A Fairy and a Demon
1608 Words
Chapter 3
Taylenel and a Demon
“Lotus pixie fair skin of milk,
Lotus pixie hair of milk,
Purple skirt at just a tilt.”
Book 1, set 1
A face showed in the mirrored surface of the pool told the story again. Many years had passed since that beautiful green morning of sylvan branches and sylvan leaves. Taylenel’s heart ached in his chest.
“Taylenel,” the fairy queen Lensa called softly. I need you, my Champion. “I need you and my sword, Quiet sleeper.”
The green fairy came to her and bowed. "Yes, Majesty. My sword is at your command as always."
"First, however, I have a gift." Lensa led him down a corridor made by magically carving a way through the trunk of a young living yew that had stood many years since. The green hues in them endlessly intertwined of magical veins showed great care took place in its working. Soft yellow glow globes lit the way.
Taylenel stood beside his Queen, wings drooping in remembrance of visions seen in the crystal pool. Always those visions brought bittersweet melancholy.
As always, every time her Champion gazed into her pool of dreams, it tore at her heart. His wings always drew sorrow from those waters. It pulled at her heartstrings.
“Be of good cheer, tender heart. Look what I have for you in compensation.” Talonsia threw back the velvet curtains to reveal a link of silvery-blue steel links made into the mail.
“It’s beautiful, your Majesty.
She could see the wings glow.
“I have a mission for you.”
“Anything, your Grace.”
“Good. Good.”
***
Kontessa Elderman sat at the bar table drinking her ale. The figure came from the dark, hooded in a green cloak that, when pulled back, revealed the pointed ears of a female elf.
"You are Kontessa, the demon witch?"
“Yes. Why do you ask?” Kontessa, the black-skinned demon woman, asked, downing the rest of her drink. “Unless your message contains gold, I don’t want to hear it.”
"I was told you would be rough and rude," the elf said. "I am a ranger from the south, and I have a message from the Queen of the fairies herself."
Kontessa’s attention was now focused on the ranger’s green eyes. All she could think of was how she could get those green eyes in bed. She shook her head to clear it of those lustful thoughts. “Well, what’s the message?”
As if reading her thoughts, the elf's face gave her a look of disdain. "Here." the elf said, handing her the letter. "Alexander was right. Instantly don't like you."
Kontessa smiled and took the letter. The elf inhaled sharply and turned to stalk away. Those elves, those elvish maids, really did it for Kontessa. Kontessa Opened the letter and read the elvish script there. She read it, and the mirth left her. An elvish princess had been taken by an unknown demon. She owed the fairy queen an outstanding debt, so answering went without a doubt.
“Hey,” yelled the man standing in the middle of the floor. “Why don’t you come over here and give me some lovin’.” His friends cheered him on.
Kontessa stood and, with a single swing of her cold, iron sword, sliced the man in two.
The bar grew instantly quiet.
Kontessa dug a gold coin from her pouch and dropped it on the table.
***
Kontessa, the black-skinned demon, drove her white snowy mare hard for those three days. Sweat poured from the horse's flanks. On the fourth day, she took it easy on the poor beast. As the sunset that day, on the prairie of the middle kingdom, she found her way to the edges of the faerie forest, and all was brighter. She only visited the woods a few times, but each visit brought a giddy little girl like happiness,
She made camp beneath the navy-blue sky as the stars began to appear and a scarlet fairy came from the wood.
“Hello fairy,” Kontessa said, happy to see one of the fey.
“Hello demon,” said the crimson fairy. “I don’t think you remember me I”M the court jester.”
"No, sorry." The demon answered. "My last visit held little laughter for me. Do you have a message for me?"
"The Queen said she will see you at dawn. She saw your arrival in her pool. Do you mind if I stay and perhaps sing with you?"
“Sure, sounds good to me.”
***
Morning came with crimson dawn. The sky gained old gold light as the sun rose into the indigo sky to fill and start the day. The sun rose higher in the heavens for almost an hour before it happened.
“Kontessa,” came the whispered voice.
In the middle of a word, Kontessa froze; her face went blank to the fairy. Her world became filled with the coals of the fire from the night before as she lost herself in them. Visions of her youth in pits of burning sulfur with endless souls being tortured.
“Kontessa, I desire you.” That was his voice in her head, and it froze her heart. She began to shake. That voice haunted her dreams since that night when he r***d her. When he took her.
"Here she comes," said the scarlet court jester. But the words became lost on the demon. Her hand went to her head, and the tears welled up in her eyes.
“Kontessa Elderman." These words were not lost, and they fell on welcoming ears. "Are you OK, Kontessa?" Came the Queen’s voice. “Are you distressed?”
The demon’s voices fled, and she took a deep breath to fill her lungs. She exhaled and let the smile fill her face to show her ivory teeth.
“Hello, my Queen,” spoke Kontessa. “You just salvaged my spirits.”
“Glad to hear it, my lady," replied the Queen, distress gone from her voice. "Well, since that is cleared up, let me introduce you to my Champion. His name is Taylenel. Taylenel this is Kontessa Eldeman. And vice versa.”
"Glad to meet you, Taylenel."
“And the same,” said Taylenel, thinking of how exotic the ebony skin demon was. Her shape came to him as luscious. A word he thought he would never use again.
"First, we must fill ourselves for your journey.” The Queen's face and mannerism seemed tight and cold to Taylenel, and he felt rushed into doing something.
"May I ask what brings me here, my queen.," asked Kontessa.
"NO," the Queen said. "Over a light breakfast. It is a grave business, and an elvish maid's life is at stake."
Fairies brought plates of meat and fruits such as grapes and strawberries. Forgetting her manners, Kontessa ate her’s mouthful after hungry mouthful. She had not eaten for two hard days. Taylenel peeled the grape and drank the nectar out of a tulip.
"There is a demon that has taken an elvish maid into the mountains of the west." The Queen motioned to the scarlet fairy with her hand. "Go and bring the supplies for the trip." The scarlet fairy left. "I know your tale, demon witch, and I offer you a chance for vengeance.”
Taylenel heard the cold tone in his Queen's voice, and it almost broke his heart as if innocence had died. He turned to look at her and saw her face held a wave of anger only a demon could out in such a giving spirit.
Kontessa became deadly serious at the Queen's words and felt the same way, like a lake in the mountains froze over in the summer.
“My queen, what are you asking me to do?”
"What I am asking you to do is leave immediately. You must kill this demon, this demon lord, before he sacrifices this elvish maid.”
Taylenel fell to one knee and swore to do this thing even if it meant his death. Kontessa’s eyes narrowed, and her heart sang for this.
The Queen sat as if exhausted from the hatred so alien to her and her people. “Fairies lives are supposed to be filled with laughter, as are all lives,” she stated. A calm came to her voice. ” Fairies do not kill, but Taylenel has, and he has a powerful sword at his command. And you, my dear Kontessa, have the hatred needed; any other would fall before the power the demon lord would offer. There are no other heroes in the land that can be here in time. If he sacrifices that elf of that ancient line, a line of magic blood that first appeared in the creation, the demons of hell will be unleashed.”
Kontessa sprang to her feet, her right hand grabbing her sword hilt. "Where is he?" the black-skinned one demanded. "I will end his existence, my Queen, for what he did to me in those centuries past.”
“Swear you will find the flat mountain to the west. It is an ancient place, as ancient as the world. Its magic must not be tainted.”
Taylenel nodded.
Kontessa jumped on her horse, and Taylenel flew to her shoulder.
"You must do this before the full moon rises." The Queen picked a flower.
*****
- Writer
