by Amy Sumida
“I got you,” he whispered back. “Which is enough to make me not care about this.”
“Wanna find a corner to make out in?” I gave him a wicked grin.
“Seren,” Keir growled while Aideen giggled.
“Damn fairy father hearing,” I muttered to Tiernan and he chuckled.
“We're here, Princess, please try and behave,” Keir gave me a beleaguered look.
“History is rarely made by women who behave,” I said as the gancanagh opened the ballroom doors and stepped forward to announce us.
Keir held up a hand and the gancanagh rushed back to his side. Dad whispered something to the seelie and the gancanagh shot me a surprised look before nodding. He went back to his spot at the edge of a wide staircase leading down into the ballroom.
“His Majesty, King Keir Bloodthorn and his daughter; Her Royal Highness, Princess Seren Firethorn. Escorted by Lady Aideen Evergreen and Count Tiernan Shadowcall... both of Twilight.”
The room went utterly silent.
“And Catriona, royal twilight puka,” I whispered over to the gancanagh.
He blinked once but immediately added, “And the royal twilight puka; Catriona.”
I smiled in satisfaction, even though it was a bit unnerving to walk down the long stone stairway into the crowded but silent ballroom. Every eye was focused on us in horrified fascination. Every fairy was frozen in panic, unsure of how to react to our presence. Should they boo and hiss? Attack us outright? Should they turn their backs on us? What to do?
Then something happened that shocked me to my core. Queen Iseabal Bloodburn came down from her sparkling, golden throne, set high on its dais at the end of the room, and swept through the transfixed assemblage like an angel descending from Heaven.
“My son! My beautiful boy,” she gushed as she held Keir's face in her hands and admired him before she hugged him tightly. “I've missed you, Keir,” she smiled adoringly as she pulled away. “Life is colder without you. How are you?”
“I'm well, Mother,” Keir was beaming, blossoming under his mother's warmth.
This was not at all what I'd expected... and it seemed to surprise the Seelie Court as well. As soon as the Queen spoke and made her acceptance evident, the court had burst into excited conversation; fairies seeming to return to their entertainments while simultaneously watching us. I kept my eyes on her; Queen Anglerfish. I was afraid to look away from the lure of her bobbing light.
Queen Iseabal turned towards me and smiled. “And this is our Seren,” she held a hand out to me. “I've been counting the hours till I could finally meet you. Our long lost princess, home at last.”
“It's nice to meet you too,” I floundered. Cat pressed into my side but kept her eyes on the Queen, just like I was. She knew an anglerfish when she saw one.
“Oh, Darling,” the Queen laughed. “There's no need for such stuffy social etiquette with me. Come and give your grandmother a hug.”
I went forward hesitantly and was immediately wrapped in the soft embrace of my seelie grandmother. She smelled of rosewater and anise, and her eyes were filled with a wary happiness. She stroked the purple stripe in my hair lovingly and kissed my cheek. Her eyes strayed to Tiernan briefly before refocusing determinedly on me. I floundered even further. I was prepared to deal with rejection, aloofness, maybe even outright hostility, but her warm welcome threw me. It even made me feel a little bad for forcing Tiernan upon her.
She was breathtakingly beautiful. Of course she was, how could she not be? She was the Seelie Queen, the Queen of Light, and she was born and bred to fit that role. A mass of soft curls the color of gold were held in place on top of her head by an army of golden combs that were nearly indecipherable from her metallic locks. A length of silk gauze draped down her back from the combs, sparkling with a sprinkling of diamonds, and over this glittering veil, a crown of gold rays, set with a dramatic sun at its center, proclaimed her dominance. Her flawless skin was the color of sunlight and was dusted with some kind of opalescent powder, making her gleam like a pearl. Angelina Jolie lips dominated the lower half of her face, a sweet rosebud pink that matched the flush of her cheeks. She had swan-wing brows of antique gold curving over eyes of deep amethyst, the same color as Keir's.
“Lady Aideen,” Iseabal spoke sweetly, moving in a graceful arc that sent her full, golden skirts swishing. “I've heard that you were instrumental in bringing my granddaughter to Fairy. I owe you my gratitude.”
