The Pines Were Roaring On The Heights (Invite)

Faylinn was absolutely furious.

She was sent her by her father who was awake for the first time in centuries to stop the mass culling of their fellows in the deforestation that was currently happening around one of the main cities.

It stung because this was a city that she had been familiar with before, she had helped to save people from there and she wondered why they were now going back on their words to her and killing trees with an amazing rate and skill. Not sewing new seeds in the process. It would not be long at all until they had none left and she would be forced to step in and halt the proceedings herself.

It would not be pleasant if she had to do so.

Immediately when she stepped down into the city she knew that there was something...very wrong.

It was very different. In a very bad manner.

There was a stench of fear, of repression everywhere and the air smelt decidedly dead. There was not trace of life on the breeze, no scent of trees just a decay and a rot that she could not shake.

Approaching the main castle, she felt her nerves beginning to grow she didn't know why but there were so many men she had never seen with moving arts on their skins. Were these the men who created the disease all those years ago? The sense was the same from them. They were leering at her as well, and her cheeks flushed, as she carried on through the stone corridors.

Faylinn was wearing her snow white dress, it was a deep pink at the bottom growing lighter until it stopped a few inches up the fabric. A long slit was in the side showing her leg as she walked, which was pale and smooth, altogether she had an air of iridescence that she couldn't hide.

She was different and everyone knew it. They'd know it even more if she transformed into her other form.

"I wish to speak to those in charge." she whispered, her voice sounding like a gentle rustle of leaves upon the floor, her hair was twisted into plaits forming a ring around her head.

The highlander soldiers of the northern most tribes were not used to the great access to women that they had down here in the southern city. Back home there were hardly any women around and every one of them was married. But down here in the south there were hundreds of women passing them everyday! Some of them were even single!

Not that it stopped them from raping the married ones but still.

They were currently guarding the main entrance to the castle and they were about to be relieved by another shift when they noticed a women in a white and pink dress. Smirking, the leader of the group stood up in front of her to halt her,

"And who do you think you are to demand that darling?" He teased her with a cruel little smirk as he stroked some hair away from her eyes with the back of his hand, "You know who's in charge here? The fucking Godking is in charge her darl!"

He chuckled sickeningly and pulled out his knife, licking the edge of it with a sly smirk,

"But I'm sure I can... satisfy yer with whatever it is yer want." He smirked wider, "I'm helpful like that, right boys?"

His men jeered loudly.

Faylinn could not fault the man for his confidence however she was here on a mission and she was going to be getting that mission done. Running her hands through her hair to try and calm herself down from the anger that she had running down through her body. Frowning softly, she obviously was not known amongst the humans but she thought that they would recognise a being of power when they met one.

The touch of his hand against her hair made her want to flinch back, she was not used to humans being so forward in touching her, especially when she was in no mood to be touched.

"I am well aware, of who is in charge...darl'." she hissed softly, her light sparkling purple eyes turned darker with her anger "That is who I am here to see, as I assume he is the person responsible for the deforestation occurring around the land."

Raising her eyebrow Faylinn took a step back from the man with a small sigh, trying to contain her anger, but, wanting more than anything to get inside the castle and speak to someone half way important. It was irritating to be talked to like this.

"Oh I have no doubt you're helpful like that." she smirked "I want to talk to the person in charge of the operation involving the intense chopping of trees, and I would like to talk to them now. Please."

The guard narrowed his eyes a little bit and his fellow guard growled in discontentment. They were all deeply religious and their leader was their religion. They did not take too kindly to her being so lippy about their lord and master. The leader growled and pointed at Faylinn with the knife, eyes narrowed angrily,

"Careful how you talk about our godking." He warned her, his voice low and threatening, "That man is a divine being and has the power to do whatever he wants. He wants to fucking drag up so trees? Then we go drag some trees up for him!"

He shook his head a little bit as his men also drew their swords and daggers at the blatant disrespect she had for their leader and their authority over her. She seemed to think that she was better than them! Well when they cut her some she'd figure it out quick now wouldn't she?

"You don't get it do you?" He hissed, "You fucking southerners are conquered people... you're our bitches! You don't get to see the Godking just cus you ask nice!"

The castle gate opened abruptly and, seeing, the gold-covered horse, all of the guards immediately put their weapons away and saluted the Godking as he rode out slowly. Spotting the woman in the dress who wasn't bowing, the Godking frowned ever so slightly,

"Who are you woman?" He asked her, his voice deep and booming, "Tell me now."

Faylinn growled and she couldn't hold herself back any more, she was ready to start tearing their limbs from their bodies, her eyes went a full deep purple and her white hair turned a black colour, transforming into oily feathers, her hands turned into talons ready to rip and render them apart. She was not above killing human scum to get what she needed.

They would treat her with respect or they would pay!

