The old woman’s ancient voice rang with a quiet authority that was not to be doubted. Her hair was wild and gray around her small, frail face. Her eyes were a pale translucent blue, which would frighten any mortal that dared cross her path.

But I was no mortal.

We sat in an ancient Tuatha De Danann circle, one that our people used for centuries when looking into the future. I glanced up at the silver moon and appreciated the cold breeze that hit my face. I tried to hide my reaction from her, as I concentrated on the circle of tall trees that surrounded us. But it was hard, even for me.

It wasn’t as if I was frightened of her, like the mortals would be. No, I wasn’t afraid of her person. I was only afraid of her words.

They seemed to permeate my soul.  

I tried to will myself to wake up out of this fog-like dream. But the old woman was cunning and knew, that if I was awake, I would disappear into thin air and she wouldn’t be able to chant her prophecy to me. Instead, she came to me in my dreams, so I couldn’t leave.  Her hold was too great, all-powerful in sleep.

I would remember everything that she said when I woke, and I would ask Him what it all meant.   It was a premonition.  One, which would be solidified by the Runes.  

“The Fae have existed since the earth was born. They have lived here, beyond human comprehension, among mortals since the very beginning.“

With her husky voice, she began to weave her tale as she laid out the runes in the traditional way, in order to read the future.

“Your people came here from distant lands, and created their very own universe, one that was designed to live within the world of the humans. To co-exist with the mortals, but never interfere.” While she spoke, her eyes took on a far away gaze as she recounted the history that I knew as well as I knew my own name.

“But like all kingdoms, there is Dark and there is Light.  And like all races, superhuman or not, a line between good and evil was drawn from the beginning.”

She stared knowingly at me. “And as you know dear boy, you must be either one or the other.”

My muscles tensed at her words as she stared at me with an ominous look. What did she see and know about me? Was she hiding something? I wanted to shake the truth out of her, but I willed myself to look as indifferent as possible.  

“It was inevitable for the Dark Fae to infiltrate the humans and live among them, vying to have positions of power to control what they deemed to be an inferior race.” She paused for a moment, then continued on, “For power among the Fae is the ultimate aphrodisiac. You are all gifted with limitless magical attributes and blessed with staggering beauty.  You are a race that is in need of nothing.”

Nothing, I thought silently to myself, but pawns to move about at our will.  

“The ultimate goal of the Dark Fae is to eliminate the Light, which prevents them from seeking their quest to exert their power over humanity. Conquer those that are weak and destroy the ones that will fight. Once the battle is won, they will move on. For in the end, it is all a game, where the winner conquers all.“ She finished in a calm voice that opposed the magnitude of her words.

I closed my eyes and tried to still the frantic beating of my heart. I tried to open my eyes and wake from the intensity of this dream. But the old woman leaned in toward me and waved her hand slowly, methodically, in front of my face. A soft tingle of electricity brought me back to the moment. The magic she used made me incapable of even moving.  

“A newborn baby’s laughter will set the Fae free. It opens up a world of endless possibilities.  The laughter echoes in all the hearts and signifies a new beginning. A beginning with only Light.”

She set a few ancient runes on the ground in front of me and she laughed.   “She will arrive, dear boy.  And when she does, you will know who she is. Your soul will recognize its other half.”

I scowled and tried to look menacing, but she continued, “You will protect her.”

She set another stone on the ground and her eyes seemed to take on an eerie glow. Her hands moved in the air like claws as she drew circles into the still night.  

“Know this.  You will not be the only one who covets her.   There will be others who will desire her just as equally as you.”

My eyes narrowed at that. I was a possessive man by nature. What was solely mine, was mine alone, and there would be hell to pay if someone tried to take it away from me.

Suddenly, she grabbed my hands in her callous-filled palms and pulled me out of my revere and closer to her face.

“Heed my warning dear boy, don’t let anyone take her away.”

 

Caroline

I know that people always say that when it happens, it’s like a bolt of lightening that rushes through your body.  It’s a feeling you never forget.  I always thought that when people described the feeling, they exaggerated it for dramatic effect.  Their descriptions were always so cheesy.  But there I sat on the cold, crusty bleachers of the Manteo High School football field on October eleventh at six forty-one at night, and my heart felt like it stopped beating.

