The Siege of Shadows: Book one

The Veil of Danu (1)

The young Seelie Queen sat in the soft glow of enchanted lanterns, smoothing the covers over her two sons. The room was warm with the scent of lavender and the soft hum of magic that always filled her chambers. She gazed at her boys, the light of her life: Eiran, the older with golden hair that gleamed like sunlight, and Kael, the younger, whose dark locks curled rebelliously at his brow.

Eiran crossed his arms, a skeptical smirk on his face. "Stories are for babies," he said, his green eyes gleaming with mischief.

Kael, perched beside him, immediately puffed up with indignation, his little fists clenched at his sides. "They are NOT! Mama's stories are the best!" His voice wavered with frustration, and his big blue eyes, so like his father's, shimmered unnaturally.

The Queen froze as she saw Kael's eyes flicker—from blue to a deep, glowing crimson. A shiver ran through her as the little boy trembled with anger, his small body shaking.

"Kael," she said softly, her voice gentle but firm. She reached for him, pulling him into her arms. His tiny body felt hot against her, and as she stroked his hair to soothe him, her fingers brushed against something unexpected.

Her breath caught. Beneath his soft curls were two tiny nubs—sharp, like the budding horns of a young stag.

"Oh, my little one," she whispered, her voice trembling as she held him closer. She kissed his forehead and continued to stroke his hair, humming an old lullaby under her breath until his breathing slowed and his eyes faded back to their familiar blue.

Eiran, sensing the tension but not understanding, frowned. "Mama, is Kael okay?"

The Queen forced a smile, tucking Kael under his covers. "He's just tired, my darling. It's been a long day for both of you." She turned to Eiran, brushing his golden hair from his forehead. "Even brave warriors need stories sometimes, my love. Let me tell you one tonight. Just this once."

Eiran huffed but didn't protest, settling back into the pillows. "Tonight, I will tell you the story of the Veil and the love that shaped our world."

She smiled at the two boys one's complexion tanned with hair dark as night the other fair skinned and golden haired as the brightest summer sun.

"Long, long ago, before even the oldest trees had roots in the ground, there was a goddess named Danu, the Mother of All. She was as beautiful as the sunrise and as wise as the stars. With her hands, she shaped the world from chaos, and with her heart, she filled it with magic.

Danu had two beloved companions: Bilé, the quiet and steady guide of souls, and Cernunnos, the wild Stag of the Forest, whose laughter could make even the fiercest storms calm. Together, they dreamed of a world full of life and wonder."

"With Bilé's wisdom, Danu created the Seelie. "Let them be clever," she said, "and as graceful as the rivers. Let them wield the power of fire, water, earth, and air, so they may shape the world with care." And so, we were born, children of the light, keepers of beauty and balance.

But Danu's heart yearned for more. She turned to Cernunnos and said, "Let us make a people wild and free, who will live as the forests and mountains do, untamed and strong." And so, the Unseelie were born, children of the wild, with forms as varied as the stars."

"Yet, as all life must someday rest, the fae needed a way to reach the afterlife. With a heavy heart, Danu asked Bilé to become the World Tree, a bridge between life and death. "Your roots will guide their souls," she said, "and your branches will hold their dreams."

To protect the humans from the chaos of the fae, Danu wove the Veil, a shimmering barrier between our world and theirs. She loved the humans dearly and wished for them to grow without fear.

But the greatest love of all was still to come. Danu and Cernunnos, the Stag who had walked beside her for centuries, fell deeply in love. She gave up her immortality to share a mortal life with him, and together they vanished into the forests, leaving the Seelie and Unseelie to rule their realms."

Her words faltered as her eyes flicked to Kael, already drifting to sleep with a faint smile. The sight of his small, peaceful face brought a bittersweet ache to her chest.

"But without her, the balance was broken," she continued, her voice soft. "The world grew chaotic, and many fae forgot the harmony they once shared. Yet it is said that one day, a child will come to restore it—a child who is both light and shadow, who will bring unity where there is none."

When the story ended, both boys were asleep. The Queen sat quietly for a moment, gazing at them. Eiran's golden hair glinted in the lamplight, his face calm and serene. Kael's dark curls were tousled, his little hand clutching the edge of the blanket.

She kissed them both, lingering over Kael. Her fingers brushed his forehead again, feeling the faint edges of the horns hidden beneath his hair. A single tear slipped down her cheek, and she let it fall silently onto his pillow.

Rising slowly, she tucked the covers tightly around them and whispered, "Sweet dreams, my loves."

Closing the door behind her, the Queen leaned against it, her breath shuddering. The weight of what she had seen—what she now knew—pressed against her chest like a stone. Her little Kael, her baby, bore the mark of the Unseelie.

Her knees buckled, and she sank to the floor, tears streaming down her face. The Seelie and Unseelie courts had fought bitterly for centuries. No child of both courts could exist in peace, and Kael's future now seemed as uncertain as the fading light of the world tree.

The Queen wept quietly, clutching her arms around herself. She had to protect him—no matter what. But the thought of what lay ahead filled her with dread.

And in the stillness of the hallway, the Queen's sobs were swallowed by the heavy silence of the night.