forum Nature's Breath, Death's Call (Open One on One | Romance, High Fantasy, Dark Fantasy)

Started June 15, 2023 by @Null-Gravity language

tune

Killian stubbled fowards into the next room, barely catching himself on the wall. Once he regained his balance and straightened, he realized he wasnt inside anymore. Or at least the new room didn't look like the one he had been thrown into. While eqially as grand and beautiful, this room seemed to encompas a forest within it's walls. Trees and branches arched overhead to make the dome ceiling. Leaves the color of fire and gold occasionally fluttered down from the ceiling, it even smelled like a crisp fall morning. It took Killian's breath away and as an inventor who entire job was to understand how anything and everything worked, not knowing how the orbs of light or how the trees grew inside peeked his curiosity. Then again, this was the Fae lands. Maybe humans weren't allowed to understand much here.
He was about to reach out and touch one of the orbs when the voice spoke. He spun around, now finding that he was not alone anymore. Across the room was a dais, stairs leading up to the throne of antlers. But it was the throne that froze Killian in blace, though the deer antlers were impressive. no, it was the Fae lounging on it that turned Killian's blood to ice. They were stunning, not in the ways humans could look beautiful but in the way something wild and untamed could be seen as alluring. Killian blinked before slowly walking forwards, his gaze never leaving the Fae. Despite the fact that Killian was entranced by the fae's appearance, it didn't escape him that he had still been taken, most likely by this Fae. Away from his home, his life, and his little sister. "Do I have you to blame for suddenly leaving Eevee orphaned again?" He accused once he reached the bottom of the stairs. To hell with formalities. Perhaps if the Fae saw Killian as disrespectful and rash he'd let him go quicker. That or kill him but he was hoping for the first. "I have no business with you, nor your people." He continued. "So why did you take me from my sister?"

"She's being taken care of very well, Killian. By you. as a matter of fact." the Fae smiles.

He waves his hand and an image is conjured, of Killian in his room.

"See? You're still there." the Fae teases.

"As for having no business with us, that isn't exactly true, now is it? After all, few humans have ever done as much research on the Fae or other such creatures than you. Killian Archeveist," he chuckles, leaning forward in his throne. "Which means we have business with you. The nature of knowledge and learning is that it is a double-edged sword, just waiting to strike the user."

Killian narrowed his eyes but eventually looked over to where the Fae had conjured an image seemingly of his own home. He could see Evangeline sleepily going down the stairs, most likely confused by the sudden noise and deciding to check it out. Instead of finding his study area empty, Killian greeted her. But that couldn't be right because he was right here, in some fae world, not back home. His heart broke as the not-Killian crouched down and hugged Evangeline, comforting her and reassuring her everything was okay, apologising for the noise and doing everything he would have done to ensure she would be alright. It was perfect, too easily perfect that Killian wanted to scream. He was supposed to be there, not this fake. Was he really that easily replaceable? He whipped around and glared at the fae lord.
"I swear on the gods you hurt her there will be no force on Earth or Fae that'll stop me from killing you and your little court." He seethed, waving away the illusion and began to pace. He was human, and that threat, while rang true, was empty at best if the rumors about Fae were true. There was nothing physically he could do that would actually hurt the fae, save for iron, but he didnt see that as option here at the court. Besides he had never been the fighting type, at least not physically. One look at the fae on the throne and Killian could alost guarentee they've seen there fair share of battles in their endless lifetime. And even if they were proper and prim royalty who decided they were too good to fight their own battles, the fact that Killian had never once been restrained or checked for weapons oonly proved further that there was no possible way he'd pose a threat to any of them. He paused when the Fae spoke, turning his irritated and less than interested gaze on him. None of the beauty of the room nor the fae royal themselves naively captivated Killian as it did moments ago, not after seeing his little sister with some fae creature posing as him.
"Few yes but I'm not the only one. Is this supposed to make me feel special? Like I'm the chosen one out of all the humans simply because I take an inerest in noth natural and unatural worlds? Why not tytake in a lonely meister or even orphans. there are plenty interested in the inner working of worlds that would also love to live in a place like this with creatures interested in their work. Unfortunately, you've just taken somone completely uninterested in the latter it seems." He stopped in his pacing in front of the throne, slightly intimidated by the fae leaning closer but refused to let it show, at least externaly. He crossed his arms over his chest defensively, if not a bit childishly and nodded his head. "In that you are correct, I admit." He watched the Fae for long moment, trying to discern why on earth or beyond why they had such an interest in a human of all things. "What purpose do I serve here then? The answer all your curiosities whenever you have the urge to know about something?" He asked, glancing behind him to see if anyone else knew why a fae would possibly want a lowly human in their kingdom.

