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Fraeya

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Her lungs burned and her legs ached. Even though it was cool, sweat still slid down her face, plastering blonde wisps of hair to skin. She just had to get to the line. But it was still far. Too far.

For the millionth time she wished she was fae. Then she’d be faster. So much faster. Less...breakable

The mists rose like wraiths from the dark woods she ran through. She didn’t dare look back. Couldn’t afford even that second. There was a chill on her heels and she knew they were that much closer.

Branches snagged at her clothes. Her skin. There was a measure of protection for her in the autumn court but here? Here she would not be protected.
 
This was... interesting.

Isiell couldn't resist, at times, loitering near the Winter Court. She hadn't really been banned--she'd left before they could actually do that, but it had been coming--but she was certainly not welcomed. So she just strayed near the border, at times, when she wanted to see how her few friends were faring. And to taunt her parents, to some extent.

But this... she what was the little frail human that Ariel had taken an interest in at that masquerade doing here?

Something was after her, but Isiell didn't know what yet.

She watched quietly for a few more moments, debating if she should intervene, but ultimately decided that it would be a shame if Ariel were to come across this human's corpse in the woods around the Winter Court.

So Isiell stepped into Fraeya's path, and waited for the human to draw closer.
 
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She blinked as the one from the autumn ball stepped from the wood. The one that was Ariel's companion. The one that had disappeared into the booth with Prince Lorcan. But this time Fraeya wasn't scared of her because there was something far worse behind. Something that didn't care if you were human, fae, or whatever. Something even more ancient than the fae.

Her breath came in ragged gasps.

'RUN,' she mouthed not slowing as she ran at Isiell.

RUN RUN RUN!

But it was too late. There was a sudden icy wind and a dark cloud that expanded from behind Fraeya swallowing up the very wood.
 
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Fraeya didn't slow, continuing to run toward Isiell, and Isiell just barely caught the word that the mortal mouthed.

What could be chasing the girl that made her give warning even to a Duannan?

As soon as Fraeya was within reach, Isiell reached out and grabbed the girl's arm, yanking her into the cover of the woods. The fae threw up a hand. Other than fire, she had an affinity for air, and she blunted force of the cold wind before it hit them with its full-strength. As the dark cloud followed in its wake, Isiell hissed in the mortal's ear.

"Just what have you annoyed this time?"
 
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She nearly collapsed as Isiell pulled her down. Oxygen, she needed more oxygen. Heart clamored in her chest like a frantic wren in a cage. The magic wouldn't save them. Not what they were about to endure.

"Why," she gulped, panting down more air, "is.....it............that I've annoy-......ed it?"

Lime-green eyes looked to Isiell's perfect face. Even enraged this fae female was perfect. Perfect.

"It's a bogut. It's...too late. Close your damned eyes and cover your ears." They would have to endure it. The boguts were such a dark and ancient force, no, creature. It would beg them to look. To look at it. To use their greatest fears or desires to open their eyes. Just one look at it. But Fraeya knew to look was death. Their only hope was that it would grow bored eventually and pass on.
 
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"That's always what you mortals do," Isiell sneered as Fraeya continued to catch her breath. "You disturb something and then claim it's dangerous when it responds. Hence, you've annoyed it, but don't want to own up to your actions or their consequences."

The girl was terrified, though, but not of Isiell, and that... annoyed her. Isiell, however, for all her love of chaos, was not about to ignore actual, imminent danger.

She wasn't sure what a bogut was, but if it used sight and sound against you... well, that would be bothersome.

With a flick of her wrist, Isiell created a bubble of air around them, and all sound from the forest faded away, until only their breathing and their heartbeats were audible. Whether it would hold or not, Isiell didn't know. If this bogut had a way to speak directly into their minds and not just with words, this bubble would be useless.

"What, exactly, is a bogut?" Isiell demanded, her eyes narrowing as she watched Fraeya, not daring to move her gaze away. There was not long until it was upon them, and the girl needed to speak quickly.
 
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Even with her eyes closed she could feel Isiell’s gaze keyed in on her like some focus and vengeful hornets. She didn’t open her eyes. Not at the accusations about being mortal and how everything was a mortal’s fault.

Typical fae.

Not at the sudden quiet around them as she guessed Isiell used her air magic. Some said Fraeya’s gift of music was like magic. Like music or song would help in a situation like this. Pffft. Oh to have REAL magic. A pang of jealously and longing flickered through her fear.

