by Unknown
The High King had gone all out for his birthday bash. Purple silk draped the walls, with the image of a crown set with a nine-pointed star on them. Air flowers in several colors floated above our heads, some even heading for the freedom of the branches that guarded the opening high above. All the way up to the lofty ceiling, or lack thereof, benches grew right out of the wall and musicians sat upon them playing lively tunes. Not all of them were winged fey either, they must have gotten a lift from one of their friends.
Winged fey twirled in the open spaces around the musicians and those without wings made due on the ground. Brownies, little earth fey with sweet dispositions, happily served drinks on silver trays and kept the banquet tables full of intriguing fey delicacies but some of them were off duty, enjoying the festivities as well. They were the most adorable dancers I'd ever seen and when one of them started dancing with one of my imps, I nearly died from the cuteness.
The banquet tables were decorated with huge arrangements of fey flowers set amid the unusual food. It was very appealing but some of the appetizers on the table were still moving. I liked my food dead and preferably cooked so I stayed away from those, although Arach enjoyed several. When I told him he was getting no kisses from me until he brushed his teeth, he said that fire cleanses all and leaned his head back to blow a small stream of flame upwards. I told him his next burst of flame should be aimed closer to the squirming cuisine, it would do us all a favor. Especially the poor food.
“Queen Vervain,” Roarke looked splendid in an outfit straight from the Human Realm as well but his was a little more extravagant than ours. He had a red shirt with gold lamé flames shooting up from its hem and red velvet pants. If he'd worn that outfit around the Intare, they would've started throwing dollar bills at him. As it was in Faerie, he looked like a King. Which he was.
“King of Fire Cats,” I nodded. “You're looking like a flamer tonight.”
“I know what that means,” he narrowed his eyes on me, “but I choose to take it as a compliment because gay men have the best fashion taste.”
“In that case,” I grinned, “you're welcome.”
“I tried to get the others to wear some human clothes too but you know cats,” he rolled his eyes at the brave few cat-sidhe who had made the transition from Earth to Fire. “They're very picky.”
“I think you all look amazing,” I said to the other fire cat-sidhe.
“Thank you, Queen Vervain,” Iain, the most flirtatious of the bunch(and that says a lot when you're talking about cat-sidhe), took my hand and kissed it lingeringly.
“You may be immune to fire now,” Arach pulled my hand away from Iain. “But you're not immune to dragon claws.”
“I meant no offense, King Arach,” Iain grinned, not at all discouraged by Arach's bluster.
All the new fire cats caught on pretty quickly that Arach loved his people and though he may grumble loudly, he'd never hurt any of them unless they betrayed us. So they were very relaxed around us, as proved by the next fire cat comment.
“You look rather delicious yourself, King Arach,” Una purred, her gold cat eyes roaming over my husband like he was a kitty treat.
“Thank you,” Arach stood straighter and then saw my lifted eyebrow. “But no one outshines my Queen.”
“Oh, nice save, hot stuff,” I laughed and the cats all chuckled with us.
I, unlike Arach, knew the flirtation of cats was all show. They meant no harm, in fact I think it was just their way of being polite. So it didn't bother me when the ladies slunk up to Arach and rubbed against his legs. I just smiled at them, knowing that it was more a compliment to my taste than it was to his allure.
“Traitors,” King Liam, Roarke's father and King of the Earth Cat-Sidhe, had snuck up on us while we weren't looking. “All of you but you especially,” he said to his son. “Look at you, traipsing about in human clothes like a fool. You look ridiculous.”
“Ah, excuse me,” I snapped my fingers, swinging the snap outward, and did my diva head slide. “He's not the only one wearing human clothes and we happen to look fabulous. I mean what the hell is this?” I flicked the ruffle going down the front of his velvet brocade tunic. “Are you King of Cats or King of the Keyboard, Liberace?”
“I have no idea what you just said to me,” Liam growled. “But do not lay a hand on me ever again or I will cut it off.”
