to the Forgotten One…”

“Not everything,” I interjected, “something was found around fifty years ago in an ancient ruin near the town of Greendell in Evalis. The Demons are back, I have fought them myself… they, and the foul church that they have founded, killed my parents and the former wielder of Neva’kul. They already have the King of Evalis under their sway, and their influence is spreading.”

Arinade’s eyes went wide once again briefly before narrowing as she looked at me to ask, “You are certain about this?”

“She is, and she is the last person who would lie about this,” Vesha insisted as her arm snaked around my waist to hold me close to her. “The people of Thaeria village can confirm it, they sent a Pixie messenger to Tarin’dol to report it, and we have sent owls as well. They had to relocate their village because a pair of Demons and a platoon of soldiers from Evalis’s army stumbled across one of their Wood Warden teams and nearly found their village while trying to keep us from leaving Evalis to spread the word about this.”

“That’s why we’re on our way t’ Derevik, t’ report this t’ the Guild Council. Then we make fer Tarin’dol t’ rally the Fae. We’ve already sent messengers there, but they may not believe it, there’s plannin’ t’ be done, and Kaelyn needs t’ find the rest o’ the Five if we’re t’ have a chance o’ defeatin’ the Demons again,” Master Nirlyn explained.

“Very well then, I will contact the Fae Council in Tarin’dol. As an ambassador of the Fae, they should take my word seriously. Not that I don’t trust the messengers already sent, but as an Enchanter, I have a means of contacting them far more quickly. Tarin’dol will know of this situation by tomorrow night, I guarantee it, and I will bring you their response as soon as I can.”

After that, the conversation was subdued as we finished our meal. While Shava and I went through our nightly dancing lesson with Selice, Arinade got a look at Vesha in her pure fire form and then proceeded to create the enchantment that the Salamander had paid for and apply it to all her clothing, as promised. She was nearly finished when Shava and I returned to the wagon with our swords in hand.

I welcomed the brief rest as we sat to watch her finish her work and I allowed Kalara to help me feed Zaiya again. The young Elven girl was surprisingly gentle as she petted the owlet once we had finished feeding her. Shava watched as she sat on what was now Kalara’s cot. It was as we were showing the little owlet some love that Arinade finished her work for Vesha and sat on the floor cross-legged an armlength away from where I sat with Kalara in my lap.

Once seated, the Faerie turned her gaze upon me and Shava in turn. “Please, unsheathe your swords and place them on the ground before me.”

We did as we were asked, and what followed was the Enchanter closing her eyes and chanting something while touching each Vos’oraik in turn and sometimes both at the same time. I could feel her using magic, but it was tentative and exploratory, and barely noticeable compared to what I could sense while she was enchanting Vesha’s clothing. It took long enough that one of my legs started to tingle from being in one position for too long and Kalara was starting to fall asleep in my arms by the time that Arinade finally opened her eyes.

“These swords are truly a masterpiece of enchantment,” she said with a look of wonder in her eyes. “I can sense no protections that would prevent me from adding the retrieval enchantment to them, but the spirits within your blades will need to convince the will of the blades to allow it. It should not be difficult for them since their will does not wish to be separated from their wielder and will sense the nature of the enchantment. This will be a bit different from a regular retrieval enchantment though. Since the swords are bound to you, I will need a few drops of your blood to add to the enchantment mixture.”

-I am ready, Kaelyn,- Sharai assured me when I sent a query of thought her way.

With Sharai’s assurance, I went first, placing sleepy Kalara on her bed before reaching out to prick my fingertip on the sharp point of Neva’kul’s blade. While I was doing that, Arinade had removed a mortar, pestle, and a number of bottles and small clay pots from pouches within her satchel. She had me hold my dripping finger over the stone bowl until she felt she had enough and began to add other ingredients; a sweet-smelling oil, some flower petals that I wasn’t familiar with, an oak leaf, crushed and dried leaves that smelled like vervain, and several drops of a silver-colored liquid. While she mixed, she had me summon my armor, put my belt and sheath on over top, and take Neva’kul in hand.

I could feel her infusing the mixture with her magic as she thoroughly ground the ingredients together and then, chanting something in the Fae language and infusing even more magic as she did so, she dipped her finger repeatedly in the solution to draw strange sigils along the length of the blade as I held it, and then on the belt and sheath that went with it. Then she took my left hand in hers and drew a sigil over my binding glyph as well as her chanting reached a crescendo.

A tingling sensation shot through my hand where the binding glyph was, but it vanished as quickly as it appeared. It was strange, I felt even more connected to Neva’kul than I was before. Sharai’s voice seemed somewhat clearer in my mind as she said in wonder, -She did it, Kaelyn, but there is something more too. I feel stronger somehow.-

Arinade suggested that we have Vesha run outside with my belt, sheath, and sword so I could try to call them back to me, and had me hold my hand like I was holding my blade. When I attempted to do so, the result was nearly instant, Neva’kul appeared in my hand and my belt and sheath were in their proper place over my armor.

Doing the same with Fal’hevar was a repeat of the first, though I thought that there was an ingredient or two to the solution that I did not remember her adding to mine. It turned out that there was a reason for this. Once she had finished her chanting and drawing the final sigil on Shava’s left hand, a golden binding glyph appeared there. She smiled at my cousin and said, “A little something extra to show my appreciation for letting me study Fal’hevar as well.”

Compared to Vesha’s enchantments and those on our swords, the enchantment on my fiddle was simple by comparison and I could feel her having to use less magic for it to take hold. By that time, Kalara was soundly asleep in her bed so when Arinade was ready to do the fluency enchantment, I had to ask, “Does she need to be awake for this?”

The Enchantress shook her head. “No, for one so young, it will likely be better if she remains asleep. This can be uncomfortable and disorienting even for adults. Your minds will absorb the knowledge as you sleep though and by morning, you will all be as fluent in Fae and Common as I am.”

Since Shava was returning to her own wagon, after giving Arinade her profuse thanks, I requested that she ask our grandmother to bring the Undine to our wagon so that Arinade would not have to search for her and could cast the enchantment on all three of us at once. By the time that my grandmother had arrived, with the Undine following behind in confusion, Arinade had already finished creating the proper mixture and was performing the enchantment on Kalara by injecting magic into the solution as she used her finger to draw sigils on the Elven child’s forehead and chanted her incantation.

Once she was finished, my grandmother and I attempted to explain that this would help us communicate by using various gestures and then I let Arinade perform the enchantment on me first so that the Undine could see that it would not harm her. When she was done, I was dizzy, drowsy, and felt a headache coming on, but I thought that I had convinced the Undine that I was fine. The headache did not last long, but I barely managed to stay awake long enough to see Arinade complete the enchantment on the Undine before I started to doze off.

I was half asleep as the others left and Vesha helped me to remove my sword belt and the various pieces of my armor. Once I was completely undressed, I was vaguely aware of Vesha holding me close to her as she picked me up and carried me to a cot, I was not sure which one, but it was empty. This was so nice and cozy, and I felt so safe and comfortable in her arms.

I think she tried to pull away once she placed me in the cot and covered me up, but I sleepily protested. “Noooo, my Vesha. Need you… snuggle…” I drifted off to the sound of her throaty giggles as she wrapped me up in her strong arms and held me close.

 

 

 

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Author's Note: Here's chapter 37 of The Faerie Blade. Further chapters are available on my Patreon page. ~Amethyst.
 

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Chapter 37: Wards

I awoke still wrapped up in Vesha’s strong arms, feelings of safety, affection, and happiness bubbling up in my chest as she held me close. I was reluctant to leave her embrace and lingered contentedly in her arms a little longer than I probably should have before finally slipping out of her embrace and kissing her as I left what was apparently her cot. I gazed down at her for a moment, my chest warm and my heart thrumming at the sight, before silently summoning my armor and Neva’kul, snatching up my quiver and bow, and leaving the wagon as quietly as possible so I would not wake Vesha, Kalara, or Master Nirlyn.

Despite Arinade’s enchantment putting me to sleep earlier than normal the night before, I was up slightly later than usual and found Shava already waiting to begin our morning training session. It was still dark, so I had not slept that much later than usual, but I had been half-expecting that. Arinade had warned me that I might need to sleep longer than I normally did while my mind absorbed the knowledge that she had passed on to me after all.

I was fortunate that I already knew how to speak in common and had been learning Fae, even if my literacy skills in both had been severely lacking, because my sleeping mind had not had quite as much to learn. Kalara and the Undine would both have to sleep much longer than I did to absorb the knowledge of two completely unfamiliar languages. I expected Kalara to sleep at least as late as Vesha and our Master despite falling asleep much earlier than any of us did.

After both of us going through the first dance, and then the second dance twice (the second time under Sharai’s supervision to correct any errors in form), we took out our bows and practiced shooting at targets formed from my faerie fire. I still had to correct Shava’s stance and form occasionally, but she was getting much better with the rough bow and arrows that Hagen had fashioned for her. I had gotten used to my new body enough by now that I was able to hit the bullseye consistently, but I felt that we could both do better with weapons better suited to us.

Hagen had only intended my cousin’s bow to be a practice weapon, something for her to start her training with. While it served that purpose well enough, even Hagen had told her that she would be better off with a bow and arrows made for someone her size and strength by a proper bowyer and fletcher. This had unfortunately slipped my mind during our short stay in Loden, and I did not even know if that town had someone who could have helped outfit my cousin properly.

My problem was similar. While the ash bow that I had gotten from the Woodwarden’s outpost inside the sacred oak was roughly the right length and was well made, it had been sitting in that outpost for who knew how long, was a bit stiff, and the draw weight felt wrong. It also had not been properly oiled for some time, nor the drawstring waxed. It had performed well enough until I could get something better, but it was not a weapon that I could plan to keep for a long time.

I resolved to solve our bow issues while we were still in the capital, though from what Mara had said the night before, it might be a while before the road east would be clear enough for the wagons to travel it. We likely had plenty of time, but I wanted to deal with it as soon as possible so we could both start to get used to new weapons before leaving the city. I had not seen any weaponsmiths on our trip to the Avenue of Mystic Delights, but perhaps Mara and Hagen would know where we could find a good one.

I quickly put the thought out of my mind as my cousin and I sparred following our practice, though it was something that I brought up with our scouts as we joined those who woke up early for breakfast. Mara looked thoughtful as she sat there with Cylia in her lap and lovingly stroked her daughter’s hair. “To tell the truth, Hagen and I have been thinking about getting some new gear as well. What we have now is fine for general hunting and scouting, but with the Demons reappearing I would feel better if those of us in the troupe who know how to use weapons are properly prepared for trouble.”

Hagan nodded his agreement beside her. “Bryden, Mara, and I should all have swords in addition to our daggers, though it has been some time since any of us have used one and we could use some practice. Mara and I might want to replace our old bows as well and get some leather armor. We should be able to find what we need in Knight’s Row, that’s where all the best weaponsmiths and armorers in Hindra are, and some sell enchanted gear as well.”

Uncle Bryden let out a long sigh but nodded in agreement. “I didn’t think I’d ever pick up a sword again, but with Demons around it’s for the best that we prepare. We have all of that extra coin from that menagerie so we might as well use it for something useful.”

Soon, those who needed to sleep longer than us full-blooded Fae started emerging from their wagons to join us for the morning meal, including our Undine guest. She remained quiet and thoughtful as she ate her breakfast, and I wasn’t even sure if Arinade’s enchantment had taken hold on her until the entire troupe was present and she finally spoke up hesitantly. “Xulyin… that is my name. I humbly thank your clan for the care that you have shown me since I came back to myself.”

My grandmother smiled at the Undine. “It is nice to finally be able to speak with you properly, Xulyin.” Then she proceeded to introduce all of the members of our troupe by name, including Kalara, who seemed to have gotten used to being addressed by the name over the past few days. Only once the introductions were complete did she ask, “What can you remember, Xulyin?”

The Undine’s brow furrowed for a moment in thought before she looked to the ground guiltily. “I remember everything from… before. My memories get hazier after being attacked by that creature of darkness… I remember being sick for a time… and being found by humans on a ship. After that, it is like I was watching myself act through bloodied water, I could not see clearly… nor control myself until I was consumed by Kaelyn’s fire.”

Unfortunately, she wasn’t able to tell us much about Kalara or anything useful that we could forward to Grand Captain Doram. After the ship found her and the captain sold her to the menagerie that he was ferrying to the mainland from Srach, she had spent her time in a cage and hadn’t even seen the small elvish girl until after I freed her from being Tainted. Once she had told us everything that she could, my grandfather gave her a moment to collect herself before gently offering, “If you would like to go home, I am sure that we can find a trustworthy vessel in the harbor and buy passage for you to the Nymren Islands.”

There was pain in her eyes for a brief moment before she set her gaze back down on her hands folded in her lap and slowly shook her head. “I cannot return there. I am Yonai`tas, one of the banished. I… spoke out against my mo… our chieftain and our clan’s isolation even from the other Undine clans. I… was a child, selfish and foolish. I wished only to see more of the world beyond our reef and the node of the deep.” She let out a long sigh before adding, “I guess I am getting what I wished for, and I cannot leave your clan regardless.”

Aunt Sivelle looked both confused and concerned as she asked, “What do you mean, you cannot leave?”

The Undine looked directly at me as she spoke again, “I owe the one who cured me of my affliction a life debt. I am honor-bound to stay until I have saved her life or the life of someone she loves. I am not a warrior… I am not even considered an adult yet among my people, but I shall find a way to repay this debt, I promise.”

I was not sure how to react to that. I did not want to insult her by telling her that she did not owe me anything since she clearly valued this perceived debt, but I did not want her risking her life in pursuit of it either. Also, she may have just confirmed my suspicion that she was younger than Vesha and me, which concerned me even more than the life debt.

