Juggernaut Child

They took everything from me.

I was only a little child when I learned the world was cold. Men in red invaded the village I called home in the middle of the night. My sisters and mother were pulled from their beds by their hair, dragged into the middle of town. My brothers kept me hidden but even they didn’t make it out alive. I remember seeing my family tied to crosses and burned for all to see. Why? Because we were a powerful family in the ash folk community. The Red Paladins wanted to set an example. They wanted my fellow fair folk to see what they could do to us. They wanted to watch us burn.

And watch it, I did.

I watched as my family and friends screamed as they were slaughtered. I watched countless children beheaded and impaled. I watched from a fox hole. I remember clinging onto my little toy, praying to The Hidden. Praying for some salvation. But it never came.

The only thing that came was silence. Silence and ash.

Soon the screams of a single child rang through the woods. I peak out of the hole, just enough to see them drag a kid out by his hair. He was kicking, screaming, cursing. The voice is all too familiar.

But familiarity isn’t enough for me to leave my hole. I remember just clutching my doll as tears stream from tightly closed eyes. I remember just praying everything would be alright.

...Many Moons later

“Kenna!” A voice behind exclaims as he chases me through the center of Gramaire. I turn around and I’m greeted with a friendly face. “Arthur, what could you possibly want with me this time?”

“Why do you think I want something every time I say something to you?” He questions, feigning a hurt tone in his voice. “Ever thought I just love your company?”

“I may have been born at night, dear Arthur, but I was not born last night.” I roll my eyes. “So get to your point, my dear. I’ve got a lot of things that need to get done before nightfall.”

“So it is true, isn’t it?” He questions me. I raise an eyebrow at him, urging him to continue. “You are leaving this fair city. The city that has been your home since we were kids. I remember the barmaid’s mother taking you once after they found you on the side of the road. You were the only one that has stuck by my side after everything I’ve gone through. You can’t leave me now.”

“It’s not safe for me here anymore.” I sigh, taking the hand of my dearest friend. “They are growing restless with having a Fey behind their walls. You don’t see the looks I get. You don’t feel the danger I feel.”

“Then I’ll protect you!” He exclaims. “I can not allow you to leave. It’s even more dangerous for you out there than in here. The Red Paladins are everywhere. They can sniff out a Fey so easily. And do not get me started on the man that is doing the hunting.”

“I’m fully aware of the dangers outside these walls.” I state. “I’m fully aware of how dangerous The Red Paladins and their Weeping Monk are. But I rather take my chances out there than here. I rather die fighting than on my knees. Arthur, I need to leave. I’ve been away from home for far too long. I must see if there is anything left. If there is anyone left.”

Without speaking another word, he pulls me into a back breaking hug before pulling away. He places his hands on either side of my head and intensely looks into my eyes. “There is an abbey you can stay at. My sister lives there. She’s helping your kind. She’ll help you too.”

“I need to do this journey on my own, Arthur.” I sigh, pulling away from him. “This is something I need to do on my own. This is my fight, not yours. While I do appreciate the help and your constant looking after me, it ends tonight.”

He scoffs and a smile dances on his lips. “You must be crazy if it ends tonight, Kenna. But there is no changing your mind, is there?”

“You should know me well by now.” I smirk. “But there is no changing my mind. I leave tonight after nightfall. It’s time I find my way back home…”

**

As night falls, I find myself alone in the woods outside of Gramaire. It’s deadly quiet. No sound of the winds, the crickets...no sounds of anything really. While others find it terrifying, I find it comforting in a way. It’s been that way since the dreadful night.

I find a nice little grouping of trees and set up camp for the night. I untie my corset and toss it aside and being to get comfortable on the ground. Just as my eyes grow heavy, I hear a stick snapping into pieces. By how loud the sound was, I knew it was human. My blood begins to freeze as I feel a presence close in on my location. He’s fast and closing in quick. I draw my sword and aim in the area I know he’s going to be in.

A gasp escapes my lips when I see what is staring back at me. Every Fey has heard stories of this man. Every Fey prays to The Hidden that we’ll never meet him. Because if we meet him, our days are numbered. If we meet him, we know the Red Paladins are not too far behind.

I know I should be scared. I should be begging for my life. But this man? Doesn’t feel completely evil. He feels familiar. He feels comforting. He feels like home.

He doesn’t move. He stands there with a hand on the hilt of his still sheathed sword. In the moonlight, I catch a glimpse of the infamous tear stains on his face. Another more audible gasp escapes my lips and I get up off the ground, putting away my sword.

“You’re putting your sword away.” He notes, clearly confused by my actions. “Why?”

“You’re not going to kill me.” I confidently tell him. “You would have done it by now if you were. You feel it too, don’t you? You feel the connection between us. You feel the kindred spirits call you, guiding you to me.” He quickly looks away, hiding the fact I’m correct.

I walk closed to him, closing the space between us. My hands find themselves reaching for the hood and sliding if off his head. He lets out a growl, warning me to back off. His hand still remains on the hilt. My fingers go from his curly brown hair down to the tear marks on his face.

“What are you doing?” He growls as my fingers trace the marks. I step back, a frown forming on my lips.

“What have they done to you Lancelot?”