Of Kings and Faeries: Tale 2: Of First Meetings

Nissa strode towards her destination with a purpose many of her kind would be envious of.  The forest around her was dark and foreboding, the kind one would think could only exist in a Fairy Tale.  She smiled.  If her end destination was anything like what she was seeing here, then she would be able to study her texts in piece.  Never again would she have to worry about Oberon staring over her shoulder.

Oberon...just the name made her shiver with anger.  It had been a century-A CENTURY-since the fateful day when the intruder had dragged Puck (poor, broken Puck) into the court of Avalon, and yet Oberon did nothing!  His Jester had been mercilessly tortured until the Fool had one foot in the grave, and Oberon refused to enact justice!  Nissa had asked, almost demanded, and finally begged to be allowed to take a unit of Avalons mightiest warriors to smite the monster, but he refused every time.  

Nissa had given up on pleading Pucks case to that so called king, and so had decided to take matters into her own hands.  She began to train in every field of magical combat the Ancient Texts so much as referenced, and when she had mastered all the knowledge the scrolls possessed, she began to research new methods of arcane warfare.  These studies had been innocent enough, at first.  But as she kept encountering more and more limitations with the Seelie magics, she began to grow disheartened.

And then, the letter appeared.  Someone within the court shared her outrage, and wished to help in anyway they could.  The letter told Nissa that if she wanted the persons aid, she need but put her reply outside her door.  Nissa agreed, grateful for any ally she could get in her quest to ensure justice was done.  

The next day, her mysterious benefactor sent her a book.  It was a grimoire, a tome of magic so ancient, she could feels its power threatening to overwhelm her.  This power was dark, far darker than any magic Oberon allowed in his court, but Nissa no longer cared what that worthless coward thought.  Its author was listed only as A.  She delved into the text, learning all it had to offer, gaining more power than she ever thought could be hers.  Why, with the power that she had obtained from this wondrous book, she could match even the Seelie King himself!

And yet, even here, she met a limitation that she couldn't overcome.  This time, however, the problem was far simpler than the nature of the magic she wielded.  It was the text.  In the middle of the grimoire, the language changed quite suddenly, and it was a language unlike any that Nissa had seen before.

Here, the second letter came.  Her benefactor had heard of her plight, and told of someone who could read the incomprehensible words whose meaning she needed to know.  And so, here she was, out in the middle of a forest and heading to a place even more foreboding.  Eventually, she arrived at her destination: the foot of the Forbidden Mountain.  The creatures here were some of the darkest and most vile in the entire multiverse.

But someone had beaten her here.  She looked at the figure for a moment, confused, before recognition set in and her blood turned to ice.  Hooded red cloak, sickly green skin, skeletal hands, a fur cape, and a pair of gnarled horns...it was him!

The Horned King.

Paralyzed at disbelief at finally having the creature within her sights, he turned and she nearly recoiled.  His face was a skeletal as his hands, with small fangs instead of proper teeth, and blood-red eyes.  She shook herself free of her shock, and sent her most powerful spell at him.  This was it!  That spell would tear his soul asunder, and victory would be hers at last!  Puck would have his retribution!

The Horned King sent his own spell streaming towards hers and inexplicably, impossibly, his won!  The two spells exploded in front of her.  She could do nothing but stand in horror as the difference between the two combatants suddenly became crystal clear.  Before she could move, black chains erupted from the ground, tying her hands behind her back and forcing her to her knees, her grimoire thrown into the air until it landed at his feet.

The Horned King picked up the book and began to read.  He was silent for a moment before he sighed and turned to the bound fay.  He sneered as he said "So you are the one I was told to expect?  I was hoping for more.  Perhaps even someone with some actual potential.  But once again, my master teaches me how foolish it is to dream."

Nissa could only looked shocked as the creature spoke, eventually managing to saw merely "...what?" in a voice so small it was barely above a whisper.  The monster gave another sigh and said "What did you think was going on?  A mysterious book containing magic so dark that Oberon expressly forbids it within his realm just so happens to find itself to you without your lord knowing?  No mere faerie could do such a thing."

He knelt so that his face was level with hers and continued "You must be wondering why I am here.  I was sent by your 'pen pal' to teach you how to read the second half of that book you clung to so dearly.  Why me?  Because it is my native language.  That book was written by my late master.  Did you never wonder who A was?  Shall I tell you?  The author of this book is Arawn, the first Dread Lord of Annuvin.  And the one who gave it to you?  Chernabog."

Nissa was stock still for a moment before, slowly but surely, a cold and calculating fury began to take hold.  This man would pay.  This man would suffer the worst tortures that a mortal could ever comprehend before she allowed him to succumb to death.  She would use whatever powers she had, no matter the source, to see justice done.  For Puck, and now for herself as well.  The chains that bound her dissipated and The Horned King turned his back on her, walking toward the Forbidden Mountain.  "Come." he said.

"We have work to do."