by Unknown
“Fire will be fine,” I said confidently. “In fact, it's the only House other than Spirit that I'm not worried for.”
“Let's save our concerns for the High King's ears,” Arach gave me his arm and escorted me out the door. “He should hear everything you have to say on the matter.”
“Well probably not everything,” I chuckled.
“Vervain,” Arach's face settled into serious lines as we headed down the staircase. “This is not to be taken lightly. I know your penchant for turning hardship into humor but maybe this time you should douse your normal instincts.”
“Arach,” I sighed. “I am who I am. I promise to try my best to be more considerate of the gravity of the situation but if they can't appreciate that my jokes are nothing more than a way of relieving tension, then they need to get over themselves.”
“These are the nobles of Faerie,” Arach gave me a dry look. “There is no getting over anything for them. Especially not themselves.”
“I've noticed,” I huffed. “Queen Aalish is going to hate me until the day she dies.”
“And probably plot against you as well,” Arach nodded calmly.
“I'm glad you're not concerned about it.”
“Let her plot,” he shrugged. “She's not the greatest manipulator. It's the Cat King that we'll have to look out for. Cats can be so sneaky.”
“Yeah, I once had a cat who pooped in my carry on luggage because he didn't want me to leave,” I said with a serious expression.
“Well let's hope King Liam is above such base acts of terrorism,” Arach rolled his eyes. “You really do have a knack for acquiring enemies, A Thaisce.”
“It sure does seem that way sometimes.” I dropped my hand from his arm to his palm and threaded my fingers through his. “At least you love me.”
“I do, completely and utterly, most of the time,” he nodded and before I could make a good come back comment, he opened a wide wooden door and revealed a room full of fey nobility. “Kings and Queens,” he nodded to the room in general.
“Ah good, everyone's here now,” King Cian sat at the head of a long oval table.
His wife sat at the other end. On one side were the Air and Earth royals and on the other, closest to us, was King Guirmean. Everyone knew who liked who the best it seemed. Arach and I took our seats next to the King of Water.
The room had no other furniture than the table and chairs though it did have a lovely arrangement of fey lights strung together above the center of the table. They looked a little like a bunch of grapes. The floor was white marble and the walls were hung with lavender-gray silk. The fabric moved constantly, catching every little breath of wind that circulated and making the room feel like a cloud. I was just hoping for a silver lining.
“I've gathered you all together to talk about this disconcerting change to Tir Nan Og.”
“To what?” I whispered to Arach.
“It's the formal name of the Faerie Realm,” Arach whispered back.
“Oh, right,” I grinned at King Fionn, who was regarding me with those disturbing black eyes of his. I never knew when he was disapproving or just looking at me. He gave me a small grin back. Oh goodie, he didn't hate me.
“Now, Queen Vervain,” King Cian made a gesture and a brownie appeared from behind one of the hanging silks. She brought forward the laptop I'd given him and placed it on the table. “I've started doing some research into the affects of winter but I've stopped due to the alarming results. I'm hoping that I've misread things and that you could clear it up for me.”
“Alright,” I waved a hand to the computer. “Let me see what you have there.”
The laptop was passed down the table to me and I looked over the collection of pictures, websites, and articles that the King had stumbled upon. Most were the usual stuff but some were computer generated representations of the Ice Age and then there were other pictures of extreme conditions such as blizzards in Greenland and Alaska. I let out a relieved sound and turned the screen to face Cian.
“These are all unusual conditions that we won't have to worry about,” I pointed to the examples. “This here,” I showed him a typical picture of a winter's day, “is more like what we should expect.”
“But what can we expect from our individual elements?” King Cahal, King of Earth, asked as the vines that grew from his head shifted nervously over his shoulders.
“That, I don't know,” I gave him an apologetic look. I actually like Cahal. He'd tried to make a difference in the attitude of his people. Unfortunately, his wife was a little stuck in her ways... rooted even.
“I recall a little of the winter,” Arach's eyes looked distant for a second. “But most of my memories from that part of my childhood center around my parents and they're hazy. I was so young the last time we had a winter in Faerie.”
“Understandable,” King Cian gave him a sympathetic nod. “I too have a few recollections but they're hazy as well, and I was a grown fey, I don't have the excuse of youth to offer. However, the millenniums have a habit of fading things a bit. I do recall ice, frost, and snow, and how they sparkled in the sun. I remember winter as something beautiful. Faerie always is, no matter what happens to her.”
“It's definitely beautiful,” I agreed. “Each season has it's own unique appeal and they can be enjoyed as long as you know how to prepare for them. First I think we need to talk about modifications to our homes.
“Modifications?” Arach frowned at me.
“Shutters or glass over the windows for starters,” I nodded. Or even both. We won't be able to be so open to the elements... uh wow, how ironic but true. We need to be able to keep warm. I don't think us fire fey will have any problems but still it'll be much more comfortable with a way to keep the heat in. The rest of you should look into heat sources spread out in all of your homes. Fireplaces or braziers, that sort of thing. Tell your subjects to do the same with their homes or we may have a bunch of fey freezing to death.”
“To death?” Aalish scoffed. “We don't die so easily.”
