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Author's note: Yep, I know my tenses are confusing ( ) But the story happens to umm have flash backs and 'meanwhile' scenes, and this will be indicated by the divider: --- --- with that said, enjoy!
A Mab
A Mab is a coachbuilder for Faeries from time immemorial. Like most faeries, they take on miniscule shapes like their sisters the sylphs and the pillywiggins. They have light graceful wings and dressed themselves from what nature have provided them with, soft petals from the flowers that they turn to little bonnets and petticoats and green leaves from the shrubs. They love to rest in small wood carved objects as well.
Of course, Eclipse doesn't want to know more of this foolishness. He asked one of the scholarly demons of Raenef's court to investigate the book of Faerie origin that 'enchanted' Raenef, and there he was, lecturing Eclipse in different classes of these enchanted beings of nature.
"I'm not done yet," the demon extended a bony finger to Eclipse, when the raven-haired demon is about to take leave. "A Mab is known to drift and entice the mind of young people who dreams of love deep within their heart."
"I assure you, old man." Eclipse replied dryly, "That even if Lord Raenef longs for company, he doesn't pin for love. He isn't just the type to swoon madly over a woman."
"Than what it is that you call me here for?"
"Ever since he read the enchanted book, he can't stop thinking of this woman in his past."
"THERE you have it."
Eclipse frowned at the bark of the old demon's laugh. "The lord thinks of a woman, then it is LOVE. By the way you told me how he behaved last night, it was LOVE that could drive someone in a point of madness. You never have felt what its like to love someone, so thus you don't know what he feels."
You can't Eclipse. You never have been human. You'll never understand what it's likeHe remembered Raenef's words that he forgot to be furious with the old demon sage. "Even if you're not human...?"
"Well of course! Then how do we propagate our species?"
Eclipse wants to change the topic.
"SO you're saying that this might be the work of Mabs infesting our castle grounds along with the book?"
"Infesting might be an impolite word. These are the ethereal ones of the infinite dreams. They inspire those who have pure spirit. They attach themselves to Lord Raenef, who somewhat unconsciously asked for them. And in my ages of servitude to the prestigious demon courts---I never seen a demon lord so pure."
"And" the old demon continued, watching Eclipse frown. "They're not responsible for the book's existence. Mabs inspire lovers, but creating magical books is definitely not one of their hobbies."
"I knew that book could cause trouble."
"Then why don't you do a little investigating on Lord Raenef's quarters? There must be a reason why it's there in the first place."
"I highly doubt he will cooperate," Eclipse sighed, tossing his bangs slightly away from his eyes. "After last night, I doubt if he will ever come out of his room any time soon."
"I mean the previous Lord Raenef's quarters."
The previous Demon Lord is a complex being, that even in death, he managed to stir some trouble when his heir apparent, the younger Raenef, came to power. The more Eclipse knows more of his previous master, the more questions it raised. One of these questions is how could the previous Raenef sired such a son from the future who is none like his father?
"The previous Raenef have kept himself busy in this very library for centuries learning incantations. Its might be possible he must have left something there."
The old scholarly demon have a point, but the way Eclipse sees it, it could be much faster if he just lay a trap, capture the Mabs enticing Raenef and demand them what the hell is going on. But the scholar himself has more knowledge on the matter, and thus he conceded.
"I think I should get started now."
"Well, off you go then. It will be not an easy task a place that have been gathering dust for centuries!" The demon elder laughed, much again to Eclipse annoyance. "I will be somewhere outside, I need to inspect the book in a brighter light."
"See you then,"
"Yes, see you."
The wise old demon didn't need to chant an incantation to teleport somewhere else. By just thinking about it, he quickly vanished in a blink of an eye. Among the three levels of magick, the power of thought is the highest. As much as Eclipse respected the elder for his arcane knowledge and experience, he didn't like the way the scholarly demon is amused on such follies like love, enchantment and Faeries.
He seems more of a dreamer who sees thing in a child-like perspective, just like Raenef.
--- ---
How could he? It's not fair!It's already past dawn, and the young Raenef haven't slept a single wink. No one could sleep at that rate of seething anger. He was disappointed with Eclipse, and for that he hated him. He thought he could trust his mentor with his affairs, he thought the raven-haired demon could help him restore the pieces of his missing past--- and instead, he forbids him. He wasn't allowed outside most of the time either.
He is a prisoner of his own castle.
What does Eclipse knows that he doesn't want to tell?
He wants to save Anna, the girl from his past---the girl of his dreams. She helped him survive, she entrusted him to the guild to which he became close to everyone like brothers. It's easy to search for her, since it's not everyday you see someone with golden eyes.
The young demon lord's head is starting to hurt, I must eat something, he thought. It's pointless to waste in anger, and he couldn't think with an empty stomach.
Then he heard small ticklish laughter near his bedroom window. Raenef saw which seem to be small Faeries dressed in garments made out of flower's petals. They're about a dozen, all of different colors of nature. It is possible he is already hallucinating---
It must be that magical Faerie book!Eclipse said it's made from Faerie magic and written by the Elves, it might have somehow attracted them. But the book is with Eclipse now.
He tried talking to them, hoping that these wonderful little creatures are not just illusions. "What are you doing here?" he whispered softly. "This is a demon lord's castle----no place for faeries."
One of them donned the colors of the rainbow and flew near him. She is the most beautiful of them all. She is so small that she could sit on Raenef's palm.
