by Amy Sumida
But the view was worth the risk. Before me, the Unseelie Kingdom stretched out in sylvan glory. Lush forests were bordered by wildflower meadows, valleys swung up into grand mountains, and lakes glistened beside fields ripe for harvest. The land glowed with health and vitality. No toxins polluted her waters or poisoned her air. There were no holes carved into the mountainsides and no sawed-off tree stumps. There weren't even any dams placed in the rivers. Any construction or necessary modifications were done through magic and fairy magic always worked in harmony with Nature. Wood was gathered from fallen trees, stone taken from the surface only, and jewels foraged from streams. This respect and reverence showed clearly and Nature seemed to revere and respect the fey in return.
“Ah, you're all here,” Uisdean floated down a spiral staircase into the room.
I hid my smile; theory confirmed.
“I was just admiring your kingdom, Uncle,” I noted as I headed over to the dining table which dominated the room.
The table was a delicate looking piece of furniture with curling legs and carved designs decorating the sides and legs. It appeared to have been made to match the room, whose walls and windows were bordered with the same swirling pieces of wood. Except the table was bone-white, defying anyone who dined at it to sully its beautiful surface. I wondered if there was a spell for removing wine stains.
“It is magnificent, isn't it?” Uisdean waved us all over to take our seats as fey waiters started to dish out savory items onto our plates.
Over the center of the table hung a gilded cage full of light. I hadn't really paid it any mind until I sat, assuming it was a version of the common fey lantern. But then a waiter started spooning something onto my plate and I eased back to give him some room. My eyes had lifted to the light automatically and my gaze widened.
“They're called kuperi,” Tiernan whispered from my right.
I continued to stare at the little flying puff balls. They were around 5” tall, covered in white fur, and had thin limbs ending in dainty dark paws. There must have been twenty of them, all floating up and down as their fur glowed sporadically. They shed a soft light over the table.
“Do you like my kuperi cage?” Uisdean asked casually.
“I've never seen them before,” I said evasively.
“Oh?” Uisdean lifted a brow. “They're useful animals, as you can see. With every breath, they fill themselves with air, which activates their air magic and allows them to float. The magic then saturates their fur and causes it to glow. When they breathe out, the magic goes with their breath and the glow fades as they descend.”
One of the creatures floated to the edge of the cage and reached through the bars to me. His eyes were too big for his furry face; shimmery green, and hound dog somber. I reached out and the kuperi grabbed the tip of my finger. It squeezed gently, its little nails clicking against mine, and gave a squeaking sort of cry.
“I don't think they like being caged, Uncle,” I said diplomatically.
“Of course they don't,” Uisdean scoffed. “No animal likes to be caged.”
“I've known a few women who enjoy it,” Raza smirked.
The kuperi let go of my finger and I looked over to Uisdean.
“I'd appreciate it if you'd let them go,” I said evenly. “I'd consider it a personal favor.”
“You'd...” Uisdean's eyes went wide a moment before he laughed. “Oh, Seren, you're so charming. You've seen me torture seelie but you think I'd set some kuperi, who are being treated humanely,” he seemed to take glee in using the word, “free just because you asked me. Charming and a little silly.”
“This is barbaric behavior,” I stared him down.
“It's the same as having birds in a cage or fish in a tank,” he shook his head at me. “Would you parade through the Human Realm crying out; free the birds?”
“It's not the same,” I pointed to the kuperi. “Fairy creatures comprehend far more than animals on Earth do. They can communicate with us and this one is telling me he's unhappy. And yes, by the way, I would call out for people to free the birds if those birds were as sad as these kuperi.”
“Enough,” Uisdean huffed angrily. “I'm not going to argue with you about some stupid caged kuperis. They are not mistreated and this is not unusual. You'll find kuperi cages all over Fairy.”
“There aren't any in Twilight,” Tiernan came to my aid.
“Not in the castle perhaps,” Uisdean narrowed his eyes on Tiernan.
