by Sumida, Amy
“Pardon?”
“While I was in the God Realm this last time,” I explained, “I told Finn about Aoife being the one who cursed him and his siblings, and they showed up at Pride Palace. They asked me to bring Aoife there so they could challenge her to a duel or whatever.”
“You didn't,” he frowned at me.
“No, I didn't,” I smiled when he started to relax, “Roarke did. He came back here and asked Aoife if she'd come and accept the challenge. She did and Finn killed her.”
“She went of her own volition?”
“Yeah and now I know why she looked so scared when she first saw me,” I frowned, thinking about what she'd said to me. “And why she said that line about understanding why you loved me. I was actually nice to her, I gave her reassurance that the fight would stay between her and the Children of Lir. It seemed to surprise her and now I know why.”
“I doubt she would have expected kindness from you after this,” Arach nodded and then sighed. “Vervain, I want her death but I understand. Killing her now may have a horrible affect on your God Realm. Or I may not even be allowed to kill her. Something could go wrong. She's most likely meant to die at the hands of your friend.”
“So we're cool?” I looked him over.
“Cool?” He pulled me onto his lap and hugged me tight. “You and I shall never be cool. There is only heat between us and it shall only get hotter if I have anything to do with it.”
“Yay,” I grinned.
“I was scared,” he laid his cheek to the top of my head. “For the second time in my life I knew fear and once again it was over you. Don't you ever die, Vervain.”
“I'll try my best not to.”
Chapter Thirty
The next morning we all gathered in the courtyard before the main tree. Each House had brought an army with them and they were all more than ready to hunt the evil that had invaded Faerie. I watched as troops got into formation, preparing for the march into the forest.
It was pretty impressive. Each House had their soldiers in matching uniforms and shiny armor. Water was all silver and blue, with pennants flying and tunics emblazoned with the House of Water's coat of arms; a melusine(a mermaid with two tails) brandishing a trident. There were selkies with dark eyes and silky hair, bean-nighes with long stringy hair and one large nostril at the end of their noses, all kinds of water-sidhe, and a whole company of kelpies with their seaweed hair. I had to look away from the kelpies, a shiver running down my spine.
Earth wore muted green, their armor resembling bark although their weapons looked shiny enough. There were a lot of trolls, staying as much within the shade as the formation allowed. I also saw spriggans and dryads but the main force seemed to be earth-sidhe. They stood straight and proud, haughty expressions on their faces and long swords strapped to their belts. Across their tunics was the heraldic device of the House of Earth; a stylized Green Man, a man's face made of leaves, glaring menacingly.
Air didn't have the bulk the other houses had but they needed just as much space for their wings. Not every soldier in the Air army was winged though, there were the bean-sidhes who hovered in the air looking somber but beautiful, and the sylphs who were also beautiful and also hovering but not so somber. Their armor was clear like glass and they wore bright yellow. Combined with the brightly colored wings, they were the most vibrant army there. On their chests they wore the device of the House of Air, a black butterfly. For a second I wondered at it, everyone else seemed to have something a little more intimidating, but then I chastised myself. I of all people, should know better. The butterfly was the symbol of the strongest magic I held after all and was also the symbol for transformation.
Then there was the House of Spirit, standing rigid under the High King's watchful eye. There was fey from every kingdom in the High King's army but they all wore amethyst, the color of Spirit, and their armor was gold. On their tunics was the device of the House of Spirit; a gold crown set with a silver nine-pointed star.
Our army looked like the villains the other armies should be fighting against. Our armor, which was worn only by the fire-sidhe, was black and our clothes were bright red. On the tunics of our soldiers was our heraldic device, a dragon breathing fire. There were some weapons to be found amongst the army but not a lot of them, the House of Fire was in itself a weapon.
Then a contingent broke away from the Earth army and started stomping over to us. I grimaced when I saw Roarke's father at the head of the group. Before they made it over to us, Roarke was at my side, his armor that of Earth but his stance was all Fire. Arach looked over the two of us and was about to pose a question when the group reached us and came to a halt with a lot of noise.
“King Arach,” Roarke's father nodded, “you seem to have acquired an extra cat-sidhe soldier.”
“It seems that I have, King Liam,” Arach looked over at Roarke and then to me. I gave him my you know you love me grin and he sighed. “And it looks like he'll be staying.”
“You have no right to my son,” Liam growled. “Just because your wife stole some pixies doesn't mean she can steal a Prince of Cats.”
