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The Raven: Interview with Lorian Ain’Dal
The fairy prince interviewed. Haha. Oh my.
I: Hello, Lorian!
Lorian: I won’t lower myself to reply with such trivial words.
I: I came here to interview you, so we should get along at least for now.
Lorian: Well, good. As you wish. But you must do exactly what I say, when we finish this silly thing. No matter what it will be.
I: I don’t think it’s a good deal.
Lorian: I am not here to bargain. This or my servants put a leash on your neck and you will be exposed to public view.
I: In that case…well…okay?
Lorian: Eh, this new human way of speaking…okay this, okay that…where and when you lost the beautiful manner of speech?
I: As we have a truce now, may I start asking the questions?
Lorian: “Okay”.
I: How is it to be a fairy lord?
Lorian: You mean “prince”. Is that what you wanted to say? Do not lower my position, almost every fae of high rank has lord title.
I: Yes, prince Lorian. How is it to be a fairy prince?
Lorian: You must watch your back almost all the time. Especially if you have four older brothers. But at least…they must watch their backs too, because being first, second or even fourth to the throne, makes them a delicious target.
I: What magic powers do you possess?
Lorian: Now you ask something which may expose me in the eyes of my enemies.
I: At least one magical power…
Lorian: One? Yes…I can do that. I can control the forces of nature. It can be especially deadly when you live in the forest, like we do *laughs*
I: I heard that you kidnap humans to your realm.
Lorian: *widened eyes* Don’t all lords do that? It’s for fun. We have our lives complicated enough to not use your kind as toys.
I: Toys…
Lorian: Not love slaves. Toys. We play with them. And they go completely dazed and it’s amusing to watch. We use them as private servants.
I: No love slaves?
Lorian: Only if they want. It’s hard for a human to resist a high fae *charming smile*
I: It’s difficult to grasp that someone who fought in a horrible great war as a general, can play with humans as toys.
Lorian: Why not? Don’t you have dogs and cats? We do have them too. We like them. And we like our humans. When teached well, you can be a pleasant and fulfilling company. But all of them are lower beings. They ARE toys.
I: Do you hurt your humans?
Lorian: I doubt we would come to an agreement in this case as you don’t embrace the whole idea.
I: Do I need?
Lorian: You don’t. That’s why you don’t embrace it. If you wanted and needed, you would.
I: Okay—
Lorian: Eh…
I: Good. Why did you fight in the great war? Why all this violence?
Lorian: Because humans don’t embrace one more thing. Territory. It’s our land and you came here without being invited. You stole our ground. Don’t you kill a fox who comes and eats your chickens?
I: Let’s go back to you.
Lorian: … m’lord *devilish smile*
I: Is it how I should title you? Not prince?
Lorian: I know you want to *venom, pure venom*
I: Good, m’lord *he digs his grave* I see your favorite color is black.
Lorian: I was born with black eyes and black marks on my shoulder. My spirit animal is black shuldra. Why shouldn’t I like it? Here fae wear the colors which mean something to them.
I: Here it’s a rather sad and deadly color.
Lorian: It’s the color of rich soil and night sky. It’s the color of life.
I: Eeee…I’ve got a letter here…from a lady who wanted to be kidnapped, gods forgive her sins. May I hand it to you?
Lorian: Whatever.
I: Here, m’lord.
Lorian: *reads* At the mercy of the Cat’se’avan, this is the most impressive example of making a fool of oneself in a few words.
I: Some humans here think that being among fairies makes them beautiful and immortal.
Lorian: This one wants much more and I am not in the mood. I will never be *makes a ball from the paper and throws it behind*
I: Well, that would be it. I will not bother you anymore, then.
Lorian: You forgot about something, my dear human friend.
I: Ah, yes, your…order. What is it?
Lorian: Find me a moon stone which fell on human land exactly a hundred years ago. Make a potion of life from it and bring it to me. Until then, you won’t find love and won’t be loved by anyone.
I: Damn, I am screwed.
Lorian: *smiling venomously* Yes, indeed, you are.
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Sneak Peek: Prison
The fae seemed unaffected by the iron bars he was leaning onto and the awful filth that reigned in Tiyan’s cell. More even, he seemed to enjoy the low conditions. As if this dirty place was a break from some kind of royal routine.
His black eyes drilled the human hunter through and through. His smile was predatory and dangerous, like a smile of an extremely vicious wolf that caught prey and relished its scent.
“So what?” Tiyan grinned at the fey. “You came here by yourself to stain your precious shoes in the dirt and look at my suffering? I have bad news. I am not going anywhere.”
“Ah” the fae looked amused. “For sure you prefer the hot steel and finger screws applied to you by these unwashed inquisitors. They’ve never seen the sun in the forest in the morning but they surely know every part of these dungeons.”
“Finger screws better than fairy court” Tiyan spat.
Kilyan laughed. Even Tiyan had to admit that it was a beautiful sound. He remembered a similar laughter, from long ago, from his childhood. This was the same fey. The fey who saved him on the battlefield.
“You are aware that you will die here. I am not lacking servants, my winter child. I have countless of them. They are obedient and trained. I don’t need to save your thick skin, but I want to give you something humankind could never offer you, now or ever.”
“What?” asked Tiyan bluntly.
“Power. Relief. A place where you can develop your talents I gave you in that moment, when I saved your life.”
“So it was you, you dark bastard” Tiyan gritted his teeth. “I didn’t ask for that.”
“Yes, your kind always had death wishes and affinity for suffering. You would rather die than serve. Such strong backs, such rigid spines! Very admirable! I would say stupid, but you would feel offended.”
“How would you’ve guessed” irony oozed from the hunter’s tongue.
“The purpose of your life is to serve under me. That is the truth that you don’t want to but will embrace. If you are so reluctant to go with me, you will end up there in another way.”
“By force?” grinned Tiyan manically.
“No. On butterfly wings, carried by moths and fireflies” replied the fae, again laughing. Beautiful sound.
Hypnotizing.
Tempting.
Enchanting.
Tiyan felt as his body started to feel numb. His limbs, weak and limp. His mind, muddy and tired.
He was aware that Kilyan was trying to put a spell on him. He decided to not give in, at any cost.
Soon, he was sleeping, in the dirt and mud of the Praetor’s prison.
The fae crouched next to him. His long fingers brushed Tiyan’s hair, in a soft and loving caress.
“I will wait for you in my palace, my surprise prize. Welcoming you in, as I should.
The soft laughter filled the air and the Kilyan disappeared in the thin air, like he never was here. A dream that Tiyan dreamt, but real enough to pry him from behind the bars.
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Well…
Lorian: You can trust me. I am an embodiment of goodwill. If you serve me well, you will bask in my glory and your cup will be always full. I treat my humans humanely.
Also Lorian: … but if you serve me bad, your blood will be cursed till the tenth generation. If you will be able even to get that far.