It had been 70,000 years since the tyranny of Lord Tieran had come to an end. But it wasn't an easy win.
It was the time of the fifth Dreamseed Planting, when Lord Tieran, ruler of the Night Fae, had attacked Elyria to prevent the reincarnation of the Light Faerie, Elyna. Ashera, the queen of the Water Fae, had battled Tieran for hours. She held off as best she could as her people guarded the Whisperwood where the new Faerie would be born. But the Night Fae were strong. The Water Faeries were overpowered and the Whisperwood was destroyed. When all was dire and lost, Ashera used what was left of her Spirit Root and sealed Tieran into the very mountain where they fought. And there he remained, until fate got bored.
~~~
"Lily?" Sirelle groaned as her head rolled back. She mumbled as her chest jumped with a hiccup.
"Yes, Mistress?" Lily popped her short, curly, brown, bobbed head around the corner. She sighed as she noticed her Mistress's red cheeks and droopy eyes.
"More wine," Sirelle slurred and hiccupped again. Lily looked down and saw several empty wine pitchers surrounding her.
"I'm afraid you've drunk it all," she dared to say.
"Then go get more," she whined.
"Mistress, I don't think-"
"Exactly!" she interjected, "You don't think," she burped, "You also don't care," she sniffed and pouted, "Winnnneeeeee," she cried.
Lily sighed as she began picking up the empty pitchers, "You were supposed to teach me about the ethereal books today," Sirelle was the guardian of the Tree of Life.
She grabbed Lily's forearm with skew eyes, pointing a slender finger at her, "Listen, little flower faerie, the ethereal books are way out of your league," she hiccupped and let go, "The ethereal books contain all the foretellings of our people," she picked up the pitcher nearest her and turned it upside down, before looking back to her young apprentice, "You should stick to the mortal books,"
"But Mistress,"
"No buts," her eyes suddenly teared, "but more wine,"
"Sometimes I wonder who the adult is," Lily said as she placed the last empty pitcher on her tray.
"What was that?"
"I'm off to the market," she smiled sweetly.
Sirelle smiled drunkenly as her head bobbed backwards. "Such a good faerie,"
Lily shook her head and walked away with the loaded tray. She walked down the wooden path towards the mansion, as her Mistress sang inaudible words. Lily placed the tray on a nearby table and looked up to the massive tree in the centre of the mansion. The Tree of Life. It held all the life stories of humans and fae alike. Their past, their present and their future. Lady Sirelle was the only one who could read the books, and she had been teaching Lily how to for the past 30 000 years. The mortals had always interested Lily. She loved to read how they grew, fell in love and lived a full life. But recently she had a burning desire to learn more. The ethereal books contained the lives of all the fae folk. From the lowliest of plants to the highest of their order, King Fjord. That meant that not anyone could read the ethereal books. They were hardly ever read. The fear was that if the books were removed, they could be stolen, and if they fell into the wrong hands, they could be altered. Lily sighed. Faint twinkling could be heard and the leaves shivered in the light breeze.
"Maybe tomorrow," she clicked her tongue. She walked past the tree and to the door, grabbing her coat on the way out.
~~~
The market was abuzz. Stalls were set up on either side of the street selling all kinds of things from spices to jewellery. Lily loved going to market. She loved the chaos. It often reminded her of the mortal realm. She and her Mistress used to go there often, but for the past couple hundred years they never went again.Â
She walked to a familiar wine shop and climbed the few steps to walk inside. The smell of fermented grapes surrounded her upon entry.
"Back again?" the store owner greeted her.
She smiled. "Just one crate this time. I'm trying to slowly wean Lady Sirelle from her addiction,"
"Why don't do that," the owner chuckled, "without her I'd be out of business. A loyal customer that one,"
"Perhaps it's because you are the only one who spikes the wine with pollen," A voice said behind her. She turned and the world seemed to quiet ever so slightly. Lord Evrin, the brother of Kind Fjord, stood at the doorway with a gentle smile on his face. His cyan blue eyes shined as he turned his attention to the owner, "I believe you have my order ready?" he asked.
