I swung around at the arrogant words to glare at Mena's silver haired elder. The woman glared back, not trying to hide her animosity at all.
“You would be?” I asked.
“Marietja.” She looked me over, then turned her attention to Mena. “She is presentable, you may leave.”
Mena curtsied to me and left quietly with her head looking at the floor.
“The festivities start at two, it is already past eleven, so I suggest you eat and occupy yourself in the grounds until you are called upon.” And with that, she left.
“Well that was pleasant. Not.” I shook my head and ran a hand down the front of my dress to soothe my nerves.
Eat and occupy myself. Well, there was no food in my rooms, so I guess it was time to wander. I found it amazing that they wouldn't have me chaperoned and Mena had seemed the obvious choice for that. I had to admit, I missed the girl and did kind of wish she had hung around. She babbled and talked non-stop, but it was always pleasant and nice and not an ounce of unfriendliness to be seen. But no doubt, the wicked witch of Ljósálfar, Marietja, had other ominous tasks for the poor girl to carry out.
I stood on the threshold of Lutin's chambers and looked both left and then right. I was unconscious when Lutin brought me here, so I had no idea which way to go. I sniffed, but couldn't place any smells of food on the air, so shrugged and went left. I had the feeling Marietja had gone right. That was definitive enough for me.
I wandered hallway after hallway after hallway. Stopping every now and then to admire a piece of artwork or an intricately made tapestry. I even watched a group of fey women embroidering in one room. They smiled pleasantly, but didn't offer up conversation at all. Finally I found my way out of the building, which viewed from the outside confirmed my impression of it being a castle. One with turrets and flapping long streamlined flags. I expected to see a knight in armour on a big stallion come tearing around the corner, but no such luck.
I hadn't come out near the gardens and pond though, this was definitely what I would call the servant's entrance. Horses were being fed and brushed and shod, carts were being mended and maids were scurrying around with pails and mops and armfuls of fresh vegetables. They were all so busy they didn't pay me any attention. Which I was grateful for. I watched for a while from my vantage point against the wall of the castle, then slipped out a side gate in search of the gardens.
I had to circumnavigate the entire castle. Of course I had chosen the wrong direction to set out in, as it took me almost the entire perimeter of the building to make to all the way around to the pond. Had I gone in the opposite direction I would have reached it in less than five minutes, instead of the three quarters of an hour it had taken. Or then again, maybe not. This was Álfheimr and although the Fey could walk through space to get somewhere, I could not.
I found a quiet space under a shady tree to watch the ducks on the pond and the boats fishing over by the opposite shore.
I was hungry, tired from traipsing about in the multitude of folds in my dress and lonely. Who would have thought I would miss Lutin. I was actually feeling bitter that he had gone off gallivanting around goddess knows where all day and leaving me without a companion. I picked up a branch that had fallen off the tree I leant against and started whittling it with a sharp stone. In half an hour I had a rudimentary stake. Not thick, mind you, but sharp enough to stab someone in the eye.
I slipped it into the bodice of my dress and began working on another.
I had three more lined up on the ground next to me when a loud horn blasted from the castle. I looked towards the building but couldn't see any significance for it so kept working on my next weapon. At least my day hadn't been wasted. I was now armed, in a fashion, and I had occupied myself quite well. I was thirsty and hungry though, but I pushed those feeling aside and kept whittling.
I heard him, before I saw him. I have good hearing which thankfully had not been lost to me, like my Light. So, I hid the three finished “stakes” in the folds of my skirt and readied myself for confrontation. He approached from the rear and the desire to turn around and face him was incredible, but I kept my head slightly cocked, watching his feet slowly approach. When he was within striking distance I prepared to launch.
“I will not harm you, human.” His voice was soft, but lacked that melodious lilt the Fey usually employed.
“I'd believe that better if you weren't sneaking up on me,” I replied through gritted teeth. Always stay on guard.
A manly laugh came from behind me. “He said you were quite tough. You are not like the ladies of our realm, are you?”
