The Fair Forest
This original short is NSFW, with trigger warnings for [click to reveal]dubcon and sexual extortion.
---------
Cade hugged his arms to his chest, shivering, as he walked along the forest path. The wind blew, sending fallen leaves and other debris whirling about him. There was something ominous in those whirls. He narrowed his eyes against the chilling autumn wind -- it may not have been that late in the season, but winter had decided to come early, or so it seemed.
He pulled his too-thin cloak closer to his body, though it did little to help him. Looking up at the darkening sky, he sighed to himself. The path he took wound back and forth in sickening loops, following, presumably, the route some animal had walked down. Cade couldn’t see the edge of the forest anymore -- his stomach twisted as he looked behind him.
Nothing appeared to be coming through the wall of shadowy trees, but looks could be deceiving. The forest as a whole was silent, except for the howling of the whirling wind. Cade knew forests shouldn’t be so silent -- he kept looking behind himself for that reason. What was hiding in that silence?
After he rounded the next bend in the road, he came upon a large log -- it crossed the path and blocked his way. The thing rose higher than Cade himself -- it was an almost-black barrier of glistening, crumbling bark. He put his hand to the log and, when he he removed it, bits of that wet bark clung to his skin.
Wiping the bark off on his cloak as best he could, Cade stared at the fallen log. It loomed before him, and he knew he couldn’t safely try to climb it. There were no proper footholds, and the thing looked like it would break into pieces should he try to step on it. That left one choice -- leave the forest path and go around the barrier.
The darkness of the forest seemed to physically press at him, as if telling him “don’t go here.” Still, he had no choice if he wanted to make it to his mother’s house -- she needed the medicine he carried in a small sack hanging from his neck by a leather cord. The healer had told him it had “sacred properties” -- despite some skepticism, Cade had to believe him, because he was out of other options. Nothing had managed to put a dent in his mother’s strange illness.
As he stepped off the forest path, he clutched the small sack with the little glass vial inside it. He checked to see if it were still there, and it was. Cade half-expected the medicine to vanish or for some other misfortune to befall him before he could get it to his mother.
He counted exactly how many steps he took to get around the fallen log once he stepped off the path and into the trees. Cade got around the fallen log quickly enough -- then, he counted the same number of steps to return to the path, only to find the path had vanished. He pulled his cloak closer to him and continued walking along the other side of the log -- maybe the path looped in such a way that he need to take extra steps to find it again.
Cade walked and walked -- the path had truly gone. His heart thudded in his chest as he looked at his dark surroundings. Night had somehow truly fallen while he had been trying to get around the log. His heart beat yet harder when he turned his head to look at the seemingly infinite log -- it had vanished. All he saw were endless rows of trees, their leaves and branches casting shadows on top of shadows.
Something moved in those shadows, the first sign of movement Cade had seen since he began his journey. Whatever it was, it grew closer to him, and he broke out into a run. He paid no attention to where he was going -- all he wanted was to get away from whatever slithered towards him.
His heartbeat sounded in his ears and his muscles burned. Cade ran and ran, darting between the trees and not once looking behind him. An overwhelming sense of dread told him never to look back. He moved on pure fear now -- underneath it, he could sense how exhaustion wanted to claim him. Cade couldn’t afford to let that exhaustion win.
Without consciously noticing it, the forest grew brighter as he ran. Darkness and shadows gave away to bright green foliage and vibrant flowers he had never seen before. Uneasiness overtook Cade, and he finally had to stop -- he leaned against a tree, his breathing ragged. Then, he noticed his strange surroundings. He stared at the verdant grasses that covered the ground, and the odd flowers that twisted along the tree trunks.
Even the bark on the trees was brighter -- an almost cheerful rich brown rather than the black of the trees he had seen before. Everything was too bright and cheerful -- it didn’t look human. The colors and shadows were so clearly defined, it almost hurt Cade to look at them. Somehow, it wasn’t nighttime anymore. His heart thudded even harder than it had when he had been running, but he didn’t have the energy to start running again.
“Are you lost, young one?” The mellifluous voice sent Cade’s heart leaping into his throat. He squeezed his eyes shut and tried to pretend he hadn’t heard anything.
“I’m not going to hurt you,” the voice said, “though I am curious how you found your way into the Fair Forest.”
Cade’s heart stayed in his throat for a few moments longer -- that voice didn’t belong to anything human. The Fair Forest was the home of many of the legendary Fair Folk, who were not to be crossed. Silence stretched between Cade and the fae whose territory he had accidentally trespassed upon. He got the sense he needed to give an answer, but it was difficult to get any words out around the lump that had formed in his throat.
