Chapter Text
A long time ago, the Mists were created to separate the human world from Faerie and deals were brokered to keep the peace. The high courts of Faerie created gateways in the Mists, places meant to allow magic to bleed into the human world so it may find those mortals linked by blood or happenstance to the fey realms. To seal the gates in place both humans and the fey enacted a sacrifice. For every tenth child born to the old bloodlines, one would be switched for a changeling, thus bringing new blood to Faerie, and leaving a child of magic in the human world.
The Archfey, rulers of their own domains in Faerie and the human world alike, demanded different concessions. Some created powerful artefacts meant to tempt human greed, then split them between the worlds so they may draw power from them. Others chose children of the old bloodlines as spouses so they may spread their children across the worlds and exert influence over humans and fey. Our story focuses on the last Archfey to make demands of humanity, the Maor.
The Maor was ancient even when the high courts were formed, both monarchs of Seelie and Unseelie soliciting his advice and oaths of neutrality as the wars ended between them. He walked between the worlds with little regard for magical barriers, acting as arbiter for squabbles both petty and momentous. When the old bloodlines of humanity and the rulers of Faerie united to create the Mists, the Maor stood as judge to ensure equal power for both sides. His one request as payment was the bearna, a permanent enclave for any human or fey for whom their native world was a challenge.
The Mists rose, humans and the fey separated, time passed. The gates between worlds opened and closed at the whims and greed of their keepers on both sides. The Archfey played their long games of power and corruption.
In the bearna, those caught between worlds settled and built lives for themselves away from the threats of either. The Maor chose to anchor the town close to powerful human settlements where it would find those who needed it most. The first was Carthage, then Rome, Baghdad, Kaifeng, and finally Ayutthaya.
When humanity finally had the tools and science to traverse their own world and chose to lay claims and fight wars with one another for greed on a grander scale, the Maor moved the bearna away. Fey would always find it and now humanity could search for it nearly as easily. So, the Maor untethered the town and let it wander and settle where it pleased.
Fascinating as the history of the bearna is, our story is about its citizens. The Maor is an ancient creature, but he is not above base wants and desires. His children, one of blood and one of choice, are powerful. The son a natural weaver of fate and magic and the daughter a foundling witch rescued from the undeserved revenge of another fey on her family.
The town shopkeeper, the Maor’s sister and another Archfey, ruled her small domain inside her brother’s town with an iron hand, collecting those cursed by magic and making them her own family. Her wife, the daughter of one of the old bloodlines and favored by the celestial bodies above, acted as the Maor’s right hand. A warrior and witch in her own right, she managed the magic which kept the town hidden as it wandered across the worlds.
The other citizens of the town, immortal no matter their birth, figure into this story as well. We shall meet them soon, but first there is another story to tell. A story of pain, heartbreak, and betrayal for a family already twisted in fate’s strings. The story ends well, do not worry overmuch, but it does not begin with happiness.