Of course when they put their weapons away Faylinn frowned, and she shrunk back down to normal size and to her normal state of being. Her features returning to the same as they were before.

A golden horse? Talk about up himself. She thought with a little smirk. She would treat this man with appropriate respect however because she wanted to be peaceful about this, that was why her father had sent her instead of coming himself. If he had come, war would have been upon these people by now.

"I am Faylinn, Princess of Mother Earth." she greeted with a curtsey, her eyes directed to the floor before resuming her normal standing stance and looking at the Godking curiously "I am here to discuss business with you, on behalf of my father. We have troubles we wish to sort out before things take a turn for the worse."

The Godking was annoyed.

His guards had obviously been harassing this woman in front of his castle. With barely a movement of his hand the head guard's neck snapped, the tattoos of Garoth's vir swirling angrily as they took the man's life without a second thought. The other guards began to get nervous as one by one he snapped their necks with his vir.

But they still did not move.

When there was only one left alive he waved at the man,

"Join the company on latrine duty."

The soldier immediately bowed and rushed to do as commanded. As the man rushed away, Garoth turned to a virmeister,

"He did not bow low enough." He observed quietly, "See to it that he loses his left arm bellow the elbow."

When the woman introduced herself to him he observed her as a god would observe an ant. With Khali down in the depths of the castle he had the power of a Goddess running through him. He was almost all-powerful when Khali was fed with so much misery. He narrowed his eyes,

"Assuming you are to be believed." He began firmly, "They what business do you have? Make it quick before I decide you are deceiving me and deserve to die."

Faylinn squeaked a little bit when the head guard's neck was snapped in front of her, her cheeks paled and she felt very sick as the sounds continued all of the people she was talking to before having their necks snapped off, apart from one. Biting her lip she felt herself actually getting quite upset at such a scene, this man definitely did not care for her, not like Durzo had when she had been in the human realm last time. He had sheltered her from seeing such things.

This man had exposed her to them directly and would do them to her in a heartbeat she realised, it was a good job that she had her escape card up her sleeve should she need it.

Hearing the fate of the one remaining guard, Faylinn pressed her hand to her mouth and she almost wanted to warn him but decided that the man would probably be most angry with her if she were to help him. So she merely stayed quiet and worried her soft pink bottom lip between her teeth trying to calm down.

"You are cutting down and killing too many trees, many sprites have been killed in the process." she stated clearly "We would request that you stop before other action must be taken. I have been sent to try and talk peacefully." Faylinn explained, keeping her swirling glittering lilac eyes on the floor.

It was strange she was surrounded by so many odd looking people, normally she was the one who stood out from the crowd with her ethereal looks. She still did stand out, however as many of the people however strange looked the same.

Garoth narrowed his eyes slightly every time she flinched at the sound of a neck snapping. Did this woman had no spine? This kind of thing happened everyday in this city now and it would happen even more frequently if it was up to him. These weak people didn't seem to understand that they belonged to him. They were his to do with as he willed.

When she spoke about his deforestation policies he merely stared at her.

Surely this was some kind of fucking joke. He and his men were systematically killing and raping as many people as possible in the lower regions, letting them know that they were now little more than slaves to the northerners.

They were committing every kind violent and sickening crime known to mankind, the misery and despair from each death going straight to Khali to make her even more powerful. He growled quietly in annoyance,

"You stand before me, a god, and ask me to spare the trees?" He asked her with contempt, "You care nothing for the suffering of the people? All the raping and the murdering? But you will stand up for the rights... of trees."

He narrowed his eyes,

"What would you even offer me?" He demanded of her with a tight frown, "Explain why I would even consider it."

The tone in this humans voice was irritating.

Despite his power he was just that, a human. A vessel for a greater power but his body was human none the less, take away that power and he was nothing but a broken, used, empty vessel of a human being who would be betrayed in a manner of seconds and who;s death would bring great pleasure to all of those who knew of him.

The contempt he spat at her with, about her presence here, just screamed of his ignorance. It made her eyes darken to their deep purple, and her lip raised in a snarl baring her fanged teeth which grew in her anger.

"These trees ARE my people." she hissed "Each one has a spirit dont speak of them as if they are mere trifles. Centuries old beautiful spirits extinguished, all because you decide you want to make a wall. All the forests you killed are home to sprites who suffer at your hands." Faylinn sighed shaking her head "So don't, don't you speak to me like they don't matter." she snarled.

Calming down Faylinn took a deep breath and her gaze turned, dissappointed;

"We could have been a great asset for you, we have strength that could have complimented your people's magic well. We could have saved you the trouble, and built your wall in mere minutes. Had you but asked."

So she believed that she was some kind of sprite huh? Well thankfully to him it didn't matter what she believed. If she was correct then he would either have her powers and her allies... or he would burn each and every tree down to the ground. It was simple to him. Either she was with him or she was against him.

She would submit.

