Hey Everyone!! 😊
The other day I was going back through Taken By The Huntsman and, as I was rereading part of it, I thought, with Halloween just around the corner, it might be fun to remind everyone just why the Wild Hunt is considered so fearsome by the Fae. So, go ahead and take a peek at Jillian's thoughts as she waits to meet the Erlking for the first time. Enjoy! 😉
Excerpt from Taken By The Huntsman:
Jillian knew that the Hunt counted among its members some of the most violent Fae, such as the Harpies, and some ancient, faded deities, such as the Morrigan. But she also knew that there were other horrors within the Hunt. There was Ionhar, the Erlking’s second in command and a member of the fearsome race of Spriggans, who were a plague upon the roads of Fairie.
Ionhar was known to have been forced into becoming part of the Hunt after interfering when the Erlking slew his band of highwaymen. Because his service to the Hunt was not voluntary, any failure on his part to follow the Erlking’s instructions would result in a long and painful punishment. With that in mind, Ionhar was always extremely careful to be thorough in carrying out his duties. Which boded ill for anyone whom the Erlking had a reason to dislike.
The odd female Fae who had once been known as Jenny Green-Teeth was also a part of the Hunt. She had always been a lone Fae, and at one time she lured thirsty travelers to their deaths by promising them a drink of water and then drowning them in the water source she brought them to. Jillian didn’t know how such a Fae could fit into the goddess’s plan. But, apparently, she had somehow pleased the goddess, because she had later been granted additional powers. Before Jillian had been born, Jenny Green-Teeth had gained the ability to cause and control storms and had been renamed the Storm Hag. All of Fairie knew the story of the drowning Fae’s elevation, but no one was quite sure how she had become part of the Wild Hunt. One thing was certain, though, she served the Erlking loyally.
There were also the Fachan. Those Fae were actually members of the Winter Court, but several individuals had made themselves famous by joining the Hunt. They were horribly ugly Fae, whose looks were said to be enough to cause a grown male’s heart to freeze in his chest. Their entire bodies were covered in fur, and they had only one eye, one arm and hand, and one leg and foot arranged along the center of their bodies. They had large, bat-like wings on their backs, which were their only method of locomotion. The tops of their heads were one enormous mouth, which was filled with venomous fangs and a razor-sharp tongue.
All of these terrifying creatures, and so many more, answered to the Erlking. He also had the Jacks-In-Irons guarding his walls, and the Virikas to give his enemies to. If Ithel’s actions should bring the Erlking’s wrath down on the Summer Court, Jillian's people would be lost. She knew it was imperative that she do everything in her power to make it clear that the fault lay with only one Fae, and not the whole kingdom. Her mistress, Briallen, loved Ithel dearly and, for her sake, Jillian would try to make some attempt to gain mercy for the Summer king. But, in the final analysis, the fate of that male was of small concern when weighed against the welfare of the rest of the kingdom. Jillian hoped the Erlking would see her soon, before her imagination sapped all of her courage.
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