“Not anywhere, King Uisdean,” Tiernan asserted. “Twilight fey don't cage animals. Animals are a part of Nature, of Danu herself, and as such, should be allowed their freedom.”
“This is a ridiculous conversation,” Uisdean growled and all of our waiters scurried back. “And it's over.”
“Fine,” I snapped.
“Fine?” Uisdean lifted a thick brow.
“I'm smart enough to know that when I encounter a stubborn ass blocking my path, it's easier to simply find another way,” I said.
Raza choked on a piece of bread and ended up coughing into his napkin as Uisdean glowered at me.
“So, what business do you have with the dragons?” Tiernan spoke into the heavy silence.
“My business,” Uisdean muttered.
“Your business or unseelie business?” Raza asked casually and Uisdean's gaze shot over to the dragon-djinn.
“It's the same,” Uisdean said.
“Is it?” Raza asked in a musing tone.
“Is there something you'd like to say, Lord Raza?” Uisdean snapped.
“Yes,” Raza nodded. “Let's eat, shall we? I'm starving while you three scratch at each other like angry kittens.”
So we ate. We spoke about meaningless things just to get through the meal. But during it all, I watched Uisdean and Raza carefully. Uisdean kept looking at the dragon suspiciously and Raza would send a different kind of suspicious look back. And yes, there are different types of suspicious stares. Uisdean's was that of a drug dealer eyeing a cop while Raza's was more of the cop's eyeing the drug dealer. Subtle but there was a difference.
The most important thing I learned from the exchange was that; whatever Uisdean was up to, his fairies knew nothing about it. Not even a high ranking lord who was supposedly Uisdean's friend. This gave me my own suspicious visage, which I assume looked more like Raza's than Uisdean's.
“My casters will send for you as soon as they finish with your Guard,” Uisdean said as he stood. “If you feel brave, you may roam around the castle while you wait but I wouldn't recommend it.”
“Thank you for the meal, Uncle,” I took my time getting up from my seat.
“Of course,” Uisdean waved imperiously as he headed towards the spiraling staircase he'd descended earlier. “I'll see you tomorrow, Seren.”
He floated up the stairs like a specter.
“I'll show you back to your rooms,” Raza offered as he headed towards the door.
“Okay, great,” I said as I flipped open the lock on the gilded kuperi cage.
The little door swung wide and the kuperis instantly started floating out and making their way to the open windows with happy chirps. A waiter standing along the wall caught my eye with a shocked expression. I held a finger to my lips and gave him a mischievous smile. The shock turned to glee as he smiled brightly back and gave me a conspiratorial wink. Tiernan just chuckled as we headed out after Raza. At the door I took one last look over my shoulder and had a glimpse of a joyful line of kuperis bobbing and glowing all the way to freedom.
I will treasure that memory forever.
Chapter Four
On the way back to our guest rooms, I ran into my cousin, Bress. Literally. I took a corner and smacked into him.
“Cousin,” he smirked as he took my arms and righted me. “You look well.”
“Wish I could say the same for you,” I looked over his sallow skin and hollow cheeks. “Are you alright, Bress?”
“I'm perfectly well,” he snapped and brushed by us.
; I looked to Raza.
“He's a grown man, if he doesn't want to stand up to his mother, that's his business,” Raza shrugged.
“Moire again,” I growled.
“You cannot help those who don't wish to be helped, Seren,” Tiernan said gently.
“I know but he's one of my few blood relations whom I actually feel sorry for,” I sighed.
“Why bother?” Raza sent a disgusted look down the hallway Bress had passed through. “The boy was born under a storm cloud. He's happiest living his life in gloom.”
I frowned at Raza and wondered if he didn't have a point. Some people loved misery. They were only happy when they had something to complain about. Was Bress born to be unsatisfied? Or was his malicious mother manipulating his life into a cycle of sadness? I was leaning toward the later.
But Raza was right about Bress being a grown man. My cousin was far older than I and if he hadn't grown the balls to leave his mother's abuse by now, what made me think that I could be the one to persuade him? So I let go of my concern for Bress.
