Several years ago:

***

"All right, Izzy. Try once more. Please." Thoran was seated upon the stone bench out in the garden, watching intently as Ismelda focused on her gift of visions. Several months ago, Ismelda,  at only six years of age, had began mentioning that she'd seen some visions.

Fae were known for having powers, yet Ismelda obviously wasn't of fae blood. As soon as Thoran heard about Ismelda's visions, he'd known that she indeed had a special gift. Just as he'd known she had.

Now Ismelda was training with one of his trusted council members, an older fae by the name of  Tirzah. She also had the same kind of visions as Ismelda and was a wise and trusted seer, whom had assisted many others with this gift.

Ismelda was doing beautifully and Thoran swelled with pride as she did precisely as Tirzah encouraged her to. Ismelda closed her eyes and focused as she was instructed.

"Try to focus on one or two images," Tirzah told the girl. "Don't overtax your mind, otherwise you'll lose everything."

Ismelda sat perfectly still, and a moment later, her eyes popped open and she began to..smile, pointing at her father. Thoran grinned as Ismelda slowly stood up and walked towards him, still smiling.

"Papa, you're hiding a secret from me!"

"And what's that, my little one?" Thoran asked, smiling tenderly.

"A cookie!" Thoran chuckled, a deep rumble within his chest. He pulled out a cookie from within his robe and handed it to Ismelda, who clapped and squealed in delight.

Tirzah joined them, smiling proudly as she gazed at the young princess. Thoran gently scooped Ismelda into his arms as she happily enjoyed her cookie.

"She's quite gifted, your majesty," Tirzah said, placing her hand on Ismelda's head. Ismelda twisted her head around and grinned up at her teacher.

"I knew from the moment I met her, she was special," Thoran murmured.

"I'm rather shocked, your majesty," Tirzah said. "She is human. Most humans don't have her gifts."

"Please don't speak to me of nonsense," Thoran snapped.

"I wouldn't, your majesty. I'm simply curious as to Ismelda's true origins."

"Would you be able to..learn of that?"

"Perhaps. I shall try and see what I might learn. I must warn you, however, your majesty, it may not be what you'd wish to hear."

"I understand," Thoran murmured. Yet he didn't care what Ismelda's true origins were. He still loved her as his own and he would until his dying breath.

***

"Papa?"

"Yes?"

Ismelda had rarely left her father's side since returning to the palace and she knew that she was being terribly rude towards Prince Bren, but she couldn't shake the ominous feelings that continued to plague her in regards to this mysterious fae that held ill will towards her father.

"Do many fae have my gift?" Ismelda was sitting on her father's bed, watching as his servant prepared him for the special feast that had been prepared in advance for Prince Bren's arrival.

"Oh, yes," Thoran replied. "Indeed a great many fae have the gift of visions."

"So it's not uncommon?"

"Not at all." The servant finished and Thoran beckoned Ismelda, who readily joined him as they were escorted to the royal dining room.

"It troubles me sometimes," Ismelda confided in her father. Thoran took her hand, giving it a tender squeeze before releasing it.

"Don't worry about that now, my sweet. Tonight, let us enjoy some merriment and good food."

Ismelda pasted a smile on her face. She was still troubled. She decided that she needed to go consult with Tirzah tomorrow. Surely she could put Ismelda's mind at rest. But tonight, she would do as her father expected and enjoy herself. If only for his sake.

****

Bren found he couldn't keep his attention away from Ismelda. As she sat beside her father, her cheeks flushed with pink from the excitement of the evening, he kept wishing that he was the one whom Ismelda's undivided attention was focused upon.

"You're bewitched by the princess." Zev was poking fun at Bren, as he never missed an opportunity to do so.

"Normally, I'd disagree with you," Orrin spoke up. "But from what I've observed, the princess charms nearly anyone whom has contact with her."

"She's special," Bren said quietly, popping an olive in his mouth and continuing to study Ismelda.

