by Cara E Holt
“Ready.” Maeve asks from behind me pulling me away from the beautiful view. I follow her into the bathroom and she stands there.
“Erm Maeve, would you mind if I do this myself?” I ask awkwardly.
She looks at me offended, “You don’t want my help?”
I shake my head. “I don’t mean to offend but I’m used to doing this myself.”
She nods and smiles but I can see she is put out. “I shall get your dress ready then.” She smiles disappearing off leaving me alone to strip off. I realise this will be my first wash in four days, I hesitantly sniff my armpits but they smell of deodorant, good to know someone has been thinking of my hygiene while I was unconscious. I quickly strip of and ease myself into the warm soapy water. I wash my hair and lie back in the water eyes closed. My aching muscles relish the warm water.
I decide I have probably stayed in long enough when my fingers start to wrinkle, strangely though the water hasn’t cooled any. Maeve is waiting for me when I leave the bathroom and there is a very pretty lilac dress draped over the bed, it is beautiful with delicate silver beading across the chest. Maeve fusses over me providing me with my underwear. Luckily my bra survived the animal attack and it feels good to put something of my own on. Maeve assists me into the dress which trails on the floor given that Queen Arliss is at least six or seven inches taller than me.
“This isn’t going to work. I’m going to fall arse over tit in this.” I tell her as I frown at the bottom of the dress.
Maeve looks at me shocked but quickly recovers and smiles. “Nothing I can’t fix.”
I expect her then to get out some pins and start pinning the dress but instead she waves her finger and the length shrinks to fit my short self.
“Woah!” I say in awe. “I really am in Fairy land aren’t I? I walk to the mirror and take a look. I look good in the dress but it feels over elaborate. “Could you find me a pair of jeans instead?”
Maeve laughs as if I have asked something ridiculous. “Ladies don’t wear jeans in the Seelie court. The only time we would wear trousers is when we ride.” She ushers me over to the dressing table and begins to fuss with my hair I ask her to just pop it in a pony and she laughs and ignores me doing her own thing.
“Everyone is talking about your arrival. There are already stories being shared about the black haired beauty that is to marry a prince.” She advises me as she brushes my hair.
I groan in response. “Great. They are going to be sorely disappointed when they realise I have zero etiquette.”
When Maeve is finished with me I have to do a double take as I don’t recognise myself. My Hair has been swept up with beautiful silver stars woven in it and small tendrils escaping down. My new pointy ears are on display and I touch them and frown not sure I will ever get used to them. Maeve gushes about how beautiful I am and makes me blush at the attention.
“You and the prince will make such a striking couple and make beautiful fae babies.”
My head snaps up. “Woah there!” I say putting a hand out. “Slow down I’m seventeen not twenty seven!”
Maeve looks at me like I am odd. “Here in our world we marry at eighteen, after all why wait, you know who your soul mate is.”
I nod and decide to stay silent. I could see her logic but getting married at eighteen, was that really what was expected of me? My worries are cut short when Queen Arliss enters and stands before me observing me in the dress.
“You look beautiful!” She announces and Maeve smiles looking mightily pleased with herself. “My Blaine is a very lucky boy!” I blush again and avoid her gaze, everyone here seems pretty sure that I will end up with Blaine. Queen Arliss links my arm and takes me on a tour of the castle.
The castle is huge and beautiful, there are so many rooms and I would not like to think how many bedrooms there are in this place! Queen Arliss is the perfect guide and she tells me all about the history of the castle. The room I get most excited over is the library! It is wall to wall books and I think I have found heaven. There are lots of stares from the staff as we walk on our tour and I can feel curious eyes observing me at every turn. We head into a room and I can hear noise and clashing and banging from below, we stop before a balcony area where a number of stunning Fae girls are stood observing the floor below and giggling. I look down and see what looks to be some kind of training room, young fae men are engaged in various methods of combat, some using swords, others using magic. My eyes are drawn to two fighting in the centre and I realise it is Blaine. I lean closer to the edge to get a better look. He is dressed in black training gear that emphasises his muscular frame. I notice some of the female fae are watching Blaine fighting with interest, but of course they are I mean the guy is gorgeous!
