The Naiad's Tale Preview

Chapter 1: Cordelia's Choice

What bothered Cordelia most was that she never actually chose to be here.

The River was fine really, after all, even though it's babbling brook was nonsensical, and even though the river itself had no life, The River was like a whole new person to Cordelia. It was all she had left to hold onto. However, in just the few short days that the barrier had been up, Cordelia found herself already bored with The River. It was rather short, spanning from only a snowy area all the way to an insufferable sauna near a land of volcanic rock. She preferred the mid zone, where mysterious caverns lay, waiting to be explored, and waterfalls with no source could gush and deafen her. Such was her odd sense of entertainment.

Beyond that was the fact that monster kind was still boarded up behinds the mysterious Ruins door. She hadn't had much time to mingle amongst the monsters, not that she had wanted to, but she knew she had to find a fresh water body and fast or else...she wasn't sure what would happen. But she knew it wouldn't be very good! If only she hadn't gotten hurt when-!

Cordelia had resolved herself to stop crying, during the first few days in the Underground. Crying was not only unbecoming, but weak as well. She did not want to appear weak to anyone graced by her presence. Not to mention, the dumb field nurses and monsters had so many people to take care of, that she was just another number! This had been why once she was healed enough, she ran from the monsters as far as she could, desperate to find a water source to retreat to. A new home. But Cordelia knew deep down that her home had been stolen from her. She had been cast out, and now she would be trapped here like the rest of the monsters, waiting for an eternity that would never come.

Like all bad stories, Cordelia wound up in the Underground by an obvious mistake. The Naiads had formed a gathering, from all bodies of freshwater that they could reach. Petty creatures, were the fae, that they looked out for their kind alone, and nothing more. No salt water fae, dryads, or salamanders were invited in their emergency evacuation. As the elders planned, Cordelia quickly felt her attention waning. She was sure that if they dragged on anymore about this Human-Monster war they were stuck in the middle war, she would die. In some ways, it would have been luckier if she had. Finding her urge to strong to ignore, Cordelia gently stood up from the log she was sitting on. Brushing herself off, she stood there, casually bobbing her head as if actively listening to her people's plan. Absentmindedly, however, as she steadily took steps backwards and away, putting a good distance between the council and herself. When the opportunity presented itself, Cordelia took off, triumphantly running into the forest brush. The brief moments of freedom she had felt were what she longed for most now. The warm rays from the sun occasionally broke through the forest canopy to tickle her skin. She remembered the warm summer breezes blowing past her while the birds merrily sang their songs from their perches. The Underground, was desolate, and the sheer thought of the skies, land, and water that had once been available to her, made her cringe. Who knew the freedom she once had could only bring back the pain of the past now.

Having strayed from the Naiad gathering in the wrong place at the wrong time, Cordelia ran smack dab in the midst of a rowdy bunch of human teens. Of course, the human war was at its peak, and these teens were the kind to care less if she were actually monster or not. With her vibrant golden eyes, and her gilled, scaled, and all around webbed body, this child was neither. But the human teens were sure of one thing; and she wasn't human. Therefore, she deserved to be tortured, cut up, and mocked, like the scum she was, in their humble opinions, that was. Had the taunting, spit, and small stones they threw at her not have worked her up so much, perhaps things would be different. Cordelia's temper had worked against her, and the second she spoke back against the cruel humans, they thrust themselves upon her. She remembered them grabbing her hair, kicking her, punching her, and taunting her. She felt the hot blood on her face, both from her own various injuries and the teen's own forceful, torn knuckles pounding against her. She could have easily killed them, if only her morals and conscious had allowed, but even her feeble attacks were diluted. She had meant no harm, and by default, avoiding hurting them severely. She was just a foolish child. She assumed she'd just take the beating, go home, heal up, and all would be fine. Unfortunately, every little magic spear she thrust at them in defense, every little bite on their arms, or kick in the pants, agitated her attackers even more.

Before she knew what had happened she was picked up and slammed against the rough bark of a tree behind her. The humans cackled with laughter at the dazed and sedated creature at their mercy. Choosing not to kill her, they chose a much worse fate for her. One human volunteered his pocket knife to the one who held her against the tree. Said ring leader had a crazed smile that even in the haziness of the memory, Cordelia could not forget. She could never forget the pain that followed. Wielding the pocket knife he cut his permanent handiwork into Cordelia. He slit off the webs between her fingers and toes, and as if that had not been enough, he took great pride in grabbing the fins in place of her ears and tearing the knife through each of them, leaving agonizing, bleeding stubs in their place. It was worth noting to her, that a Naiad's fins were their most sensitive part, where the faintest brush could leave a lasting sensation. He had dropped her, and she remembered the lifeless moments she had laid on the ground, watching them taunt each other with her fins...and then they had been chased off by the monster retreat to Mt. Ebott. She had passed out, and could not remember the moment monsters had been sealed to their doom. All she knew, was that she had been taken with them, bandaged, and healed, forced to an uncertain destiny with them.

Unfortunately, she was not the only fae to be locked under in the uncertainty she had grown to know. There were two other types that she noticed strayed into the Underground as well. Dryads were a race of tree fae, and each were very fickle. Rude, hurtful, and oddly violent, they chased each other and only supported their colony, such as pine, cedar, and the assortments. Dryads were fond of no one, and that meant Cordelia as well. She found that their bark was equally as painful as their bite. On the stark contrast were the Salamanders. She knew little of them other than these enormous lava-folk were seldom in number, but strong in force. She was quite frankly terrified of the mindless brutes, with multiple pairs of eyes and arms, so she made sure to stay clear.

Then there was her. Alone. The only Naiad in the entire Underground.

But Cordelia didn't mind. She had learned the hard way to stick within her comfort zone, and she had paid the price for speaking her mind, and following her own goals and admirations. Cordelia was fine being alone, because alone never hurt her. Cordelia was here, and she didn't have a choice but that.

A/N! I will not be updating here! I have six chapters up on Ao3, and that is where I am writing primarily! This Is part of an Au called Nevermore. If you are interested, check me out on Archive Of Our Own as A_Fetuve_Scarecrow!!!