Based on Books

Part 1 : The Target

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Eight days. Eight days I've been stuck on this horse's back. Luckily, I had managed to get myself the most comfortable saddle I've ever used, and I blessed myself for it every second I lost another piece of my patience. I was scared the next thing to go was my sanity.

I kept my eyes on the view ahead of me; a gallery of mountains reaching high enough to touch the stars, and between them were buildings. Some lay atop the mountains, and others looked tall enough to reach them. And then there was the blur of other smaller buildings, those I suppose were for commoners. It was all too far away for me to make out the details, but just the humble image I had was enough to fill me with awe. I know I am only supposed to see the glamor of mountains, waterfalls and trees, but it was just too easy to see through, and it got clearer every minute we got closer. But for now, I had to settle for the woods I was passing through to get there. There were trees of sorts I've never seen, with wild branches reaching in all directions as if to snatch up any bypassers. I've passed enough of them to know they have no ill intentions. Even though my patience was wearing severely thin, I wasn't precisely excited for what was to come once I got there: steal an unimportant family heirloom of the Night Court. It's dishonorable. Stealing something only to send one singular massage, to tell them they can be infiltrated. I told Hybern it's a bad idea, a waste of time and resources, but he was set straight on. Said we need to "misdirect their attention so 'the next move' will come over them like a snowstorm: cold, unfeeling and unseeing."

I have never, in my several centuries in this world, set foot in this particular court. I have lured my way into others, like the time I visited The High Lord of the Summer Courts chambers of treasures. He was kind enough to send me a red ruby afterwards, even though I had already secured myself a necklace of pure gold with a charm in the shape of the sun, gold drooping down the chain to symbolize the warm summer rain.

One single piece from their vaults was enough to set someone for life, but I never settled. Instead, I piled it up with the rest of the goods I had gifted myself from others, adding it to the never ending rows of gold and jewels. Just thinking of them made me yearn to feel the cold metal under my fingers again as I caress them, stroke them, and ensure each single piece they are my most prized possession.

I had only agreed to this mission because King Hybern said that whatever I could loot from them, I could keep. As long as he got the heirloom, the ring supposedly stuck to The High Lady's finger. I'd cut it off of her if I had to. Those treasures are mine. I'm looking forward to seeing their style contrast with the rest of my jewels.

The closer I got, the sooner I had to get rid of the horse and go on foot. A fae is far more quiet than a horse, and I don't need them sensing my magic in a shield to cover the sounds. Time moved faster when I thought of my rewards, all the gold and jewels I would have on my walls after this, so fast I didn't realize it was time to depart. I put us to a halt, and glide of the side of the horse. She stands completely still as I remove her saddle and headpiece, hiding it amongst large rocks and throwing some rotten branches and leaves over them. I turned back to her and she already got her face buried in the short grass. "Sorry to disturb your meal, girl, but I need you to leave." I said to her, smacking her behind which made her do what I wanted, she ran. She ran and ran deeper into the forest, to where Mother knows what lives, what might feast on her.

Once the brown horse was out of sight, I started walking. There was no path to follow. The ground lived a life of its own with rocks reaching up from the ground in hopes of tripping the ones coming through. I got out my map from the pocket of my cloak, the black fabric embroidered with a shiny black thread that complimented the red ruby I had made into a golden broach. No point in letting good jewels go to waste, and she wore it with pride.

As I got closer, she felt the glamor over the city tell me I was close. It was almost as if it was pulling me to it, asking me to come, guiding me. The black fabric behind me rose as I picked up pace, everything in me asking me to arrive faster, let the hunt start faster. As the view got clearer ahead of me, I knew it was time to blend in.

I allowed my limbs to bend in unnatural ways, my arms to turn into legs and my back to bend forwards. I allowed my features to change into ones that didn't belong to any fae, or any fae like being. And I allowed my skin and clothes to turn into the thin, furry coat of a deer. My steps were light against the mountain wall as I trotted towards the city ahead of me, a city I shouldn't see. As I got closer, I shrunk all my limbs and let them change into wings. The colorful wings felt like autumn leaves, fragile and dry, as I flapped them through the air and straight through the glamor without any sort of issue. There was a wall of light that formed around my newly taken shape as I made my way through and continued to fly past all the people busying around the streets, some selling out their wares in carts of colorful fruits and others moving swiftly amongst their customers as they ate and chatted.

I flew behind a bush and came out as a youngling. Long, brown hair fell over the back of my yellow summer dress. The most common features I've seen of the younglings so far, light colored dresses, long hair and sweet smiles to everyone. The complete opposite of what I was prepared to take on. My plan was to become a young male with midnight hair, features sharpened with hunger and filthy clothes. Everyone looked so... happy. And healthy. It was hard to adapt to. After all the rumors of gruesome rulers and citizens, how they would cut off the wings of their females so they couldn't fly away from them, a glad smile was the last thing I expected to wear in this city. I had even prepared to give myself wings.

I looked around, doing a slow three-sixty to get a full view of the city from the ground. as I was walking backwards, I bumped into a figure way larger than my made one, making me stumble a little back. I had stop myself from following my natural instincts and telling them off, to tell them to watch where they're going as I realized no one seemed to do that here. "My apologies, miss." A voice leaning on the deeper side said, catching me before I could fall over. "Are you alright?" I looked up to see a face I had memorized, the general of Illyrian troops glancing down at the child's face. Child. I am a child. I should not be looking at him like this.

I pushed back into character and I nodded, straightening myself quickly. "Sorry." I muttered, taking a few steps backwards. He smiled sweetly at me as if honey was dripping from his face.

"It's not a problem. Just be careful, ok?" He straightened his leathered suit, the red siphones glistening in the evening sun as I counted them. Seven. There are seven siphones on one male. So some rumors are true. "You want to see 'em?" He asked as he crouched down to my child-forms height, allowing me to look at the one at the top of his chest. It was so shiny, and not only in the sun. How easy it would be for me to just snatch it right off him and make my escape. My awe must have been visible as his next words were, "they're pretty, huh?" I didn't take my eyes off the shiny stone as I nodded. Play the long game. Remember your mission. "Remember to be careful where you go now, alright." He stood again, once more straightening his leathers and fluttering the wings on his back. "Alright." Leaving me standing in the middle of the street, he continued to walk down the road, to the right of where I was going. I looked up at the mountain of his path and saw the biggest building yet. My target.