Lesson: Faetongue and Fae Magic

2 Heatmoon, 2E 222

 

"Morgan," Melina begins, walking into the kitchen while I'm taking bread from the oven, "how was it that you- the way you-" It's unusual for her to fumble her words like this. I set the fresh loaf on the table and take a seat, in case she's intimidated. "When Warden Acantha was here, the way you said the fae courts. How did you do that? My tongue doesn't work that way."

Ah, now I see. "No, I don't suppose it does. Faetongue is... it is akin to speaking two words concurrently," I explain. "It is not something a mortal is capable of. Only the fae, and those who they have bestowed a boon upon. Not all Marks are boons, understand."

"But you're... you're human, right?" Melina asks, uncomfortable with her own uncertainty. "You look like one, anyway. I can't see your anatomy being different enough to... to do that."

"Indeed, but there is something you must understand about the fae: they are not bound by our rules," I explain, gesturing for Melina to take a seat. "Lucinda, dear, unscheduled lesson!" I call. A moment later, she returns from the front patio where she was reading and eagerly takes the third seat at the table. "Melina was just inquiring about faetongue."

"Ah, I have heard some stories about it," Lucinda says. "Something no mortal can speak, most vampires can't either."

"Indeed, but there are exceptions - all at the whims of the Courts," I correct, ensuring the two are close enough to the same starting point. "One interesting quirk to faetongue is that the speaker chooses who among the audience can comprehend what they hear. To demonstrate, 𝐿𝑢𝑐𝑖𝑛𝑑𝑎 ℎ𝑎𝑠𝑛'𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑓𝑎𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑠𝑡 𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑎 𝑤ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝐼'𝑚 𝑠𝑎𝑦𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑟𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑛𝑜𝑤." Lucinda stares blankly at me, proving my point. "That is another way that the fae work outside our own logical expectations. Now, the first thing to remember about the fae is that they are part of this world."

"Aren't we all?" Melina asks skeptically.

I shake my head. "Not the same. We are of this world in that we live here. They are of this world in the same way that gravity, time, motion are. Fundamentally, the fae are Thelisan. You could no more fight the fae than the tide."

"You describe gods," Lucinda says in a near whisper.

"Yes. No. A matter of perspective." I close my eyes to collect my thoughts, to hopefully explain the inexplicable. "They are laws. But they can be negotiated with by those who understand their nature. You must observe proper etiquette, because that too is part of their nature. As a general rule, Court of Subversion aside, they are most approachable by those mortals who know their place in the world."

"'Their place'?" Melina repeats.

"Indeed. We do not rule this world, Melina. It does not bend to our whims. If we act outside of balance, if we prove a disruptive, destructive influence... the Courts will take issue. Which, that would depend on the nature of the offense. In the most dire cases, even the Court of Chains may get involved."

"You haven't told us of the Court of Chains," Lucinda presses.

"Indeed. It is a lesson for another time. To reveal the name in commontongue is a risk. To utter it in faetongue... no. Not yet." From the look Melina and Lucinda exchange, I believe they understand the gravity of this admonition. "We must move on. Are there questions about the other Courts?"

"One, yes," Melina nods. "It's about the Principles. Are the Courts bound by the Principles?"

"No. As far as I'm able to perceive, the Principles do not apply at all to fae magic. If a Court wills an Edict be permanent, so it shall be." I pause for a moment, to see that they properly understand what that kind of power means. "However, they are defined by their Court and its Demesne. This gives them limitations as well, and in some ways binds them more than our Principles bind us."

"Could you provide an example, Lady Suncrest?" Lucinda asks.

"Indeed. It is not uncommon for a witch to perform a ritual to help ensure a good harvest, it is in fact one of the most common services we provide. We cannot grow melons in a desert, but we can help things along, if they are in the proper environment. The un-court, however, would be unable to provide any help, as it is not of their nature. Outside their Demesne, the Courts are powerless."

"There must be some sort of catch, though," Melina notes, tapping her finger on the table as she thinks. "If their Demesne is strictly defined, then there would be... gaps. Loopholes in their laws."

"Clever girl," I smile. "Incorrect this time, but clever. You work with an understanding of human law. Fae law is different, more mutable. More... semantic, sometimes. When I invoked the 𝐶𝑜𝑢𝑟𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑇𝑟𝑎𝑛𝑠𝑓𝑖𝑔𝑢𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 for my rebirth, the ritual included burning a ring of thread to ash and offering a model of this cottage but with different features. These things and my rebirth share but one commonality: something that was changing into something new. Transformation, in any form." Melina's tapping switches to her thumb, and becomes faster. In her face, I can see that she is deep in thought. "Melina, dear?"

"Just... linguistic permutations." She begins slowly, but her pace accelerates as she continues. "If the Demesne works as you say, then each Court could have an unspeakably large influence... but if it's linguistic, then why would it be connected by commontongue? Would it not instead be by faetongue?"

"And that, my dear, remains one of the great mysteries of the fae," I smile encouragingly. "That is something I do not have an answer for. But you do know the right questions."