Thankfully, my grandmother took charge. “You are welcome to stay with us as long as you like, Xulyin. How old are you if you are not yet considered an adult?” I was fairly sure that my grandmother harbored similar suspicions and concerns as she asked that question with a frown.

Undines did not seem to measure time quite the same as us land dwellers, but we were able to figure out that she was likely Korine’s age, nearly sixteen summers before becoming Tainted. Since the records we found hinted that she had been found just under a month ago, that was likely still true. When that was figured out my grandparents, who had been watching over her until now, made the decision to continue caring for her until she was an adult. It looked like I had a new aunt.

Poor Xulyin looked a little overwhelmed as my grandparents took charge, my grandmother making a list of things she would need as a member of the troupe and my grandfather telling her about the ways of our people and the rules that she would have to abide as a member of the troupe. It was almost funny and the other adults among the clan were offering to help with things on my grandmother’s growing list or helping her to add to it.

Voyager children are raised communally, but they still have defined parent figures. Foundlings usually do not when the troupe takes them in though, and that is why they are usually adopted by a single adult or handfasted couple with no children, or children who are already grown, so they can form a strong bond with a specific parent or set of parents. It had been done for Master Nirlyn when she was found, just as she took that role for Vesha, my grandparents were doing it for Xulyin, and I seemed to be doing it for Kalara.

Apparently, there was a lot to do now that that had been decided and I had never had to deal with any of it before since I was born to the troupe, even if we did not live with them at the time, and I was not raised among them. The birthdays of foundlings were usually unknown so instead they celebrated namedays, with their adoptive parents going by a best guess at their age. Just like birthdays celebrated the day of one’s birth, namedays were celebrated on the day when the parents officially adopted the foundling into the troupe.

It was decided that tonight the troupe would be officially welcoming both Xulyin and Kalara into our ranks, Xulyin as my aunt and Kalara as my daughter. I found myself getting nervous as plans were made. I did not know if I was ready to be a mother on top of everything else in my life, but I was the most logical choice since Kalara was so taken with me. I was even the one who chose her name, and I could not deny that I was becoming very attached to her.

I was still so uncertain about this though. I had lived half my life without parents, was I truly qualified to become one myself? Plans for the day ahead and the evening’s festivities were still being made, but I tried not to think about it as I carried Kalara back to our wagon to let her help me feed Zaiya. I was not successful in that venture.

I was a bit worried that Kalara had not spoken yet, worried that she might be mute. I had never heard her even try to speak or make any other noise than crying or screaming since we had found her. I could see that she now understood us, and that seemed to help her lose some measure of her fear of the other members of the troupe, but she had yet to say anything.

Was all this too overwhelming for her? Did she think I was trying to take her real parents’ place, or did she even remember them? As I let her feed Zaiya, encouraging her to be careful, I could see her lips moving, as if she was trying to come to terms with understanding us now and trying to get her mouth to form the formerly unfamiliar words.

Zaiya was full and I was about to get up and put her meat back in the cold cupboard when I was prevented from doing so as the two-year-old flopped into my lap and snuggled against my chest, her illusory wings fluttering behind her. A moment later a small voice murmured, “Maera.”

I just sat there stunned for a moment as Kalara’s first word hit me, tears coming to my eyes unbidden. Maera, the Fae word for mother. My chest was tight with a mix of feelings that I could not explain at that word coming from her and I wrapped her up in my arms, leaning down to gently kiss Kalara’s forehead with trembling lips. My daughter had just spoken her first word, and my decision was made.

 

 

 

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Author's Note: Here's chapter 38 of The Faerie Blade. Further chapters are available on my Patreon page. ~Amethyst.
 

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Chapter 38: Knight’s Row

With my new grasp on written language, the morning’s Bardic lessons were a lot easier for me. I could actually read the scrolls with the various song lyrics, lessons on music composition, and musical theory easily and I had to wonder if Arinade had some knowledge of music as well because I seemed to be understanding the notes on the music sheets a little easier as well. My writing was a little sloppy still since my hand needed to catch up with the new knowledge in my head, but I seemed to improve as the morning went on.

It was just like how Kalara was having trouble forming words even though she too had the proper knowledge in her head. Her mouth and tongue just were not used to forming words yet, but I could see her trying to copy the rest of us as she sat on her cot and watched Korine, Vesha, and me go through our morning lesson. Still, she was able to understand us and was making strides toward speaking properly.

While we were all playing our preferred instruments to the sheet music that Master Nirlyn had provided, the Master herself sat down to talk with my prospective daughter to see if she could remember anything. That ended up consisting mostly of her asking simple questions to which Kalara could reply with a nod or shake of her head. Unfortunately, she did not learn much.

Kalara was two years old at the most so her long-term memory was probably not great, and she could not seem to remember ever not being in a cage or wearing that cursed collar until we found and released her. When Master Nirlyn pointed to me and asked if she could remember anyone with wings like mine, the young Elf scrunched up her face uncertainly as if trying to recall a distant memory but whatever that memory was it seemed to be out of reach. Master Nirlyn did not press her. That was probably for the best since even if we did learn anything from her it likely would not have changed the current situation.

After that Master Nirlyn took out the wooden box of Vesha’s old toys once again and Kalara was soon distracted by playing while our lessons continued. It was shortly before midday when Master Nirlyn and Daivin concluded our morning lessons so that we could go into the city to busk for coin. We may have had a little nest egg due to the gold and silver we had gotten from the menagerie, but some of us would be cutting into our shares of that during our stay in Hindra and there were uncertain times ahead of us.

Soon, Selice and my fellow Bards were headed back into the city to find a good spot for performing, with Vesha carrying my fiddle and the harp that I favored as well as her lute. I had promised to find and join them near Market Square after I had finished my other business in the city since I would first be going to Knight’s Row along with Shava, Uncle Bryden, Mara, and Hagen. As for Kalara, Zenna and Aunt Sivelle had offered to watch her and Cylia along with most of the other children while most of the remainder of the troupe was in the city making preparations for the night’s celebrations and getting things that the two new members of our troupe might need during our journey.

Kalara was not happy about me leaving her there so I took the time to sit down and explain things to her before leaving, “Kalara, I will be back later, and you should get to know the other children of the troupe now that you can communicate with us. Nobody here will harm you; our troupe are not like the humans who have hurt and caged you your whole life. They are Fae, like you and me.”

“But Maera…” she protested as she glanced uncertainly to where Zenna was already starting a game with Jaya and Torin and Aunt Sivelle was telling Kirla, Kegan, and Cylia a story.

“You are family now, little one. We will be making that official tonight, and family is important to us Voyagers. I know that Zenna and Aunt Sivelle would protect you and the other children with their lives if anything happened, but nothing will because you will be safe in our camp with them. You have seen Aunt Sivelle’s ears, right?” I pressed as I gestured toward my aunt. “Well, her father was an Elf like you, so she and Shava are both part Elf, and she can probably tell you all kinds of things about being an Elf that I do not know.”

She still did not seem entirely convinced so I wrapped her in a hug, kissed her on the forehead, and then smiled at her as I promised. “After tonight you will be my daughter, Kalara. I will always come back to you, even if I have to carve a bloody path with Neva’kul to do it.”

Sharai had told me once that vows are binding to Fae for as long as we live, it was why we never make promises that we do not intend to keep, and why my oath to Neva’kul was so binding. It was better to make promises so that how they were carried out was not too specific and somewhat open to interpretation, as I had just done. Anything that I could conceive of, up to what I had specified as the upper limit of the promise, could be used to carry it out, even something as simple as just walking or flying home. I could sense the vow that I had just made settling upon me like the added weight of a blanket, not heavy and suffocating, but I was now bound to those words.

The promise, and the determination with which I had made it, seemed to convince her that I wasn’t going to just leave her. She allowed me to lead her toward the trio of children with Aunt Sivelle and sat shyly with the rest of the group. I kissed her one last time, told her to be good and listen, and left to join Shava and the others as I considered getting her a treat while I was in the city.

Knight’s Row was a collection of workshops along the western edge of the city where the noise, smoke, and scents wouldn’t bother those living in the city proper. The scents of smoke, scorched metal, and curing hides were thick in the air, accompanied by the din of hammers on metal, Masters yelling instructions to their apprentices, and criers from various workshops shouting out their wares to those who could not read the signage. Happily, I was no longer one of those unfortunate few as Shava and I followed the others to the shops that Mara and Hagen thought might suit our needs.

I was currently wearing a glamour to avoid any undesired attention from being Fae. I looked much like the other Voyagers, if a bit taller, and probably could have passed as Shava’s much older sister with how similar most Changelings were with their dusky skin, black hair, and brown eyes. I hadn’t bothered hiding Neva’kul with the glamour since we came here looking for weapons and Shava had to carry Fal’hevar openly as well.

We were passing one of the many open workshops when a man’s voice called out, “Girls! You, the young Voyagers with the swords!”

Both Shava and I turned as one, certain that he could only be referring to us, and whoever had called out had the attention of our companions as well. I was a little surprised to see a Dwarven man gesturing us over to one of the workshops. He was a bit shorter than my cousin but bulky, bulging with muscles, and had bright red hair, a matching beard, eyes like silvery steel, and skin deeply tanned from working a forge.

We approached, wondering what he might be trying to sell us, and once we had gotten close enough for conversation, he grinned at us. “Relgar’s my name and I think you lasses might be interested in my wares. It’s a dangerous world out there, and you girls are wise to take up the sword. You want to keep your troupe safe, aye?”

We both nodded, but mostly in confusion since he had not even mentioned what he was trying to sell us yet. Still, it would have been rude not to introduce ourselves when he had already done the same. “I am Kaelyn Darkbane of Sparrowsong Troupe, and this is my cousin and… apprentice, Shava.” I hesitated to call her my apprentice but decided it would do no harm since Sharai and Shava herself were already referring to her as such.

Relgar raised an eyebrow and gave me an appraising look. “Aye, you have a certain grace about you. Those blades look to be of Fae make; did you learn from them?”

“Aye,” I agreed but did not elaborate further.

The Dwarf nodded, accepting my simple answer. “It makes sense, I met a lot of Voyager clans and even a few Fae during my traveling days. You hold similar values; it makes sense that one of them would be willing to train you. I’ll get right to business then, lasses. Learning to use a blade is well and good to protect your troupe, but you need to keep yourselves safe too. I sell the best and only Squire’s Armor in the capital and if I don’t have something for adults that will fit a lanky lass like yourself, I can forge whatever you need.”

“Squire’s Armor?” Uncle Bryden asked as he and the others stepped up to join us.

“Aye, I designed it a few years ago and it’s called that because it’s what most of the knights’ squires hereabout use now so they don’t need a new set of armor every time they hit a growth spurt. Young Shava here could probably keep using it until she’s fully grown since you Voyagers usually don’t grow quite as tall as other humans, well most of you anyway.” He added the last with a grin at me before offering, “why don’t you fine folk pop into my workshop and I can show you what I’m talking about.”

Mostly out of curiosity, we followed the Dwarf into the large stone building that served as his workshop. Racks of finished armor, spears, swords, axes, maces, and cudgels adorned the area near the entrance showing off his wares. He even had a couple of bows, at least they looked like bows, but these were made mostly of dwarf-forged steel like his other wares and were equipped with various wheels and pulleys.

I looked over some of the weapons as we passed and Sharai commented, -These weapons are well made, but I would not expect less from a Dwarven smith. I used a dwarf-forged sword before I bonded with Neva’kul. The others should buy their swords here, any weapon here would serve them well.-

I kept that in mind as Relgar led us to the back, where no less than eight apprentices of various races ran back and forth completing tasks, worked at large tables, or manned the forge. The latter was unlike any other forge I had ever seen, there were metal pipes with steam coming from them and various switches and levers that I could not discern the purposes of. We followed him to one of the worktables where something that looked like plate armor for an adult human sat. “I just finished this set this morning,” he said as he took the chest piece and held it out for us.

It looked far too big for Shava and was made from slightly overlapping steel plates as thick as my pinky finger, even the pauldrons. There were these small holes in various places, almost like tiny keyholes. I spotted one on each pauldron, one in the center of the chest plates, and one lower on the belly. He unbuckled the side straps and held it out to my cousin, as he instructed, “Arms out while I slip this over your head, lass, and we’ll see if we can get this to fit you more comfortably. You’ll want to wear proper gambeson or padding underneath for comfort though.”

Once he had it on her, the Dwarf got what looked like a small key from the table and inserted it into the hole in the chest plate. As he turned the key the plates shifted inward to overlap more causing the chest piece to tighten. He repeated the same with the lower keyhole and the ones on the pauldrons until the armor seemed to be much thicker and a much better fit for my cousin and then fastened the straps. During the whole process, he told Shava how it worked and how to make the adjustments herself with her key for when she got some gambeson to wear underneath or hit a growth spurt.

Besides the chest piece, there was also a pair of bracers, greaves, and a throat guard that fastened on like a choker, all of which could be adjusted similarly. He had Shava do that herself to get familiar with the process and then, once she was done, he had her take it off and showed her how to properly oil and maintain it. Uncle Bryden had decided to buy the armor before Shava had even finished adjusting the greaves. He wanted his daughter kept safe and felt that this armor would keep her that way if we encountered Demons for a long time to come.

Shava wasn’t sure if she needed it with her gift, and Alara’s glyph on Fal’hevar, and thought it was a little heavy, but her father insisted, and the Dwarf assured her that it was made from a lighter steel alloy than he used for heavier armor and that she would get used to the weight by wearing and training in it. She still did not seem certain though until I added my insistence to her father’s and told her that there might be times when she could not react quickly enough to use her gift.

Shava’s armor was not the only purchase we made from the friendly Dwarf. Uncle Bryden, Mara, and Hagen all bought broadswords from him, and we also got a pair of the wheel bows that I had seen earlier. The bows were bigger and heavier than a long bow, not something that we would likely use often, and he needed to show us how to repair and maintain them, but Relgar assured us they were accurate and boasted a much bigger punch and longer range than any regular bow could provide. After the encounter with that massive Tainted in the menagerie caravan, we wanted to be more prepared in the future.