“Oh, well, I played just a small role, Your Majesty,” Aideen stammered and a single, pale green flower fell from her hair to float to the floor. A clear sign of her distress.
“Tiernan helped as well,” I added and saw my father close his eyes in pained irritation.
I don't know why I pressed the issue but something just felt off. Maybe I was wrong but I just couldn't comprehend how this could be the same woman who'd almost killed Tiernan.
“Who is that, my dear?” Iseabal turned to me with curiosity. She didn't even glance at Tiernan.
That's when it hit me. She couldn't do anything about his presence so she was simply going to pretend he wasn't there. What was she; five?
“Count Tiernan Shadowcall,” I took Tiernan's arm again and smiled brightly at my grandmother. “Lord of the Wild Hunt, beloved and respected member of the Twilight Court... and my boyfriend.”
“We call them consorts here, my dear,” she said with a little less sweetness.
“You might but I don't,” I smiled brighter. “I don't like the word. We don't consort with each other, we love each other. He saved my life actually. I'd be dead if Tiernan hadn't been there. So I guess it's a good thing you didn't succeed in murdering him.”
“Seren!” Keir hissed.
“I don't know who you're talking about, Granddaughter,” Iseabal set a hard stare on me. “You can't possibly mean the fairy I banished from my kingdom, because I know my son respects me too much to allow his daughter to bring such a traitor into my midst.”
“Perhaps I should go,” Tiernan said to me. His face had shut down and his jaw was clenched hard, any harder and it would break.
“You go and I go,” I said firmly before I faced my grandma again. “Our ideas of what makes a traitor, differ considerably, Queen Iseabal. You see, I think a man who defends his mother, even and especially to a Queen, is brave and loyal. I admire a man who does the right thing, no matter the cost. That's the kind of man I want by my side because I know he'll defend me with the same tenacity... to the death if need be. That's not traitorous behavior in my opinion. In fact, I think it's more traitorous to attempt to murder such a man and then cowardice to banish him when you fail.”
“Mother, she doesn't understand,” Keir's eyes were wide and panicked as he tried to slide between us. Iseabal pushed him away one handed. She was stronger than she looked.
Cat started to growl. I put a reassuring hand to her head and she quieted but stayed alert and on her feet. I knew exactly what she was watching because I was watching it too. My heart had started to pound as soon as Iseabal had drawn near, close enough for me to see the shadow of a monster within her eyes. An unknown monster which I had no idea how to fight. All I knew about Queen Iseabal was that she could burn my blood, literally, as my father had done to Uisdean. Beyond that, her magic could be vast and even worse than Keir's bloodthorns.
Then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw Tiernan's hand stray to his sword. See? That's my man; loyal to the end. No matter that he didn't approve of my behavior, he'd defend me to the death. Even there, outnumbered and out-magicked, against the Queen of the Seelie and her entire court. He would start a war for me. Sweet Goddess, I loved him.
I placed my hand over his and squeezed, holding his sword in place. He wouldn't have to defend another woman he loved against the Seelie Queen. Not today. The whole room might be scared of Queen Iseabal, even my father and perhaps even myself, but I wasn't going to let that stop me. Maybe it was foolish of me but I hadn't come to cower.
“You hav
e a lot to learn about our ways, Child,” Iseabal's voice was low and slightly sad. “There are things you will do as a princess, or maybe even as a queen one day, that will haunt you forever. Decisions that you will face which will paint you in a sinister light, no matter which choice is made. I will forgive your insults this one time because I see that love is motivating your righteous indignation but do not ever come before me again in such a disrespectful manner or I will be forced to do one more thing that will haunt me forever.”
I opened my mouth to speak but before I could, Tiernan stepped forward.
“Our world is changing, Your Majesty,” he said calmly. “I believe your granddaughter is the key to that change. Her disrespect is tolerated by Danu herself because the Goddess sees it for what it truly is; love. You said it yourself, Seren is motivated by love. But what you don't realize yet, what you can't possibly see because you don't know her as I do, is that love is a part of everything she does. It is woven so deeply into her being that she can't help but speak with the honesty of it. When she says these disrespectful words it's not with the intention of attacking you, it's with the desire to see things right. To bring justice to what she views as past wrongs. Only then can she truly become a part of her new family, be they seelie or unseelie. And once her family is whole, she can start to make the rest of us whole again; unite the entire realm. Things are changing and Princess Seren is the fulcrum upon which our world will shift.”