The rest of the Court starts to laugh.

The Fae Lord lets out a low chuckle.

"By all means, Killian Archeveist! You may certainly attempt to do so," the Lord says, voice full of mirth. He even pulls out a dagger and holds it out to the human. "You can even attempt to do so right now."

If Killian were to actually take the dagger, he'd be able to tell immediately that it was iron, though the implications of this would be. . . unclear.

But the Fae knew the human wouldn't.

"Orphans can't give insight as to family, and neither can a lonely meister. Orphans also rarely know how to read, while a lonely meister. . . well, they're always a pain to deal with, and always end up dying in a year or two," the Lord grins.

"Besides, there are few who can claim to have even stumbled across the name of our King or Queen like you have," the Fae adds with delight.

The Fae leans back.

"Entertainment, of sorts. And yes, you are here to answer any questions about humans I might have," the Fae Lord smirks. "In return, I'll give you any knowledge you desire, within reason."

The longer Killian stood before the High Fae Lord and their court, the more he realized he was being played for a fool. Killian made no move to reach for the knife. While it would bring a sliver of reassurance that at least he'd have some sort of weapon, what good would it do when the one it was supposed to be hirting held it so confidently. He could attempt to first, take the weapon from the fae and then actually use it against him, something he had high doubts the court would allow him so freely to do so easily. He stayed put, eyeing the dagger warrily, aware that it could just as easily be use don him.
His gaze shot back to the high fae and gave a humorless laugh. "You'd be surprised what they could offer, not jsut you but the world." He muttered, shaking his head in dissapointment. Not at the fae per sae, he didn't expect such creatures to give any though to those less than themselves, that'd be giving them too much credit, but on a larger scale, at the world he supposed, for not giving kids like he had been and Evangeline had been a chance to show what they could offer. As for the lonely old meisters, it had been through them that Killian had learned the most. Not only about his own craft but about life and philosophies and so much more.
He looked away for a moment and made the decision to stay quiet in the moment. What the fae had said was true. He knew for all the warnings and caution tales he was told about studying the fae, Killian couldn't help but want to know more about more. In his studies, yes he had ome across the Queen and King's names, ones he couldn't pronounce, but they had intrigued him. He had even scrounged around his village archives for the fae ancestory and lineage trees, his curiosity peaking as he read about each heir and heiress. But for all his harmless if not very pointless research, he never thought it'd garner anyones attention, much less the fae lords.
"And if i don't answer your questions? If i don't satify as entertainment?" He questioned, sidestepping the topic of the king and queen for now. "and if i wish to know nothing from you?"

"What use does the world have for kids that it itself abandoned?" the Lord says with a frown. He wasn't going to argue with the point about the meisters.

The Fae lord smirks, knowing he had Killian in check in this moment.

"It's not like you can leave anyways. Even if you choose to not satisfy as entertainment, that itself is entertaining, though obstinance wears through Fae patience quickly, especially human obstinance," the Fae smirks.

"As for wishing to know nothing from us. . ."

The Fae Lord disappears from his throne, now towering over Killian.

He bends down so his lips flutter against Killian's ear.

"You know you won't be able to resist the temptation of knowledge. It's what has led you so far into your studies, has it not?" the Fae whispers, chuckling.