“Are you threatening my wife?” Arach asked in a low tone that nonetheless had the entire room taking notice.
“She threatened me first, Fire King,” Liam shot back.
“Um no,” I rolled my eyes. “I insulted you. Big difference. Huge. See if I were to threaten you, I'd say something like, bother my people again and I'll burn you to a crisp. Now that's a threat.”
The High King was suddenly at my elbow.
“I tire of mediating between Fire and Earth,” King Cian sighed. “And it's especially tiring on my birthday. Must I remind you both of the respect due to royalty? The respect that you should be showing to each other? And me! Get along or get out.”
A scream pierced the night, cutting short Cian's tirade and we all looked up towards its lofty origin. More screams followed in a downward succession until the fey in front of us took up the screaming and stepped back to boot. Our little group was the only one that stood firm and I think Liam only did so because he didn't want to show fear in front of us. But standing firm and actually confronting the reason for alarm were two different things and I was the only one brave enough(or stupid enough, it's okay I know you were thinking it) to walk forward.
“Vervain,” Arach took my arm and I was shocked to see the panic in his eyes. “I'll go with you.”
“What's the big deal?” I looked from him to the wide circle of fey staring at an object in the center of them, and then I walked between them and picked up the object. The crowd gasped and Arach gave a hoarse shout, his hand clenching my arm. I held the object up for everyone to see, thinking maybe they thought it was something else, something truly terrifying. “It's just a leaf.”
“Vervain, put it down,” Arach transferred his death grip to my shoulder.
“It's a leaf, Arach,” I gave him a baffled smile. “It's not going to hurt me.”
“This is her fault!” King Liam suddenly screamed and pointed at me. “She brought this to Faerie.”
“I've brought a leaf to Faerie?” I felt my face squish up into confused lines.
“He's right,” Queen Aalish, ever my biggest fan, took up the call. “I've heard rumors that she caused a human flower to grow in her kingdom. This is her doing.”
The crowd was murmuring and pulling back, casting me looks that ranged from wary to outright hostile. I looked down at the leaf in my hand, wondering what I was missing. I turned it over and examined it. It was just an ordinary leaf, on the large side and with a beautiful amber to red coloring. I gasped and looked up at Arach, finally realizing what I'd missed.
“It's an autumn leaf,” I whispered. “There are no seasons in Faerie.”
“Exactly,” Arach's eyes were wild, his face already showing signs of shifting into dragon. “Burn it, Vervain.”
Everything is as it should be. Faerie's voice resounded through me and through everyone else as well, if I'd read their expressions right. I thought it strange that she should mimic Arach's earlier words. I told you all that Vervain brought change with her and now you act like frightened children when you see proof of it. This is why you've petrified, why your wombs no longer bear fruit. You are as stubborn as you are foolish, jumping at shadows that actually presage the dawn of an enlightened era. Buck up, babies!
“Holy hand grenades,” I appreciated the back up but damn, “that was a little harsh.”
They evidently need a swift kick in the ass, she said, hopefully just to me. Nothing else seems to have gotten through to them so far.
“Okay,” I cleared my throat. “Well, thanks for defending me. I wasn't looking forward to fighting my way out of here.”
No prob,
I got your back.
“Sweet. Thanks, homie,” I winked at Arach, who had taken up a position really close to me but facing outward. At our backs were the fire cats and some red caps. “You want me to take it from here?”
Sure, they're pissing me off.
“Wow, having a bad day?” I frowned. I couldn't remember Faerie ever sounding so bitchy. Sassy yes but bitchy? No.
It must be the return of the seasons, she sighed. I feel unbalanced.
“Hmph,” I gave a little laugh. “That time of the month, huh?”
Weren't you listening? It's that time of the year. Seasons. Hello?
“It was a joke,” I looked around at all the shocked fey faces. “Never mind, they're all looking at me funny. I better go.”
Go where?
“I mean I'd better end the conversation,” I huffed.
