Disclaimer : Not mine! The characters of Blair and Jim belong to Pet Fly et al. Again, not mine. Just playing.
Note: I am posing this for my wife Shade.
Feedback: Always appreciated
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In faraway Scotland there was once a forest called Carterhaugh Wood.
The grass grew greener there, the flowers fuller and more fragrant, the crops more plentiful, and the forest deeper. All of this was lost on the young knight who rode to the castle of Carterhaugh Wood. He had another one of his blinding headaches, seemingly brought on by anything from a loud sound to a heavy perfume. He was visiting his uncle, the Lord of Carterhaugh. This trip was to help him recover from these headaches.
A few days into the visit, and Jim was ready to leave. His uncle was as rigid in rules and duties as his father, and his cousins unbearable company.
To escape the castle and all demanded of him, Jim took to wandering around the castle grounds. It was on one of his wanders that he found the abandoned well. The well was grown round with roses, more wondrous and beautiful than any on the castle grounds. Even to one as sensitive as Jim, the fragrance was as sweet as could be wished. Though he had a pounding headache (brought on by a cousin's perfume), Jim bent down and plucked a rose to smell. "You dare pull a rose, who have not been given leave?" The stern voice startled Jim, for he had not heard anyone come up on him, and he had never been surprised before. He turned to see a youth, fair as any he'd seen, glaring at him. Curly brunette hair with auburn highlights framed a face with eyes blue as a clear summer sky. Sunlight glinted off of golden armor, marking the youth as a knight.
"What leave need I? My uncle owns this land, and therefore the well and roses." Jim replied.
The youth laughed. This tall knight, with eyes as blue as his own, was well built, and pleasing to the eye. "And my people have 'owned' this land before your kind came here, with your cold Iron, and God. Therefore you must pay forfeit for stealing from us."
Then Jim knew he was in the presence of one of the fair Folk, and with a worried air (for such forfeits were often paid with blood) asked, "And what shall that be?"
"Naught but to come here tomorrow, with sweets and wine, and pass the time." Jim sighed with relief at so small a request. With a sly smile, the youth threw himself at Jim, and kissed him. At his touch, Jim's headache disappeared, giving him the first relief he had had in days.
"A Guardian!" The youth exclaimed.
"What is that?"
"Each culture has it's own name, to some a Guardian, to others a Sentinel, but they all mean the same. A human with senses that are stronger than most, able to hear, taste, see, smell, and feel what others cannot."
"You know about this, my, condition?"
"We'll talk more tomorrow." And with that, the youth disappeared, though Jim could not tell how.
The next day, at the same time, Jim found his way to the well, with the requested sweets and wine. The youth, whose name was Blair, was waiting for him there. During their time together, Blair worked with Jim, finding ways to control his senses. For hours, they talked and laughed, till Jim had to leave. Blair bade him return the next day.
Day after day, the two knights met, and friendship turned into love, the meetings into trysts. Each day Jim would hurry to the well, to find pleasure in and with Blair.
One day, after exhausting themselves with each other, Blair turned to Jim.
"Would you like to be together, beyond this well?"
"We are from two worlds; is this possible?"
"Tomorrow is Midsummer's Night. The Fairy Queen will hold a procession of the Folk, crossing the country. Hide yourself by the crossroads, and you will see us. There will be a troop of black knights, on black steeds; a troop of brown knights on brown horses; then a troop of white knights on pure white horses. The Queen of Elfland will ride among the last troop, with me at her side. Every knight will appear identical, you must find me on your own. When you see me you must run to my horse's side, seize its' bridle and pull me to the ground."
"When I am off my horse, you must grasp me tightly, whatever may come. The Folk will cast all sorts of spells, no matter what dreadful or deadly thing they try, you must hold fast. At last, they will turn me into a burning branch, and then you must cast me into the river beside the crossroads, and I will become a man as you are. Then you must cover me with your cloak, and shield me from their eyes, and I will be yours. Dare you do this?"
"All this and more, to have you always," Jim replied.
So the day passed, and with it the night Jim waited for. In the village and the castle they barred the shutters and sat by their hearths, fearing the Folk and their ride. Jim slipped out, going quickly to the crossroads, and hiding himself in the bushes by the roadside.
Presently the dark grew thicker, the wind picked up, and the Folk came by. Just as Blair had said, first a troop of coal black horses, each with a knight in black armor came by. Next came a troop of bays, with knights in brown armor. And finally, a group of pure white steeds, with knights with armor white as snow on passed Jim's hiding place.
Among them rode the Queen, and beside her a knight whose heartbeat was as known to Jim as his own. This knight he leapt to, seizing the horse's bridle, and pulling the knight to the ground. All of the Folk came round, shrieking and howling, pulling at Jim, but he held tight.
Then, Blair began to change, as the Folk worked their magic. He became a bear, growling and slashing at Jim. Next a hawk, beating Jim with wings and clawing with talons. Then a snake, hissing and coiling, striking at Jim. Through it all, Jim held on, for though they changed Blair's shape, his heartbeat stayed the same, and the sound of it gave Jim the strength he needed.
Finally, Blair was changed into a burning branch. Jim threw it into the water, then leapt after it, throwing his cloak around Blair as he was restored to his human shape and nature. The spell holding Blair to the Folk was broken.
A great sigh went up from the court of Elfland, and the Queen turned on them, with displeasure radiating from her.
Blair and Jim stood before her, clasping each other.
"Had I but known, Blair, you would not have been allowed such freedom. Yet you have won him, human, and though I may not like it, I bide by our rules."
With that, the Folk rode off, and Jim led Blair back to the castle, where they lived happily ever after.