Things that go bloom -- Spare AMitA Prompt
[AN: Ask me about The Drama(tm) over on my Discord if you really want to know. It's... complicated. And dense.]
Magic came to Alfarell when the stars fell. So too did a lot of creatures from the Plane of Magic, later named Nanogh. Some became Elves, some Brauniin, and some became Wudsgaad. The Elves sought to tame the world, the Brauniin chose to help the 'lesser' creatures[1] in secret... and the Wudsgaad went into the wilderness to become a part of it.
Literally.
They are patchwork creatures, looking like an unlikely mash of features. Antlers, snouts, fur or scales, whatever they happen to like when they were growing from a small fluff of fuzz. Genes hadn't been discovered when they were forming themselves, so they decided on their own rules. They are very much wilder than other Faekindred, and that took some time in learning.
This one knew a name that the invaders called her. The strange upright apes called her Hag o' the Trees, Willow-be-Wary, and Briar Blade. The upright apes bordering her woods were respectful, and begged to be allowed to forage or hunt. They never took more than what they asked for, because they knew the cost.
Briar had learned about jewellery and decorated herself with the bones of those who crossed her. Further, she let the apes see it whenever she had new bones. She spoke with the trees, communed with the beasts of the forest, and made certain all was in balance. Not necessarily harmony since all life fed on death, but rather that none would lack in the fullness of time.
Until a small one of the apes came wandering into her woods. He was small, wearing only a shirt, and babbling at a berry bush. On one nonsense command, the thorns avoided his tender flesh. On another, berries grew. When the bush became strained, the neophyte stopped his feasting. Gently petting the leaves, the tiny boy babbled soothing nonsense, then carefully began to dig a hole. Paying for his food with his own nourishment from his body.
Briar had never seen one of the invader apes return things to her forest without prompting. She opened her eyes again, and peceived the light of the leyflow shining inside the babe.
HOW? How had these magicless monkey folk barely out of the savannas gain magic in their bones?
"Eelo! Eelo, where are you? Come to Mama!" One of the invaders came crashing into Briar's woods. Prayers to Brair on her lips as she came to a halt, and then fell to her knees.
Ah. That was how. The woman had come to Briar with gifts, years before. Things she had made with her own hands as an offering. Begging for a blessing, in the sincere belief that Briar could help her catch a babe. Briar had handed her hope in the form of a herbal tea, and the blessing of a touch to her brow. She had put some of the leyflow into her touch, but hadn't known it would infect this... Human spawn.
"Please," the woman begged. "Don't take him from me? I know deals with the Fair Folk have their price, but he is precious to me. He is my only living child."
"I'm not taking him," rumbled Briar. "I am... curious. Do you know what power he wields?"
"He's muckle strange, I know. Our cat will only let him pet her, for all that she's ferocious to all but me. And then only 'cause I feeds 'er. He's yelled at dogs for barking when he wants to sleep, and they hushed right off. Some even cowed 'till 'e woke again. Fields he walks never sprout a weed. That's all I know it, I swear on hope o' mercy."
Briar considered this. "I gifted you hope," she said. "I had no intent of creating... a difference in your kind. What's done is done... and now I must give further aid."
"I don't know how I'll pay," whispered the woman.
"This is my price to pay. I will come to your... house... and I will teach your boy. He must learn how to use his power. Untrained, he could cause more damage than good."
"Ba!" said Eelo, spreading his little arms wide.
The bush that was his focus thrust out hundreds of flowers.
[1] Lesser when compared to Elves, who view themselves as the most superior beings in the planar system.
[Photo by Gabriel Dalton on Unsplash]
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