A Fey Harvest

by Sumida, Amy

  “It's a pleasure to meet you, Caitir,” Arach nodded back. “I was unaware that the Queen had friends outside of the castle.”

  “Yeah well, you were busy at the time,” I gave him a smirk, “with Laise.”

  “Ah, yes,” he cleared his throat.

  “So what's up, Caitir?” I glanced around the room. “Why is everyone here?”

  “Vervain,” Arach groaned. “There is protocol. You don't just walk up to one of our fey and randomly question her. We need to do this in an orderly manner.”

  “Seriously?” I lifted a brow. “This is a friend of mine, I'm not going to go sit on the throne and make her come up and bow to me before she can speak. Go ahead, Caitir.”

  “I, uh,” she glanced nervously at Arach and I shot him a nasty look.

  “Let's at least move this to the dais so everyone can hear,” Arach finally conceded. “It's not just about bowing, Vervain.”

  “Oh, right,” I moved to the front of the room, bringing Caitir along with us. I saw Roarke standing along one of the walls, laughing at me. I stuck my tongue out at him quickly and he laughed harder.

  “Alright, Caitir,” Arach went to sit in his throne but I remained standing with her. “Go ahead.”

  “I'm not really the chosen representative,” she stammered. “I just came along as an escort.”

  “Okay, who is then?” I didn't want to make her uncomfortable.

  “I've come with ten from my village,” she waved her hand to the throng and ten fey stepped forward, a couple of them with her rare coloring, the others with skin tones that varied from different shades of red to pale white. “Armadal is the leader of our village.”

  A man with dark red skin like cinnabar, stepped forward and bowed. He had amber colored hair hanging down to his waist but it was braided back neatly. He wore black leather pants and a brown cotton shirt with a simple black leather jacket over it. He didn't look as if he'd traveled far but then Caitir's village was just outside the Weeping Woods, which weren't too far from the castle. Some of the other fey in the crowd looked much more travel weary, a few of them holding mugs of ale that I assume Isleen had distributed.

  “I'm Armadal,” the man said and Caitir stepped back respectfully. “there have been strange occurrences, my King, my Queen.”

  “Yes, we've gathered such,” Arach waved his hand impatiently and I shot him another grimace.

  “What's happened?” I claimed his attention.

  “Last evening,” Armadal shot a glance back at the assembled fey, “there was a rush of magic that pulsed through the kingdom. I don't know if it hit all of Faerie but we were hit quite hard.”

  “I think I may know of what you speak,” Arach gave me a secret smile before looking back at Armadal. “What happened exactly?”

  “Well,” Armadal frowned. “the earth seemed to shiver, the trees and plants shook, and it was as if the kingdom held its breath for a moment, condensing inward. Then a burst of energy blasted from the ground and into every living thing in my village. I'm told it was the same everywhere in the kingdom,” he waved a hand back at the other fey and there were murmurs of assent. “Then, this morning, we found this,” he stepped forward and handed me a delicate orchid blossom, its petals were a vibrant red, deep red at its center and lightening to an orange-red at the tips. Two long petals curled around the outside of the main bloom like tongues of fire, bright yellow fading to white.

  “Oh,” I smiled as I took it and went over to show Arach. “It's beautiful.” My words were met with silence though and I looked up to find Arach staring at the flower with horrified fascination.

  “Where did you find this?” He shot at Armadal.

  “Inside my village, my King,” Armadal nodded sagely, this was apparently more of the type of reaction he'd been expecting. “It in fact grew off of a tree beside Caitir's home.”

  “What's the big deal?” I shrugged and went to sit in my throne, happily admiring the orchid. “It's just an orchid.”

  “You know what kind of flower this is?” Arach was staring at me with more shock.

  “Yes, of course,” I smiled and held it up. The room gasped and even stepped back a little. “There's nothing to be afraid of.” I shook my head and smiled, wondering how faeries could be afraid of a flower. “My grandfather used to grow these, though none of this coloring. This is gorgeous, it's like fire was made into an orchid.”

