Working Title for this is Across the Faebridge
Excerpt:
Looking out the window from the guest house, Leanna could see the remains of the old home in the fading sunlight. She wondered what the people who had lived there had been like. What stories must their lives had? Had any of the women who had lived here lost their husbands or children? What must their lives had been like?
Of course, the logical side of her knew there was no part of this place that empathized with her loss. But the dreamer and wishful thinker in her had a small wish that this place knew how she felt and would perhaps help her heal. Taking a deep breath, she grabbed her sweater and putting it on, stepped outside and slowly began making her way to the ruins. She knew there was nothing there but rubble, but suddenly the need to see it close-up and personal was overwhelming. The urge to hold one of the stones in her hand and feel its weight was almost dire. She would only stay for a few moments. She patted the pocket of her sweater, assuring herself her small flashlight was still there.
As she began to cross the cobblestone bridge, intent on inspecting the long since destroyed home, Leanna wondered at her sense of urgency. Why did she care? She had not even really given it a passing glance when she had viewed the property but for some reason, she just needed to see it closer now.
No sooner had she stepped off the bridge then everything changed. The fading light of day was gone; replaced by the almost blinding light of morning sun. Her steps faltered as she looked around; perplexed. Gone was the ruins of the Manor. The fading light of day was no more. Not a single cloud littered the sky. The air was crisp and clean, and the breeze filtered through the trees had the unmistakable scent of lilac.
Turning in a slow circle, Leanna took in her surroundings in baffled amazement. The only thing she saw which still looked familiar was the bridge. Everything else was different. Tempted to pinch herself, she faced away from the bridge and found herself face to nose with a dragon. Huge, with black, green and gold scales, and eyes the color of bluebonnets; it stared at her with what she could only hope was simple curiosity.
Not even trying to discover if the beast was friendly, Leanna turned and ran as fast as she could back over the bridge, the scream in her throat lost in transit. As she ran, she silently begged any deity listening the dragon wasn’t following her.
As her feet hit the ground on the other side of the bridge, so was it near dusk again. Sliding to a halt, she stared at the little cottage she had happily thought would be her new home. Panting for breath, she turned back and looked the way she had just come. Everything appeared completely as it had before she had ventured onto the bridge.
“What the hell?” she whispered softly. “I’ve gone completely nuts!” She looked again at the bridge before backing slowly away and shaking her head. “Nope... no. Not me. I am not even going to try to rationalize this.” She chided herself softly as she turned, and half stumbled as she ran back to the cottage. Opening the door, she slammed it pressing her back against it and looked up at the ceiling even as she felt for the latch on the door, locking it.
When she heard the lock echoing in the bolt, she breathed a sigh of relief. “I’m just tired, right?” She rationalized out loud. “I’ve been unpacking all damn day. I’m exhausted. I need to sleep.”
She nodded her head, as if affirming what she had just spoken aloud. “Just as soon as I have a glass of wine.” As she spoke, she headed into the kitchen. Yes, a glass of wine was just what she needed…
…Vlameir Jareth sat atop his dragon companion, Torlek; a look akin to shock in his ice blue eyes. The dark-haired woman had skin that looked to be kissed by the sun itself, yet he had still almost believed her to be a specter. For a moment, he wasn’t really sure she had just been there. But she had been. Yet, almost as fast as he had spotted her, she was gone. He wouldn’t have believed her real if it hadn’t been for the lingering scent of lilac and lavender.
How had she stumbled upon this place? The bridge on the other side had not allowed anyone from the human realm to cross into the Fae lands since right after he had been crowned. That was nearly seventy cycles ago.
Children stumbled into their world quite often. They were still open and could easily believe and accept the existence of a Magical world existing parallel to their own. Most times, their visits were brief and weren’t often repeated.
Sometimes, they would return frequently. Some became so used to the Fae world that in time, they would make the decision to stay. King Vlameir trusted his people. Every human who had chosen to move to his realm had long before shown their hearts to be pure and open to the magic of it. He knew they would be a welcome addition. But they had all journeyed here first when they were children…
For this adult mortal woman to be able to travel through the gateway into his world, there were three truths that would have to vibrate within her soul... Firstly, she would have had to endure tremendous sorrow. Second, she would have to have been at a point where she was desperate to make a change in her life. And third; She would have to be someone who believed in magic still, even with all her heartbreak. The third was a truly difficult feat. Mortal hearts were famous for only enduring so much pain before they would lose faith in any and all magic.
