Ash

Chapter 8

Ash had finished up his chores and went outside. He leaned against the fencing and just stared up at the clear night sky. The stars above shone bright in the sky and Ash held peace in his heart. Nothing could ruin this moment. His solitude was glorious.

"Ash."

Ash startled at the unfamiliar voice. She'd been absolutely silent in her approach. His eyes widened when they caught sight of the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen. She had hair even paler blonde than his and her eyes were the most cornflower blue he'd ever seen on a person. Her skin was luminescent in the moonlight. His hand instinctively went to his belted knife.

"I'm not here to threaten you." She promised, her voice calm and quiet but rang in his ears like tinkling bells. "I'm here to offer you something." There was something radiant about her. The back of Ash's mind warned him what she was, she was one of the Sidhe, no human could be this beautiful.

His eyes narrowed, but he forced his shoulders to relax and kept his hand near his knife. "What's that?"

"I don't care for how that family of yours treats you." She tittered, spitting the word family out like a curse. "I didn't much care for my sister's choice when she came here, but I care even less for that mortal woman who now holds your namesake and leads you around like a leashed dog."

Ash's violet eyes studied her for a long moment. "Who's your sister?"

The girl gave the most impish of grins. "You are well acquainted with her. Or at least you were."

"Who is she?"

"Haven't you figured it out yet?" Ash stared down the woman, his annoyance in his hard, distrusting features. "My, my, my, you are a silly thing, aren't you?" she tittered. With a condescending laugh she finally answered him. "Your mother, boy."

Ash shook his head before his tongue could form the words. "My mother was an only child and an orphan."

The beautiful girl shook her head, her eyes full of mirth and mischief. "No, dear sweet boy. Disowned, yes, but not orphaned."

"What? Why?"

"Because she chose your father. He's as plain a mortal as any or rather, was. But when you live as long as we do, sometimes the superficial becomes...shall we say dull?" She suggested with a careless shrug and whimsical wave of her hand. "You mother saw more in him than his average looks. She fell in love with his kindness; with his heart. Disgusting, if you ask me. The court threw her out of course, but they permitted her to live as a mortal so long as she kept it just the two of them. Then you came along." Venom dripped from the dainty tone as her eyes flashed dangerously. Ash couldn't help but gulp. "And that changed everything. She was my favorite sister."

"What do you mean? Are you saying my mother was murdered?"

"Of course, well technically assassinated." She tittered. "She sullied her bloodline and power and brought weakness into the world with no gain to our people."

"Bloodline?"

"It's quite frowned upon, you see, weakening the bloodlines. But I see so much of her in you. I've been watching for a while now." Her eyes searched him for a long unsettling moment. Ash's skin started to crawl like he was covered in thousands of ants. "You have your father's kindness, but you have my sister's heart and eyes. You see beauty in everything. You are slow to threaten and have patience far beyond your years."

"Who are you?"

"Unimportant. You may call me Aisling."

"Why are you helping me? Why now?"