“I...was -- was...trying to get medicine to my mother.” He gestured to the sack that hung from his neck, his hand shaking as he did so. The fae said nothing, so Cade took a deep breath. He still kept his eyes closed, vainly hoping reality would change itself to something less terrifying.
“I...didn’t mean...to -- to come here. There was -- a log b-blocking my path through the normal forest. Wh-when I tried to get around it, the...path disappeared. S-something...shadowy came after me, so -- I ran. And, then...I ended up here. I’m...sorry.” His voice cracked as he spoke.
Something brushed against Cade’s cheek, and his eyes snapped open -- what was that? Then, he finally had to look at the being he had offended with his presence. The fae had long white-blond hair and eyes as bright green as the forest itself. His pale face nearly glowed with otherworldly beauty. His wings, the same color as his hair, spread out behind him. They fluttered as they glowed, causing strange light to fall onto Cade. The fae stood entirely too close to him, and he was backed against the tree.
“There is nothing to be sorry for, young one. I can tell you’re an honest boy,” the fae murmured. “I suppose I ought to give you my name if I am to be hosting you here. Not my true name, of course, but you can call me Ellery.”
Cade managed the smallest of nods. “H-hosting?” he asked in a tiny voice. He wondered if he could risk asking Ellery for the directions out of the Fair Forest.
“Well, it would be terribly rude of me not to offer you some food and a place to stay after you went through all this trouble to come here,” he said. He leaned forward, and his long hair brushed against Cade’s body, sending a shiver up his spine.
He knew about fae food -- if you ate any, you couldn’t leave.
Cade took a deep breath and shut his eyes again. “Th-thank you for the offer, but...” He couldn’t go on.
“But what?” Ellery asked.
“I...don’t need any food. I -- I have to get to my mother,” he said, feeling his stomach tie itself in knots.
When Cade opened his eyes again, he saw the fae was smiling. “You know the rules about fae food, don’t you?” Ellery said.
He forced himself to nod.
“You’re a smart boy, aren’t you?” the fae said, smiling again.
What was he supposed to say to that? He didn’t feel very smart, getting himself lost in the Fair Forest.
“I...wh-what do you want?” Cade muttered. His stomach remained tied in those knots, and he tried backing up, though the tree blocked his way. It pressed into his back, and Cade gripped the sides of it to steady himself.
“I could ask you the same thing. Is there something you want?” Ellery said. He brushed his hand against his cheek -- that must have been what Cade had felt before.
He tried to ignore the way he shivered from the contact. “I -- I just want directions out of here. So I can...get this medicine to my mother.”
“Perhaps we can work out a deal,” the fae said. He ran a hand through Cade’s short brown hair, and Cade stiffened from the odd touch. What was Ellery implying?
“I...don’t h-have anything of value. I spent the last of my money on the medicine.” His voice shook, and he looked at the ground.
“I think you do have something of value. After all, it’s been quite lonely in this part of the forest,” Ellery murmured. He cupped Cade’s cheek and pulled the young man’s face towards him. Their lips met for the briefest moment, sending sparks throughout Cade’s body. Ellery let him go.
His eyes widened and he just stared at the fae before him. “You -- mean...?” he said, unable to quite give voice to the offer that hung in the air.
Ellery nodded. “If you give yourself to me, I’ll lead you out of the Fair Forest and to your home myself.”
Cade stood there in silence and looked down at the ground -- he wouldn’t meet Ellery’s eyes. The fae was only a few inches taller than he was, but he felt like the creature loomed over him. He had all the power, right now. Cade crossed his arms over his chest -- he knew if he refused the offer, he would never get out of the Fair Forest on his own. Humans never did. Still, his body shook, and he hesitated to speak.
After a long moment, he nodded. “I...accept,” he said, his voice not more than a whisper.
Ellery smiled at him. “You won’t regret this.” He lightly grabbed Cade’s crossed arms and pulled them apart. The young man offered no resistance, though his heart thundered loud enough the whole forest could probably hear it. Something odd coursed through him at Ellery’s touch -- it was entirely different than the sharp fear he still felt. The feeling was...warm, and not unpleasant.
Right as Cade closed his eyes, Ellery leaned in and kissed him again. This time, it lasted far longer. The fae’s lips were soft, and he couldn’t help responding to them. Cade kissed him back as Ellery pressed his body against him. He didn’t know what to do with his arms, so they just hung by his sides.