“But you do die when hurt by another element not your own,” I pointed out seriously. “What do you think the cold is?”
“It's temperature, weather,” Aalish kept her scathing tone.
“It's temperature affecting the elements,” I sighed. It was one thing to hate me but to hate me to the point that you hurt yourself was just plain stupid. “If you get cold enough that the water in your body freezes, will you survive it? Water wouldn't be hurt by it and us fire fey can raise our own body temperatures so I think we'll be fine but what about you earth fey? Or the air fey? Can the water in your own body be used against you?”
The entire table went silent.
“I don't recall any deaths due to the seasons,” King Cian finally broke the silence. “And to answer your question, Queen Vervain, no, the water in our bodies can't be used against us. The fey may be divided into five elements but each of us is made up of all of them. Just like the Faerie Realm itself, we rely on the combination of elements to make us complete. Bones of earth, breath of air, blood of fire, flesh of water, and spirit to unite them. It's in our hearts that we differ and only there can the damage be done. So unless the water in our bodies freeze and shoot straight through our hearts, it won't kill us. However, it doesn't hurt to be cautious. I think we should heed Queen Vervain's warnings and make these modifications to our homes. I also think we should advise our people to construct warmer items of clothing.”
A wave of relief seemed to flow through the room.
“Now, I have a question for all of you.” King Cian continued. “The fauna of Faerie will not be prepared either. Do you think they will sense these changes and know innately what they should do for survival or should we do something to help them?”
“The animals,” I whispered. I hadn't thought of that. What would happen to animals who had never experienced winter before? Would they know to burrow into the ground? Would their coats thicken? “Faerie? Are you there?”
W
hen am I not?
“Sheesh,” I rolled my eyes. “Still touchy. Okay so we have a question for you. Will the animals be prepared for winter?”
I will prepare them. I am Nature here, the land is me and I am it. I will warn the creatures of the coming winter and be sure their bodies adjust to the changing climate.
“Oh good,” I sighed. “Thank you.”
No thanks are needed.
“And there she goes,” I huffed a laugh. “At least we know the animals will be okay.”
“That is one small consolation,” King Cian nodded.
Then Aalish started speaking to the High King in the fey language. It was a bit of a tirade and it went on for awhile with King Cian attempting to stop it several times. Meaningful looks were cast my way so I was under no illusions as to being the subject of the discussion. I merely sighed and exchanged a look with Arach. He rolled his eyes at me and grinned, so I assumed it was nothing to get too alarmed over.
“Enough!” King Cian finally stopped her. “Queen Aalish, you know that Queen Vervain doesn't speak the fey tongue. To do so around her is rude and unbefitting of a Queen.”
“What's rude is ruling a kingdom of Faerie and not knowing how to speak the native tongue,” Aalish spat out. “Why should we all have to change the language we speak in order to suit her? She should be learning Fey.”
“We all already know English,” Cian rolled his eyes. “We were a part of the Human Realm for long enough to learn all of its languages. It's not exactly a hardship for us. Speak however you like around others but when conversing with Queen Vervain, use the English language.”
“I was not conversing with Queen Vervain,” Aalish snidely pointed out.
“We are all at this table together, whether some of us like it or not,” King Cian sighed. “Faerie was right, we're behaving like children. Or at least some of us are,” he looked pointedly at Aalish. “You were speaking about a matter directly concerning her, Queen Aalish. You know you were being rude. Why are you wasting all of our time arguing over it?”
“Look, did she say anything concerning the coming of winter?” I interrupted before things got too out of hand.
“No,” King Cian glanced at Aalish but she didn't say anymore. “And it looks as if she doesn't want to discuss it any further.”
“Good,” I shrugged. “Cause unless it concerns the problems we're facing right now, I don't give a damn.”
“I want my pixies back!” Aalish pounded the table. “Give them back to me now!”
“No and you can shove it out your ass, Veruca Salt,” I laughed, making her even angrier.
“I can't speak Fey around her but she can speak in ways no one can understand?” Queen Aalish pointed at me accusingly.
“It's a movie quote,” Arach explained in a bored tone. “You just said the same exact thing a spoiled child said right before she was flushed down a shoot for being a bad egg.”
“Spoiled child?” Aalish made an affronted sound. “A bad egg? Now you're spouting her lunacy as well.”
“Oh right,” King Cian began to chuckle. “The candy movie, what was it? Charlie's Factory?”
“Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, King Cian,” I supplied with a helpful smile.
“Yes, that's it,” he chuckled again. “It was a rather close resemblance, the tone and everything. Well spotted, Queen Vervain.”
“Now, High King,” King Cahal leaned forward to support his wife, who was turning red in the face. “I don't appreciate you belittling my wife. You may be the High King but Aalish deserves your respect as well.”
“Yes, you're right, King Cahal,” Cian collected himself with some effort. “It's just the resemblance was remarkable.” Cahal shot Cian a withering look. “I apologize, Queen Aalish.”
“Accepted, High King,” she stood and looked down the table toward me. “I will have my fey back, one way or another.”
King Cahal stood and accompanied her out of the room to a funereal hush. As soon as the doors closed behind them though, King Cian started laughing.
