Prologue

| 7,313 Years Post War|

Summer slowly gave way to autumn in the Faernras forest, the slightly chilled wind whipping through the trees and shouting its greetings to those that resided under the canopy. But what drew its attention was the group of Fae who followed after a group of hunters, their movements silent in the darkening forest.

Nimble as cats, quick as the wind, quiet as the grave.

The two in the front trailed directly behind the hunters, going undetected as they melted into the shadows of the trees around them. The female on the left had her hood pulled down over her face, her right hand holding her bow along with two arrows as her left was wreathed in shadows. The male on the right had two long daggers held in his hands, auburn hair flashing like hot metal in the small sunspots that lingered. Two onyx black wings expanded from his back, the feathered limbs shielding him from sight as he slipped between the trees.

Behind them, two others, a demi-Fae and a High Fae, brought up the right side, slipping to the side and circling the small group of hunters that still walked on; unaware of the danger behind them. The Fae slipped in and out of the shadows, daeivelsting from one place to another. On the opposite side, a trio of one silver haired male, a blonde female, and a raven haired female stalked through the underbrush. The male held a long sword in his right hand, his left covered in small icicles. The blonde had a scythe -angled downwards- as she prowled through the thicket, vines creeping towards her as she walked. The noirette was slowly changing as she walked, fur sprouting along her arms and legs until she walked on all fours, the lethal form of a ghost leopard creeping through the brush.

When the hunters all paused as the edge of the ground, the rowboats in front of them already stocked, the group paused for a moment at the edge of the trees. The hooded female rose a hand, makes fist then using her index and middle finger to point straight up. Rotating her wrist, her fingers made a circle before making a "go there" motion, pointing towards the group.

All the fae paused for another moment as the first duo daeivelsted into the middle of the group, blades spinning and arrows flying as soon as they stepped back onto the ground. The others moved in moments after, easily breaking up the ranks that had formed around the couple.

With movements revealing centuries of practice and discipline, the hunters soon lay dead at their feet, the golden sand littered with patches of grass, gleaming with pools of red. Looking towards the rowboats, the group sheathed their weapons, hauling the captured Fae out of the vessels. The ghost leopard padded forward and gave a rumbling purr before leading the group of kids back towards the other group of Fae warriors who were stationed just inside the forest.

The others all lounged on the edges of the boats, gleaning their blades off on the rags that lay on the bottom of the vessels.

Barely an hour had passed before the feline exited the forest again, giving a nod to the hooded female who gave a curt reply in a rolling Fae language. The cadre slipped onto the boats, their movements lined with immortal grace and decisions precise.

Climbing the side of the boat was easy for the group, each of them landing on the deck without a whisper. The now unhooded female looked around the deck, her nose scrunching at the quiet. Pointing her index and middle finger to the left, then her thumb to her right, the cadre split up, slipping down to the crews cabins on silent feet. The ships men were sound asleep, the key to the cargo hold hanging on the other side of the door. Grabbing the silver key, the cadre slipped out of the cabins and padded towards the hold, unlocked the reinforced iron doors, before slipping inside.

Inside, all the stolen Fae children were chained to the ground, the iron shackles draining their magic. That vulnerability they grew out of over time, but this young it drained them quickly. With a quick nod, the cadre split up, breaking through the iron shackles with practiced ease.

Quickly, quietly, efficiently.

Once the children were rounded up, the unhooded female opened a black glittering channel, holding it so the kids could go through. With the auburn haired male at her back, guarding, she easily waved the kids through, her hands wreathed in shadows.

When the last child entered the channel, the female looked around and nodded before making a circular grabbing motion, the cadre all giving the boat one last look before daeivelsting out. In the safety of the forest again, the legion of Fae warriors herded the children back to the court borders, glamours settling over the groups to hide them as they trekked through the outer edges of the forest.

The cadre stayed in the back, guarding their retreating body with practiced efficiency. The noirette was back to being Fae, her senses keener then most as she partly shifted. The sun finally dipped down below the horizon as the group reached the edge of the court borders, the legions glamour falling as they entered the shielded city. The bustling town had quieted upon their arrival, the worried parents immediately rushing towards their young, wrapping them up in strong arms.