When Ellery pushed his tongue forward, Cade met it gladly, much to his own surprise. That strange warm feeling increased and mixed with his terror to create something impossibly amazing. It shook him, overwhelmed him as they continued to kiss.
While Cade had been kissed before, it had never felt like this. He had never...wanted a kiss so much in his life. The knowledge that he actually desired this encounter made his heart stop. At that moment, Ellery pulled away, just long enough to undo his cloak and let it fall to the forest floor. He ran his fingers down Cade’s arms, sending sparks through his body.
He looked at him with those startling green eyes. Cade had to blink his own brown eyes, just to check that this was even real -- why would someone like Ellery, lonely as he claimed to be, even want him?
“You’re wondering why I want you, aren’t you?” Ellery murmured. “Someone as pretty and pure as you? Why wouldn’t I?”
Before he could ask if the fae had read his mind, he kissed him again, more roughly than before. Cade liked it, and he liked it even more when he slipped a hand under his shirt. His body shivered, and he let out a little gasp, causing Ellery to chuckle against his lips. Cautiously, Cade slipped his own hands under the fae’s thin shirt. When he did, he felt like he were touching magic itself.
Ellery removed the sack that hung from Cade’s neck. Then, he lowered his hands and grabbed the edges of his shirt, causing him to drop his arms away from the fae. He pulled the shirt off and took a moment to just look at his partner. The young man flushed at the way he was staring at him, obvious desire burning in his green eyes. Ellery touched his shoulders and then lightly dragged his fingers along his chest. He took his time feeling all of his upper body -- his arms, chest and even his back.
Cade closed his eyes, and a small smile appeared on his face. He arched his back and moaned with satisfaction. All Ellery did was touch him, but it was like nothing else. An ache was building between Cade’s legs, which trembled from all the sensation. He didn’t know if he would be able to stand if this continued.
To try and stay upright, he grabbed the tree again as he opened his eyes. When Ellery reached his pants and began to undo them, he was glad for the support. The fae quickly exposed him, letting everything drop to the ground. He was already hard.
The fae smiled at him, those green eyes of his twinkling. His hair seemed to glow. “You’ll like this,” he said.
He said nothing in reply, just closed his eyes again. Ellery took him in his mouth, and Cade gasped. His body flushed, and his legs trembled harder as he moved up and down his length. Soon, he couldn’t even think from all the feelings rippling through him. Sparks and warmth, fear and desire and disbelief, they all tumbled together as that ache built and built. He gripped the tree hard enough to hurt, the bark pressing into his palms and fingers. That bit of pain only made everything more intense and harder to bear as Ellery worked him with unearthly skill.
Within moments, it was all too much -- Cade came with a loud, breathy moan, arching his back as he did. Ellery swallowed everything and let him slip out of his mouth. He didn’t even have the energy to open his eyes after that. Instead, he sunk to the ground, exhausted.
Cade heard Ellery sit beside him. The fae placed one around around his shoulders and whispered in his ear, “When you recover, I have something else for you.”
Since he couldn’t speak, he just leaned into his partner. He thought he might have fallen asleep, because the next thing he remembered was opening his eyes and finding himself lying down on the ground next to Ellery. His pants were all the way off him, and the fae must have removed his shoes and socks as well -- he was completely naked, now.
“Awake for more?” Ellery asked.
Cade nodded, still not sure he could speak.
“Don’t bother getting up,” he said. Ellery was still clothed as he stuck his finger into a hole in a different tree. When he removed it, it was glistening with some strange substance.
Cade looked over at him, confused and more than a little worried at the idea of using something that came from a tree. The fae just smiled. “I know this seems odd, but trust me, it will help,” he said.
Ellery gently spread his legs apart and positioned himself between them. Cade closed his eyes as his partner pressed his finger against his entrance. His body trembled, and he gripped the ground in anticipation. The fae pushed his finger inside him. He cried out, unused to having something in there. Ellery didn’t stop, just continued to pushed his finger deeper. Soon, any discomfort disappeared, to be replaced by the most intense feeling yet.
The fae slid his finger back and forth, and Cade found himself growing hard again rather quickly. Somehow, Ellery managed to hit the perfect spot, making him shake and gasp and moan with just that finger. His body shook enough that he wondered if he might break apart. He didn’t think he would mind if he did. All too soon, and Ellery removed his finger, though. The young man whined when he did, wanting to feel that overwhelming sensation again.
