Rules of Engagement

We didn’t dare to run in this place, but there was a clear path of white stones, and no one around to stop us. The doors of the building were open, we saw it from far away, those doors where at least 30 meters tall, and they looked small in comparison with the rest of the circular conic tower. Time was less of a concern to us in here, since, according to the elves, this Lady Chronos was famous for manipulate time itself.

She is famous for time spells, things like bubbles where time does not move. For send people, sometimes entire islands, thousands of years to the future. Make time move slower for some individuals, punish those who disrespected her by turning them into unmoveable statues capable to thing and perceive the world around themselves normally but not move or breath.

“According to the Myths she once send a man to the past, to know his grandmother and became his own grandfather” said Ventlana.

“That’s not part of the Myths, cousin. That is in the pornographic novel about Chronos. That one you wrote when you were mage apprentice.”

“No! I took the backbone of that story from ancient Dark Elven religious texts. I only flourished the dialogues a little bit.”

“Dark Elven religious texts are 69% porn, Ventlana!” the man insisted.

“The divine creator of this place can hear us right now. You two didn’t forgot that, I hope. We entered her house without being invited and now the two of you are talking about some lewd stories that use her as character. Likely without her permission.” Intervened Sheva.

“The beast-woman is not short in reason, in her considerations!” agreed Gaslow.

“The beast-woman would sound less reasonable to you, dear cousin, if you didn’t allowed your eyes to visit that part of her body connected to the tail so often. And linger there for so long. Our underground relatives to not write religious texts to offend their most venerated ancestors, mind you!

She is said to be a half-elf herself.

If anyone here is being disrespectful, that would be you.”

“I hardly think…”

You read about elves, hear people speaking. And you expect them to be something. Anything, other than this!

“Before we enter the building” interrupted Verenice “I wish to remind you all how serious this is.

The entire Red Guard would have no chance to fight their way out from this place. The entire army of our nation would not survive the wrath of our hostess. Our ONLY chance here is to adhere to her rules, and walk the sharp edge of diplomacy. She may not be a deity in the proper sense of the term, but she is one of the most powerful entities in this universe. One of the most volatile demigods, also.

Remember the two rules! First: Do not hesitate, if she name anything specific and offer to you, directly, you accept it! Anything she offer. No matter what it is.

Second: do not touch or accept anything she didn’t specifically named and offered to you. Under no circumstance! We cannot ask her any gift, favour, or our way out. She already knows why we are here and where we are trying to go. She know our schedule better than we know it. Assume she will let us go in time if she want to, and that everything is lost for us otherwise.

By Law of Necessity, we are protected in some extent. If and only if we all follow her unmentioned rules.

If one of us violates any of this in the most minimal aspect, she is free to do whatever she pleases with us all.”

“Just like a Fae Lord, then” said Glaslow.

“Much worse, actually. The most powerful Fae Lords and Fae Ladies I ever met would be terrified if they where standing where we are right now. We are about to face someone who is only two steps from the Forgotten Gods, and walked this world when they had not left yet.”

With that, we advanced into the building. It was a library, indeed. The most monumental library imaginable.

No door blocked our path, we had a straight corridor leading us to our fate.

Considering the usual quality and taste of fates around here, and in general, I was happy to see that our fate was a circle with very cozy armchairs of red leather, on a tick, exquisitely decorated carped. There was a table whit hot water, tea, and some sweets on the middle. Sitting on one of the chairs, with a smoking hot cup or tea already on a small round table by her side, and a book in her hand was a woman.

Seemingly dark elf, from distance, but when we approached was obvious her skin wasn’t dark. It was not skin at all. That was empty space, like what we see in the night sky between the stars. Somehow limited in shape. Somehow, it had volume and shape, without shadows or variations in tone. And, it was dressed in something that mind me what a north European Librarian lady on Earth could have used in 1700. Then I saw stars, in the deep or that emptiness, just for a moment. And there she was, 2 meters of woman. Large hips, discreet boobs that didn’t deserved to be described as small but where ratter inclined to that direction than to the opposite. A white skin and blue hair. Only the eyes, completely white, like stars, reminded us that was no ordinary moon elf size extra, extra large. Taking by the myths she is half Void Elf, half something else. According to some, Forgotten Deity, according to others Titan. Either would be consistent with her size.

Albeit, obviously, that image was for our benefit. She can be 50 times taller, or 50 times smaller as far as I know. Assuming her kind even has a true form.

“Welcome. Would you all kindly sit, and enjoy some tea and sweets with me, for a moment. Assuming that’s not too much of an imposition, of course”

Her voice was deep and feminine, I imagine she could be a strong singer.

She waited until we all sit, and the last of one had sipped the tea and taken at least one bite of something. The tea was ginger mixed with something floral, the smell was strong and invigorating. We had stopped to be healed after the fight. No shortage of healing spells in this group, with 2 extremely powerful specialists. Still, we welcomed the rest and extra energy. Not to mention the delicious taste of those pies. The one I had chosen was of lemon.

“I was considering if I should call you trespassers, since that’s technically correct. That would imply treating you all accordingly, of course.

Being caught trespassing in my home would take you all out from your little dramas. What would be a shame. The seed of great things is planted in your adventure. Many rivers would chance curse in History if your personal myths ended here.

