Valor

I slung my bow across my back, keeping a hand firmly on that familiar string. The carved willow bow pressed against my back, an assurance of safety and defense as well as a means of food. A movement sprung across the corner of my eye but I let it slip. It was the tail of a white hare, plump enough to make a good meal, but I wasn’t here for hunting.

Birds chirped, their beaks clicking together and I let a soft smile cross my face. Their feathers were a brown color, with white sposts blended in and their eyes were coal black. It wasn’t often you would spot a bird in these parts of the wood. Many birds hung out near the Fae, where the fools woul laugh, drink, and hunt. The poor birds were one of their victims. It was that stupid Fae magic that would lure victims like the birds.

Fae, the royals of the land, the high kings and queens. You’d expect them to be kind and giving, noble even. But that was the exact opposite.

Fae were greedy people, imbued with magic and eternal beauty. They took whatever they wanted, whenever they wanted. Their kind had enslaved humans before.

They were the people who killed my sister.

I had sworn from that day, revenge. Revenge for all the mortals, all the humans whose lives have been changed. And gradually, I became known as the Mortal Blade. A fitful title and one feared by Fae.

Now here was I again. Ready to swoop into action, if needed.

A negotiation was being setup with the Fae from Vale. The humans had sent me a letter requesting protection. And here I was to give it.

It was wise for them ti be wary. Fae could lie as much as they wanted but their negotiations were usually peaceful enough.

As I neared my destination, I swung myself onto a tree and jumped across a branch, keeping a steady pace so I wouldn’t trip.

As I neared a clearing, I loped myself around the branches and dangled precariously near the edge.

The leaves rustled slightly but stayed mostly silent and I breathed a sigh of releif. The humans were already there and I watched them carefully.

One was old, walking with a cane and a slight limp. The one in the middle was a strong man. He had nicely shaven hair and broad shoulders, indicating he worked in the fields. The last one, was a young oy, barely into his teens. He had brown hair and wide green eyes that took in the scenery. As part of custom, they were all from different generations. The old, the adult, and the young.

The wood beneath my feet groaned slightly and I flinched before carefully leaping off the branch to land on another one, gently rustling the leaves again, but the humans were all fortunately ignorant.

A figure appeared in the distance and I squinted my eyes. As the figure approached, I saw it was a handsome man, seemingly in his teenage years with dark hair and brilliant blue eyes. His face was set to a grin and a hand was casually in his pocket. Although he looked young, I had no idea what age he really was. Fae could stop growing whenever they wished.

The Fae boy wore a black jacket and jeans, a black band across his wrist and a silver neckalce bobbed up and down on his chest.

The eldest mortals seemed to pale but the younger one seemed oblivious ot the glum mood. He was just watching with wide eyes, probably his first time seeing one of the Fae folk. Definitely won’t be his last.

“I presume you are the Lefeides tribe.” The Fae male said in a velvety voice. No introductions, no names, just the casual Fae manner of superiority.

The men dipped his head and my mind wandered off to the other details. Where were the other Fae? There are supposed to be three from each side according to custom when setting up negotiations. Then the Fae spoke and I whipped my mind back to the conversation.

“Is the trade agreed upon?” The Fae held out a hand and the oldest man hesitated.

“Can you please allot more time for us to discuss?” He said nervously. The Fae boy looked annoyed but nodded.

The mortals turned into a huddle and started murmuring to each other. The Fae boy stood across the clearing, tapping his foot impatiently and almost snorted. The Fae had extended hearing. The boy was tapping his foot in time with the beat of their conversation.

Idiots

Finally the man turned around and the Fae boy grinned.

He knew exactly what they had decided.

“We agree. If you ensure our safety and protection for the next ten years, we will agree with our bargain.” His clear voice rang out and the boy nodded, a devilish smile on his face.

“Good” He asid simplly.

Bargain? What were they talking about. The wood groaned against my feet.

Oh. Hell. No.

I whirled around to find a face staring right at me, a mouth set in a grin of victory. The ears were pointed and I pulled out an arrow but my arm suddenly became heavy.

The world filled with spots and blackness threatned to overtake me. I had the sudden feeling of falling and then landing in warm arms.

A face peered at me gently, crystal blue eyes wide, the same devilish grin on his face.

“Bargain sealed.” He said.

And the darkness overtook me.