Ellery said nothing -- he just went back to the tree and covered his hand with more of that odd substance. He used his other hand to pull his pants down. Then, he covered his own arousal with the lubricant. He got between Cade’s legs and lined himself up so he was prepared to enter him.
The anticipation nearly killed Cade. He had to keep his eyes closed -- he couldn’t watch anymore, because he was half-worried the fae wouldn’t finish what he started. When Ellery finally, finally pushed inside him, he cried out yet again, louder than he ever had. Once more, he felt like he might break, and he would have been glad to do so at such a perfect moment.
When Ellery leaned forward, his long, beautiful hair brushed against Cade’s skin -- the young man moaned with desire as shivers rippled up and down his body from that. This time, he didn’t close his eyes, instead wanting to look into his lover’s own. The fae was beautiful, with his unearthly features and his glowing wings spread out behind him. As Ellery thrust, Cade grew harder and harder -- he wasn’t sure how much more he could take before bursting.
Somehow, though, Ellery didn’t let him go over the edge, not yet. The fae grasped his shoulders and continued to move back and forth. His green eyes seemed to grow strangely deeper in his obvious bliss, and Cade felt something new creep up his spine. He sensed power in those now-infinite eyes, and he wasn’t sure he should be seeing any of this.
Ellery gasped and moaned himself -- to Cade, he appeared to be on an entirely different plane of existence, now. His wings seemed to expand and take over Cade’s field of vision. The fae’s eyes went from beautiful to frightening. Their infinite quality threatened to swallow him, and then he saw it -- Ellery’s true name.
That couldn’t be -- surely, something like that couldn’t be revealed just from an encounter like this one? He finally managed to close his eyes against the terror of what he had seen. At that moment, Ellery thrust once more, the hardest he had yet. It sent Cade over the edge. As he climaxed, he called out the fae’s name -- the wrong one. By complete accident, he shouted his true name.
The fae screamed -- the sound contained both pain and pleasure. Cade’s heart stopped, and he thought he would die in the swirls of glowing magic that surrounded the two of them. Death was a certainty when the power flowed into him. His body couldn’t take this. He screamed, and there was no pleasure in it. Cade passed out, knowing death had come to him for his mistake.
Yet, somehow, he awoke, still alive. He blinked his eyes and put a hand to his throbbing forehead -- what had happened? His body felt all wrong, like lightning was trapped inside it.
“How in all the hells did you do that?” The stunned voice made Cade’s head throb harder. It triggered his memory -- he recalled shouting Ellery’s true name in a language no human could speak and survive.
“Don’t ask me,” he muttered. His throat felt dry and scratchy. After a tense moment, Cade dared to look over at Ellery, who was sitting on the ground, and he gasped. The fae was fully clothed, but that wasn’t what surprised him. He looked shockingly different -- he was duller; his beauty was reduced to that of a human; and his wings could barely be seen.
“You...took most of my power,” Ellery breathed. “And it didn’t kill you.” He didn’t sound angry, just shocked.
On some instinct, Cade scrambled for the sack that contained his mother’s medicine. When he found it, he tore it open. Inside was nothing but shattered glass that twinkled in the light of the forest. There wasn’t even a trace of the medicine itself. “No,” he said, devastation clamping down on his heart.
“Being the owner of that medicine must have given you the protection needed to find my true name, say it and not die,” Ellery said, looking over at him. His expression was unreadable.
“I wasn’t even wearing it when we...” Cade trailed off, shaking his head.
Ellery shrugged, his body sagging in what looked like defeat. “It’s the only explanation that makes any sort of sense. Technically, I belong to you now, too,” he said.
Cade just stared at him, uncomprehending.
He shrugged again. “You know my true name and survived it, so you have control of me. I have to do whatever you want, though I’m not sure what use I would be, as you have most of my power.”
Realization dawned on him, and pain spiked through his chest. “I just...want my mother to survive. I -- I didn’t mean to take anything from you,” he cried.
“With your new power, healing your mother should be simple enough,” Ellery muttered.
Cade felt tears come to his eyes, and the guilt made it difficult to even breathe. “I’m -- I’m sorry,” he said.
Ellery shook his head. “Don’t be -- you did something humans far older and more powerful than you can only dream of,” he said.
“I...don’t want.” Cade’s voice was tiny, and the pain in it was obvious. He looked at the ground, unable to tolerate seeing the strange defeat now clear on Ellery’s face.
“We don’t always get what we want, I suppose. And I’m the one who made you do what we did, anyway. It’s my fault, really,” he said. He stood up while Cade remained on the ground.