Or she would die.

He narrowed his eyes slightly,

"A sprite you say? You are very far from home if that is true." He commented lightly before shaking his head, "And I am the only ruler who rushes through preparations for another war at the cost of the trees and the mountainsides? I think not."

He looked at her with a frown,

"You are saying that you would have allied to my people if I had but asked to use the wood of your forests for defending my new prize?" He frowned slightly before nodding, "Very well then... Nef."

One of the virmeisters stepped forwards and Garoth whispered to him. Nef moved closer to Faylinn and bowed deeply to her,

"My lord is a little bit short as of late... his son recently died at the hands of this country." he explained before smiling charmingly, "His holiness would like to invite you to a feast, after which he would like to discuss the responsible collection of wood... does this sound reasonable?"

Faylinn raised an eyebrow, still seething at the way that she had been treated by this guy and the fact that he seemed to have a whole 'Holier than Thou' attitude. He wasn't even willing to say that he was sorry for being so rude to her she would bet! Crossing her arms about her chest, Faylinn looked into the distance, becoming transfixed by the voices from the wood in the nearby area.

When she saw him speaking to another male, who was, even to her standards quite attractive. Faylinn had to reign herself in and not let herself be tempted by this physical appearance she was here to actually do business and try and find a way in which some sort of truce could be called between them.

The bowing made her blink, in shock really. Nobody had bowed to her since she had come here.

"Oh...I see." she hummed, looking at the Godking out of the corner of her eye, she wasn't stupid, he was always like this not just because his son had died, and it wasn't really a good excuse either "My father has lost sons but still treats visitors better than this..."

Biting her lip Faylinn looked behind her at the sound of a bird tweeting, it brought a message and she frowned;

"I can't stay my father is expecting me back with news as soon as possible. Apologies." she stated with a small smile "I can talk now but, I cannot stay too late."

Nef knew that the godking was an arrogant fucker but this was taking the piss now. The man was being offered a chance to have some incredibly powerful allies and he was turning it down out of spite... out of some incredibly strong pride or something. It annoyed the hell out of Nef and not just because the Godking was turning down a potential asset but because he was being very rude to this beautiful little princess.

If he were Godking the meeting would have gone very differently.

He nodded slightly and watched as the Godking carried on into town with the rest of his guard. Apparently this was all on him now. Turning back to Faylinn, he bowed to her again,

"On the behalf of my people I would like to apologise for the reaping of your family." he told her honestly, "Had we known I know we would not have done this... or at least I wouldn't have done. Our... 'esteemed' Godking is an arrogant man and a cruel monster."

He turned to her when she seemed to communicate with the bird. He nodded at the news and ran a hand through his hair before holding a hand out for her to take,

"Then please... take a walk with me my dear princess." he asked her with a small smirk, "We have much to discuss and little time... barely any time to get to know each other I'd say. But I would very much hope that this isn't to be our last meeting as well as our first."

Faylinn was so relieved when the Godking went off in his chariot she was tempted to stick her tongue out at him if she didn't think he'd ask for it to be cut off 5 minutes after she had done it. Sighing softly she ran her hands through her hair to try and relax herself, she didn't think that she could do this, she was just so...unused to being around humans especially in situations like this.

"I accept your apology, although nothing can undo the death that has occurred. Many beautiful spirits that have seen so much have been muted from now on." she sighed lightly "This city was supposed to be an area in which the forests were protected, that is why the casualty rate is so high, most of our people moved to this area for safety."

Blinking when he held out his hand for her to take, Faylinn gently took his hand and couldn't help but notice that he was rather different feeling to her. She was quite smooth, where as his hand was rougher.

"I shall walk with you." she smiled gently before grinning slightly, and sticking her tongue out "I merely refused because I can't bare to spend more time in the company of that man, I have ample time to talk about what needs to occur."

As she nodded towards the castle, Faylinn grinned;

"Perhaps you can show me around your castle, it would be interesting to see how it matches up to ours. I have not been inside a human castle before." she hummed, her voice now returning to the normal, gentle rustling of leaves, which put most people at ease without her even trying.

Nef could see that he was going to make a lot more head-way than Garoth ever was going to be able to make. He wasn't trying to threaten her or anything like that so that kind of automatically made him better than Garoth to be fair but apologising for killing her people (unknowingly) was a step in the right direction.

And one Garoth would not have taken in a million years.

"This city might have been a safe zone but that wasn't something we were told when we invaded." He told her with a regretful sigh, "We knew so very little of this place... let's hope that in the future you and your people will again see this as a safe area after such an unfortunate occurance."

He grinned a little bit when she said that,

"Oh you're kind of devious!" He winked at her, "I like that is a spritely young woman! And I too would rather avoid speaking to that man... he is such a... well for lack of a better term; dick."

