Lost and Finding by

The Wallflower

(IMPORTANT NOTE: Though Aran’s parents don’t know that they’re non-binary, I will only refer to them as a girl ONCE, and only mention their deadname ONCE.)

Our story begins in a large estate. It’s a beautiful summer day in Teasi], and Duke Bragus and Duchess Oladove Dawnbreath are having breakfast, reviewing some legal documents regarding heirs and adoption. It’s an eventful day for the House of Dawnbreath! The Duke and Duchess are finalizing their adoption of a child! Said child is (at the time, as far as they know) a little purple-haired elf girl, by the name Aria, that they’ve adopted from an old widow who lives on the outskirts of town, in a rickety shack with shelves lined with old, molding potions and exotic ingredients. Once the couple is out the door, they notice that this child has small, markhor-like horns sprouting from their head. They turn around to ask the witch what that’s about, but she’s gone, and the shack is gone with her. Bragus is a bit disturbed by this, but Oladove reassures him that the magic imbued in this child will only make them an extremely strong caster.

And so the child is raised, the heir to the dukedom of Teasi. The Town is somewhat confused by their species, but they’re written off simply as a satyr. They don’t quite fit in with the other children of Lords and Ladies, so they spend much of their time among the commonfolk. They make a few friends, but one sticks out in particular: A satyr boy named Freyre who wants to be a ranger, defending the town from outside threats. The child goes on adventures with Freyre in the woods, teaching them how to fight (Freyre is way better. He always was.), and even setting up miniature forts in the wild.

As the years go by and the child grows up, they develop increasingly fiendish traits: purple speckles all over their body, little slits for pupils, and even a forked tongue and pointed tail. Some of the townspeople are a little spooked by this, but they don’t really say anything. They’re the Duke’s heir, after all. The child is subconscious of their body, but for other reasons. Freyre never minded. Freyre always thought their fiendish qualities made them even cooler.

No, not liked. Loved.

Fast-forward to the child’s thirteenth birthday. Their parents present them with a Teasi signet ring (the adult kind) and a family heirloom timepiece: a silver pocket watch that goes all the way to 24, encrusted with amethyst and sapphires. They’re told to treasure it above all else, that it contains the magic of all Teasi Dukes, Duchesses and Coronets throughout history. The child asks about that word, “Coronet,” and their mother explains that it’s the gender-neutral title, a replacement for duke or duchess. At that point, the child realizes that they are a coronet, and tells their parents their preferred name and pronouns (Aran, They/Them), and run off into the woods excitedly to tell Freyre.

But they never find Freyre.

…

They stray from their usual path. Freyre seems to be exploring new parts of the forest, and Aran has to stray further and further to find them. The woods seem to be getting more magical, more ominous. After a couple hours, Aran gets scared and turns back to go home, only to discover that they’re completely lost. The glowing plants around them seem less enchanting, more dangerously magical. They collapse on the ground, crying.

They’re way out of their depth. They don’t deserve their signet ring. They’re just a kid. They can’t be out on their own. They don’t even know what they are, who they are.

This existential crisis attracts the attention of Aylward, a tall, lanky fey with rough bronze clawed fingers, deep blue hair that flows in the wind (even if there isn’t a breeze), fiery red eyes and pastel sky skin, holding a black parasol that sparkled in the night sky. Aylward recognizes this child as lost, and asks if they’d like to stay with them a while. Aran wipes their eyes and agrees, offering Aylward their name, but they advise Aran against it, telling them that, here in the Fey Lands, your name is your soul. It’s best to go by a fake one. Looking up at Aylward, they pick one immediately.

Parisal spends eight years living with Aylward at their library (called ALYward’s library. Seems everyone really sticks to the fake-name thing). While in the fey lands, Aylward teaches them to fight more refined (after their time with Freyre, they’ve grown attached to sticks and staffs), how to play instruments (they’ve gotten good at the panpipes), and channeling their magic through the time piece. That’s Parisal’s favorite, the magic. It reminds them of home.

Parisal misses home. They wonder what happened to their parents and Freyre. They know they’re going to have to return someday. Aylward knows it, too. That’s why, on their 21st birthday, they kick Parisal out, packing them a travel bag.

Part of Parisal wants to stay. Part of them wants to be with Aylward. They’ve turned into a kind of…third parent to them. So as a parting gift, Parisal gives Aylward their real name, so that they can call Aran back whenever they want. Aylward is extremely thankful for this trust, and gives Aran 3 magical gifts in return: an ornate, empty hourglass, an orb that allows elves to sleep, and a mask that, when worn, allows one to remember their dreams. They share one final hug, and Aran’s off, headed through the Fey Lands and back home.

That’s how the cycle works. The clock must reach 24, over and over. All things must end.

That’s the only way things begin.