Etherea: The Lost Daughter

3

Nia woke once again foggy and unclear. Vague memories of a horned beast invaded her consciousness. She could not help the groan that passed her lips. How many times must I face these mythical creatures? Nia decided if she were to stay in this Realm long enough to rescue her mother then she must arm herself with not just weapons but knowledge, as it was her mother who taught Nia that knowledge could be the most powerful weapon of all. Nia left her room in search of anyone really, whoever would give her the most answers would suffice. 

Their voices carried through the hallways once again, Uaines usual humorous lilt gone, Torrins grave seriousness in full effect. Nia ignored the urge to roll her eyes as they whispered about her. She did not blame them, not entirely, she had questioned herself a million times already. Nia knew in her heart that she could not be like her father, she only hoped she was correct. "We need to find out what she is, no mortal woman could bear the child of an Elf. I know Fae men are weak to mortal women, but have you ever seen a Red Faerie?" Torrin questioned. It was fair enough, she supposed; if most of the Red Elves were gone, it made sense that they would be curious to find they had taken one into their care. She decided she would find out more and then she would tell them who she was. Taking the opposite turn she found what she had been searching for. The library. Its doors were laden with delicate scenes of battles and magical creatures. Nia gasped as the figures began to move, in an epic fight scene. When she could finally tear her eyes from the door, she ventured inside. It was vast and dusty, yet cosy and clean at the same time. Nia scoured the shelves for each book on Fae Lore and immersed herself into learning all she could. 

When her head was filled with information on so many creatures she could scarcely believe, Nia took a moment to reflect on what she had learned. Dragons hidden deep within the mountains, clans of Giants living above them, traveling bands of pixies, the wailing banshee. The Faoladh were once sacred protectors of the Elves before they were contorted by dark magic. There were many types of shapeshifters in the Fae world. Mermaids and sirens, seers and sorcerers could pass freely between this world and the next. Guilds of healers and scholars once stood in glittering cities. It was all lost to dark magic. Dark Elven magic. 

The more Nia read, the more she understood Uaine and Torrins worry. It was after all, the same magic running through her veins. Her hands shook as she turned each page, illustrations of her ancestors filled the parchment. Nia noticed there was far more information on her mother. Ciar's ancestry could be tracked only to his father and grandfather, two powerful High Elves who had been banished during the first war. They had committed unspeakable war crimes, tears pricked Nia's eyes as she read. Hope filled her as her mother's ancestry appeared much less terrible. Nia noticed with a frown as she read each woman's cause of death, every first-born daughter died in childbirth. Daughters born once the King remarried seemed to fare much better. Strange, Nia thought as she looked back to her mother's description. Riona had been the first born, her mother had died in childbirth; yet Riona had survived.

Nia shook her aching head and slipped the book beneath her pillow. She wished to learn of their powers, so she may find her own. Deciding to take a reprieve, Nia picked up a novel she had found about the High Fae of Etherea. It was almost like a magazine, she snickered at the pages describing Torrin as the ultimate playboy; she could not find anything of Uaine. Her pulse quickened as footsteps approached, Nia dropped the book to her side. "Can you hear me, Nia?" She knew he was whispering from the hallway, yet it was as if his lips had been right at her ear. Nia ignored him and his frustrated sigh, her heart beat furiously in her ears. What would they do to her once they knew what she was? They had every reason to despise her. Fear thwarted her decision to tell them anything.