“I want it and I want it now!” He mimicked Aalish or perhaps Veruca, they really did sound the same. “That was splendid.”
“Oh, Cian my love,” Queen Meara tut-tutted him.
“But Meara,” Cian was still smiling. “You remember the movie, don't you? The one with all those little oompah people.”
“Yes of course,” she looked over to me. “She sounded exactly like her.”
Chapter Four
“I've been considering using my ring to go back in time and get to know my parents,” I said to Arach while we were getting into bed later that night.
“You've given it serious thought?” He slid under the velvet blanket but sat back against the headboard to regard me.
“Why do you ask that as if you doubt that I have?” I slid in beside him.
“Because if you had,” he took my hand and squeezed it, “you would have several concerns.”
“Such as?”
“Such as when to go back,” he lifted a brow. “I doubt even the High King could give you a date when Finnian and Aednat were still alive.”
“I don't need a date, I just ask the ring to take me back to a time when they existed,” I gave a little laugh. “If I needed a date to travel by, I'd never be able to travel between the realms like I do. I have no idea what date it is here.”
“By your new calender, it's the second day in the month of September.”
“It is?” I frowned, something nagging at me.
“What is it?”
“No, I just,” I shook my head. “I wasn't raised around seasons so I'm no expert and I know it's different in different regions but I could swear the leaves don't change this early in autumn. In fact, if that's the date, autumn technically hasn't begun yet.”
“What?”
“Autumn in the Human Realm starts later in September,” I clarified. “I think it's like after the twentieth and it goes until around the same time in December.”
“How odd,” he frowned. “Well, it's the first time we're having seasons in Faerie after thousands of years, things may be a little different here.”
“Yeah, no kidding,” I laughed.
“Still, how would you determine when to ask the ring to take you back?” He returned to our earlier topic.
“What do you mean?” I thought I'd just said. “I'll ask it to take me back to when they were alive.”
“Yes but that's a very long span of time,” Arach noted. “Have you considered what it might do to your parents to know that they're going to have you before you're conceived? You do remember that Finnian was married to another dragon-sidhe first? What are you going to say to him? That you're his daughter by his second wife? He'll never believe you, dragons mate for life. Finnian only mated with your mother to produce you, for the good of the race. If Aednat hadn't chosen him, specifically because she thought he would refuse, he would never have been with another woman.”
“And he would never have fallen in love with Aednat,” I finished smugly.
“Yes but their love was a miracle, totally unheard of among dragon-sidhe, and you'll still cause him heartache before it's necessary,” Arach's tone softened. “Do you really want to tell your father that his wife will die? Or that he shall die, along with the woman he has a child with? You're very presence will tell him that neither he nor Aednat lived, for why else would you return to get to know him?”
“You're right,” I fell back against the headboard in defeat. “I hadn't thought of that.”
“We are immortal beings,” Arach pulled me down under the covers with him and wrapped an arm around me. “But we can be killed and we do fear death. You will ruin what life remains for him by telling him he shall not live forever.”
“I don't want to ruin his life,” I said in a small voice. “I just want to get to know him.”
“I know, A Thaisce,” he kissed me lightly on the forehead and I laid my head against the smooth skin of his chest. “Don't think
that I haven't considered asking to use your ring in order to return and speak with my own parents. To have just one conversation with my father about being a King or to hold my mother and tell her I've found a woman to love, a woman she would love as well. These thoughts eat at me but in the end I always remember that to do so would mean stealing their own happy moments. Their life would be tainted by the knowledge of their unavoidable deaths, the knowledge that they would not live to see me grown. Just as your parents did not live to see you become a woman.”
“I never got to know my father at all,” I tried to remember my mother in my past life, my life as Sabine, but there were only bits and pieces. A blurred face, a wide smile. A crying man holding me as we looked upon her.
“And he would lament that as much as you do,” Arach's arms circled me and pulled me closer.
“I think my mother died when I was young,” I focused on the memory but it was elusive.
“Yes, I believe she did,” Arach verified my suspicions. “If she had lived to see you become an adult, she would have removed the spell that kept you human. Since she didn't, it's safe to say that the dragon hunters killed her while you were still a child.”
“Just like with your parents.”
“Yes, it seems that we were both orphans,” his lips were at my temples, the vibration of his words sinking into my skin. “Even though you may not have known it.”
“My mother's human husband raised me as his own,” I felt a rush of emotion for a man I barely remembered, a man who never knew Sabine was not his daughter. Maybe that had been for the best. Aednat had truly loved him and would never have betrayed him if not forced into it. I should have been his child but I wasn't. The dragon-sidhe demanded a fully dragon-sidhe baby from Aednat if she were to keep her human lover and she had complied but had kept her child with her, enchanting me to make me human in an effort to hide me from the dragon hunters.
I wondered then if her human husband had known who Aednat really was. Had he known why she was killed? Or had he just thought her a victim of a horrible crime? Did he think his child was half fey or had he thought her as normal as he had been? He had remarried eventually and had more children but I had flashes of him crying again and I had a feeling that his heart had been buried along with my mother.