The wheel bows fired steel-banded shafts almost half again as long and thick as any arrow I had ever seen before with vicious-looking broad heads. Relgar claimed that the army sometimes used the weapons alongside ballistae for fighting Leviathans who grew brave or hungry enough to attack the city or other coastal towns. We bought four dozen of the shafts as well as some practice shafts and the Dwarf assured us that other Dwarven smiths would be able to provide us with more, or even make repairs to the bows if needed during our travels.

Our next stop was to get some leather armor for Mara and Hagen, and gambeson that could be adjusted to fit Shava. Thankfully, that did not take as long as I feared since none of us had eaten since breakfast and I was starting to get hungry. Then it was on to a bowyer to get some proper bows, where Mara and Hagen chose well-made longbows similar to what they were already using. For me and Shava, I decided on recurve bows. They were a little different than the longbows I had grown up with, but after we had tried them out, they felt comfortable, and I thought that they would be a lot more versatile for us and quicker to draw.

With that done, Uncle Bryden hired a cartman to take our new purchases, as well as him and the others, back to our camp outside of the city. As for me, I accompanied them back to some of the streets that I had become familiar with yesterday and then parted ways to buy a mug of mulled wine and some pastries stuffed with sausage, some kind of tangy sauce, and spicy diced pahra bulbs to help stave off my hunger. Then, once I had finished my quick meal, I headed toward my next destination along the Avenue of Mystic Delights.

 

 

 

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Author's Note: Here's chapter 39 of The Faerie Blade. Further chapters are available on my Patreon page. ~Amethyst.
 

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Chapter 39: Making Deals

I stepped inside Arinade’s Enchantments and, seeing that she appeared to have no customers at the moment, dispelled my glamour so she would recognize me. She would have been able to sense my glamour, as I had hers when we first met, but this would save us some time. “Good afternoon, Arinade,” I offered in greeting.

The other still-glamoured Faerie looked up from the book she was perusing to smile and say, “Kaelyn, I did not expect to see you again so soon. Please, lock the door and tell me what brings you here this fine afternoon.” Even as I moved to lock the door as she had requested, she added, “I sent a missive to the Fae Council in Tarin’dol last night when I returned home, to apprise them of the Demon situation, but I am afraid that I do not expect a response until sometime tomorrow, at the earliest.”

I nodded as I locked the door and replied, “Aye, I did not think you would hear back from them so soon. My troupe was hoping that you might join us again tonight for a celebration to adopt Kalara and Xulyin, the Undine, into our troupe, and perhaps provide your services once again. Some of us have purchased new weapons and armor today and wish to spend more of our coin to get them enchanted. We would like to be better prepared the next time we encounter Demons or Tainted.”

“Aye,” she agreed with a nod of her own and a grim expression. “I would be happy to attend, and to offer my services. With the return of Demons, we cannot be too careful. I will be enchanting a weapon for myself as well and improving the wards upon my shop and home. I expect that I and the other Enchanters on the Avenue of Mystic Delights will be seeing more business of that nature in the coming days.”

Relief flooded through me as she agreed to make another house call and join us for the night’s festivities. Her last comment had me worried that she had discovered something more since leaving our camp the night before though. Were the Demons making their way into Kalidar already? “What do you mean?” I asked as worry tugged at my heart.

The other Faerie was quiet for a moment before admitting, “I took the liberty of sending a missive to His Majesty, Vergun Sal-Kalidar about the re-emergence of the Demon threat as well, though I was careful not to reveal my sources. Should war come and the Demons attempt to move outside of Evalis, Kalidar and the other countries that border Evalis will be the first line of defense.”

She was right, they had the right to know what was going on so they could prepare themselves, and I was a little ashamed that I had not thought to warn them myself, being so focused on reaching the Guild Council in Derevik and then Tarin’dol. Both cities would be well away from the front lines if this truly came to war. “Do you think he will believe you?” I asked.

“Aye, I have been here many years now and he knows and trusts me, though he may want an audience with me and my source to learn the details and discuss matters,” Arinade replied with not a hint of doubt. “I may have to call upon you sometime soon to meet with him, Kaelyn, but we can try to keep your troupe’s involvement quiet. If we can get him to believe us, I believe that we can convince him to send messengers to the other four countries bordering Evalis to warn them as well.”

“They deserve a warning of what is coming, call on me when you need to,” I concurred as I tried to recall which countries shared a land border with Evalis, other than Kalidar. There was Galandir to the far north, but the Spearhold Mountains divided the two countries, and there was only one safe passage through them, which was well guarded by Ravieri, who called Galandir home. The other three countries of Crow, Scorcia, and Nalean were much like Kalidar though, and shared somewhat open borders with Evalis. And while Evalis might only have one small port city, that would also give the Demons the possibility of spreading their influence to the Nymren Islands, the other major continent that lay beyond them, and any other port cities on this continent.

After that, our conversation turned to the types of enchantments that we would be wishing to purchase, which I had discussed with the others earlier. It did not take long and, once we were finished, I left the shop. I still had one more stop to make along the Avenue of Mystic Delights before joining my fellow Bards for an afternoon of busking, but I did not bother casting my glamour again as I made my way to Dewblossom’s shop, with the familiar dress and illusory wings in the window.

The Ilari woman looked up as the bell announced my arrival and the studious expression that she had while looking over her ledgers immediately brightened. “Lady Kaelyn, what can I do for you today?”

“Good afternoon, Dewblossom,” I replied, still a little self-conscious about how she addressed me. “I am looking for an illusion that would make my daughter appear as a regular Voyager child, for times when we might wish to blend in among the humans better. I am not very far into my magic lessons, and I am afraid that it is outside of my capabilities at the moment to cast a glamour on her.”

Dewblossom gave me a considering look as she thoughtfully scratched at her chin. “Hmmm… I could do a set illusion, but she’s a growing girl and it probably wouldn’t last long before having to be replaced. Maybe something more limited? I could try…” She continued mumbling to herself, lost in thought for several minutes before finally announcing with glee, “I’ve got it!”

I knew why an illusion wouldn’t last long as Kalara grew, of course. When teaching me to cast glamours on myself, Sharai had to tell me in detail why I could not make my glamours too unlike myself in size and shape. It was why my glamours were usually the same general height and build as me.

The more different that a glamour is from the person that it overlaps, the more mana it would take to continue working, especially when making it not just look realistic, but feel realistic as well. Just keeping my wings hidden took a lot of mana already, and trying to make myself look and feel shorter or plumper to others would be a constant drain on my mana reserves. There were also other factors like copying the expressions and movements of the wearer, and those all added to the mana cost as well.

Dewblossom had mentioned the last time that I was here with Kalara, Korine, and Vesha, that she could get around the mana drain of enchantments by having the item that the illusion was imbued into enchanted to gather and store mana from its surroundings, which works for set enchantments and small illusions like Kalara’s wings. Certain materials could store mana better than others, but they all had a limit. For something that would essentially work as a glamour, those mana reserves would be used up faster the more that Kalara grew, and the more she used it the more likely it was to fail due to using more mana than the item could gather.

I had not come here expecting some sort of long-term solution, just something that would do the job until we could leave the capital. That is why I was somewhat stunned when the Ilari Enchantress suggested, “What if we don’t do one big glamour-like illusion but a few minor alteration illusions? We could probably get away with one to make her ears look more human, another to change the appearance of her skin tone and eye color to better match the Voyagers, and a third to change her hair color to black.”

“How long could we expect it to work?” I asked.

Dewblossom tapped at her shin pensively. “Well, it would need a lot less mana than a full glamour since we wouldn’t have to hide anything like your wings on her, make her feel different when touched, or the usual extras like scents and stuff. It’s mostly just a change in colors while keeping her underlying features and expressions the same, which is a lot easier and less reliant on a specific image or area size. The ears are probably going to be the most mana-intensive of the three, but confined to just her ears even that would not use much mana. It would still work as she grows up too, if I embed the spells in a material that holds mana well. Gold would work well, but I don’t have any totems made from that right now. Or I could…”

She trailed off, seemingly lost in thought until I pressed, “You could do what?”

“Well… that little girl is Fae, right?” I nodded in answer since it was fairly obvious that Kalara was an Elf. At my confirmation, she continued. “I could give her a mark like that binding glyph on your hand, embed the illusions into that, and then have them draw from her own mana reserves whenever the spell is active. From what I felt from her when you brought her here yesterday, this spell would barely scratch the surface of the mana she has stored, and this way she would always have access to it.”

I looked over the Ilari woman as I considered the idea. She was far too eager to please me to even think about doing something that might make me angry with her and the Ilari were known for their honesty, especially in their business dealings. Arinade had also said that Dewblossom was probably the best illusion enchanter in the city, which was why I came to her for this in the first place.

I had only been expecting a temporary solution, but if she could manage something more permanent, something that Kalara wouldn’t need to have to wear a totem to activate, then I wasn’t going to turn it down. There would be times in the days ahead when both my new daughter and I would need to be able to blend in amongst the humans, and this was likely the best option we had until I could become a proper Spell-singer. With my decision on the matter made, I said, “That sounds perfect, Dewblossom. Thank you, I will try to bring Kalara by sometime tomorrow.”

On my way through Market Square searching for Master Nirlyn and my other fellow Bards, I came across vendors selling all manner of merchandise, including one that sold simple musical instruments. Not many were anything that I would buy for myself, the quality of them was not even close to the workmanship of my fiddle, but I did see a sturdy-looking tambourine. Again, it was not something that I would have bought for myself, but it was reasonably priced for the quality and seemed better made than the other instruments that the vendor was selling.

I thought that it might make a good instrument for Kalara to play with and learn the basics of music. She had been showing an interest in what we were doing whenever she watched Vesha, Korine, and me practice playing our instruments, and I thought that she might be interested in playing with an instrument of her own. The tambourine was the best of the bunch, only cost me fifteen copper pieces, and was the most likely to survive a two-year-old’s first attempts at music. I did not want to risk any of our good instruments until she could learn how to handle them properly.

With the gift for my daughter-to-be in hand, I continued my search for the others. I found them in a nice spot between a pair of busy vendors, one that sold mugs of ale and cider, and another that sold grilled sausages and veggies with a sweet-smelling sauce drizzled over top in wooden bowls. Selice was dancing along as the others played The Faerie’s Favor, and from the amount of coin in Master Nirlyn’s harp case, it looked like they had been doing fairly well for themselves so far.

That could have had something to do with either the busy location or that Selice was dancing as my twin today. It was something the dancer and I had talked about before the others left camp to find a spot to busk for the day. As I discovered yesterday, many people of the city of Hindra seemed to fawn over the Fae, and she thought that having two of us performing while we were in the city would help make our purses fat and healthy. It was a nice bit of mischief too, but she figured that if we were going to be stuck here for a while then we might as well make the most of it.

The others finished the song and took a brief rest as Korine grinned in my direction and said, “See, I told you she would show up if we played that song.”

“Very funny,” I retorted as rolled my eyes back at my fellow apprentice playfully and placed the tambourine with the other instruments. Then I turned to my ‘twin’ and asked, “Having fun today, dear sister?”

Mischief danced in her eyes and a smile lit up her face as Selice grinned and replied, “Indeed I am, sister dear. This city is so kind to us fair folk after all.” She was enjoying this far too much, but I could not really blame her since I too found myself smiling at our little ruse, and almost laughed aloud as the others switched up their instruments, started playing The Fae’s Fool, and Korine started to sing.

It seemed that the others were enjoying this as much as we were. The Fae’s Fool was a song about a Fae who disguises herself as a Human girl, deceives a selfish nobleman, and lures him into the forest to punish him for his cruelty to his people. In the end, she tricks him into giving up everything he has for a promised fortune in fairy gold, and he dies alone in the forest, hopelessly lost in an illusion of the Fae woman’s making. It was one of the more popular songs about how the Fae trick and punish humans.

Selice grabbed my hand as the others played and led me into a merry dance. I was nowhere near as good as she was, and had made no progress with my Tien’jin yet, but my lessons were starting to pay off and I was fairly quick and graceful. Coin showered into the harp case as we danced and by the end of the song I was smiling and laughing so hard that I thought I might collapse.

With the song over, I returned to the instruments and snatched up my new fiddle to put it through its paces. We started with a lively rendition of Mossfoot Mary and then worked our way through several other jigs that had Selice energetically dancing and sometimes grabbing a passerby by the hand to join her in a dance. We continued playing until well into the afternoon before Master Nirlyn decided to stop for the day and we headed back to the camp with heavy purses to welcome the new members of our troupe.

 

 

 

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Author's Note: Here's chapter 40 of The Faerie Blade. Further chapters are available on my Patreon page. ~Amethyst.
 

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Chapter 40: Kaelyn’s Daughter

When we returned to camp, I was pleased to see Kalara playing some sort of game with the other children under the supervision of Aunt Sivelle and my grandparents. Even Shava and Sten were involved, each laden with half a dozen worn leather purses and walking leisurely around the camp as the younger kids darted around them. Xulyin was playing as well, though she was darting around them with the other smaller kids and she and Kalara both wore similar looks of determination on their faces.

“What are they playing?” I asked my fellow Bards as we stopped to watch.

“It’s called Mark Tag,” Korine offered with a smile. “It’s one of the first games that Voyager children learn.”

“The game must have just started if Shava and Sten have that many purses on them still,” Vesha contributed with a grin before deciding to explain. “Some of the kids are acting as Distractors while the others are playing Thieves. Sten and Shava are the Marks, and they won’t know which of the other kids are playing which roles, at least, not at first. The goal is for the Thieves to snatch the purses from the Marks while their teammates have them looking the other way.”

