Her fae & His fairy

Chapter 0.1

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Euodia:

I came into the world in a period when the dragons were the gods of the sky, and humans lived simple, productive lives. We protected them from outside threats, brought order to their communities, and helped them understand the meaning of nature.

We thanked other gods for our good fortune. First came beauty, then power, long life, and magic. Magic that we wielded to control nature, ensuring that one season gave way to another with proper timing.

We helped the baby birds to fly and created the rain when there was a drought. We danced under the moon when the souls in the sky at night took their journeys. We learned stories from our elders when we learned to braid. We learned about our magic when we dyed our clothes with flowers. We stood on a meadow with sharp stones and sticks when our mothers taught us to fight.

We made sure that winter snow fell on the ground when it was time for hibernation and leafed trees in autumn before they went into dormancy. We ran between the trees and waved at the nymphs, catching sunlight underwater as they watched over their underworlds. We lived apart from humanity but observed as they established rules for civilised living, grew stronger through physical labour, built cities, and began worshipping a new god called the Mother. At first, there was confusion because she seemed to be an alternate name for one of the other gods who ruled over nature. However, we soon learned that instead of having many gods and goddesses to rule, the Mother was one rule of all. That was what the humans at least believed.

But one day, it was broken. On the longest night of winter, we had all gathered around a fire and listened to the stories my grandmother shared with the other elders. As they spoke, the smoke from burning wood would move in the air and conjure up vivid images with each word that was uttered. I felt a certain type of energy in this space, almost as if magic were underneath our very feet. I remember feeling safe as I sat before my mother, who gently ran her hand through my hair.

Lucia came puffing up to us, a warrior of strength and courage in our coven. She was always eager to teach us about self-defense and was an asset to any cause she set her mind to. Her determination and bravery were legendary in our circle, making her a champion among her peers. We admired Lucia for her discipline, as well as the wisdom she imparted on the younger members of our clan. She never backed down from a challenge and strived for excellence every single day.

"A man, not of this world, wielded magic," she declared while standing directly in front of the elder council that sat at one end of a long log. She continued by describing him, emphasizing his unusual stature and large ears. "This man could spark a flame with the simple snap of his fingers," she stated. Immediately, there was silence around us, as everyone tried to absorb the surreal words being spoken from her mouth.

Then she turned to the fire and raised her hand over the low flames. My mother immediately grabbed me by my shoulders and pushed me further back as the flames began to soar higher and higher. They were a sight to behold, a man and woman standing together before this great inferno. Although they were far away at first, it was easy enough to make out their figures as Lucia kept an eye on them with her collar. The woman was taller than any normal human woman, while the man was even taller than any normal human man. The woman was wearing a hood, shadows concealing her countenance, but the man's features were discernible. His hair was long and tied into a ponytail at the nape of his neck. He held his hands above the flames for what seemed like an eternity - until the firewood suddenly burst to life with a crackling blaze before him. Since his hair was bound at its back, the pointed ears were clear. No human had ever had those.

It was the first time anyone had encountered the fae people. Their numbers were limited back then, but it didn't take long for us to realise their population was burgeoning. These magical beings came from humanity and seemed to have latched onto their new god in order to gain similar strength as us. This new god gave her chosen devotees a second chance at life; though, not everyone was granted this power, and many humans sided against the fae.

The Fae, therefore, moved further north and established their own boundaries. The fire people in one place, the water people in another and so on. They created boundaries in the forests we lived freely in, and quickly, the nature within these boundaries began to change with them. Their magic was limited, shaped like the nature they had settled in. We were free as we travelled and adapted to the different realms of nature. So with magic, a different way of life and gods, war was soon formed. The Fae people had united in the hunt for our kind. If we hid during darkness, they used daylight. If we hid at day, they created darkness to confuse us. If we hid at twilight, they hunted us down with the moonlight or dawn's bright rays blinding us all. Although we were many in numbers, they were considerably more. They would use ice to try and trap us and fire to burn the trees. It was Chaos. Slowly and painfully, they hunted us down. So we hid and let the new country fend for itself.