Untitled

by Riana Lucas

  Knowing that could change at any moment, I use a friendly yet still authoritative voice when I greet them. “Hello and welcome to the Seelie castle. I am Princess Poppy of the Seelie court. What is it that you seek from us today?”

  Surprisingly, all four fae bow slightly, acknowledging my status and paying their respect. I had not expected this. I glance at Reed quickly, eyes wide in question. He just shrugs, keeping his attention on the four fae in front of us. Knowing that the others will not be able to offer any insight, I turn my attention back to the fae as they stand tall once more.

  The tallest and wildest looking male of the group takes a small step forward as he addresses me. “Hello, Princess Poppy. It is an honor to meet you. I am Skye, these are my companions.” He gestures to each one in turn. “Oakley, Hemlock, and Jimson. We have come to confirm the rumors that are circulating throughout Faery Land. The ones that say you and your queen have found a cure for the disease.”

  I eye them carefully, seeing only sincere curiosity with a small amount of hope. Making a decision that I hope I will not regret later, I nod at them. “Yes, with the help of others, we have found a start to a cure for the disease. We are hoping to find a permanent cure for all of the unclaimed eventually, but it is still in the beginning stages of development.”

  They let out a relieved breath, the hope intensifying within their eyes. “We would like to offer our assistance to you on this undertaking. We will do whatever you need in order to help find a cure for the unclaimed. We will offer our services for anything from research to experimentation, anything. Please allow us to help you and your queen.”

  “What’s in it for you?” Reed asks skeptically.

  Four pairs of eyes turn to him. Skye’s are slightly narrowed in annoyance, but he still answers the question. “The only thing we want is to be cured,” he says with determination and a glimmer of hope in his eyes.

  Reed and Skye continue to stare at each other, sizing each other up, weighing each other’s words. I clear my throat to gain their attention once again.

  “I will have to speak with the ones that are in charge of administering the cure, but it may be a few days before we can get this settled. As my guard stated before, we have some more pressing matters to deal with right now.”

  “Yes, your guards said something about a battle. We have not heard anything lately, but are aware of the happenings between the Seelie and Unseelie court. Is there an upcoming battle between the two of you?”

  This time Gideon steps up. “That is no concern of yours. You have the answers you seek from our princess. When we are ready, and when you are needed, we will find you.”

  Skye straightens his spine, and I can see that he is restraining himself, trying to remain respectful and polite, but he does not care for being spoken to this way. Instead of addressing Gideon, he looks at me when he speaks. “With all due respect, Princess, I only ask because perhaps we could be of assistance.”

  Gideon starts to speak again, but I stop him. I know his reservations about dealing with the unclaimed; they are the same as that of most fae, Seelie and Unseelie. But my experiences have been different, and my opinions have changed. Rowan and Holly have both given me insight that not many other fae have had. I know the unclaimed are not all evil or always feral. I know there is hope for them, and when they are clear-headed, they are just like the rest of us.

  Not to mention, the idea of having the unclaimed at our back would be a huge advantage. “How is it that you can help and why would you want to? The unclaimed have been on their own for as long as time has been. They have never involved themselves with matters of either court. They have not even wanted to make themselves known to us. Why would you want to help us and why now?” I ask, truly confused at their eagerness to help us in something that has nothing to do with them.

  “I fully understand your skepticism, and you are correct. We have always wanted to keep ourselves separate, more out of shame and fear than anything else. The disease is unpredictable. Those of us that still hold on to a bit of our sanity do not wish to harm innocents. We separate ourselves for that reason. However, the Unseelie have not done the same. The king has spent years hunting us, torturing us, or imprisoning us. He found great joy in pitting us against one another, watching us fight and kill each other. I know the king is dead, but Damien is no better than King Foxglove was. We wish to stop him before he is able to cause more chaos in Faery Land, but our numbers are small, and we cannot do it alone. We are not organized enough, and we need a leader we can follow. I believe you are that leader.” I eye him for a moment, gauging his words. I personally had not seen these things, but there were rumors. And knowing the king, I have no reason to doubt Skye’s words.

  “What do you want from us in exchange for your help?” I think I already know the answer to my question, but I ask anyway. I need to hear the words.

  “The answer is the same as before. Only the cure. That is all we seek, all we want. The added bonus of not having to look over our shoulder constantly for a threat from the Unseelie court is just that, a bonus. We do not want, nor will we ask for anything else from you, the queen, or the Seelie court. You have my word.”

  I feel the tension around me subside just a fraction with the vow Skye has just made. “Thank you for your offer, but I am not sure how much help you will be. We have been training for quite a while, and I have been providing my warriors with inside information on the Unseelie court. I am afraid there is not time to give you all of those details,” I tell him regretfully. The unclaimed fighting beside us would be a huge advantage over Damien and the Unseelie.

  He shrugs lightly. “Then we will just follow your lead, remain on the fringes of the battle and step in only when needed.”