Selice quickly added, “Anything goes for a distraction and some purses are harder to snatch than others. The goal is for the Thieves to successfully snatch all of the coin purses without too many of them getting caught. If Sten or Shava manage to ‘catch’ them by grabbing their arm and holding on for a count of twenty, they’re out of the game.”

“One o’ the two Marks will also have sumthin’ else ‘valuable’ on ‘em somewhere, but the kids won’t know which o’ them, what item, or where it might be hidden,” Master Niryln pointed out. “Sten an’ Shava will be usin’ body language t’ give hints though. If one o’ the little Thieves manages t’ snatch that afore all the purses are swiped, they win a prize for their team. Usually, it’s a bag o’ sweets.”

“So, it is a game to teach them how to steal?” I asked with a laugh. Only Voyagers would have a game like this.

“In a manner of speaking,” Daivin said with a shrug. “It certainly looks like that to those of us who didn’t grow up in a Voyager troupe. It teaches a lot more than just how to snatch a purse, anybody can do that with enough motivation. It also teaches them how to read body language to see who might be a good mark, when to make their move, who to avoid, and who might have something worth snatching that’s not in a coin purse. The most important thing this game teaches though is teamwork; they need to work together, watch one another’s backs, and help one another to escape if one of them gets caught.”

“Aye, an’ it teaches them tha’ we’re all family ‘ere, an’ we can depend on one another, which is why Kalara an’ Xulyin are playin’.” Master Nirlyn added sagely.

It was a good idea. It would help get both of the new adoptees used to the other kids in the troupe and help them to build bonds. Poor Kalara was apparently one of the Thieves and nearly got caught by Shava before the six-year-old twins, Kegan and Kirla swooped in and each stomped on one of Shava’s feet, allowing all three of them to dash away when my cousin lost her grip on Kalara’s arm. It looked like this game could get rough on the Marks, so it was a good thing that the older kids were playing that role.

The game finally ended when eight-year-old Jaya swiped a small package that was hidden inside Sten’s vest, earning the children a bag of sweets to share. It had been close since Sten was down to one purse at the time and Shava had only two remaining on her. Once the game was over, they all sat down while Aunt Sivelle divided the sweets between the kids. It looked like Shava and Sten were also giving Xulyin, Kalara, Jaya, and Torin, who had all been Thieves, pointers on how to improve their skills.

It was nice to see Kalara interacting with the other children and seeming to have lost some of her shyness with them. It brought a smile to my face as Master Nirlyn, Vesha, and I headed to our wagon to put away our instruments. As for Kalara’s present, I put the tambourine with our other instruments for the moment since I wanted to have Arinade put a durability enchantment on it before giving it to her so Kalara would have it for a long time.

With that done, I headed back outside to check on Kalara. The kids of the troupe were all still sitting together and talking about thievery as they enjoyed their sweets. She did not even seem to notice I had arrived until I asked Aunt Sivelle, “How did things go with Kalara?”

My soon-to-be-daughter immediately perked up at the sound of my voice, practically jumping to her feet to hug my leg as she happily squealed, “Maera!”

Aunt Sivelle laughed at the reaction as I reached down to pry Kalara off my leg and pick her up. “She was shy at first, Kaelyn, but she was well behaved, and we got her to relax and open up a bit after a while. I’m sure that she’ll get used to having such a big family soon enough.”

I let out a sigh of relief before kissing the blue-haired Elf girl on the forehead. “That is my good girl, Kalara. I saw you playing with the others, did you have fun?”

She glanced back shyly at the other kids but quickly nodded and murmured, “Uh huh,” before burying her face into my chest and snuggling closer.

“Good girl,” I repeated as I gently rubbed her back. “So, you see, you are a part of the troupe now and nobody here is going to hurt you. We all keep each other safe and happy as best we can.”

Arinade arrived at our camp with a large satchel filled with tools and ingredients for her enchanting well before the evening meal was ready. Most of the adults in the troupe were going all out making special dishes for the celebration in their wagons, and two cooking fires had meat cooking over them and were being watched by Godan, our wagonmaster, who would occasionally turn the spits. I did not know what the large bird was in life nor which animal the massive side of ribs had come from, but he had brought them back after a trip to one of the city’s butchers for tonight’s festivities.

Since we still had a while before the evening meal would be ready, I helped Arinade to find the appropriate wagons so she could place her enchantments and then relax after we all ate. We started at the wagon that I called home now, where I paid her for retrieval enchantments on my bow and quiver as well as durability enchantments on both those and on my gift for Kalara. When we left the wagon, Kalara was happily trying to play her new tambourine while Vesha, who was more familiar with that type of instrument than I was, attempted to give her a lesson as Master Nirlyn continued cooking something.

Next, we headed over to Uncle Bryden and Aunt Sivelle’s wagon. Aunt Sivelle was chopping veggies and had started some sort of stew or soup simmering, but it was Uncle Bryden and Shava who we needed to talk to and my uncle was eager to get some enchantments placed on Shava’s new gear. They decided on the same enchantments for her bow and quiver, but nothing else.

While Uncle Bryden had wanted to get a retrieval enchantment for her Squire’s Armor, that just was not practical with all the moving parts, straps that would need to be fastened, and adjustments made with her key whenever she put it on. Her armor might last until she was fully grown, but mine was a lot easier to get on and take off. Armor that was too loose or too tight when she summoned it would only be a dangerous distraction in a battle, especially when she could use her gift, or Alara’s, if she was in a pinch. Uncle Bryden wanted her to get used to wearing the armor whenever we were on the road anyway though, so hopefully she would not be without it if she truly needed it.

They didn’t need durability enchantments for her armor or Uncle Bryden’s sword either because they were Dwarf-made and already came with the standard enchantments that Relgar placed on all his creations. His goods might be a little on the expensive side, but they were master quality and he made sure that they were worth every copper. The same held true for Mara and Hagen’s swords and the pair of wheel bows.

Not that the pair of scouts did not want any enchantments when we visited them. They got the same enchantments on their bows and quivers that I had gotten, as well as durability and protection enchantments for their leather armor and a retrieval enchantment for both of the wheel bows and their metal arrow cases. While they planned on wearing their new armor now whenever scouting, the wheel bows and their arrow cases were too large and bulky to keep with them and they wanted to have them at hand if they encountered something big and dangerous.

By the time Arinade was done with the enchantments, the evening meal was ready, and we all settled down by the fire for some good food and conversation. Kalara and Xulyin were both a little uncertain about all the attention they were getting as the guests of honor since neither was used to it, but I think the game earlier helped. Kalara was still a bit shy, but at least she was not clinging desperately to me as she had been before today.

We were all feeling pleasantly full when my grandparents stood up and my grandfather called for attention. “The time has come to welcome new children into our troupe and our family, as they have already found their way into our hearts. Xulyin, please step forward.”

The undine looked nervous as she stood up and stepped before the pair of troupe elders. Then the pair each took one of her hands in theirs and spoke in unison, “Xulyin, when our troupe found you, you were alone in this harsh world, with no family to call your own. You are alone no longer. On this day, we welcome you into our family and name you Xulyin, the daughter of our hearts. We offer you family, a home, and a place here with us. We, Vaela Stormbringer and Lorne Switfblade, promise to raise, teach, defend, and cherish you as we would any child born of our blood. From this day forth, this will be your nameday and you are one of us, our daughter and a Voyager of Sparrowsong Troupe.”

In the firelight I thought I could see a wet trail streaming down, Xulyin’s cheek as she stammered a quiet, “Thank you… m-mother… f.-father.” Then they both wrapped the Undine up in an embrace and held her for several minutes before finally releasing her and sitting back down with her between them. Then my grandmother gave me the briefest of nods to let me know that it was my turn.

I took a deep breath to steady myself as I took Kalara off my lap and had her stand up before taking both of her hands in mine and giving her the most encouraging smile that I could. If I was this nervous, I did not want to think about how nervous the poor shy girl was at that moment. “Kalara, when I found you in that cage, you were alone in this harsh world, with no family to call your own, just like Xulyin. At that moment, my heart went out to you, and you have surely captured it since.”

I took a moment to swallow the lump that had taken residence in my throat before continuing. “You are alone and without family no longer, now you have me and this entire troupe to love and care for you. On this day, we welcome you into our family and I, Kaelyn Darkbane, name you Kalara, the daughter of my heart. I offer you family, a home, and a place here with us. I promise to raise, teach, defend, and cherish you as I would any child born of my blood. From this day forth, this will be your nameday and you are of us, my daughter and a Voyager of Sparrowsong Troupe.”

I could feel the weight of the promise settle upon me as I pulled Kalara to my chest and held her tightly. I was her mother now. I almost expected to feel different somehow, more of an adult, but it seemed nothing had changed but the promise that now bound us. I continued to hold her close until Master Nirlyn called out, “Get yer instruments, Bards! This is a celebration, an’ what’s a celebration wi’out music!?”

 

 

 

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Author's Note: Here's chapter 41 of The Faerie Blade. It should have been posted last night, but I had a rough day. Further chapters are available on my Patreon page. ~Amethyst.
 

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Chapter 41: Proposal

The next morning was much like the previous one, except that I did not sleep in. I woke up with Kalara snuggling against me in my cot and after slipping out of bed while doing my best not to wake her, I summoned my armor, took Neva’kul and my new bow and quiver in hand, and made my way outside to begin my morning training session with Shava. My cousin was a bit later than expected, though that was understandable since she arrived in her new armor, and it had probably taken her quite some time to get it on and properly adjusted since she had only gotten it the day before.

From the dour expression on her face and the way she was dragging her feet when she arrived, my cousin was not looking forward to training in the unfamiliar armor. Still, both Sharai and I had felt this was necessary. “How are you feeling this morning, Shava?” I asked as she trudged over to our training spot.

“Heavy,” she grumbled, “I can barely move in this. How am I supposed to train and spar like this?”

“You need to get used to the weight, and it will help to build up your strength and stamina. Besides, you do not want to be trying to get used to how it affects your mobility while in a life-or-death battle, trust me on this, cousin. I’m still trying to get used to wearing my armor, and I was wearing it for the first time while fighting Tainted in a dark zone. It is far better to get used to it while training,” I told her gently.

If either of us believed that Sharai would go easy on Shava while she was getting used to her new armor, we were quickly relieved of that notion. In fact, while she had use of my body to directly coach my cousin through the first and second dances, she seemed to be just as picky about positioning, fluidity of movement, and proper stance as usual, perhaps even more so. “Weight and weariness are no excuse for sloppiness,” she told her at one point. “There will be times when you will have to fight when you can barely stand or when you are injured. Sloppiness causes mistakes, and at times like those, mistakes will get you killed.”

My cousin’s only reply was to grit her teeth and redouble her efforts to get through the two dances as flawlessly as she could, armor or no. By the time we finished training, followed by sparring, and then training with our new bows as well, the poor girl looked ready to collapse. She gratefully did so as we picked a spot by the fire and joined the others who were awake for breakfast.

When I finished my meal, Master Nirlyn, Vesha, and Kalara were all still abed, so I returned to our wagon to check on my daughter, strip out of my armor, feed Zaiya, and get dressed properly for the day. Before I got dressed in my Voyager clothes though, I carefully put on my Tien’jin to wear underneath. The Fae ‘instrument’ was as tedious and complex to put on as Shava’s armor, and I was still getting used to the awkward weight and motion of the chains, jewelry, and crystals on practically every part of my body whenever I moved.

Still, I needed to get used to it if I was going to master the instrument, and Master Nirlyn seemed to be right about how learning to dance would help my swordsmanship. I had neglected wearing the Tien’jin since we encountered the menagerie, mostly because I had other things on my mind since then, but I was determined to get used to wearing the Tien’jin and to master them with the help of Selice’s dance lessons. With Sharai’s help and guidance, I was able to get into the complicated, interconnected jewelry by the time the others began to stir.

Kalara seemed fascinated by the baubles I was wearing all over my body as she sat up on the cot and watched as I got dressed in my moonskin, followed by my other clothes. She couldn’t take her eyes off the shifting metal and crystals until I added one of my long brightly colored skirts, sandals, and a backless bodice over top. The parts of the Tien’jin worn on my arms, hands, and neck were going to be visible, but hopefully would not draw too much attention when we went into the city to busk.

After saying my good mornings to my daughter, Vesha, and Master Nirlyn, I took Kalara to use the privy and then helped her to clean up and get dressed before following the others outside to get Kalara fed. After breakfast, and the cleanup that followed, we returned to the wagon with Korine and her father accompanying us for our morning lessons. While my fellow apprentices and I were learning, Selice took Kalara outside to get some playtime with the other children of the troupe and to let her play with her tambourine without disrupting our lessons.

I watched carefully as Dewblossom cast her illusions and bound them to the magical mark that she had created and placed on my daughter’s lower back. The Ilari said that the spells were simple enough, and she was an expert in illusion magic, but I still found myself breathing a sigh of relief as the spells took hold. Kalara’s sky blue hair appeared to turn black, her ears more like a those of a human, and her skin took on the dusky hue that all Voyagers seemed to have in common. Her eyes were even a deep brown in color now, similar to Shava’s.

“That looks perfect, Dewblossom, thank you,” I told the Ilari illusionist gratefully. Other than the illusory wings that she was wearing still, Kalara looked very much like the other children of the troupe.

“Aww… I didn’t do all that much, honestly, Lady Kaelyn. This should work well for her long-term though, and I’ve bound all of the effects together, so she only needs to use a single trigger to have them take effect,” Dewblossom replied as her cheeks flushed at the praise.

“Please, do not understate your skills, you did a wonderful job,” I countered as I placed the coins that I owed her on the counter beside my daughter, who was currently sitting there and squirming from being bored. “She looks like a Voyager now, especially in those clothes. Now she can blend in among the humans, should we need to for some reason.”