The young man couldn’t move -- what was he going to do now?
---------
Cade hugged his arms to his chest, shivering, as he walked along the forest path. The wind blew, sending fallen leaves and other debris whirling about him. There was something ominous in those whirls. He narrowed his eyes against the chilling autumn wind -- it may not have been that late in the season, but winter had decided to come early, or so it seemed.
He pulled his too-thin cloak closer to his body, though it did little to help him. Looking up at the darkening sky, he sighed to himself. The path he took wound back and forth in sickening loops, following, presumably, the route some animal had walked down. Cade couldn’t see the edge of the forest anymore -- his stomach twisted as he looked behind him.
Nothing appeared to be coming through the wall of shadowy trees, but looks could be deceiving. The forest as a whole was silent, except for the howling of the whirling wind. Cade knew forests shouldn’t be so silent -- he kept looking behind himself for that reason. What was hiding in that silence?
After he rounded the next bend in the road, he came upon a large log -- it crossed the path and blocked his way. The thing rose higher than Cade himself -- it was an almost-black barrier of glistening, crumbling bark. He put his hand to the log and, when he he removed it, bits of that wet bark clung to his skin.
Wiping the bark off on his cloak as best he could, Cade stared at the fallen log. It loomed before him, and he knew he couldn’t safely try to climb it. There were no proper footholds, and the thing looked like it would break into pieces should he try to step on it. That left one choice -- leave the forest path and go around the barrier.
The darkness of the forest seemed to physically press at him, as if telling him “don’t go here.” Still, he had no choice if he wanted to make it to his mother’s house -- she needed the medicine he carried in a small sack hanging from his neck by a leather cord. The healer had told him it had “sacred properties” -- despite some skepticism, Cade had to believe him, because he was out of other options. Nothing had managed to put a dent in his mother’s strange illness.
As he stepped off the forest path, he clutched the small sack with the little glass vial inside it. He checked to see if it were still there, and it was. Cade half-expected the medicine to vanish or for some other misfortune to befall him before he could get it to his mother.
He counted exactly how many steps he took to get around the fallen log once he stepped off the path and into the trees. Cade got around the fallen log quickly enough -- then, he counted the same number of steps to return to the path, only to find the path had vanished. He pulled his cloak closer to him and continued walking along the other side of the log -- maybe the path looped in such a way that he need to take extra steps to find it again.
Cade walked and walked -- the path had truly gone. His heart thudded in his chest as he looked at his dark surroundings. Night had somehow truly fallen while he had been trying to get around the log. His heart beat yet harder when he turned his head to look at the seemingly infinite log -- it had vanished. All he saw were endless rows of trees, their leaves and branches casting shadows on top of shadows.
Something moved in those shadows, the first sign of movement Cade had seen since he began his journey. Whatever it was, it grew closer to him, and he broke out into a run. He paid no attention to where he was going -- all he wanted was to get away from whatever slithered towards him.
His heartbeat sounded in his ears and his muscles burned. Cade ran and ran, darting between the trees and not once looking behind him. An overwhelming sense of dread told him never to look back. He moved on pure fear now -- underneath it, he could sense how exhaustion wanted to claim him. Cade couldn’t afford to let that exhaustion win.
Without consciously noticing it, the forest grew brighter as he ran. Darkness and shadows gave away to bright green foliage and vibrant flowers he had never seen before. Uneasiness overtook Cade, and he finally had to stop -- he leaned against a tree, his breathing ragged. Then, he noticed his strange surroundings. He stared at the verdant grasses that covered the ground, and the odd flowers that twisted along the tree trunks.
Even the bark on the trees was brighter -- an almost cheerful rich brown rather than the black of the trees he had seen before. Everything was too bright and cheerful -- it didn’t look human. The colors and shadows were so clearly defined, it almost hurt Cade to look at them. Somehow, it wasn’t nighttime anymore. His heart thudded even harder than it had when he had been running, but he didn’t have the energy to start running again.
“Are you lost, young one?” The mellifluous voice sent Cade’s heart leaping into his throat. He squeezed his eyes shut and tried to pretend he hadn’t heard anything.
“I’m not going to hurt you,” the voice said, “though I am curious how you found your way into the Fair Forest.”
Cade’s heart stayed in his throat for a few moments longer -- that voice didn’t belong to anything human. The Fair Forest was the home of many of the legendary Fair Folk, who were not to be crossed. Silence stretched between Cade and the fae whose territory he had accidentally trespassed upon. He got the sense he needed to give an answer, but it was difficult to get any words out around the lump that had formed in his throat.