Killian narrowed his eyes at the fae, finding the statement ironic considering not too long ao he had been considered an orphan child. He still didn't have parents of his own but he had a family, no matter how small. or at least he used to have one until now. Now that family belonged to a shapeshifting fae thing in his own home. The more the fae lord smiled and smirked and found enjoyment in their interations, the more Killian was reconsidering taking the dagger. He wasn't going to be do much with it but he was almost positive it would relief him of some frustrations at the very least.
"That doesn't really seem to be my problem, considering you decided to take in a human. Perhaps you should have considered takeing a more willing participant for your games." He suggested cooly, watching the fae closely, though apparently not closely enough. one moment the fae was lounging on his thron, the next he was at Killian's front, bending down and whispering in his ear.
It took everything in Killian not to immediately back away and instead he stayed stiffly in place. He tilted his head slightly towards the fae, trying his best to ignore how close his sharp teeth were to his neck. "You forget, Fae. I didn't come here willingly looking for knowledge. That I can get for myself without your help. It is you that needs something from me. Something that right now I'm not willing to give up so easily, least of all to you." He then took a step back and clasped his hands in front of him, mockingly innocent as he gave a sweet smile. "bring me my sister. My real sister, alive and well, and then maybe I'll consider. But until then, I give you nothing." He reasoned, knowing it was a rare chance his request would be met, especially since more drastic measures could be considered before making a deal with a human.

The Fae Lord shrugs.

"They aren't 'games,' Killian," the Lord states.

The lord chuckles delightedly.

"You know you've hit a wall in your research. Where was it. . . ah, yes. 'The Bloodlines of the Autumn and Summer Courts,' no?" he snickers.

The Fae Lord smiles.

"We can do that," the Lord says.

With a click of his fingers, one of the bystanders nods and steps back into the shadows, disappearing.

Moments later, the bystander returns with Killian's sister in his arms.

Killian's eyes widened slightly in surprise but he dispelled that as quickly as he could. Yes, he had paused in his research when he got to the Autumn and Summer courts, their history alluded human research and himself the most since he had started looking into fae culture. Alluded and very much interested Lucian for all its mystery. But how the fae lord knew that Killian couldn't understand, that or didn't want to think about much. He had never thought of himself as someone to be watch, to be intriguing enough for anyone to observed him and his life. He was just a regular man, once orphaned and now trying to provide a decent life for his adoptive sister. He had the dream of traveling the world when he could scrounge up enough money from his tinkering job and take himself and Evangeline out on a vacation every now and then just to enjoy and take a break. Never in a million years to be caught up in the desires and intrigue of a full on Fae Court.
"I'm assuming you're the fae lord of the summor or autumn court then. Am I getting too close for comfort in my so called research, enough to warrnt my capture?" He questioned, brows knitting together in confusion. Before he could make more specific agreements for his siter's security, the order had already ocme out of the Fae's mouth and a moment later, the thing that had taken Killian the first time appeared again with his sister in his arms.
To her credit, Evangeline was kicking and scratching at her captors arm, angry and most likely afraid.
"Let her stay with me for however long I am here for and I'll give you whatever answers you want, as much as I am able to." He turned back to the fae lord, no longer haughty and defiant, instead more pleading and reserved. "Please, she's the only family I have. I'll work better knowing shes safe with me, rather than with a stranger back home."

"Who, me?" the lord grins. "I'm merely a simple lord. Whatever gave you the impression that I rule either court?"

The fae lord's gaze turns cold.

"No. You may see her once a month, provided you answer my questions and serve as a good source of entertainment. And only when I feel like sending one of my people out to get her. If you don't cooperate, you have no chance of seeing her. If you do, you get the chance to see her. A good deal, no?"

Killian's gaze flicked around the room and then to the alter throne on the dias but said nothing, it didn't matter anyways who the lord was or wasn't he wasn't going home now. He belonged to the Fae whether he liked it or not.
He faltered turning to find his sister in the crowd, who had stopped her struggling and was watching Killian with tears in her eyes. Killian smiled sadly, "Its going to be okay," He mouthed, shaking his head when she started struggling again, calling out his name and begging him to stop.
It took everything in Killian to turn back around, ignore her please and address the fae lord, or whatever they were. Killian couldn't care less. "You want someone who can tell you about family and life, yet here you tearing one apart." He said, not with the same sarcastic maliscousness he had a few minutes ago but more sadly. He shrugged and took a deep breath. "Once a month it is then, for any answere to your questions you may have at any time. seems fair." Now that had been sarcastic. "No, but I get the feeling I'm not allowed to refuse. Can I at least say goodbye?"

