Some people are like "Oh, I'll just scare off the creepy entity or creature by flirting with it"
Have you considered that some entities and creatures are a lil freaky?? That some are touch starved and will jump at the opportunity??? That some have rut cycles and will go "might as well"????
All I'm saying is, don't try this tactic if you're a coward.
Some alien, preferably much larger than I am, pushing my face against the window of his space ship while he uses me. Telling me to focus on how pretty the stars look as he’s pumping himself deeper and deeper into me
That's all I could think after she had come into my cell and cared for me. It's been over a dozen jailers since a single one of them has cared for me in the fullest. My scalp no longer burns and itches from dried skin and whatever insect was chewing on it.
My fingers feel lighter, my mouth feels fresh and my skin feels clean. Gods only know how long I've suffered missing the simplest things in life such as basic fucking hygiene.
She spoke on and on about how unacceptable my conditions are as she cleaned my cell and I up. I could feel her anger coming off of her in waves as she held my mouth opened and brushed my teeth.
I was honestly at a real loss for words with her. I told myself that I'd say something, anything when she came back... But the way she just took over everything, every word. I had no room to speak.
It was comical really, this bright human tittering about the cell of the blood fae like she's some common maid. I couldn't help but to laugh after she left. But then I remembered her singing, what god out there blessed her with such a voice!
Her simple humming slowly evolved into a beautiful song about life and love and I felt every word that she sang. I haven't felt this light since the days in my village. The song was just a folksy and as humble as the songs that were sung during harvests and festivals.
She doesn't belong here, not with such radiance. But she is my jailor now and for once, I don't want this one to go. As selfish as it seems, I'd rather her be my jailor for as long as possible.
~~~~~~~~
The Mage:
You keep wracking your brain on why you didn't want to leave. You didn't forget anything nor did you have to take his blood so nothing was amiss.
Every time you touched him you felt this odd connection and this great need to free him beyond your mission. You felt personally insulted by the state that he was in and you haven't the slightest idea why.
You had to fight whatever feelings you had just to complete your daily job and it was a lot more taxing than you could possibly imagine. You need to talk to your uncle about this since something seems off. Trade studies is optional according to the schedule so no better time than now to go see him.
Once you've made up your mind you set your path to the West Tower to get some answers, however, someone has other ideas.
"Mage Thaneswell, there you are," you hear a horrid and familiar voice ring out.
Doing your best to ignore it, you act the foolish bard and hum loudly so he'll assume that you're off in your own world. And for safe measures, you start to skip.
He calls out to you several more times before he finally catches up to you fully out of breath.
"Oh goodness, are you alright?" you ask with feign concern.
Estan holds himself up by your shoulder and he wheezes, "Fine, just fine. Didn't you hear me?"
"Oh no I didn't. I was practicing a new spell song and got totally wrapped up in it. Happens all the time, it's a focus thing," you smile and shrug.
"I see, interesting. But enough of that, I needed to talk to you about the alchemy class. I have a proposition for you and it'll help earn you higher marks," he wipes the sweat off his brow and hooks his arm around yours.
You mentally vomit.
"If it's anything extra, I'm afraid I can't," you pout.
"Really? May I ask what for?" he inquires with the utmost interest.
"Well you see, I've been commissioned to write fifty new spell songs and it's a big job that I cannot afford to say no to. Being that a noble commissioned me and all," you spin your tale, one you've crafted before so you know it'll land.
Estan hangs onto your words with a mix of awe and disbelief. This was another one of your spells that goes easily undetected and it hurt like hell to get.
Word weaving, the spell is activated with the tiniest bit of blood onto the rune that's been marked on the speaker's tongue. Only those in the Dirge sect have it and even though you'd be reprimanded for using it in this way, you really don't give a flying shit in this moment.
"And that's why I just can't. I hope you understand. I'd love for that extra credit but I also need the money if I'm going to have my own academy one day! It's my dream to expand the spells my order has to work with," you grin and clasp your hands together.
