“How strange. I really must send someone to investigate further.”
Something about the way the King spoke told me that it was unlikely anyone would ever be looking into it.
We spoke about our journey, and the sights we had seen, as we enjoyed a hearty meal. The two of us still starving after our escape from the enchantment.
There was a thick vegetable soup, warm bread and roast meat. Then we were served a pie filled with spring berries. I was nearly finished before I realised that I had forgotten all about making a good impression. I must have been eating like some sort of beast. Good thing ma wasn’t here, she’d have had some stern words for me about that.
The Princess didn’t touch the food in front of her. Simply continued to stare off into the distance, lost in her thoughts. The King didn’t acknowledge it, and I wondered if perhaps this was simply her normal behaviour. I had met people before who’s minds didn’t work quite like mine.
“I am sure the both of you would benefit from a good night’s sleep before beginning your journey north in the morning.” the King said once the food was finished, dismissing us from his presence.
“Thank you,” Glen said, as we left the table and were directed towards a newly opened door that I hadn’t even noticed previously.
“Thank you.” I mumbled awkwardly.
Glen and I were likely the first people from our village to ever meet royalty, definitely the first to meet fairy royalty.
I hoped we weren’t being rude in our ignorance on the proper ways to communicate with kings. To my relief the King never seem offended by us, simply amused.
“I will not see you again before you leave Culhuinn so I wish you a safe journey. Do remember to inform the Queens that it was King Ferchar who sent you to their door.”
A fter the day’s lessons I had hoped to hurry up to my chambers, where I could curl up with Nieve and I’s patchwork blanket and pretend that nothing existed.
Instead, we were greeted by a flustered Mae, who hurried to get me ready for yet another meal with the King. My shadow tried to make small talk and give me supportive smiles as we walked to the hall where the person I hated most waited, but I didn’t bother to respond.
He left me at the doors, with what I assumed was supposed to be a comforting pat on the back.
When I entered, I was mildly surprised to see two strangers sitting at the table alongside my father.
“Finally, my darling daughter arrives,” he exclaimed, rushing to sit me down across from the guests.
I felt a flicker of panic at his happy demeanour and when I looked up at our guests I understood why.
The man across from me had a heavily freckled face and a scruffy ginger beard, matching the hair he had tied up. They were clearly travellers, human travellers.
I would have wondered why father had invited them to our table had I not looked at the girl. She was young and looked exhausted from travel, but what made my heart stop was her face.
I thought Nieve was sitting across from me, until I noticed that this girl had more freckles, like someone who had the freedom to spend time outside.
She wore, clearly handmade, woollen clothes and her long brown hair was wild and unkempt. I knew that, was the sunlight to hit it, strands would glow red in the light.
Those minute details aside, there was no way that anyone could deny that this girl was the exact double of Nieve. I felt sick to my stomach as I stared at her.
I couldn’t help but imagine Nieve being free like this girl. Her hair wild and filled with flowers. Her face freckled and flushed by the wind, riding through the kingdoms without a care in the world.
It was strange that a girl who looked so much like Nieve could, at the same time, look so different. I felt no desire to kiss those near identical lips, or wrap myself in those arms.
I realised with a jolt that I had no idea how the human children, who arrived at our castle to work for us, came to be here. None of them had parents but I’d always just assumed that they were orphans.
Did the King steal babies that were twins?
Was it only twins he stole, or was it all babies?
My mind spun in confusion and I found it impossible to drag my eyes away from her face. I was barely aware of the conversation going on around me.
I couldn’t imagine human families giving up their children for a lifetime of servitude, and I knew that the King would never pay to buy humans.
What kind of monster would steal children like this?
The conversation around me faded to an end and I awoke, as if from an enchantment, as the humans were leaving. The man bowed to me and the girl gave an awkward curtsey before they were ushered out of the door by guards.
I stood, wanting to grab the girl and demand to know all about her life. To find out if she knew about Nieve. They were gone before I had taken more than a few steps.
Instead, I rounded on the King, suddenly furious about whatever was going on in this kingdom. I had to speak up. I couldn’t allow him to continue with whatever evil was allowing him to steal these human babies.
“Don’t be foolish,” he smirked.
“What have you done?”
He laughed, “I have done many things.”
“How dare you steal those babies.”
“I dare because I am the King.” he said, the humour in his eyes slowly being replaced by anger.
“Why is that human girl here?” I demanded to know.
“She is leaving to travel north tomorrow, and the deranged Queen in Norbroch will kill her the moment she crosses into her kingdom, so do not think of her.”
“You are disgusting,” I spat. “No wonder the humans all hate you.”
He was on his feet and stalking towards me before I could think of anything else to say. He didn’t stop like I expected. Continuing forwards, grabbing me as he went, and slamming me hard against the wall.
Holding me there with his hand around my throat.
“Is that what the humans have told you? Is it?” he hissed furiously, his face only inches from mine.
