A Touch of Fae Ch. 01

"The seer went out into the world of man, his entry into the human realm always in the exact place he would find the woman. So, he built a home around the spot and set up roots, reinventing himself every few decades so as to attract no unwanted attention, and he waited. Five long centuries passed before the vision of Andrea stood as real flesh and blood before him in his home. So, the Seer marked her as he was meant to and as the night reached its peak; the three Kings were released from their realm and the 'Hunt' began."

"Andrea fled her country, her life, and escaped into the north with the Fae Kings in hot pursuit, each with his own agenda. Ayx and Pyro wanted their father's crown and complete control of the entire realm...and Alexis wanted his freedom. Something his father had tricked him into believing he could have if he captured Andrea and made her his own."

"How cruel." Ashlynn whispered softly as she thought of such a betrayal.

"Alexis traced Andrea down ahead of his brothers and stole her from this realm to take her to his own, the Fae realm of dreams to keep her safe while he completed his bargain with his father. But as his father revealed his betrayal, a new rage rose within Alexis. To save the Fae realm from complete destruction, he must take Andrea as his Queen and take over entire control of his father's crown. Enraged, Alexis raced back to his realm to find a wake of destruction through his home and a missing Andrea."

"Did they take her?" Ashlynn earned a harsh tsk as she moved to look at him.

"Sit still in case I do this wrong." Attie chided, almost laughing at her pout. "Yes, Ayx and Pyro took her, but as they raged in battle over who would take her as wife, Alexis stole her back and made her his."

Atticus hated this tale. It was true that Alexis and Andrea loved each other dearly -- now -- but they had had two thousand years to work on it, and for Andrea to forgive him. But it was not a romantic story in any sense of the world. Alexis had resented his bride for over a century, almost hated what he had to do to save her from his brother's plans. But over time...

"Pyro and Ayx were banished, powerless to the human realm and Alexis and Andrea's sons took their place. First of the three was Marcus, given the title Fae King of Dreams like his father. But Marcus was anything BUT like his father. He did not nurture the world of dreams...he corrupted it and used it for his own amusement. Second there was Tobias who was given the title Fae King of Life. Corrupted by his brother into the ruination of lives, Tobias created grief and strife wherever he went and thrived upon it. Lastly, there was Phoenix. He was given the title of Fae King of Death, and he was true to his calling. As Andrea birthed him, held him in her arms, she knew he was destined for great things. He would not corrupt his title. He took care of the souls of man and the lost souls of the Fae; he witnessed the most brutal of crimes and collected their souls in repayment for their sins. He was everything the Fae realm needed and deserved from whoever took over from Alexis."

"Why do I sense a 'But'?" Ashlynn opened her eyes to gaze at Attie and deemed it an instant mistake as she took in the sight of the machine he was using to tattoo her. Closing her eyes again, she waited patiently for him to continue with his story.

"But...smart ass..." Attie smiled at her chuckle. "...tragedy struck when the time came again for the 'Hunt'. Well over a thousand years had passed since Andrea had been taken by Alexis to be his bride when the Seer was called again by his vow to the God to find a female for the Fae Kings. And as he slept beneath the stars he saw the image of Lucia." Attie ignored the muttered curse behind him and the insistent cold air that surrounded Lucia when she haunted him and continued with his story. "And so, only two days passed before Lucia stumbled into the Seer's path and was marked with the mark of the Fae hunt. And within two more she was dead."

"No...how awful!" Ashlynn was engrossed in his tale. Even though she knew it was fantasy, the way he told it held her utterly captivated. 'He would do well as an author' she thought.

"The Seer had not been able to tell her of the tale and she fled into the night after the pain of the marking, unknowing of the danger that would follow her every footstep as of midnight that night. Lucia ran and ran, barely evading those who were chasing her. If not for Phoenix protecting her, Lucia would never have lasted that first night. But as dawn rose on that last morning, as she cried in his arms, Marcus decided she was better off dead than the Queen of Phoenix. Unknowing that Phoenix had no intentions of taking her, Tobias attacked Phoenix as Marcus slit her throat. They returned to their enjoyment of meddling with the lives and dreams of Fae and human alike, leaving their brother to cradle her dying form and take her soul back to his realm."

