by Sumida, Amy
A few faeries tried to stop Danal and speak to him but he said a few curt words and we kept walking. Soon we were at the base of the central tree. Here the roots formed steps leading up to a large doorway. We went up them and through the door, my sight blinded for a moment by the bright lights.
When I adjusted, I was able to see the plush carpet we were walking over and the detailed tapestries hung along the walls. We were heading down a large hallway, garnering quite a bit of attention from passerby, and above us floated glass orbs swirling with white lights.
“Watch your step,” Danal hissed at me when I nearly tripped because I was staring up at the orbs.
“Sorry,” I mumbled and tried to focus on my feet.
We went through several hallways, turning and twisting so much that it would be hopeless for me to try to find my own way out of there. That didn't help my growing unease at all. Then I spotted a cat. A beautiful, sleek, black cat with a white spot on its chest and bright green eyes. He was sitting in the middle of a doorway, looking perfectly at home in this strange world, as most cats do in any surrounding. I was so shocked to see something familiar, so happy to have found a piece of solid ground in an unstable world, that I let go of Danal's hand and approached the animal.
“Hey, beautiful,” I called and crouched, holding out a hand to it. “What are you doing here?”
“Vervain, no,” Danal reached out for me and I automatically looked over my shoulder at him but his hand fell back before he made contact, and his eyes grew wide as they focused on something behind and above me.
I turned around, catching the tail end of what must have been a shapeshift. The air still shimmered a bit and the body before me was a little hazy before it sharpened into being. I was left staring at a pair of leather-clad thighs where previously there had been only cat. I frowned, instantly knowing my mistake, as I lifted my head and looked up a wide chest into a ruggedly beautiful face. I gasped and shot to my feet.
“Hey, to you as well,” he grinned widely at me, showing off pointed canines. “Beautiful English speaker. I reside here, a better question is, what are you doing here?”
“I found her at The End of the Road, while I was on patrol.” Danal spoke, thankfully in English. “She came through the Aether and we are bound for the High King, so you'll do well to leave her be, Roarke.”
“She spoke to me,” he shrugged and leaned back against the door frame. “Chivalrous law dictates that I respond.”
“You have no chivalry,” Danal grabbed my hand and pulled me back to his side. “Now leave us be.”
He turned and I went with him, walking faster now through the hallway. I chanced a glance over my shoulder and saw Roarke following us with an easy gait. He gave me a wink and a smirk and I couldn't help but smile back. I knew his type immediately and how appropriate for him to be a tom cat. He had player written all over him. I focused back on our path, remembering my earlier slip and not wanting to repeat it in front of an even larger audience.
Finally, we came to a set of double doors, thrown open to welcome the throngs of faeries moving in and out of them. They parted like water to let us through, several giving Danal discreet bows or nods. Past the bodies, I glimpsed a huge room with an open ceiling ending in tree branches high above. Sunlight filtered down through the leaves but there were several of those floating globes to add further light to the room. Branches angled in at different levels, forming benches in the open air for the winged fey to make use of. There were quite a few up there, sitting on those benches as well as just hovering in mid-air as they spoke to seated companions.
Looking up at them was a bit dizzying, so I returned my gaze to the ground level of the room. There, the furniture grew out of the floor, sleek and graceful but covered with luxurious pillows and padded seats. Nothing covered the walls. Instead, they were polished to an almost mirror-like sheen, reflecting the populace back upon itself until the room seemed limitless. The faces in that limitless crowd were alien, eyes a little too wide, noses too sharp, lips too generous. They stared at me like I was an insect they'd never seen before, repulsive but fascinating and possibly delicious.
Yet they kept parting for us and we kept walking until we reached the far end of the room, where a dais rose up from the floor and formed two massive thrones. The throne on the left was sturdy and powerful, with thick branches laying side by side and then reaching from the throne's back toward the sky with a clawing tenacity. The second throne was more dainty. Paler branches twisted about each other in a sensuous dance, flowing into arm rests and then a fragile back topped with a fan of blossoming branches.
In the first throne sat a man clothed in a blue velvet tunic and black leather pants. He had a sword slung casually on his hips and it rested easy beside him, even in the confines of the throne. He was pale but with a golden shimmer to his skin that was arresting and his hair was the palest, brightest white I'd ever seen. It almost hurt to look at him. The bright hair flowed over his shoulders and down into his lap, framing a powerful body and a face that was both harsh and kind. Sharp gold eyes took my measure as perfectly winged eyebrows rose.
By his side, in the second throne, sat a woman with skin even paler than the man's. There was no shimmer to her skin but she didn't need it, her hair was her best accessory. It was deep, blood red but it shone like a jewel, each individual hair seeming to be faceted, sparkling in the light like a perfect gem. It flowed over the throne and down to the floor, to lie in a pool around her feet. Her eyes were as red as her hair and just as shiny. She looked on me with cunning, the look of a woman in power, a woman who has had to utilize wits instead of brawn. Her lips twisted up in a smile, almost as if she acknowledged my assessment and appreciated it.
