A Court of Tears and Starlight

Wild calls to wild

FEYRE

The woods around me were filled with strange trees I had not seen before. Long sleek, silver bark with sparse black blue foliage towered above. Tiny delicate purple flowers dotted the ground below. An owl hooted good night and made its way into his hollow to sleep. I smiled at the strangeness of this ever night. For it was surely a new day, yet Dawn had not peeked through the forest and nor would she. All around me were other more subtle signs of the shifting time. On a near by bush flowers opened their petals and began to flutter, revealing their delicate wings as they rose, transforming into butterflies with soft luminescent green and blue wings.

Beetles scurried industriously across a fallen moss covered log, busy making the most of the new day.

All around me was life. I shook my head in disbelief. What seemed like years ago now, I had looked upon that canvas in Tamlin's study and peered with terror at Night. Then I had perceived it as a place of nightmares and death. Full of monsters both wicked and wild... And so it was. But maybe I was too. As I looked around in astonishment I perceived now all of the things hidden by the bright over powering light of day. In the soft lush luminescent glow of Night, daylight now seemed harsh and dry in comparison. Like this place gave life to creatures that would not survive outside the protective cocoon of the night. Creatures like me.

I had risen some hours ago and, donning some sensible pants and a silken blouse, had set out to explore. It hadn't taken me long to find an out. I needed to be OUT. Those years in the woods had changed me. Survival eroded away the softer parts, leaving an animal, fierce and wild, kill or be killed, that felt exposed and caged in the luxury of the wide elegant rooms of any home.

As I left the manor I had been drawn to the woods. Wild called to wild. 

CRACK...

A twig snapped behind me and several birds took flight. Instinct kicked in and I crouched low, huddled against a nearby tree.  I waited, refusing to move. Many times before I had escaped a wild boar or predatory cat by my long and patient vigilance. Now I waited. What seemed like an hour passed before I was rewarded with a hissing noise. The woods were deathly silent as the Attor appeared. It plucked a beetle off the log and squeezed it between sharp bony fingers until a sickening crunch followed. Shadows materialised around it as two more cloaked figures appeared.

"Have you got it?" Hissed the Attor.

Silence.

Choking.

"N-n-n-no..." Spluttered someone.

An another hiss followed. This one full of malice and venom.

"He won't be pleased. He doesn't tolerate excuses or failure." Said his mocking voice.

One of the figures wisely remained silent while the other spoke out in protest.

"How does he even know that it is here?" He whispered angrily..

Crunch. Another beetle was mercilessly crushed between those deathly fingers.

"It is here" he hissed...

"She stole it from him. It was never hers to keep. He will be furious if someone discovers it before he can reclaim it."

More silence.

Then.... "B-b-b-bu-t how do we know it is not lost beneath the mountain still?".

Crunch.

"Fools. I would have sensed it. I have been back. It was not there. She has hidden it somewhere. It musssssst be here."

"His power holds strong. I cannot yet penetrate his wards...."

"Find it."

Then it was gone. The hooded figures scanned the woods. They gave a single curt nod to each other before departing as they came, disappearing into darkness.