The moment may have been just that, a moment. Instantaneous. All-powerful. But to me, it felt like hours had passed.  Coach Brown was rambling on and on about the New Year and the new football season intentionally enunciating every other word, for dramatic effect.  At first, I couldn’t have been less interested in listening to yet another one of his horribly boring and overdrawn speeches.

I started focusing on the flames billowing through the large bonfire which all the eager students sat around.  The bonfire was a tradition at Manteo High School.  We started out each year and the football season with one as a way of introducing the players.  Not that they needed much introduction.  The town we lived in was rather small. Everyone knew everyone else.  

But this year was different.  Our team had a new player.

There was one flame in particular, undulating around and around, that caught my attention.  I was entranced. It looked like a dancer kicking her legs as she twirled in magical circles. It was hypnotizing.

The loud applause pulled me away from the flame. Apparently, Coach Brown had just said something extremely exciting. I shifted uncomfortably on the icy steel bleachers.  It was then that I actually started listening to what the man was going on about.

The Coach was talking about him. I searched the familiar faces of the football team and suddenly as if a magnetic force was calling out to me…

Our eyes locked.  

His deep and penetrating gaze stopped my heart.  

Had I known, I would have been much better prepared.  Had I known that our eyes would have connected for what seemed like an eternity, I would have definitely washed my hair.   I would have taken time putting together a cute outfit for the day and maybe even bothered to wear some makeup.   But true to form I didn’t.  As a matter of fact, I distinctly remember standing in front of the full-length mirror in my room that morning and telling myself, why bother, Caroline?  It’s not like anyone is going to look at you.

And yet miracle of all miracles, there he was staring straight at me.

Time stood still. I felt like I had been hit in the chest by some unseen force. My breath, God, did I even breathe? I don't think I did. How could I? He was beautiful.

No. Handsome.

No. Gorgeous.  

Perfect.

If I were ever to have closed my eyes and dreamt up the perfect man and set him on this lonely island of Roanoke, he would look exactly like him.  

"Now let's give a big Roanoke welcome to Devilyn Reilly! Manteo High's newest quarterback!" Coach Brown said with a little too much enthusiasm. He was like a kid in a candy store as he stood there proudly displaying his new toy for the overzealous crowd.

“Devilyn Reilly!”   

With that introduction, our moment passed.  He looked away just as he stood up to shake the coach’s hand.  But I didn’t. I continued to stare at him like a stalker. A quick look around would have assured me that I wasn’t alone in my obsession. The entire female population of the school was staring at him the same way I was. In complete and utter lust.

And I couldn’t stop.  At least not on my own accord. Teddy snapped his finger in front of my zombie like gaze.

“Umm, Caroline? Earth to Caroline?”

I looked over, embarrassed. I’m sure that my face had turned nineteen different shades of red, because I knew that Teddy would notice. He noticed everything.

“Yeah?”

“I was talking to you.” He brushed back his thick blond hair away from his face in agitation. “I had a whole conversation with you.”

“You did?” I was instantly remorseful. How had I not heard anything he said? I pulled my arms around my chest, trying to ward off the horrible cold. “I’m totally sorry.”

“Forget it.”

“No, tell me.” I gave Teddy my most charming grin and leaned in closely so he could see it. It didn’t take long before he smiled back at me. We had been friends since we were both in elementary school. He knew me better than anyone else. And he would always forgive me, just like I would do the same for him.

“I was just asking if you had a chance to think about what you’re going to write for Mr. Simmons’ assignment? Has anything annoyed you today? He said it has to be descriptive but almost like a position paper.”  Teddy said in frustration.  “I’m having a hard time trying to figure out what he means by that.”

I answered honestly, “I know what you mean.  I actually haven’t had time yet to figure it all out.  I don’t know what has specifically annoyed me the most. I mean, there’s the usual stuff, but I don’t think that warrants one full page.”

“Well I know what annoyed me most. It just happened.” Teddy said grumbling as he looked at me. “I guess I’ll just have to figure out a way to articulate it and take a stance against my annoyance.”

“Oh no, please don’t,” I joked.  I knew deep down he wouldn’t. Teddy would never humiliate me like that. We were both too loyal to one another.

“We’ll see,” he answered cryptically then, “Were you actually listening to what Coach Brown was talking about?” He looked beyond surprised. He should be. I was too.

“No, I just was—I was just thinking about things.” I covered lamely. Yeah, I was thinking about things. Things that had to do with Devilyn Reilly. I could never confess that to Teddy, he’d be too disappointed in me for fantasizing about a jock.