Fine, go then. I shall as well. And then she was gone.
“Queen Vervain?” King Cian came up to me with his wife Meara on his arm. Her sparkling red hair looked even brighter against his pure white locks. “We haven't had seasons here in thousands of years. I'm not sure if we even remember what happens. Could you explain it to us and perhaps give us all a measure of calm?”
“Oh sure,” I smiled in what I hoped was a reassuring manner. “I've always lived in Hawaii, which is kind of like Faerie in that it doesn't really have seasons. We just have a rainy period and sometimes storms. But I do know how the seasons work. This,” I held up the leaf and there were a few gasps, “heralds autumn. It's going to get colder and the trees will lose their leaves-”
“All of their leaves?” Queen Aalish's horrified question seemed to mirror what a lot of the others were feeling because several fey had similar expressions.
“Don't panic,” I held my hands out, “they'll grow back. Do none of you truly remember the seasons?”
“We once had seasons in Faerie,” King Cian admitted. “When we were attached to the Human Realm, we were influenced by it. Our realms would flow into each other and the lines would sometimes blur. It was then that we had seasons. I do remember the leaves falling. I seem to recall that it was darkly beautiful. The barren branches of the trees stark against a cold sky and a blanket of gold, red, and orange upon the ground.”
“Yes,” I nodded. “Autumn. The land goes into hibernation until spring, when the plants will burst forth and flourish again.”
“How long until spring?” King Guirmean, the King of Water and a personal friend of mine, asked.
“Well, each season lasts a few months,” I shrugged. “After autumn is winter. It will get so cold that the moisture in the air will freeze and turn into snow. Snow will cover everything and fire will become very important. We should warn everyone that they'll have to be sure to stock their cupboards and their wood piles so that they'll have plenty of firewood to last until spring.”
“Freeze? Fire?” Guirmean looked scared. “Queen Vervain, what will happen to the Water Kingdom?”
“I...uh..” I chewed my lip. “In the Human Realm our oceans don't freeze over except at the poles where it gets super cold and then it's only the surface that freezes in places. Lakes will freeze across their entire surface but fish go into a slower metabolic state to survive. You should be fine in the Water Kingdom but if things get out of hand, I'm sure we can come to your aid.”
“Thank you,” Guirmean sighed. “I don't like the sound of a frozen surface.”
“Oh but a frozen lake can actually be fun,” I continued. “Humans will put these shoes on that have metal strips fastened to the bottom of them and they glide over the ice. It's called ice skating.”
“So humans frolic above while fishes struggle to survive below?” Guirmean's eyes went wide.
“It's not like that,” I blinked, wondering if I'd get any of this out in a manner that they could understand. “Winter is a part of nature and the fish are used to it. They're not struggling, their bodies change to accommodate the season. Humans have to adjust just as much but they find the good in winter and try to celebrate it.”
“What good is there in freezing everything?” King Fionn of Air regarded me with his utterly black eyes.
“There's snow to play in and the colder weather makes you want to snuggle up indoors by a fire,” I shrugged. “It can be nice.”
“For those who enjoy fire,” King Cahal shared a frown with his wife.
“Then spring comes?” Queen Breana seemed more hopeful than her husband, though I did worry for her wings. They were monarch butterfly wings and I didn't think they'd do well in the freezing air.
“Yes, spring comes and brings warmer weather, which coaxes the sleeping plants back to life,” I spread my hands. “The trees will burst into bud and then leaves will reappear. Everything is fresh and new.”
“And then?” Queen Meara urged, the fangs showing behind her lush lips.
“Then comes summer,” I grinned. “That's pretty much what you have here all the time, endless summer.”
“And so we just must make it through autumn and winter,” King Cian looked around the room.
“Autumn's not so bad,” I added, “it just gets a little colder. I think it's winter that will give us the biggest challenge.”
“Us?” Sneered Liam. “You are not one of us. You won't have to deal with any challenge, this is all normal for you.”
