Ciarán

Ciarán stood at the edge of the glimmering forest, the moon casting a mournful light over the twisted gnarls of ancient trees, their branches like skeletal hands scratching at the sky. The familiar pang of loneliness gnawed at him, a constant reminder of the curse that shackled his fate—each dusk stripping away his regal form, revealing the monstrous creature within. Just yesterday, he'd watched Oberon dance amidst the vibrant blooms of their shared realm, laughter ringing like chimes in the wind, while he, confined to his shadowy palace, could only dream of freedom and friendship. But tonight was different; shouts echoed through the thickets, wrenching him from his thoughts. A pack of wolves, their eyes glowing with a madness he had never witnessed, surrounded a fragile human woman. Ciarán’s heart thudded as he edged closer, torn between staying hidden in the safety of darkness and stepping forth as the king he was meant to be.

Ciarán is a fae king. He has been born with a curse- every night, he turns into a terrible monster. Due to his curse, he is lonely, the only people daring to be close to him his two servants: an older woman who cooks and cleans, and an older gentleman who cares for Ciarán and also takes care of the estate and the garden. Even the other fae are wary of him and avoid him. As a fae king, he shares the rule over the fae lands with Oberon, the king of the court of Light, who is one of the only fae to treat Ciarán with kindness and politeness as they have to share the rule. But something is happening in the forest, affecting both fae and animals, making them sick and angering them. One day, Ciarán is out when he comes upon a pack of wolves attacking a human woman. The wolves are affected, acting wildly and erratically. As king of the fae, Ciarán could tell the wolves to leave, but in return, the woman would owe him her life and would have to stay with him for 10 years, as is customary for the fae. He decides to save her nonetheless, hoping she will not hate him for he has to keep her in his palace. But there's something different about the human woman, and she slowly starts tearing down the age-old barricades of coldness and caution he has built around his heart. He can't understand why she would care about him, for he is cold and grumpy towards her, not wanting her to discover his secret and thus endangering herself.