The fae holding Killian's sister clamps a hand over her mouth, muffling her cries and pleads.

"Tearing it apart? No no no. . . in my eyes, I'm strengthening your relationship. After all, it's unhealthy for a girl's development if her older brother is always around, watching her," the fae lord replies easily.

"No. You've seen her for this month," the lord chuckles.

The fae disappears again, with Evangeline.

"When she wakes up in the morning, this will be but a dream to her. Her brother will still be home, and everything will be fine," he croons. "Isn't that what you want from her for now? Once a month she'll come here and then wake up in her own home, thinking it's a dream. . . human children are quite resilient like that."

He would have rather been dead than be told he'd barely get to see his sister for some rediculous reason as pleasing as far lord's request. All in a few moments his entire life he'd worked so hard for was gone.
"If only you knew what she's been through for me to be so protective." He murmured in dead tone, barely audible becuase he knew the fae wouldn't care so long as his curiosities were satisfied.
He breathed a soft laugh, turning around to face Evangeline once more to mouth 'i love you' before she disappeared before his eyes. He glared at the fae lord, but it was void of emotion now, his whole body seemed to weigh him down as he faced his captor and regarded him with dead eyes. "You know it's not. But you also don't care." He tilted his head and nodded slightly "resilient yes, especially her."

"Yes, well, we've all been through some shit. Doesn't mean I have to treat humans like equals or friends. Or anyone, really," the lord shrugs, but his tone was clear. You have no idea who you're talking to or what you're talking about.

"Exactly. So no point in getting so depressed about it," he smirks.

He clicks his fingers and the doorway appears again, leading to the corridor that ha led Killian from his room to here.

"Just shout if you need something. There's a door on the far left wall that'll take you to the washroom and privy," the lord chuckles.

"And if you need me, just call out 'Everen Thorn.' I'll open the doorway to either my chambers or this room," he grins.

Killian leveled his gaze with the fae's before nodding slowly. "In that we can agree the ." He replied almost reluctantly. Agreeing or relating with his captor was the last thing Killina wanted to do, considering everything that just happened but he'd be lying if his his faith and tolerance for his own kind didn't wayne throughout his life. After he had been abandoned as a child, not even wanted by his own parents, much less strangers so he learned quickly to only trust himself. It was only when he became decently well known in his craft and settled with his sister did he slowly begin to allow people closer to him and even then they were seperated by experience.
"Then you have quite a lot to learn if you think being torn away from the one thing you love is not worth being even mildly depressed over. As genuinly as I possibly can, your lordship, I hope you never experience such loss." Killian didn't return the smile, he simply turned around and watched in mild facination as the corridor came back into view.
At the very least he'd have his own room and some semblance of privacy. He'd be able to try and research a way to leave without much disturbance.
He started towards the corridor without staying to listen to the fae. He wouldn't stay long enough to ever have a need for Everen. He certainly wouldn't have a need to go to his chambers either, though he did wonder why that would ever be an option to him.

"You don't have any damn clue what you're talking about, human," Everen snarls. The chamber trembles with the vicious tone.

He's shaking, himself. He lets Killian go without another word.

Killian allowed himself to revel in the small victory of pissing off the fae Lord. It felt breifly good amongst the grief of losing his sister. While she wasn't dead, she wasn't with Killian. He had failed her in every way possible. He had broken every single promise to keep her safe, to provide her with a home where he would always be waiting, to be by her side forever even if she chose to one day venture out into the world by herself. Now those promises would be upheld by some fae creature pretending to be him and while Evangeline would most likely not know the difference, Killian would, every single day he would know. That would kill him, if the fae didn't first, that guilt and greif would surely kill him.
He didn't let himself cry until he got back to the lavish room and the door had disapeared. He knew better than to trust anyone or thing in the fae realms so he took up a corner by the window sill over looking the mountains and quietly allowed himself to sob and yell into a pillow and do whatever else he needed to do to get his emotions out. After an hour or two, he wasn't sure that he cared to keep track of time, Killian found the private shower, refreshed himself as best he could and toured his room again, and promply headed to bed, foolishly thinking perhaps this was a dream or maybe he could sleep away eternity. In reality he knew that wasn't true, as much as he wished he didn't, he would wake up here, in a beautiful bed, in a beautiful room, living the nightmare that was serving a fae lord in place that could and most likely would kill him any chance it got.

