by Riana Lucas
With her final words, we are dismissed. Everyone begins to file out of the room. I wait to go last, watching my mother. She is trying to hold it together, be the queen that her people need her to be, but I can see the fear she is trying to keep at bay. She catches me watching her. I open my mouth to reassure her, but she quickly shakes her head no. I understand immediately. She is focusing on what needs to be done. Now is not the time to become emotional or distracted. She is not a mother right now. She is a queen.
And she is completely right. Now is the time to focus on what is coming and to prepare accordingly. There is no way around it, and no time to dwell on it. It is time for us to step up and defend our people and our home. I exit the room after the others so that I can do just that. Reed is waiting for me in the hall. He reaches out, takes my hand, and squeezes it tight. “You ready for this?” he asks softly.
I narrow my eyes, looking into the empty space before me. A vivid image comes to mind. I can visualize Damien on his knees, begging me for mercy as I stand over him, daggers ready to deal the final blow. “You have no idea,” I whisper to Reed as we make our way down the hall.
When we reach the training room, I am pleased to see that the guards and warriors are assembled. There are about fifty of them. By human standards, that is probably a very small army, but humans do not have the strength and the magic that the fae possess. Fifty fae warriors is a massive army, and fifty of my Seelie warriors are virtually unstoppable. All fifty of my warriors are lined up in five rows of ten. All of them are in perfect formation, one behind the other, shoulders squared, eyes forward, determined looks upon each of their faces. They are patiently awaiting their orders. The guard I sent to gather them is lined up as well. He is standing firm in the middle of the first row. He takes a step forward when I approach, standing before the group.
“My princess.” He brings his closed fist up to his chest, just over his heart, and bows deeply toward me. The rest of the warriors follow suit. I know that they will remain this way until I allow them to right themselves. Normally I would hate this sort of treatment, but now is not the time to allow my personal issues to play out. We are about to engage in an epic battle against the Unseelie court. Now is not the time to be the young warrior fae that just wants to be treated like everyone else. Now is the time to be their princess, to command my warriors and to lead my court.
So instead of complaining, I greet them as a princess should. “Rise, my warriors.” My voice is loud and commanding as it spreads throughout the room, reaching the ears of each and every warrior. At my words, they rise in one fluid motion. I look at each one of them and can see that as serious as they are, there is also a hint of pride in their eyes. They are pleased that I am finally stepping fully into my role as the princess of the Seelie court. Over the course of the last few weeks, during training and my time here at the castle, I have come to know many of these warriors personally. I can clearly see that although they had accepted me as their princess, I have now earned my place. My chest swells at the loyalty and respect they are showing me now.
My voice is still loud and commanding but tinged with pride when I address them again. “As I know you have all been informed, the Unseelie fae are planning to attack our court once again.” A soft murmur of disapproval and anger ripples through the room. I allow this for a moment before raising my hand, my warriors falling silent once again. “Thanks to Holly’s persuasive line of questioning—” I see Holly smirk evilly out of the corner of my eye “—we have received this information with enough time to not only stop the surprise attack, but to counter with one of our own. The Unseelie planned to attack in three days; we will attack before morning.” The warriors cheer. I allow this as well, but the noise dies down quickly, allowing me to continue, “We have been training for this, and I am confident that you are ready. We know the Unseelie court inside and out now. We have discussed strategy, technique, and backup plans. I have no doubt we will win this battle.” My voice is confident and commanding as it rings out over the warriors, rising with my own excitement. As the final words leave my mouth, they break out in uproarious cheers. It is a nice sound.
I turn to my friends who have remained loyally by my side, not only now, but through everything so far. They look at me with pride and love. I freely return the look. As proud as they may be, there is no one more proud than me at this moment. They have stuck with me through some awful times that they probably would not have encountered if not for me. Despite that, they remain here at my side.
“We wouldn’t change one second of any of it. Not one,” Reed’s voice whispers in my mind.
I look over to see him looking intently at me; the emotions on his face and in his eyes take my breath away. Although things have been progressively changing between the two of us, there has been no time (and there still is not) to talk about our feelings for each other. But the look in his eyes now is undeniable.
“Once this is over…” Reed whispers, having read or sensed my own thoughts. Normally I would be confused about what he is referring to, but there is no denying that either. Reed and I will finally talk about our feelings for each other once this is over. His words were not a suggestion, but a promise. Unable to say anything in return, I just nod my head then turn away before he can see my cheeks heating. My stomach is in knots and not because of the impending battle. I take a deep breath to clear my thoughts. Now is definitely not the time for such a distraction.
Having been lost in my own thoughts, I had not realized my warriors had settled down and were waiting patiently for orders. Ignoring my embarrassment, I quickly return my focus to them. “All of you return to your homes and your families. Spend some time resting, eating, and preparing. We will meet at the front of the castle after dinner with your queen. Have your best weapons and fighting gear with you. This will be a tough battle that may result in some injury or death. I know we are prepared for that, but I do not intend for this to happen. You are the best warriors in all of Faery Land. As your princess, I will do everything in my power to make sure each and every one of you returns home safely.” I look at as many of them as I can, directly in the eye. I want them to know that as much as they are here to protect me, my mother, and their court, I am here for the same. I will do all I can to protect them. I see understanding and even more pride in their return gazes. “You are dismissed.” They place their closed fists over their hearts and bow once again before quietly leaving the training room.
