"´Midnight Rains on the Forest´" by Travis W. Herring

In her early years, Tir'Alahn Kiella Llewellyn, or "Midnight Rains on the Forest" in her local variant of Elven, spent her time playing in the forest treehome of Shadharizan, or "Leafblade Shadowfall." A rather large (for an Elven) town, it had all things a young Elf could wish for - trees that sprawled for hundreds of yards, bridges that hung over the leafy abyss for young Elves to brave, Griffon-riders to make young girls faint and young boys seethe with jealousy... Adults were patient, children were obedient, the King was peace-loving and kind to his people, and the community elders sought always for the calmest reaction to anything. It was a perfect home.

Or would have been, except that Tir spent much of her time in the taverns at the bases of the trees, listening to bards who came from across The realms to entertain the nobles and make their coin singing songs. Stories of distant places, powerful magics, bright, shining knights doing battle with vile dragons and saving damsels in distress were the stuff she lived and breathed when not studying in school. Her father hated this, told her to not waste her times with such frivolous notions; that such things were tales told of places that did not exist, in worlds that were far harsher than the bard's tales ever admitted. He even banished her from their halls at some points, telling the barkeeps not to let her in.

She always ignored these, of course. The very act of defiance gave her the rush of adrenaline she heard about and felt when listening to these stories. It made her feel like she was ALIVE, unlike Shadharizan, which was too quiet, too pastoral, too... boring.

As soon as she finished her schooling and had generated her first wisp of light and mote of flashing power, she gathered up her things, packed her spellbook and favorite black dresses, said her goodbyes to her nannies, and slipped away from Shadharizan, pressing a soft kiss on her father's forehead while she slept. Her mother met her at the door, gave her a packet of foodstuffs and a flurry of suggestions on how to stay safe in the wild world beyond the town, hugged her daughter, and let her go.

She knew there was no way to keep her in any case, so why make Tir'Alahn leave and never wish to return?

Tir travelled. South and East from the High Forest, through the Western Heartlands, and finally into Shadhuz, where the stories of knights and dragons had originated; where she hoped to find her own adventure. The days were long and the nights were frequently lonely, sleeping on the road by herself, but she was wily, quick, and nimble. And then there was Maruk, who followed her everywhere and who had sometimes even killed lurking goblins in the woods while she'd been bathing and hid the bodies away so she'd never know.

Maruk is midnight black, golden eyes looking out from an inexpressive face that seems to offer the viewer nothing but apathy. But when Tir'Alahn pays attention, the sleek, vibrant black panther purrs deeply, curls his tail about her leg, and becomes a giant black kitten. When she is in danger, he becomes a lethal killing machine, intent on murdering anything that would dare threaten the Elfling he calls his own.

Eventually, Tir'Alahn met the DuValle's, a knightly family with a sordid past, while living in Shadhuz. Only risen from the common folk in the elder generation of two, both father and mother of the family were knights who had earned their status through service to the nation. Adventurers both, Tir absorbed their stories from local gossip in the taverns. Half lies, half exaggerations, all of it was what she lived on, and she grew entranced.

And then she met Jean-Claude. A strapping, handsome young man who hung out at the taverns and made friendly with any attractive female he met, he was enchanted by her ethereal beauty - milkwhite skin, black hair that shone silver in the moonlight and green eyes that either warned a body away or drew him closer, hoping to feel the fire that might lurk beneath that cold-appearing exterior. Jean-Claude told her stories of the DuValles, laughed with her at the antics the elder generation were claimed to have been through, and one day, showed her the DuValle signet that he hid in his clothing whenever he went "slumming" as he called it.

"My father would have my head if he knew I did this," he said, smiling. "But the only time I feel ALIVE is when I'm with the people who make Shadhuz WORK - the commonfolk, who think being noble is a sentence to stodgy, cold halls filled with harp music that people who cannot dance, think they can dance to."

The two fell madly in love. Jean-Claude was a dirty knight, not one to wear silver, shining armor, but he was a young knight no matter. He hated that title, hated the service he had to offer as a result of his squiredom, loved the time he was away and even more, came to love Tir.

They eloped. Ran away into the Dragon Shores, where they had insane adventures together. They made friends of Coladhan and Medhi’in alike, fought hideous monsters, and celebrated their own fame when they heard their names being told in local taverns of towns they'd not yet been to. It was a dream come true, and she reveled in it. Jean-Claude was a vibrant, glowing figure, beloved by those he spent time with, caring toward his exotic wife, true and honest in his business dealings.

And then, despite all the magic Tir'Alahn used, Jean-Claude, a Human, died of old age. They had given birth to one child, a daughter drawn by her beauty and kindness to the service of Gladhoria, Goddess of Love and Beauty. Jean-Claude's death, in the absence of her only daughter - a half-elf, was a mortal blow.

Tir'Alahn's health failed almost immediately. She lapsed into a depression that would see her go without food for a tenday sometimes. Nothing could rouse her, not the love of their friends, the return and miraculous care of her daughter, who saw death in Tir's eyes when the young elf had millenia left to live...

Tir made a pact with herself. Reviving herself only so that she could study, she did work on the darker aspects of magic, learning to travel into the Ethereal plane and finally to the Astral, in hopes of finding the realm Jean-Claude had gone to when he had died.

She had to see him again, you see.

Nothing would turn her away from her course. Her daughter's impassioned entreaties for a choice to LIVE again went unheeded, eventually driving the loving girl away for good. Finally, on the night of the Winter Solstice, on the longest night of the year, when Nyssia, Goddess of Loss held sway over the world and Lunarah, patroness of the Moon Elves was absent, Tir cast her spell and left the world of the living altogether, to be with her love.

All was good for a time. She found him, and though he did not remember her (for the dead are reborn when they die, to another world in the realm they are destined for), she was happy to be with and around him, to watch him live again, to be in his sight.

She forgot that her body still lived, and died even as she watched him live.

But one who thrives on such emotions, such depth of love for that which has been lost, watched from the shadows; saw that which she did not see - that her life was ebbing quickly, and that all the time in the universe would never be enough for Tir. When Tir'Alahn's body died, her spirit felt a sickening snap, felt herself drawn irrevocably away from Jean-Claude, who was going about his business unaware that she was nearby, to fall into the emaciated, deathly body that was her own mortal coil, still lying in that room on the floor of her tower.

"You die, but you do not die," a voice whispered to her. "I take you as mine. You cannot have that which you dream of, but I give you life anyway. Live again. Do not forget and never give up, but live. I shall watch you, for you interest me."

Her body ressurrected, flesh filled out once again in a moment of excruciating agony, Tir eyed the shadows, cast lighting spells, and saw nothing.

Three days later, she was on the road, wandering. Nowhere in particular called her name, so she followed the roads and the ships where they would take her.