Elegy for a Star

Mairaela was floating in the tank Filly brought her to.

Or was she?

Honestly, she couldn’t remember. Was this just a dream? She was weightless and—if she didn’t move a muscle—she felt nothing.

While she was distracted, Mormerilon whipped away from Mairaela’s jab and swung the haft of his spear at her feet. Before she knew it, Mairaela had a face full of dirt.

“That was a pretty good strike,” Mormerilon told her, “I mean, you might not think so, given the outcome.” What did he expect? Mairaela was only ten and Mormerilon had hundreds of years of practice! The blond Fey stepped toward her, blue cloak flapping behind him, “Come on.” He held his hand out to her. He must’ve been twice her height. Mairaela grabbed her spear and took his hand. The Fey hefted her up, nearly off her feet, before she planted herself upon the ground and regained her balance.

“Again?” Mairaela asked. She was sweating, her hair matted and damp, her clothes and hands absolutely covered in dirt and mud.

“Insatiable!” Mormerilon laughed, “No way, Mai-Mai.” That was always his way of saying no to her. He thought it was hilarious. Mairaela thought differently, but overall she liked Mormerilon. He was like a big brother.

“But you’re leaving tomorrow. Who am I going to practice with then?” Mairaela huffed, sticking her spear tip first into the ground and leaning against it.

“Ask Corinn,” Mormerilon suggested, “He’s always looking for easy wins.”

“Ugh,” Mairaela groaned, rolling her head back and kicking at the dirt, “Why are you going with the Hundred? You’re not even one of them. The Hundred-and-One doesn’t ring that well.”

“Because it’s important and Costentyn asked for my help,” Mormerilon reminded her, “And you know how I feel about him.”

“Your stupid boy toy.”

“Well,” Mormerilon looked into the air and shrugged, “Not yet, but hopefully someday. Eh, but not ‘boy toy.’ Who taught you to say that, by the way?”

“You did,” Mairaela groaned, “While talking about Costentyn.”

“Right,” Mormerilon murmured while squinting his eyes.

“So what are you off to do?”

“Pops didn’t tell you?” Mormerilon asked.

“He said I’m too young to understand,” Mairaela replied.

Mormerilon nodded his head, “Well, you are.”

“Ugh,” Mairaela rolled her eyes, “Just tell me, asshole.”

“Whoa, hey there,” Mormerilon held his hands up, “Who taught you to say-...”

Mairaela smirked.

“Never mind. Not going to ask,” Mormerilon said with a shake of his head, “I really need to watch what I say around you, kid. You’re sharper than your spear.” He let out a huff of breath and shrugged, “Okay, so you know the Primordials right?”

“The gods’ helpers? The moon ones?”

“‘Moon ones?’ That’s the best you remember from school? I recant what I said about you being sharp,” Mormerilon chuckled. He shook his head, “Yes, each one represents one of the five moons, and yes, each one rules over a certain domain of the world. They help the gods ever since the Old Gods left, since there are so few of them for such a large world.”

“That’s what I said,” Mairaela puffed her cheeks out in irritation.

Mormerilon let out a sigh, “Well, one of them has been acting up. He’s out there, leaning against a tree, crying his eyes out. He’s never done that before.” Mormerilon scratched at his head, “Considering that Kremera just vanished into thin air and Abonoth fell over and crushed a few homes, we’re going to go and help this one before something even worse happens.”

Mairaela scuffed her boot upon the dirt, “Is it dangerous?”

“No,” the Fey explained, “I mean, shouldn’t be. Unless he trips and falls on me. Evig has always been a pretty sweet guy. Remember when he cleared that storm that was setting the woods on fire? He’s a sweetheart.” He gave a little chuckle.

“Can I come?”

“No way, Mai-Mai.”

“Ugh,” Mairaela rolled her eyes, “Why not, if it’s so safe?”

“Because you suck at riding a horse,” Mormerilon explained, “And the Hundred travel fast.”

“I can just ride with you,” Mairaela suggested.

Mormerilon raised a brow and made a gross face, “And make me have to smell your stench the whole way? No thanks. Take a bath, kid.”

“I don’t smell! You smell!” Mairaela shouted, “I don’t want to ride with you because your ass stinks, farter.”

“Hey, now,” Mormerilon chuckled, looking around, “That is wildly inappropriate, young lady. Don’t let your mom hear you say that. She’ll run me out of town and force me to live in Warden’s Grove or something.”

“When are you gonna tell Costentyn you’ve got a boner for him?” Mairaela asked with a little laugh.

Mormerilon held out his hands for Mairela to stop, eyes wide, “Sorscha above! Shut-.. Shut the hells up, Mai-Mai! I didn’t teach you that one!”

“No. Violet did, though,” Mairaela held up one hand, and then the other, “And she heard it from Skygge, who heard it from you when you were dating Leanna.”

“Gods damn my filthy tongue,” Mormerilon sighed, “Tell Skygge to stop spying on me. And I’m definitely not going to tell Cos’ that.”

“You’re gonna make little quarter-Fey babies,” Mairaela taunted.

Mormerilon stared at her blankly, “You know it doesn’t work like that, right? Your mom’s taught you the birds and the bees, right?”

“It was a joke!” Mairaela scowled, though she was a little worried that she didn’t actually know all of the details.

Mairaela said, “Well, point is, I’ll tell him you want to make babies unless you spar with me for another hour.”

Mormerilon groaned, “You’re such a pain in the ass.” He heaved a heavy breath, “Fine.” He lashed out with the staff of his spear again, connecting with Mairaela’s ankle and sending her to the ground once more.

That was the last time Mairaela saw Mormerilon. Costentyn and Leanna lived long enough to return home, but they didn’t survive the attack on Mytenalenor. It was only by chance that Mairaela left to Amyvelanora the day before Evig showed up. She was one of the few lucky ones; She knew that. She missed Mormerilon. She missed her brother.

“I’ll see you again in the Twilight Court, brother,” Mairaela thought to herself as she floated weightlessly. She added a few tears to the salted water.