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cutestcatboi · 6 days ago

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Preview for "Firsts" the August Patreon Short Story

Years ago, back when monsters roamed free, seven rulers banded together and each sacrificed their most important First to chase the trespassing monsters out of their kingdoms to their home land beyond, one that all seven kingdoms bordered.

There, each stretch of land that touched the Wild Lands was protected by a Keeper, ensuring the barrier keeping the monsters out would not be broken.

The story was an old one by now, but no less true. Humanity had flourished and grown in the kingdoms, but the Wild Lands remained wild and untouched and it teemed with ancient magic.

It was a dangerous and deadly place, should anyone be foolish enough to set foot inside it. For the barriers kept the monsters out, but humans could walk freely past it, not that it did them any good. They were not welcome after all.

Mai was the third generation of Keepers of her kingdom and where it had once been a great honor and a respected position, these days she was more busy chasing unruly teenagers and curious children away than she spent ensuring the barrier remained strong.

Other kingdoms had not been as lucky, she knew that. She had felt a ripple in the barrier every time one of the other Keepers failed in their duty.

Mai had no idea how the monsters had done it, but one after another, they had lured the Keepers close, had gotten them to give up one of their Firsts. A memory, a secret, a gift, a piece of handmade art and a tear shed. Even a first kiss had been given.

By now Mai was the only one left who hadn't given the monsters anything, not that they weren't trying. Many had visited the border where her small home stood, old but well taken care of. They had tried to trick her, had tried to bargain with her and had even tried to seduce her. And they certainly had lied to her.

They had told her fantastical tales where humans were the ones entirely and completely in the wrong. They told her about a time where monsters only left the Wild Lands to nourish and guide the magic in the human kingdoms.

Mai knew a different story. One where monsters had come to steal the magic, where chasing them out was necessary to protect what the kingdoms had left.

The royal family, meanwhile, was panicking, no one had expected the barrier to deteriorate this quickly after all. It had happened very fast, almost all at once and now they wanted to make sure Mai would uphold it no matter what.

She was lucky she wasn't placed under constant surveillance anymore. She had been, at first, until there had been enough reports to the king that she wasn't foolish enough to fall for a monster's sweet words and even sweeter lies. Her entourage of knights had been called back to the capital soon after that.

She was glad to have her home and privacy back, to no longer endure the presence of eyes watching her at all times. The only one who spent quite a bit of time with her now was the one monster that refused to give up.

"Good morning, dear Keeper," he greeted her as she went on her usual rounds, checking the barrier and ensuring her little warning system was in place so she knew when someone foolish wanted to try and approach it.

She had no idea when, but somehow it had become a very popular dare among the kids and teens to try and get past her and beyond the barrier. To bring something back from the land of monsters. As if anything but death would await them there.

The monster who accompanied her on his side of the barrier had introduced himself as Breeze and visited the border multiple times a week. Sometimes he was there in the morning, like right now and sometimes he dropped by in the afternoon or evening.

At first, Mai had ignored him, but he had kept chatting at her until he had found enough spots to poke at to make her respond. In the end, it had been easier to greet him back and answer so he moved on sooner.

"Good morning, Breeze," she answered, glancing up to see him crouching on a large branch.

He grinned at her, flashing sharp, sharp fangs and his silver-white wings fluffed slightly and settled again. His claws lightly scratched at the bark, though he didn't press down hard enough to actually hurt the tree.

Mai occasionally wondered what First he wanted from her since he never gave her a proper clue. Sometimes he tried to make her step past the barrier to join him, saying he wanted to show her his world. Sometimes he wanted her to give him flowers from her side and sometimes he really wanted a bite from her lunch.

But all of those might be a First, so she never gave him anything, even if under other circumstances, she wouldn't have hesitated. It made her feel quite mean to refuse him even the most innocent of requests, but she couldn't risk it.

For one, she was pretty sure the king would behead her if the monsters could return to the kingdoms and two, the monsters themselves would probably try to kill her once they had what they wanted. No matter how much Breeze had promised that they were nice, she never knew which of his words were lies and which weren't.

"You look like you slept well," he said and straightened, stepping off of the branch and flaring his wings to lightly touch down on the ground before her. The barrier was an invisible thing that could only be sensed, so they could look at and speak with each other without issue.