“I...was -- was...trying to get medicine to my mother.” He gestured to the sack that hung from his neck, his hand shaking as he did so. The fae said nothing, so Cade took a deep breath. He still kept his eyes closed, vainly hoping reality would change itself to something less terrifying.
“I...didn’t mean...to -- to come here. There was -- a log b-blocking my path through the normal forest. Wh-when I tried to get around it, the...path disappeared. S-something...shadowy came after me, so -- I ran. And, then...I ended up here. I’m...sorry.” His voice cracked as he spoke.
Something brushed against Cade’s cheek, and his eyes snapped open -- what was that? Then, he finally had to look at the being he had offended with his presence. The fae had long white-blond hair and eyes as bright green as the forest itself. His pale face nearly glowed with otherworldly beauty. His wings, the same color as his hair, spread out behind him. They fluttered as they glowed, causing strange light to fall onto Cade. The fae stood entirely too close to him, and he was backed against the tree.
“There is nothing to be sorry for, young one. I can tell you’re an honest boy,” the fae murmured. “I suppose I ought to give you my name if I am to be hosting you here. Not my true name, of course, but you can call me Ellery.”
Cade managed the smallest of nods. “H-hosting?” he asked in a tiny voice. He wondered if he could risk asking Ellery for the directions out of the Fair Forest.
“Well, it would be terribly rude of me not to offer you some food and a place to stay after you went through all this trouble to come here,” he said. He leaned forward, and his long hair brushed against Cade’s body, sending a shiver up his spine.
He knew about fae food -- if you ate any, you couldn’t leave.
Cade took a deep breath and shut his eyes again. “Th-thank you for the offer, but...” He couldn’t go on.
“But what?” Ellery asked.
“I...don’t need any food. I -- I have to get to my mother,” he said, feeling his stomach tie itself in knots.
When Cade opened his eyes again, he saw the fae was smiling. “You know the rules about fae food, don’t you?” Ellery said.
He forced himself to nod.
“You’re a smart boy, aren’t you?” the fae said, smiling again.
What was he supposed to say to that? He didn’t feel very smart, getting himself lost in the Fair Forest.
“I...wh-what do you want?” Cade muttered. His stomach remained tied in those knots, and he tried backing up, though the tree blocked his way. It pressed into his back, and Cade gripped the sides of it to steady himself.
“I could ask you the same thing. Is there something you want?” Ellery said. He brushed his hand against his cheek -- that must have been what Cade had felt before.
He tried to ignore the way he shivered from the contact. “I -- I just want directions out of here. So I can...get this medicine to my mother.”
“Perhaps we can work out a deal,” the fae said. He ran a hand through Cade’s short brown hair, and Cade stiffened from the odd touch. What was Ellery implying?
“I...don’t h-have anything of value. I spent the last of my money on the medicine.” His voice shook, and he looked at the ground.
“I think you do have something of value. After all, it’s been quite lonely in this part of the forest,” Ellery murmured. He cupped Cade’s cheek and pulled the young man’s face towards him. Their lips met for the briefest moment, sending sparks throughout Cade’s body. Ellery let him go.
His eyes widened and he just stared at the fae before him. “You -- mean...?” he said, unable to quite give voice to the offer that hung in the air.
Ellery nodded. “If you give yourself to me, I’ll lead you out of the Fair Forest and to your home myself.”
Cade stood there in silence and looked down at the ground -- he wouldn’t meet Ellery’s eyes. The fae was only a few inches taller than he was, but he felt like the creature loomed over him. He had all the power, right now. Cade crossed his arms over his chest -- he knew if he refused the offer, he would never get out of the Fair Forest on his own. Humans never did. Still, his body shook, and he hesitated to speak.
After a long moment, he nodded. “I...accept,” he said, his voice not more than a whisper.
Ellery smiled at him. “You won’t regret this.” He lightly grabbed Cade’s crossed arms and pulled them apart. The young man offered no resistance, though his heart thundered loud enough the whole forest could probably hear it. Something odd coursed through him at Ellery’s touch -- it was entirely different than the sharp fear he still felt. The feeling was...warm, and not unpleasant.
Right as Cade closed his eyes, Ellery leaned in and kissed him again. This time, it lasted far longer. The fae’s lips were soft, and he couldn’t help responding to them. Cade kissed him back as Ellery pressed his body against him. He didn’t know what to do with his arms, so they just hung by his sides.