The King spoke but it was in the language I didn't understand. Danal replied and the gathered faerie gasped. That didn't seem like a good thing to me so I frowned up at him and the woman on the throne, who I assumed was the High Queen, laughed a little. The King looked over to her and she spoke softly to him before he returned his gaze to me and Danal. They spoke some more and I decided that for once in my life, I was going to keep my damn mouth shut. I looked over my shoulder and saw Roarke leering at me. Great.
“Danal tells me,” the High King immediately caught my attention when he started speaking English, “that you traveled here from the Human Realm, through the Aether. How is it that you found Faerie?”
“Honestly,” I shook my head, “I have no idea and it was from the God Realm, not the Human. I've only traced the Aether with directional chants before and I've never had any problems, so I thought I'd try my hand at just using my thoughts to direct my journey. I guess that didn't work out so well.”
“Indeed,” the King's lips quirked once. “What were your thoughts focused on when you began your... trace? Is that what you call it?”
“Yes, your majesty,” I frowned when everyone started twittering at my attempt at courtliness. “Your highness?” More laughter. “You most awesome High Kingliness? What am I supposed to call you?”
The Queen was laughing in full force, one hand at her mouth and one at her eye, wiping away tears. The King gaped at me before he too started laughing. Everyone was laughing in fact, even Danal was shaking his head and smiling, everyone except me and that damn cat, who just kept smirking.
“Oh, I had forgotten,” the King recovered first, “how much joy a human could bring to court.”
“She is refreshing,” the Queen agreed.
“You may call me High King or King Cian,” he smiled and it seemed warm and sincere. “Titles like Your Majesty and such are viewed as silly by the fey. We have no need for others to point out how majestic we are. The title of High King is good enough to convey your respect. Now tell me what you were focused on when you attempted your trace.”
“Oh, right,” I thought back. “I was picturing my home in the God Realm and when I had it firmly in place, I put in my mind that I wanted to go home. I think I might have even said it. Then I found myself in yo
ur forest.”
“Ah,” the King shared a look with his wife and she nodded knowingly back. “Yes, that was your mistake.”
“Thinking about going home?”
“Yes,” he looked me over closer, eyes narrowing until he found whatever it was he'd been looking for, and then he nodded. “We created the Aether. The Aether was our road between the worlds until the residents of Atlantis created the God Realm and used our Aether to attach it to the Human Realm. When we tired of the humans and their love of the gods, we retreated here and left the Aether to those same gods. We really had no need of it anymore.”
“So when I asked it to take me home?” I was beginning to get the picture.
“It did,” he waved his hands out to include the room. “I suspect you may have a little faerie blood in you. Enough that the path was recognized and the way opened to your request. So here you are, the first human we've seen since the path was closed, and within moments of our meeting you've already made myself and my entire court gay. How wonderful.”
“I what?” I blinked wide-eyed at him before I realized what he meant. “Oh, you mean happy. Right, that word doesn't have the same meaning for us anymore.”
“Which word is that?” He frowned at me.
“Gay,” I cleared my throat and looked around me nervously. “Where I'm from, it's come to mean, uh, a person who is attracted to someone of the same sex.”
“Pardon?” He sat forward a little in his throne. “As in a man who is a lover of other men?”
“Yep,” I nodded and bit my lip. Why did I say that? I should've just let the gay comment go.
“So when I said you made us all gay?” He started to chuckle.
“Yeah, I thought it was a sexual reference.”
And for the second time in about five minutes, I made the entire court gay.
“Let's just move past this gay thing, okay?” I grimaced as they continued to laugh at me. “Great, next they're gonna offer me a job as the court jester.”
“No, never,” the King wiped a stray tear away. “I'd never dress a beautiful woman up in such a silly costume.” The court laughed again, faeries were falling from the sky, holding their ribs from the pain of excessive laughter. It was a damn faerie circus. “Ah, now I've caught your levity. Let us resolve to be more sober. At least for a moment. Did you desire to return to your true home, small human?”
“I'm a goddess too, you know,” I grimaced up at him.
“Of course,” he stifled another laugh when I glared at him. “Yes, I'm told you rule love, lust, war, victory, and lions. Does this mean you can change your appearance into that of a lioness?”
“Yeah, pretty much,” I shrugged. “I have a pride, the Intare, about eighty lions that I rule.”
“Impressive, little lion lady,” the King nodded. “Would you show us your other form?”
“What, now?” I looked around. So I was going to be entertainment one way or another. I guess if it got me on their good side and got me home, it was worth it. “Yeah, okay, but I'll need some new clothes when I'm done.”
“Granted,” the King waved a hand and one of those little brown-skinned faeries ran off.
“Fine,” I took off my boots and put them on the floor, then unstrapped my wolverine gloves and laid them on top of the boots. I hated the idea of ruining my dress but there was no way I was going to strip down to my undies in front of these yahoos. So I reached inside for my lioness and gave her free rein.
I felt the magic start twisting inside me, shimmering through my organs, my muscles, my blood, until it burst from my skin, taking my human body with it. The ground got closer but my stance felt sturdier, my body stronger, and the energy that flowed through me left me feeling triumphant, able to conquer anything. I was not just a woman of power, I was power. The feeling surged through me and out of my throat in a thunderous roar.