"How so?" Zev inquired. "She's nothing special from my standpoint."

"It's difficult to put into words." Bren's breath caught in his throat as Ismelda turned, her eyes locked on his. He recalled the exact moment when his father told him that Ismelda was human. He'd scarcely believed that. He still struggled to believe that.

The court musicians were striking up a lively tune and Bren found himself pushing away from the table and walking to Princess Ismelda, extending his hand and making an offer to dance.

Ismelda declined at first but Thoran prodded her until she agreed. Bren smiled politely, doing his best to act every bit of the royal fae prince that he was and that he'd been taught to be.

"This is rather unexpected," Ismelda murmured as Bren gently placed his hand on her waist, while guiding her with his other hand.

"Perhaps to you, your highness," Bren said quietly. "But it seems fitting, does it not?"

"You think too highly of yourself." Ismelda was giving Bren a cold look. He frowned. What on earth was the matter with Ismelda?

"Have I offended you in some way, your highness?"

"I..I beg your pardon." Bren saw the troubled look in Ismelda's eyes. It dawned on him: she was worried about something.

"You don't have to tell me anything, Princess," Bren soothed. Ismelda nodded, her gaze looking anywhere but at him.

"But should you change your mind, I'd happily lend an ear."

"Catastrophe is coming, I fear," Ismelda murmured, breaking from Bren, her pretty face going white.

"War?" Ismelda shook head, glancing around and deciding to continue on with the dance. The entire eyes of the court was upon her and she wouldn't shame her father.

"I..I'm not certain. However, it is something ominous."

"Do you fear it'll bring ruin to only Uglor or all the fae kingdoms?"

"I've said too much already." Ismelda pinched her full lips together, stubbornly shutting down. Bren knew it'd be pointless to try discover more.

When the dance ended, however, Ismelda leaned closer to Bren, who eagerly listened.

"Should I discover a mad plot," Ismelda whispered. "I'll let you know."

"I'd be much honored if you would, your highness."

***

Tirzah smiled to herself. She'd seen in her visions that the princess intended to pay her a little visit. She was pleased. Tirzah had grown as fond of Ismelda as her adopted father had, thinking of her as the daughter she never had.

There was a faint knock on the cottage door where Tirzah resided and she lifted her weary body, limping over to open the door for Ismelda.

"Princess Ismelda. Please come in. I've been expecting your arrival."

Ismelda grinned, stepping into the small, yet familiar and cozy cottage, which she recalled spending several hours at growing up.

"You saw me coming." Tirzah nodded, gesturing for Ismelda to follow her. She was getting up there in years now and her earthly vessel ached more every day.

As soon as they were both settled, Ismelda immediately brought up her recent visions of Taquin, the leader of The Crela, possibly arriving in Uglor.

Tirzah nodded again, her weathered face solemn and her eyes troubled with the news of the such an event.

"I've seen them as well," Tirzah admitted to Ismelda, who fidgeted with her dress skirt. If Tirzah had the visions herself, it would most likely come true.

"Do you think these visions are merely warnings?" Ismelda pressed. "Or factual?"

"That's the problem with visions, my dear princess," Tirzah said with a sigh. "We never know until they come to pass."

"I'm fearful for Papa's life," Ismelda murmured, her blue eyes filling with tears. "I'm frightened of losing him."

"All lives must end, sooner or later, Ismelda," Tirzah whispered, reaching over to take Ismelda's hands in her own. "None is guaranteed to live forever."

"Yes, I know." Ismelda sniffed loudly. She knew how well her father had prepared her to continue forward in her ruling over Uglor. But she had so many doubts.

"Tell what you've seen in your visions," Tirzah encouraged.

"Mostly a powerful fae, one who dons himself in darkness and fear. He rules with violence and bloodshed."

"Sadly, that is how The Crela choose to reign," Tirzah said quietly. She'd lived a great many years and they never changed. It was disheartening to see so many loyal fae drawn in by the darkness.

