by S R Nulton
Once I reached the rendezvous spot, I leaned back against the oversized oak and sighed. It felt wonderful to be in the partial shade. The castle was always too bright or too dark. Dappled sunlight was just perfect.
“It is a lovely tree.”
“Isn’t it? I–” I stopped and opened my eyes. It appeared my guest had arrived. And what a guest! He was the most attractive man I’d ever laid eyes on. Even more so than Merriweather. The man was clearly a half-Fey, his ears gently tapered and his sharp bone structure contrasting with his more muscular build. Not too muscular, but not as thin as the Fey tended to be. His skin was paler than a full-blooded Summer Fey, more of lightly tanned shade than shimmering gold. And his eyes... those were stunning. They kept shifting between blue and green, hitting every hue in between. I’d never seen anything like it before.
"Captain Dallin Craftis of the Fey Royal Guard. At your service, your majesty."
I blinked, trying to make sense of his words but failing. "What?"
He rose from his deep bow and frowned. "I said–"
"No, I got that part. It was the 'your majesty' bit that has me confused. What is that about?"
I seemed to have stumped him. "Aren't you Queen Caillte Lynn Cree? Have I found the wrong person? You look just like you were described."
That startled a laugh out of me. First, seeing anyone of Fey descent fumbling their words is pretty entertaining. Secondly... "I totally forgot that I'm a queen! I'm sorry, I just haven't really been referred to as such before. I guess I'm not used to it." And he’s lucky I didn’t change my looks for this meeting. That would have been a bit uncomfortable for him, looking for one stranger and finding another instead.
He opened his mouth for a moment before shutting it and frowning at me again. “Really? Why wouldn’t people give you the respect you’re due? I mean, even without the title, you deserve to be treated like a queen,” he told me as he looked me up and down. As he did, his expression turned speculative and pleased. Apparently he liked what he saw and it was making me feel more than a little uncomfortable. Also, confused.
“Um… b-because my husband doesn’t treat me that way,” I stuttered, feeling flustered. I was pretty sure that he just flirted with me. I might have been wrong though. Not that I ever had before. Okay, I’m not sure that anyone had flirted with me before. To be honest, I was in completely new territory.
Stop acting like a little girl. You have more important things to think about than a pretty face.
Captain Craftis, it seemed, had caught on to my gentle reprimand but wasn’t repentant in the slightest. Instead of turning serious, he grinned at me and made sure our eyes locked. “A husband should always treat his wife like a queen. It is his duty. Besides, isn’t your husband the problem here?”
That was honestly the first time that I’d ever heard someone put so much animosity in a single word, let alone the word ‘husband’. Well, no, that’s not entirely true. I’d heard several women do so, but their voices usually held a bit of humor in them as well. Either way, this man clearly did not like the man I was married to.
Good. That makes two of us. Now all I need to know are his thoughts on mangos. I shook my head, trying to straighten my thoughts out a bit. It might have confused my guest a bit but it was necessary. Even though my madness had passed, my mind was still a bit jumbled and I frequently found myself pondering the most inane questions. Usually about mangos.
“Yes, Blue Beard is the problem.”
Craftis smirked then leaned against a tree. “You don’t call him by his name? Really? Do you even know what it is?”
“Actually, I do. It’s Gol of the Northern Woods. I read it in one of his earliest journals.” I paused, intending to end it there, but his expectant look made me continue. “He was a minor noble and a soldier. He isn't the most detailed writer and tries to avoid putting down important information, so they aren’t overly helpful. Anyway, I call him ‘Blue Beard’ because he introduced himself as such when we first met. I’m pretty sure he forgot his real name. He complained about it quite a bit in his journals, how everyone seemed to mispronounce it… yeah. Anyway, I don't think he's that man anymore, so using the name would be silly.”
He seemed to think that over for a moment before moving on. “So what’s the plan? The king didn’t give me much to work with, only a meeting place and approximate time.”
That question gave me just enough of a jolt to shake me out of my awkwardness and remind me of why we were there in the first place. “Oh! Well, the Spinner recommended you take a look at the enchantments on the castle. We think that the mirror is interacting with them strangely. After that, we may need to send you to meet up with my daughter. Prince James of Alenia has been adding quite a bit of legitimacy to her questions and requests for the citizenry to remain calm. You would probably help with that as well.”
He nodded. “Alright. When would be best?”
I bit my lip. “In two nights? Unless I contact you sooner. You can meet me in the vegetable garden.”
“Perfect. I’ll count the minutes until we can be reunited.” Then he lifted my hand and kissed the back of it, lingering for longer than was necessary. It took all the magic I had to keep my face from turning as red as a poppy. Okay, that’s a lie. I’ve never been good at hiding that kind of reaction, so he saw exactly how I felt.
Gently, I pulled my hand back and started walking away.
“My queen? One request?” Craftis called out, making me turn.
“Yes?”
“May I see you? Without the disguise? It’s beautiful, but I have a feeling it’s hiding true magnificence.” Seeing my hesitance, he added, “It will also help me find you, no matter what face you wear.”
