Archive of Our Own ^beta

Loid knew better than to be traveling the Fey Mountains, especially not at twilight, when the Fey were most active. But unlike most other people, who avoided the magical creatures, Loid needed to find one of the Fey, and since the Fey were liminal creatures—somewhere between Fairy and Human—it made sense that they were most likely to be out and about at that ethereal, in-between time of day and night.  

Of course, like all others who sought out the Fey, Loid was desperate. His mother, the last of his family that had survived the war, was wasting away. They had been taking care of each other for the past ten years, but after she had fallen ill some months ago, Loid was afraid he might lose her.  

He had already tried everything: gathered and combined and concocted every herbal brew and potion for her, knocked on neighbors’ doors to ask for advice, consulted every physician and apothecary, tried every remedy he found from the books in the libraries. Nothing had worked. She was fading fast and he needed to do something before...before it was too late.  

Which is how he found himself in the Fey Mountains, having heard of how the Fey granted wishes to mortals willing to pay the price.  

Finally, Loid reached the correct location: a small glade that was filled with roses of all colors and sizes. Rumor had it that roses grew here all throughout the year, even in the coldest winters. His timing was right, too: twilight.  

And there she was, the Fey of the mountains. She was crouched over one of the rose bushes trimming something, her long, dark hair obscuring most of her face.  

“Excuse me,” Loid said, hoping not to scare her.  

Too late. With a scream, she whirled around and almost sliced his face in half with her gardening shears.  

“I’m sorry! I’m sorry!” both of them cried as they leapt back. Once his heart rate had returned to normal, Loid tried again.  

“Pardon me, but would you happen to be the Fey of the Mountains?”  

“Y-yes,” the Fey responded, “One of them, anyway.”  

Loid was a little more than surprised by her demeanor. He had heard that the Fey were a powerful, proud race, and didn’t take kindly to humans surprising them.  

This one, however...this one was different. With a cascade of gleaming raven hair and deep crimson eyes, she fit the description of Fey beauty, but her personality was...shy. Anxious, almost.  

Nothing spoke of the pride and condescension he had heard about the Fey folk.  

Could it be that she was just as nervous as he was?  

“Good evening,” Loid said, bowing to her. He decided it was best to be polite to her anyway, especially considering he was asking for her help. “My name is Loid, and I’ve come to speak to you about something dearly important to me.”  

“I’m Yor. Um, please have a seat,” she said, gesturing to one of the large, flat rocks in the glade.  

Once Loid had told Yor his story, he quickly opened his bag. “I’d be willing to give you anything I have,” Loid said, in case she was debating on whether or not to accept his request. “I don’t have much money, but I could repay you through labor or...”  

“Well...” the Fey began hesitantly. “I have no need for money or labor, but what I would really like is...a child.”  

“A child?” Loid didn’t know why he sounded surprised at this. It wasn’t unheard of for a Fey to demand a firstborn child as payment for their magic, but the way this Fey had asked for one seemed as if she expected him to say no immediately.  

“Y-yes,” Yor said nervously. “You see, I’ve been by myself ever since my brother moved away, and no one will let me adopt a child since I’m a Fey and...”  

Loid held up his hand. “You don’t need to explain. For the health of my mother, I am willing to give you my firstborn child.”  

Yor stared at him in shock. “You...you really mean it?” she asked, breathless.  

“Yes,” Loid confirmed. While he found it no great sacrifice to give his firstborn child to this strange and beautiful woman, a part of him suddenly found himself wanting to raise this child with her.  

But no , he told himself, dispelling the thought. Most likely, he would not see her or the child anymore once the baby was given up.  

“Deal,” he said, holding out his hand.  

Yor stared at it for a moment, as if afraid he might jerk back his hand at the last moment, but then she gingerly took his hand and shook it.  

“ Very well. When you return home tonight, your mother will be in pristine health again. It will be like she never fell ill at all. Even the memory of her suffering will fade...”  

“Thank you so much. She means everything to me.”  

“I know,” Yor said, remembering the pain and despair in Loid’s eyes as he related the story of his ailing mother. “Let's hope the price wasn't too much for you after all... Only time will tell.” She rose to leave, but the next words out of Loid’s mouth stopped Yor in her tracks.  

“So, when do we start?”  

“...If I could ask you to elaborate?”  

“You said you wanted my firstborn.”  

“Yes? And you agreed?”  

“Yeah, so, when do we start?”  

The Fey stared at him, her lovely features pinching in confusion. Then her eyes blew wide as his meaning sank in; she blushed as red as her roses. “Ah...”  

And that’s how Loid returned home with not only a Fey wife, but his firstborn child already on the way.  

Even years later, people still whispered about Loid’s journey to the Fey Mountains. How he left to find a cure for his mother and how she miraculously recovered on his return home.

How he had surprised his mother with a wife that was not only ethereally beautiful, but incredibly kind.

How their firstborn had hair as pink as roses and eyes as green as the Fey Mountains in springtime.

How she was an unusually perceptive child, seemingly able to know the thoughts and secrets of everyone, just by being near them.

And how they all disappeared one day, spirited back to the Fey Mountains, some say, to live out the rest of their lives in the Fey World.  

Although every so often, people say that one can still see glimpses of the family at twilight, talking and playing and laughing together. And wherever they were glimpsed, pink roses always bloomed there the next day.