“I'll bid you both goodnight and goodbye,” Raza said when Tiernan opened our door.
“Goodbye?” I turned back to Raza.
“I have pressing business,” he said evasively. “I don't think I'll be able to see you again before you leave for the Court of the Nine Sons.”
“Alright then,” I nodded. I could practically feel Tiernan grinning behind me. “Goodbye, Lord Raza.”
“Goodbye, Princess Seren,” he bowed to me and then nodded to Tiernan. “Lord Tiernan.”
“Goodbye, Lord Raza,” Tiernan nodded back.
And with that, Raza hurried away. It was a strange departure for him; no sexy looks or words with double meanings. No mention of seeing me in the future. It almost made me think he'd given up. Except Raza didn't give up that easily, if ever.
“Come along, Seren,” Tiernan took my hand with a smile. “I think we could both use a bath.”
“A bath?” I perked up as he closed the door behind us.
“Being around your uncle leaves a slimy feeling on my skin,” he added as he led me to the bathroom, which was across the living room from the bedroom.
It was done in shades of green; a malachite floor, tub, and counters with ivy curtains and mint area rugs. The fixtures were gold and an array of toiletries were displayed in colored glass jars shaped to resemble flowers. Tiernan went to the free-standing tub; a round basin which had a set of stairs set beside it, and turned on the taps. Water started gushing into the massive bowl.
I was rummaging through the scented oils when Tiernan stopped me.
“Sorry, sweetheart but I don't want to smell like flowers,” Tiernan gave me a wink.
“I think you could pull it off,” I teased as I eased out of my dress.
“It's not happening,” he slipped out of his clothes and helped me up the steps.
There was a ledge running around the inside of the tub. I stepped down onto it and then leaned back against the rim and splashed my feet in the few inches of water at the bottom. Tiernan climbed in and then reached over to hit a lever beside the faucet. It began to rain.
I looked up in surprise and saw that there was a flat gold disc hanging high above us, nearly the same circumference as the tub. Tiernan had switched the water from faucet to showerhead. The water fell softly around us as Tiernan eased over to me. He gave me a wicked grin as his hands slid around my waist and his hips parted my thighs. His chest pressed into mine as we angled our lips together and passion took over.
The sexy slide of skin on skin was heightened by the water trailing over our bodies. I closed my eyes and relished the sensations but then the rain changed and my eyes shot open. The drops falling from the disc above were dancing in swirling arcs around us. One swung closer and slipped over my shoulder, cascading down my back and then up between my legs. I gave a surprised gasp.
“I didn't know you could do that,” I shivered as Tiernan worked his water magic against a very intimate spot.
“Oh, my talents have depths to them that I've yet to delve with you,” he chuckled as he bit at my ear. “Care to dive in?”
“I think I've already taken the plunge,” I shot back.
“No, little star,” he licked the water from the hollow of my throat. “You're still in the shallows.”
Suddenly, all of the columns of water streamed over and around us in undulating ribbons. Tiernan slid into me as the water pulled us together. His mouth settled on mine and we both moaned into the kiss as liquid tongues bathed us with wanton abandon. The rush of water against my flesh, the heat of Tiernan within me, and the taste of him in my mouth; it was enough to send me soaring over my first wave of ecstasy.
As I floated back down, Tiernan was lifting me up again; mouth at my throat and magic pouring over my flesh in delicate strokes. I took hold of his shoulders and let the tide take me.
Chapter Five
The casters didn't send for us until well into the night.
Tiernan shook me awake to let me know it was our turn to be enchanted. I pulled on a tunic and leggings groggily as I yawned myself awake. I wasn't about to go through the hassle of a fairy dress at three in the morning.
The guide took us down a few floors and then into a cavernous room full of bulky tables laden with bubbling bottles full of steaming elixirs set over flame pots, baskets full of dried herbs, bowls of various colored powders, and an assortment of cutlery. I blinked in surprise. What was this? I didn't think the fey needed potions to produce magic.