Besides, you are such and interesting group, and so genuinely surprised to find yourself in my home that I decided to call you visitants, instead of trespassers.

Each one of you is an enjoyable visit, by the way.

A homeless Fae Noble dressing human face. We are not so far away from each other, mind you. We both disconnected ourselves from our original nature, most significant difference is that you still gave meaningful bonds with ephemerals, and a goal to aim for. Distant and unlikely as it is.

Speaking about bonds, here is your brother, by your side. The loyal Battle-Mage commander betraying his nation in time of war. About to flee the nation into life exile. Just, to make you a favour. Because, family comes first! Except when family is trying to kill you, like your gran grandmother, the ultimate Fae Lady, and her favourite descendant, of course. Then you hide among humans, and start liking that face on the mirror better than your true face.

My mother abandoned me, when my father sacrificed himself and died for something she didn’t consider important anymore. At least no member of my family tried to kill me, yet. No close member.

A beast-woman with demon blood in her veins and skilled in the Forest Elves martial art, to a degree that was rarely found among Forest Elves themselves. You are the reason this people are here, all this adventure to rescue a young human lassie from normal consequences of human politics.

No one here really care enough about the girl to risk their lives. Two of them care about you the other two, only decided to be here because the adventure would happen with or without them.

I know much, but even I cannot be sure if you are doing that for sense of honour or because you really like the young human lassie! No, please, don’t tell me. Is more interesting to no know.

Too worshipers of the Forgotten Names, elves from The Tempest!

Far away from home, but not exiled like our fae lady. And you, dear girl, are a fan of stories about me. Specifically, about me! What lewd ideas crossed your mind in the past, involving my person, I wonder! Or perhaps I do not need to wonder?

Who knows? I have not played any such game in a while, maybe we just take a pause for ourselves and try to Role Play some of those tales of yours?”

There was a pause and the elven healer blushed, then in the blink of the eye her expression was calm and, happy. I cannot be sure, but I wonder if something more happened in that instant between the two women. Something outside the normal passage of time.

“You! What a curious conundrum you are, mister. Isenkaied Earthling” She said looking me in the eyes. Speaking my original mother language. That no one knows in this planet. However, doing so in a tone that suggested she was ratter talking to herself. For anyone incapable to understand the words.

I was sure that my secret would be exposed in that instant. She just smiled.

“Yeah, there is that! The meaning would be lost in translation, but the point is that what matters here is not the large scheme of things. Ultimately, you are the boy who wishes to be a father more than anything else. Despite the fact that you hardly have a vague shadow of an idea about what being a father means. You never bother to pay enough attention to your own parents, for instance. Or any other father-son relationship you could learn from and use as parameter. You just decided to set that objective for your existence.

As someone chooses a house or a horse. You married the idea of family naked. Without any examples to dress it. You could not have found a worse abstract idea to embrace! There is nothing there worth your dedication, trust me! All that is worth in the family is in actual, specific and concrete, family ties. Not in the abstract template.

Now you finally have your concrete bond, more intimate than you can imagine. Irony, is that you found this deep connection with a dark, hungry, curse.

I don’t see something like this think in your core, eating you from inside, since this world was young. Even then, they were not quite like that one you have here. Your situation is less ordinary than you imagine, mister.

Good luck.”

Some small talk followed, polite conversation about current events and literature.

Chronos raised from her chair, our clue that this conversation was over. We followed her.

“Was a really enjoyable experience! Tell me.

Are you all satisfied? Would any of you wish to ask me something else?”

“If you don’t mind, since you ask. I would like sugar-bunny”

For a moment, the cosmic entity showed surprise. Then she giggled.

All my companions were terrified, of course.

“You really are a man full of surprises, mister! Of course, few ephemerals alive today in this world know Sugar Bunny ever existed. Not many elves know about her existence, and even fewer fae. Don’t tell me how you found that name! Would spoil some of my fun.

By all means! My pleasure.”

She showed us the direction to a corridor, and guided us stairs down, through a maze of corridors and doors, water fountains and hot baths, until white oak door. The first closed door we found in her realm.

Chronos opened it, and invited us inside.

There was a garden under morning sun. A beast woman was standing there, waiting for us.

She was a white bunny woman, with goat horns. Almost as muscular as Sheva, but dressed in a silk black tunic decorated in yellow honey comb details.

“This man is going to be your guardian and master, Honney Bunny. You do remember the rules, correct?”

“Of course, mistress.”

“Maybe would be useful to mention those rules, just in case?” I suggested.

“Not likely. Because you obviously don’t know what the rules are, and you made your request not knowing what you were asking for. Very in character, for you, looks like! I am starting to like you, really. Not sure if that should count as reason for celebration from your point of view, though. In any case.

Your first task is to find out the rules of your relationship. If you will do that by attempt and error or by research, is up to you.”

Then our hostess pointed to a door.

“Going through that door you will find yourselves at the border of the Protective Aura, bellow the Royal Castle. The time will be a second after the moment when you entered my home. This speed up your plans in half a day. Your Elizabeth is inside her cell, waiting her execution.

You must decide how you proceed from there. My interference in your adventure ends the moment you go through that door.

I wish you all the best luck possible.