  “Fire made into a human flower,” Arach frowned, his thinking face on. “Vervain, this is serious, deathly serious.”

  “It's just a flower,” I rolled my eyes.

  “Yes but it's not a faerie flower,” Arach stared at me until I finally understood.

  “So what's it doing in Faerie?”

  “Exactly.”

  “I think I know,” I whispered. “We, uh, in the fire pool, you know.”

  “Yes, I know what we did in the lava lake,” Arach chuckled and shook his head.

  “And then my magic rose, remember?”

  “I remember that too, yes,” he smirked. “It was quite enjoyable.”

  “But it was my new magic, the land magic,” I lifted my brows and nodded my head like I expected him to figure it out. “God magic.”

  “Oh,” he finally said thoughtfully. “I see.”

  “There's nothing to worry about,” I said to the gathering. “The King and I sent some magic through the lava pool last night and it seems to have affected the kingdom.”

  “But this, my Queen?” Armadal gestured to the flower. “How can a human flower come to Faerie?”

  “Through me,” I shrugged. “The magic I sent into the land was God magic.” The fey gasped. “It wasn't on purpose but my magic felt the need to connect with the kingdom as it is an earth magic, a magic of the seasons and fertility. It felt right, and I try to listen to my instincts. I think this could be good for our kingdom.”

  “An earth magic?” Caitir came forward again. “A seasonal magic? We don't have seasons in Faerie.”

  “Well, Faerie told me to bring you change,” I shrugged, “here it is.”

  “This flower,” Caitir waved a hand toward the orchid I still held. “You said you've never seen its coloring. Do you think it's a new flower? A blossom of both fey and god magic?”

  “Huh,” I looked over to Arach.

  “Not just fey and god,” he answered. “This is the fey element of fire mixed with the god magic of fertility and placed inside the shape of a human flower. This is the Queen's triple aspect coming to life.”

  “Oh, right,” I huffed a laugh. “That makes sense.”

  “There was a rite in Rome once,” Arach said thoughtfully. “They would have sex in the fields to help with a bountiful harvest. I think we may have created our own rite last night.”

  “Did you really have to tell them all what we did?” I whispered over to him as the fey stared at us with wide eyes.

  “It's not a secret that we have sex, A Thaisce,” he laughed at me.

  “No but the location was,” I rolled my eyes.

  “What we did had ramifications for our fey,” he waved a hand out to the fascinated faeries. “They deserve to know why.”

  “Fine,” I groaned.

  “It grows on the trunks of trees?” Caitir seemed to be more interested in the flower than our sexual habits. I wanted to hug her for that.

  “Yes, in the human world orchids can root anywhere,” I went with the change of subject. “They're very strong flowers despite the look of them. They can survive with very little water and can send their roots into both rocky soil and into bark.”

  “A strong flower,” Caitir grinned. “A human flower that can live in Faerie, in the Kingdom of Fire, no less. I think your magic chose well.”

  “And I think it knew who I wanted to receive it,” I stood and gave the flower back to Caitir. “I think this was meant to be yours. I'm not at all surprised that my magic manifested first to you.”

  “My Queen,” she bowed her head and took the flower back reverent
ly. “Thank you.”

  “Yes but the question remains,” Arach was staring at me pensively. “What other changes has it wrought?”

  “I don't know,” I shrugged.

  Don't you?

  “Oh, there you are,” I laughed. “I was wondering when you were going to talk to me again.”

  “Is it Faerie?” Arach focused intently on me, as did everyone else in the room.

  “Yep, she says hi,” I grinned.

  I did not say hi, but whatever.

  “Did you just whatever me?” I grimaced.

  You know it, I felt her laughter. I needed time to recuperate after killing the Darkness.

  “Yeah, about that,” I smiled. “Thanks. I'm glad to not be dead.”

  I'm also glad you live.

  “Vervain...” Arach gave me an impatient look.

  “Oh, right,” I trudged back up to my throne and sat down. “So what about these changes now?”

  You made them, not I. Do you not know your own magic?

  “No, okay?” I huffed, here we go again. “It's new, I just got it, remember?”

