Mistress Aerith
~°•The view was divine.
The spring was already here, flowers blooming at its fullest. Being a farmer's wife meant waking at the crack of dawn to experience the fullest of nature at its glory. The greenery spread miles down from the top of the hill, where my house sat, a beautiful sunset coloring everything with warm, soothing tones.
The trees from afar dance in waves from the soothing wind, from the mountains, the breathtaking landscape, everything had the wonder of adventure hidden within.
But nothing was as wonderful to my eyes as my husband, a hardworking fellow with little to nothing when it comes to money, but he was my knight in shining armor. Just like those fairy tales.
Leonel tended to the field with an empty stomach, and as his wife it was my duty to make sure he was fed no matter how little we had left to eat.
My beloved had a thing for herb coffee and I had made it just the way he liked it. I had called him out of the field and we sat to enjoy our breakfast. Leonel had the most kind smile you could ever imagine you'd see on a person. A warming smile that warms you up from the inside when he's showing gratitude.
It was a beautiful day, it should have been a beautiful day, so I thought, but by noon the unexpected chaos had ruined and besieged the once peaceful serendipity we experienced.
The world plunged into darkness without notice.
A hush fell. The once lively chorus of birdsong was snuffed out, their voices stolen by an unseen force. The air hung motionless, dense with an eerie stillness, as if the world itself had paused to listen. The temperature dipped, a creeping cold slithered through the atmosphere, settling into the bones of those who stood, gazes locked onto the ominous sky above.
Once upon a time the sun illuminated the world with blinding lights, but now a black void swallowed its heart, an abyss taking everything, leaving only a flickering halo_a fading echo of its former glow.
Yet I couldn't fathom why I now stood in a place so unfamiliar, so unlike my cozy home nestled in the mountains. The last thing I remembered was being locked in a kiss with my husband before the world was swallowed by an abyss of darkness. Then, a brilliant light erupted, so intense it nearly stole my sight.
Two thousand years have passed since the eclipse—an event that reshaped the world forever. Some named it the Eclipse of a New Era, while others called it the Eclipse of Rebirth. But to me, it was the Eclipse of Reincarnation.
I was reincarnated into the body of another being—an elf. An ancient race with the features of a human, yet marked by pointed ears and eyes that seemed to pierce into one’s very soul. Like vampires, elves lived for centuries, but in this world, only mana, magic, and aura held true power. And as an elf, I possessed an abundance of all three.
In this unfamiliar realm, I had spent half my lifetime searching for my beloved husband. At first, the experience was terrifying—being thrust into a new world with nothing but my memories. Survival was a struggle, and I endured countless hardships just to stay alive. Residing in the orc-infested forests, I had no choice but to master the ways of magic, for here, every living being—whether born or reincarnated—possessed it.
I lost count of the times I stood on the brink of death. But I refused to fall—not until I found my husband, whether he was alive or long gone. I needed to see the truth with my own eyes.
"Mistress, are you even listening?" my apprentice, Eryndor, asked, snapping me out of my thoughts. I couldn't help but notice the hint of disappointment in his eyes.
"Oh, Eryndor, my dear boy, what was it you were saying again? You know I'm far too old to keep up with everything you youngsters chatter about. My prime years are long behind me," I said, purposely trying to get on his nerves as always.
"You're an elf, and hardly old at all. Quit making excuses just to drift off into your daydreams," he huffed, crossing his arms in exasperation.
"Yes, yes, of course, my boy," I teased once again, earning an exasperated groan from him. "Mistress," he warned, his deep voice carrying a hint of impatience.
Eryndor was born an elf, naturally attuned to this world, whereas I had to navigate its intricacies and learn its ways. Despite being much older than him—having arrived at the time of his birth—his people accepted me as one of their own. Still, I remained mostly isolated, dedicating my time to collecting grimoires, magic spells, and all manner of enchanted artifacts. I was constantly on the move, traveling from place to place. Strangely enough, Eryndor wished to become my apprentice. It was an unusual request, but I allowed it.
Years later, I discovered his true motives, and disappointment settled within me. He had harbored feelings for me—feelings I could never return.
"Must you keep searching for him, Mistress? No one even knows if he's still alive," he said, pausing to gaze at the hearth. "And there's nothing wrong with loving someone else."
"You already know my answer, Eryndor," I said, my gaze drifting to the steaming cup of Thalorin Brew. "If I can't find him, then I'll live my life and wait until we meet again in the afterlife."
I could see the disappointment shadowing his face, but his eyes still burned with determination. No one could ever replace Leonel in my heart—he had rescued me from the darkness, an orphan abandoned by an uncaring world, starving and unwanted. He gave me a reason to live, a reason to smile, and, most importantly, our child. Before my reincarnation, I had been a month pregnant, but when I awoke in this new world, my baby was gone.
Of course, that’s what any rational person would have believed. Months ago, I would have thought the same—back when I first spoke with Eryndor about it. Together continuing our travels, we ventured into the forbidden lands of the Nagas, where we stumbled upon something even more elusive—a hidden realm concealed from ordinary sight: the land of the Sidhe. And that’s where I found him—my long-lost beloved, living in blissful matrimony with a fae.
All this time, I had been searching for him, only to find out he was married. That could have been my first thought, but after two thousand years, could I really blame him? Still, it hurt. It felt unfair. But when I finally spoke with Leonel, I understood. He had fallen in love with Fealina because she had saved him—shown him the beauty, wonder of this world as it is now.
After the eclipse of reincarnation, he was reborn into a body that was already half-decayed from the reckless use of dark magic. The body's original owner had sought immortality but paid the ultimate price. At the moment when he needed saving the most, Fealina was there. She cared for him, nursed him back to health, and over time, she fell in love. The imprinting had been an accident, but it had bound them together nonetheless.
Link Fealina
And if you understood what imprinting meant for fairies, you’d know it was eternal. Their bond was unbreakable—if one partner died, the other would follow.
We discussed everything over coffee, and while Eryndor was the most furious of all, I was relieved that he kept his composure. Leonel knew he had let me down, but I couldn’t blame him—we had been torn apart against our will, along with our child. I might never know what they looked like or how it felt to hold them, but I took comfort in knowing they were in a better place just like Leonel is right now.
Eryndor had pulled me back home, and for once, I didn’t resist. I wasn’t sure if I could ever truly love him, but for now, I wanted to let him take the lead. Giving him a chance couldn’t hurt, right?
"Mistress, did you hear anything I just said?" Eryndor asked, arching a brow, his expression tinged with exasperation.
"Yes! Of course, I did," I replied, feeling a bit lost. "Isn't the weather perfect for a warm cup of coffee?”
"Mistress!" my apprentice said in a warning tone, though he couldn’t help but smile as he shook his head.
Things might never return to its former glory, but maybe I could live with that. Knowing Leonel was well and happy was enough, now it's time for me to search for myself along side with Eryndor. My supportive apprentice.The journey ahead might just be what I need.
The £nd
Posted Using INLEO
