The Kingdom Londaros

When Miri returned to the modest cottage that Solara had called home the past few months, she was deep in thought. She sat down at the table and stared at the moonstone in her hands. The liquid in the moonstone seemed to glow with a soft, delicate aura.

Around her the hustle and bustle of life seemed to be a dull tremor in her ears, she didn't know what to make of anything anymore.

"Miri? Miri, daughter, what is wrong?" Ithos sat down besides the young woman whose face pale and pinched. He felt her forehead, "Ye ain't ill, are ye?"

She looked at her father, "Papa, I have something for you." She opened her hand and out came the moonstone droplet necklace that contained the drop of first fae blood. She looked at it, "You don't have to go to the castle to steal anything. This should be enough to save Ryion."

The sound in the cottage stopped and they all looked at her with amazement and consternation.

Solara gently took the necklace and nodded, "This is what we've been looking for."

"How did you get this?" Myrai asked her child, "Who gave it to you?"

"Child, what's wrong?" Ithos grew more and more concerned at Miri's pale face.

Miri didn't know how to answer, her face felt red hot and she suddenly stood up, "I...I...I found it." Then she rushed out. Solara looked at Ithos and Myrai, "One of you should go after her, the city is not safe for a First Blood Fire Fae. And the leader of the Fire Fae to boot."

Myrai stood up, "You and Ithos take care of Ryion. Make sure the boys don't burn down the house."

The Imp who was playing with the other boys only grinned, which was was less than reassuring in the adults' eyes.

Myrai found Miri sitting underneath a giant purple fern, playing the with blossoms the tree had discarded with careless grace. She tapped it to her lips absently, inhaling the sweet scent and hoping to calm down her heart. She had a lost, bewildered look on her face, as if wondering how things had happened already without her knowing. How did it become like this without anyone asking her if she was ready?

Myra looked at her daughter and sighed, while she did not know the details, it had become painfully clear that Miri had fallen in love.

Sitting down beside her daughter, Myrai gently put the girl's head on her shoulders.

Miri looked at the flower in her hand, "Mama, when I was frozen in my youth form for hundreds of years, I aways thought that adults were quite silly. My mind aged when my body could not. I had always thought that when I was older, I would not be like those silly people who fell in love easily. How did it become like this?"

"Child, when I met your father, we were enemies." Myrai said quietly, "He hated the fae and I hated him for what he was." Miri blinked and looked up at Myrai's face, Myrai smiled, "But if mortal enemies could fall in love, why would it be surprising that you did as well?"

"I never knew." Miri said, her eyes full of questions, Myrai tapped her daughter on the nose, "How could you? It's not something we tell everyone. Now, daughter, tell me, what troubles you?"

Miri took a deep breath and said after a long, painful moment, "I made a promise to someone." She put her ring hand into her mothers and Myrai looked down.

On her daughter's fourth finger was a large onyx and diamond ring, set in the sigil of the ruling house of Londaros.

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The Road to the City of Light

"You know, you can have your horse back if you want." Cybelline said as she perched on the giant warhorse, she shifted uncomfortably as she examined the magnificent creature. Nearly six feet tall and built to break down men and city walls, it looked as uncomfortable as she felt.

Killian looked at Stormbane and the horse quieted instantly, seeing its master's displeased stare. Cybelline blinked, "How did you do that?" Killian smiled at her, "Stormbane and I have gone into a lot of battles, he may look intimidating but he is a good horse." He handed her a few sugar cubes, "He's much more managable with this."

At the sight of the sugar cubes, Stormbane quieted down and began to drool. Once he was fed, he lovingly head-butted Cybelline's hand.

"You are slightly derpy, aren't you?" Cybelline said to the horse as he neighed, eager to show off for more sugar cubes. Cybelline asked Killian, "How long have you had him?"

"He's seven years old, been in combat with me since two." Killian, "Before him, I had a horse that lasted me for three years. She took a spear meant for me."

The Killian she saw now was not the battle hardened warrior, but a man who had lost dear friend. Her expression soften too, "No one can understand how it feels to lose someone in battle, unless they've experienced it."

Killian looked at her and knew that she understood the toil of warfare, he looked at the vast sky, "The first time I went to war was when Londaros invaded my country. They demanded my head, and if the Dycathion king did not provide him with it then they would rape, kill, and pillage until nothing was left."

"So you decided to fight?" Cybelline asked softly.

Killian chuckled, "I had wanted to become a scholar. My...affliction had been cured by then and I thought that the Londaros king would leave me in peace. But the older I got, the more people he sent to kill me. I wanted to give up, so I ran away from Dycathion, ready to give myself over to a father who saw me as a demon."

"What changed your mind?" Cybelline wanted to know. Killian looked at her and smiled. It was a brilliant, dazzling smile that could stun anyone. Cybelline looked away and cleared her throat, "You shouldn't smile like that."