“I don’t need anyone to tell me that.” I refused to back down, “I can see it with my own eyes.”
His hand tightened around my neck and, for a moment, I was sure he would strangle me.
“You better watch yourself, little girl.”
“You better watch yourself.” I threatened, “I hate you and so does this kingdom. I hope someone kills y...”
I didn’t manage to finish my sentence as he punched me hard in the stomach, stealing the breath right back out of my lungs.
Unused to pain, my legs buckled. His hand around my neck became the only thing stopping me from falling.
“I have been far too lenient with you. That ends tonight. You will obey, or you will be disciplined. I’ve had enough of you, and your mother,” he shouted, so close it hurt my ears.
He dragged me away from the wall and started towards the door, shouting for my shadow to retrieve me. I saw my shadow enter, and the flicker of concern on his face, before the King threw me forward.
I stumbled unsteadily before falling. My head collided excruciatingly with the wooden table, and my vision blurred as my head then hit the stone floor.
I was aware of a peculiar warm wetness on my face and head, but couldn’t move to investigate it further.
My shadow was moving me, but the pain in my head was unbearable, and I slipped into unconsciousness.
M y footsteps echoed around the halls, my halls, as I walked towards the courtyard.
A door to my left opened and my shadow, William, joined me. His hair was tidier than usual and his clothes looked new, which was strange but I didn’t dwell on it.
For some reason, I was eager to head outside. I was eager to join the festivities? I wasn’t sure what we were supposed to be attending, but I hurried along anyway.
I pushed open the heavy doors and stepped out into the courtyard, greeted by cheers and applause. It should have been unusual to see both humans and fairi
es together in the courtyard, but instead it felt right.
Everyone was dressed in dark warm clothing, which told me that we were no longer heading into summer. The strange costumes, worn by both human and fairy children, caught my attention. Every child wore a costume, lovingly handmade by family members, and I realised with a smile that it was the Queen’s Dark festival.
I was sure that it had only recently been spring, but now the year was ending. The harvest season was over and the nights were long and cold. The farmers would have spent their day slaughtering livestock to store, and moving the rest to new fields for the winter.
I could not remember what I had done earlier that day. My only memory was of the spring and King Ferchar’s anger. I pushed the confusion from my mind as tonight was about the festivities.
We were celebrating. Thanking the Others for the crops, whilst hoping to encourage them to protect our animals through the frosty winter.
I paused on the stone platform to welcome everyone to this year’s Queen’s Dark festival. I spoke about new beginnings and alliances, thanking them for their patience and acceptance.
I must have put time and effort into planning what I would say as the words rolled off my tongue without a moment’s hesitation.
As soon as I finished speaking I found it hard to recall what I had just said. I ended with a flourish, calling for the small bonfires in the corners of the courtyard to be lit. The flames would attract the attention of the Others to our castle and villages, ensuring their protection and cleansing our kingdom of all evil.
Once the bonfires were burning, the feast could begin. More food than I had ever seen was brought out of the castle kitchens. Never before had both fairies and humans been invited to the festival. Luckily this year the Others had looked kindly on us, ensuring that we could provide for everyone.
Festivals were a chance for the best cooks to bring out their finest food and receive praise, sometimes even employment. I spent a long time trying new foods, most containing turnip.
I ate without restraint, eager to try everything I was presented with. The smiles and blushes that my compliments caused made me laugh heartily.
Never in my life had I see the King interacting with his subjects as I did now. He had never given any indication that he enjoyed festivals, which was something I could never understand.
Turnips, carved in all manner of strange faces, were scattered throughout the courtyard. All throughout the kingdoms, hundreds of turnips were carved every year for the Queen’s Dark festival. They looked haunting once illuminated by a small candle.
The castle was never usually decorated with many turnips, as the King didn’t care for traditions. However, this year he was nowhere to be seen, which meant that we could celebrate properly. It was strange, but wonderful.
As we feasted, groups of children wearing painted masks and homemade costumes wandered amongst the tables, singing songs and telling stories in exchange for food or, if they were lucky, coin.
In the villages and town, the children would go guising and visit each cottage. Here they had no doors to go to, so they simply visited each group of revellers. Their stories amused me and I laughed as I wished them all a good winter.
As I laughed, I realised that this was the happiest I had been in months. I couldn’t remember any reasons why I would have been unhappy before, simply that this was a joyous night.
I was aware of a presence in the air throughout the festival. It was not aggressive or threatening, simply lingering. Hanging over us as we feasted, drank and laughed. Adair told me once that on the night of the Queen’s Dark festival the dead watch us from the Otherworld.
Some say that the realm of the Others is closest to us on this night. That if you were to travel to the standing stones in Wulvendach, you might fall through and be dining in their halls forever.
Some families, who were especially eager to speak with their dead loved ones, left empty chairs and plates of food in the hopes of attracting them back from the Otherworld. How much of this was simply a story meant to scare children I didn’t know, but there was no denying the presence of the deceased all around us.