When Ellery pushed his tongue forward, Cade met it gladly, much to his own surprise. That strange warm feeling increased and mixed with his terror to create something impossibly amazing. It shook him, overwhelmed him as they continued to kiss.
While Cade had been kissed before, it had never felt like this. He had never...wanted a kiss so much in his life. The knowledge that he actually desired this encounter made his heart stop. At that moment, Ellery pulled away, just long enough to undo his cloak and let it fall to the forest floor. He ran his fingers down Cade’s arms, sending sparks through his body.
He looked at him with those startling green eyes. Cade had to blink his own brown eyes, just to check that this was even real -- why would someone like Ellery, lonely as he claimed to be, even want him?
“You’re wondering why I want you, aren’t you?” Ellery murmured. “Someone as pretty and pure as you? Why wouldn’t I?”
Before he could ask if the fae had read his mind, he kissed him again, more roughly than before. Cade liked it, and he liked it even more when he slipped a hand under his shirt. His body shivered, and he let out a little gasp, causing Ellery to chuckle against his lips. Cautiously, Cade slipped his own hands under the fae’s thin shirt. When he did, he felt like he were touching magic itself.
Ellery removed the sack that hung from Cade’s neck. Then, he lowered his hands and grabbed the edges of his shirt, causing him to drop his arms away from the fae. He pulled the shirt off and took a moment to just look at his partner. The young man flushed at the way he was staring at him, obvious desire burning in his green eyes. Ellery touched his shoulders and then lightly dragged his fingers along his chest. He took his time feeling all of his upper body -- his arms, chest and even his back.
Cade closed his eyes, and a small smile appeared on his face. He arched his back and moaned with satisfaction. All Ellery did was touch him, but it was like nothing else. An ache was building between Cade’s legs, which trembled from all the sensation. He didn’t know if he would be able to stand if this continued.
To try and stay upright, he grabbed the tree again as he opened his eyes. When Ellery reached his pants and began to undo them, he was glad for the support. The fae quickly exposed him, letting everything drop to the ground. He was already hard.
The fae smiled at him, those green eyes of his twinkling. His hair seemed to glow. “You’ll like this,” he said.
He said nothing in reply, just closed his eyes again. Ellery took him in his mouth, and Cade gasped. His body flushed, and his legs trembled harder as he moved up and down his length. Soon, he couldn’t even think from all the feelings rippling through him. Sparks and warmth, fear and desire and disbelief, they all tumbled together as that ache built and built. He gripped the tree hard enough to hurt, the bark pressing into his palms and fingers. That bit of pain only made everything more intense and harder to bear as Ellery worked him with unearthly skill.
Within moments, it was all too much -- Cade came with a loud, breathy moan, arching his back as he did. Ellery swallowed everything and let him slip out of his mouth. He didn’t even have the energy to open his eyes after that. Instead, he sunk to the ground, exhausted.
Cade heard Ellery sit beside him. The fae placed one around around his shoulders and whispered in his ear, “When you recover, I have something else for you.”
Since he couldn’t speak, he just leaned into his partner. He thought he might have fallen asleep, because the next thing he remembered was opening his eyes and finding himself lying down on the ground next to Ellery. His pants were all the way off him, and the fae must have removed his shoes and socks as well -- he was completely naked, now.
“Awake for more?” Ellery asked.
Cade nodded, still not sure he could speak.
“Don’t bother getting up,” he said. Ellery was still clothed as he stuck his finger into a hole in a different tree. When he removed it, it was glistening with some strange substance.
Cade looked over at him, confused and more than a little worried at the idea of using something that came from a tree. The fae just smiled. “I know this seems odd, but trust me, it will help,” he said.
Ellery gently spread his legs apart and positioned himself between them. Cade closed his eyes as his partner pressed his finger against his entrance. His body trembled, and he gripped the ground in anticipation. The fae pushed his finger inside him. He cried out, unused to having something in there. Ellery didn’t stop, just continued to pushed his finger deeper. Soon, any discomfort disappeared, to be replaced by the most intense feeling yet.
The fae slid his finger back and forth, and Cade found himself growing hard again rather quickly. Somehow, Ellery managed to hit the perfect spot, making him shake and gasp and moan with just that finger. His body shook enough that he wondered if he might break apart. He didn’t think he would mind if he did. All too soon, and Ellery removed his finger, though. The young man whined when he did, wanting to feel that overwhelming sensation again.
Ellery said nothing -- he just went back to the tree and covered his hand with more of that odd substance. He used his other hand to pull his pants down. Then, he covered his own arousal with the lubricant. He got between Cade’s legs and lined himself up so he was prepared to enter him.
