(A Beast ) Cloaked in Petals Jasmine Yes, thou shalt know, spite of thy past Distress, And all those ills which thou so long hast mourn’d; Heav’n has no Rage, like Love to Hatred turn’d, Nor Hell a Fury, like a Woman scorn’d —William Congreve, The Mourning Bride (III ii.) The Painted Lady The Cannibal Queen The Endless Hunger The creature known as Jasmine has earned all of these derisive names and more, though none are brave enough to dare speak them to her face Amongst the “powers that be” in the realms of the fey, she is one of the most feared Welcomed in neither the “dark reaches” nor the “pure lands,” she is tolerated from behind pained smiles because they all know they have no other choice Born a lowly creature of the sylvan wood without a drop of sovereign blood in her veins, she has nevertheless become a powerful force Spoken of only in whispers, the beast known as Jasmine haunts the shadowed edges of the nightmares of both lowborn and fey lord alike h At first glance, to look upon one so seemingly fair is to believe that all that has been spoken of her is naught but lies ladled from an asp’s tongue Coifed in starlight and bedecked in a gossamer gown of night-blooming flowers, Jasmine possesses regal bearing and displays many of the same affectations as Queen Mab herself, giving rise to rumors of ties between the two Only those unfortunate souls who have witnessed her wretched transformation know the full truth, however With good reason, the fey have bound Jasmine to the stony depths of Aralu From within her lightless prison, Jasmine plots and waits, longing for the day when she might sate herself on Mab’s blood and bathe in the gore of all those beholden to her The circumstances surrounding Jasmine’s origin are known only to the eldest of the fey Of those who remember Queen Mab’s act of spite that would birth this monster, their silence has been commandeered through either powerful spell or fear of incurring Mab’s wrath Mab is ever-careful to keep few reminders of her greatest mistake lying around and does not tolerate even the slightest mention of Jasmine in her presence Born an insignificant grig who dared to want that which could never be hers, Jasmine became cursed by Mab to starve for all time for reaching beyond her grasp She was transformed into a bloated, accursed