“A creature of darkness who will worm into your head. Use your darkest fears to get you to look at it. It roams quickly so we might MIGHT just have a chance. I meant it when I said to keep your damned eyes closed. No matter what you hear.”

Fraeya pressed her forehead to the ground, curling into a right ball. Bracing herself and not caring if Isiell disapproved of the actions.
 
The darkness was thickening outside Isiell's bubble of air, but no sound was penetrating it yet. She arched a brow as Fraeya pressed herself to the earth, but followed the girl's instruction and closed her eyes.

"Does it use magic to get into your mind?" she asked. "Or does it speak like a normal creature?"

Quickly, Isiell went over what she'd observed so far--not much--and what Fraeya had said about the bogut. It played tricks on your mind, but that was something Isiell specialized in, though her heart clenched a little at the thought of what her darkest fears might reveal themselves to be. It seemed to have some power over the air, though Isiell should prove a match in that area. There was that cold, though... bone chilling, even for her.

"Is it susceptible to fire?" she asked a few moments later, eyes still closed.
 
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"I don't know," she stammered, "I..," but suddenly, any awareness of Isiell was gone. She stood alone in a spring clearing. Bright, green grasses and flowers sprung up from the gently rolling hillside. The smells, everything was so...real. Looking to her left, she saw a small lake and a fae couple happily sitting at the shore, a babe held in one's arms.

Somehow Fraeya knew it was her.

Shadows slithered along the grass toward the unsuspecting couple.

Open your eyes girl. Open them.

A voice slithered into her mind like oil.

You can save them. Open them. For me. For them. Presciousssssss girl. Open your eyes.

"No," Fraeya whimpered and rocked back in forth on the ground next to Isiell.
 
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Isiell felt the bogut come upon them. Fraeya's voice cut off suddenly, and a slimy presence tried to force its way into her own mind. With a twitch of her fingers, she reinforced the bubble of air around her and the human, to at least protect them from the chill she felt trying to break through her magic.

Cautiously, Isiell reached out with her own mind. Where fear was present, chaos always was, and she wanted to check the strength of this... bogut.

"No," Fraeya whimpered and rocked back in forth on the ground next to Isiell.

Isiell knew it wasn't directed at her, but it still made her pause for a moment. She wouldn't be able to resist the bogut's mental presence for terribly long, but Fraeya would not have any defenses at all. Even if the girl had disturbed and annoyed this beast somehow, it was clear that whatever it had shoved into Fraeya's mind was distressing.

Carefully, her eyes still closed, Isiell knelt down beside Fraeya, and reached for the girl's hand. She didn't know if the mortal would be able to feel it, but she tried.

Then Isiell reached out again, to where she felt the bogut prodding and prying, almost as if from the inside of her own skull. She nearly shuddered, but let down her defenses.

Suddenly, she was back in the family manor in Underhill. It was gaudy and decadent, marble and velvet everywhere with not a speck of dust or drape of a curtain was out of place, and she knew she was in her mother's study.

Her mother's face filled her vision as Isielle thrown into a chair and held there by the guard who had... successfully intercepted her escape. Isielle's face was smeared with dirt and a lip was split and bloodied.

"Oh dear, this was hardly necessary," her mother cooed quietly, snagging Isielle's chin between her thumb and forefinger, forcefully twisting her face up to examine her daughter's lip.

"You said to bring her back by any means necessary, madam," the guard said from behind Isielle. "She fought quite vehemently."

When is this? Isiell thought, trying to wrest control of her mind back, even just a little. It had elements of things that had actually happened, but she couldn't... pinpoint the actual incident.

Isielle's mother clicked her tongue annoyedly, her hand falling away from Isielle's chin as she grimaced.

"You've gone too far this time, Isielle," her mother chided, then she turned and called out the door. "Bring him in!"

Him? Isiell's heart pounded and her breath stuttered for a moment. Oh no. No no no. Not him.

Ariel. Her only friend. The one who never told her to fall in line. Who only ever, at times, rolled his eyes at her antics, and always offered her a place to hide when the guards were called out.

Open your eyes, the bogut whispered into her thoughts. Save yourself. Save him. Just open your eyes.

Her hands clenched, and she started at the feel of a warm pulse under her palm.