As he sat astride Torlek, pondering the condition of her heart, the dragon took that moment to speak. “Well, that was an interesting development. It’s been quite some time since I’ve seen such a pretty little thing waltz across that bridge.” There was a soft hint at humor in Torlek’s tone.
Shaken from his thoughts, Vlameir huffed, “Was she pretty? I daresay I had no opportunity to notice, you startled her so.” He chuckled softly. “Indeed, she was so startled to see you, I’m afraid she may have been running to just try to catch up with her heart.”
Torlek recognized his friend’s playful banter and joined in light heartedly. “So, I startled her? Well then, perhaps I should cross over into her realm and apologize. At the very least, I should introduce myself, so she knows I meant her no harm.”
Vlameir scowled as he nearly barked, “You’ll do no such thing! Dragons have not crossed over into the human lands wearing their true forms in near three hundred years. The last time was near disastrous!”
Torlek inclined his head in agreement. “Well, then, what would you have us do? The fact she crossed into our world means she has need of us. At the very least you should send someone over, if only to be assured she is okay, and not still in hysterics.”
Vlameir opened his mouth to argue, but instead found himself remembering the stricken look in her eyes. Torlek was right. But he had no intention of sending anyone to check on her. He was fully capable of checking on the mortal on his own. No one in the kingdom had an inkling of his powers of stealth. “Very well. I shall go and see how she fairs.”
As he spoke, he slid off Torlek’s back and was rewarded by the dragon turning to look him in the eyes, questioning, “You? But you are the King. It’s unheard of for you to cross over into the Mortal world with not so much as a guard.”
Vlameir held his hand up to stop Torlek’s complaint. “It is nighttime right now in her world. I will use my powers to go to her invisibly. No one will see me. Not even her.”
The Dragon shook himself, letting his wings spread for a moment. The stretching showed off a metallic luster to the green and gold of his scales. Purple eyes took in the Elf Lord. Torlek had a feeling, things would not go quite as Vlameir planned, but he knew better than to voice his concerns. Lowering himself down to rest on the ground, he watched warily as his friend turned and made his way to the bridge between the two worlds. Muttering softly to himself, “We shall see.”
Excerpt:
Looking out the window from the guest house, Leanna could see the remains of the old home in the fading sunlight. She wondered what the people who had lived there had been like. What stories must their lives had? Had any of the women who had lived here lost their husbands or children? What must their lives had been like?
Of course, the logical side of her knew there was no part of this place that empathized with her loss. But the dreamer and wishful thinker in her had a small wish that this place knew how she felt and would perhaps help her heal. Taking a deep breath, she grabbed her sweater and putting it on, stepped outside and slowly began making her way to the ruins. She knew there was nothing there but rubble, but suddenly the need to see it close-up and personal was overwhelming. The urge to hold one of the stones in her hand and feel its weight was almost dire. She would only stay for a few moments. She patted the pocket of her sweater, assuring herself her small flashlight was still there.
As she began to cross the cobblestone bridge, intent on inspecting the long since destroyed home, Leanna wondered at her sense of urgency. Why did she care? She had not even really given it a passing glance when she had viewed the property but for some reason, she just needed to see it closer now.
No sooner had she stepped off the bridge then everything changed. The fading light of day was gone; replaced by the almost blinding light of morning sun. Her steps faltered as she looked around; perplexed. Gone was the ruins of the Manor. The fading light of day was no more. Not a single cloud littered the sky. The air was crisp and clean, and the breeze filtered through the trees had the unmistakable scent of lilac.
Turning in a slow circle, Leanna took in her surroundings in baffled amazement. The only thing she saw which still looked familiar was the bridge. Everything else was different. Tempted to pinch herself, she faced away from the bridge and found herself face to nose with a dragon. Huge, with black, green and gold scales, and eyes the color of bluebonnets; it stared at her with what she could only hope was simple curiosity.
Not even trying to discover if the beast was friendly, Leanna turned and ran as fast as she could back over the bridge, the scream in her throat lost in transit. As she ran, she silently begged any deity listening the dragon wasn’t following her.
As her feet hit the ground on the other side of the bridge, so was it near dusk again. Sliding to a halt, she stared at the little cottage she had happily thought would be her new home. Panting for breath, she turned back and looked the way she had just come. Everything appeared completely as it had before she had ventured onto the bridge.