Smiling sweetly, she whispered something to Raenef. The language is different, but the young demon lord somehow strangely understood it.
Follow us, young Raenef. We want to show you something.
"To where?"
To the forgotten memories that protects you
"I—I don't know what you're talking about."
She didn't want another tragedy again, young Raenef. Please follow us.
"---Anna?"
For some bizarre reason, all the other Mabs seating by the window starts to cry. He asked the one near him if he said anything to hurt them.
The Mab looked at him sadly, You don't remember Her Memories, oh woe! Its true then, the dark heritage couldn't be denied in your blood. But she, who's love encompasses time and existence, still haven't forgotten you.
Raenef starts to feel uneasy, seeing their tears. "P-please don't cry....its true...I don't remember much of my early life. Please enlighten me."
They all looked at him, urging him to go outside. Please follow us---you have to remember, not only for dear Anna----.
They knew about Anna?Raenef will risk anything to remember his fractured past. He slowly slipped out of the room's window and followed the enchanted creatures until they lead him to the secret entrance to the castle's garden. From there, they slowly spiraled above the sky and disperse into thin air.
"Wait!"
But their disappearance leads to another alluring specter. A lady who seems to be unaware of his presence suddenly appeared in his view. She is so beautiful, that he forgot all about his headache and his hunger.
Am I dreaming? Raenef wondered, He rubbed his eyes, but the apparition of the beautiful lady is still there. He followed her. She looks magnificent, moving with such regal bearing and grace as she walks soundlessly on the castle's garden. She was like a mirage, an enchanted illusion casts upon by the early morning sunrise. She has a long cascading blonde hair, so pure that it almost looks platinum white every time the rays of the sun caresses it. Her complexion is impeccably flawless as the lilac and white gown she was wearing, and when she started to sing---- oh such enticing, sweet voice it was---everything that surrounded them seems to stop.
Raenef swore this beautiful lady isn't from this world he knows. He noticed her ears are slightly pointed. No wonder, she is an Elf. Of the woodland lore, the Elves are among nature's most beautiful, noble and wise beings to grace the Enchanted Domains. Noticing she was being followed, the Elvin woman spun around. It's too late for the young demon lord to hide.
He saw her eyes, they're a wonderful pair of wide orbs of blue. Sparkling and incandescent pools, Raenef never knew such startling calmness just looking through them.
But yet, those eyes seems strangely familiar---and sad.
He struggled for words to speak, "You...uhh...I am..."
"My son, is going away now..." she said sadly, "I'm afraid I might lost him forever."
Raenef was confused to what she is saying, but sensing her sadness is similar to his own, he comforted her. "I'm sorry, I wish I could do something to help---" he noticed then that she is not alone, the mysterious woman is carrying a young boy of about three.
"...your son.."
"He looks so peaceful isn't he? My people said good tidings would come to him."
The woman slowly set down the young boy she had been cradling from her arms, and the toddler starts to cry. Raenef noticed that the little tyke has inherited his mother's soft feminine beauty: he got her expressive blue eyes but his blonde hair was a shade darker. The woman said something in a strange language to comfort her young son, and gave him her long white shawl, to which the boy's attention is diverted to and playfully starts tying it around his head.
Raenef remembered having a similar white shawl that he also liked tying around his head during long travels.
"Your son...what's his name?"
"His name is just like his father's name, and the father before him." The woman replied quietly, and this seems to make no apparent sense to Raenef. "He is going to take him away now, not even the force of the gods could stop it---my poor child," and she starts to cry.
It's a painful sacrifice, for a mother to give up her child. Why would a father do that to their son?
"Don't let him!"
"I wish I can---but it is his will. His will is also my child's destiny. I should have known the consequences falling for a Demon Lord."
..D-demon Lord? Her precious son is a Demon Lord's heir?
"Now he is taking our son, and I'm afraid I won't ever see him again." She lamented, yet forcing a brave smile in front of the young boy. It seems that the little tyke couldn't understand what they're talking the whole time, and was jumping up and down gaily to catch his mother's attention. She bent over and kissed his forehead, saying something, some sort of incantation. Her words ended strangely, "...stronger than your father's will, a mother's love..."
She took out a book, which seems rather big for the little boy. She urged him to keep it well for a long journey of no return.
The tyke struggled uncomfortably with its weight, and throws a mild fit. He tried giving it to Raenef instead, but his mother gently reprimanded him. It was then the young demon lord noticed the book is the same book he has in the library.
The young boy held on it reluctantly as his mother tried to properly fix his clothes. He gave Raenef one long worried gaze that seems to strike down a chill in the demon lord's spine.
Oh my God, That boy is m---
The mother held her young son one last time, and cried. "Farewell, dear Raenef my child."
-- end of part FIVE --
Which seems pretty quick actually oO from the last update. Well that's because the pc I'm using have MS word now. More intrigue on Raenef and the mysterious demon-slaying OC. Just to let you know, the previous Lord Raenef reminds me a bit of Zagato in CLAMP's Rayearth (heavy clothing) thus inspiring me to fictionalize young Raenef V's mysterious Origins. I want to mention the book "The Great Encyclopedia of Faeries" in reference to Mabs, the little faeries that inspires love among the minds of lovers that I mentioned earlier in the beginning of this chapter.
Don't hesitate for a review/comment