by K. G. Wilkie
Alyss shrugged. “Things came up,” she brushed it off. “As it is now, though, I’m happy to be here and away from the palace,” she said. And wasn’t that the truth? It had been nice staying there for a few days as her own person, being fully aware of her rights and prestige and being able to stand firm against anyone’s attempts to treat her like the scared human she’d once been there. But fighting back against the shadow of your past could be exhausting. Besides, living in the heart of the dragon clans made it look like she supported them. The side of having more distance, rather than less, from the dragons was very appealing. “I would be happier still to take on this job you so dislike, if you were willing, and if you were able to give me some guidance on the beginning on how things must be done,” Alyss said. “I’d like that very much, as a matter of fact.”
He smiled. “That would be perfect,” he said. He had been lighthearted and cheerful appearing during this whole visit, but this time it seemed different. There was less calculation in his eyes, less of a fight in his stance. The message was clear: somehow, someway, it seemed she’d done a good job representing herself to the current governor and he had come to accept her in this role.
Alyss glanced at the keys binding the various spells holding Avalon and its secrets together that dangled off his hip. It looked available for plucking, but she knew there would be some enchantment preventing that, just like Xirzer clearly still had some doubts about her abilities that prevented him from bestowing these keys upon her. So he still has some doubts, she thought. I guess that means I need to prove myself now.
Xirzer drew her deeper into the structure and showed her around. There were rooms filled with clouds, and a room filled with foods for all species. There were rooms with arms, including both human weapons like guns and more ancient armaments like swords and bows. There were rooms filled with poisons and explosives, and a bedroom where all the furniture was formed from one tree growing in the space. It seemed the fate as a people were like their governors mansion, violent and cruel as well as fond of beauty. So they were people of contradictions then, just like Alyss was with her background among humans and growing up alone and powerless while also being the powerful heir of this kingdom and these people.
All of the different buildings in this capital city were spread through the tree canopy as well as caves under the surface, but they are easily reached through the doors that always seemed to open onto the ground, no matter how impossible that seemed.
“So then, would I live here? Or would I be free to have my own space? I am eager to fill the void my mother’s long break has left, but I would not want to take over this home with yours,” she said. The girl smiled. “Not even if you offered it, really,” she said. “I like the sound of starting my new life in my own place too much to want to take over yours,” she added.
He laughed. “It shall be so then,” Xirzer said, “That is the nature being a princess. You get to make the rules. You would have unlimited power, really, if it weren’t for the fact that we’re so well known for fighting and having wars against any who dared to try and direct us all,” he cautioned. “For that reason it may be wise to act more like a student than a leader for now. At least until you’ve gained some respect from your people,” he added.
Alyss rolled her eyes. “I may be newly returned, but I do have my memories from years of training in rule as well as first hand experience. I am well aware how treacherous my position is,” she said.
He nodded. “That may be so, but you must remember that the lessons you learned in the dragon palace may not apply so well in Avalon,” Xirzer said.
She snorted. “You think I’m not aware of that? I have experience with dragons, with fey. And you forget I’ve spent most of my life with humans, the most treacherous creatures of all. I know what my mother is like. I understand what precisely my people as a whole are,” Alyss reminded him. “I chose to take this on because I think it’s irresponsible to leave my people are hanging with the no leader for so long, not because I want to go on some sort of power trip. Or actually, I rather like the sound of a power trip, but I have no beef with the fey. At least, any fey besides my mother. My only problem is the dragons, but I am willing to give him peace as long as they do not interfere with me,” she said.
He smiled again, but there was a new light of respect in his eyes. “I see,” he said. “Well then, I think it would be best to show you around our lands before you decide where you want to builds your new residence. Avalon is open to you, and most of us are willing to accept you as long as you don’t interrupt their lives. We shall see,” he said. With the smart nod he whisked her out and flew her back to the cable car platform. Now the line stretched on further into the trees. A sign on the platform grew up from the ground in front of her eyes. It read: “Through a forest, desert, Seeley court, and the Unseeley court of the dark fey.”
Alyss nodded in approval. So there was darkness in Avalon and it wasn’t the land of dreams many humans on Earth romanticized in their memories and fables. A shiver of excitement ran through her. So they were dark, so what. She had gained some darkness in herself. The thought of ruling these grand Seely Fey was appealing, but the thought of spreading her power even further to overtake all of the fey courts, including the most despicable ones, was appealing indeed. What had Xirzer said? That she’d need to prove herself? That time had come to do just that.
CHAPTER NINE
Avalon
Xirzer Didn’t take her on the tour around Avalon. Instead, she went to the cable car from earlier. Without even having to ask it, it obliged her wishes and took her around. It would’ve been no good to start things out with an escort to safeguard her through any unsavory spaces – or neighborhoods of Fae with unsavory intentions towards the air who plan to finally take on her rule – so it was really best for her to go it alone. At first she just went through more greenery and trees like earlier in the day. Other Fae creatures came out to meet her work. In the Windows, but no one caused any problems or tried to halt her trip.