"It's not real," she whispered quietly. "Not real. It's not real, and I'm already safe, and Ariel is safe."

Isiell clenched her eyes shut.
 
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For a moment, Fraeya felt a pressure on her hand. Something that didn't make her flinch. A lifeline. A lifeline in this nightmare that she was slowly drowning in.

The shadows extended toward the couple. The bright day turned suddenly dark. There were flashes of magic as blood splattered upon the green grasses. Flashes of weapons and the smelly tang of iron. The baby was on the ground, crying. Small figures darted out, driving the shadows away. Small figures of an army.

Fraeya was crying. The moisture of tears sliding down her skin even as the voices prodded in her mind to open her eyes.

Open them.

Fraeya entwined her fingers around Isiell's and squeezed, clamping down. Clamping down like she'd suddenly be ripped away. Even as the vision began to fade. As the voice in her head began to draw away. As the cold around them suddenly eased and that bogut drew away. Like a leaf, continuing on where the wind blew it.
 
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"Not real!" Isiell hissed to herself again. You're in a forest, near the Winter Court. With a human. Ariel isn't here, not right now. This is just a trick. A trap!

She pushed back with her mind against the bogut, following the chaotic mess of its thoughts and intentions. For a moment, than in itself almost ensnared her.

She lived for chaos, for the way its special energy slipped under her skin and made her feel alive. The bogut was full of it, but just as she almost gave in, warmth wrapped around her fingers and held on tight.

Fraeya.

A moment later, the air began to warm again.

Isiell squeezed Fraeya's hand back as the bogut's presence began to slip away.

"Is it safe?" she asked a few minutes later.
 
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Fraeya gasped as if she'd had her head held beneath the water and could suddenly breath again. She crumbled to the cold ground, her body and mind...exhausted. She didn't feel it anymore. And that voice was long gone. Still, she didn't open her eyes, not yet. Or wipe the path tears had carved down her cheeks.

She didn't want Isiell, or any fae, to see her like this. Not when they thought her so weak already. But...but...she was too damned tired to care. Too emotionally, mentally, and physically exhausted. She found herself holding to Isiell's hand moments longer than she ever thought she would until it was as if that strength left her as well.

"Yes," she croaked, finally answering the chaos fury's question. And finally, finally slowly cracking her pale green eyes open.
 
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Isiell felt Fraeya collapse to the ground beside her, and while her senses extended a little further than the human's, and she could still feel some distant echoing chaos that the bogut left in its wake, she waited till Fraeya said that it was safe before she opened her eyes.

She didn't look at Fraeya right away, but simply settled cross-legged on the ground beside her, and while her grip loosened, she didn't pull her hand away.

She could still feel the guard's hands on her shoulders, holding her down in the chair in her mother's study, and feel her horror as she heard Ariel's ever cheerful voice outside the door, not knowing why he was being called inside.

Isiell glanced away, unseeing, into the depths of the forest. While no tears fell, her eyes shined brightly and her face was flushed.

"Why are you out here?" Isiell asked at last, desperate to break the ensuing silence.
 
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Fraeya slowly uncurled from her position on her side and flopped over onto her back. Still panting slightly. Eyes stared past Isiell’s face up to the cold, crisp skies above. Through those gnarled and tangled dark branches.

Her face tilted to the side, finally wiping away the moisture on her cheeks on the fabric of her shirt. “Delun had a job for me,” she finally admitted. Eyes shifted away from the sky to Isiell.

“Could ask the same of you.”

A few breaths of quiet. Fingers flexed at her sides.

“What did you see?” A quiet and tentative ask.
 
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"Did that job involve irritating this bogut?" Isiell retorted, then she stretched out her legs with a sigh, leaning her head back.

She shrugged when Fraeya asked why she was there. "Sometimes I get homesick," she said simply. "I may have made the choice to leave... but it was because staying wasn't an option anymore."

Isiell raised a hand and flicked her fingers, bringing that insulating bubble of air around them again. Humans were fragile, she remembered, especially after something upsetting. Fraeya was Delun's pet, and she wouldn't be accused of bringing harm to the girl.

“What did you see?” A quiet and tentative ask.

Isiell snorted quietly, but was quiet for a few minutes.