Slowly, I nodded and released the magic that held me in my human form. It felt strange, showing myself to a stranger, more so than when Spinner had demanded I drop my disguise. When I lived with the dwarves, they didn’t care what I looked like and I knew that Snow loved my real face. I’d just gotten so used to hiding that it was difficult to allow myself to be truly seen.
A slow smile lit up the captain’s face. “I was right. You are much more magnificent when you aren’t hiding. I hope that one day, you’ll let others see what I’ve seen.”
~
Captain Craftis’ words echoed in my mind the entire way back to the castle. He thought I was beautiful. No, he thought I was magnificent. No one had said that about me before…
Not that there was anyone who had reason to. The boys I’d grown up around all thought I was too tall. Dwarf men were fine with wives the same height or a little taller, but I was just too tall. The fact was, I got married too young. No one in my community married that early. I certainly hadn’t been ready for the responsibilities. Nor had I really longed for a relationship, the way some girls I knew did.
Yet suddenly, I was thinking about how wonderful it would be to fall in love. It was as if I’d been waiting for the right person to even think about a relationship.
And I couldn’t do anything about it because I was married.
Oh, I could try and convince myself that it didn’t matter, that I’d been forced into the relationship, that he cheated on me all the time, that he was evil, or whatever might make me feel better but it wouldn’t change the facts. I was married and to get involved with another man would be wrong, even if it was just in my own head or heart.
So, Captain Craftis would assist me in determining what spells were being used and how they were reacting to the mirror and then I would send him to help my daughter with her tasks.
The castle came into view and I paused to make sure that my disguise was back in place. Once it was, I mussed my hair up and put a few twigs and leaves into it. If Bekins saw me come in, it would be much easier to believe I’d been aimlessly wandering around if I actually looked like I had.
A quick smear of dirt on my forehead and I was ready to go. And it was a good thing I’d put the effort in because Bekins was right there as soon as I walked bac
k into the castle.
“Oh, good. I was worried I’d have to go searching for you and delay my trip. Where have you been?”
I blinked owlishly at him. “Did you know that trees have daggers? They attacked me!” Then I dropped my voice to a whisper. “Do you think they’re jealous of my hair?”
Which made him roll his eyes. The man looked like he was in his seventies and he still rolled his eyes like a teenager. And he thought that I was the immature one.
“No, the trees are not jealous of your hair. And they don’t have daggers, they have twigs. There is a big difference.”
“I know. Twigs are able to throw themselves. Daggers just sit there and grow leaves!” I told him with a sunny smile. Okay, it was a little immature of me to bait him, but the man made it really easy.
“That- No, I’m not going there. Just don’t leave the castle for the next few days, otherwise the trees will throw their twigs at you again. Understand?”
I shook my head. “Trees can’t throw things. I told you, twigs throw themselves.”
Bekins gritted his teeth in a pained looking smile. “Just stay inside. His majesty had need of my services so I don’t have time to take care of you. Cook will remain here, so go to him if you need help fighting off the shrubbery.”
With one final mumbled curse, he picked up a bag near the door and left the castle.
"Is this a good thing or a bad thing?" I mused aloud. "It means the plan can happen faster, but it also means that the king is up to something. He almost never calls for Bekins, not unless he needs some dirty work done and doesn't think his other options will work."
I knew for a fact that Bekins had worked for the king as an assassin at least once. I'd walked in on the conversation, just barely avoiding being seen, only to hear a report about how the 'assignment' went. It hadn't been the most comfortable conversation to overhear, but it helped me understand why the old butler was still around. He was ruthless, meticulous, and would do anything Blue Beard told him to. He was the king's dog, through and through.
I moved to a window and watched the old man head down the road on his horse.
"Best wait until tomorrow to get the captain. Just in case he forgot something."
I wasn't quite able to convince myself that it was just logic making me wait to see him again. The man had me twisted up inside and I needed a little reprieve to get my defenses up.
"Tomorrow... Tomorrow will be soon enough. I wonder what he'll think of the castle."
CHAPTER 6: BRINGING A MAN HOME
CAILLTE LYNN
The next morning, I felt much more in control of myself.
…
Yeah, even I didn't believe that. It isn't fun when you realize you can't even lie to yourself about something like that. I mean, of all the things you lie to yourself about everyday, from how generous you are to how a few bites of chocolate won’t hurt, believing you have self-control would normally be one of the simplest. Then again, the people who believe that are usually the ones who have the least self-control.
I sighed, trying to push the philosophical argument away. There was no point trying to justify it to myself. I was just as fascinated by the half-Fey soldier as I had been when I first met him. It hadn’t gotten better overnight. Actually, it had only gotten worse.
The big problem, I thought, is that he reminds me a bit of Grandpa and Dad. Not that he’s father figure. It’s just… he treated me the way Grandpa treats Grandma or Dad treats Mom. He looked at me like I was something special, something to protect. No one’s ever treated me that way before.