The room was quiet in the aftermath of my triumphant exclamation. I looked around, taking in shocked expressions and reveling in the fear I noted in some, betrayed to me by scent and slight body language. Roarke was one of the few who actually stared at me in admiration, his eyes were lit up with a new excitement. Yeah, that's right little kitty, I'm a bigger cat than you.
“You are more than we expected upon first meeting,” the King stood and descended the dais.
He walked around me, stopping when he reached my front again, and reached out a questioning hand. I nodded my assent and he stroked the fur around my face. It felt good, I can't help it, I was just a large cat when it came down to it and what cat doesn't like her face stroked?
He gave me one last pet and then stepped back and reached a hand out toward someone on his right. The little, brown faerie came forward with a pile of clothes. The King gestured to Danal and the faerie gave the clothes to him. Then Danal picked up my discarded boots and gloves.
“Danal will take you to a bedchamber you may make use of,” the King said as he went back to his throne. “Change and then attend us for dinner. We will discuss your situation further then.”
I wanted to discuss things now, Kirill was probably going crazy while I entertained these faeries with shapeshifting, but it's never a good idea to piss off a King and I'd been doing so well up until then. My boys would just have to wait a little longer for my return. I'd do my best to return as soon as possible but I was in Faerie, I had to be more careful than I ever had before, and I wasn't good at being careful. So I nodded my big, leonine head and followed Danal from the room.
It wasn't till I was well out of the throne room that I remembered the necklace. I hadn't removed it. It was still on my neck, it's chain elongated to accommodate the new girth. Well, I guess that's magic for you.
Chapter Fourteen
The bedchamber Danal led me to was as big as my house. It wasn't exactly round but it wasn't exactly square either. It was just kind of undecided, with long expanses of wall connected with gradual curves covered in twisting roots and vines. The ceiling was festooned with the vines that crept up those rounded edges, and the vines were riotously in bloom. Monstrous white flowers hung from above, seeming to glow in the light of the two floating orbs assigned to my room. The scent of the flowers was light and pleasant, a background instead of a demanding presence.
Along one wall, a bed grew out of the floor, four small trees for posters, their branches flowing inwards to create a leafy canopy. The mattress was covered with shining pink silk and scattered with petals from the flowers that seemed to be everywhere. Large windows opened up to a view of the inner courtyard, no panes to hold out the sweet breeze, and I found myself wondering why the light orbs didn't float out and away.
Other furniture included a vanity with a chair, a small desk, a wardrobe, and a large table surrounded by more chairs. They were all growing from the floor except for the chairs, which were actually carved pieces of separate wood. Around the bases of this living furniture, thick carpet flowed, following the curves of everything as if woven for them precisely. Tapestries covered the walls, except for where they curved, and sheer, pink, silk curtains were hung at the windows. It was a room for a faerie Princess and there I was, a huge lioness, padding my way in.
“I'll give you a few minutes to change and freshen up,” Danal said as he laid the clothes on the bed. “The bathing area is through there,” he waved at a tapestry of a waterfall. How appropriate.
I nodded my head at him and he left, his shimmering wings catching my kitty attention. Oh that was bad, I needed to change back immediately before I ate one of my hosts. I chuckled as I pictured my human body and remembered myself. The magic drew back inside as my human self emerged. I felt an itch as the fur receded and then a warming sensation as my limbs twisted and changed. I could suddenly think clearer, unhindered by animal instincts, and my vision returned to its normal height. I reached for the emerald at my neck, glancing into the mirror over the vanity on my right, and felt the warm pulse of it as it flashed once.
I swallowed hard and let it go, wondering if I was go
ing to finally find out what kind of magic was stored in its vibrant depths and if it would be at all helpful. I unfolded the pile of clothing Danal had brought in and then held it up. A stunning, floor-length gown of sapphire velvet was adorned with gold embroidery at the curved neckline and around each wide cuff. The skirt was split into four panels, which I found out when I slipped it over my head. They flared out when I moved, showing sheer panels of blue silk chiffon beneath and teasing with the potential glimpse of flesh. It molded to my waist immediately, no lacing required.
“Well ain't that handy,” I looked down at myself.
I strapped my gloves back on and then my boots. The faeries had been nice so far but from all the stories I knew and from the reactions of my god friends to the mere mention of their name, I couldn't trust the pleasant façade. Deep down though, I had a feeling that the fey were just like any other race, there was good and bad in varying degrees of mixture in all of them. No one was fully good and no one purely evil, but the potential for both lay in the heart of all.
A knock interrupted my thoughts and I went to open the door. Leaning against the frame, as if he were at home wherever he went, was Roarke. He grinned and pushed past me into the room, eying me as he went by.
“By all means,” I grimaced at him, “come in.”
“Shut the door, would you?” He stretched out on the bed, laying on his side with his head propped up on one arm. He idly picked up at flower petal and sniffed it before tossing it aside.
“What exactly do you think you're going to get from me?” I asked as I shut the door.
“Information,” he purred. “I just wanted to talk to you before everyone else got their claws into you.”