The creepy alchemist nods his head and pats your shoulder, "And a noble dream at that. I shan't keep you any longer than. I hope you rest well in between your spell song creations then. It must be taxing work."
"Thank you, I will. Good day to you Mr. Estan," you overly emphasis that last part till you notice the tiniest flicker of annoyance.
Picking up your kipping pace again you head towards the West Tower once more feeling like you climbed the smallest mountain.
One small feat at a time, you think to yourself.
You climb up the same path you took during the entry a couple days ago and locate your uncle's office.
Not a second after your first knock the door flings wide open to reveal the chaotic and disorganized jumbled mess of a mage's study.
"Come in, come in. Take a seat wherever you can," your uncle gleams as he ushers you inside.
The old dire wolf from last time has rolled up by your uncle this time, still asleep and still uncaring. You manage to pull a chair out from under a bridge of books and scrolls that are being held up by sheer dumb luck.
"How are you finding your studies here my dear niece?" he asks as he whisks his hand around and a tea tray flies to his desk.
"They're fine, the mages leading the classes are very nice and seem interested in teaching... Aside from Estan," you cringe.
Your uncle sighs and groans, "It's a wonder he's still allowed to be here. I'd say Cragsith is protecting that one, finds some use for him or another."
"Makes sense, he is a bit of a kiss ass," you grimace.
"Ah yes and Cragsith does like his ego to be stroked," your uncle add as he pours water into a kettle.
"But that's not why I'm here," you wave your hand and do your best to focus. "There's something up with the blood fae."
"Is this about the odd feelings you had when you were around him?" he asks, recalling the conversation you had last night.
"Yeah but there's more to it. When I drew his blood I wanted to vomit. Today when I was cleaning him up I was angry, beyond what I normally feel. I felt almost murderously pissed about his condition. But then when I was feeding him I felt fine, like..." you shrug and wave your hands about. "Like this is normal, I don't mind this, in fact I could do this everyday. There has to be some sort of weird curse or or-"
"There's no need to panic, I have an inkling of what this might be but there's someone I need to consult about it first before I give you the final verdict. After all, this could change everything," your uncle combs his long beard and twitches his nose.
You fidget nervously knowing that there's no point in pushing but you just want to know the "maybe" so you can prepare yourself.
"For now I think you need a spot of tea to calm those nerves. I can't tell you what I know just yet, not without verifying... However, if it is what I suspect, then you have nothing to worry about. What you're feeling is only the natural pull of what may or may not be," he vaguely reassures you.
Your uncle brews a strong spiced tea with brown sugar that seems to settle right into your bones. Though it does nothing to soothe your concerns, it does take quite the edge off your nerves.
"You remind me of your mother with how you try to hide things," your uncle starts. "You put on a very decent act but it must get exhausting. Try and remember, I am family even if we've only known each other for a short while. Even Hendrick wished for us to get to know one another better."
"You spoke to Hendrick?" you raised a brow.
He chuckles and opens a drawer where he takes out a small mirror," I speak to him on the daily. A rather nosey sort mind you, thinks of himself as your father... Though I suspect that's because he did practically raise you."
"That is true, especially about him being nosey," you shake your head trying to hide your smile.
"He's just worried about you is all. Common parental concern I suppose," He sighs and set the mirror aside. "He'll be taking a job for the King himself. A noble from the Western Empire went missing and showed up drained of blood, organs, and missing bones. The alchemists were caught and publicly executed to save face but this is essentially war."
"Fuck," you whisper as you scrub your face.
"Indeed," your uncle confirms. "I have who I have here looking into collecting enough intel to properly arrest as many alchemists as possible but that'll only go so far. We need to weaken the runes and release the blood fae."
"That's going to be hard with the token," you tell him about the token being used as an access card and how it's used to strengthen the runes and magic binding the fae.
"Fuck," he curses.
"Indeed," you mockingly confirm.