“Come a little closer and I'll show you how much I differ from your dainty little ladies,” I offered, waiting for him to start some fey magic, a chime or two would come next
“My name is Alerac.” And when I gasped, he said, “He has told you of me, good. This will make things easier.”
“What easier?” I asked, my heart in my throat.
“There isn't much time.” There never bloody is. “They have started a search party for you, you are late for the kvángask.”
“Wouldn't want to miss that!” I spat back.
I could hear the grin in his voice when he replied. “I cannot get you out until after the ceremony. I am sorry. It is just too dangerous. You will have to go through with it. But, as soon as the sharing is complete a distraction will cause chaos in the ballroom. At that point, get away from the Prince quietly and head behind the Queen's throne. I will meet you there and we shall escape.”
“Escape?” I said hopefully, finally spinning round to look at the man. But, he had gone. Stepped through some bloody rift in space and vanished in thin air, no doubt.
My heart was thumping and I looked around wild eyed trying to see evidence that it hadn't been a dream. It didn't feel like a dream. I shook my head to clear my mind, but it wasn't fuzzy. You know that blurriness you get when waking up from sleep. This felt real, as though I had been awake all along talking to a figment of my dream mind.
It was one thing to dream up Michel visiting me on my parents' farm back in New Zealand. It was a whole other to fabricate a fairy named Alerac. Just because my dream Michel had told me to find him, my mind had conjured him up out of thin air with relish. I was so desperate for contact with Michel I was hallucinating.
Or maybe the silver haired Marietja had slipped me a potion in my sleep.
I ran my hands down my arms, as goosebumps had risen and noticed there was now a definite chill in the air. I sighed. There was no point in delaying it and I was quite sure any tardiness on my part would be frowned upon by the Queen. I stood up and dusted myself down, noticing how the material of my dress brushed immaculately clean and not a crease could be seen amongst it.
I braced myself for the unpleasantness ahead and started walking stiffly back to the castle. So, my mind had dreamed up a rescue mission, but it was incapable of dreaming one up that saved me from the sharing I was expected to participate in? I smiled bitterly to myself. If this was the real world, that would probably make sense. A rescue mission can't be perfect in reality. That only happens in the movies and I was definitely not in one of those. Still, a fairy named Alerac, who won't show me his face, spiriting me away from under the Queen's nose, just because my dream Michel had planned it, did kind of sound make-believe.
I was losing it. There was no other explanation for it. And by the time I faced the Court of Queen Isoleth's this afternoon, my mind would be safely tucked up in Whackoville and I'd be able to survive what lay ahead.
Oh, happy days.
Chapter 13
The Kvángask
I was met by a flustering fairy halfway between my tree and the doors to the castle.
“There you are, my Lady,” the thin, reedy man in strange three quarter length jodhpurs exclaimed as I approached him. His hands flapping about in front of him like he was conducting an orchestra. “The Prince is beside himself with worry and the Queen is most upset.”
“By
upset, do you mean angry?” I asked carefully.
He smiled indulgently at me and said, “Yes, I fear so. But, I shall make up some excuse for you, my dear and all shall be forgotten once the kvángask has been completed.”
Way to go fluffy fairy, remind me of my duties. I trudged after him unable to utter a witty retort and simply followed along past several frowning fairies into the castle. We didn't end up in the throne room I had met the Queen in, but an antechamber of some description. Lutin was pacing.
As soon as he saw me he sprinted across the space and clasped me in his arms.
“Where have you been, elska?”
His grip was quite firm, but the pressure of his chest against mine and in particular, a couple of my whittled tree stakes, made me grunt out a breath of air. He instantly pulled back and assessed me.
“Are you hurt?”
I shook my head at him, but he didn't take no for an answer. In a flash he had his hands running over my dress. And although I thought I had hidden the stakes well, Lutin sure knew his way around these styles of dresses, because in an instant, he had all four stakes lined up on a side table. He turned to look at me, reproach apparent in his eyes.