I turn to my friends. Gideon is the first one that catches my eye. He is glaring at me. “What?” I ask, completely confused at the rude look he is giving me.
“You should not make vows that you cannot keep,” he whispers harshly.
I feel my brows knit in confusion. “What?” I ask stupidly again.
“You cannot protect all of them. You will not be able to watch over them all in order to keep them safe. Not only are you just one faery, you are the princess. You cannot put their safety above your own, ever.”
“Yes, I can. As you just stated, I am the princess. I can do whatever I want.” I know that I sound like a stubborn child right now and I should probably be stomping my foot for good measure. But I do not like Gideon questioning me like this.
“I know you mean well. I understand what you’re trying to do as well. However, you are Princess of the Seelie Court. You are meant to rule one day over the entire court. Nothing can happen to you, and you definitely cannot put yourself in harm’s way to save the life of another no matter what. Your life is entirely too valuable to the entire Seelie fae, if not the entire fae world.”
“I—“ Before I am able to defend myself, I am cut off.
“Gideon is right. You are too important to the entire fae world,” said Willow. “If something happened to you it would be devastating. You must allow everyone to protect you, not the other way around." Her soft voice is forceful and determined even if her eyes are filled with sympathy and understanding.
“I—“ I open my mouth only to be cut off onc
e again, this time by Reed.
“Poppy, they’re right. We all know what this battle means to you, and trust me, we understand. We all feel the same way, but you can’t put others before yourself. You—”
This time I cut them off. “Enough!” My voice is louder than I intended as my hand slices through the air. They close their mouths and look at me with slightly widened eyes.
“I understand what you are saying, and I agree, to an extent. But I will not pull back, and I will not remain hidden behind anyone during this battle.” Several of my friends open their mouths to protest, but I quickly begin talking over them. “I will lead this army into battle, and I have every intention of being the one to kill Damien. I do not intend to get harmed or allow anyone else to be harmed in the process. I understand this is war and there are casualties, but if we do this right, hopefully, there will not be any on our side this time. With that said, I am neither stupid nor an amateur at this. I have not lost my head to the idea of Damien’s death either. I understand my responsibilities as a princess and as a warrior. I plan to stick to the strategy we have agreed upon, but I will not have my warriors thinking that I am going to sit back and allow them to run headlong into battle while I stand by just watching. I will fight beside them, I will lead them, and I will make sure we win this battle.”
I look each one of them in the eye, letting them see how determined I am to do just as I have said. They will not dissuade me or change my mind in any way. I just hope they can understand this and back me up on it.
Finally, Gideon steps forward, his hand fisted over his heart. He gives a slight bow of his head, then looks into my eyes when he says, “I am honored to be able to fight at your side, my princess and my friend.” I am so shocked that I remain speechless as I watch each and every one of my friends follow Gideon’s lead.
Next Thorne steps up, mirroring Gideon’s actions. “As am I.”
Then Willow. “As am I.”
Then Holly. “As am I.”
I can feel the tears start to burn in my eyes. I have to fight to keep them from falling. All of my friends will have my back. They will support me, not only because I am their princess, but also because I am their friend. However, the only one that has not pledged his loyalty is the most important one of all. I glance at Reed to see that he seems to still be deciding. I can sense what he is feeling and know that it is difficult for him. He does not want anything to happen to me. If he could lock me up, kill Damien himself, and make sure all threats are gone before he let me out again, he would. I cannot help but smile at his protectiveness.
Although I wish it were easy for him to take my side quickly, I cannot help the slight twinge of joy caused by the fact that he wants to protect me so fiercely. His eyes move to my smile, to my lips. The move causes my stomach to plummet and my heart to race. I can feel my cheeks heating. When he moves his eyes back to mine, there is a different look. One that I have not seen before but it causes my heart to beat impossibly faster. I blink my eyes a few times, but cannot take them from Reed’s.
Someone clears their throat causing both of us to look at them, a bit reluctantly.
Everyone is smirking at us with knowing looks. Normally this would cause me to get embarrassed, and maybe even angry. But this time it does not. I smirk back at them, causing a few giggles and chuckles before turning back to Reed. “Are you with me on this?” I ask softly.
He stares seriously for a moment longer and then pulls out his charming smile. “Do I really have a choice?”
“No, you do not,” I try to say sternly, but ruin my attempt when a bigger smile spreads across my lips.
I turn to face the others once again, sensing Reed as he moves to my side. He is so close I can feel his body heat. I do not look at him because I know that his face is next to mine, his lips by my ear. He is entirely too close. “When this is over, we are going to talk. Really talk, about everything. Okay?” He whispers so softly, I barely hear the words.
