Chapter 1: Banishment
The Seelie Court's dazzling, ethereal halls felt oppressive now, suffocating in their beauty. I had once reveled in the shimmer of the magic, the warm glow of the Court's enchantments, but now, it was like a cage around me. Standing before Queen Fionnuala, the weight of the council's judgment was unbearable.
"You have dishonored us, Ember," the Queen's voice was a sharp, icy blade. "You've broken the laws of our kind. You've mingled with the humans."
I stood small before them, my wings fluttering nervously. In my true Feary form, barely the size of a butterfly, I was vulnerable. My wings, delicate and translucent, shimmered faintly in the light, but the glow only made my trembling more obvious.
"I didn't mean to—" I started, my voice barely above a whisper, but the murmurs of the court drowned me out.
"Silence," Queen Fionnuala's command cut through the whispers. "You have jeopardized us. You protected one of them."
Her eyes narrowed with venom as she glared at me, her silver hair gleaming like a blade in the dim light. "This cannot be forgiven."
I looked around at the council members, all seated in their grand thrones, their faces hard as stone. They were unmoving, unyielding. They had already made up their minds.I had saved a human. A young girl. One of their kind. I couldn't understand why it was wrong, why the Seelie laws were so cruel, but in this moment, none of it mattered. The decision was made. I had broken their laws, and there was only one punishment.
"You are banished, Ember," the Queen said with finality.
"Exiled from the Seelie Court. You are no longer welcome here. Leave. Now." Her words struck me like an icy wave, freezing me in place.
I tried to speak, to plead my case, but nothing came out. The words caught in my throat, tangled in the grief and fear rising in me. I had nowhere else to go. No place left to turn.
"Leave," the Queen repeated, her voice colder this time, accompanied by a sharp flick of her hand.
I stood frozen, feeling the weight of the court's magic press down on me, like a physical force, pulling me away. My wings fluttered helplessly as the room around me blurred, the shimmering walls fading into darkness. I was alone now, cut off from everything I had ever known.
--
The flight was long and aimless, the wind rushing past me as I flew through the endless night. My wings were heavy, not just from the weight of magic but from the heartache of leaving behind the only world I had ever known. I flew for what felt like hours until, at last, the world below me began to change.
The forests stretched out beneath me, unfamiliar and vast. I had no destination in mind. I just knew I had to get away from the court. I had to escape.I came upon a dense, dark forest, its trees stretching higher than any I had seen in the Seelie realm. The air smelled different here—earthy and wild. I didn't know where I was, but it was peaceful in its isolation. For a moment, I let myself believe I could find solace here.But peace never lasts.
A low growl reached my ears, and I froze mid-flight. My wings locked in place as my heart leaped in my chest. The growl came again, closer this time, followed by the rustling of leaves in the darkness. I glanced over my shoulder, my eyes widening as glowing eyes met mine from the underbrush.
Wolves. A pack, emerging from the shadows. Their eyes gleamed with hunger. I was too small to fight them, too fragile. Panic surged through me, my wings flapping desperately as I darted in the air, trying to escape. But they were faster. They closed in on me, their snarls getting louder with each passing second.I had no magic left, no strength.
The wolves were too close, their jaws snapping in the dark.Just as I thought it was over, there was a sudden whistling sound, followed by the sharp thwack of an arrow. The nearest wolf collapsed to the ground, a deadly bolt through its throat.The others hesitated, but then a second arrow flew, striking another wolf down.
I turned, seeing the figure of a human girl standing in the shadows, bow raised, her eyes fixed on the pack. She moved with the precision of someone who had done this many times before.The last wolf turned and fled into the forest, its retreat followed by the silence of the night.
The girl lowered her bow, her gaze softening when she saw me, still hovering in the air, my wings trembling. Her eyes widened, but there was no fear in them. Only curiosity. Caution, maybe—but no fear.
"You're hurt," she said, her voice steady and calm, as she lowered herself to the ground.
"You're safe now."
I didn't know how to respond. I had been taught to avoid humans, to stay hidden in the shadows. But this girl—she had saved me. Without hesitation. Without asking anything in return.I fluttered my wings, unsure whether to fly away or stay. She didn't reach for me immediately, just knelt down, her gaze soft.
"Are you alright?" she asked, her voice gentle, almost motherly.
I wanted to speak, to say something, but I didn't know what to say. I didn't know if I could trust her. Humans were dangerous, and kindness from one of them could easily be a trap.But she didn't push. She didn't demand anything from me. She just looked at me, waiting.
Slowly, cautiously, I flew closer. She held out her hand, her fingers trembling slightly. I hesitated for a long moment before gently landing on her outstretched palm. She didn't flinch. Her warmth seeped into me, comforting in a way I hadn't known in a long time.
--
Over the next few days, I followed the girl—her name was Katniss, she told me as she fed me bits of bread and squirrel meat from her hunts. She treated me with kindness, something I hadn't expected. She didn't fear me. She didn't want anything from me. She simply cared. I didn't understand why.
A Feary, so small, so different from her kind. But she never asked me to explain myself. She just… cared.She patched up the wounds the wolves had inflicted on me, cleaning them with a gentleness that made my heart ache with something I didn't understand.
I hadn't known kindness like this in so long. It was strange, foreign. And it made me wary. But still, it warmed me.And still, I stayed in the shadows, never fully letting myself trust her. I wasn't sure if I could.
--
The day of the Reaping came, and I perched silently in the trees, watching as Katniss and her younger sister, Prim, stood in the crowd. My heart tightened when I saw Prim's name called. And then, before I could even register what had happened, Katniss stepped forward. She volunteered to take her sister's place.
I remembered her kindness.The way she had fed me, taken care of my wounds. In that moment, something shifted inside me.I couldn't let her face this alone.--That night, I made my decision. I would follow her. I would protect her, just as she had protected me.
I snuck aboard the Capitol-bound train, hidden in the shadows, my heart pounding with the rush of adrenaline and fear. I didn't know what lay ahead, but I couldn't let Katniss face it alone. Not now. Not yet. Not after everything she had done for me.