They came for him in the middle of the night, when he barely fell asleep, still bent in warped position. The bowl with water stood in the right distance, reminding him how thirsty he was. He didn’t need reminders, his throat was suffering on its own. His dreams were restless, mirages more than dreams and he only was blessed enough, to not experience shadows in them.
The fey guards were higher even than him, thin, with long faces and beautiful golden eyes, which flickered in darkness in which he was left. The blue and green wings spread behind them, reminding leaves more than wings. They were covered with sparkly dust and were not translucent as small fairies’ ones.
One of them reached to his collar and with fast move of his hand, he unpinned it from the chain. The chain fell before him, the fey started to work with ones that bound his hands. Tiyan observed that the fae has green-shining nails, sharp and long.
The guard didn’t play with chains too long and soon, Tiyan kneeled naked on the bed, free again.
“Drink” the guard pushed the bowl into his direction, his voice dull and muted, nasal. Like coming from an empty well.
Tiyan though hesitated. He heard from people coming back sometimes from Ain’asel to Vennklan Valley, about food and drink in fae realm. How the bread can make you go insane, and apples could force you to become completely at their mercy. But he was at their mercy already. He could lose nothing.
Only clear mind and purpose. And Mina.
“So you at last took me into consideration” Tiyan smirked at them, his pained body refusing to shiver before them, his wounded mind – to stay meak.. But fey were only looking at him intensely. The one who unchained him scoffed after good few seconds of just looking at him, in this eager manner, but didn’t respond, and the lips of both turned into a grin, at unison.
“Drink” he repeated.
Tiyan could possibly imagine them pushing his face just into water to make him drink it. Or not. Their golden eyes were undeciphered, not light of any emotions in them.
So different than Qhal’s, who beamed with joy. Too late he aknowledged that this joy is at his expense.
Tiyan took the bowl, and drank from it with few big gulps. He was as thirsty, besides, fast or slow, it can work on him either way. The fairies all the time looked at him, just like before, observing as the bowl becomes completely empty.
The second fae moved a finger at him.
“Come. King Lorian Ain’Dal wants you to join his feast.”
“First give me some clothes?” Tiyan tried, but somehow he felt it’s futile. He wasn’t surprised then when fey laughed, their laugh also at unison. They crooked their heads, both at once.
“This would be amusing.”
“To give you clothes.”
“But we have leather for you.”
The second fae unwrapped his belt, which now Tiyan realized is not a belt at all. It was long leather leash, connected with leather collar. The fae’s fingers, long and tan, closed over Tiyan’s neck and he pulled him up.
“It’s fun and games.”
“At least show some amusement.”
Tiyan’s grin couldn’t be wider.
“Pretty.”
“And quite honest.”
“Confusing and determined and desperate, we like it.”
The collar was put on Tiyan’s neck and leash attached to it. Tiyan at least could move, but vision of being exposed naked on any twisted feast fae led, was enough petrifying for him. So far, Lorian, instead of using his fire and explain anything to him, was taking enjoyment in his pain and shame. He could swear that he almost expected him to order him to travel here, so he could be fucked and scarred. Bathe Lorian in flames, as an additional, weird sexual pleasure.
This was irrational, and that scared him most. The lack of sense in fae. They were completely derenged. Sick minds i these pretty heads. Like they lost their minds long ago and now reveled on own madness, making it their most beloved trait.
“But you need to earn the place by his side.”
“Prove yourself. Otherwise, you would be a stain on the tapestry of the court.”
Tiyan didn’t know what it means and he wanted to know it. Immediately.
They passed the corridors, Tiyan couldn’t not look at the huge trees biting with clwas made of bark and resin into the walls and stones building Dal’coler. They were thick and old, could be that they supported the construction even in larger amount than the columns, embraced by vines, with moss growing on the material they were created from.
The fae walked in same rhythm and Tiyan suspected they are twins. Maybe in Unseelie realm, twins were not only were told to share similar mind. But they truly shared it. The same deep golden eyes and slender postures, and heigh. The same eager moves, agile and soft as touch of a feather.
Magic could be beautiful, he reminded his own thoughts on Qhal’s spring. But also… always was uncanny.
When they reached the hall – Tiyan didn’t know how many halls there were – a silhouette loomed in the thick shadows enveloping the chamber. Tiny fairy lights accompanied him since beginning, some were surrounding the two fae twins. But they weren’t giving the real brightness, more like deepened the darkness that was closing around them. Shaping roots and branches into ceatures, hungry for blood.
The ominous figure got closer and Tiyan saw the strangest fairy he witnessed so far. Her hair were draped on the antlers, jutting in all directions from her head; they were almost the same size as fairy, but she didn’t seem burdened with their weight. Her feet were set backwards, her palms too. And she looked like she was covered in moss, glowing with translucence in the dim light of the fairy sprites.
One could assume she would go to them backwards as well, but her twisted feet carried her straight in their direction, moves though peculiar, like as she danced on the strings attached to her arms and legs.
“Corupir” the one of his guard bowed slightly. His twin followed with a bow not long after.
“Bowing, like they meant it” laughed the fairy, her voice also sounded like coming from a well. “Shohianaz, Salenin. The apples fell so far from the tree.”
“Father was strong.”
“Glorious.”
“But chose wrong path.”
“And angered the Seeker.”
Corupir nodded, evidently pleased. Tiyan felt her aura… it was… green. Not like Lorian’s cruel shadows, not like gossamer of Qhal and twins. It was as green as the spring moss that covered her skin. Shcame closer, and sudeenly her twisted hands took his palms and splayed them before her eyes.
She gave out few strange huffs, until she bent his fingers so strong, that Tiyan grunted.
“Lifeline… short. Not that short though… he can still live life not stolen. If ancestors allow” sharp laughter. “… His pain line overgrew pleasure one. Delightful!”
“He is king’s trophy” said joyfully Shohianaz. Or Salenin.
“The king cherishes him and wants his good.”
“I see, I see. Good wishes and well-being!” Corupir’s feathery brows traveled up, lining over her eyes. “Wild Brusha, just under his heart… good place to let it grow and settle roots. Best, accurate. Sold so much. Betrayed even more.”
Corupir’s long fingers landed on Tiyan’s chest. Traced lines over bulging scars. Pinched the maw of Brusha.
“His flame already ate through the sign. I see many paths untaken. I see his failure in so many visions. But in one, strongest one, I see Brusha burning with shadowed flame.”
“What that means, Seeker?” the same twin moved restlessly.
“You don’t need to know this, ahar’sat Salenin. Tell His Majesty that the wound bloomed with flames. He will know what it means.”
Both fairies bowed deeply, much deeper than first time. Corupir grinned wildly.
“Rest assured the woods know about your presence, human man. And they already are shaking off the rot from their roots.”
Tiyan was swiftly pushed forth; he tried to ask more, feeling even more lost and confused, more afraid. The whole ordeal was not violent, not torturous, but unsettling and promising future untold, hidden behind thick veil of dust… which could only slightly separate him from gruesome death.
Salenin and Shohianaz eventually led him through misty passages, the fairies which they were passing looked like blurred, distant shadows, well concealed by the hazy spuderweb. Tiyan didn’t know how much time passed and how long they walked. Maybe few minutes, maybe days. The aura of this place was sucking sanity from his mind. Strong aura of faerymagic, destructive for human mind.
When he was pulled by leash into the feasting chamber, he almost sighed with relief, as aura here was not as cruel. More… alluring, tempting. The chamber was full. Tiyan at first felt confused.
But when he saw Lorian Ain’dal, he began to wish he was carried endlessly through the corridors made of stone and trees…