The cadre gave the town a quick look before going to the group of horses at the far side of the square. Pulling themselves up, the blonde female and noirette set off at the front of the group, their pace a hurried gallop. Behind them the fae male with silver hair was on the left of the brunette leader, on her right the auburn haired male. Behind them the two blond and brunet males brought up the rear.

The cadre galloped towards the main manor, their steeds thundering across the ground. The trees blurred together as the group rode, animals darting off the pathway to avoid the elven horses. The manors sprawling gardens came into view first, the front of the manor covered in different plants from across the continent. The two females in the front broke to the sides, wide enough that the trio behind them could ride between them.

Pulling to a slow walk at the base of the manor steps, the group dismounted fast enough that the horses had barely stopped moving their feet by time the fae were walking up the stairs. The horses stayed at the base of the stairs, nibbling on the grass that littered the ground.

"Khaeran, Luirlan, go find the captains. Meet us in the receiving room," the brunette female ordered as she swept down the hall towards the meeting room.

"Yes Lady Remys," the twins echoed before turning down another hallway.

Walking into that elegant room, the cadre glanced at the lounging High Fae that resided on the couches, their heads snapping up as the doors slammed open. The King looked up from his spot on the dais, waving a hand to disperse the servants around him. The cadre dropped kneeled before the dais -right fist over the heart, left arm behind the back, right knee on the ground-. Only the auburn male dipping only his head, wings tucked against his back.

"Rise commander," the King bid, his sun kissed hand waving in the air. The King's skin was a warm golden color, hair a deep russet color along with his eyes which narrowed slightly at the group. "Commander Remys, where are Lord Khaeran and Prince Luirlan?"

The doors banging open for the second time answered his question, the two fae in question striding in and kneeling before the King, the captains behind them nodding their heads. The cadre stood up, both arms behind their backs, heads up.

"The rescue was successful?" A bland question, asked in a monotone voice.

"Yes, your highness," Khaeran replied from Remys' left, his gaze slightly to the left of the king instead of looking him in the eye.

"How many were there?" The King prodded, giving the cadre a look that couldn't be deciphered. Nor did they want too.

"Not a large group. Half a legion at most," The auburn male spoke up, his wings opening slightly before fading into smoke, then nothing at all.

"High Prince Rhysaris. Have I not told you before you are not to accompany this... group?"

"They are as much mine as I am theirs," was the casual reply, fire sparking on his fingertips.

"Lord Azuen. You are a High Lord yet you do the work of a soldier."

The silver haired male found the Kings' gaze and held it, his voice colder than ice as he spoke. "They have bled for me and fought for me more than any others. If I do not respect that bond and return it, how am I any better than the mortal king who once reigned over us?"

The King gave a scoff of disbelief before looking at the two females. "You two feel the same? Lady Radella? Lady Naida?" The two females nodded but did not speak a word from their silent vigil at the ends of the group. "Very well. Commander Remys, it has been brought to my attention that you wish to have your, cadre," he spit out the word as if it were poison, "take a blood oath to each other. Is this true?"

Remys tore her eyes from the far side of the room where the saw two of the rescued children reuniting with their parents. Her gaze met the Kings' and she gave a dip of her head, not bothering to respond verbally.

"Permission granted, as long as when you are traveling I can," he paused as if to think of the word that would not be misinterpreted. "Use your cadre as I see fit."

"As long as I resume command over them when I return."

With a lazy wave the King dismissed the group, his advisor walking up to the throne just as the cadre daeivelsted out of the manor. Striding towards their horses, they all mounted up and rode to the house on the edge of the manor grounds where they all stayed together.

Remys shook her head and rolled her eyes when Luirlan shoved Rhysaris and caused the High Prince to blast fire his direction, both of them taking off down the path as Rhysaris chased Luirlan. Khaeran groaned at his twins childish behavior, muttering something in Faemir. Azuen simply gave a low laugh, listening to Radella and Naida talk about the new training yard the house had, the builders having been working for the past moon.

Remys looked ahead and roared with laughed seeing Luirlan on the ground trying to get Rhysaris off of him. With a shake of her head Remys gave a motherly smile to her cadre and looked up at the house before her.

One day, she thought. One day, they shall see the island that I strive so hard to keep hidden.