“What is this?”
“I can't protect myself here, Lutin, you've stolen my Light,” I replied shrugging. I didn't see it as a big deal and everything I had said was true. I'm a vampire hunter, being armed is part of my psyche. Of course, vampires don't exist in this realm.
“Why would you need to protect yourself? You are my elska.”
I threw my arms up in defeat. “Oh, I don't know. Maybe the unwelcome feeling I get from Marietja and others like her make me want to continually look over my shoulder. Or perhaps I was left alone today and haven't eaten a bloody thing which makes me a bit cranky and when I get cranky I get defensive. When I get defensive I need to be armed. Take your pick, Prince of Ljósálfar, but if you have a problem with my attitude, why don't you send me the fuck home?” The last of that was said in a shout.
The fairies that had remained in the room suddenly exited without a word from Lutin. He stood there looking at me, the greens in his eyes swirling around and around.
Finally, he said, “You have not eaten? And you were alone?”
“Yes,” I answered, still on guard.
He ran a hand through his short blonde hair. “That is unacceptable.” He walked over to a door and opened it up, stepping through and looking around. “You there, get the Princess some food. Quickly.” Shutting the door, he turned back to me, all anger gone.
I watched him like he was some rabid dog, about to snap and bite if I made any sudden moves. He walked slowly towards me, so slow I could see every muscle in his body ripple. As though he knew any quick manoeuvre on his part would frighten me away. I just kept staring and let the doubt I felt fill my eyes. Like I've said, I'm not the world's best actress. Sometimes I simply forget to hide my true feelings away.
He stopped a foot before me and sighed. “I will not harm you, elska and I will protect you from any harm from another. You no longer have to fight, Lucinda. Your days as a hunter are over.” He seemed to think this would be good news. He really didn't know me at all. “I had business to attend today, but I will ensure if I have to be away from you, that you will have adequate company and protection, if this makes you happier.”
I wanted to shout at him again. To tell him I could look after myself if he let me be armed, or gave me my Light back. But, neither of those things would have got me what I needed. Which was Lutin's trust and us both back in my world.
“I was lonely,” I said, instead. “It was just natural to make a weapon, it kept my mind off missing you.”
And oh boy did I hope I hadn't over done it. I held my breath and watched as Lutin's whole body relaxed even more and a mischievous grin replaced the concern.
His hands came up and ran over my bare arms, then over the décolletage of my dress, brushing the mounds of my breasts and then further down either side of the fitted bodice.
“How much did you miss me?” he purred, stepping his body to within an inch of mine.
I let a breath out in a rush intentionally and watched his eyes widen. “A lot,” I whispered. “I didn't think I would.”
“But you did.” He nestled his face into my neck and started kissing. His hands running all over my back and sides.
By the time food arrived his face was in my cleavage and I'd arched my back up to give him better access. It was easy to trick him like this, he wasn't looking at the grimace on my face. I quickly schooled my features into what I hoped was a lusty mask, though, when I heard the door open.
“Some food, your Highness,” the servant announced, remaining by the table and eagerly watching the show.
Lutin growled but didn't say anything. He didn't ask the servant to leave either, just kept kissing me and then slowly walking me backwards until my back hit a wall. I felt the tapestry on it shift slightly as my shoulders slid across its surface.
My eyes were locked on the watchful servant, who licked his lips and smiled in return. He didn't make a move to leave, just relaxed his stance and settled in for the show.
“Lutin,” I whispered and his lips came up to my mouth. I was thinking to shut me up.
Finally, Lutin's mouth moved from mine and I managed to speak.
“We have an audience, Lutin. Stop.”
“Elska. We will have more of an audience in the ballroom than one servant.
“Please, Lutin,” I whispered, tears springing up in my eyes and running down my face. “I can't do this. Please.”
He pulled back immediately, took one look at me and said over his shoulder, “Get out.”
The servant left with a neutral expression on his face.