“That is enough!” King Cian turned and pointed a finger in King Liam's face. “You are speaking to a higher ranking royal of Faerie and she most assuredly is one of us! You may be given certain allowances in your kingdom but here you are not and I will not have you speak in such a manner to a Faerie Queen. If you do so again, I just may give her leave to collect on her threat.”
Silence.
King Liam growled, turned, and stalked out of the throne room, followed by his cat-sidhe attendants.
“It seems that we have a whole season to prepare,” King Cian spoke over the disturbing departure of the cats. “Thanks to Queen Vervain we now have some idea of what we're facing and because of her previous gifts, we also have the resource to delve further into what each season entails and just what we might need to do to prepare for it. I will personally conduct an investigation using the laptop she gave me and speak with the royals of each kingdom when I've concluded it but for now I suggest we make merry and leave these worries to another day. Another day that does not mark the occasion of my birth.”
A cheer went up and the atmosphere in the room changed decidedly. As much as the fey had become static in their ways, their moods could be very fickle and they quickly went from panicked to jovial. The musicians started up once more, dancers began to twirl, and happy chatter ensued.
“Like children,” I looked around me in dumbfounded disbelief. “Their daddy tells them all will be well and they go right back to playing with their toys.”
“We have always been a people who trust those who lead us,” Arach looked over his shoulders toward the fire cats and red caps who had guarded our backs, and nodded. I knew that nod, he was pleased that the cats had held firm and guarded us. “It's up to the royals to shoulder the responsibility of care and concern. We worry for them, it's part of the exchange.”
“Well I guess I'm doing my job then,” I stared at the door King Liam had exited through. “Because I'm a bit worried about Liam and what he's capable of.”
“I as well,” Arach surprised me by admitting. He saw my look and explained. “Meeting a foe in battle is one thing but protecting oneself against an enemy that works in more furtive ways can be tricky. A better man can be conquered if one is willing to stab him in the back.”
“And my father is nothing if not a back-stabber,” Roarke grimaced.
Chapter Three
I wanted to leave the Castle of Eight right away but the High King's birthday celebration was a week long event. So instead, we sent Fearghal, our head red cap, back to Castle Aithinne to warn Isleen that there may be trouble brewing. We always left Isleen in charge which I felt was unfair to her but
Arach assured me that she had no interest in any court other than our own. Still, a party's a party and I made a note to myself to see that she came along sometime.
A knock on our door pulled me from my thoughts and the remarkable view that I had from our branch's balcony. I mean that literally. We were once again assigned a room in one of the great tree's branches. It hung out from the main trunk, suspending us over the gardens of the inner courtyard and granting us a view over the walls made by the other seven trees in the Castle of Eight. The walls themselves were a wondrous sight, the trunks of seven massive trees extending outward and flowing seamlessly into each other. Coaxed not only into fortifications and barracks but into battlements that ran the length of the walls, manned by the knights of Spirit. I watched their perfectly choreographed movements as they scanned the forest for any signs of trouble and wondered if they ever got bored. It wasn't like anyone ever dared to attack the House of Spirit.
“Yes?” I heard Arach answer the door. “Tell the High King that we'll attend him shortly.”
I turned as I heard Arach's footsteps come out onto the living wood of the balcony behind me. The moonlight filtering through the branches above us made soft patterns across his face but the shifting light couldn't distract me from his anxiety.
“Let me guess,” I smirked. “He wants to talk about winter.”
“It is worrisome,” he shrugged.
“Yes,” I grinned. “Winter is coming.”
“A very good motto,” Arach nodded approvingly. “And an appropriate one for the moment. I don't think you should share that show with the High King though, their winters seem a lot more harsh than any we should expect.”
“Well Game of Thrones is a work of fiction,” I grinned, happy that he was finally getting some of my references.
“Winter is coming,” Arach mused as he looked out into the Forgetful Forest. “If only it was just an army approaching, that I would know how to handle, but this? This is a far different type of battle. I wonder how we'll weather it.”