  “Umm…” Unsure of whether I should accept their help or not, I glance at my friends. Holly is the first one that catches my eye. I can tell that she has been watching me throughout the conversation. Now I look to her for her help. She can read them better than I can, she can gauge their sincerity and honesty. She nods once. There is a look of hope and thankfulness in her eyes when she does this. My accepting their help means that I am accepting them. I can understand why this would mean so much to Holly. I glance at the others quickly; they nod their agreement as well.

  I turn back to the unclaimed with a smile. “Very well. We would appreciate any help you can offer. We leave just before dawn. Come with me, and I will show you our training room. You can gather weapons or whatever else you may need from there. I will also have someone brief you as quickly as possible on what our plan of attack is. I am afraid that is the best I can do in such a short period of time.” I turn to lead them to the training room, but Skye stops me.

  “Excuse me, Princess, but we will not need to borrow any weapons. We have our own that we would prefer to use. There is also no need to brief us. I agree that there really is no time, so we will do as I said before. We will remain on the fringes of the battle and follow your lead. We will only step in when needed by you or your warriors. Is this okay with you?”

  “Yes, of course. That will be fine. You may still come and have dinner with us if you would like.”

  “We appreciate the offer, but if we are to leave when you do, we will need to get word back to the others and give them the details of what we have discussed.”

  “Others?” This catches me by surprise. Four unclaimed working together is rare, more is unheard of.

  “Yes, my princess. There are about twenty-five others that have also heard the rumors of the cure. They are awaiting our news. I am sure they will want to assist in the battle as well.”

  “Oh, okay. Well then…we will meet you here three hours before dawn. Will that be enough time for you to gather your weapons and the others?”

  “Yes, that will be more than enough time. Thank you, Princess Poppy. It has been an honor to meet you and will be an even greater honor to fight with you.” He bows his head in respect, the others doing so as well.

  “Thank you,
Skye. We will see you soon.” I incline my head slightly before he turns and leaves with the others. We stand quietly as we watch them go, fading quietly and quickly into the woods of the Faery Forest.

  Reed is the first to break the silence. “Well, that was interesting.”

  “That is an understatement,” I say, still a bit surprised by the sudden turn of events.

  Holly snorts, causing us to look at her. “What?” she says too innocently.

  I shake my head at her then say to everyone, “Well, we better go tell my mother about this. I am sure she will have some sort of input.”

  Holly snorts again. “Now that’s an understatement.”

  4

  We finally make it to the dining hall, but it is nothing like the dining hall I have become so used to in my short time here.

  For the first time since stepping foot in, or rather being thrust into, the Seelie court, there is a drastic change in the mood here. The usually joyous, happy crowd that is always present when walking into the dining hall is anything but now. They are very somber tonight. They become even more so when I enter the room with my friends.

  The room becomes deathly silent, all eyes turning to focus solely on me. I can see the worry and the fear in their eyes. It is unnerving to see these fae so vulnerable. I know they are concerned for their loved ones, but I can see that they are also scared for me and their court.

  Hoping to put some of their worries at ease, I walk confidently toward the other end of the dining hall where my mother sits, making eye contact with each and every fae I pass. I offer small smiles, slight nods, and murmured hellos to those I pass. Instead of bowing or averting their eyes as they once did, they look proudly back at me. I can still see the fear in their eyes, but it is also accompanied by their support and faith in me. It is a humbling walk.

  Just before I reach my seat at the royal table, a little fae child runs toward me, stopping when she is standing directly in my path, effectively halting my steps. She cranes her head back to look up at me, which is very far because she is a very tiny thing. She cannot be more than a few years old. Her hair is thick and yellow like the sun, flowing down over her shoulders. Her skin is pale, but she has pink, rosy cheeks that are plump like a chipmunk’s. Her lips are pursed and her eyes narrowed, giving only a hint of the brightness they possess. What I assume to be her mother rushes over quickly, looking a bit nervous. She reaches for her child, but I stop her with a raised hand and a slight shake of my head. If it were possible, I would have thought the room grew even quieter.

  I offer the mother what I hope is a reassuring smile, then turn back to the fae child before me. “May I help you?” I gently ask her. I have never had much interaction with fae children, so I am a little unsure of myself. Training and completing missions have never put me in a situation that would call for that sort of interaction. I am a bit nervous to be talking to a faery child now, but she seems as if she has something to say and I do not wish to deny her the opportunity.

  I am drawn from my thoughts when the tiny child answers in a strong voice. “Yes. You may.” She crosses her tiny arms over her equally tiny chest as her eyes narrow even further. I hate to admit it, but she is making me a little uneasy. I suddenly feel as if I have done something wrong and am in trouble. I glance over my shoulder to see my friends fighting grins. If they are finding this funny, I must not be in too much trouble. I turn back to the small faery, crouching down in front of her so that she does not have to look so high up.

  “Well, would you like to tell me what it is that I can help you with?” I ask politely, unsure of the proper way to speak to her and definitely not wanting to make her any angrier than she already appears to be.