I realise I am starting to feel very small in this world, everyone is at least five foot eight and over which in comparison to my five-three frame is tall! It really does feel like being in a room with a load of supermodels! Blaine turns as he fights and our eyes meet. He smiles and says something to his sparring partner and then extends his wings and flies up to the balcony. I step back to allow him room to land and gaze in awe at the sight of him as he lands gracefully on his feet. It is not something I think I will ever get used to seeing. He kisses his mother’s cheek and then takes my hand in his and kisses it.
“My Lady.” He says and I blush uncomfortably and gently prise my hand away.
“Give over Blaine.” I say and I hear a few of the fae girls gasp and look at me shocked. Did I do something wrong? I ask myself. Queen Arliss raises an eyebrow but Blaine just laughs and gives me that cheeky signature grin. Blaine is all hot and sweaty and his top clings to him in all the right places and I find my mind wondering what it would feel like to run my hands over it. I realise I am staring and move to look back down at the training going on below. Queen Arliss moves to talk with some of the girls on the balcony, leaving Blaine to move in beside me.
“It is nice to see you up and about and looking so well.” He says as he leans in beside me.
“I feel so much better today, great actually.” I admit.
“So mother beat me to it and gave you the tour?”
I nod. “She did, you have a beautiful home.”
He smiles clearly proud of his home. “Did she show you the gardens?” I shake my head. “Great. I’ll go get cleaned up and then take you round our gardens.”
I tell him I’d like that and he leaves to change. Queen Arliss makes her way back over to me. I tell her he has gone to change and is going to show me the gardens. She is clearly pleased by this news.
“That is a lovely idea, you two need to spend lots of quality time together before you leave for the winter court.”
I look at her puzzled. “The winter court?”
“Why yes my dear. It has been agreed that each prince gets five days with you in their own court to help you make a decision.” She tells me as she observes the men training below.
I try to hide my shock that I’m being expected to choose who I will spend the rest of my life with in a weeks’ time.
“Are you okay to wait here for Blaine? I have an appointment with my tailor.” I nod and she kisses me affectionately on the cheek and leaves. I sit and watch the sparring going on below. A male fae with dark hair makes me think of Lorcen and that given what Queen Arliss has said I will be seeing him soon. I can imagine Lorcen in this world and imagine he would be pretty formidable down there sparring. My heart skips a beat thinking of him.
A hand at my waist pulls me from my Lorcen day dream and I turn to find Blaine grinning at me.
“Ready?” he asks offering me his arm like some chivalrous gentleman, I giggle and take his arm. Blaine leads us out into a courtyard and through a stone arch that takes us into a beautiful walled garden. There are so many colours of beautiful flowers and as we walk down the path it is as if the flowers lean out to greet us and I look at them intrigued as I am sure I can hear a whispering noise as they move. Blaine see’s my puzzled face and stop
to bend down and touch on the flowers, it leans into his hand as if enjoying the sensation.
“The flowers are living creatures. Here in our world they move and respond to our presence and touch. The noise you can here is them talking to one another.”
I look at him in amazement and then back down at the flowers in fascination. “The flowers talk?!” I bend down beside him and put my hand out to a beautiful white flower and sure enough it moves into my hand and rubs it’s petals against my fingers. I laugh as the sensation is tickly and it sends the flowers into a flurry of whispering.
“What are they saying?” I ask Blaine and in response he laughs.
“I have no idea, I don’t speak flower talk. Only those fae gifted with the powers of the earth can understand them.” I look at him puzzled and stand and we continue walking.
“I thought all fae were magic?”
“We are.” Blaine nods. “We all have different elemental powers, either earth, water, wind or fire.”
