The Girl and The Gift

FAE   Thick trees surrounded Fae on either side of her, and down the middle, a beautiful glowing path covered in sparkling gold stretched out far beyond the eye. She looked around slowly, taking in the fresh air and soft sounds of nature all around her.  How did I get here?  Fae couldn't recall anything before this moment, and what's more, no matter how hard she tried... she couldn't turn around. Well, nothing to do but move forward I guess.  She took a deep breath and started down the path. The ground felt soft under her feet, inviting almost, and as she wandered further down the path she felt her body grow warmer. She sighed deeply in content. If she had to be lost somewhere, at least it was in such a beautiful place. Fae had always loved the woods, and all the little creatures and plants that came with it. She bathed in the odd sunlight that covered her bronze skin, and squinted her green eyes as she gazed up at it. Her feet continued to move on their own, guiding her somewhere unknown. Soon, she realized she had been walking for quite some time.  Okay, seriously. Where the hell am I!? Fae took a deep breath and tried to use her communication magic.  Maybe I can reach Amethyst and ask for help... She concentrated for a few moments before realizing that not only could she not access her magic, but she couldn't even speak aloud. And of course, she still couldn't turn around.  Shit! Now what? Fae stomped her feet in the soft earth before sighing and begrudgingly carrying on. She made it a few more steps before her impatience got the best of her, and she took off in a full sprint. She was shocked to find that she didn't feel tired at all, it was almost like the wind was guiding her every stride. She smiled softly before remembering she was lost in a foreign forest with no magic, and a scowl quickly covered her lips.  Wait, what is that!? Is that a person? Fae slowed down and stared down the path, and sure enough, there at the end was the outline of a person. She let out a short puff of air in relief and scurried down the path. As she got closer she realized it wasn't at all who she expected. Standing at the edge of the path was a beautiful...man? No, not man, an elf? A beautiful elf man. She looked on in awe, taking in the scene. This elf was tall, towering even, his blonde hair was fluttering lightly in the wind and along his deep tan skin were exquisite markings. Each marking was woven delicately around the muscles of his bare chest and arms. Fae was bewitched by the way they sparkled and glowed despite the sunlight.  She found herself standing just inches in front of him by the time she stopped gawking. She looked at him with confused wonder. The man tilted his head, appearing to be just as confused. She wanted to laugh, or grin, but she suppressed the corners of her mouth. She didn't know this man, for all she knew he could be the one that had trapped her here. A thought suddenly occurred to her.  Can you hear me? Fae squinted her brows, focusing her thoughts at this man's forehead. He jolted in surprise, or maybe fear, either way it was apparent he hadn't known this was an option. Fae suppressed the urge to laugh again. Maybe he was innocent after all. Try thinking something directly at me, okay? He silently nodded his head, while rubbing his jaw in thought. Then he closed his eyes and leaned slightly forward.  Who are you? He leaned back panting a bit, Fae wondered if he had ever used communication magic before. Even if it wasn't magic, something like this would be simple for a witch or an elf who had practiced that craft.  My name is Fae, I'm not sure how I got here, can you help me? The man narrowed his eyes in thought, making eye contact with her this time. He shook his head from side to side before taking a deep breath and answering. No, sorry. I don't know how I got here either, I'm no help. My name is Milo. Fae nodded in understanding. They stood there for a moment, eyes locked, pondering their shared predicament. What a strange way to meet someone, Fae thought. She couldn't reason it no matter how she tried, but the longer she stood there the more familiar this man seemed to her. Was she missing something?  Without notice, the wind around the two of them picked up, swirling glittering clouds filled the sky as the forest that bordered them started to dissipate into little gold flecks. Fae panicked, reaching out towards Milo, surprised to find that he was reaching out as well. Sadly, the wind had already pushed them too far apart and their fingertips hovered just inches from each other. Just as abruptly, Fae watched as her own body began to dissipate into little flecks as well. She looked up just in time to see Milo whisked away in a similar cloud. Then a soft blackness covered her vision, and she faded out of consciousness. ***** Fae lurched awake, flailing her arms and sweating. Her eyes were still shut tightly, and it took her a moment to realize that she was sitting in her own bed, and that she was screaming aloud. No more than ten seconds passed before Amethyst burst through her door, looking ready to fight an ogre or a dragon at that.  "Fae, oh my..., are you okay!? What's going on?" Amethyst's chest heaved as she spoke, Fae's screaming had obviously terrified her. Fae raised her hands to eye level, examining their level of reality, then raised them to her face and patted her cheeks. Okay, great, she was in fact alive and in reality. She let out a deep sigh.  "Amethyst, I am so sorry. I just had a horrible nightmare, or dream? I'm not really sure. Either way, I'm fine. What a way to start my birthday."  Amethyst's breathing slowed a bit, and she lowered her guard. She walked to Fae's bed and sat down at the edge.  "What kind of nightmare...or dream, or whatever?" Fae looked out the window warily, eyeing the sunlight with caution.  "I guess, I met a man at the end of a long gold path, and we talked but not out loud, and then we both turned into gold dust and were scattered by the wind." Amethyst gasped and jumped to her feet. "Fae this is not good, not good at all. I mean normally it would be very good, but for you this is very not good." Fae watched as Amethyst began to violently pace the room, twiddling her dark brown hair between her fingers. Whatever it was that had her in such a twirl, Fae knew it had to be serious. She had never seen Amethyst like this before.  "Amethyst please, what are you talking about? Just calm down and explain what's going on." Amethyst stopped abruptly and raised a hand in agreement.  "You're right, I'm sorry. It's just...I was a truly awful older cousin and guardian. I should have told you about this a long time ago, it's just so rare, I thought it would never come up. I'm sorry, let me explain." Amethyst was always trying to protect her from everything ever since her parents died. It didn't make her a bad cousin, or a bad guardian, but it did make things difficult for Fae sometimes. Fae mumbled something under her breath, but nodded in agreement.  "Alright, well, today is your 21st birthday right? So basically once or twice every few hundred years, an extremely talented witch will be given a gift on her coming of age birthday. This...gift, is the ability to know and meet your soulmate, your fated lover, before you ever actually meet."  Fae gasped softly, catching herself so that Amethyst would continue.  "Normally, this would be a very good thing for a witch, since that would mean you had found true love. For you though, well you know."  Amethyst looked wilted, staring at Fae, waiting for a hint of sadness or mania. Fae nodded slowly, knowing she would have to choose her words very carefully. Fae knew all too well that she did not have the luxury of a soulmate. As the head of family to a line of royal witches, the Tribune of Elders would find a suitable candidate for her husband, someone from a respected family in the Witch's Realm. That would be that, there would be no reasoning with the tribune.  "It's alright Amethyst, I understand my position. Is there anything else I should know?" Amethyst looked pained before she spoke.  "This isn't going to be easy for you, these dreams will turn into visions and more powerful magical encounters until the two of you meet. Maybe we should investigate this man? Perhaps he's from a good family and we can get the tribune to consider him?" Fae found herself laughing at Amethyst's suggestion before she could stop it. Amethyst looked concerned, but more or less confused.  "I'm sorry Amethyst, I don't mean to laugh. That just won't be possible in this case. The man I met in my dream, well, he was an elf." Amethyst stifled a scream with her hand over her own mouth. The look in her eyes told Fae everything she needed to know, but she waited to hear her speak. Amethyst composed herself and quickly cast a privacy spell before giving Fae a serious look.  "If that's the case then you must not speak a single word of this to anyone, especially not the tribune. I'm sure you're aware of this but, the penalty for betraying our kind to an enemy through marriage or companionship is punishable by death."  Fae nodded, a single tear sliding down her cheek. For some reason she couldn't quite understand, the pain of hearing what she already knew cut her just as deeply as her parent's deaths. Amethyst moved back to her side, placing a hand on her shoulder in comfort.  "Listen, I know this is less than ideal, but it could be worse. Enjoy these visions for now and I'll work on finding a way for you to lock them away at will. I think that should work. I'm going to get to it, I'll let you rest for today. The party isn't until later tonight anyway, no need to tucker out the birthday girl." When she didn't get a response, Amethyst quietly slipped out of the room, sealing it with a do not disturb charm on her way out. Fae sat silently staring out the window, pondering how she got here. How on earth was a war that happened when she was still just a child somehow her burden again. First it stripped her of her parents, and now...her fated lover. War was an evil thing, devised by politicians and greedy old men. Fae shuttered slightly as a cool breeze wafted through the window. Still, it's astonishing that her soulmate would be an elf, a sworn enemy of the witches, and according to the elders, the cause of her parents death. Though Fae hardly believed that, she liked to believe that, just like the witches, the elves were innocent; drawn into a war designed by the wealthy and elite vying for power. Unfortunately, that didn't change her situation at all.  Fae shuttered again, yawned, and wrapped herself in her blanket. You don't get much sleep in magical dreams she thought to herself as she laid back down. Maybe this time she could get some real rest. As she drifted off to sleep, she willed herself to empty her mind, though a small quiet part of her wished to see Milo again in her dreams. They had much to talk about now.