Queen Iseabal blinked, her eyes flicking down towards Tiernan's perfect, white boots but refusing to look up into his face. She just stared at the silver stars bracketing his heels; the symbol of his twilight knighthood. Then Keir stepped forward and laid a hand upon his mother's bare arm. She turned to him like a lost little girl and he smiled gently down at her.
“Danu brought Seren into her realm,” Keir spoke quietly but everyone in the room heard, as evidenced by the rush of whispers following his words. “She spoke to her, Mother. She showed Seren her reflection in the sacred water. Danu blessed my daughter with a new magic and a new name. Tiernan's right, Seren can seem abrasive but her intentions are valorous. She will change the face of Fairy and I intend to help her.”
“Firethorn,” Iseabal whispered. “Yes, we've heard of her burgeoning power but no one mentioned Danu to me or this new magic. No one told me the goddess welcomed our granddaughter into her arms. She hasn't done such a thing in...”
“A thousand years,” Keir nodded. “Perhaps even longer. Danu has spoken through Seren, Mother. Our goddess looked through Seren's eyes and said powerful things to us. Things as shocking as what Seren has just said to you. Danu is deeply disappointment in her children, in the way we've treated each other. She has decreed that the sidhe must treat the other fey as equals. They are lessers no longer.”
“Lies,” the Seelie Queen hissed as the court murmured louder.
“I would never lie to you,” Keir chided her like she was his child. “You know that. Especially not about our goddess.”
“I believe you, King Keir,” a deep voice came from behind Iseabal and I looked up to see a stern fairy man standing there.
He was basketball player tall and of a similar build; sleekly athletic. His hair was colorless, whiter than white, almost translucent; as if each strand were a tiny tube of glass. Around his face hung swaths of that glassy hair cut to shoulder length but most of it was much longer, hanging behind him in an intricate braid. His eyes were pistachio green but they glowed with power, making them appear almost neon. Over them, thick white brows angled down towards a distinguished nose, which pointed to a firm mouth. His bearing was regal, made more so by the sun-tipped crown upon his head.
“Your Majesty,” Keir nodded as Aideen curtsied and Tiernan bowed. I just stared, completely fascinated. “May I present my daughter, Princess Seren Firethorn?”
“You may, though from what I've heard, I may regret it,” the man said dryly.
I burst into laughter. I couldn't help it, his joke was so unexpected.
Evidently, that was a severely inappropriate response because the whole room went silent again. However, the Seelie King loved it. His grim countenance changed abruptly and his smile shone brighter than the mid-day sun.
“She appreciates my humor,” the king said. “So at least she has that in her favor.”
I laughed harder.
“Seren, stop,” Tiernan muttered in my ear. Which of course made me laugh more. I was losing my breath and my stomach was beginning to cramp.
“It's almost charming,” Iseabal said with fascinated wonder.
“It's absolutely charming,” the Seelie King declared as he chuckled and began to glow. Yep, the guy glowed. That crystal clear hair started to emit light like each strand was a tiny electric bulb. The more he laughed, the brighter it got until the light spread to his skin and then the whole king lit up like the Time's Square Ball on New Year's Eve.
“Seren, please stop laughing,” Keir ground out. “This is His Majesty, King Marcan Luminary.”
“No kidding,” I lifted a hand in front of my eyes to lessen the glare. “He's luminous alright.”
“My apologies,” King Marcan instantly dimmed. “I have trouble controlling the magic when I laugh.”
“Maybe the laughter feeds the light,” I offered, my own laughter still hanging around my lips.
“Perhaps it does,” Marcan's face fell into amazed lines. “How insightful. You know, no one laughs at my jokes except Iseabal and our son. I think everyone else is too frightened of me.”
“How can they be afraid of a guy who literally lights up when he laughs?” I asked, baffled.