Time passes.

Meals come and go to Killian without a word or hair from the Fae Lord, who hadn't shown himself since that first day.

Then, a message.

It was very simple, the handwriting elegantly flowering and twisting around the page, like fall vines. The ink was a dark, burnt orange color.

"𝔐𝔶 𝔡𝔢𝔞𝔯𝔢𝔰𝔱 𝔎𝔦𝔩𝔩𝔦𝔞𝔫,

ℑ𝔱 𝔥𝔞𝔰 𝔠𝔬𝔪𝔢 𝔱𝔦𝔪𝔢 𝔣𝔬𝔯 𝔶𝔬𝔲𝔯 𝔣𝔦𝔯𝔰𝔱 𝔣𝔢𝔴 𝔮𝔲𝔢𝔰𝔱𝔦𝔬𝔫𝔰. 𝔓𝔯𝔢𝔭𝔞𝔯𝔢 𝔶𝔬𝔲𝔯𝔰𝔢𝔩𝔣 𝔦𝔫 5 𝔪𝔦𝔫𝔲𝔱𝔢𝔰 𝔞𝔫𝔡 𝔴𝔞𝔦𝔱 𝔞𝔱 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔫𝔬𝔯𝔱𝔥𝔢𝔯𝔫 𝔴𝔞𝔩𝔩 𝔬𝔣 𝔶𝔬𝔲𝔯 𝔯𝔬𝔬𝔪.

𝔜𝔬𝔲𝔯𝔰 𝔱𝔯𝔲𝔩𝔶, 𝔈𝔳𝔢𝔯𝔢𝔫 𝔗𝔥𝔬𝔯𝔫"

That was all the paper said.

If anything was worth being grateful for, Killian would eternally be grateful for being left alone in his room with little to none interaction. He still couldn't figure out how food came and went from his room but he chalked it up to fae magic, something he didn't want to delve too far deep into right now. For the past few days, Killian spent most of his time in bed or curled up on the oversized windowsill he had converted into a sitting area with extra pillows and blankets and read.
He had found the courage to write a letter and leave it on the empty food tray, requesting books he could research from. While he could have simply asked Everen, Killian was trying to minimize his interations with the fae lord as much as possible, with any fae really but the lord in particular. That is until a note came attached with his breakfast. He had gotten up hours ago, having found it hard to sleep the night before and had begun reading the books that had been brought. He had already read through one, making messy notes in the margins with some quill and ink he had found on a desk when his breakfast and the note appeared. He waited a few moments, staying as still as humanly possible until he was confident he was alone and slowly collected the tray. Settling back down on the makeshift reading nook, Killian nibbled at some bread and read the note. As much as he wanted to hate anything to do with the fae, their food was pretty good, that or he was desperately hungry. So he ate and read. Killian rolled his eyes at the note, somehow knowing it pained Everen almost as much to write something seemingly endearing and formal to a human as it was for Killian to read it.
5 minutes…
Killian paused, glanced up at the wall, expecting it to open now, then immediately put everything aside to change and gather his notes and scribbled-in books. While he could care less about what the lord wanted, he certainly wasn't dumb enough to refuse anything at this point, not with his siter's life in the hands of a fae creature and his own life at risk here in the fae realm. He tugged on a crimson tunic and pine green pants before running hishands through his hair and waiting by the northwall.

As soon as Killian stands still in front of the wall, the door appears, the one that led to the strange corridor.

This time, the hall had multiple doors branching off from it, though upon inspection none of them had handles and wouldn't budge if pushed.

One door, however, did have a handle, in the shape of a falling maple leaf.

Maybe it was a falling maple leaf. Who knows with the Fae.

When Killian lays his hand on the handle, the door automatically opens, revealing a dimly lit chamber with a large, canopied bed in the center of it.

At a desk on the far side of the chamber, the silhouette of the Lord was visible, though he was faced away from the door, and was engaged with what looked like a mechanical sphere. Whatever its purpose was was unclear, but when Everen lets out a delighted "Oh!" after turning a ring, it was clearly either a puzzle, a project, or both.

