Destiny in the Fae Court

Destiny in the Fae Court (Tiyan & Lorain Story #1)

Commissioned by: Winter-Unseelie

Written by: Danni Lynn, Writing Daydreams 2 Reality

August 7th, 2023

1,600 words

 A snippet based on the world of Winter-Unseelie’s characters. The character, Tiyan, is a human whose life was saved by a fae when he was a child. This service cursed him with fae magic and now Tiyan must repay his debt with a life of servitude to the fae.

The high palace of the new fae lord, Lorain Ain’Dal, sparkled brighter than the northernmost star on a cold winter evening. Treading upon the forbidden grounds, the human, Tiyan, was held between two fae guards as he entered the lords’ throne room.

Stories shared over hearth fires or whispered in the dark as nervous eyes darted to any window or door not sealed shut against the world of faeries are as much a human will ever experience or encounter of the fae world. But, for years, Tiyan had felt he did not belong in the human world. Cursed fae magic boiled in his veins, pushing him further from his own people as his tainted destiny led him to the fae court. A human stamped with fae magic could not continue to live in the human world. While cursed in his mind, the magic was a gift in the eyes of the fae, but as Tiyan dragged his feet upon entering the throne room, he wanted to spit in the face of the gift that had burdened him for many years.

The youngest fae lord, a high shee, sat at the end of the throne room, lounging in his throne. Lord Lorian Ain’Dal struck a blade of cold fear into Tiyan’s mind. The lord had gray blue skin, little different from a thick piling of snow under the shadowy boughs of ever greens. His raven hair was swept upwards and stood above a pointed silver circlet upon his brow. His body was laden with the royal riches of a mink lined cloak, heavy woolen gray, black tunic, and a blue sash. Silver adornments traced up and down his chest and small decorative chains hung from his mantel.

Tiyan was brought before Ain’Dal’s throne. Ain’Dal looked down upon Tiyan with coal-black eyes as a hint of humor marred his marble façade with a slight curve to his predatory lips.

“It seems my servant has finally come to his senses,” Ain’Dal said. He steepled his fingers together and leaned forward, looking down at Tiyan. Tiyan balled his fists but kept still. He hardened his expression despite a flicker of fear in the back of his mind, leaking out to shiver down the back of his neck and across his arms.

“I did not have much of a choice,” Tiyan responded. His lip curled. “If you stayed out of my mind, I would have had the freewill to refuse entering your palace. I would hold back from celebrating my arrival as well. I do not intend to stay.”

“I don’t think you have much of a choice because your life had been pledged to me, as a fae savee. I saved and spared your life when you were only a child. By default, you owe me your life, and are now indebted to the throne in a life of servitude.”

“I never asked for you to save me!” Tiyan snapped. He remembered the way his little sister used to look out the window of their family home into the deep banks of snow, fearing the possibility of the fae slipping in on a dark night. It was the fae’s fault his family was dead—he would rather throw himself out into the snow instead of accepting their ways.

Ain’Dal snickered. His voice rattled somewhere deep in the cavern of his chest. “You may refuse me, but I know you feel your purpose here. That magic that is rotting in your bones, I can give it meaning. I can help you master it.”

“Another thing I never wanted—”

“Another gift you disdain.” Ain’Dal tsksed and clicked his tongue. “Humans can be ungrateful. But luckily, I am aware of the folly of humankind, in the reality of one so powerful as a high shee. You strike at anything you do not understand.”

Bile rose in Tiyan’s throat. He would never help the fae, no matter what they thought he owed them.

“I understand enough. That is why I will never help you!” Tiyan shouted.

Ain’Dal stood up from his throne. His laughter grew into a bark as he regarded the struggling human.

“You continue to show your inability to actually understand. How silly to think you can do what you want. Your life is a debt owed, you will serve me, and there is no room for you to refuse.” Ain’Dal spread his arms, his long cape hanging in the air. “Even if you refuse me, you could not stand up to even a single fae, themself.” Ain’Dal twitched a finger and a fae that had been nearby, at the back of the room, came forward and raised his hands. A sudden weight enveloped Tiyan’s body and he was slammed onto the ground. Tiyan’s knees burst with pain as he hit the marble floor with a crack. Tiyan buckled forward, slapping the ground with his palms as the guards on either side of him let go.

