Haley Thistle
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Kerwyn the Fae (rough draft)
🕑 Added 2023-05-20 20:00:04 +0000 UTCThere was a castle north of your village perched upon the rockiest cliff of the mountain. It had been there as long as you could remember, as long as anyone could remember really. It sat up there as a decaying statue. No one had been in or out in decades, only birds flew back and forth, and only thorns grew around it.
“Stop staring! We’ve got chores to do!” Your sister snapped at you.
“Right,” you gasped. You followed along after her, taking one last glance at the castle over your shoulder.
You couldn’t tell you had been bed ridden only a month ago. Sometimes your bones ached from the long rest, but it was a miracle you were moving at all. No one wanted to speak of what brought you there, they said it would be too traumatic for you. And yet, here you were, running errands for the family, doing your chores, and going about like nothing had happened. Which you understood is exactly what you family wanted.
“You would think you had enough of dreaming,” you sister scoffed as you picked out vegetables in the market.
“Who said anything about dreaming? I was looking. Don’t you look at things?” You snapped.
Your sister gave you the eye and went back to inspecting the cabbages. “That castle should be none of your concern. It’s not something us mortals need to worry about.”
“You don’t find it fascinating then?” You asked.
“No, I don’t. It’s a decaying house on a decaying hill.” She didn’t even look at you that time, instead she picked out a cabbage and moved on.
You sighed and shook your head. There were gaps in your memory, so you had to rely on your family, your sister especially, for a lot. Despite being the eldest child you were treated as the youngest now, almost like an invalid.
You were going towards the bakery on your sister’s command when you spotted a magpie upon the store sign. It was looking at you, not just in that ‘i’m a tiny animal inspecting the predator’ sort of way. But more like it was looking at you. This magpie had particularly bright, golden eyes and a very long tail that seemed to be missing a feather, or had a bald patch.
The magpie hopped across the sign, still looking at you.
“Good morning,” you said to it. “If I get a particularly crusty loaf, I’ll try to give you a piece.”
The magpie fluffed up then fluttered out it’s wings. “Wock, wock,” it called out.
You smiled, giggling to yourself. “I’ll be right back, I promise.” You started to go into the store when you think you hear someone calling your name. You turn around, but no one is there expect the magpie.
When you leave the store, you see the magpie sitting in the window, watching you wet again. “How curious,” you murmured to yourself.
You walked outside and presented the magpie with a roll. “The shopkeep gave me this, so I can share a bit with you if you’d like.”
The magpie opened it’s beak and said your name.
You stared, perturbed now that it was looking and speaking at you.
“I beg your pardon?” You whispered to the bird. “Do you know me somehow?”
The magpie hopped across the windowsill. “My lady, we’ve been looking for you! Everywhere1 Up and down! All over the mountain!”
You opened your mouth and shut it. You looked to the roll then back at that magpie. You knew you had somehow hit your head, but you didn’t realize how hard until a bird began speaking to you.
“I’m not sure what’s happening,” you said with an uncertain laugh.
“You don’t recognize me! I thought you did when you offered me a crust!” The magpie fluttered and rolled, acting dramatic for the sake of being dramatic.
“I don’t know any birds!” You hissed with a soft voice. “People are coming!”
The magpie flew at you and perched himself on your shoulder. “My lady, it is I, Penry! Do you really not remember me?”
The name rang a cheerful pleasant bell in the back of your mind, but it did not conjure up anything else. You looked around, ducking away when you saw your sister coming from down the street. You hid, going down a small alley where you sat in a doorway.
“I’m sorry, but I’m afraid-”
Penry fluttered his feathers and jumped down from your shoulder to the cobblestones below where he began pacing. “Oh this can’t be happening! They really took your memory too! Cruel! Cruel!”
A painful flash of light coursed through your brain. It felt like a jab from a pin and twice as bright as the sun. You flinched and covered your face with your hands.
“We need you home! Your husband-” Penry said the word and no sooner than he did did you feel sick and weak to your stomach. You doubled over, hugging your body tight in your arms. Your mind was fighting itself, fighting the rest of your body to prove itself and what it knew. There were glimmers of eyes and faces, voices that surrounded you. You sat up with a breath and stood, stumbling toward the end of the alley where you retched.
“My lady! Are you alright? Oh goodness what have they done to you?” You sat on your back, tapping comfortingly up and down your shoulders.
“Enough Penry,” you said in a strange voice. You then grew confused and shoo your head. “I’ve been sick for a long time. I’m still recovering.”
“You’re sick because they made you sick!” Penry flew before you as you started walking along the backs of the shops.
“I fell and made myself sick,” you huffed.
“No! The Marbre did this to you! They found out about you and Kerwyn eloping and-”
You halted the bird by hold out your hand and he rested upon your finger. Your breath shuddered and came out white as if the air was cold. “I know that name,” you murmured.
“That’s the name of your husband! My lady!”
“Penry stop-” You had to lean against the wall again as a wave of nausea and pain took over again.
