Date: Wed, 30 Mar 1994 13:28:15 EST From: fraser@VAX.LIBRARY.UTORONTO.CA Subject: Tara fluff: The Fair Folk The red mists swirled again before Tara's eyes, flaring up like tendrils of fire, then fading into teasing wisps of scarlet. She was alone in a forest, and it was raining. There was nothing but wind, and rain, and the sound of horses' hooves. There, beyond the still-lingering bloodmist, those tossing strands were surely manes, the mist coming from widened nostrils, th heart-beat sound from pounding hooves? From the hushed dark forest, from the mist itself, came the riders. Their mounts were giants, the size of draught horses, coal-black and feathered on the legs. Their trappings were of scarlet leather and highly polished silver. And the riders... They were like none other Tara had ever seen. Tall, fair and proud, with flashing eyes and flowing hair. They wore gowns of indescribable beauty, or tunics of fine embroidered linen. Their leader, a woman with hair as read and fine as the mist, halted her steed when she saw Tara. All the others stopped as weel; many of the proud black mounts snorting and pawing the dark velvet grass at this delay. "What do you here, Undead?" the queen -- for a silver circlet set with rubies beyond price adorned her brow -- demanded. Her voice rang like a stricken silver bell. "I... I don't know," Tara admitted lamely. "Where am I?" "This is Tir-Na-Nog," the Lady declared. "The Summer Lands are no place for the Undead. You presume much." "I'm not here by my choice," Tara replied. "You could not be," the Lady agreed. "Such a thing has never been. Luckily, my courtiers and I found you, and not the Hunt." The well-dressed courtiers murmured at this, and in the distance could be heard the blowing of a horn and the baying of hounds. Tara froze at the sound. The Wild Hunt! They would tear her apart, and she would be an eternity dying. "I will send you hence ere they find you," said the Lady. "But think not to trespass here again." She made a gesture. The red mists swirled again before Tara's eyes. ######## Thanks, Kenn, it's not often I get to indulge my tastes in High Fantasy on this list... *grin*. Next?