She didn't have to say anything to this little snip of a human. But her boldness at the masquerade had caught her eye, not to mention that Ariel had a soft spot for her... and maybe, just maybe, she needed more than one friend.

Isiell took a deep breath, and then let out a long sigh.

"My mother," she said at last. "Threatening Ariel, if I didn't fall in line. It was... I think, it was what I feared most, if I hadn't been able to escape to the Dawn Court."

Isiell twisted, and looked back at Fraeya where she was flopped on the ground. "What did you see?"
 
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Fraeya didn't think she’d respond. Well, she expected something sarcastic. Not a truth. So Isiell and Ariel were close. She’d expected as much when she’d seen them together at the ball.

The ball.

Another shiver rent brought her, unrelated to the air around them. Fingers tugged at the scarf around her neck, the fabric that covered most of the mark the Erlking had given her for their bargain.

One he still hadn’t come to collect on. A part of her hoped he would forget entirely. Not a larger part of her knew he wouldn’t and when she least expected it, he would come.

She listened quietly and remained quiet a few moments longer after Isiell finished. She knew fae were cruel and often cruel to their own kind. Ironically, it wasn’t much different than how humans treated each other. As she’d witnessed on occasion when she’d travel with Delun.

She pushed herself slowly from the ground, raising to a seated position. Arms encircling around bent and raised knees. Chin rested atop them.

“I think it was with the fae who stole me as a baby. They were murdered and I was too young to remember them. I think it was…showing me parts of that memory.” Fraeya was a changling. Head shook. Boguts always wove reality with nightmares. Always hard to tell what might be real and what they made up.

Regardless, she felt like all of her energy had been drained. “So how did you escape from where you didn't want to be?”
 
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Isiell's eyes fell to where Fraeya's hands messed wit her scarf. She'd only caught the barest glimpse of the mark left by her bargain with Midir, but clearly its existence distressed her. She didn't say anything about it, for now, though, and listened as Fraeya spoke of what the bogut taunted her with.

"Some say humans store everything they've ever seen in their heads," Isiell said, looking curiously at Fraeya when she spoke of being too young to remember. "Even if they can't recall it at a whim. Maybe there's more truth in what you saw than you realize."

This moment, despite the bogut's invasion of both their minds, almost made her smile. It reminded her of days spent running away from Underhill with Ariel, and wandering the woods outside of the underground city.

"I ran away," she said to Fraeya's question. "When my parents finally asked something of me that I simply couldn't bend to... I left. Headed straight for the nearest Dawn Court fae, and asked to join them. Some in the Winter Court who were utterly tired of my shenanigans had given me names, so I knew who to seek out."

She took a deep breath and shrugged, ignoring the little pangs of homesickness in her heart. "There are things... people... who I miss. But I'm relieved that I don't have to try and fit into my family's expectations anymore."

Isiell turned onto her side, stretching out and propped up on an elbow, to face Fraeya.

"Don't you get tired of it?" she asked. "Being a powerless puppet among the fae?"
 
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Fraeya had to wonder what they’d asked Isiell to do. The one thing she wouldn't bend for. She wondered if they’d wanted her to marry someone. High fae liked arranging matches. Especially if magic in bloodlines was involved.

A quick blink at Isiell’s last question. A slight bristling and tightening of her shoulders. “Do you think that’s what I am? What you see me as? Just a thing on strings to be pulled and played with?”
 
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A spark appeared in Isiell's eye, and the corners of her mouth twisted up sharply. Perhaps cruelly, depending on the observer. She saw Fraeya blink, saw her shoulders tense, heard the biting tone of her words.

With her free hand, Isiell reached over and tucked a loose strand of hair behind Fraeya's ear, then trailed the back of her fingers over the human's jaw and down her neck, lingering over the scarf coiled around her neck to hide the Erlking's mark.

"I'll tell you a secret," she purred, letting her fingers linger long enough that Fraeya would feel the heat of her flesh through the scarf. "Everything--everyone--has strings that can be pulled and played. It's why the Winter Court hated me. Most fae just save their tricks for the beings they deem lesser.

"But me? I turn fae tricks on the fae. Make them dance to their own rules. They hate it."

Isiell giggled then, and brought her hand back up to cup Fraeya's face.

"Even I have strings," she said. "It's why I had to run away. To cut them, though cutting all of them wasn't possible. Not if I wanted friends. Even chaos cannot be accomplished alone."