The Ilari gratefully scooped up the coins and then she turned her attention to my daughter. “Now it’s time for the real test. Kalara, what you look like now is an illusion, like the wings I made for you. You should be able to make yourself look like this or go back to your real self. Most kids your age might have trouble with it, but you are mana-touched, so magic of any sort should come naturally to you. I want you to think about the color of your hair, the color it usually is.”

Kalara looked at me and, once I nodded, her little face scrunched up in concentration. A moment later, the illusion dissipated, and I was once again looking at the blue-haired Elf girl that I had adopted last night. “Well done, Sweetie,” I told her with a smile and leaned down to tenderly kiss her forehead.

“Very good, Kalara,” Dewblossom agreed, ruffling the girl’s hair. “Now, when you want to use the illusion, you just need to think of your hair being black instead.”

We had Kalara test it by switching back to the illusion and then returning to her usual appearance. I was glad that Dewblossom had thought to make the trigger for the spell something simple as I picked Kalara back up in my arms and thanked the Ilari once again for her services. Kalara even followed suit with a “Tankoo, Dewblummem,” of her own. She had butchered the poor Enchanter’s name, and her mouth and tongue were still trying to catch up to the new languages in her head, but at least she tried.

Once we said our farewells, I left Dewblossom’s shop with Kalara still held in my arms and then took to the skies to return to our camp outside the city now that our business for the day was done. I had already taken her to a cobbler to get her some sandals and shoes made since she was barefoot at the moment and had taken her for lunch and some sweets from the street vendors before going to see Dewblossom. Now I needed to return her to camp so I could join my fellow Bards and Selice for some afternoon busking.

Thanks to Selice once again being my twin, we had another very profitable afternoon of busking. We also received a proposition. It had been my turn to sing today, so I was doing that and playing the lap harp when the well-dressed servant of some noble or another took notice of Selice and me while running errands for his master. He had listened and watched for a while before tossing a silver piece into the growing pile of coppers in the lute case at my feet. None of us had thought much of it until he returned to us with company.

We had packed up and were on our way to return to camp when a voice called out behind us, “Ladies of the Fae! Please, a moment, if you would!” The man was hurrying to catch up with us and I turned to Selice and Master Niryln, who both nodded after seeing who was following him. He was a handsome man in his late twenties or early thirties with dark hair, and a neatly trimmed beard, and was dressed in the latest fashion for nobles, immaculately made crimson and black clothes of silk and velvet that likely cost more money than I had seen in my life.

The pair approached, and the servant huffed tiredly as if he had run for quite some distance, before catching his breath and bowing extravagantly. “M-my Ladies, may I introduce His Grace, Duke Farun Sal-Grethan of Grethan Reach.”

Selice performed a quick curtsy, and I swiftly did my best to imitate the gesture as my fellow Bards watched warily from several paces away. “Your Grace,” Selice replied smoothly, “I am Selice, and this is my sister, Kaelyn.”

To my surprise, the duke smiled and bowed ever so slightly, the type of acknowledgment given to a near equal in status. They really thought highly of the Fae in this city. “Lady Selice, Lady Kaelyn, if I might have a moment of your time. You see, I am in the capital for court, and I am having a garden party in two nights’ time, but I find myself in need of someone to provide the evening’s entertainment. Arvus here says that you are a talented pair, and I would like to procure your services for the evening. Three gold pieces, for each of you.”

Selice narrowed her eyes but calmly retorted, “That would depend on the services that you are requesting, Your Grace. We make our living by music and dance, nothing more. Would you have us believe that us being a pair of identical Faerie girls has nothing to do with this request?”

“O-on my honor, I ask only that you provide some music and dancing to entertain my guests,” he quickly replied, his face somewhat ashen. “I have no desire to cross the Fae. Yes, it is that which drew me to you, but with such a duo performing for me, my party will be the talk of the capital for the entire court season. Arvus has already vouched for your talents. Five gold pieces each.”

“Hmmm,” Selice hummed thoughtfully. “Yes, I can see how you would benefit from this, but I fail to see the benefit for us. What do you think, dear sister?”

I could only watch for a moment, uncertain of what to say. The money was tempting though. Ten gold pieces for one night of music and dancing even had Master Nirlyn looking the nobleman over in new interest, but she seemed content to let Selice handle this since we were the pair that he was so interested in. I almost missed my cue as I considered it, but that probably just sold the whole deception all the more when I finally sighed, “We have nothing to wear to such a grand occasion on such short notice, sister dear, and I do not wish to drown in petticoats or be crushed by a corset like those human noblewomen. How would I sing if I cannot breathe?”

“Aye,” Selice agreed. “I could not dance in such finery either. Perhaps if we wore our dancing finery, dear sister? A rare sight to be seen by humans to be sure but seeing the two of us dressed in that would surely make this occasion even more memorable.”

I almost lost my composure as I realized what she was talking about. Just the thought of wearing those scandalous, practically non-existent outfits in front of so many people had me cringing inside, but oh the reactions of the nobles at this party would be glorious. Sharai realized it as well and was laughing madly in my head as I tried to formulate a response. “Good thinking, sister dear, I might be willing to do this if we can dress comfortably, though for something so memorable…”

As I trailed off, Selice countered the noble’s last offer with an inscrutable expression. “Seven gold pieces each would be fair, I think. Half up front.”

The duke looked torn for a very long moment before finally nodding. “Agreed, seven gold apiece, but I ask that you spend some time mingling with my guests, as honored ambassadors of the Fae.”

-Meaning that he wishes for you to elevate his status by claiming to be representatives of Tarin’dol. Human politics, bah. It would not be entirely a fiction on your part though,- Sharai commented in my mind.

Meanwhile, Selice had reached out to take the duke’s hand and seal the deal. “A bargain has been struck, your Grace. We are staying with friends in the Voyager camp outside of the city. Please send a messenger with all the important details and the first half of the payment tomorrow, and my sister and I shall see you at the party.”

After flowery farewells were exchanged, we once again began making our way back to camp with the others. A sideways glance at Selice showed a mirthful expression on her face and merry mischief dancing in her eyes. I could not blame her, to be honest. Not only were the two of us set to make a small fortune for a single night of work, but this whole ‘sisters’ deception was going to be wonderfully entertaining. Perhaps Sharai and my Voyager kin were a bad influence on me.

 

 

 

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Author's Note: Here's chapter 42 of The Faerie Blade. Further chapters are available on my Patreon page. ~Amethyst.
 

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Chapter 42: Kaelyn’s Progress

After dinner that evening, Selice worked Shava and me both hard at practicing the dances she had been teaching us until now, but also how to go more gracefully and fluidly from one movement to the next. Once Shava and I were done with the basics, Selice decided to intensify my dance training. I hadn’t quite mastered the dances she was teaching us yet, but she considered me graceful and flexible enough to begin trying things that were more complex and physically demanding.

“Truth to tell, Kaelyn,” she said with a smile as we took a break, “you’ve always been graceful and flexible, it’s one of the benefits of being a Faerie. You only needed to be more comfortable in your new body, so the movements feel more natural. You move a lot more fluidly now, as if you aren’t confused by how your body moves anymore, and you seem to be improving every day with what I’ve been teaching you.”

“Aye,” I agreed as I matched her smile. “Sharai said much the same after sword practice this morning. I think part of it was being a Faerie now and having the wings start feeling like they are part of me, but learning to fly has helped with that a lot, as did the stretching exercises for my wings that Sharai has been making me do. A lot of my trouble was from going from being so short to so tall though. I was constantly misjudging my reach, and things looked so small, but I think I am finally getting used to it, and moving feels a lot more natural than when I first changed.”

“Your playing has been improving too, though Daivin thinks that could be in part because you’ve been using unfamiliar instruments and now you’re getting used to both them and your body,” Selice added.

They were not wrong. Until recently, I had been playing my instruments very carefully, relying on my years of practice and paying more attention to each note I was playing than I really should have had to. As I got more used to my body though, I had to focus less on playing each note properly and could just enjoy playing. My fingers were much more dexterous now as well, and as I got used to the longer fingers and arms, I was improving by leaps and bounds.

“Aye,” Master Nirlyn contributed from where she was holding Kalara as the pair watched the dance lesson and practice. “I said ya were the best o’ us on the harp back in Thaeria village, but since then you’ve been improvin’ on that an’ yer other instruments by the day. Yer close t’ Journeyman standards on most o’ them, but on the harp yer damn near t’ bein’ a Master already. Tha’s likely what caught tha’ man’s ear today.”

“Aye, and we all know what caught his eyes, and those of his master,” Selice added with a playful grin.

“Speakin’ o’ his master, I’m no’ sure I trust His Grace, so ya both best be careful at tha’ party,” Master Nirlyn advised with a frown.

The dancer nodded thoughtfully. “I don’t trust him either, but Kaelyn and I stand to make a small fortune, and the mere thought of reprisals from the Fae had him scared stiff. We can use that. If needs must, Kaelyn can fly away, and I’ll keep an owl feather on me so I can shift and do the same.”

After that conversation, we got back to work. This time Selice was taking an assortment of poses and moving smoothly from one to the next before having me try to copy them to the best of my ability. She also had me doing so with the enchantment on my Tien’jin active so we could see which movements and poses caused the crystals to light up and make a sound.

It was largely trial and error. Some things would cause a crystal to light up and ring out with a tinkling bell-like chime, while others would not. Even things like having my hands just so, the bend of a wrist or ankle, and the positions of fingers and thumbs could cause them to go off. I was trying to keep the different keys of the various chimes in my mind, but this was a complex instrument, and it would take a while to get used to its intricacies. Kalara seemed fascinated by the lights and the sounds, but they would not be anything close to harmonious until I could become a better dancer and become more familiar with the instrument.

The next morning followed the same pattern as others since we had set up camp outside of Hindra. I got up early to practice my sword dances and train in combat with Shava under Sharai’s supervision and then had breakfast before going to feed Zaiya, wake up Kalara, and then feed her as well. After that, it was Bardic lessons until midday when we would eat before going into the city to busk and take care of any other business. I did not have any business planned in the city except for busking, which was something of a relief since I would not have to rush to join my fellow Bards before they were done busking for the day.

We were eating our midday meal before heading out when the messenger from Duke Farun Sal-Grethan arrived with a missive for me and Selice, and a pouch containing seven gold pieces. Thankfully, Selice had already changed into my duplicate in preparation for busking and the man was able to pick us out easily among the mostly darker and shorter Voyagers of the troupe. It likely helped that we were the only two who looked to be Faerie.

The missive looked more like a formal invitation and contained the location, time, and details of the party. It was due to begin at sixth bell tomorrow night with an extravagant dinner and then move out into the gardens where the festivities would continue until midnight. Since we were the entertainment for this party and would spend close to five hours dancing, playing music, and singing, Master Nirlyn suggested that we stay at camp and rest tomorrow while the others were out busking so we wouldn’t strain ourselves by overdoing it.

With that decided, I once again left Kalara with the other kids of the troupe, with Glimma and Aunt Sivelle looking after them, and we made our way back to our busking spot from the previous two days. The merchants on both sides of our spot were happy to have us there since the music attracted customers for them who were only too happy to listen to a bit of music and watch a pretty girl dance while enjoying a meal and a nice mug of cider or ale. We enjoyed the occasional mug of cider as well, especially if we were singing, as I did yesterday. It quenched the thirst and soothed the throat and would not make us drunk as the ale would have.

It was Vesha’s turn to do most of the singing today, though each of us Bards jumped in for a song or two once in a while to let her rest her voice for a few songs. I was learning that this was common practice when the Bards all busked together. It allowed us all to have a good day of singing practice in but kept us from straining our voices too much. It was also why we apprentices were alternating while we were here and had a proper audience available. Practice and experience were fine, but overworking your voice when you were still learning to use it properly could strain it or cause injury, so Master Nirlyn and Journeyman Daivin wanted to be careful and instill good habits while we were still apprentices.

It was midway through the afternoon when I noticed a familiar face among the gathered crowd. That face, or rather the glamour, belonged to Arinade. She was watching both me and Selice in interest with an amused smirk on her face. A couple of songs later, Master Nirlyn called for a short break and the Faerie in disguise approached us.

She quickly pulled me and my ‘twin’ aside with a grin on her face before speaking in a hushed tone, “If I hadn’t seen one of you Voyagers change before my eyes already, I would have thought you were hiding a twin on me, Kaelyn. There is no sense of magic like with a glamour, and if one of you wasn’t playing the fiddle when I arrived, I wouldn’t have known which was which. You are the one with the fiddle, correct?”

“Aye,” I replied, returning her grin. “This was Selice’s idea. She wanted to know what having wings was like since she is teaching me to dance and thought that pretending to be twins would be fun.”

“And it is,” the dancer put in with a grin of her own. “It’s profitable too, it would seem.”

The enchanter continued to look amused as she giggled and said, “Well, this would certainly explain His Majesty’s comment earlier today. He wants to meet with my informant regarding the Demons and when I told him that it was a Faerie recently arrived in the city, he asked if it was one of the twins that Duke Sal-Grethan was raving about when he came to invite him to a garden party last night. Well played, ladies. Might I assume you have more mischief planned for the party itself? Somebody needs to get these human nobles to lighten up a bit, His Majesty and his wife are the only ones I’ve met who aren’t mired hip-deep in decorum.”

Wait, the king was going to be at this party? I started to feel a little more uncertain about our scandalous outfits as I thought of wearing them in front of a king. Selice though, seemed unbothered as she winked at Arinade and said, “Aye, ‘twas Kaelyn who inspired the idea. We’ll be wearing our ‘dance finery’ for the party.” Then she went on to explain what said ‘dance finery’ was and left me blushing and Arinade laughing hysterically.

“Oh… that’s… perfect!” The enchanter gasped between fits of laughter. “I can’t… wait to see the looks on their faces!”

“You will be attending as well?” Wonderful, now I was going to be practically naked in front of a party full of nobles, the king and Arinade. The thought was paralyzing for a moment.