“What is your elemental power?” I ask intrigued. This new world is fascinating and I realise I have much to learn.
Blaine smiles cheekily. “I thought you might have guessed from seeing me in the pool. It’s water. I’ll show you sometime what I can do but basically I can control and manipulate water. Freeze it, boil it.”
I look at him in disbelief. “That’s amazing. Will I be able to do things like that given I’m only half fae?”
He shrugs. “More than likely, most half fae inherit some of their parent’s abilities, though they maybe not as strong.”
We carry on walking and I wonder curiously what my element magic will be. I have always loved windy weather so maybe that’s a sign.
“You look beautiful by the way, in that dress.” He compliments and I smile shyly.
“Thank you. I have to say I’d much prefer jeans but it is a very pretty dress and very kind of your mother to let me borrow it.”
Blaine smiles at this. “In our world female fae don’t wear trousers.”
I nod remembering my conversation earlier with Maeve. Blaine leads us over to a gorgeous wooden swing seat tucked in the corner of the garden and we sit beside each other. I take in my surroundings and observe a fae couple walking by hand in hand. I sigh and Blaine gives me a questioning glance.
“I feel like a dwarf here! Everyone is so tall and regal looking. Are all fae so tall?”
Blaine takes my hand and chuckles “We are.”
“I clearly get my lack of height from my human parent then!” I groan and Blaine laughs again. His beautiful face when he laughs is perfect.
“You are so different from the girls here. It’s refreshing.” He tells me as he observes my hand in his.
“The girls here all look like tall beautiful willowy models and you get matched to a short half human like me!”
Blaine takes my chin in his hand and raises it so I meet his eyes “You’re perfect.” He leans in and I realise he is about to kiss me and my breath hitches in apprehension. Our lips meet and at first I am still but then I find myself responding. His kisses are gentle and soft, his kisses give me a warm flutter in my stomach. I pull away and look anywhere but at Blaine.
“That was.., that was …”
“Perfect.” Blaine says smiling at me.
I smile. “I was going to say nice.”
Blaine raises an eyebrow. “Nice! I think you found it more than nice.” He leans in. “Maybe we should confirm whether it is nice or perfect.” He teases and his lips find mine again. I find myself responding again and somehow I end up on his lap with my hands in his hair. His tongue finds its way into my mouth and I groan at the pleasure of the sensation. A cough makes us jump apart and I find a young girl about ten or eleven grinning like a Cheshire cat at us. I move to sit back on the bench beside Blaine but he tightens his arm on my waist to keep me there.
“Alina, we’re kind of busy.” Blaine says making it clear the interruption was not welcome.
She grins. “So I see but I wanted to meet her.” The girl says looking at me in curiosity. Blaine rolls his eyes and smiles.
“Ebony – Alina. Now shedazzle!” He tells her gesturing with his head for her to move on.
Alina puts her hands on her hips and frowns at him. “You can suck her face off later.” I blush and can’t help but laugh and Blaine shakes his head exasperated.
She holds out her hand to me. “Hi I’m Alina, It’s nice to meet you.” I respond and shake her hand smiling.
“You’re very pretty.” She states observing me closely.
“So are you.” I reply and she smiles at me. She turns like she hears something down the garden.
“I have to go.” She puts out her bottom lip. “Boring piano lesson! Can we catch up later?” She asks me and I nod.
“Of course, I’d like that.” She beams in response then turns to Blaine and sticks out her tongue at him.
“You can carry on eating her face if you want to now.” She laughs and before Blaine can respond she skips off down the path. We are both quiet and I’m not really sure what to say or do, I feel funny sat on his knee like this.
“So.” He smiles. “Still just nice?”
I chuckle and roll my eyes. “Okay it was very very nice.” Blaine rolls his eyes in response and laughing tickles me making me giggle and squirm. My mind at that point strays to Lorcen and Blaine must see the worry in my eyes.
“What’s wrong?”
I shake my head and look away from his questioning concerned expression.
