The Good Folk

The Unseelie Court

I was standing in a clearing, it looked like a forest I used to visit back home in my island, but also strangely ethereal. The light breaking through the trees was iridescent. Silvery, then lilac and blue, flecks of gold, it kept changing.

"Anakin?" A familiar voice rang out, a young girl. I looked down at myself, and I looked young too. I must've been about fifteen, back then still seen as a girl dressed as a tomboy. This seemed like a memory, but no one called me by my name back then.

I responded automatically, "Iara?"

Who was that? My mind was hazy. I knew her, didn't I? I wasn't sure.

"You came. I thought you were gonna miss our meeting this Samhain. Finally forget me."

"How could I and why would I? You know I don't like Halloween, I'd rather meet up with you for as long as I can remember."

She laughed and finally came into view from behind a tree. Long, blonde hair, penetrating eyes. Something inhuman to her nature, her features were too perfect. Her aura too, you could almost see it glowing.

She chuckled, a sound like a song, "Do you even remember how we met?"

I scratched my head, I actually couldn't for a second, but it came, "I was a toddler, I wandered into the woods and found you, same age, you told me to keep it a secret," I paused, "Miss Iara Frost, what were you doing lost in the woods alone as a baby anyway?" The mind fog was getting thicker.

Her expression changed, she looked sad. Sighing, she replied, "You are forgetting some things. It won't be long now."

I had a bad feeling in my gut, "Long until what? What's going on?"

"Anakin, I'm Fae. You know that. I've been watching over you because..." she trailed off. "I shouldn't tell you why, just trust me. You'll forget me anyway, might be as soon as next year."

My stomach dropped, "No, you're my best friend. Yes, that I only see on this one night. But still, you're always there for me. Don't say things like that. Mystical creature or not, I won't forget."

I smiled and motioned for her to grab a basket I'd brought, "Brought you fresh fruits again, I know you prefer that to candy."

Iara smiled sadly. She grabbed the fruit basket, and it immediately froze over.

"My bad," she said in a soft voice, "even my name meaning suggests I'm a water fairy, now I've lost control and ruined your basket, but the fruits are still edible."

I was about to warn her about cracking a tooth when she bit into an apple like it was nothing.

"Huh," was all I said.

Then the apple got black and shiny, as if made out of oil. The darkness spread to her face, down her throat, made her all pitch black and disappear into a dark puddle so dark it looked like a black hole on the ground.

"Iara!" I screamed, sweating from fear. "Iara, come back!"

The puddle substance spread and came at me. Everything was engulfed in darkness.

***

I woke with a start. My adrenaline was pumping, I was sweaty and my heart was thumping its way out of my chest. I was in some sort of cave. It was cold.

I stood up, leaning against the moist rock wall to steady myself, trying to slow my breathing. What was that dream?

Then the Samhain memories came rushing back, and it didn't seem to matter. I needed to find Isaac. How did I end up here?

As if to answer my question, I realized someone had been there looking at me the whole time.

"Are you alive?"