  Apparently, I did it correctly because she does not hesitate to answer me. “My father is one of the warriors. He is very good, one of the best! He is going to fight with you and kill all of those awful Unseelie fae.” She crinkles up her small nose when she says this, causing myself along with a few others around to chuckle softly. When she glares, I quickly blank my face. Seeming satisfied with my attention again, she continues. “He said you promised he would come home safely. Is that true? Will my daddy be okay?” Her speech started out strong and confident, easily able to rival that of a grown faery, but near the end, her true vulnerability begins to show. Her words become softer, and her eyes become larger, transforming her from a fierce little warrior to a vulnerable little girl.

  I glance back at my friends for support, unsure of what I should say. I see a slight shake of Holly and Gideon’s heads, warning me not to make promises I cannot keep. I understand, but that does not help. I turn back, still unsure of what I am going to say, but the faery child’s mother steps up. “Forgive me, Princess. She is only a child. We did not wish to have her scared, but we do not require such a promise from you either. We know you will do all you can.” She begins to gather up her daughter, and suddenly I know the right thing to say. I place my hand on the mother's shoulder to stop her before turning to the child.

  “What is your name?” I ask her softly.

  “Lily, just like my queen,” she says proudly, some of her earlier fire returning.

  I smile at that. “Well, that is a lovely name. And just like our queen, you are a very brave and smart faery. I know that you know I cannot be everywhere at once. I am only one fae.” Her shoulders droop a tiny bit, but I continue. “However, I do promise that I will do all I can to protect each and every one of my warriors. We have a good plan and our warriors are the best in all Faery Land. You must believe in that and have faith that your daddy will return home to you. Understood?”

  “Yes, Princess Poppy!” She throws her tiny arms around my neck and squeezes tightly. I hesitate for only a moment before I return the hug. “Now go with your mother, Lily. I will see you when we return home from our battle,” I whisper into her sweet smelling hair.

  She pulls back. Her eyes are wide now, allowing me to see their brightness and beautiful glow. They, like her hair, are as bright as the morning sun. “Really? You wish to see me?” Her voice is eager.

  “Of course. Someone as brave as you, I will need to keep an eye on you. I bet one day you too will make a very fine warrior, just like your father.”

  Her smile is blinding but then is quickly gone. She glances to the side before leaning in close so she can whisper in my ear. “I would rather be like you.”

  I laugh softly as I squeeze her one last time. “We will see. Now go have dinner with your family,” I say with another smile as I steer her toward her mother.

  She skips off eagerly, leaving her mother to follow along behind her. When I stand again, I can see the smiles on the faces nearby as well as the pride and approval in their eyes. My mother stands out among them with the most pleased look on her face. Willow, who beat us to the dining hall, wears a similar look. I avert my face in embarrassment as I finish walking to the table and take my seat. Conversation slowly begins to pick back up around us, but the mood still remains somber and tinged with anxiety. That will not change until we have returned home victorious.

  I finally look up at my mother, her face still glowing with pride. “That was very well done, my daughter.”

  “Ummm…thank you.” My embarrassment is clear, causing my mother to try and reassure me further.

  “Poppy, you did exactly as I would have done. You said all the right things and you made that little girl believe in something good. I know there are no guarantees, but sometimes we must say just the right thing in order to instill hope in someone so young.”

  “But what if I lied to her?” My anxiety and fear are beginning to build, replacing my earlier eagerness and confidence. It is not a feeling I like but also is one I cannot ignore.

  “You did not. You told her the truth. You cannot protect everyone, but with the preparations you and the others have taken and the strategy you have come up with, you have offered the best possible outcome for our court. That is all you can do, and it is more than most ever could. You have m
ade it possible for our court to finally defeat the Unseelie as well as take over the throne. That is more than any of us could have ever hoped for. Do not begin to doubt yourself now.”

  It still catches me off guard when someone I have just met knows me so well. I have spent my entire life hiding my feelings and remaining distant from everyone around me, not always by choice. It is nice to finally have someone to talk to that understands me. My mother is right. I was beginning to doubt myself and my ability to lead this army into battle with the Unseelie. I was letting my fear and anxiety over being able to bring back my warriors safely cause me to doubt myself. Doubting myself will only cause doubt among my warriors and the fae of my court. Only a confident, prepared army can win this battle. This will be a very tough one as it is. The Unseelie are strong, conniving, and merciless. We will need all of our confidence and training, as well as the knowledge I have provided, to give us the upper hand. Doubting myself or allowing anyone else to do so will only make things more difficult.

  My mother is watching me closely; a small smile touches her lips when she sees that I understand her words. Pushing away the fear and with it the doubt, I straighten my spine and look around at the other occupants of our table. The table is filled with my friends, my mother, Rowan, and Anna, all of whom either know or need to know of our new allies. Deciding now is just as good a time as any, I lean further into the table, keeping my voice soft so only this group can hear me. The rest of the court will find out soon enough. “We have an unexpected ally that wishes to join our forces.”