“You cannot even deny a lowly mage of this court,” Ain’Dal said. “Yet you dare to refuse your place?”

Tiyan shook, feeling as if his body was going to be flattened onto the marble flooring. He refused to let them beat him, he refused to be made a fool in front of this bloodthirsty fae. They did not understand what Tiyan and his people had been through. He owed them nothing, and as one who had lost everything due to the wars of the fae, Tiyans, and the unseelie, he would not give in. Tiyan’s hatred for the Fae and for Ain’Dal burned as his legs and arms began to shake. He gritted his teeth; he will not let them do this to him. He will not let them continue to use the human race as they wanted. Deep within his belly, a cold urge unfurled and spread throughout his body. The fae magic that had caused him pain for so long filled him with strength and suddenly he regained control over his fingers, toes, and even his hands. Tiyan squeezed his eyes shut, willing all the strength into his limbs and chest, begging for the ability to rise against all odds.

Ain’Dal watched, his face scrunched in perplexation as Tiyan struggled and managed to stomp one foot onto the ground, reordering his weight beneath him. Tiyan pushed off the floor and shakily rose, looking as if he carried a massive burden on his back. The veins in his neck and forehead bulged out as he got up and suddenly the invisible shackles of the mage’s magic burst and he stood free of his own ability.

Sweat beaded Tiyan’s brow and his chest rose as he caught his breath.

“I will not bow down to you,” he declared.

Ain’Dal smiled. A relief, somewhere bordering awe, came over him. He clapped his hands together, one loud smack echoing around the throne room. “Silly human, you have only proved to me you are exactly who I need you to be.”

“I have only shown you I will not go along with your ploy. I refuse to work under any fae, lord or not,” Tiyan spat.

“Again, incorrect. Do you think just any human could withstand fae magic? You have only proven yourself beyond a doubt that you harbor fae magic in your veins. That is a gift, only the fae can give. It is a gift you received when a fae saved your life.”

“I refuse! I will not bow down to you!”

“This is your debt to repay. If you refuse to be on your knees, I can find a simple solution for that.”

Ain’Dal clapped his hands again and the two guards flanking Tiyan launched into action. Drawing their weapons, long staffs made of light, they leapt onto Tiyan and dragged him to the ground. Tiyan, quickly overcome, attempted to flail and fight back, but his legs were swept out from under him, and he fell down. Tiyan’s jaw hit the ground with a resounding crack and a blossoming of blood filled his mouth where a tooth stabbed into his own cheek during the collision.

Ain’Dal walked down the steps leading up to his throne and came to stand above Tiyan with a smile. Tiyan stared up from the floor with a look of pure hatred coloring his cheeks scarlet.

“And you have found your place at last. Tiyan Markon, you are hereby bound to the Ain’Dal throne and are sworn as a savee to a life of servitude in debt to I, Lord Lorian Ain’Dal,” Ain’Dal announced, his voice echoing in the bright room.

Tiyan wriggled and pushed out his lips, spitting a glob of blood and saliva at Ain’Dal’s polished shoes. The fae lord did not flinch as he looked down at the defiant but defeated Tiyan.

“You will thank the fae lords for the sparing of your life, and you will serve me until your life comes to an end. I will teach you the ways of our magic, and you will exist in the highest courts of the shee. You will live a thankful life, remembering every breath you take is because I allow it.”

Ain’Dal crouched down and looked at Tiyan closely. Tiyan’s face was a wretched mess of hate as he tried to fight back, to stand, to make a break for it. A powerful need to kill the fae before him filled Tiyan with an angsty fire but his hands were bound behind his back by the powerful grip of a guard and a blade of light was pressed to his throat.

Tiyan was defeated. He was doomed.

Ain’Dal stood up and turned away to return to his throne. “Welcome to the courts of the fae. This is your life now.”

The End