by Cat Marsters
“Congratulations. You nearly upset the balance of the seasons.”
One delicate eyebrow arched. “Did I?”
I narrowed my eyes at her. “A Seelie princess marrying into the Unseelie? Are you mad?”
“No,” she sighed. “I’m in love. You of all people should know it’s got nothing to do with rationality.”
“Me?”
“Yes. You’re in love with a gay man. Well, he can’t be that gay, since he’s in love with you too.”
I opened my mouth, then shut it again.
“You’ve pledged your child to the Seelie Court, haven’t you?” Niamh said.
I nodded, warily. “It’s Ell’s child. The heir. The second in line,” my stomach constricted, “now that you’ve defected.”
She gave a slight smile. “I threw the whole Court into a tizzy, didn’t I?”
“Little bit.”
“Blood is blood, after all. If I had a child and Ell never did, well…”
“‘Well’ doesn’t come into it,” I said.
“No, I suppose not. But the problem has been resolved,” Niamh said, looking right at me. “Seven -- what, seven and a half months? -- Mother will have her heir.”
I crossed my arms protectively over my stomach. “How did you know?” Tadgh and Ell didn’t even know yet. I only just knew.
She shrugged. “Fae.”
“Uh, me too.”
She grinned. “Fae royalty. That kid of yours is going to have some impressive powers.” Her smile faded. “I came here to tell you something. I know about the problems of succession. And I didn’t go to the Unseelie just to cause problems. I love Nihadrias. He loves me. We’re like Rommel and Julius.”
I thought quickly. “Romeo and Juliet?”
“Yes. Except without the bloody ending, hopefully. I’ve no wish to upset the balance of the seasons. Nihandrias and I agreed we would never have a child until after Ell did.”
I blinked at her. “Even knowing Ell might never have a child?”
“Even knowing.” Her fingers clutched the fabric of her dress. “There’s something else, though. Eibhlis -- Unseelie princess --”
“I’ve heard of her,” I said flatly.
“She seems to have some mad ambition to see the world ended. She’s gone completely Angelus and Drusilla. I intend to speak to the Unseelie Queen about her.”
“I thought someone already had.”
Her lip curled. “A human? She’s not going to do anything on the say-so of a human. Even a wizardly one. No.” She sighed. “Eibhlis needs to be stopped. If the Queen calls on you for testimonial, will you speak to her?”
I considered my newbie position within the Seelie Court. “Yes, but I want Ell or another high-ranking Seelie with me. Not you,” I added. “Sorry.”
She sighed again. “I understand. Well, goodbye, and congratulations.”
She gave me a smile, and was gone.
About ten minutes after his sister had vanished, Ell popped onto the terrace. I guess Niamh used some sort of female intuition to discover I was pregnant, because Ell seemed to have no idea.
“Hello, darling.” He kissed my cheek. “Good day?”
“I’ve read fourteen magazines. Apparently stripes will be in next season.”
“Oh, rubbish, darling. I’m not doing them.”
I smiled. Tadgh flashed onto the terrace, and with only a warm smile in my direction he had my insides melting. Maybe Niamh was right. Ell is a darling and I adore him, but he doesn’t make my heart beat faster like Tadgh does.
“Hello, gorgeous,” he slid onto the chaise beside me and kissed my mouth.
“Back atcha.” I felt my smile bubbling to the surface again, and held out my hand to Ell. He took my place on the chaise and arranged me over his and Tadgh’s laps. “Hmm, cozy.”
“Sure is.” Ell grinned down at me and stroked my stomach.
Then he paused.
“Aura?” he said, his voice trembling just a little.
“Hmm?”
“Are you --?”
I let my smile creep up another notch. Ell stopped breathing for a second, clutching me tight.
“Aura, are you?” Tadgh touched my leg, and I beamed at him.
“I am,” I said, excitement swelling in me.
“Oh my God.” Ell whooped suddenly, springing into the air -- and I mean right up into the air, magnificent pink and purple wings unfurling and swooping us around in a loop. I laughed, clutching him giddily. “Aura, Aura!”
He flew me back down to the chaise and kissed my face all over. My clothes vanished. Tadgh’s dark green wings surrounded us both, and then he was kissing me, murmuring, “Congratulations. Oh, sweetheart…”
Ell threw his arms around Tadgh and they kissed, and I fluttered into the sky on my own crimson wings, swirling in giddy loops before zooming back down into their arms, laughing and purring with delight, warm and secure and happier than I’ve ever been.
Then a bright flash split the warm air, coldness flowed in, and before I could even lift my head, Ell swept me behind him and Tadgh rearing on his hind legs -- hind legs, in centaur form. He was magnificent, huge and gleaming in the slanting sunlight, his wings even bigger than before.