Sharai seemed to sense where my thoughts were going and was quick to assure me, -Kaelyn, Arinade is a Faerie. She may dress the part of a human here in this city, but it is all a falsehood, like her glamour. She sees this as a wonderful joke, but she is as used to nudity as your troupe is. Fae are not ashamed of their bodies and usually only wear clothing when circumstances require it, she will not think less of you.-

Arinade finally managed to stop laughing enough to give a proper answer by this point, her tone hushed once again. “Aye, the king and queen will both be attending and, upon hearing that my kin would be entertaining, he secured an invitation for me as well, in my official capacity as an ambassador of the Fae. His Majesty was hoping for a few moments there in private to speak with us both about the Demon issue. I daresay Duke Sal-Grethan will be beside himself with pleasure with Their Majesties and representatives of the Fae in attendance.”

“And what will His Majesty think of our little bit of mischief?” I asked in concern.

“He was going to decline the duke’s invitation at first, until he found out who would be providing the entertainment. They are brothers, but you would not think it from their dispositions. His Majesty has learned much about our kind from me, and he is expecting you to do something to make the evening entertaining, other than by singing and dancing. This should not disappoint him,” she explained.

“The duke, on the other hand, is going to be appalled, but he likely won’t do anything about it if he fears Fae retribution,” Selice countered with a pleased smile. “He’ll try to save face, but he looks to be a fop to me, all decorum, parties, and entertainment. I’ve seen others of his ilk before.”

“Aye,” Arinade agreed, “it’s a good thing that his brother was the eldest of the pair and inherited the throne. Kalidar has thrived under his rule to become a nation that embraces equality and respect for the Fae and our forests. Word is that he is considering abolishing the law that insists one must be a male heir to rule as well. His daughter is still young, but this would secure the future of his lineage should anything happen to him and his brother before he can have a son, especially with uncertain times likely ahead of us.”

“So… His Majesty would like to talk with us privately at some time during the party? The duke did say that he wanted us to mingle with the guests, so it is possible,” I said to get back to the subject at hand.

“Aye, and I will have an enchanted item with me that will ensure that our conversation stays private from the other guests,” the enchanter assured me. “I look forward to seeing you both tomorrow night, but I should return to my shop and allow you both to return to your work as well.”

We quickly said our farewells and then Selice and I returned to the others who were sipping at cider while awaiting us. There were mugs of cider for me and Selice as well, so we swiftly drank them so the others would not have to wait any longer and set up for another hour or two of playing and dancing. Sadly though, we had to cut our afternoon short as a spring storm rolled in and drove those without any other pressing business indoors.

 

 

 

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Author's Note: Here's chapter 43 of The Faerie Blade. Further chapters are available on my Patreon page. ~Amethyst.
 

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Chapter 43: Arriving for Dinner

The storm kept us indoors for that evening and most of the next morning before finally breaking not long before midday. Despite the rain and mud outside, Sharai still had me and Shava go through our morning training since she wanted us to get used to training and fighting in less-than-perfect conditions. During the last big storm, she had let us off easy because I was feeling the effects of a long night of celebrating and drinking, but now she didn’t want to baby us.

-There will be times when you will have to fight in rain and mud, snow and ice, and other unfavorable conditions which might cause you to slip or misstep. It is for the best that you both get used to training and sparring in such conditions so that when that time comes, you will be used to it and able to quickly correct yourselves,- the spirit told me when we started our training that morning.

Training was hard and miserable, especially for Shava, who was still getting used to the weight of her armor. Fortunately, the site that we had set up our camp at was one of those that had a small bathhouse with privies and a covered area where meals could be cooked and eaten in weather like this. After we were done training for the morning, we both gladly went to the shelter to eat some piping hot oatmeal and then got back inside our wagons so we could get out of our armor, dry off, and change into some warm clothes.

We still had our other lessons that morning as well. My cousin had magic lessons with our grandmother while Korine, Vesha, and I had our bardic lessons and practice with our instruments and voices. Kalara seemed disappointed that she could not play with the other kids outside and, while it was nice to see her starting to settle in and becoming more comfortable with the other members of our troupe, she was a distraction from our lessons. After a while, Daivin and Selice took her to their wagon so the Journeyman Bard could give my daughter a lesson on her tambourine and his wife could show her how to dance to deal with her excess energy.

After we had our midday meal, the other Bards went into the city to busk again now that the weather had cleared up, leaving me and Selice behind to rest a while before spending all evening entertaining at Duke Sal-Grethan’s garden party. I played with Kalara for a while to spend some quality time with her and later used faerie fires to heat some water in the small bathhouse to bathe Kalara. Selice and I both took one as well, while Selice was my twin, taking the opportunity to get clean and looking and smelling pretty with help from the soaps, creams, lotions, hair cleansers, and perfume I had gotten from Ulvar’s Apothecary and Alchemy in Loden. Selice had resupplied her own stock of such items from a shop in the Avenue of Mystic Delights while I was playing with Kalara earlier.

“Why are we doing this again?” I asked as Selice held a small mirror for me and coached me on putting on my eye and lip tints in her wagon. I had already left Kalara with my grandparents and Xulyin, who had offered to look after her after her bath until Vesha returned to camp and could take over.

“We’re the entertainment tonight, people are going to be watching us and interacting with us, so we will want to look and smell nice and have soft and gleaming skin and hair. It’s the same idea that you’ll want to keep in mind when you start using your Tien’jin in performances, you need to capture all the audience’s senses,” she told me candidly.

“Are you certain this has nothing to do with the fact that we are going to be practically naked, and you want to show off and mess with people?” I pressed after finishing painting one eyelid and before going on to the next.

“Maybe a little,” she agreed with a grin before wrinkling her nose in distaste. “I don’t doubt that the only time most of them see this much bare skin is when they’re bathing, and you have a very eye-catching appearance. Humans are so prudish about their bodies, always keeping them covered up. Did you know that alchemists and apothecaries sell things to remove body hair of all things? I mean, I knew Human men have hair in odd places since my own husband does, but I heard a pair of Human women ask the lady alchemist in the apothecary earlier about a cream to remove hair from their underarms and legs. It’s no wonder they cover themselves up all the time.”

I looked at her in confusion. I had never heard of such a thing, though I would have had to be blind not to know that Human men had hair like that since I had seen many of them with beards and hair on their arms and chests, my father included. I must have taken after my Changeling mother more than I thought, since I couldn’t remember ever growing hair in odd places before I was changed when claiming Neva’kul. Fae do not grow hair anywhere but on our heads and our men don’t grow facial hair like Human men either, from what I had learned since joining the troupe. I had always assumed that Human women were the same.

I finished what I was doing and then painted my lips with something that tasted like berries and had a purple tint to it that looked nice with my coloring. When that was done, I blotted my lips with a handkerchief to remove the excess and let my lips dry for a moment before changing into my ‘dancing finery’ and sandals. Then we carefully braided one another’s hair and placed black owl feathers with white tips in them to serve as ornaments. The goal was to look identical, but we also wanted a feather handy in case Selice needed to change her shape to leave the party fast, and there was nowhere else that she could hide one with what we were wearing.

I would not be wearing my Tien’jin tonight since I did not want to have to explain what the strange-looking jewelry was or have any requests to play something on it once I did. I was still a long way from mastering the dancer’s chorus. With our preparations complete, I took a harp and my fiddle, both stored securely in their cases, from the instrument cupboard and we left camp for the city.

The party was due to start at sixth bell in the evening and Selice and I wanted to get there early so we could get set up and see the look of horror on the duke’s face. Selice was definitely a bad influence on me. On our way through the city streets, we encountered Master Nirlyn and the others heading back to camp from their day of busking.

It was nice having Vesha kiss me and tell me how beautiful I looked as soon as we were within range, but still a little awkward when Daivin kissed his wife while she was wearing my form. It was something that I was starting to get used to during those times when she was playing at being my twin though. Daivin and Selice obviously loved one another deeply and it did not matter to him what form she wore.

The group had made some decent coin, but not as much as they had the past few days when Selice and I were with them. At least they would only have to split it four ways rather than six, after giving a share to the troupe as well. Selice and I had decided to contribute a gold piece each from tonight’s endeavors to the troupe, leaving us with six apiece, which would give us a nice nest egg for future expenses and leaner times. The two gold pieces would also be a nice addition to the troupe’s communal savings.

As we parted ways, both Daivin and Master Nirlyn warned us to be careful and keep one another safe. I could not blame them since there was something about the duke that set me on edge. Or perhaps I was just nervous, a feeling that was becoming harder to ignore as Selice and I traipsed through the capital while wearing practically nothing. People were visibly staring at us as we passed them by, looking as if they were unsure whether they should be scandalized or in awe and curious about the pair of identical Faeries in their midst.

We managed to find the duke’s city residence without issue. It was easily one of the largest and most ostentatious homes in the city, aside from the palace itself, and the gates to the grounds were made of expensive steel and guarded by a pair of men in armor who bore swords at their hips. We were met with a pair of uncertain looks as we approached those gates bearing the missive that bore our names.

“L-l-lady Fae. Are you here for the p-party?” one of the men inquired, appearing as though he very much hoped that we were not, at least not dressed as we were. The other was openly leering, but I tried to give no outward indication that his unnerving ogling of us was making my skin crawl.

“Indeed,” my ‘twin sister’ replied with a smile. “I am Selice, and this is my sister, Kaelyn. We are the entertainment for tonight’s festivities, as you can probably tell from my sister’s instruments. Did your master not tell you about us? Here is the missive from your master, bearing our names and contracting our services for the evening.”

“Y-yes, of course. He… ahh… mentioned that a pair of Faerie twins would be entertaining tonight.” It would seem that even though he was uncertain about us, he did not dare question the judgment of his employer, so after looking over the missive he allowed us in, instructing us to follow the garden path that branched off to the left of the main cobblestone path that led to the house itself.

Not that we needed the instructions since it was fairly obvious where the gardens were. We followed the main path to the house, formed completely from gleaming white cobblestones, through the open and carefully trimmed grass until a smaller path of the same white stones branched off to the left, leading to what only a blind person could not see was the garden. Immaculately trimmed hedges formed an archway over the path and enclosed a truly massive and ostentatious garden in what felt like a massive circle.

Just inside the hedges was an expanse of flower gardens in full bloom, providing a dazzling array of colors and scents to tease the senses. Roughly thirty paces further in, the path split into three, with one path continuing straight onward and the other two branching out left and right in a curve that mirrored that of the hedges and likely forming a complete circle through the fields of flowers to either side around the center of the entire affair. That center was a circular white stone courtyard of sorts, framed by a circle of carefully spaced ornate white stone statues, bronze lampposts bearing expensive oil lamps for when the sun set, and small, leafy trees trimmed into the shapes of animals, all of which allowed brief glimpses between them of the flower gardens beyond.

The courtyard was filled with tables and chairs for the party, the chairs beautifully carved from ash wood and the tables covered in bright scarlet tablecloths with gold embroidery at the hems. There were enough tables and chairs to seat at least a hundred guests. At the center, there was a raised dais where I assumed we were to be performing so all his guests could see us. Everything looked extravagant and expensive, it was no wonder he barely flinched at paying us fourteen gold pieces for a night of entertainment.

We had been standing around, watching the many servants rushing back and forth on various tasks for several minutes when Duke Sal-Grethan spotted us and hurried toward us with a look of horror upon his face. He was dressed in black suede knee-high boots, above which navy breeches of navy-blue crushed velvet ballooned outward. A jacket with long tails, made of that very same velvet, was laced at the front with a pristine white tunic worn beneath.

“W-what in the names of the Gods are you wearing!?” The duke sputtered, his eyes bulging as he attempted to both look and not look at the same time.

Selice calmly tilted her head slightly to the side, as if confused by the question. “We are wearing our dancing finery, as we agreed, Your Grace.”

“You can’t wear that, it’s indecent! What will my guests have to say?!” he hissed as his face continued to become ever redder by the moment and he shielded his eyes from our exposed skin.

“It will most likely make for interesting dinner conversation,” I agreed, as I attempted to keep up a façade of calm. “We did tell you that we could not perform properly in your Human finery, even if we could have gotten something made in time.”

“And as I promised, I doubt that any of your guests have seen anyone dressed as we are before unless you would like us to perform as we usually do among our people. What little I know of humans, and your reaction just now, leads me to believe that you would be most uncomfortable watching us perform skyclad,” Selice quickly added.

“Skyclad?” the flummoxed nobleman asked cautiously.

“In the nude, Your Grace,” she replied with a smile as he squirmed at the n-word. “Did you not know that we Fae only wear clothing when circumstances require it? It is why we are wearing these now because we are among humans. We were thinking of your comfort and are wearing these for your sake.”

Duke Sal-Grethan did not appear comforted in the slightest. In fact, he looked extremely uncomfortable, especially since guests were starting to arrive. He looked even more uncomfortable when a voice called out, “Farun!”

I turned around to see the source of the voice and could see Arinade approaching with a woman and man who appeared to be in their mid to late thirties. The woman was slightly tanned with gray eyes and brown hair that was styled in an elaborate braided updo and wore a forest green and gold embroidered gown and corset over a white chemise with long and voluminous sleeves. The man looked like a slightly older version of the duke and wore a black velvet tunic with similarly black suede boots, dark green hosiery, and a black cape with a gold-hued inner layer.

“B-brother?” the duke stammered as his eyes darted between us and the King of Kalidar.

“Allow me to introduce you to Ambassador Arinelle of the Fae,” he said, gesturing to the Faerie enchanter who was without her glamour and dressed in a simple jade-green silk dress and slippers. “And these must be the talented Faerie ladies that you were raving about.” He did not seem bothered by our outfits at all and might have been fighting not to smirk from the look of it.

