A Court of Desires and Darkness

Prologue

I have watched the world through the centuries. Watched it evolve and grow. I watched during the darkest times, immortals and mortals, fighting against and with each other. Both sides desiring whatever freedom means to them. 

I often wonder to myself, would I have made a difference in the Great War? Had I not chosen to remain in the shadows, appearing as a frail lesser fae... would I have made a difference? There is no doubt that I would have chosen the side of the mortals. I despise the act of forcing others to make life easier for those who see themselves as better. 

Though there has been dark times, I have also witnessed the lighter, more beautiful side of life. Admittedly, it was more often before the fae and humans had become widespread, their conquering of the world's magic and resources a blight to all. 

It was almost a millennium prior to where we are now that the Cauldron, created by the Mother, chose me. Curious about those who dwell in the realm of sentience, it offered life and glorious magic. 

At a price, of course.

From a young age, I was on my own, only having myself to rely upon. My family left me for the creatures of the forest, convinced that I was too weak to be of use to them. As the chief-tan of the village, my father had a desire for only the strong to carry out his bloodline. But I... I was a scrawny child who could barely lift a bucket of water. I most certainly could not safeguard our people or our most sacred artifacts.

A bony creature, skin pale grey, took pity on me. It showed me how to find shelter and food, but disappeared once it felt I learned all I could. It did not prepare me, however, for the unusually horrible winter that proceeded the long summer. 

A two-day blizzard wreaked havoc on the pine forest, blanketing everything in a heavy layer of white. Violent winds howled through the trees, making relying on sight difficult. I ventured out of my tiny cave to find some berries when the storm hit. In a matter of minutes, the scene around me was a pale gray as snowflake after snowflake covered all tracks and branches.  Deciding that I would rather be hungry and safe by a fire, I tried to turn back.

But everything was covered. The storm swept in like a tsunami, destroying any evidence of safe passage. 

After a day of searching, I was so cold that my legs could barely move on. The layers of clothing on my back were wet and stiff, leaching the body heat away from me. Even the wildlife knew to stay in their shelters. It was when I collapsed on the ground, stomach thundering with the roar of the winter winds, that I heard it. A faint whisper, mixed with a golden, warm glow. It beckoned me. 

I raised my numb, snow-covered face from the pillow of white cold and saw it, somehow knowing immediately what I was looking at. The Cauldron. My people didn't believe in the existence of it, but we knew from stories told by travelers that others did. 

It was a murmuring, lilting voice that stretched across the darkness. It seemed to echo in the silence, the winds stopping to listen. Even my hunger was forgotten as I sat up and stared at that warm glow. 

The Cauldron came to me, looking for a bargain. It had been watching me, it said, for so long. It peered into my soul and saw my desire to live. The Cauldron knew my thoughts and how I wished to be stronger. So it offered me what I could never turn down. 

An eye into the world for the gift of life, of power. No one would overcome me again, it promised. 

Without contemplation, I responded yes. That warm glow seemed to smile as it hurdled toward me. There was no time to react before it slammed into my body, chasing the bite of winter away. My body greedily took the magic, tendrils of light sending the darkness fleeing.

My body became stronger, my senses better--everything a high fae is expected to be like. I could hear each snowflake hit surfaces, a cacophony of drums. Somewhere behind me, a small animal scurried underneath the snow. 

A golden circle etched itself on the inside of my right wrist. A reminder, that voice purred, that we are one. 

For I am the Cauldron Incarnate. 

And this is my story.

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