A prickle of cold energy scratched my spine. Ell’s eyes met mine. “Eibhlis,” he said, “you’d better get off my roof terrace before I call in my mother’s hounds.”
I peeked around Tadgh’s wings for a second before Ell tugged me back. What I saw was a mad creature with purple teeth and flaming red eyes snarling at Tadgh. She was naked and pale, her spiky wings beating the air.
“She’s let herself go,” I muttered to Ell, who gave me a quick smile before touching Tadgh’s back between his wings, making them vanish. No longer protected, he stood beside Tadgh, in front of me, and raised his chin.
“I heard that!” Eibhlis shrilled.
“Well, it’s true,” Niamh’s voice sounded, and then she flashed in.
I tried to magic up some clothes, but with all the royalty hanging around my magic had just fled. Even my wings had vanished. “What is this, a free show?” I grumbled, hiding behind Tadgh’s glossy flank.
“You!” Eibhlis shrieked, pointing at Niamh. “Turncoat!”
“I’ve explained all this,” Niamh said calmly. “I pledged my loyalty to the Unseelie Court and gave up all ties to the Seelie. But,” she met her brother’s eyes, “I’ve also pledged to birth no heir until my brother has secured his own line.”
Ell stared at her, and then he gave a tiny nod. Niamh returned it.
“Well, you’re mad!” Eibhlis cried.
“Hello, kettle? This is the pot. You’re looking scruffy,” I said, and she turned those mad red eyes on me.
“You! You -- you -- sex faery!”
“Yes?” I said with as much dignity as I could, standing there stark naked.
“Mother!” Eibhlis wailed, and Ell instantly wrapped his arms and his wings around me. Good job, because the arrival of the Unseelie Queen brought with it a swirl of freezing air that made the glossy plants wilt. Ell turned me so I was back behind him and Tadgh again. Protected. Safe.
My lovely boys.
The Unseelie Queen looked at the three of us in disdain, then at her daughter. “Eibhlis,” she said, “once more you disappoint me. The Unseelie Niamh tells of your treachery. Again.”
“Are you going to believe her over me?” Eibhlis stared at her mother in disbelief. “She’s not even Unseelie!”
“She has pledged her loyalty, and proven it, too,” the Unseelie Queen said. “Wildfae Aura,” she began, and then paused. “No. You are Wildfae no more. Seelie Aura.” I prickled with pride. “You bear a Seelie child.”
“Yes.” I beamed, peeking out between Tadgh and Ell, who was still holding me tight. “I do.”
“No, it’s all ruined,” Eibhlis wailed.
“Do you testify that my daughter,” she sneered the word, “has plotted against you?”
“No,” I said, and Eibhlis’
s head snapped up. “But I do swear she tried to have Ell killed.”
“Daughter,” the Queen said. “Is this true?”
Sulkily, Eibhlis nodded.
“Plotting to destroy the balance of the Courts,” the Unseelie Queen said. She closed her eyes a moment, her lovely, terrible face pained. “Eibhlis, no longer of the Unseelie, I banish you from my Court, from the realm of Faerie, and strip you of your powers. Henceforth you shall be mortal.”
We all stared. Eibhlis let out a dreadful, keening cry. Thunder clapped.
Then they were gone.
Tadgh turned himself human again, and the three of us rubbed warmth back into each other. Niamh’s quite voice spoke up. “Congratulations, brother.”
Ell paused, and looked over at where she stood. “Thank you. You’ll understand if I don’t ask you to be godmother?”
She gave a small smile. “I understand. Goodbye.”
She vanished, and it was just the three of us. Ell rubbed my arms. Tadgh stroked my back. My hands were on his butt.
“Well,” I said into the silence, “where were we?”
Epilogue
It’s a boy. Or, actually, it’s two boys. And a girl. I may have gone slightly overboard with the fertility spell.
The End
Cat Marsters
Cat lives in a village in southeast England, which, while not quite a fairytale setting, is nonetheless very pretty and was mentioned in the Domesday Book of AD 1087. She shares a house with only slightly batty parents who hardly ever tell her to get a real job, and a musician brother who knows there’s no chance she’ll ever get one if he doesn’t. Life is kept from being boring by the often hilarious antics of three geriatric cats and a dog who thinks she’s Marilyn Monroe.
Cat has been writing all her life, but in order to keep herself rich in shoes and chocolate, she’s also worked as an airline check-in agent, video rental clerk, stationery shop assistant, and laboratory technician. She’s aiming for a fairytale cottage, and asks all potential Prince Charmings to apply in writing with pictures of themselves and their Aston Martins.
Visit’s Cat’s web site at http://www.catmarsters.com.