Arinade had mentioned the night of Kalara’s adoption that that was just the name she used for her human guise, but it was a little strange hearing a Human call her by her real name. Since the duke seemed to be tongue-tied at the moment, she smiled and said, “Your Majesty, this is Selice and Kaelyn, good friends of mine from home, fellow ambassadors, and very talented performers. I assure you that if they are performing tonight, you are in for a rare treat. My friends, may I introduce their Royal Majesties, King Vergun Sal-Kalidar, and Queen Isante Sal-Kalidar.”

““It is our pleasure,”” Selice and I said in unison with the sweeping bows that we had practiced last night.

That had Arinelle stifling a giggle and both the King and Queen cracking a smile as the latter asked, “Where did you get such interesting clothing?”

“A weaver from our troupe made the outfits for us some time ago,” Selice answered honestly. “Since we were going to be performing for humans in such an intimate setting on such short notice and had no other finery to wear, we thought it best to wear these. I know that your people get uncomfortable with nudity, so we felt it best if we covered ourselves, for your sake.”

“We appreciate your diplomacy on the matter,” the king offered, looking like he was having trouble keeping a straight face. “Welcome to Kalidar, I hope that we can speak more later and that you can educate us on more of your traditions. How forward thinking of my brother to employ you tonight, so our two peoples can learn to understand one another better.”

Meanwhile, the king’s brother had realized that he could not argue our fashion choices any further with both of the royals being so accepting of it. Especially after the king had just complimented him. If he tried to back out now, he would look more like a fool. He did not look happy about it but did not object when Selice and I excused ourselves to begin performing and provide some suitable music and displays of dance to entertain the guests until dinner was served.

The royals and Arinelle started to mingle as more guests began to arrive and Selice and I got many very entertaining looks from the guests as we performed. Guests were arriving in droves as the appointed time for dinner drew ever closer and I almost lost focus on my playing and reflexively tightened my grip on my harp as I felt a sickening presence via my magic sense that threatened to turn my stomach. It was coming from the direction of the estate’s gates and approaching closer by the moment.

It seemed that Arinelle’s magic sense was as strong as mine because as I continued to play and attempted to look like there was nothing wrong, I glimpsed her looking in the same direction. Her head snapped toward me with an inquiring look, and I grimly nodded in reply. There was a Demon coming to dinner.

 

 

 

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Author's Note: Here's chapter 44 of The Faerie Blade. I should have had it posted last night, but I was busy yesterday and it took longer than I would have liked to finish the new chapter for Patreon. Further chapters are available on my Patreon page. ~Amethyst.
 

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Chapter 44: A Demon at Dinner

Dinner was served at promptly six bells and Selice and I were seated with Arinelle, as fellow ambassadors of the Fae, and at the same table as the King, Queen, and Duke. Set before us was the most lavish meal that I had ever set eyes upon, but my stomach was too tied up in knots to truly enjoy what I was eating. For one thing, people were staring unabashedly at me and Selice, and my sharp ears were able to pick up the whispered conversations of those at the tables closest to us as they discussed our scandalous state of dress.

My ‘twin’ and I were the talk of the dinner party and, while the men tried to cover their lust at seeing such scantily clad Faeries, the women did not even attempt to conceal their disdain and, in some cases, their jealousy. Some of the women even glared openly, when they thought that neither we nor the royals were looking. Under other circumstances, I might have found this as amusing as Selice would, but the presence of a nearby Demon had us both agitated and trying not to show it as we endeavored to casually eat and converse.

Selice’s magic sense was not as sharp as mine and Arinelle’s, but the Demon was close enough while we were eating that even she could feel the sickening presence emanating from it. The problem was that whoever the Demon was inhabiting had arrived among several groups that had arrived moments before dinner was served. That, and all the people around us now, was making it difficult to pinpoint the Demon’s location, other than a general direction.

I was tempted to just tell Selice to forget about the money and find a quiet place to shift into an owl so she could let the others know what was going on. I had a bad feeling that the Demon was up to no good. It was not like that would be surprising for one of its kind. Its presence had Arinelle on edge as well, and I hoped that she had placed a summoning enchantment on whatever weapon she was working on for situations like this.

As much as I would prefer Selice somewhere safe and gathering reinforcements in case this situation escalated, I quickly decided against that course of action for two reasons. The first was that I was relatively sure that the best way for us to pinpoint the Demon’s identity would be while mingling with the guests, and the more of us here that could sense the Demon’s foul magic, the easier that task would be. The second reason was that I might just need her here.

We knew the Demon was here, but he also knew that there were Faeries here. How could be not with me and Selice being the main topic of conversation? That meant that he would likely try to avoid us since our sense of magic was generally very acute. Pinpointing his identity while mingling would be difficult if that was the case, and I was certain it would be.

Demons might not be able to sense us as we could them, hence why the one after Sharai had used mundane tracking methods, but they could seem to sense active magic use if they were close enough. That meant that if either Arinelle or I tried to approach while disguised with a glamour, it would do little good. However, Arinelle mentioned upon first seeing Selice as my ‘twin’ that there was no magical aura when Changelings used shapeshifting to change forms, or at least once they were in that new form. If the three of us could not flush out the Demon while mingling, we might have to do it the hard way.

As we ate, and I attempted to look like I was enjoying the meal and none the wiser to the demonic presence casting a shadow over the party, I considered the situation and what to do about the Demon. Why was it here? Did it have something to do with the King? Were they hoping to bring him under their sway, or was this perhaps an assassination attempt? It would be an opportune time with no guards currently accompanying the royals.

Unfortunately, I could not confront it directly until it exposed itself, for fear of causing a political incident that could damage the good reputation that the Fae enjoyed here in the Kingdom of Kalidar. Still, it was difficult to not just get up and attempt to challenge it more directly. No, we needed to play this cautiously and intelligently if we did not wish this situation to turn against us, and I knew it.

All through dinner I could see Arinelle giving the royal pair across the table meaningful looks. I did not doubt that she had quietly told them of the Demon’s presence before we were seated because both the King and Queen’s smiles as they conversed about matters at Court seemed a little forced. Duke Sal-Grethan, on the other hand, seemed oblivious to the tension of his tablemates as the conversation went on.

Upon the heels of the final course of the meal, I played a set of a dozen songs on the harp for Selice to dance to as we entertained the guests. Most of the songs I played were known well enough, though I did play a few Fae songs that I had learned from the people of Thaeria village. I played the latter to sell our identity as Fae ambassadors, and because the guests would likely have never heard their kind before.

As I played, I kept my eyes on the crowds, hoping to pick out the Demon amongst them. I had no such luck and, from the look on Arinelle’s face as I finished my set, neither had she. She must have had similar concerns as to the reason for the Demon’s presence as I did because she had not left the side of the royal pair as I was playing. They were still making conversation with the host of the party when Selice and I took a break to mingle amongst the guests and took Arinelle aside for a quick word.

We were well hidden behind a large bush, trimmed into the shape of a rampant griffon, though Arinelle kept in a position where she could keep an eye on the royal couple and the host of the party. I did not even get to ask before the Fae ambassador said flatly, “It’s avoiding us. It has been staying well away from the stage in the center of the garden and whenever I move closer with Their Majesties, it moves away.”

“I was afraid of this happening,” I said with a sigh before turning to my duplicate. “Selice, it looks like it is time for plan B. Do not worry, Arinelle, we shall find it.”

“Aye,” Selice agreed, “I’ll be off then.” Then she headed off to carry out the plan that I had whispered to her while we were getting set up on stage following dinner.

Once she was far enough away, I summoned Neva’kul to me, and Sharai was instantly alert in my mind. -Demon!- she hissed angrily. She could sense it as well as I could, as soon as the unsheathed blade appeared in my hand.

“Yes, but there are too many people for us to root it out. Selice is going to try and discover its identity. Once she has, we can deal with it,” I told the spirit of my sword to soothe her fury. Then, I quickly focused my magic through the glyph on the blade that represented Sharai’s gift, only pausing to gather more mana once a pair of illusions, identical to me and wearing the same revealing clothing, appeared and I sent them both in opposite directions around the perimeter of the garden’s inner courtyard.

With my task done, I silently apologized to Sharai as I carefully hid Neva’kul within the carefully trimmed foliage of the large bush for the moment. Then, a moment later, I stepped out from behind the bush with the Fae ambassador to approach the King, his wife, and his brother. Vergun Sal-Kalidar followed our approach and gave a convincing smile as he said, “Lady Kaelyn? It is impossible to tell you and your sister apart without an instrument in your hands. And where has your lovely twin gone?”

I gave a low bow in reply before answering, “Indeed, Your Majesty. Selice is over there, mingling with the other guests.” Then I pointed toward one of the illusions of myself who was slowly maneuvering among the crowds, easily spotted due to all the bare skin. “Arinelle was just telling me that she, you, and your lovely wife wished to have a private word with me.

“Yes, you are truly a wonderful musician, and I was hoping to employ your services for a gala at the palace this summer. I was hoping that we could discuss terms and go over the details,” the King offered as an excuse for our private talk about the Demon threat.

The duke’s frown was brief, so brief that I almost missed it, before he interjected. “I will leave you to it then, Vergun. I really should go and mingle with my other guests. I would not wish for them to feel that I’m ignoring them.”

With that, the King’s brother left us and, once he was gone, Arinelle touched a crystal pendant that she was wearing and whispered a few words, causing my magic sense to quickly light up as a spell ensconced the four of us remaining, hiding us from the perception of the other guests. That was a useful spell, I would have to see if I could learn something like that when I got beyond the very basics of spell-singing.

As quickly as I could, and with as much detail as I could recall, I then told the royals and my fellow Faerie everything that I had learned so far about the Demons, their relationship to the Church of One, and their influence over the King of Evalis. They did not interrupt as I told them of my encounters with Demons and the members of their church, how I fought them, and everything else that I could think of that might convince them of the threat the world now faced. My suspicion that Arinelle had already told the royal pair of the Demon at the party proved true, and she bluntly told them that she thought their lives might be in danger. That was when I sensed the Demon coming our way.

Once Selice had slipped away from her faux twin, she immediately began searching for a volunteer to help her carry out Kaelyn’s plan. She caught sight of a serving girl, carrying around a tray of expensive-looking silver wine goblets for guests to partake of; all of them now seemingly empty as the petite, dark-haired girl made her way toward the large house across the gardens, presumably to have the goblets replaced with filled ones so those she carried could be cleaned. She did not envy the amount of walking the poor girl must be doing tonight, moving back and forth along a cobblestone path that ran between the house and gardens.

There was a hedge maze on both sides of the path, separating the gardens from the grand house. “Perfect,” she thought happily as she silently approached the girl from behind. Then, after ensuring there were no eyes upon them, she struck the girl from behind and dragged her unconscious form into the maze. The goblets and tray clattered to the ground, but she didn’t have the time to hide them. Time was short and she needed to hurry.

Physical contact was enough for her to copy the girl’s general appearance, and she quickly stripped the girl of her uniform and put it on over her dancing outfit, leaving her only in her shoes and undergarments. Then, after slipping the owl feather from her braid, she hid it within the uniform, straightened up her appearance as best she could, gathered the tray and goblets to blend in, and returned to the party to search for the Demon. She still had the makeup on that she had applied earlier, but within the fading light of twilight she doubted anyone would notice.

Weaving between the various groups and conversations, it took several minutes before she got close enough to feel the noxious presence of the Demon through her magic sense. Kaelyn’s was far superior in range, but now that she could sense the general direction it was in, she just needed to follow it to the source. That source turned out to be a man in black and wine-colored finery, a man who was now being approached by the man who had hired her and Kaelyn.

She knew who he was now, she could have just left it at that and gone to find Kaelyn and let her know, but the duke’s body language as he approached had her curious. He was still smiling at the guests he passed by, but his movements were tense and stiff, the movements of a man who was upset about something. Her instincts told her to stay and so she casually circled them from a distance while holding up her tray and straining to focus on their conversation.

“What’s keeping you,” the duke hissed angrily, his voice barely audible to her. “My brother and his wife are here with no guards, ripe for the plucking!”

“That Faerie hasn’t let them out of her sight,” the other man retorted testily. “She isn’t the only Faerie here either, you have three of them. Why didn’t you tell me there would be Fae here tonight?!”

“Why should it matter? You said that with your magic, it would be no problem to kill them and get away, and then we both get what we want. I needed those two Faerie girls to get them here. I did my part, now do yours. If we don’t kill him before he passes that ridiculous law next week…”

The Demon interrupted the duke’s rant with a furious response that he barely kept quiet enough for any humans around them to not hear. Even with her current appearance though, Selice’s ears were much more sensitive. “Those Faeries can sense what I am! There are three of them and one of me, and the one who isn’t dressed like a harlot won’t leave your brother’s side now! They’re a danger to me and our plans, and you invited them here, you fool!”

Selice had not trusted the duke since he first approached them, but to think that he was plotting regicide and fratricide was unnerving. “I’m the fool?! My brother and his wife are talking alone with two of those Faeries right now, if your magic is so powerful, just go over there and kill them all at once before they see you coming!” He quietly snapped back at the Demon, eyeing the other people around them.

“You may be right,” the Demon said, though he still glared irately at the duke. “If this body gets damaged, I can find another easily enough. There is nothing to lose, and everything to gain.” Selice’s heart skipped a beat, and terror gripped her chest as the Demon glared at his fellow conspirator a moment longer and then stormed off toward where the duke was pointing. Right where she had left Kaelyn and Arinelle earlier. No! She had to stop him or get to them first to warn them.

She headed for the nearest decorative foliage, casting aside tray and goblets both as she ducked behind and reached for the feather inside of her stolen uniform. Willing the change, her body began to shrink, change shape, and sprout feathers. The shift between forms took barely a moment as she flowed fluidly from one to the other and she quickly struggled out of the clothing that had fallen to the ground around her to take to the air and try to overtake the demon from above.