She sat up then, scooting close to Fraeya, bringing her face close enough that the human would feel Isiell's breath against her lips.

"But don't you want to not be powerless? It's possible, you know."
 
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Fraeya couldn’t help the stiffening in her neck as Isiell drew closer. Fingers caressing her face. She was nearly cross-eyed looking at the queen of chaos. Her lips felt suddenly dry and chapped. She resisted the urge to lick them.

All the fae thought that. Fraeya was a powerless human. Her pride was the only thing that wanted to correct them.

“Go on,” she finally breathed, refusing to back away. Remaining still, locking eyes with Isiell and her perfect face. Fingers dug into her own arms. Keeping her grounded. Keeping her from shoving Isiell away or running away herself.
 
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Isiell felt Fraeya stiffen. Giggled softly at the way her eyes darted back and forth as her face grew closer, uncertain where to focus, until her gaze--green eyes like Isiell's own, but not quite the same hue--locked with hers.

Go on.

Wonderful.

"You make me see why Ariel is so fascinated with human women," Isiell grinned, thumb wandering from Fraeya's chin to softly stroke over her lips. She stayed close, face to face, but didn't move any nearer yet.

"Make a pact with me," she proposed, searching Fraeya's eyes to see the first unconscious reaction she might give. "I can sense how much you covet fae magic. Our powers. Familiar or warlock, your choice. But warlock would make you stronger... though I would be in your head.

"All the time."

Isiell's grin--devious and conniving--remained in place, but her eyes were somber even as she gently tugged at Fraeya's lower lip with her thumb.

"Of course," the fae whispered, "it would mean leaving Delun's side. And... I can't do anything about that bargain you made with Midir. But... I can offer you a more level playing field, and some protection."
 
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Her hand snapped upward, fingers would curl around Isiell’s wrist as she would tug that hand away from her face. Her fingers away from her lips. And she wouldn't release. She’d keep a strong hold on the wrist that lead to the offending fingers

Fraeya couldn’t help it.

“Why even offer me this? You could choose any mortal. Perhaps you already have. And I may be mortal but I grew up with the fae. I know what that bond means. I know the price and the costs. And I wonder,” her voice lowered to a whisper. Passion and sparks of anger flickering in her eyes.

“What would you have me do?”
 
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As Fraeya's fingers wrapped around her wrist, a throaty laugh bubbled up inside Isiell. She let the human woman restrain her hand for now and reveled in the fiery, passionate offense flashing through Fraeya's eyes as she spoke.

"If I can choose any mortal, why not you?" Isiell countered, shifting so that she sat cross-legged in front of Fraeya on the forest floor.

"But why?" Isiell said, smirking again. "Because I admire your spirit. Not even most fae females have balls enough" --a chuckle escaped her here, delighted with her own pun-- "to deck the Autumn Prince, but you dared. And then you dared to bargain with the Erlking. Because your very presence seems to ignite chaos, so why not embrace it?

"As for what I would have you do?" Isiell shrugged. "I did just say that I'm just as... invested in the fae as most fae are in humans. You, dear Fraeya, are in a very unique position. You're already integrated with the fae, so no one thinks much of it if you linger. Listen. Maybe even steal or... relocate something from time to time."

She lifted her free hand then, stroking it over Fraeya's hair. "Besides, if you were mine, even the Erlking would think twice about messing with you."

And Ariel is fond of you, she thought silently. I owe him so, so much. I do not want to have to comfort him if he were to hear of your death.
 
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Her fingers tightened on Isiell's wrist as the fae female's hand stroked through tangled ribbons of blonde. "Some might say the daring was stupidity," she breathed quietly. Probably most would say that. But the prince deserved it and the king? He probably deserved more. But she was like a piece of parchment going up against a monsoon.

Her chest rose in a steadying, small breath.

"What if I wanted to break our bond one day? What if I didn't want to do something you'd have me do? Would I have a choice?" Teeth gnawed lightly on the inside of her cheek as she continued to hold Isiell's gaze and that smooth-marble like arm in her hand.

And it was hard for Fraeya to imagine. She didn't think herself so helpless but...she knew she was a mortal among immortals. Her bones would always break more easily than theirs. Her heart would always feel more deeply than most of them. And her temper...well, that hadn't improved after some odd twenty years. Much to Delun's chagrin.
 
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