“Like what?”

“I dunno know. Stuff. You know, girl stuff.” I knew that would stop him cold. And it worked, better than I imagined, but he still looked intrigued.

I looked away from his questioning gaze. I found that my eyes were drawn straight over to him.

Staring again.

Hopefully not drooling.




Devilyn


I felt her before I ever set eyes on her. I can’t say that it was fate, which pulled us together by some unexplainable force, or if my soul instantly recognized its chosen mate, whatever it was, I knew her. I sensed her. It would take me less than a half a second to scan the large crowd and find her. See her for the first time.

I was drawn to her.  

It’s just simply curiosity, I told myself. I just wanted to see her for myself. Because I knew that my mind was already made up. Regardless of what I was told, I didn't want it. I wanted no part of what she would offer me.

It was too easy to find her. My eyes would recognize her.  They would feel the bloodline that flowed so strongly in her veins. The heir of Virginia Dare.   

As if she sensed me searching for her through the crowd and the open flames, our eyes connected.  I looked at her, and wondered what it was that I would be drawn to?   Her looks were plain, nothing of what I was used to. Accustomed to. There were definite signs of royalty in her. She had a proud look, but not regal like I was expecting.  

Her chestnut brown hair was severely pulled back away from her small face.  She wore little makeup, unlike her counterparts, who were at that moment busy jumping up and down in front of me trying to get my attention.  She had big gray eyes that were beautifully shaped. Inquisitive, and intense.  

She had the kind of eyes that could draw you in. But not me.

Never me.

I was too good at hiding my heart. I had built a careful fortress around my soul to guard me from any kind of love. Especially anything she had to offer me, and which the Fates would then take away.

I made that decision before I arrived.  I would protect her at all costs.  But I would not get involved.  I wouldn’t allow it.  I would never let my guard down around her. Never let myself be accessible in any way. I couldn’t afford that risk. And neither could she.

Coach Brown introduced me to the crowd. I waved at the cheerful fans. My fans. It was too easy. So easy for these humans to fall for me. My kind, we were part of a super human race. The Tuatha De Danann, the people of the goddess, Dana. We were all beautiful, some more than others. But nonetheless, our looks were our key into the human population. They gravitated toward us. They wanted to be friends with us. Be us.

The Fae had fought wars for the humans’ years and years ago, protected them, and then after one major battle, we had stopped because we realized that humans craved war, and there was nothing we could ever do to end the thirst unless we used magic, which was a deadly sin among the Light Fae. The use of magic to change fate or free will would inevitably lead to darkness, and to the Light Fae that was worse than having their souls destroyed.  Because the temptation was so great, the Light Fae decided to stand back and distance themselves from the human race, they decided it was in their best interest to mingle among the mortals, but mostly keep to themselves.

But there are some among us that have a differing opinion.  They are Dark. They are children of the dark arts, the Dark Fae, and they are intent upon destroying the human race. In the past, they entered weak humans and whispered to them to commit heinous crimes. They were usually found to be the right hand man or woman of the cruelest dictators of the world. They are here now, and they were here then.  In every ugly moment of the human race, they were there.  The instigators, goading, and coaxing evil on.  

And they were my people.

I was a descendant of the Dark Fae. I was their king. The chosen one.  The king that according to all legends would unite the dark and light. If only I could keep the Dark from consuming me. And each and everyday it was become more and more of a battle. The Dark was my blood, my soul. It flowed through me like a powerful force. But somehow, miracle of all miracles, I managed to escape its call, the need. I had risen above it and had remained a perfect combination of both. He told me that I would never fall. But in the still of the night, when my inner soul waged its private battle, I did not believe him.

I stared at her again. Found her easily. It was hard to believe that this tomboyish child-woman was to ascend a throne and become a powerful, indomitable queen.

A queen that was already promised to a warrior king.

A queen that would fall in love, and with that would make the greatest sacrifice.  

Her life.

She would leave a broken hearted husband behind and live in the minds of her loyal subjects for centuries to come.  She, the queen of all queens, would save her kingdom from ruin and for this honor she would give her life.  

All of this, her future, was written in the heavens before this girl was even born. I wondered if she sensed her greater purpose. I wondered if she knew deep down that there was something unique about her. Special. Did she know what her fate was to be?

A queen.

This little girl was a queen.

And I was to be her king.