Kaelyn had told her that Demons could sense magic, but their range probably wasn’t that much better than her own, maybe even less. She could sense the bubble of magic around Kaelyn, the other Faerie, and the King and Queen of Kalidar though, and she suspected that the Demon could as well from how he suddenly changed the path he was taking to head straight toward them. He pushed through the groups of party guests, unconcerned with being subtle now as both of his fists began to erupt with growing balls of nauseating green-black flames.

Screams and shouts of outrage and fear erupted below her as guests began to scatter and flee the area. He was gathering his power for a big attack; she could feel it climbing and could only hope that Kaelyn and Arinelle would as well. Would they be able to react in time to counter it though? She wasn’t going to get to them in time, so Selice did the only thing that she could think of, she banked hard and dove straight at the Demon’s face, her talons extended and questing for blood.

 

 

 

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Author's Note: Here's chapter 45 of The Faerie Blade. I should have had it posted last night, but I was busy yesterday and it took longer than I would have liked to finish the new chapter for Patreon. Further chapters are available on my Patreon page. ~Amethyst.
 

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Chapter 45: The Party is Over

My head snapped in the direction of the Demon as it started coming toward us. For a moment, I thought that maybe it was not coming toward us with Arinelle’s enchantment hiding us, but I guess that it must have gotten close enough to sense the magic because it suddenly changed direction to come straight at us. It also looked like it had given up on subtlety altogether as it pushed its way violently through crowds of people and its fists burst into green-black flames that made me feel sick just looking at them.

“Torr’s balls,” I cursed as I could feel the strength of its sickening magic slowly climbing, “it is coming right at us and building up a big attack. Arinelle, please protect Their Majesties, while I deal with this thing.” I swiftly summoned my armor, sword belt, and Neva’kul to me, and once my sword was in hand, I focused on Tamisun’s rune to enhance my speed and reflexes.

I needed to end this quickly. Those flames he was summoning had already burned a couple of people as he pushed his way past them, leaving screams of pain and the victims writhing on the ground in his wake. While I hoped that he was here for me, his avoidance of both me and Arinelle so far made that seem unlikely and, in case his goal was what I now feared it was, I could not allow him to attack the King and Queen. At best, I could kill him before he realized what was happening and, at worst, at least I could provide a distraction to take his attention away from his likely targets.

It seemed that I was not the only one thinking that way. Even as I burst from the magic enclosure that Arinelle had created to keep our conversation private, sword in hand, I saw a Tharian Hawk-owl diving at him. Was that Selice? It seemed likely since the owls were not native to Kalidar, but why would she change form like that?

It did not matter. Selice’s shriek as she dove at the creature’s face caused him to look up and an instant later, she was clawing at his face with her talons, shrieking, and beating her wings to obscure his view. I had already covered half of the gap between us and was keeping my eyes on the Demon as I swiftly wove my way through the people fleeing him and now there was nobody between us as he raised his flaming fists to try to smack Selica away. She flapped back out of his reach, dodging the first blow, and that gave me a view of the Demon’s face.

Selice had viciously attacked his face with her talons, leaving it a bleeding mess of deep slashes that would probably scar badly, if he lived that long. I intended to ensure that he would not. She had given me the time that I needed. The Demon’s eyes widened in surprise during the instant that it took me to close the remaining distance, Neva’kul thrust out before me and seeking his heart.

My aim was true, and my blade sank into his chest before he could react to bring whatever demonic power he had been gathering to bear upon me. The green-black flames in his hands sputtered out at the force with which my sword pierced his chest, causing it to burst out of his back in a spray of blood as I ran him through. He only had time to stare at me in shock and breathe one last gurgling breath before shuddering as he collapsed. I had already summoned a faerie fire to consume the Demon’s black soul by the time that it emanated from the body.

I was still standing over the corpse, removing and then cleaning my sword on the Demon’s clothing when my pink flames finally completely consumed the black smoke of the Demon’s soul. That was when Sharai pointed out, -We should check on those he injured, Kaelyn. They may need your help.-

My spirit guide was right, the two people who were shoved aside by the Demon while he was powering up those flames in his hands needed help. One was a noblewoman in an elaborate dark blue dress whose right sleeve had been burned away, and her arm was badly burned from shoulder to elbow. The other was a young man who, from the way he was dressed, was likely from one of the mercantile families who were based in Hindra to make use of the shipping lanes and roads guarded by the military which spread to the east, west, and north from Kalidar’s capital. The left side of his face was horribly burned as well from when the Demon pushed him aside.

I was not a healer, so I could not do much to help them with the physical injuries, we would need to call a proper healer for that and even then, they would both likely be scarred for life. The young man might even lose his left eye. Those flames were dark, demonic magic though, much like the magic that had made the dark zones by contaminating the mana flow in those areas. I could already feel it corrupting what little mana was in their bodies. They were both on the ground contorted in agony from wounds both physical and spiritual and if something was not done quickly, they would start to become Tainted.

The guests who had not already fled the garden when the Demon started summoning his magic and pushed through the crowds watched me warily as I approached the injured pair. Most of those were probably friends or relatives of the injured since they were kneeling beside them, uncertain of what to do. “One of you go fetch a Healer,” I snapped at the few who were standing a dozen paces away and just watching the suffering.

For a moment I wasn’t sure whether any of them would listen, but an older man took off at a run when it looked like nobody else would. I was crouching down between the two injured guests when the royal couple approached alongside Arinelle. As the three approached I turned toward them and stated, “Arinelle, I will need your help here. Your Majesties, please stay close, and on your guard. The Demon is dead but if his goal here is what I suspect it was then he may have allies here, and your lives may still be in danger.”

“What do you need me to do?” the Faerie ambassador asked as she crouched beside me.

“That magic was evil, do you feel how it is starting to taint their mana already?” I asked. When she nodded, I explained, “We need to purify their mana and bodies, or they’ll become Tainted. We’re going to use faerie fire to do that.”

“But that cannot…”

“It will work,” I insisted, “I have done it before. Focus on the purification aspect of the fire, and how you want to cleanse them of the corruption. It is much like destroying a Demon’s soul, rid them of the darkness eating them inside and they will recover. Do not just cover their injuries with the fire, cover their whole body to ensure that none lingers to alight anew later. You take the young man, and I’ll take the woman. We need to do this quickly.”

“I hope that you are right,” she said with an uncertain look. Still, she did not hesitate to summon her golden flames.

“I am. As I said, I have done this before,” I replied as I summoned my rose-hued flames and looked at the people hovering around the noblewoman. “Worry not, these flames will not harm any of you. She may feel some pain, but that is from the dark magic being purged from within her.”

Still, as I summoned as much faerie fire as I could and directed it to completely cover the woman’s body, people shrank back and I heard one young woman, who may have been a daughter or younger sister exclaim, “It does not burn!”

I was vaguely aware of the King asking someone to find his brother and make sure he was safe as I worked to purify the woman before me, but I was too focused on my task by then. I wanted to keep my flames in place until I was certain that the corruption was gone. It was several minutes before I could feel no more tainted mana and felt that it was safe to disperse my faerie fire. -I believe that she will be fine, at least her soul will be. The burns on her shoulder and arm are bad, but you have kept her from becoming Tainted. Arinelle did a fine job on the young man as well, from what I can sense.-

Selice waited until she was certain that Kaelyn had sunk her sword through the Demon’s chest before flapping away back toward where she had left her clothes. Fortunately, those who hadn’t already fled the party seemed focused on the dead Demon, the injured, and the approaching King and Queen to even look in the direction of her hiding place as she shifted back into her natural form. With that done, she took the owl feather that she had used earlier and used the single hair that she had tied to the quill to change back into a copy of Kaelyn.

Moments later, she was straightening her dancing finery and fixing her hair. It was the best that she could do for now, but it looked like the party was effectively over, so she didn’t need to worry about looking perfect. She had other concerns at the moment.

She slipped the small blade from her coin purse as she hurried off in the direction that she had seen the duke fleeing from the air once the Demon had been dealt with. It was a purse-cutting blade, barely longer than her index finger, but she kept it razor-sharp. It would do; she was good with a knife. After all, one of the first lessons Voyager children learn in their games is how to use a knife for cutting purses, or flesh, if the need arises.

As she ran, she once again wished that the wings in Kaelyn’s form could be used to fly, to catch her quarry all the quicker. Unfortunately, the Faerie’s ability to fly was tied into her magical abilities, something that she couldn’t copy along with her form. Still, Kaelyn was fit and healthy, and Faerie have a lot of stamina and are quick even when running. Duke Farun Sal-Grethan, on the other hand, was too used to his wine, parties, and pleasures.

Selice caught up with the traitor before he could even reach the gates of the estate, out of breath and moving now at more of a hurried walk than the run he had taken off at earlier. She was glad that Kaelyn was far taller than she was since she had come to enjoy the added height when pretending to be her twin and it would be useful here. She was as tall as the duke was and as she stealthily approached him from behind, it was a simple matter to put the blade to his throat.

“Do not move, if you value your worthless life,” she hissed as she pressed the blade to his throat.

He froze in place, and she took the opportunity to grab his left arm by the wrist with her free hand and twist it painfully behind his back. He let out a yelp of pain and snapped, “What do you think you’re doing?! My brother will…”

She pressed the blade further, just enough to break the flesh and let him know that she wasn’t playing around. “Funny you should mention His Majesty because that’s exactly who I’m taking you to see. If you try to call for your guards, then I will slit your throat before the word can finish leaving your lips. Keep your right hand where I can see it and let’s turn around slowly. If you move anywhere that I don’t tell you to then I just might slip and have to explain your treason after you’re dead. Would you rather bet on your brother’s mercy or that of a Fae? Go on, give me a reason to make you pay the long price.”

She was close enough that she could feel the shiver that whatever thoughts that brought to his mind sent through him. He very much did not want to risk Fae justice; she had seen it in the way he had reacted to the mere mention of crossing the Fae during their first meeting. The duke was very quiet and very cooperative after that.

Arinelle had enough knowledge of basic healing and medicines that she was able to at least clean and bandage the burns of the wounded until help could arrive, and they were as comfortable as we could make them without moving them. She then sent a summons to the Palace Healer, at the King’s request, so that they would get the best healing available in the capital. There was not much else we could do but wait for the Healer to arrive and to find out what became of Selice, and the King’s brother, and I wanted to take the initiative on the latter.

From the way I had seen my twin running off a short time ago, I assured them that we would likely find them both soon if we followed Selice’s path toward the gates of the estate. My twin and I had both been suspicious of our employer for the evening from the start, and I could not help but feel that he was somehow involved in the Demon’s presence tonight. I was a little worried about the dancer, but she was a Voyager, and she had gotten very used to using my form so I had faith that she could handle herself until we could catch up.

As Arinelle and I walked with the King and Queen, I kept myself ready to defend them if the need arose. I had just noticed a distinct lack of guards at this event, except for those who had been manning the gates, and that only served to fan the flames of my suspicions about the duke. As we walked, the other Faerie proceeded to question me about my earlier use of faerie fire.

More specifically, she wished to know how I had discovered this previously unexplored use of faerie fire’s purification aspects. It was common knowledge that it was used in the Great War to destroy Demons without their hosts, but attempts to use it in other ways than for just light and warmth, if there had been such attempts at all, were never documented. With another possible war with Demons on the horizon, this information could change the course of that war and possibly help us to someday rid our world of the dark zones, Darklings, and Tainted as well. Several varieties of Fae could use faerie fire after all, and they would need time to prepare.

She believed that this information needed to be shared with Tarin’dol as soon as possible. They had already responded to the previous missive she sent and would be searching for the other Vos’oraik bearers while awaiting the arrival of my troupe. With her having witnessed this use of faerie fire and used it to purify a demonic curse herself as well, it would lend weight to my claims. She would send another missive as soon as she got home tonight.

Now that they had proof positive that the Demons were back, the King and Queen were already trying to figure out how this would affect their country and bordering nations which might end up being the front lines in the coming war. They wanted to keep close ties with the Fae and to encourage other human monarchs to do the same. Vergun Sal-Kalidar wanted to request Fae advisors, who could stick close to rulers like himself to sense the presence of Demons and perhaps purify any curses as Arinelle and I had earlier.

We did not get far in discussing that before we saw the duke making his way toward us. He looked absolutely terrified and likely with good reason. Behind him, and holding a small knife to his throat, was Selice. “Lady Selice?” the King asked cautiously, “What is the meaning of this?”

“After I split up with my sister, I disguised myself and tried to get close to the Demon,” Selice explained, her knife not moving even a hairsbreadth from its place at the duke’s throat which was already marked with a rivulet of crimson blood. “This piece of filth knew what he was. I heard him plotting with him against you.”

Selice then proceeded to tell us everything that she had learned while eavesdropping on their conversation. The pair of us had been hired for tonight in the hopes that Vergun’s admiration for the Fae would bring him and his wife here so that the Demon could kill them before he could enact the law that would allow his daughter to someday inherit the throne. Then Farun would be crowned king and form an alliance with the Demons.

The King was shaken, more so when his brother did not even deny the accusations. He wouldn’t admit to anything either though. In fact, he kept his mouth shut for now, eyeing the Fae among us warily until the Palace Healer arrived, along with a contingent of the Royal Guards.

In the end, the duke was taken to the palace dungeons for the night, until he could be interviewed the next day while under an enchantment that would compel him to speak the truth to any question asked. That would have been done sooner, but Arinelle did not have the components with her to create such an enchantment tonight. The guests who needed the attention of the Palace Healer would get it, but the party was over and most of the people remaining were directed to return home for the night.

Selice and I were encouraged to go back to our camp as well, so we gathered my instruments and did so. Their Majesties thanked us for our services, and for dealing with the Demon and the Duke, and told us to expect a summons to the palace to discuss important matters sometime tomorrow. I was fine with that. It had been a very eventful night, after all, and all that I wanted to do was to get some sleep.