Alfheim, the Capital City of Faery, Friday
It was a rather pleasant day at the Capital, when it began to rain blood. It was not a heavy rain, but the blood came down in a steady shower. The blood rain moved in a direct course for the Palace and the Council Chamber where the Nobles were discussing the usual important matters of the day.
The citizens who found themselves in the path of this dreadful rain fled in horror for their homes, none knowing what to make of it.
Then, high above the city, there was a sudden flash, which seemed to signal the end of the downpour.
In the council chamber, Leda did not see the flash, nor the rain that preceded it. But she heard the dreadful, heart rending cry that split the air outside. She spun, intending to rush to the window to see what was the matter. But before she could take a step, a huge shadow blocked most of the windows closest.
Then the shadow seemed to shrink even as that which cast it grew closer, until suddenly a human form crashed through the window and fell to the floor.
“Ember!” Leda rushed to her friend's side to help her to her feet. “Ember what-”
Tears streamed down her face. Dragons, in their natural form could not weep. But it was a behavior that many of them respected for mourning, so they assumed human form so they could.
“He's gone.” she whispered, clinging to Leda. “Smoke, he didn't make it.”
Leda's breath caught in her throat. Smoke, she was only just getting to really know him. “No...”
“Our home, our lands, are under attack.”
Strider had rushed over the moment Ember had entered so dramatically. But he had kept his distance so as not to intrude upon her grief. But now he couldn't help asking;
“But who would dare-”
“Giants.” Ember hissed. “Corwyn has roused the Giants to his cause. Or at the very least into renewing their quarrel with us.”
Giants. The only creatures in the world who could think to challenge the Dragons. Their size, toughness and ferocity were a match for a Dragon's own, and some were even resistant to their fiery breath, a Dragon's most fearsome weapon.
As she regained her strength and composure, Ember went on. “The Frost Giants came first, creating a storm front that covered the approach of the others. Smoke and I-” she choked on her words for a moment. “We managed to escape to warn you. Such a move by Corwyn can only mean he intends to renew hostilities in a big way. But my brother...he was wounded by a Rock Giant that tried to stop us. He held off any pursuers and only caught up with me over the city. Only in time to say goodbye.”
Then she began to weep once more.
Leda, tears welling in her eyes as well, hugged her friend fiercely. In their shared grief, neither thought to be on the lookout for the next move by their enemy. Therefore it was Strider who saw the enormous ball of flame hurtling for the council chamber from the sky.
Debris rained down upon the surrounding buildings. Stone, and bits that until recently had been the Council of Nobles pelted the streets.
*****
The ground was hard, cold, and wet beneath her. When Leda opened her eyes she found herself lying prone on a stone slab, cracked and worn with age. Once upon a time someone had carved words into it's surface, but moss and time had obscured them to the naked eye.
With a start, she realized she was lying on a grave. She rolled off and even muttered an apology to whoever may be resting under the marker. She was barefoot, but despite the coolness of the grass, she felt no discomfort. In fact the grass was soft, and the moisture upon it felt cool and comforting.
There was a cold, misty rain in the air that gave everything a sort of sheen and desolate beauty. The tree that grew behind the grave was old, and bare with winter. Leda imagined that in spring and summer the tree provided good shade for the spot. Whoever had picked here to be buried had chosen well.
Not far away there was a house, and she made her way to it. It, like the grave and tree was abandoned. It looked to have been so for quite a while. She looked up at the structure for a moment, then turned away. It was sort of pretty, but she felt no desire to explore it.
The path led into the forest. Again she was struck by odd combination of desolation and beauty, and wondered for the first time why she wasn't uncomfortable in the chill. The white gown she was wearing was thin and not much protection against the rain.
“Hello Leda.” a soft, kind voice said.
There was a girl leaning against a tree. She had pale blond hair, and a pretty, kind face. Not quite elfin, but definitely not human. She was watching a deer that stood in the path, watching them both curiously.
“Hi.” Leda greeted. It felt strange to be talking to anyone, after the almost perfect silence she'd enjoyed since waking up in this place.
“Here you are at last. Safe and sound.” the girl said.
“Where is here?”
The girl seemed to ponder this. “This is...one of the border lands you could say. And if I'm not mistaken, somewhere in the Appalachians. With a bit of Eire and Faerie Border mixed in.”
“The what?”
“It's a mountain range in America. You know the other two right?”
“Ireland and the border of the Winter Kingdoms?” Leda guessed that last one. “What the hell-”
“No.” the girl said firmly. “None of that definitely. The Unseelie lands may not be everyone's cup of tea but they're not anything to do with Mother. Or that place the Christians fear.”
“Not, actually what I meant. I meant what am I doing here?” And if there were touches of Unseelie in this landscape, why did she find it beautiful?
“Right now, you are connected to your entire line. This place reflects that. It appears you've got some Unseelie in your bloodline. Sorry.”
“No one's perfect. What about-”
“Your Grandmother lived on Earth for a long time Leda. And you've got some ancient ties to a lot of people, both Fae and Human. That grave back there? That's the resting place of Mab, the last Faerie Queen to live on Earth. One of your ancestors. And the house is where your distant cousins, Irish and Norse mixed, settled. Generations lived there before the line finally died out.”
Leda began to understand. “This place, the grave, the abandoned house, it's all death here.”
“Not everything.” the girl nodded to the deer.
“So, when you said Borderland you meant...” she trailed off, deciding it didn't need to be said.
As she watched the deer, it suddenly turned to ash, and disintegrated. For the first time Leda felt the cold, and then the smell of smoke reached her nose.
Feeling a chill that had nothing to do with temperature, she turned on the girl.
“What does that mean?” she demanded, pointing to where the deer was standing. “And why do I smell smoke?”
“You what?” The girl was frowning at the now vacant spot, and seemed surprised at what Leda had said.
“Something's burning.” Leda reiterated.
“Oh.” The girl sighed. “I hadn't realized we were that close to the quick side.”
“So, what, I'm only mostly dead?”
The look on the girl's face was almost sad at that.
“Have I been here before?”
“Never this close no. You've never had this choice.”
“Choice? You mean, I don't have to go with you, and I don't have to go back?”
“Well you can't just stay here. You do have to go one way or the other. So, you could come with me.” The girl reached out a hand and stroked Leda's cheek. The touch was so gentle and loving that for a moment Leda closed her eyes and surrendered to it. “I'd be glad of the company.”
“If I go back, what should I do?”
The girl chuckled. “I'm a Psychopomp Leda, not an adviser. What happens over there is of no concern to me at all.”
Leda took the girl's hand, and squeezed it, before letting it go. “I'm sorry. But...I can't ignore the smoke. I can't turn my back on them yet.”
The girl sighed, but smiled. “I understand. Don't worry, we'll meet again someday.”
Leda woke with a gasp, sitting up, and immediately regretting it. Agony tore through her body. I changed my mind! she thought.
[NFI, NFB, OOC comments welcome. Thus begins the finale of Leda's lifelong battle with the evil Lord Corwyn. Triggery warnings for terrorist attack and death.]