  Yes, but when you receive a new magic, it reveals itself to you. What are its attributes?

  “It's growth, seasonal shifts,” I tried to think of what it had showed me. “I can create or destroy, make things grow or freeze. It's both cold and hot, a magic of extremes I guess.”

  Oh just get on with it. Hot and cold, create and destroy, blah, blah, blah. What does it do, Vervain?

  “You know, you're really getting sassy,” I growled.

  Yeah, yeah. What have you done with it so far?

  “You mean besides the whole becoming complete thing and the merging with you briefly?” I sighed when she stayed silent. “I helped Samantha conceive, and I... holy shit! That's what you mean, isn't it? Did I just give the Kingdom of Fire a shot of fertility?”

  Well that took you long enough to figure out, she was so not impressed with me.

  “Arach,” I gaped at him and he gaped back before bursting into laughter. “Really? You're laughing?”

  “You've just saved the fire fey from extinction,” he shook his head and laughed some more. “You're damn right I'm laughing. Isleen!”

  “Yes, my King?” She stepped forward, looking a little shell-shocked herself.

  “Tell the cooks to prepare a feast. We're celebrating again.” He looked out over the crowd. “And you're all welcome to stay.”

  “Celebrating?” It hadn't really sunk in for Isleen yet.

  “The fire fey are fertile again!” Arach stood up and extended his arms. “Your Queen has brought back your fertility! There will be more children of Fire!”

  The room shouted, finally realizing what had happened. Caitir was staring at me open-mouthed and I smiled at her, hoping she was as excited as the rest of them. Then she lifted the orchid into the air and shouted.

  “To the Queen of Fire and Fertility!” Caitir's voice lifted above the others and the fire orchid, as I was already calling it in my head, seemed to be the only spot of color in the room for a moment. “May blood flow and fire burn for her!”

  “May blood flow and fire burn!” The room cheered.

  I knew you'd be good for us.

  “Yes, yes,” I smiled and nodded at the shouting faeries. “Go ahead and take the credit.”

  Well, I deserve it.

  “Maybe you do, at that,” I looked around the room at the people who were now mine and felt a wave of gratitude for being there, for being a part of them, and for having the ability to give them what they so badly needed.

  May blood flow and fire burn for you, Queen Vervain. But before you get too carried away with the excitement, how would you like to shock them all again?

  “What exactly do you mean?” The sound of cheering seemed to fade back as her voice became more prominent.

  Care to host me once more? Just for a little while. It'll be worth it, I promise.

  “I guess...” I had just barely got the words out, just barely lit my heart-star for her to follow in, when she took over. My body shimmered, filling with that unmistakable joy that was Faerie. I stood and the shouting died down. “Hello, my darlings,” I purred. “Congratulations.”

  The fey stared at me with fascinated delight. They pressed forward a little, drawn to me but not yet understanding why.

  “Faerie?” Arach was staring at me with shocked eyes.

  “Yes, me again,” I giggled. “I won't be but a minute. I just need to see Roarke.”

  “Roarke?” Arach blinked and then looked out to the crowd.

  “I'm here, my lady,” Roarke hadn't needed further prompting, he knew to come when Faerie called. He reached the edge of the dais and knelt.

  “He calls me his lady,” I whispered over to Arach. “Isn't that sweet? Now that's romance, not some fire pool.”

  “It was the lava lake,” Arach's indignation brought him right out of his shock, “and it was very romantic.”

  “Whatever,” I shrugged and went down the steps to where Roarke was waiting. “Hey, you.”

  “My lady,” Roarke repeated with a grin. “What do you require of me?”

  “Just a quick question,” I grinned back. “You have aligned yourself with Fire now. How would you like to truly be a part of it, to truly be a fire cat-sidhe?”

  “I... how?” He blinked his beautiful green eyes.

  “Don't worry about how,” I waved it away. “Would you allow me to change you, down to your very heart? Would you give all of yourself to me and let me transform you into something new?”

  “Yes,” he said without hesitation and my heart sang with love for him. “If it's what you want, it must be good. I trust you.”