“Well, there is more to my magic than just the light,” he winked wickedly at me.
“Oh, damn... scared of you,” I teased.
“No, you're not,” he chuckled, “and it's wonderful.”
“Don't start that again,” I held up my hand. “I didn't bring my sunglasses.”
This of course had the adverse affect and the Seelie King started laughing all over again, bright lights and all. Finally, his wife laid a hand on his shoulder and the light slowly faded. King Marcan sighed but smiled as he wiped away the joyous tears.
“You don't share your husband's name?” I asked my grandmother.
“I don't share his magic,” she said as if it was obvious.
“Oh, right,” I blinked. “Dad explained all that, I just forgot.”
“She calls you Dad?” Iseabal lifted her brows. “How... delightful.”
“I find it so,” Keir smiled at me warmly.
“Our son inherited the luminosity and so he carries my name,” Marcan ignored Iseabal's snarkiness as he waved a hand to his side. Another fairy stepped forward.
“Hello, Seren,” the newcomer greeted me with a warm smile and a surprisingly casual attitude, before he looked to Keir. “Brother, it's good to see you. You've been sorely missed.”
“And you as well,” Keir grinned and embraced the other man. Then he turned to me, “Seren, this is your Uncle Shane. Shane, my daughter; Seren Firethorn.”
“I've heard of your exploits,” Shane lifted a brow at me. “And I'm on tenterhooks, waiting to hear all about this new magic.”
Shane looked a lot like his father, with similar features and the same non-color hair, though his was cut to shoulder-length all around and had a bit of a wave to it. His eyes were all Iseabal though, a deep purple velvet, and his skin was the same pale gold as hers. He was a little stocky for a fairy, with wider shoulders than his father and a slightly shorter stature.
“I doubt that everything you've heard is true,” I gave him a grin. “You know how rumors are.”
“Oh, I hope they're true,” Shane cocked his head. “I can see the crown, so at least that much wasn't exaggerated.”
I frowned, a hand going up to touch the star-tipped twilight crown I wore. Then I realized that he was talking about the crown in my aura, given to me by the twilight creatures in proclamation of their fealty to me. It was evidently a rare
occurrence and when I looked closer at the Seelie King and Queen, I saw that although Marcan wore it, Iseabal did not. And neither did Prince Shane.
“Oh,” I pulled my hand down self-consciously. “Yes, that.”
“Yes, that, she says,” Shane laughed. “And I see that you're brave too, bringing our banished Count back into the kingdom.”
“Technically you guys never banished him,” I huffed. “Tiernan left of his own accord.”
The Seelie monarchs blinked and then looked at each in dismay.
“Is that right?” King Marcan asked his wife.
“Perhaps,” she frowned. “I just assumed we had banished him but I suppose he did leave before we could make any formal proclamation.”
“Oh thank the blessed goddess! There's no need for this ridiculous shunning anymore,” Shane declared and came forward to shake Tiernan's hand. “I've missed you, my friend.”
Tiernan sent me an amazed and awe-filled look as he shook Shane's hand. The royal seelie couple blinked at their son's behavior and then seemed to shrug the whole matter off. Tiernan went from pariah to welcome guest in a heartbeat and I was completely flabbergasted. Even Cat stared from one fairy to the next in confused fascination. I admit, I was a little irritated, I hadn't finished my indignant speech yet. But mostly, I was relieved.
“You look good,” Shane said to my dumbstruck date. “Been training hard, eh?”
“Yes,” Tiernan stammered. “I've become a Lord of the Wild Hunt, have you heard?”
“Yes, I have. Well done, man,” Shane struck Tiernan's back affectionately as I shook my head. Tiernan just couldn't resist boasting about that whole LOTWH thing.
“Is this acceptable, Seren?” Queen Iseabal was back. “Do I have your approval? Can we move forward now that you've seen justice done?”
“I don't think either of us will approve much of the other,” I said and watched her expression harden. “But maybe we can find a way to look past that, Grandma.”
“Oh, that's wonderful,” she hugged me excitedly. “Just please don't call me Grandma ever again.”
“You fairies are so sensitive,” I sighed.