I swallow hard, nodding my head in agreement. I know that the time is drawing near for Reed and I to sit down and discuss all that has happened and what is to come between us, but having him whisper the command in my ear takes my breath away again. Having an audience when he does this does not help either. I glance nervously at said audience as I feel Reed move back, but only slightly. I blink my eyes a few more times as I mentally shake my head. I need to get back on task, focus on what is happening now, but it is very difficult with Reed so close and his words running around in my head.
“Breathe.” Reed’s whispered word flutters in my head, and I do just that. I take in a deep breath that helps calm my nerves.
The knowing looks and smiles are still on my friends’ faces, but I disregard them as I return to the task at hand. “Let’s go meet my mother for dinner. Then I want you to gather everything you will need for the upcoming fight. We have a court to attack and a battle to win.”
The knowing smiles turn to wicked ones, each tinged with a bit of blood lust. The anticipation starts to build, and I feel the hum of it around us as we exit the training room together.
3
As we step out of the room intending to make our way to the dining hall, we are stopped by a loud commotion coming from the opposite direction. It is the same direction that would lead us to the main entrance of the castle. I am immediately on high alert once again. We may have jumped to the wrong conclusion earlier, but at a time like this one can never be too careful. There is always a possibility that Damien may decide to change his timeline or send a spy to the Seelie court. Just in case, I quickly unsheathe my daggers, gripping them firmly in my hands as I make my way quickly toward the front of the castle and the noise. My friends follow closely behind, arming themselves as well. As we draw near the entrance, I am able to conclude that no actual fighting is going on but I can still hear tension in the murmured voices. I can only hear bits and pieces though, so I am still unclear of what is happening.
I hear a jumble of words that sound as if they are coming from multiple fae. Just before we turn the corner, one of the Seelie guards speaks up, his voice commanding. “I am sorry, but the queen and the princess are very busy right now. They also do not receive unexpected guests like this. You will need to make a formal request if you wish to speak with either of them. When they are available, you will be notified. Until then I must insist you leave at once.” The guard’s words let me know right away that whoever he is speaking to does not belong here.
I turn the corner to see four fae standing shoulder-to-shoulder making a very intimidating picture. They are not necessarily threatening, but they are not cowering, either. Nor do they appear to be taking the guard’s advice and leaving. As I approach, they sense my presence, all four lifting their eyes to meet mine. My breath hisses out between my teeth when they do. These fae definitely do not belong here. They are unclaimed. Their eyes are not yet filled with the blood-red color surrounding their pupils, but the feral presence is still there. It always is in an unclaimed, and it is unmistakable to anyone who has encountered one before.
By the way the Seelie guard is still confronting them, I am sure that he is not aware they are unclaimed. He does sense their danger, however, if the white-knuckled grip he has on his sword hilt is any indication. He is very brave to stand his guard against the four of them, however deadly it could turn out to be. Not wanting this situation to get too far out of hand, I decide to step in and take over.
I quicken my pace while informing the others of exactly what we may be walking into. Without looking away from the visitors, I whisper softly. “You should know that these four fae are unclaimed, but they do not appear to be out of control right now. We still must approach cautiously without appearing to be any sort of threat to them. As long as we are calm and friendly, they should be as well.”
“Why would the unclaimed show up here?” Reed asks softly.
Holly speaks up before I can, saying exactly what I was thinking. “Word travels fast throughout Faery Land. They have
probably heard of the possible cure and Rowan’s research.”
“Only one way to find out,” says Gideon as he steps in front of me. I huff in exasperation over his protectiveness, but move beside him once again as we reach the waiting fae.
The Seelie guard finally notices our presence, turning only slightly so that he may keep an eye on his unwanted guests. “My princess! There is no need for you to bother yourself with this. I know you are very busy. I have informed them of the correct procedures of our court and expect they will request an audience with you at a later date. Please go back to preparing for battle.”
I see the eyebrows of the unclaimed rise as the last sentence leaves the guard’s mouth. Although he probably should not have mentioned it, it is reassuring to know that particular news has not spread throughout Faery Land yet.
“Thank you, but it is fine. We will handle this from here. You are dismissed,” I say kindly, but with a command and authority that I know will not be questioned. If things go wrong, I do not wish for him to be involved. He is a young warrior, still in training. One that usually would not be standing guard at the front entrance, but the older more skilled and trained warriors are preparing for battle.
I can see in his eyes that he wants to object, but I cut him off with a stern look. “Yes, my princess.” He bows slightly, cutting his eyes one last time to our guests before walking stiffly away.
I finally turn to face our visitors, giving them my full attention.
The four male fae are very intimidating. They stand shoulder to shoulder, as if forming a wall. One that looks unbreakable. They are easily a foot taller than I am, causing me to take a step back in order to prevent myself from having to crane my neck to look up at them. They are each just as pale as most fae, but they have the wild and unruly look of the unclaimed as well. All four of them are dirty, their clothes torn and wrinkled, and their hair is an unkempt shaggy mess that contains bits of leaves and twigs. But their eyes are what hold my attention. Although still wild, they are clear of any bloodlust. They must be in the early stages of the disease where they are still able to maintain some of their control.