Soon the greenery became sparse until eventually they were spit out over an ocean. Alyss leaned over the window and dipped her fingers in, the water trailing golden sparks where it met her fingertips. A face popped out of the water, golden hair topping her skin as dark as the depths of the sea, and the mermaid smiled at her and waved hello before springing out of the water to swim through the sky. Alyss looked at her and smiled, knowing she had broken out of the depths to fly free since the last time she’d seen the peculiar sight of a flying mermaid on the entertainment program in the dragon palace.
The magical cable car sped its along its course faster than the touring speed of before, zipping by barely glanced island after island and the mysterious smoke and sounds that drifted from them. The blue water met with pitch black waves that cast out the disgusting odor of sulpher, and Alyss quickly yanked her hand out before she touched such vileness. She looked ahead and saw the water oozed off the shore ahead. She tried to climb up to the vine and yank at it to slow, but it moved ever on.
The cable car slowed down but never stopped. It clearly had every intention of landing them both ashore.
Alyss clutched her hands together at the sight. She took a deep breath and separated them, determined to show up wherever she was landing like the powerful fey she was instead of like some trembling human. The habit of fear was hard to break, but it was time to break free of it and get into a new habit of strength and fearlessness.
The car gently landed down on the shore. People and beings sprang up out of the shadows to greet her. None of them matched their depressing surroundings- all of the greeting party were fantastically beautiful. It wasn’t the sort of beauty to inspire tourists to ask them for directions or mothers to arrange meetings with their children in hopes of marriage, but rather the kind of beauty that makes one want to throw away their dreams, their family and friends, and everything they held dear for the chance to have just one heady moment with these fey. These creatures were the beauty of b
ad boys, bungee jumping, gambling, addiction, and swimming with sharks all rolled into one and dressed in designer labels Alyss was surprised to see were far more human looking than the archaic styles she’d seen in the Seely Court.
The one in front bared his fangs at her in a sparkling smile. “We know exactly who you are, little one,” the woman purred at her. She had hair that wave around her face in all the colors and glory of a flame and skin the color of soot, but somehow the shadows of the land didn’t touch her. “You’ve come to see us, to marvel at our exile to this accursed land. I bet you’ve heard of how terrible, how evil the Unseelie court and their king are,” she said. The woman leaned forward to whisper in Alyss’s ear, “I bet they never even told you that old Madoc was killed.” She threw her head back to laugh. “Now you are stuck with Maeve. We don’t even have any revels to celebrate you with like those pesky Seelie no doubt did. All you have are what’s left of the exiles after that dragon sent us away here. Hardly the welcoming you were expecting, was it?”
The princess just extended her hand. Maeve didn’t hesitate to take it, but she shook it like an equal instead of kissing knuckles like a subject.
“No, I’ve heard of Madoc’s right hand woman,” Alyss said. “Smart, dangerous, and with the rare quality of loyalty over so many centuries,” the princess added.
Maeve gestured to the yawning mouth of a cave behind them, and all of her people silently filed in with Alyss in the rear. The land underground was magnificent, with grand spires and a landscape made of greenery formed from living precious gems and clouds that had taken on solid form. None of it looked like Earth, or resembled the natural beauty of the lands of the Seelie, but these structures that must have been more magical than organic were breathtaking and perfectly suited to the beautiful occupants.
“A few centuries ago your mother bound us to live beneath this blighted island, never to leave and mingle with the humans living on The Original. That backstabbing ass felt too scared to allow both courts to continue as they have since ancient times when she could be the only fey queen in all of Avalon instead,” Maeve said. And then after taking power over us she decides she doesn’t even need our people at all and just locked us up here to be trapped. I bet she’s forgotten all about us, she didn’t change anything once she stopped caring about the work and sent the dragons to take on her job.”
It wasn’t great to think that her mother had held these people imprisoned for so many years when Titania had likely completely forgotten them, but in her advanced age Alys knew the woman was lazy and unconcerned with the affairs of others. It didn’t shock her much, though she wished it did.
But they kept walking, and soon the decorations and landscapes gave way to rooms and buildings. There were all sorts, from modern skyscrapers to huts to tree forts or palaces, but almost all of them had a pet chained in the front yard. And while some of those pets were tiny wyverns or bulky cockatrices, there were many yards with humans chained up in the front. Far too many. The people looked clean enough, but their dull eyes and grey faces looked like their lives here had worn them smooth like river stones. They were curled up on the lawns like dogs. One of those walking with the fey snapped her fingers and one of the humans sprang up and stood at her side.
Alyss gasped. “Are they really humans? That’s terrible!” She frowned at the sight, but made no move to step forward and sever the connection between human and captive. Instead she stood there and berated the others, like that would make any difference.
They Unseelie weren’t impressed by her either. “True, it’s terrible enough,” Maeve said. “They are better here though.” She shrugged. “We bought them after they had grown too old for the Seelie to want them anymore, and now they live here and have some free hours to move where they please,” she explained. Maeve pointed at two of them that were over in the cloud fields, poking them and climbing around. “Some break time usually helps to perk them up a bit. It’s such a drag when you get one that is always, well, feeling dragged down. It’s a terrible inconvenience.”
Alyss blanched.