He smirked ever so slightly and whispered into her ear,

"It would be my pleasure." He assured her huskily before smirking a little bit and leading her into the massive stone corridors, "I must admit that it is more for decoration than actual defence... but it is still a lovely building. Unfortunately Garoth seems determined to change it to look like our homeland... which is a desolate wasteland to be honest. Few trees up there I'm afraid."

Faylinn didn't think that her people would ever want to be here again and already they were moving away from this area to a more defended place that she had created for them, the sprites could always go to the Fairyland and be safe from the cutting of the axes there but the ents were something different altogether. They were the ones who were in danger.

So she was setting up a magical barrier around the forest that contained as many of them as she could fit in, so that they would be safe from the axes that hack.

"I fear that the trust that we once placed is not going to be so easily won back, you have no idea how much time I invested trying to persuade my father to give you this chance to settle things peacefully." she stated with a sigh "He's seen too much death in his life time, I fear he's getting sick of it in his old age." Faylinn smirked.

Nodding her head Faylinn's smile grew to dazzling levels; "Oh that is so rude!" she laughed, a musical sound designed to enthral "I cannot bring myself to disagree however."

Unable to stop her little blush when he whispered into her ear, so huskily as well, Faylinn thought that she had never been treated so sexually by a human in her visits up to their world. It was...exciting if she was honest with herself.

"I am aware." she grinned, wiggling her eyebrows "Tree's do talk, and I know more than most people about all sorts of things. Now, shall we talk about what we can come to some agreement about?"

Nef was a little bit... okay he was beyond a little bit, he was absolutely livid at his so called 'godking'! Because of his short-sighted ideas they were likely going to be losing any chance of ever getting a large force of the sprites to help them in future conflicts. It was honestly rather annoying. Sighing a little bit, he nodded to her with a small smile,

"On some level I agree with you and your father... you need a fresh start where you can be safe." He agreed with a small sigh, "You won't find it here while Garoth is still alive... while Garoth is still alive we are all in some level of danger. He is too dangerous..."

He paused before glancing at her,

"It would be... fortunate, if someone were to take his place wouldn't it?"

He winked at her before laughing a little bit when she laughed at the fact that what he had just said was pretty rude. It was to be honest,

"Well that's because it's true milady!" he told her with another wink and a bow, "You're too intelligent to disagree with something you know to be true."

Smirking a little bit, his smirk widened when she explained that trees spoke to one another. Passing into the throne room, with it's massive golden throne, Nef wandered up to the throne with her,

"I wonder what trees hear considering most people don't think of them as ears and spies...?" he teased her with a wink before touching the throne, "So... you want to sit in the throne? It's really comfy, trust me. I've done it lots of time before."

Faylinn was surprised that he wasn't telling her to stop moving her people away, to stop the fact that they weren't going to be able to help their side with their forced because they were being safe. It was nice though that someone else was thinking about what was best for them, what should be best for them without being blinded about what would be best for their side.

Of course when he mentioned something like a mutiny Faylinn held her hands up in an X shape;

"I'm not touching that topic." she stated firmly "I think seeing as they guy chops someone's arm off for not bowing low enough he would be at killing level if anyone told him about that."

Giggling a little bit though when he winked at her, bowing, Faylinn felt like a princess for the first time out of her Fairyland, it was quite nice she had to admit. He was only being nice however because he wanted her to side with them.

To be honest, trees heard almost everything, every secret there was to know one tree somewhere would know it and therefore she could know it. She didn't think about it like that though. Faylinn never was one for stealing secrets.

"They hear everything, you should hear some of the stories. It's especially awkward when humans decide they are a good place to copulate underneath." she sighed, rolling her eyes before blinking, blushing madly and shaking her head "Erm no I'm okay. I don't really like thrones, kind of pompous in my mind." Faylinn laughed nervously.

Nef wasn't like the others in his own court. He would not beg and threaten her to stay like others would because he knew that he would never get anywhere with either tactic. She was determined and it seemed that he father was very determined to do the same. He would not be able to shift her on the subject.

He could see the conviction in her bright little eyes.

He laughed a little bit at her reaction to his mention of the little coup he was planning,

"Ah well that's only for those who don't get away with it." He teased her a little bit with a grin, "The person who succeed just gets to look like a bit of a pompous fool by sitting in the throne... a small price to pay."

He liked the way she giggled. It made her face light up and not just like when she blushed... no it made her eyes sparkle a little bit. He reached out and gently stroked her cheek, a small, almost bemused, smile on his lips,

"You look... brighter, when you giggle." He told her honestly, "Does that make any sense?"

When she told him about how people had sex under the trees, and the trees knew about it, he held it for a moment before he burst out laughing,

"If people thought trees watched them during sex I think the number of births would plummet." He teased her a little bit before raising an eyebrow, "A princess who doesn't like the idea of sitting in a throne? You must be the rarest type of princess of all... a good one."