Mai had to admit that he was beautiful, his long hair braided and decorated with flowers and beads and his wings shimmered in the sunshine like something otherworldly. If spidersilk was actually a thing outside of storybooks, she was certain it would have the color of his wings.

He flared them proudly when he noticed her looking and Mai swiftly returned to her task of tending to the land around the border. He followed along, chatting easily and she hid a smile when one of her dry remarks made him laugh.

There was a lightness to Breeze that made him look like he weighed nothing as he walked, hopping onto stones and downright drifting over fallen branches.

As they parted ways a little while later, he once again tried to ask her for something, "That ribbon in your hair is so pretty, could you get me one too?"

"Have a nice day, Breeze," Mai said, turning away so she wouldn't have to see his disappointed face. If she was honest, despite her determination to not give in, it was getting harder to tell him no. Secretly, deep down, she wished they could actually be friends, despite knowing that he most likely lied to her a lot.

"Have a nice day, dear Keeper," Breeze answered, his voice softer than before and it made the bad feeling in her chest worse.

But she couldn't fall for it. It would cost her everything and knowing that the monsters wanted to get past the barrier, she couldn't trust any of Breeze's words either.

She spent the rest of the day receiving visitors from nearby villages and towns, who came to her to get talismans and warding stones and other little things she had made, her own special kind of magic. She wasn't allowed to leave this place, so people had to come to her.

Mai couldn't help with everything, however, no matter how much she wanted to. She could ward places against curses and protect people from ill intentions, but she couldn't heal sickness or control the elements. Sometimes she wondered if it wouldn't have been better to be born a mage rather than an enchanter.

After another walk along the barrier and a chat with Breeze, she returned home to write letters to her family, sending them off in the shapes of fast little birds that zipped away to vanish into the horizon.

She missed her family quite a bit and they managed to visit her once a year at most, since it wasn't exactly an easy or cheap journey. The king had promised to give more money to her family, but so far it hadn't been enough to let them visit more often.

The evenings were always calm and quiet around here. She listened to the wind rustling through trees and the calls of woodland animals, crickets chirping in the warm breeze. It was a quiet life, not a bad one and she did enjoy her alone time, but...it felt empty all the same.

Where at first it had felt like a big accomplishment to have her hard work recognized and to be hired as a Keeper, now it felt dull. There was nothing for her here, no more things to study and learn unless she asked a villager to order and deliver books for her and no further expectations and goals to work towards. All she had to do was ensure the barrier wouldn't fall.

It made her feel like her life was stagnant, as if she had already reached the end of the road before she had even properly learned how to walk.

Some days it felt like Breeze was the only one who genuinely cared about how she was doing, who greeted her with bright smiles and sharp grins and wanted to get to know her more and more.

If only it wasn't a lie, a ruse to get her to give him a First.

*.*.*

Summer had reached its zenith when a letter arrived and Mai received the news that her mother had fallen ill. Her mother had kept quiet about having a cough since spring but it had only gotten worse. She hadn't wanted to worry her daughter, had sought out doctors and even an alchemist specialized in healing tonics, but none of them had been able to help.

A terrible, foreboding feeling gripped Mai as she read the letter her brother had written. Maybe it was the tiny smudged spot, like a tear had fallen onto the paper, right above the words 'I don't know how much longer she has', but Mai's vision was blurring.

Her mother was dying and she couldn't even go see her. There was no way her mother would survive the journey here and it would be cruel to demand it just so that Mai could spend a few more moments with her.

The last thing her brother had written was 'At least you will remember her as she was, rather than as she is now.'

She sat there for a long time, long enough that when she got up for her second round of the day, it was far later than usual. To her surprise Breeze was still there, perking up when he spotted her and looking relieved.

"Hey there, dear Keeper, what kept you -" He fell silent for a second and jumped down from his usual branch, getting as close as the barrier allowed and his voice was soft and kind when he asked, "What's wrong?"

It was all a lie, Mai knew that. A trick to get from her what no one else had ever gotten. So she looked away from him, staring at a tree further away to try and keep herself from tearing up.

She didn't fully succeed and her voice was a little shakier than she liked when she said, "My mother is sick. She'll be dead soon."

She didn't wait for Breeze to answer but started her round, focusing on her tasks rather than the way grief and worry were gripping her heart in a tight fist.

"Hey, woah, slow down!" He hop-flapped after her, his expression so genuine she almost believed that he actually cared. "What does she have?"

