Many knew of the Fae by legend. The caretakers of nature and the greater world they moved seamlessly between the secluded realms of the Elphame, and the mortal lands they claimed. Even the oldest of Dragons could sparingly give you more information. All knew they were the fair and beautiful folk, all knew their whim was the breeze, all knew. But all also knew nothing of what they were. Elvish clans dared to claim to be the children of the Fae and the rightful owners of land, whilst devils told of their true origins. And all others had a story… many were wrong.<br/><br/>It was however then men, mundane as they were, who’d held the most daring of encounters having proven their encounters. But time too buried those truths. Obscuring tomes and relics with the dross of ages, in the dark men became tribal and wild. The rare and despised creatures of these lands, as the Truefolk did not pity them or pay them much mind.<br/><br/>Though with dire times came the memories of old salvation. Of a time long ago when men beseeched the Fae and struck a bargain. And it was this village lost in the frost of winter, upon the border of Ashar, who were most desperate wilting of the famine that had afflicted them. It was unnatural cold. Like those of tales and the eldest of the village counsel dared to unearth the forbidden knowledge, for the Fae while good and fair were not always kind.<br/><br/>Their ancestors spoke of warnings. Would they hear them?<br/><br/>The ritual was of incense and the burning of purified oils which a tithe of herbs, lamb heart, and berries were offered with incantation. First of three tributes. This was the call as the voices of elders shook with chill and omen. As the flame flickered high in the air above the burning oil the words grew forceful. Then came the blade as seven virginal maidens (children and women) split their palms and pressed their wounds to the earth.<br/><br/>When the fire turned a pale green voices rose then immediately hushed. Nobody had expected anything to come of this, it was a momentary hope for their salvation. But the air about them grew thick with wilderness aroma as a warm wind blew through the canopies. Sky dimming.<br/><br/><b> “O’ Dwyn, great lord and protector of Ashar, keeper of the Oath, fire of the hearth we beseech thee.”</b>A hunched elder with a crooked cane and two milky eyes shouted.<br/><br/>The flame burned still as a second wind rolled through and with it the sounds of faint flutes, the scent of feast, and childish voices of laughter. It was a ghostly haunt that made children cling to their father’s leg in fear. Long minutes passed as the winds came in waves, and the piping of music grew louder and louder. Whistling in the ears of all present.<br/><br/><b> “O’ Dwyn, we ask…”</b>The elder started only to be cut off.<br/><br/>All light vanished as the flames swallowed into themselves with audible pops, and pitch black darkness replaced their wooded surroundings. Then there was no noise. No flute, no laughter, no words as their voices trapped behind their tongues.<br/><br/>Had they done something wrong? Was the ritual not performed as they should… were the tributes not worthy, it was all they had. Minds turned to the girl with the eyes of two color and old superstitions weighed heavily upon their thoughts. It was her! She was why! They should have known better than to give that girl as tribute. Any person who knew the terms of rituals that the Offering of Flesh was to be pure, as painful as it would be to consider turning a child unto demons and druids for favor. Then the horror of these tales sunk into their minds as the expectation of retribution stalked behind their eyes.<br/><br/>Shadows danced within the bleak expanse giving many to a silent frenzy, but they would eventually still as two silver eyes slowly slid open in the distance.<b>“It has been ages since the last man turned their tongues to my court.”</b>A voice consumed the space around them rich with texture and amusement. The eyes blinked.<b>“What is it you seek? And what is it you give?”</b>It asked.<br/><br/>The blind elder found his voice returned with the shake of breath.<b>“Our farms, our lands… they suffer without nourishment. Our children grow hungry and our people wither. There is a new death every night… We seek mercy my Lord. We seek a return to fertility.”</b>His words were soaked in the submission of terror.<br/><br/>Those silver eyes blinked once more followed by a deep chuckle that brought forth soothing warmth to the air.<b>“You are Tormund, son of Munn, a child of the Laymen and descendant of Urdhir.”</b>The ethereal voice announced and then chimed,<b>“I knew your forefathers. Will your offer disgrace their name?”</b>The elder Tormund kept his head bowed and shook fearful to speak.<b>“Why do you not look upon my eyes, child?”</b>It asked only to be answered meekly,<b>“I am blind my lord… age has taken my sight.”</b>Silver eyes blink shifting restless and pensive. A flicker of flame sprouted once more from the bowl of oil, herb, and heart. The green light illuminated Tormund’s features but not much else, but what all would see would astonish. The sharp lines of age upon the man’s face softened whilst the gray of his hair deepened with natural color. Once milky eyes clouded in cataracts began to clear into a pearly blue.<br/><br/>Tormund was mesmerized as he felt a vigor he’d not enjoyed since the days of his youth, and when he spoke overjoyed his voice was tempered of its gravel,<b> “My lord…”</b>But nothing else could be said as those silver eyes in the distance dancing with the light urged,<b>“What is your tribute?”</b>In the darkness they could barely see the woman, but the once elder Tormund lifted the brass bowl and parted through the crowd.<br/><br/><b> “Alyss…”</b>He spoke looking the young woman in her eyes. The light between them exposed their nature, as an emotion of uncertainty flooded of over Tormund. None in this village had ever experienced such an encounter, nor seen such a display of magic and this frightened him. Their ceremony had worked and now they courted what was an otherworldly being. If it was the Fae, a Demon, or something more? They did not know.