“What if I can’t choose between the two of you?” I ask biting my bottom lip anxiously.
Blaine tries to make light of the situation “Well I’m not up for sharing.”
I push him playfully. “Gross!”
His face becomes serious then. “Just listen to your heart and let that guide you.”
We sit quietly then and just take in the view. Blaine is good company and conversation is easy with him, he does make me laugh, he could make me happy, but what about Lorcen?
CHAPTER NINE.
Blaine escorts me back to my room and before leaving me drops the bomb that there is a ‘small gathering’ this evening to celebrate my arrival and to introduce me to members of the royal court. I cringe inside at the thought of being centre of attention.
“Where is Lorcen?” I ask Blaine. I feel bad asking him but I need to know.
Blaine pauses before answering. “He is at his home in the Unseelie court.”
“Okay. I just I thought he might have visited me.” Truth is I am quite hurt that he hasn’t been to see me.
“Lorcen wouldn’t come here. The Seelie and Unseelie courts are civil but our paths only cross when they have to at important events in the year.”
“So he can’t see me even if he wanted to?” I ask frowning.
Blaine shakes his head. “It has been agreed that I will have five days with you here in the Seelie court and then Lorcen will get five days with you in the Unseelie court. To give you time to have time with the both us in our homes.”
I nod in response. “Who agreed this?” I am feeling frustrated that decisions are being made that I seem to have no say in.
“My father and Queen Eira – Lorcen’s mother.”
“So I suddenly get no say in my life?” I ask in exasperation.
Blaine shuffles his feet clearly uncomfortable. “Things are different here Ebony.”
I lean my head against the door. “No Kidding.” I’ve never liked being told what to do, it brings out the rebellious side in me.
“You’re sulking.” Blaine teases.
I frown but smile at the same time. “I don’t sulk, I brood.”
“It’s cute.” He says nudging his foot against mine. “Go and have a rest. I’ll come by your room for you at six.”
I roll my eyes again but nod. “Can’t wait.” I say completely lacking in any enthusiasm.
I must have dosed off as I am awoken by Maeve moving about my room. I sit bolt up in bed and rub my
eyes.
“What time is it?” I ask yawning and having a quick stretch.
“Five-thirty, my lady.”
“Oh shit! “ I shout and jump of the bed but somehow manage to tangle my feet in my covers and face plant the floor. Maeve helps me up and calms me down telling me she will easy have me ready, and to be fair she does. By just before six I am stood having the finishing touches to my hair done, which Maeve has curled and done it half up, half down. The dress is another beautiful piece of art, it is pale green and Grecian style. It shows off my figure perfectly. There’s a knock at the door and Blaine walks in and stops at the door drinking me in from head to toe.
He stops in his tracks. “Wow, you look amazing.”
I blush as I always do when complimented and take in his appearance. He is wearing dark blue trousers and a dark blue top that looks like the type a soldier would wear, there is a gold sash across his chest and a sword at his waist. He looks every inch a handsome fae prince. I fiddle nervously with the sleeve of my dress.
“You’re nervous.” Blaine states rather than asks me and I realise the anxiety I’m feeling inside must be showing in my face.
He smiles and puts his arm round me affectionately. “Let’s go.” I take his arm and say a quick thank you to Maeve and we head off.
“Is it nice to be back in your own world?” I ask needing conversation to distract me from the butterflies in my stomach.
He moves his head from side to side as if indecisive. “Yes and no. This is my home and I love it but in your world I got to be someone else, you know what I mean? Not a prince but just an ordinary guy and I could do as I pleased. No duties or responsibilities or expectations.”
I nod in understanding. “It does seem more formal here. I said shit before and Maeve looked horrified.”
Blaine laughs in response. “It was good while it lasted, we always knew it would only be until we found you.”
I look up at him confused and stop in my steps. “So when I go back home, you and Lorcen will be staying here?”
“Ebony this is your home now, your place whichever way you decide is here in the fae realm.”