"Pneumonia, but medicine doesn't help, she's too weak," Mai answered, keeping her gaze resolutely focused on her hands and away from him now. A mage might have been able to help, but mages were rare and far too expensive, even for the kingdom's Keeper. "Can you please go-"

"Wait here!" he downright shouted and took flight, leaving Mai to stare after him in surprise. His large, powerful wings carried him away easily and swiftly and he vanished from sight within seconds.

Mai wasn't quite sure why, but she stayed where she was, her heart heavy with grief and her stomach full with sadness. She waited as the minutes ran together, staring into the forest and the sun slowly sank towards the horizon.

Breeze returned just as she was about to move on, clutching a little vial that he tossed at her. She just barely managed to catch it in time and the liquid inside looked like moonlight had gotten bottled right off of dark water.

"That should help her," he said with a smile so bright it seemed to make all the shadows vanish. At her utterly dumbfound expression, he laughed before he softened. "We're not so bad, you know."

"I can't give you anything in return," she whispered, her voice croaky and her fingers tightened around the vial. If this really could help, if this really saved her mother, there was no way she'd ever be able to pay him back.

She was never allowed to pay him back, either.

He waved her off. "We're friends, dear Keeper. Now go."

"Thank you," her voice was breathless and full of emotion and his sharp gaze was bright as he watched her turn and rush back to the house.

It was only later, after she had sent the vial flying towards home, swaddled in fabric and enchanted paper, that she realized she had never finished her round. It was too late now, the light was gone and she wouldn't be able to see anything.

She was too restless to sleep however, tossing and turning until she got up with a sigh. She stood in her little home for the longest moment, before she decided that while she couldn't give Breeze anything, she could lose things, couldn't she?

The next morning, Breeze found a basket of food on a stone beyond the barrier and when he looked at her in surprise, his wings rising slightly behind him, she shrugged. "I'm not giving it to you. I'm not giving it to anyone. It's not mine anymore."

He laughed, bright and cheerful and downright dove for the basket. He was eating and talking as they walked side by side, complimenting the food and asking her for more, for things he could take back to his friends and family.

"I can't give you anything," she told him as they parted ways and he tossed the basket back at her.

In the afternoon, the basket waited for him anew, this time filled with little cakes and muffins and he was very happy indeed. He seemed even more eager to talk and it helped Mai keep her mind off of her mother. She could only hope the medicine worked.

It took four days for another letter to arrive and the contents made her burst into relieved tears. The medicine had worked. Her brother was ecstatic, asking her where she had gotten it from, if she had managed to speak to a mage after all. Their mother was finally recovering.

That afternoon, she not only left a basket of food, but also one of her favorite ribbons, the one Breeze so often admired.

"I lost it," she told him firmly when he stared at her in surprise, clawed fingers holding the embroidered ribbon like it was a priceless treasure. "I'm not giving anything to you."

"I know, dear Keeper, I know," he said softly. "Your mother, she's alright then?"

Mai smiled at him in ways she hadn't before, bright and wide and relieved. "Yes, thank you."

"Oh, it's been my pleasure, believe me," he said, not looking away for a moment. "You were worth the effort."

Ah, more sweet words and while they made her smile, she felt a small pang all the same. Though, despite waiting for him to ask for anything, for a First, he didn't. He just walked beside her, the ribbon wound around his fingers and held carefully and the basket carried in his other hand.

When he departed, he left one of his feathers behind, beautiful and shimmering. Mai took it home, despite knowing that it probably wasn't the best idea. She shouldn't encourage him more than she already did.

It did make her wonder, however, more than ever before, just why the monsters had gotten chased out of the kingdoms. Had the kings and queens not spoken with them beforehand? Breeze had helped her without expecting anything in return and if he had hoped to get a First as payment in return he certainly hadn't asked for it.

It could be a trick of, course, to garner her trust, but...she didn't think so. Or maybe she just didn't want to think so.

So maybe, maybe he had done it just because he had wanted to help. If he was this good, that stood to reason that other monsters were as well. Surely, if they weren't all that bad, there had been no reason, no need, to create a barrier.

It wasn't like she could go and conduct any research, however, since she had to stay here, but...what if Breeze really didn't lie to her? About anything he had told her?

It was dangerous to question herself, to question his intentions, to question the existence of the barrier. She couldn't let the barrier fall, she was the last one keeping it up, keeping people safe.

But...was she keeping people safe?

*.*.*

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