Atticus wiped the residual ink from Ashlynn's skin before he continued with both his work, and his tale.

"And so, the tenuous battle still rages in the Fae realm. Marcus and Tobias fight for as much control as they can; turning human against human for their own amusement, and Phoenix continues his job. Only he is no longer the Fae he used to be. His soul is turning darker and darker as Lucia's death plays heavy on him, as Marcus and Tobias' influence begin to turn him from his path. Alexis and Andrea fear for their son and their realm, and that of the humans they help to guide and govern."

"So, the Seer was pulled from the shadows once more to find a female that was strong enough, find the right female in the entire world to compliment the King she was to be with. The seer waited over ten years before her vision came to him and over two hundred more before she stood before him -- flesh and bone -- just as his vision portrayed her. And as she lay beneath his hands, he tattooed her, lay on her skin the mark of the Fae hunt."

Attie wiped her skin and rubbed in a special cream that made the redness disappear and warmth spread beneath her skin as he took her hand and aided her to stand from the bed. Walking her to the mirror, he could feel her blush radiate from her skin as he stood behind her and looked at their reflection.

"And so, at midnight a new hunt will begin Ashlynn." He whispered as he turned her away from the mirror and let her look over her shoulder at the shimmering tattoo on her skin. "...and I have prepared you all I can."

"What?" Ashlynn tore her eyes away from the beauty of his creation; the silvery orb seemed to swirl on her skin as the three black feathers caressed it as though in a breeze she could not feel. The damn thing looked as though it was alive and she could feel every individual caress. "What have you done to me?"

Her whispered question tore at what was left of his heart as he looked down into her confused eyes. She didn't want to believe his story anymore, she wanted him to laugh and make her sure it was all just a fairy tale. But he couldn't...and Atticus felt it in her eyes the moment she truly believed him, as Lucia drifted behind him and shot him a look of pure fury as she took in her ragged neck in her reflection.

"Good god..." Ashlynn grabbed her coat and threw it on without her top. No time...she had to get out of here. She wasn't going to be Fae-food for anyone, it, or thing.

"Ashlynn..."

"Stay the hell away from me." Ashlynn whispered as she backed slowly away from him. "How do you know my name...oh fuck...fuck...BACK OFF!"

Atticus held up his hands and murmured his spell just as the dragon clock above his head chimed eleven. He watched her gaze take in the time and felt his heart clinch as they filled with fear and disbelief a moment before she unlocked the door...and fled into the night.

"Nice going Atticus. Shame you didn't see that coming Seer." Lucia sneered with the last word before she actually smiled ruefully at him. "How long before you are sent back to the shadows?"

"Midnight."

"Can you die Atticus?"

"What?" Attie turned to glance at her only to find her perusing his display once more.

"Can you die? If you died, would you become a ghost like me and therefore -- technically -- be free...or would you just regenerate?"

"I can die. But then, none has ever sought to kill a Seer...merely imprison them."

"I see."

"Lucia, what is this about?" Atticus turned back towards her only to feel the cool steel of one of his daggers pierce his gut and pain radiate throughout his body.

"This is my gift to you Atticus...my revenge as well. For bringing me into this world and ending my life, I take satisfaction that you cannot be summoned to do this to another. For your suffering Atticus..." Lucia watched as the life drained from the Seer's piercing blue eyes and he drew a final breath before she pulled the weapon from his body and lowered him to the floor.

"Andrea...it is done." Lucia whispered as she closed Atticus' eyes and dropped the dagger to the floor.

"Thank you Lucia, come home to me now...my son will do the rest."

As Lucia disappeared from the room with a soft shimmer, the Fae King of the Dead appeared for the soul of Atticus and caught the call of the mark beckoning him, the scent of the female still fresh in the room.

"What the hell have you done Attie?"

~~~