It was a silly thing to think about as I headed back to our rendezvous point. Despite my trepidation about spending more time in his company, I had to bring him back to the castle as soon as possible. There was no way of telling how long Bekins would be gone and it was the perfect time to get the information we needed to take my husband down.
“You’re back sooner than I thought,” Craftis said, popping up suddenly. Well, it would have been suddenly for anyone else. Unfortunately for him, I had a dwarf’s hearing. He wasn’t nearly as quiet as he thought he was. Really, my problem was how close he was when he appeared. He seemed intent on pushing into my personal space and I knew for a fact that Fey looked down on such things.
Unless they are trying to seduce someone…
“We have an opening. Bekins, the butler, left yesterday to meet up with the king.” I took a slight step back, feeling a bit crowded. There can’t be any other reason that my heart seems so loud right now.
He blinked. “We need to avoid your butler? Is he dangerous?”
I grimaced. “Not mine, the king’s and more than you know. He’s violent and has ways of communicating with the king that I can’t disrupt, so he makes the perfect guard. But more importantly, he’s the only one in charge of watching me. He’s the last servant left, except the cook and he refuses to leave the kitchen. This is the perfect time to scout without being noticed.”
Craftis nodded before turning to grab a bag he’d hidden nearby. When he returned to my side, he held out an arm and waited. I looked at it, then at him before slowly linking my arm with his.
He smiled down at me and began escorting me back to the castle. “Lovely woods you have here. Much less treacherous than the Fey Forest, which is a good thing in my opinion. Quite relaxing.”
I frowned. “But isn’t your homeland famed for its towering trees and the cities built in them? Not to mention all the magical creatures within the woods.”
The captain barked out a laugh. “Oh, absolutely! But the reason that the Fey build tree cities isn’t because they like heights. It’s because the forest floor is too dangerous to live on. There are very few roads through our lands because of the amount of magic it takes to keep them passable and relatively safe. The flora grows very, very quickly. If you chance to wander off a path then you have to deal with feral chimeras, marauding ogres, magical plants that eat flesh and bored nobles who live in the middle of nowhere so they can conduct ‘experiments’. Smaller trees with normal creatures seems like a paradise to me.”
“Wow. I never thought about it like that. Of course, those things aren’t mentioned most of the time.”
“That would be the nobles again. It wouldn’t do to have people think that they weren’t all-powerful,” he spit out, then seemed to realize how he sounded. “Apologies. I have a few issues with the nobles. Being a palace guard for so many years didn’t help.”
I laughed, making him look at me with his brow raised. “That was the biggest understatement I’ve ever heard. If you’re anything like my dad, you have a massive issue with your father, or possibly mother. Fey nobles aren’t generally well thought of by their children.”
“You are part Fey? That explains a lot. I was wondering about your ears, but I didn’t want to ask. And you’re right, generally they aren’t. Luckily, I escaped that fate. My father is a commoner from the Summer Court. He married my mother and lived with her on the edge of the forest for years before she passed away. By then, all children found to have mixed blood were being brought to court to serve the king in some capacity.
“My sister was only there for a few days before she met her husband, an Unseelie nobleman who was staying in the city while waiting to petition the king. The Unseelie have never had a problem with mixing bloodlines, so there was no issue with her marrying him. My brother ended up working in the royal stables with my father, which was perfect because he loves horses. I ended up working my way through the ranks of the palace guard.”
Somehow, I have a feeling that there is more to it than that, I mused before asking, “And the war with the Wraiths? Spinner didn’t tell me much besides it being over.”
“Ah well, it is at that. Apparently, the queen’s cousin killed her off. She even came to the front lines and released the curse on our king as an apology for her family’s actions. It created quite a bit of confusion though. Poor Nolana thought that the new queen was his majesty’s true love. Tier had to go runnin
g after her and convince her that it wasn’t true. Either way, there is a treaty between the two nations and they are now allies, albeit reluctant ones.”
I blinked. “Nolana? Is she from Mindep?” When he nodded, I continued. “Well that puts a dent in my husband’s plans. He was planning on her being his next queen, when he could figure out how to get rid of me, that is.”
Craftis shook his head. “How that man can look at you and not see absolute perfection shows just how power-mad he is. Although… how young were you when you had your daughter?”
I pursed my lips for a moment, then began to chuckle. “She’s my stepdaughter, actually. He kidnapped me when I was 17 and threatened both my people and her life to get me to marry him. Also if you ever saw her, you would know we weren’t related. She looks about as different from me as a deer and a rabbit.”
He cocked his head to one side and considered me for a moment. “I think you’re more of a lynx than a rabbit or deer. Dangerous and cute, but absolutely beautiful when you look closer. But back to the topic. Did you two have any other children?”
I blushed, forgetting to hide it due to the shock. “I-I… I mean, w-we, we’ve never… um. No. No children.”
Craftis stared at me before slowly smiling again. “I see. Well, how do you feel about the weather today. Do you think it will turn cold anytime soon?”
~
“Wow. I mean, I knew it was a castle in the woods, but… I didn’t expect a gigantic log cabin. How do you even make a log cabin into a castle?” Craftis asked as we left the trees.
