The Wildness Within

A Small Betrayal 1

Augus chose his finest clothing, cut to flatter his figure, refining his appearance. There were water-wicking black pants, knee-high black boots that would not be spoiled by water, and had vents cut into the soles to allow water to seep from them. He chose a deep green, long-sleeved shirt, and wore no jewellery.

The Unseelie Court was an intimidating place. Underfae had to be granted permission to enter, and he wasn't even certain he'd get an audience with the Raven Prince who, despite having the lesser title as his name, was the true King of the Unseelie Kingdom.

Augus had been invited to the Unseelie Court by a Court status fae some time ago. He knew firsthand that underfae weren't particularly welcome. The Raven Prince had taken notice of him, offered to make him Court status from, Augus concluded, his appearance and demeanour alone.

Augus had refused him, discomfited, sure of his rejection from the Court. He'd been surprised when a second invitation to the Court came, and then another. He'd disdained the Courtiers and their ways his entire life and knowing that there was pressure for him to accept a higher status never sat well with him.

But the invitations had stopped two years ago. Perhaps he'd slighted the Raven Prince one too many times. Truthfully, standing before him and apologising for not accepting an offer for higher status, still sent prickles of dread through his body. The Raven Prince carried a cold glamour around him, pushed an eldritch, destabilising energy onto anyone around him. Or, Augus considered, perhaps the Raven Prince only did that to him.

He would have to teleport to the Unseelie Court and was lucky he was powerful enough to manage it. Not all underfae could teleport, and he would be exhausted on the return journey. But his schedule was thankfully clear for the next week, he could afford to rest.

Turning to water in his lake took some effort, and he teleported through to the lake situated in the Gwylwyr Du, the outer barrier to the Unseelie Court forested in large, black trees. The trees were stern sentinels that lived under the cover of a constant night sky, all manner of poisonous creatures lurking within. A bite from a tiny centipede could kill him in a moment, yet Augus had to do this. He could not keep Gwyn ensconced in his home and expect there to be no consequences. More than that – Augus needed the freedom to forage. And he needed the freedom to mean not worrying that Efnisien would put a knife in his back, at best, when he least expected it.

Silent guards wearing mail and spider-silk, holding long spears, ringed the lake of the Gwylwyr Du when Augus arrived. He pushed himself out of the lake, shook droplets off his shirt, feeling water pool beneath his feet. Augus looked at them all, shaking water off his hands, then squeezed the excess out of his hair and settled it at his back.

The magic of the Unseelie Court stretched thick around him. A night sky enchanted to never show the sun, a sense of welcome for the creatures of the dark, those who had feral and foul appetites. It wrapped around him, encouraged him to walk towards the pale blue, crushed gravel stones of the central path through the Gwylwyr Du.

The guards left him alone, but Augus marked their gazes on his back as he walked. His boots crunched into the gravel – there was no chance of a silent approach here. In front of him, giant, double wrought-iron gates were embedded into a wall that soared almost as high as the trees themselves, constructed of a forbidding, dark grey stone. Beyond the wrought iron gates was a hillock with a stately tree upon it, an illusion.

Despite having been here before, despite knowing he would affect confidence when the time was right, the place set his skin to crawling. Augus was not a magical creature, and when the magic of a place was strong enough to affect even he, it became intimidating.

Guards stood at the imposing gates, and Augus bowed slightly, met the eyes of the one standing – weaponless – in the centre.

'Greetings, to you. I am Augus Each Uisge, and I wish to request audience with His Majesty, the Raven Prince, if I may, regarding grave matters concerning the Unseelie and Seelie Kingdoms both.'