"Although there might be a way to just use it to open the door and not strengthen the runes. Though it's just an idea right now, it could work if I talk to the right person," you mention Thayer and his false fae blood that fed the tablet as well as your idea.
"Even still, we'd need to find away to syphon what magic the bonds already have since that tablet has been feeding it for decades," he adds.
You and your uncle go back and forth about what sneaky methods you could use to slowly destroy the bonds and how to strengthen the tablet but not the runes.
Eventually the time passed from your trade studies hour into your free time and nearly into dinner. Your uncle sends word to your dorm mother that you'll be dining with him.
The both of you spoke beyond magic and missions then. He told you everything he knew about your mother, your family, and his younger years. You talked about how Hendrick took you in, how you and Luan wrote to one another and about your days at your order's academy.
Dinner ended with the both of you laughing over your uncle recalling his youth and his student days at High Tower.
"So that's why Cragsith looks like a naked mole rat?" you laugh.
Your uncle coughs and nearly spits out his nightcap, "Ah! I've not even thought of that! I must remember to call him that the next time he crosses me!"
Suddenly a letter falls into your lap with your dorm mother's name stamped on it.
"Oh it looks like I've kept you too long. I should escort you back so she has someone to be upset with other than you," he offers until he hears a clanking sound.
You had turned the scroll sideways and a teleportation token fell out.
"Looks like I'm needed, right now," you grit your teeth and take a deep breath.
"Well it was lovely visiting with you. But here," your uncle hands you a small bottle. "It's a preventative, makes certain you won't lose your dinner."
You quickly chug it and say your goodbyes before reaching for the token. Once again, you're pulled through space, wisping around as if you're the needle going through fabric. You're pulled this way and that way, hot and cold, cold then hot. Then nothing right before you're slammed into a wall.
"There she is!" Ilta declares.
"A bit late aren't you?" Tarek adds.
"Oh come off it you two, this meeting was made last minute," Luan helps you off the wall and hands you a glass of water.
"Things are getting pretty fucking bad," Ruya groans. "The King is hiring every available mercenary from each Order."
"Over the noble from the Western Empire?" you ask.
"That's the only big ordeal that's been made public, but there's more. The Fae courts are threatening war over this as well," Luan scowls.
"Wait what?!" you cover your mouth realizing you nearly yelled that.
"Yeah, they're claiming that even though the blood fae that's here is considered a null he's not part of the courts but he's still a fae that is under the laws of the courts. Someone must have tipped them off about him being here. It's only going to be a matter of time before they demand his release," Ruya reads off her notes that she has stacked in her lap.
"A null?" Ilta asks.
"A fae who's magic does not align with any court and acts more like mage magic than fae or witchcraft. There's a small list of known null fae as they are a rarity and they're mostly males. They tend to prefer humans over their own kind and like to live quiet lives," Luan answers her and unrolls a scroll he's been holding.
"The Blood Fae born of the Summer Court was named null on his eighteenth year. He has no listed crimes against fae nor humans that was not justified by the powers that be. He has been held against his will and drained of magic, blood, and life. For each century he has endured, one life must be given if he is not released before the end of the winter season. All responsible for his suffering with be brought to justice, hiding will only delay the inevitable. Signed, High Queen Treasa," Luan read off the demands before crumpling up the scroll.
The room fell silent with everyone digesting the situation the kingdom is now in.
Tarek started pacing, coming his hands through his hair with visible panic while his sister was biting her nails.
"I'm doing what I can to free him, I've some plans in mind to weaken the magic on the bonds but it might take some time and careful planning. There's a merc working with the alchemists from the Discord sect who's been pulling arrest evidence for years now," you tell them. "We're so close, probably a lot closer than any group who's been hired to end this alchemy pandemic."
"We're just being rushed this time around," Ruya laughs.
"Yeah there's that," you chuckle, trying to lighten the mood.
"So what do we do in the meantime?" Tarek asks, crossing his arms as he leans against the wall.