The King never arrived, and I noticed more and more traditions occurring in the courtyard, traditions which had been frowned upon in the past.
I watched as human and fairy children dunked their faces into barrels of water, trying to catch apples in their mouths. The luckier of them finding a coin inside.
With the Others so close to us during the festival, it was believed that some of the gifted among us could see things which hadn’t yet happened, or see into the past. I was asked to join in with the roasting of hazelnuts but declined politely. That was for those looking for romance.
They would roast a nut in one of the bonfires and, if it stayed whole, the man or woman they loved was sure to return their feelings. If the nut split and broke, then it was unlikely that they loved them back.
I will admit that I doubted burning nuts told anyone anything, but it was amusing to watch the drunken emotional reactions of those burning them. It made me smile to think of all the new relationships which would start tonight.
The thought of romance brought images of a beautiful woman to my mind, with flowers in her long hair and not nearly enough freckles. When I tried to focus and remember her name, it vanished.
A young human woman, with runes tattooed all over her body, stood near one of the bonfires. She was rearranging a pile of stones and claiming that she could tell people what the coming years would hold for them. I decided it would make a good impression if I took part in at least one of the traditions.
I also wanted to see if she could tell me why I felt so uneasy and confused. Why I had forgotten so much. She greeted me with a warm smile and it made me happy to see such acceptance from a human, although I couldn’t remember why.
“I would love to know what the stones are telling you about me,” I said with a smile.
She shook her head and gave me a sympathetic look.
“Not yet,” she said simply, before shuffling the flat stones which I noticed were carved with runes I could not understand.
“Oh, should I come back later?” I asked, feeling somewhat embarrassed at her refusal.
“The future is uncertain, you might not be back,” she gave me an apologetic look which made me want to laugh. Perhaps this woman had drunk far too much at the feast.
“Freya!” I heard a voice call, a voice which made my heart pound and my vision blur with tears.
I turned to see the girl from my thoughts coming towards me. She looked fiercer than I had pictured her, her body more muscular and her hair plaited intricately behind her head.
She looked like a warrior.
I felt a pang in my chest as if I had not seen her in a long time and stumbled forwards towards her.
“My love,” she whispered with a smile, reaching out to take my hand.
As I reached for her, I was left breathless by a sudden agony in my head. I lifted my hand and was surprised to find my head bleeding. Warm blood running between my fingers and down my arm.
My head had not been injured tonight.
Had it?
All of a sudden, I was dizzy. Swaying as the ground rushed up to meet me.
I woke with a jolt and struggled to sit upright. Both the blinding pain in my head, and hands pushing me down, made it impossible. I opened my eyes slightly but the pain made it difficult to focus. The light from the candles was so bright, I could see little past their glow.
“You are alright Princess, let Mae clean your wound,” I heard my shadow say, as memories of the night rushed back to me.
The fight with the King and my head smacking off the wooden table.
“What...” I mumbled confused, the festival had seemed so real.
It was as if I had been out in the courtyard just moments ago though it dawned on me that it couldn’t have been anything more than a dream.
“I brought you straight to your rooms after you fell. I know
it hurts but it should start healing soon,” he reassured me, wiping at the blood on my face with a damp cloth.
I tried to explain to them about the festival, and how happy everyone had been, but I was so sluggish that I could barely get the words out.
They continued with what they were doing as if I hadn’t even spoken, scolding me lightly whenever I tried to bat their hands away or get up.
“I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you,” my shadow whispered, stroking a hand through my hair.
“No one can be protected from him.” Mae answered with a humourless laugh.
I didn’t try to answer either of them. My mind and body were exhausted. I felt as if I had lived two different evenings at once, and the pounding in my head increased whenever I tried to make sense of what had happened.
All I knew was that I wanted desperately to fall back asleep and go back to that perfect night at the festival, back to Nieve.
Perhaps my dream meant that we would be lucky. That the King would be away visiting another kingdom by the time it was Queen’s Dark, or even Summer’s End.
I doubted it though.
The King despised the wulver, thinking them unnatural, so would never visit Wulvendach. The kingdom of Norbroch hadn’t allowed us to return since our visit when I was a child, so I assumed that they hated him just as much as me.
Exhausted by the events of both evenings, I let my eyes drift shut, hoping to fall into a nightmare free sleep.
I heard Maw saying that she would wake me soon, to check my head, but couldn’t muster a response.
10 YEARS AGO
L achlann and I were lucky enough to have one final chance to visit the Verch forest before he left for his journey south. Before his escape from the King.
King Ferchar was busy preparing to leave so we were able to slip out of the castle unnoticed. Aelwen would lie for me should the King call on us, and Alasdair would make sure no one missed Lachlann.
Thinking about what would happen, should our plan fail, made me so scared I could barely breathe. Instead I focused my attention on him. On my love.
The Changeling's Journey Page 17