“The Mabre took you and the master apart,” Penry said, catching on to what was happening to you. “They chained him, forced him into hibernation. And you, oh, my poor lady, they tried to take everything the master had given.”
There was a hand before me, a grasping, clawing hand with a face int he center. I shook my head, looking back to Penry.
Penry golden eyes were filled with concern. “Me and the Conventicle have been looking all over the mountain for you!”
“This is my home, where else would I be?”
“No! It’s not!” Penry flew up further and pointed to the castle on the hill. “That is your home! The Mabre hid you here.”
You stared up towards the castle with tears flooding to your eyes. You shook your head and ducked it down low. “No! That castle has been empty for decades.”
Penry came back close to you and sat on your shoulder. “Months! And the master is inside! He needs you!” He bounced to give you a reassuring pat. “Think my lady, is this really your home? Is this really where you belong?”
The tears stung your eyes as you tried to think. “I’m not sure.”
Penry grew still and nuzzled up against you. His feathers were soft and slick, his small head against your cheek was a welcomed push. You smiled, leaning your cheek into him and taking a deep breath.
“Penry will be your closest confidant while you are here. He will guide you, send your letters, and help you tend to anything you desire. I trust you two will be the closest of friends.” The voice in your head was clear as a bell, deep, and you knew it well. But how?
“My lady, I know this must be a lot to take in. But I promise you, I speak the truth and only the truth to you. I wouldn’t want any more harm to befall you than it already has.” He shuffled along your shoulder then down your arm to the cobblestones again.
“I want to believe you, but it feels like there has been a battle in my brain since we met. I need to lie down.” You started walking, heading home with Penry close behind.
You went to bed as soon as you made it home, letting Penry in through the window before you laid upon your bed.
“The Mabre are trying to keep you two apart. If it was working you wouldn’t be going through any of this,” Penry said softly as he settled next to you on your pillow. “You love Kerwyn, that’s why you’re fighting it.”
Pain surged through your eyes and you closed them. “Ever since you spoke to me it’s felt like my mind is fighting my whole body.”
“That’s the Mabre curse.” Penry waved his wings to fan you. “I’m sorry my presence is causing you harm, my lady. Rest now, I’ll watch over you in case they come back to renew the curse.”
Your brow pinched and you peeked an eye open to look at him. “Renew it?”
Penry nodded. “That’s the only way they can keep you away. If you’re fighting it then you’re stronger than they are.”
You closed your eyes again. “My head is killing me. I’m not even sure I heard that correctly.”
“Then rest, my lady. I’ll keep guard like always.”
You drifted to sleep, waking to a soft touch upon your cheek. You smiled, taking hold of the thumb of the massive hand that touched you.
“Darling, I was sleeping,” you chuckled.
“I couldn’t help it,” a deep voice whispered. “You were so beautiful.”
“Did no one teach you that you could look and not touch?” You rolled over into the large body beside you, one that was easily three times your size.
He chuckled and held you close. “It is time to get up though.”
You kissed the center of that great palm. “I suppose you are correct, my dearest.” You then stood up from bed and were faced with a long hallway. The bedroom was gone, the warm sunlight had vanished. There was only candlelight now, a weak light at that.
You walked down the hallway, seeing signs of feathers and vines. The further you went, the more overgrown the hall became. A door opened and you wandered into a dining hall. The walls were covered by vines and thorns and magpies were trapped inside them. The vines crawled towards the center of the room where, laying upon the great table, was an even greater figure. Long white hair spilled down from the table, becoming tangled and coiled above the thorny vines.
Your breath came out in white puffs as the room grew colder and colder the closer you got to the table. The magpies began screaming, and you turned around to see the hand with a face coming towards you.
The screaming grew louder and you sat up in your bed, seeing Penry attacking your sister. She swatted and screamed at him, throwing her hand out where you saw a face upon it.
“Get out now, my lady!” Penry cried at you as he fought. “I’ll keep her at bay!”
You went to run, but instead you grabbed the heavy vase under the window and struck what you thought was your sister upside the head. When she fell you and Penry rushed from the room and you used a curtain rod to block the door.
“My lady, are you alright?” Penry asked.
“You’re the one who was fighting!” You rushed down the hall and slid down the banister of the stares, rushing from the house while there was yelling and shouting behind you. You ran and ran, heading into the woods where you followed a path hidden by leaves and overgrowth.
“My lady! Do you remember anything?” Penry cheered in excitement.
“I don’t know how to answer that Penry!” You slid down a hill, coming to a stop at the bottom where a rope bridge connected the village to the cliffs. You stared across, your heart racing wildly in your chest.
You then shook your head. “I can’t…I don’t know if I can cross this.”
Penry flew ahead and landed on the bridge. “You have to, my lady! They’ll be here soon.”
You took a deep breath, stepping onto the bridge and feeling needles in your feet. The pain was indescribable, but the further you went, the less it ached, the more the pain pulled away and finally it was gone. You raced the rest of the way across the bridge, breaking free of the invisible chains the Marbe put upon you.
“That is it, my lady!” Penry cheered in triumph.
