The Erlking

1755, Bonn, Germany
We see a 12 year old boy running around the forest close to the border and the new opera house that was just constructed.

He was tall and lanky, had a tuff of black hair that was sticking out all around his head. He had big round curious eyes with dark brown pupils that seemed to bring warmth to anything his eyes landed upon. He had surprisingly handsome features with some baby fat left on his cheeks. He radiated naiveness greater than the sun itself but he did have a surprisingly cunning personality when it came to avoiding things he didn't like, for instance studying.

He was born in a German merchant household which made quite a lot of money for merchants of the time. His life was quite comfortable compared to those who live in the slums. He was not spoiled but neither was he abused, he just lived a normal childhood.

Back to him running in the forest, he was running without shoes and having the time of his life enjoying nature when he heard an eerily voice speak behind him.

"What a beautiful child indead," the boy immediately turned around to see a ghostly figure behind him. The figure was wearing tornish looking robes with a crown that looked like it was made of branches on top of his head. The figure was a milky translucent colour and didn't have any feet, it was just hovering above the ground like a ghost.

"Who is't art thee?" Asked the German boy with a little fear apparent present in his voice.

"I am the Erlking, the king of fairies." Replied the erlking with a smile creeping its face.

"Why is thee here," questioned the naive boy, backing away slowly already knowing who the erlking was. It was a story often told by the elders to scare children saying the erlking will show up and tempt you to go with it once you go with him you never come back. It was said only kids could interact with it and see it.

"To claim thou as mine," replied the erlking still with a smile plastered on his face moving closer to the boy with his clocked.

"Wilt thou come with me, I will play lovely games with thou along the beautiful beaches, my wife even has a beautiful golden cloak," the erlking started singing in an attempt to persuade the boy to come with him while showing him a beautiful woman wearing a golden cloak.

"Wilt thou come with me, my daughters will sing and dance to thou, they will even rock thou to sleep," the erlking sang as another attempt to lure the boy showing his three beautiful daughters.

"Wilt thou come with me, this all be thine if thou shalt follow me to my place or I shall take thou by force," sang the erlking a little more forcefully hoping the boy will follow him.

"Let me think for a while," the boy was having an internal conflict. A part of him said that the erlking speak lies while his other half believe it. The two sides were raging against each other in the boy's head. Finally has made his decision.

"I will follow thee but understand one request," said the boy having a plan concocted.

"What shall it be," grinned the erlking thinking he was successful in tempting the young boy.

"I wish for thou to pick me up in two days time at my own house a minute before bells ring," said the boy with an innocent smile on his face showing no hints of tricking the erlking.

"Why can't thou come with me now" questioned the boy suspiciously.

"So I will be able to wear the best clothes I could afford and so I can be in the best form I can be so I could be with thou perfectly," answered the boy with no hint of deception on his still pale face.

"I shall fulfill thou's wish," said the erlking, smiling widely not knowing it fell into a trap.

Two days had passed since meeting the erlking. It was a chilly windless night. The boy was wearing a beautiful black clock that could blend himself in the dark and was wearing a white shirt underneath it finished with a red tie of sorts that bulged out of his coat. He was waiting for the erlking in his own bedroom while looking at the clock tower outside. " A minute before eleven he should be here soon." The boy thought with a little fear that his plan won't work but prepared himself to confront the erlking.