“Princess Seren,” a corrigan came up to me and bowed. “I am Arran.”
He was only about two feet tall so bowing made him really short. As he did so, he held his veil to his chest so it wouldn't fall forward. The veil was an odd accessory; just a long swath of fabric falling to about mid-chest. It was white, like a bride's, but held on with a very masculine strip of leather. The corrigan stared at me thoughtfully through the sheer material and I pondered him back.
I had no idea why corrigans wore their veils and here was my opportunity to find out. But would it be rude? And how would he take it? Corrigans were known to be malicious fairies, prone to stealing children, but their main claim to fame was the rumor they started themselves; that they could bring dead animals back to life if they were allowed to consume the meat. This of course was a trick to get humans to feed them but the myth stuck and remains in stories to this day.
“It's nice to meet you,” I nodded to the corrigan. “Would you mind terribly if I asked bout your veil?”
“Not at all?” He beamed, his russet eyes gleaming behind the fabric. “I like a forthright attitude. The veil is to block the smell.”
“The smell?”
“From their mouths,” Tiernan explained.
“Our breath can be toxic to humans,” Arran went on. “But to fairies, it merely smells unpleasant. The veil blocks both the odor and the toxicity.”
“Oh,” I frowned. “Have you ever considered a breath mint?”
The corrigan let out a squeal and then a giggle which was echoed by the other two corrigans in the room.
“A breath mint,” Arran said back to the others.
“I like her,” the other male said.
The last corrigan was a woman whose veil was held on by a pretty gold circlet. She nodded her agreement with a shy smile.
“Come in, Princess,” Arran waved us into the room. “And of course, you as well, Lord Tiernan. This is my brother Ivor and his wife Beatrix.”
“Nice to meet you,” I nodded to them as they bowed.
“I will be casting your spells, Lord Tiernan,” Arran said. “While Ivor and Beatrix will assist the Princess.”
“Are you alchemists?” I asked Beatrix as I walked up to her.
“Alchemists?” She asked in surprise as she waved me into a high backed, padded chair. “Oh no, Your Highness. We are casters.”
“But I'm a little confused by all of this,” I indicated the laboratory set up.
“Some spells are more difficult than others,” Ivor explained. “They require professional casting with the aid of potions. Underwater breathing is one such spell.”
“Oh,” I looked over to where Tiernan was seated and he gave me an encouraging nod. “Okay then.”
“First, we need you to drink this,” Beatrix handed me a glass full of a sparkling green liquid.
“What is it?” I took the cup from her and peered at its contents through the clear glass.
“It will put you to sleep and keep you immobile through the process,” Ivor explained. He held up a hand when I started to protest. “It must be done, Princess. The casting is long and complicated. It requires the subject to remain absolutely still during the process. If I simply paralyzed you and allowed you to remain awake, it would be a frightening experience. So we put you to sleep as well and then you can wake up refreshed when its over.”
“What would happen if I moved?”
“Several things are possible,” Beatrix shrugged. “You could grow a fish tail and become a mermaid or you could become fully aquatic and begin to suffocate. There's even a chance of your lungs filling with water, in which case you'd drown.”
“We have no wish to draw the Sluagh down upon ourselves,” Ivor hurried to say. “So we must insist that you take the potion.”
“Alright,” I sighed and downed the drink.
I immediately fell back into my chair, my head drooping to the side. My last sight was of Tiernan laid out on his chair, which had been flattened into a bed. I felt my chair being adjusted and my body went straight as I was laid into the same position. Then my limbs stiffened and I started to panic but before the panic could take hold, I fell asleep.
Chapter Six
I awoke in bed with Tiernan the next morning, still in the clothes I'd worn the night before. I moaned and rubbed at my eyes, stretching my stiff limbs before turning to see that Tiernan was also awake. Refreshed, my ass. Sleeping paralyzed was not comfortable.