More magpie were collecting along the mountain, and in the distance you could see then darkening the horizon as they returned home.
“What happened to the bridge he built?” You breathed in as the fight inside you began to dull.
Penry flew ahead of you while other magpies flew at your back. “They knocked it down, destroyed it like they did most of everything else. When they found you two together, they went mad.”
“I’m not surprised. He said they would. His family-” You felt dizzy and some magpies flew up to hold you aloft.
“We’re not far now, my lady!”
“You’ve got this, my lady!” The magpies spoke encouragingly to you.
You scaled the mountain, going up the rough terrain of the mountain with nothing more than your own cunning and a bunch of birds. It was night by the time you got to the front of the palace, and even then the entrances were covered with thorny vines.
You sat down outside to catch your breath. You were filthy and sore all over, your hands ached, your feet felt split, your hair was tangled and ratted. You sat there breathing, your mind still trying to fight your body at every turn.
Penry hopped towards you. “My lady, we can’t get inside.”
“I know. I know.” You sniffled and wiped at your face. “The vines.” You looked up at the castle wall and the vines seemed to be smiling at you with a smug assurance. You looked away and swallowed. “I need something to cut them down.”
“Scissors!” A magpie yelled. “Our lady needs her scissors!”
You furrowed your brow at Penry, looking up tot he sky as magpies came down like rain from the horizon. One little magpie flew forward, carrying what looked like a sewing basket in their talons.
“Some of us were able to escape with your things and have been keeping them in hiding for you.” Penry said as the basket dropped into your hands.
Inside was a regular sewing kit, nothing worth noting until you saw the golden scissors inside. “But this is just sewing shears.” You said as you pulled out the tiny scissors. “I cannot cut anything with these but thread!”
“Kerwyn gave you those, my lady!” Penry assured you. “Use them, go ahead!”
You stood up walking towards the front of the castle with the golden shears in hand. You began taking the blades to the vines and sure enough, they snipped right through the woody tendrils. You cut and snipped and hacked through, finally finding the great doors which opened at your touch. The magpie flew inside ahead of you, knocking away the dust and debris from inside.
You stepped inside, feeling a warm embrace wrap around you.
“My darling! You’re home!” That deep voice said into your ear.
“I was just out picking berries!” A past version of you laughed as the giant man spun you into the air.
You raced down the hallway, following the magpies. The thors had more magpies trapped inside them, all of them asleep and waiting to be woken.
The magpies stopped at the end of the hall, and Penry came to your shoulder. “We can go further than this, my lady. Only you can go here.”
“I know.” You walked ahead, going down the hallway covered in vines. Doors opened at the end and you saw the great table stretched out in the center of the room. He laid there upon the table top, his long white hair tangled into the vines.
You breathed and white steam came from your lips. “Kerwyn,” you whispered. The vines recoiled and hissed at the name.
You walked in further, using a chair to climb upon the table. You stood over him for a moment, kneeling down to push away the feathers and leaves from his handsome, strong face. You touched his cheek and tears came to your eyes, splashing upon his pale skin.
“I haven’t seen those green eyes in so long,” you whispered. “But I have dreamed about them many times.” You sniffled and tried to catch your breath. “I look horrible, my love. I’ll be such a sight when you wake.” You bent down, kissing him softly, lovingly. The cold around you began to warm, and the vines pulled away. Magpies flew from the wall, flying around the room and circling above you.
Sunlight poured into the room and Kerwyn’s hand raised and cupped your cheek. His eyes opened, as bright and green as the forest outside. He smiled, revealing those golden fangs behind his lips.
“Darling, I was sleeping,” he laughed.
You laughed as tears streamed down your face. “I couldn’t help it. You were so beautiful.”
Keywyn sat up, cupping your face between his large hands. He looked at you with wonder as the magpies began to sing. “Did no one teach you that you could look and not touch?”
You shuddered, leaning into his embrace and holding your hands around his wrist. “It is time to get up though.”
Kerwyn grabbed you in a strong, hard embrace. The pain was gone, the fight was over inside you. As he held you the world melted away to what it was. No decay, no thorns, no ruin of any sort. The Mabre, Kerwyn’s family, and their influence was shaken from the dawn and the castle all at once.
“Master!” Penry flew into the room and perched upon Kerwyn’s shoulder. “Is it really you now? Are you truly back?”
Kerwyn would no sooner let go of you than anything. “Yes, I am here again, Penry.” He turned and smiled at the bird. “You found her! Good lad!”
Penry preened with pride. “Well, sir, she did most of the hard work.”
Kerwyn turned back to you, imposing figure that he was, he was as soft and helpless as a kitten in that moment. “I know.” He smoothed his thumb under your eye. “I knew she would come back.”
“I’m sorry it too so long,” you wept.
Kerwyn shook his head and kissed your forehead. “I know what they did to you, my love. I won’t let them do it again.” he picked you up from the table and carried you towards the open windows of the dining hall. The sky was bright pink and lilac as the sun rose over the mountain.
“Never again,” he whispered.