"Yes, of course, my Lord," he gestured to the left, "seventeen crates of my finest wine,"
Evrin nodded as servants entered the store to collect the crates. He looked back to her, "Lily," he greeted with a slight nod.
"Lord Evrin," she bowed.
"Is your Mistress back at it again?" he asked as he stepped out of the way for the servants to walk past.
She nodded with a small smile, unable to keep eye contact.
He tilted his head, "Are you coming to the festival tomorrow?"
She shook her head
"Why not?"
"I don't want to bump into Lady Cyra," She managed to mumble.
"Ah, I see," Lily nodded with puffed cheeks. "Perhaps she has forgiven you,"
She looked up at him with big eyes, "You think Lady Cyra is capable of forgiveness?"
He chuckled, "I think it's alright to hold out for hope,"
A servant peeked into the shop, "Everything is loaded, my Lord,"
"I shall keep an eye out tomorrow," he said, "perhaps I will see you there,"
"Perhaps," she smiled. He nodded and turned to leave.
"Your crate, Lily," the owner placed a crate of wine on the counter, catching her attention. She moved to take it and dropped several gems into the owner's hand.
~~~
"Lily," Sirelle said as she played with her wine glass, rolling it back and forth on the table. She and Lily were sitting by the table in the garden under the night sky.
"Yes, Mistress," she looked up from the book she was reading.
"I'm leaving tomorrow,"
"Leaving?"
"Mm," she hummed, "There's some things I need to do," her sleepy eyes made their way to Lily's face.
"But, who will look after the Tree?" Lily asked softly.
Sirelle smiled, "Are you not my apprentice?"
"Well, yes, but-,"
"Mmm," she shook her head, "remember, no buts,"
Lily's shoulders dropped. It wasn't unusual for Lady Sirelle to disappear, but each time she did, Lily wondered if she would ever return.
"How long will you be gone?"
"I don't know," Sirelle slowly lowered her head, resting on her arms as a low snore escaped her lips. Lily sighed and picked up a blanket nearby to drape over her mistress's shoulders. She then cleaned up the table by placing the pitcher and wine glass on a tray, and stood to take it away.
The night was quiet and the gentle crick of the insects could be heard from every corner of the mansion. Lily was about to leave and head to her room when suddenly the wind picked up, blowing the fallen leaves across the floor. She turned to look up at the tree and lightning struck the air. Thunder rumbled and the tree groaned with each passing of the wind. The ground rumbled as though it came alive and the leaves on the tree shook violently before they began swirling to the ground and towards her.
"Mistress!" Lily yelled as she hid her face behind her arm, the leaves smacking against her body. They swirled around her faster and faster, and the world around her began to dim. It was as though all the light was being sucked from the room.
In the centre of the tree a bright circle formed and from it a book emerged. Lily carefully made her way to the tree and retrieved the book. The wind continued to howl around her. She opened the book and watched as words began to form.
The Lord of the Night shall be freed
Returning the once promised seed
From the earth the darkness will bleed
Taking with it, all hate and greed
But one will rise and with light plead
To end all suffering and loss and weep
The book glowed and disappeared from her hands, and the air quietened. She looked up at the tree and frowned. A prophecy? Was there to be a trial and tribulation? But it couldn't be. The Dreamfest Procession wasn't to happen for another century. Maybe her Mistress would know more.
She ran out of the mansion to where her Mistress was sleeping, but she was no longer there. Perhaps she had gone to bed. Lily hastily made her way back to the mansion and up the stairs to Sirelle's room and burst through the doors, but her Mistress was not there either.
"Mistress!" she yelled and ran from room to room, calling out for her. She ran outside again and wandered around the mansion and through the gardens, but she was still nowhere to be found. Lily huffed. She must have left already.