The anticipation nearly killed Cade. He had to keep his eyes closed -- he couldn’t watch anymore, because he was half-worried the fae wouldn’t finish what he started. When Ellery finally, finally pushed inside him, he cried out yet again, louder than he ever had. Once more, he felt like he might break, and he would have been glad to do so at such a perfect moment.
When Ellery leaned forward, his long, beautiful hair brushed against Cade’s skin -- the young man moaned with desire as shivers rippled up and down his body from that. This time, he didn’t close his eyes, instead wanting to look into his lover’s own. The fae was beautiful, with his unearthly features and his glowing wings spread out behind him. As Ellery thrust, Cade grew harder and harder -- he wasn’t sure how much more he could take before bursting.
Somehow, though, Ellery didn’t let him go over the edge, not yet. The fae grasped his shoulders and continued to move back and forth. His green eyes seemed to grow strangely deeper in his obvious bliss, and Cade felt something new creep up his spine. He sensed power in those now-infinite eyes, and he wasn’t sure he should be seeing any of this.
Ellery gasped and moaned himself -- to Cade, he appeared to be on an entirely different plane of existence, now. His wings seemed to expand and take over Cade’s field of vision. The fae’s eyes went from beautiful to frightening. Their infinite quality threatened to swallow him, and then he saw it -- Ellery’s true name.
That couldn’t be -- surely, something like that couldn’t be revealed just from an encounter like this one? He finally managed to close his eyes against the terror of what he had seen. At that moment, Ellery thrust once more, the hardest he had yet. It sent Cade over the edge. As he climaxed, he called out the fae’s name -- the wrong one. By complete accident, he shouted his true name.
The fae screamed -- the sound contained both pain and pleasure. Cade’s heart stopped, and he thought he would die in the swirls of glowing magic that surrounded the two of them. Death was a certainty when the power flowed into him. His body couldn’t take this. He screamed, and there was no pleasure in it. Cade passed out, knowing death had come to him for his mistake.
Yet, somehow, he awoke, still alive. He blinked his eyes and put a hand to his throbbing forehead -- what had happened? His body felt all wrong, like lightning was trapped inside it.
“How in all the hells did you do that?” The stunned voice made Cade’s head throb harder. It triggered his memory -- he recalled shouting Ellery’s true name in a language no human could speak and survive.
“Don’t ask me,” he muttered. His throat felt dry and scratchy. After a tense moment, Cade dared to look over at Ellery, who was sitting on the ground, and he gasped. The fae was fully clothed, but that wasn’t what surprised him. He looked shockingly different -- he was duller; his beauty was reduced to that of a human; and his wings could barely be seen.
“You...took most of my power,” Ellery breathed. “And it didn’t kill you.” He didn’t sound angry, just shocked.
On some instinct, Cade scrambled for the sack that contained his mother’s medicine. When he found it, he tore it open. Inside was nothing but shattered glass that twinkled in the light of the forest. There wasn’t even a trace of the medicine itself. “No,” he said, devastation clamping down on his heart.
“Being the owner of that medicine must have given you the protection needed to find my true name, say it and not die,” Ellery said, looking over at him. His expression was unreadable.
“I wasn’t even wearing it when we...” Cade trailed off, shaking his head.
Ellery shrugged, his body sagging in what looked like defeat. “It’s the only explanation that makes any sort of sense. Technically, I belong to you now, too,” he said.
Cade just stared at him, uncomprehending.
He shrugged again. “You know my true name and survived it, so you have control of me. I have to do whatever you want, though I’m not sure what use I would be, as you have most of my power.”
Realization dawned on him, and pain spiked through his chest. “I just...want my mother to survive. I -- I didn’t mean to take anything from you,” he cried.
“With your new power, healing your mother should be simple enough,” Ellery muttered.
Cade felt tears come to his eyes, and the guilt made it difficult to even breathe. “I’m -- I’m sorry,” he said.
Ellery shook his head. “Don’t be -- you did something humans far older and more powerful than you can only dream of,” he said.
“I...don’t want.” Cade’s voice was tiny, and the pain in it was obvious. He looked at the ground, unable to tolerate seeing the strange defeat now clear on Ellery’s face.
“We don’t always get what we want, I suppose. And I’m the one who made you do what we did, anyway. It’s my fault, really,” he said. He stood up while Cade remained on the ground.
The young man couldn’t move -- what was he going to do now?