"Cause a scene, but make it natural. It has to be built up, slowly and methodically," you start, as the idea unravels.
"Start talking, create rumors, stir the pot. Keep the topic alive. We'll start with the noble's death and once that starts to lose traction we'll slip in information about the queen's demands. Keep concerns about war high, add in some speculations, and if need be, forge letters and postage. There's multiple ways we can work this but the easiest is going to be to weaken the pull the alchemists here have," you look at everyone and they all seem to nod in agreeance.
Tarek and Ilta talk among themselves while Ruya and Luan approach you with concerns. Plans start to surface and everyone gets involved with how this should be done.
It'll start out like how most academy rumors did, at the dining rooms and in class. Let everything flow naturally but keep it alive by slipping in some "oh but I heard this" or "word on the street is..." then once it starts dropping off, that's when you'll mention the fae queen and the blood fae.
Everyone left feeling a bit more inspired it seemed, everyone but Luan.
"You used word weaving didn't you?" he assumes.
"No, but I did use a spell that's in the same family. Just to take the edge off for everyone, well everyone but you," you cross your arms and smile at him.
"It is a mystery why bardic spells have no effect on me," he shrugs and crosses the room to you.
"I heard bardic spells don't work on mages who have fae ancestry," you raise a brow at him.
Luan hums and takes your hands, "I doubt that that's true."
There had been something between you and Luan once, but it never went any further than either of you testing the waters and getting hurt. It was unintentional but it still happened so you swore to forget it and remain friends but you know he hasn't forgotten and that he wants to be more than just friends.
"It's getting late Lu," you smile at him and take your hands back.
"I suppose it is. Can I walk you to your dorm at least?" He offers his arm and you sigh as you accept it.
It's cold when you leave the meeting hall, a large building situated between the men's and women's dorms typically used for trade studies.
As Luan escorts you along, you feel someone's eyes upon you. Whispering you let Luan know. He weaves a spell of shadows that track the down the person watching you. When his shadows return they whisper Estan's name.
"Ugh not that fucker!" you whisper curse.
"Who is he?" Luan asks with concern.
"My alchemy teacher and my stalker," you crinkle your nose in disgust.
Luan leans down and whispers to you but ushers you on. You both ignore Estan and his prying eyes per Luan's instructions. He had to help a lot of noble ladies with stalkers in the past and most of them turned out to be alchemists.
"We'll do this a few more times until he becomes confrontational, at that point and depending on what he does, anything you do will be self defense," Luan mentions.
"Thanks, he's a bit of a creep," you laugh.
Once Luan finally gets you to your dorm you race to the showers. You put on one hell of an act for the sake of peace and friendship, but having him touch you felt super wrong. And it was just hand holding! You had hugged before, not having seen each other in such a long time but you didn't feel off then.
You scrub yourself down and rinse off this feeling of wrongness. You felt this when you met the blood fae, like something was horribly off when you weren't around him anymore. You hope your uncle can verify what he thinks he might know about this because it's driving you mad.
~~~~~~~~
The Blood Fae:
I had a dream for the first time in years. I was in a village, one that was similar to my own but much more decrepit. Children and the elderly sat in doorways coughing and crying. The only adult I could see was a young woman with her children, a boy and a girl. They were healthy compared to the others but just as scared.
I watched as this small family passed out food and blankets to those in need. The mother always offering hugs to the crying children while her own kids helped the elderly eat if they couldn't move well on their own.
The community made my heart ache with remembrance for my lost village until I saw the horror unfold.
The mother rushed to the edge of the village where a cart was pushing off bodies of children who were so ill they couldn't move once they were dumped. The woman cursed at the men in the cart and cast a spell at them that was aided by the powers that be. She had caused the men and the cart to disintegrate into dust.
Watching her, I went cold.
Such power and she chooses kindness.
She turns and looks my way but I'm not there nor is there anyone behind me. She walks right up to me and places a hand right between us.