Maeve laughed. “Come now, you didn’t know? Surely even the humans on Earth have still heard of this. The Seelie go to young children’s beds and whisk them away from home, leaving behind a magical device that is a mere shadow of the child they had taken. Don’t tell me you’ve never heard of golems?”
The girl had to nod in agreement. She knew golems. She knew them far more than anyone ever should.
And then Maeve told her the rest. She mentioned the games the Seelie played with their childish captives. The spells that would stretch their lifespans and slow their aging so they would be stuck with their captors for endless years. And then, when despite everything they eventually grew older, they were cast out into the world, dumped on Earth or any random place in Avalon they felt like it. These kids, spoon fed and raised as pets, had no way to fend for themselves or survive in any world. They had no skills to gain employment, no knowledge of humans to even know how to speak and beg to their own kind. Some of them were picked up by the human communities in the Shadeworld, but many of them just slowly withered away as the spells still placed on them wouldn’t let them die more quickly to end their suffering.
Maeve started patting the hair of one of them during the talk. “We decided it would be more fun to take them in ourselves and train them to do their own thing. They are pathetic creatures, to be sure, but they still have their uses. And once they don’t, they’ll know enough about homemaking that they can set up their own lives away from our shore. Unlike us, they can leave as they want, so most of what’s left are the most broken creatures that hardly resemble humans at all anymore. The others leave when they can so only the Shadows of humans remain.” The one leaning against Maeve- man, woman, it was hard to tell because the shadows didn’t really resemble any gender or much of anything else that differentiated them at that point- snuggled closer to her petting until she gave it a nudge and directed it to go back to its play time trying to figure how to use a ball. The shadow went back to its lawn, but just stared at the ball in its hands rather than do anything with it.
Mave turned and smiled at Alyss. “Oh, that’s right. I heard you grew up with humans. Does it break your heart to see how your noble and prestigious mother has let her people treat humans for all these centuries? Does it make you question why they trapped us here for standing against them? Makes you think that maybe we aren’t the criminals that should be caged to this putrid little island, doesn’t it?”
The Unseelie turned as one and walked back up their road to the cave outside. At the entrance Maeve snapped her fingers again, and the gems and clouds disappeared like a dream to show only sparse patches of moss lending any comfort to the rocks strewn through the cave. “Do you see how we really live? All our glamor can’t change that we have been trapped here for centuries, forgotten by the Dragons and the Seelie. I expect you’ll work on making a change,” Maeve said.
Alyss grimaced. “It’s not ideal, that’s for certain, but I feel it’s likely that I’d regret freeing all of you,” she said. “You are good people, unlike the stories told of you. But I’m still not so sure it’s a good idea to free prisoners willy nilly,” she said.
Hisses and growls ripples through the rest of her court, but Maeve looked more thoughtful than upset. “Well yes, of course you will. It is not a matter of the court you belong to. All the fey are broken creatures who can’t help but do wrong every now and then. Anyone would regret freeing any fey of any court, at some point or another. But don’t you forget, young one, that we are still people, living and sentient, and we deserve to have lives just like everyone else in the universe. We deserve to live just because we exist,” Maeve said.
You’ll definitely regret something, but make sure you consider if you want loyal followers at the expense of angering your own court, or you want those backstabbing cut throats they keep in those glades the Seelie court calls home. Consider if you want to regret choosing their happiness instead i
n your birthright pursuit,” Maeve said.
The cable car stretched itself out to pick her up right outside the entrance to the cave, and Alyss gladly took that excuse to leave then. There was something to be said for going to think about the events of the day in some level of privacy.
CHAPTER TEN
Flutterflies
The Alchemists continued on the Great Road North after Alyss had run from them. There wasn’t much of any goal for where they were headed besides away. The leaders agreed in talks together that it wasn’t very wise to spend their time staying in the same spot when the crown’s forces were likely following after them to reclaim the prisoner. They had no way of knowing that Alyss had returned to the very palace and left again, and the palace guards themselves weren’t predisposed to chase after minor outlaws when they had far great priorities for their forces than a prince’s little relationship problems.
The Alchemists kept their travels and camps on a small game trail just a few hundred yards parallel to The Great Road itself, carefully staying out of view from any travelers so they could avoid the wary eye of not just the guards they assumed follow them, but also the forces from Domed City and Witch City that had long hunted them down as rebels from the strict ways of life in the human cities.
A few stray merchants headed to the horse fair in Westin passed them by without problem. One merchant’s party had a little boy stray off the road to chase a butterfly drawn to the great gardens hidden inside the Alchemist’s camp town packed into a single cart with the power of magic. The fireblossoms they grew for potions and beauty always draw the purple flutterflies, but rarely did a curious child follow them. The outlaws tossed their prism packs over the lone mule and their steeds as well as themselves mere seconds before the child burst in amongst them. The prism packs were a recent development by the techmages that hid anything with a combination of disorienting signals broadcast from within the fabric as well as screens that set itself up as camouflage and numerous look away and disorienting spells. Having lost track of the flutterfly that had made its way into the cart and the fireflower field, and surrounded by the influence of so many prism packs, the child soon turned back to the road to be scolded by his worried father.