He suddenly whips his head around, looking at Killian. He sets down the sphere gently, and stands.

"Ah good, you're here," he smiles.

Killian hesitated before slowly moving into the corridor, cautious of its unfamiliarity. It wasn't as direct as the one that had lead to the throne room had been and there were more doors lining the walls this time. He didn't even try to rationalize any of it but the magic of this world was something that constantly facinated him.
He gave up trying to open doors after the first few, either finding them locked or some even without a handle until he came upon the door at the end of the hall. Large and ornate similar to the throne room doors but this one seemed more worn down, as if the wood it had been carved from was milenias old. Hetrced over the whorls of carved wood befor ehe lightly rested a fingertip against the maple leaf handle, worried any more pressure or attempt to turn the handle would somehow crumble the leaf. Thankfully it didn't though his relief was short lived when he realized exactly who's room he was going to enter. Killian had expected it to be at least a library or a common room, not Everen's personal bedroom. He was glued to the spot at the threshold of the room, irrationally scared of stepping inside. Was he even allowed here? Did Killian accepting the unspoken invitation mean that Everen was allowed to do the same? Would the one place he considered a safehaven in this place be compromised if he stepped inside? He didn't doubt the fae's ability to manipulate even his own privacy that way, they were clearly capable of it. He glanced around the room, though there wasn't much he could see save for the bed and a few pieces of furniture, carved from the same wood as the door and equally as beautiful. He shuffled slightly, debating whether it was worth running back to his own room and slamming the door shut. Bu then his gaze caught on the figure at the desk. Everen himself, seemingly preoccupied with a trinket. This was his chance to escape, the fae lord still hadn't noticed him. But the small sphere caught Killian's attention. He recognized the sphere of rings as he had many back home he had made himself. Against his better judgement, Killian took one step into the room. "They're resemeble the stars." He said, almost automatically. The spheres had been a favorite trinket toy of his sister's so every now and again she would ask Killian to allign the rings around the heavy sphere in the middle until they reflected the stars that particular night. Of course she would eventually move the rings out of plce so she could fidget with the sphere but Killian never inded the gentle tinkling of the rings as she had unclicked and clicked them back into place. He blinked, his smile fading when he was reminded why he was here and not home. "you had a question." He replied, clutching the books and notes closer to himself.

Everen chuckles.

"Not this one," is all he says in response.

He blinks at Killian's forwardness, then smiles.

"All of you are the same. . . so forward. Must we get to talking about the mysteries of each others worlds so soon? After all, there's tea waiting for us in the drawing room," he says casually.

Killian tilted his head but of course he shouldn't have expected such mundane human things in a place of magic and wonder. He nodded slightly, daring another step closer to get a better view of the sphere. His mind spun with questions. If not a model of the stars then what was its purpose? Did it house magic? How did it work? Why was Everen toying with it? Killian blinked and shuffled back a bit. "I'd like to say same of you, considering our previous meeting." He muttered, brows furrowing with confusion, "why bother? It's not like we're aquatinted in any way that suggests we'd be co.fortable sharing tea. You called me about a question, not for tea."

"The wonderful thing about tea is you have no need to be acquaintances with the one who you're sharing tea with. As a matter of fact, it is the best way to become acqauinted is over a good cup of tea or coffee," Everen shrugs causally, still smiling.

He opens the door and gestures for Killian to walk through.

"After you, sir," he chuckles.

Killian remained in place, still confused why the fae was suddenly being so hospitable. "Why the sudden interest in being aquatinted?" He asked, eventually forcing himself to walk into Everen's room then into the ajoining sitting parlor. He couldn't help himself if he marveled at the place as he had done countless times now. The bedroom itself looked like something out of a fairytale he'd read Eevee at night, warmly lit by the parlor room light yet still keeping that intriguing sense of mystery. Killian had remind himself that this was still Everen's room, indeed a fairytale come true but not one Killian wanted to be a part of. He settled in one of the chairs but paid no mind to the tea. Instead he looked up when he heard Everen laugh, surprised to hear such a sound from them. It almost didn't see eem fitting after their previous encounter. "Of all people I would imagi e I'd be the last person you'd want to speak with outside of our arrangement"