"You'll be back here one day, I can feel it. You're just an observer right now, locked in a time you can't touch nor interact with. You feel us though, our emotions, our struggle... A favor then observer, don't forget us," the mother slowly walks away and my feet move to follow.
I am forced to watch for days as this village suffers even with the mother and her kids helping the elders and children. At night while her children sleep she digs graves for those who did not make it. At first light she's out in the fields picking medicinal herbs and berries.
Day after day it's like this until large group of swords and mages for hire arrive. I watch unable to do anything as they grab the all the children, the mother's kids as well and slaughter everyone else.
The mother fights tooth and nail but eventually is taken down by an arrow. Her children scream for her, but it's her daughter's voice that stands out the most. Her blood curdling scream brings down several people to their knees and those around her pass out.
A dirge, a spell song of agony that can happen naturally to those with magic in their blood.
She kept crying and screaming till a mage knocked her out. I felt violet rage then, like I wanted to rip the hand off the fucker who touched her.
Slowly then, the vision fades. Slowly and painfully, I wake up.
My blindfold is wet when I awaken and I feel a bone deep chill.
"You're shivering are you ok?" a familiar voice soothes me as I'm still slow to awaken.
It's the jailer, my jailer.
She's cleaning what little hair I have now and patting my head with a towel.
"Did some of the water drip into your blindfold, I'm so sorry. Give me a moment... I really shouldn't be doing this but I bet it's super uncomfortable for you to have this on all the time," she says as she starts to undo the blindfold.
I keep my eyes closed once it's off, I know my I'll need time to adjust. She gently presses a soft clothe against the corners of my eyes, her hands just barely brushing my skin.
Slowly I peel my eyes open as she pulls away. At first everything is blurry, I see outlines and colors but not much else. I blink a few times while she undoes my gag and I'm able to finally stretch my entire face for the first time in decades.
I keep blinking until things look clear. My jailer is behind me again, rubbing some sort of ointment into my scalp.
I try to find my voice but it's been so long since I've spoken I fear that anything I say might come out jumbled. I cough and try to speak but nothing comes out.
"It must be hard to have that gag on all the time, I'll start removing it first then so you have a little more freedom of movement. Oh I should probably tell you this before I forget but I'm another merc trying to free you," she casually mentions.
A mercenary? Her?
That can't be right. Maybe she's using a vague term for a mage for hire, that must be it. She seems too pure to work for blood and blade.
But it's good to know where her alignment is.
"I'm not sure if I should mention this or not, but the High Queen herself is expecting your freedom. She's sent out her demands to the king already," the jailor sighs before she starts on about the plague of alchemy in this kingdom.
I had not realized how truly long it's been nor how dismal things have become with magic. My stomach churns when she mentions the black market and back alley dealings for bodies to be used in alchemy. My mind is pulled to the wretched dream I had when she mentions that those who are used the most are children or the homeless.
"I know this sort of thing is pretty grim and all, but that's what the mercenary sects have been dealing with. The guards can only do so much and even the king himself can't go above the laws so he's kind of gone around them and hired anyone and everyone he can. I'm working for one of the high mages here, he wants you out and of course to wreak havoc on any alchemist as you see fit," She sighs and places a hand on my shoulder.
Her touch is gentle and sincere as she walks under and around the chains to sit right in front of me. Her eyes widen and her lips part before smiling.
"There you are," she beams, her smile like the sun I've surely forgotten.
I feel my heart stop and my blood feels as if it's flowing backwards and something in me settles so deep and so profoundly that it feels impossible under these circumstances.
When mating, some reptiles produce a sperm plug that prevents another male from breeding with a female. So, uh, please consider this happening when you mate with a dragon 👀
Every village needs a forbidden forest where the monsters with fangs, claws and wings lurk, looking to snatch up any unsuspecting traveler to drag back to their den/nest and ravishing them to the point said traveler refuses to return to the village, opting to stay with their beastly partner