"Why?" Ismelda pressed. "What made them choose such a dark path?"

"Your father has told you many tales of the past. You know why."

"Because a human deceived the mighty fae queens and it destroyed all of the fae kingdoms."

"Yes."

"How could a human deceive the fae?" Ismelda asked. "Papa always told me that humans don't have magical powers."

"Fae are born with magical powers," Tirzah explained. "Humans can learn magic and study it, using it much the same way as the fae can."

"It still seems strange to me." Ismelda's face scrunched up as she pondered this mystery.

"Life is strange, Princess." Tirzah curved her lips into a wry  smile.

"Do you honestly think that The Crela will attack Uglor soon?"

"What I think isn't all that important," Tirzah replied.

"I'm not asking for your personal opinion," Ismelda said sharply. "I'm asking the one whom I've grown to trust and care for, the one whom bows to her visions."

Tirzah sighed again, releasing Ismelda's hands and shifting forward, her bones suddenly aching dreadfully.

"I fear, Princess Ismelda, that war will have swept through not only Uglor but the entirety of the fae kingdoms."

Ismelda's heart shattered at Tirzah's stark and heavy words. It was just as she thought. War was coming to her homeland and she would be powerless to stop it.

****

Warning this part mentions violent and disturbing death and frightening images and mentions suicide.

***

Several years ago:

Tirzah had been striving for many days to conjure up any memories of Princess Ismelda's past. She'd found nothing.

It wasn't for lack of trying. She'd scoured every book that she'd owned, searching for any kind of magical spell that would allow her to uncover the princess' true identity. It baffled Tirzah. Surely a mere human would be easy to uncover.

That was when Tirzah began to suspect that perhaps Ismelda wasn't a mere human girl but someone else entirely. After all, what mother would willingly leave her baby, unprotected and alone in a dark forest. Especially given the history of that particular dark forest.

The dark forest had been created by a sorcerer who'd been prejudice against. He'd been a friend to many in his village and no one shunned him because of his unnatural abilities. He'd claimed to be a child of the earth, often mixing sorcery and natural ingredients for healing in many of those in his village who had terrible physical ailments.

Until the day a young boy was diagnosed with a mysterious illness. The sorcerer had tried anything he knew of to cure the boy, but alas, he died. His family, especially his mother, was inconsolable and blamed the sorcerer for killing him.

From that day forth, no one dared approach the sorcerer and he was eventually driven away from the only home he'd ever known, being forced to live in a dark place, his only companions were fear and bitterness.

As the sorcerer slowly wasted away, outwardly, without realizing it, he'd created the dark forest, allowing the last of his dark magic to become one with the forest, filling it with it agony, despair and fear.

Not long after the sorcerer died, several soldiers from a nearby fae kingdom were passing through. They'd decided to make camp for the night. As the daylight failed, suddenly the soldiers found themselves surrounded by evil forces, which preyed on their weaknesses and fears, driving the fae mad until one by one, they all perished in gruesome and painful deaths.

Several had hung themselves and others were dismembered, while others had been pushed to their deaths, falling off the cliffs, to the sharp rocks below.

When the king of this particular regime realized that his army wasn't returning, he took several more soldiers and they went in search of the missing fae.

They found the remains and immediately, the king declared that this forest was cursed and no one was to enter it unless they were willing to die.

So Tirzah had to wonder; why was Ismelda left in this particular place? Was her mother someone who practiced the dark arts and had been discovered so she'd reluctantly left her child there? Or was Ismelda born of this dark forest?

Immediately Tirzah dismissed that thought. Ismelda was a child of the light. She couldn't have possibly been born of darkness. So how had she ended up there? Tirzah turned away from her scrying glass. She'd weakened herself and needed time to recover.

She made a vow to herself, though. She would find the answers, even if it meant going to the dark forest, alone, to seek the answers she desired.