  “Ah, the loyalty of a cat,” I smiled softly and placed a hand upon his head.

  I called upon the Great Magic of Transmutation and one of the spikes on my star started to glow. The light filled me to overflowing and then spilled down my hand and into Roarke. I bid it change him, make him what he truly desired to be, a part of Fire. Give him a heart to match his passionate ways, an element to warm him as he warmed others.

  It sank into the core of him, into that white heart that looked the same in all faeries and yet was so very different. Once there, it flared and exploded, sending Roarke tumbling back onto the ground. I would have worried if I hadn't remained in contact with the magic but as I was still connected, I knew that Roarke felt no pain. Transmutation is a difficult process and it creates a vibration that can't be suppressed. Roarke just had to ride it out.

  When it was finally over, Roarke curled over onto his side and the magic came pouring back into me, feeling very satisfied with itself. I tamped it down into place and stepped forward, holding out a hand to Roarke.

  “Rise, King Roarke, first of the fire cat-sidhe,” I said solemnly, the words shivering through my body with their weight.

  He turned and took my hand, allowing me to help him to his feet. There was a wide grin on his face and the fey surrounding him gasped. I was prepared for the sight and so only smiled and stroked a finger down his soft cheek. His green eyes were gone, changed to red with cores of bright yellow, and the fire in them suddenly seemed to spread, breaking free to run down his arms and set his clothes on fire. A moment more and the flames exploded, shooting up in a column and then dying out to reveal an exultant and very naked Roarke.

  “That was fantastic!” He shouted, hands stretched out to his sides. “Is this how you guys feel all the time? This is so much better than Earth.”

  “Because this is the element you were meant to be,” I leaned over and gave him a kiss on his cheek. “I have been waiting a long time for this day, the day when my faeries realize that nothing is ever unalterable, not even that which makes you who you are. You will call others to you and I will change them too. Soon you shall truly start your own race of sidhe.”

  “Thank you,” he dropped to his knees and I ran a hand over his careless hair one more time.

  “You're welcome, Fire Ca
t,” I stepped back and returned to my throne. When I looked up, Roarke had regained his feet and Faerie had left me.

  Not completely. Look after that hot kitty.

  “Oh, please don't go where I think you're going to go with that joke,” I groaned.

  “Vervain?” Arach looked over me anxiously.

  “Yeah, baby, I'm back.”

  “Oh thank the flame,” he sighed and ran a hand over his face.

  He can't handle me, she giggled.

  “Not just him,” I looked over the room of shocked faces. “I think you almost gave all these fire fey heart attacks.”

  Please, she scoffed, they're made of tougher stuff than that.

  “Maybe but next time let's give them a little time between life altering occurrences,” I huffed.

  Whatever.

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  We were sitting at the head table, which had been placed on the dais where our thrones sat, enjoying the impromptu feast. As a new King, Roarke was sitting with us(clothed again), enjoying the massive amount of attention he was garnering. The mood was even brighter than when we'd defeated the Darkness. I had never seen the fey so happy. There was laughter and sudden shouts of joy mixed with relieved sobbing. It was a momentous occasion and everyone knew it.

  Even the cooks hadn't complained but had instead done their best to serve the most decadent dishes in honor of the visiting villagers who wouldn't experience such a level of cuisine normally. I had gone back into the kitchens earlier to thank the chefs for working so hard and to admonish them to make some time to eat as well and to join us when they could. They seemed happy to be where they were though and sent me scuttling out of the kitchens with little pushes and smiles after thanking me for my magic.

  The atmosphere in the room was one of exuberance. Phookas were jumping about excitedly, leanan-sidhe slinking about sexily, red caps and goblins were delighting in multiple scuffles, and two types of pixies were leaping about the tables. Even the Hidden Ones were out of their cave, strutting through the gathering, knowing that they were the first to receive the new bounty and feeling inordinately proud about it. The fire-sidhe from the villages gave them a wide berth but the castle fey seemed to have become comfortable around them enough to not jump or cringe when approached.