Killian tilted his head, "Why?"

"Because a weaker willed individual than will fall off their horse."

Killian's smile got wider, "I'll remember that. And I promise..."

Cybelline leaned forward a little thinking, "Promise what?"

"I'll only smile like this at you. To prevent more people falling off their horses, that is."

Behind him Lord Evans saw Cybelline suddenly lean back, a hint of pink on her cheeks. Their lord, imposing and impervious, immovable rock of a lord, was smiling like a fool.

Thank goodness, Lord Evans thought exhaustedly, thank goodness I found him some reading material on how to talk to a woman. Finally, finally there was progress.

"My lord! Are you injured?! Your ears, they're as red as blood!" Jacen said cluelessly as he kneed his steed forward, concern in every inch of his visage.

Lord Evans wanted to throw himself off the horse and be over and done with life. Better yet, he would take the idiot bastard Jacen with him. The road to love was dark, long, and endless, especially when Jacen was in the picture.

The two in front of them broke apart completely, and Killian turned around with murder in his eyes and vengeance on his heart. Jacen looked even more concerned, "My lord, your face is pale and your hands are shaking, did you eat something bad? You must take care of your health, you are no longer a youth. Remember the time when you ate that loaf of bread that old woman served you, you didn't leave the bathroom for three days and ----"

Lord Evans rode forward desperately and hung onto Jacen's horse as if it was his last act of life. He looked at Killian and said quickly, "My lord, Lord Jacen is gravely ill and on his deathbed. You must excuse the ravings of a madman. If you don't mind, I have to take him to the apothecary now." With that he turned their horses around nearly screamed, "We'll see you at camp!"

And with that, the two of them rode away as if the very devil himself chased after them.

Cybelline nearly cried with laughter, Killian inwardly promised that when they got back to the army, he would put Jacen through so much training that he would not be able to lift a finger, much less move his damned lips.

Cybelline turned to look at him once more, "You don't look that old."

Killian smiled, "I'm two and twenty. And you?"

"Around twenty? Not sure." Indeed, her age was a magical transformation. Killian studied her, there was always this air of mystery about this woman, and the feeling that if he blinked, she might disappear again. Suddenly, he wanted to know everything about her, especially how to find her if he lost her again.

Cybelline looked up at the sky, "How long do we have to travel?"

"A week, or thereabouts. It's just north of here." Killian responded. They continued to talk as their horses cantered down the road.

Not too far away, Lord Evans and Lord Jacen followed at a slower pace.

"Why did you take me away? What if our lord is sick? All he has is that woman to care after him." Jacen protested.

Evan sighed, "Jacen, you should be happy our lord is finally talking to a woman."

"I don't trust her." Jacen said grumpily, "What if she takes our Lord's innocence?"

Lord Evans nearly fell of his horse.

"If that day ever comes the sun might turn purple and all the birds will drop out of the sky." Lord Evans muttered sarcastically. He sighed, "Our Lord is a bit slow, emotionally. You don't have to worry about that."

"Then shouldn't we help him? Why did we leave?" Jacen demanded. He didn't like that woman, sure, but he didn't want his lord to be single all his life.

"Because you not being there is the greatest help that our general will ever encounter." Lord Evans retorted, "And from now on, you are not allowed to open your mouth when Cybelline is with our Lord."

"Why?" Jacen demanded as Lord Evans pinched the bridge of his nose, "Because I am trying to save your life you dolt."

Just then, a rumble passed through the earth and the horses whined in alarm. The trees on either side of the road grew ten feet and cut off Killian and Cybelline from their line of sight.

"Assassins." Lord Evans spat out and drew his sword, "Someone must have spread the word. We have to get to the two."

Killian looked at the road that suddenly closed behind them and the mages that stood in front of them. These were unusually tall figures, covered from head to toe in green and brown clothes.

Killian drew his sword and brought his horse in front of the group of seven mages, "You never give up, do you?"

The seven raised their hands and long tendrils of vines grew from the earth wrapping themselves around the horses.

Killian's sword flew faster than the eye could see, cutting down everything in its path. Just in that moment, his warhorse reared its head. Killian turned to see that some vines had snatched Cybelline by the waist and was rapidly pulling her into the forrest. In the blink of an eye, Cybelline and the mages were gone.

"No!" He cried and kneed his horse, racing after them into the darkest part of the woods.

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Author's Note: Happy Holidays to all my readers! Be it any religion or creed, I hope you are spending it doing whatever makes you content and happy. I hope that the season brings you joy and good tidings, and please note, however the day goes, from the bottom of my heart, I value, appreciate, and love your support. The world can be a tough place sometimes and it is my hope that through writing a world like this, I can bring my reader to another dimension where adventure (and Cybelline) awaits.

Your kind words of encouragement makes the writing process an exciting one, your support is invaluable. If my writing could make you feel half as amazing as you've made me feel, then I am one lucky author.