“What the hell?” she whispered softly. “I’ve gone completely nuts!” She looked again at the bridge before backing slowly away and shaking her head. “Nope... no. Not me. I am not even going to try to rationalize this.” She chided herself softly as she turned, and half stumbled as she ran back to the cottage. Opening the door, she slammed it pressing her back against it and looked up at the ceiling even as she felt for the latch on the door, locking it.
When she heard the lock echoing in the bolt, she breathed a sigh of relief. “I’m just tired, right?” She rationalized out loud. “I’ve been unpacking all damn day. I’m exhausted. I need to sleep.”
She nodded her head, as if affirming what she had just spoken aloud. “Just as soon as I have a glass of wine.” As she spoke, she headed into the kitchen. Yes, a glass of wine was just what she needed…
…Vlameir Jareth sat atop his dragon companion, Torlek; a look akin to shock in his ice blue eyes. The dark-haired woman had skin that looked to be kissed by the sun itself, yet he had still almost believed her to be a specter. For a moment, he wasn’t really sure she had just been there. But she had been. Yet, almost as fast as he had spotted her, she was gone. He wouldn’t have believed her real if it hadn’t been for the lingering scent of lilac and lavender.
How had she stumbled upon this place? The bridge on the other side had not allowed anyone from the human realm to cross into the Fae lands since right after he had been crowned. That was nearly seventy cycles ago.
Children stumbled into their world quite often. They were still open and could easily believe and accept the existence of a Magical world existing parallel to their own. Most times, their visits were brief and weren’t often repeated.
Sometimes, they would return frequently. Some became so used to the Fae world that in time, they would make the decision to stay. King Vlameir trusted his people. Every human who had chosen to move to his realm had long before shown their hearts to be pure and open to the magic of it. He knew they would be a welcome addition. But they had all journeyed here first when they were children…
For this adult mortal woman to be able to travel through the gateway into his world, there were three truths that would have to vibrate within her soul... Firstly, she would have had to endure tremendous sorrow. Second, she would have to have been at a point where she was desperate to make a change in her life. And third; She would have to be someone who believed in magic still, even with all her heartbreak. The third was a truly difficult feat. Mortal hearts were famous for only enduring so much pain before they would lose faith in any and all magic.
As he sat astride Torlek, pondering the condition of her heart, the dragon took that moment to speak. “Well, that was an interesting development. It’s been quite some time since I’ve seen such a pretty little thing waltz across that bridge.” There was a soft hint at humor in Torlek’s tone.
Shaken from his thoughts, Vlameir huffed, “Was she pretty? I daresay I had no opportunity to notice, you startled her so.” He chuckled softly. “Indeed, she was so startled to see you, I’m afraid she may have been running to just try to catch up with her heart.”
Torlek recognized his friend’s playful banter and joined in light heartedly. “So, I startled her? Well then, perhaps I should cross over into her realm and apologize. At the very least, I should introduce myself, so she knows I meant her no harm.”
Vlameir scowled as he nearly barked, “You’ll do no such thing! Dragons have not crossed over into the human lands wearing their true forms in near three hundred years. The last time was near disastrous!”
Torlek inclined his head in agreement. “Well, then, what would you have us do? The fact she crossed into our world means she has need of us. At the very least you should send someone over, if only to be assured she is okay, and not still in hysterics.”
Vlameir opened his mouth to argue, but instead found himself remembering the stricken look in her eyes. Torlek was right. But he had no intention of sending anyone to check on her. He was fully capable of checking on the mortal on his own. No one in the kingdom had an inkling of his powers of stealth. “Very well. I shall go and see how she fairs.”
As he spoke, he slid off Torlek’s back and was rewarded by the dragon turning to look him in the eyes, questioning, “You? But you are the King. It’s unheard of for you to cross over into the Mortal world with not so much as a guard.”
Vlameir held his hand up to stop Torlek’s complaint. “It is nighttime right now in her world. I will use my powers to go to her invisibly. No one will see me. Not even her.”
The Dragon shook himself, letting his wings spread for a moment. The stretching showed off a metallic luster to the green and gold of his scales. Purple eyes took in the Elf Lord. Torlek had a feeling, things would not go quite as Vlameir planned, but he knew better than to voice his concerns. Lowering himself down to rest on the ground, he watched warily as his friend turned and made his way to the bridge between the two worlds. Muttering softly to himself, “We shall see.”