My heartbeat was hammering and my throat had gone dry and I thought I'd be sick at any moment. Lutin stepped away. His eyes looking at the floor and not me.
“Did you actually miss me today?” he asked in a low, quiet voice.
Instinctively I knew this was a pivotal moment. What work I had put in to him trusting me, believing in me, could all be washed away by saying the wrong words now. I took a deep breath in and hoped I was doing the right thing.
“Right now, I don't know why I did.” I was angry and hiding it was going to be hard, plus, I couldn't believe Lutin would accept an outright confirmation that I had missed him, after what had just happened.
“Oh, elska,” he said looking back up at me, regret in his eyes. “I am so sorry.”
We stared at each other and I slowly relaxed my shoulders, letting him know I was accepting his apology. He reached forward tentatively and took my hand and then led me to the table with food.
“Eat, my love. Then we will get the kvángask behind us and I will spend the rest of the night proving to you that your faith in me is not misplaced.”
I sat down and forced myself to eat. It was the last thing I wanted to do. But, even the thought of fey food possibly being poisonous to humans couldn't erase the knowledge that if I didn't eat, I couldn't fight back. So I did. And managed to eat most of what had been brought in on the tray. I didn't keel over and die, nor did I feel suddenly unwell, so I assumed Lutin had been right, when he said I could eat in this realm.
“Are you ready?” he asked from his side of the room, where he had been leaning against a wall and watching me.
I sucked in a breath and lied through my teeth. “Sure.”
He took my hand and led me through a door which connected directly with an enormous room. Larger than the throne room and more ornate. The walls were all mirrored, like the Palace of Versailles' Hall of Mirrors. Gold edged each mirror and flowed out onto the floor. Swirling designs covered the stones underfoot, which mirrored the ceiling above. Statues of imps and fairies and pixies and creatures I couldn't even name were standing at regular intervals all the way down the hundred foot room. It was all simply so overwhelming, I couldn't take in the size and grandeur in one hit.
There were more pe
ople here than there had been last night in the Queen's throne room. So much colour and movement, it was almost too much for my eyes to comprehend. The Fey women dressed in wads of luxurious fabrics in bright colours. Everything so plush and overly done. I wasn't sure if the dyes here were enhanced magically, but the colours on the dresses seemed surreal. The men were equally as impressive. Their colours darker though, more masculine, but matching the vibrancy and diversity of the women. It was a kaleidoscope of rich, dynamic, sparkling beauty.
I could just make out in the centre of the room a raised platform. On it an ornate altar, draped in white gauzy fabrics. If it didn't represent what was about to happen, it would have been beautiful. I stopped dead in my tracks at the sight of it. What the hell did sharing of Light actually entail? Planting my feet and locking my knees, so Lutin couldn't move me further into the room. Couldn't move me closer to that monstrosity, that represented everything I hated about Álfheimr.
Lutin sensed my reluctance to go further and turned to fold me in his arms. I had already reached, reflexively, for my Light. A natural defensive action, one that immediately sent a shocking stab of pain through my head. I collapsed forward into his embrace. His own Light wrapped me up, just as quickly, and chased away the pain.
“Elska. Relax. There is nothing to fear. Nothing at all." He glanced back at the altar, at where my eyes were fixed in horror. "The altar is merely a comfortable platform for the sharing of Light. Sometimes, when one shares Light, it can have such an exquisite effect, that one is momentarily weakened. Requiring a moment to recuperate. We will be safe, if this happens, nothing can harm us here. And besides, to share Light in such a venue, on such a day and in such a sacred ceremony, will undoubtedly take its toll on us. But it will be beautiful. Trust me. " I didn't believe him, trust him, but his influence had already calmed my rapidly rising heart rate and slowed down my breaths. His lips ghosted over mine and I sighed. “Oh, elska, I cannot wait another minute to complete this, to meld our Light together once and for all. Imagine what it will be like. None has ever come close to my Light, as you.”
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