onewhoturns

A/N Oct 2018: One of my favorite bits is in this section of the fae au. ^^ If you’re interested, here’s my AO3 and FFnet, and here’s a preview on ko-fi for the next section. Always hoping for comments, reblogs, likes :3

Story Title: Iron & Gold
Chapter Title: An Offer
Chapter Part: 3/4
Story Part: 7/?
Pairing: Emily/Outsider (emsider)
Word count: 1467
Rating: T
Summary: Ever since she was a child Emily had been cautioned: beware the fae. She’d heard the typical warnings – faerie rings, wishing wells, mysterious lights in the darkness. But they were just cautionary tales... [A Dishonored fae AU]
start here (prelude), previously (2-2), next part (2-4)

“...A kiss?” It was too simple, too easy. And such an undeniably fae price. Yet still, Emily wasn’t sure it was something she’d want to give up. Because it would be, as he pointed out-

“Your first kiss.”

She hated that he knew that -- that she’d basically admitted as much to him. She hesitated. A first kiss. Weirdly enough, it didn’t seem like an unfair trade, for a fae. They liked precious things. But she had to think strategically. She took her time to consider her questions. “What kind of power? How long would I have it?”

His smile had lost its false reassurance, and she found it a relief to see the smirk playing at the corner of his mouth. At least he’d stopped trying to beguile her. “Does it matter?” His gaze had ceased its occasional wandering, settling on her and not even glancing away.

Emily bit her lip, worrying it between her teeth. A moment of lips touching lips and she might taste power so far beyond just what she had as Queen. Even if it was only for a few minutes, it would be something few could ever experience. Real magic. She just had to work her words well. She blinked a couple times, taking a breath, remembering all she’d been warned of.

“You won’t just-- I need to get a chance to use it,” she insisted. “You can’t freeze me and then take it away.”

“Oh, I assure you; you’ll have a chance to use it.” He barely moved. It was like he didn’t want to scare her off.

Her mind raced, blood feeling too palpable in her veins as adrenaline seemed to spread straight from the marrow of her bones. But words were crucial. She needed clear, unambiguous language. Set terms; clear boundaries.

“What will I be able to do?” Useless abilities ticked off in her head, things that he could gift her with that would be wasted, pointless. If she could suddenly breathe water, but not air. If she had a newfound talent for pipe-playing or embroidery. Frivolous things.

He watched her closely, with eyes that had begun to shift in her vision, sometimes appearing mostly human - a clear and brilliant citrine - and other times pitch black with rich golden irises offering the only touch of light.

In that moment, her fingers itched to bring the adder stone to her eye, to see what he truly looked like, beyond whatever magic he used to hide himself. Something with eyes that dark… Even if he was terrible, it would have to be a magnificent sort of terrible. But that would be incredibly rude. And only a very stupid human would risk offending the fae twice in one night.

His stare was so focused, so intense - boring into her skin - she felt blood rushing to her cheeks once more. Why was he silent? She knew her own long pauses were to consider her words. Was he crafting some kind of trap? Wasn’t this whole thing a trap? That was how they thought, the fae. Minds adept at crafting vicious snares that tricked humans into giving up all manner of precious things. Years of their lives. Children. Memories. Kisses.

He just watched. Endlessly. His charming air had settled - evolved - become something more subtle. Again she bit her lip, chewing it hard, fingers slipping into her pockets to roll dried berries between them, the grit of salt catching under her nails. It was comforting.

She faltered as his hand came to her cheek, thumb stroking along the poor tortured lip. His words had dropped to a murmur. “If anyone will bruise your mouth tonight, Your Majesty, it will be me.”

Emily felt the burn as her ears went pink, and she wanted to bite down harder - ensure his words would be false - but her teeth slipped to her tongue instead. Muscles tensed in her back as she held herself still, breath frozen in her chest for seconds before he finally dropped his hand. Trying to ignore his assertion, she instead repeated, making a concentrated effort to keep her voice level, “What will I be able to do?”

His lips curled into a smirk. “Enjoy it, I hope.”

It was all she could do to keep eye contact, as much as she wanted to look away. If she hadn’t had all of her charms she wouldn’t have made eye contact in the first place, but the hard pebble-like berries gave her courage, knowing he couldn’t truly enchant her against her will. Not without a pact. A contract. A faerie bargain. Again, she ignored his comments on the kiss-- that he seemed so sure she’d agree to. A thought struck her. “You know who I am.” He’d called her Your Majesty. She’d never told him her name, not any time they’d met, but he’d clearly been aware. His expression remained unchanged, though there was a slight incline of his head. “Then you know I already have power -- of a sort. What do you offer?”

A sound came, almost like a small huff of laughter. “Ah yes, mortal politics. ...How quaint.”

There was an edge in her voice, strengthened by the thought of her position. “I keep my throne without your magic to help.”

He cocked his head. The look he gave her was… unsettling. As though he knew something she didn’t. She could sense a catch - words not said - something hinting at ‘for now.’ It sent a shiver down her back. It was a threat, if an oblique one. Again he held her gaze, and she tried not to show how much he’d unnerved her.

“...Among other gifts, I offer true sight. If you take my bargain you will - for a time - be capable of feats no mere mortal can perform - be faster, stronger. You will move as shadow when you wish. With a bit of practice you may achieve a faerie glamour.”

Among other gifts?

“And these other gifts… would they harm me?”

“None of these powers will impair you, if that’s what you mean.” His tone had settled to a mellower version of hers. Straightforward. Businesslike. “If you choose to use them recklessly...” He shrugged. “I don’t promise immortality.”

It was tempting. Very tempting. “And I’ll have them for…?”

A small smirk returned to his face. “...Long enough to make a difference.”

Her lips twisted, unable to hide her annoyance. “Longer than a day?”

“Longer than a day,” he agreed.

The thought popped into her head just in time. “I’ll use them here.” The words spilled out, perhaps a bit too hurried, giving away how close she’d been to saying yes. “You won’t take me to-- to wherever it is you’re from.”

“You may use them tonight, even. Right here. On this land and the lands surrounding it - anywhere you happen to find yourself. I will not spirit you away for a mere dabbling in magic.” He was being so specific. Removing the loopholes for her. Like he wanted her to get the better end of the deal.

Her eyes darted between his, hoping she might be able to read something. Some kind of intention or trick. Corvo’s warnings echoed in the back of her mind even as black bled over the whites of the faerie’s eyes, at last ceasing their constant shifting. She could sense nothing beyond amusement, curiosity, and something she could best interpret as hunger. Her stomach jolted, remembering tales of fae creatures that could eat a child in one sitting. For all she felt silly for it, she needed to make sure it was covered. “And you won’t-” her face flushed, but she charged on. “-You won’t eat me.”

He laughed. “I don’t intend to eat you. Nor do I wish to kill you.”

That wasn’t good enough, not when her life was in question. “Say you won’t,” she insisted. “Not that you don’t want to. Promise you won’t.”

His smile was amused, but patient. “I will not kill you. I will not eat you. I will not request, command, or otherwise compel others to do so, either.”

She wanted to pester, to make sure he swore it, but she held her tongue. It wasn’t necessary. Asking him to repeat it would only be testing her luck - something she was sure she’d pushed to its limits already. A faerie’s word was their bond, for all their tricky equivocation.

Her heart thudded loudly, running through every point they’d discussed. “...Very well.”

“You consent to the terms of the bargain?” It was strange - he wasn’t too quick to request confirmation, but she sensed he was tamping down some kind of enthusiasm.

She cleared her throat, anxiety gnawing at the pit of her stomach. But what else could she say? Being offered real true fae magic? How could she say no?

“I do.”