“He doesn't appear to be chained,” Arach observed drily.
“Roarke is a Prince, he has obligations that can't be shirked just because he's made a friend of Fire,” Liam glared at me. “I'll be taking my son back now.”
“You can have your son,” I interrupted before Arach could answer. “Just as soon as he wants to be had.”
Roarke burst into laughter at that but quickly subdued it when Arach gave him a dry look. “I'm sorry but who ever wants to be had? Especially by their own father.” Roarke shuddered.
“Depending on how you take that, it's kind of gross,” I looked over at him and shared a secret smile.
“You dare dishonor the House of Cats?” Liam growled and the cat-sidhe behind him started to hiss.
“What is going on here?” High King Cian strode up right between us.
“They've stolen my son,” Liam pointed an accusatory finger directly at me.
“He doesn't appear to be held against his will,” Cian unwittingly made the same observation Arach had, with perhaps less sarcasm.
“Queen Vervain interfered with disciplinary measures that were being enacted against Prince Roarke last night,” Liam explained. “Of course he's reluctant to return home, he doesn't want to be declawed but he trespassed against his King and must be punished. She had no right to interfere with our justice.”
“Declawed?” I gasped before the High King could say anything. “Do you know how horrible that is to do to a cat? It's like cutting a person's fingers off at the knuckles. They can't function after that and a lot of times they get arthritis, it's so inhumane.”
“Um, Queen Vervain?” King Cian gave me a pained expression while Arach and Roarke tried to hold back their laughter and failed miserably.
“Huh?” I looked from King Cian to King Liam. “Oh, right, I guess you would know. That makes it so much worse then!”
“His claws would grow back,” Liam rolled his eyes like I was being a baby.
“Are you kidding me?” I looked over to the High King. “See, this is the shit that needs to change. What the hell is wrong with you people? You don't discipline your children by cutting off their fingers. Who does that? I don't care if they grow back a thousand times, it's barbaric.”
“The Fire Queen is calling me barbaric?” King Liam scoffed. “You ride with the Wild Hunt, how is your justice different than ours?”
“Alright, good point,” I conceded, confusing him even further.
“The Wild Hunt is punishment for murderers and those the High King deems worthy of death,” Arach took over, sparing me a glance that implied I was a horrible debater.
“And Roarke's actions were traitorous to both his King and the House of Earth,” Liam narrowed his eyes on my husband. “Cutting the claws is a just punishment.”
“You know what?” I interrupted again and Arach gave me a warning look which I
ignored. “I don't care. You're not cutting anything on Roarke.”
“Queen Vervain,” King Cian looked troubled. “King Liam is right, this is none of your affair and yet I feel Faerie's hand upon this and I'm urged to take your side in the matter.”
“Thank you,” I grinned and neener, neener, neenered Liam in my head.
“However,” King Cian kept going. “I can't in good conscious allow one monarch to interfere with another when it comes to punishing their own child. I find myself at a loss. Maybe it would help if you told us what Roarke's transgression was,” he looked to Liam and the King of Cats blanched.
I heard Roarke huff snidely and looked over to see him smirking at his father. “Yes, Father. Why don't you tell them what order I disobeyed?”
“Hold your tongue, boy,” Liam growled.
“King Liam?” Cian's expression changed immediately to suspicion.
“It's an Earth Kingdom matter, High King,” Liam reluctantly answered. “I'm not allowed to discuss it.”
“King Liam,” the High King suddenly seemed to condense, becoming thicker and brighter. “We are on the brink of marching out to face the greatest threat Faerie has ever faced and you say to me that there are secrets kept from the High King? Is your Kingdom plotting treachery?”
The crowd went deathly still and then the sound of footsteps could be heard approaching. King Cahal appeared beside us with Queen Aalish. Oh, this was getting interesting.
“Would someone mind telling me why I just heard the High King accuse the Kingdom of Earth of treason?” King Cahal spoke into the quiet.
“I did no accusing,” King Cian turned his shining gaze on the King of Earth. “But your King of Cats refuses to offer a simple explanation requested of him. Why does he call his son a traitor? He cites loyalty to Earth by way of reason for his silence. Would you care to elaborate?”
King Cahal frowned, looking over to Liam with obvious confusion but Queen Aalish didn't seem in the least surprised, only a tad scared. I wasn't the only one to notice either, King Cahal looked to her next and let his gaze settle there.
“My love?” He lifted a brow. “Is there anything you'd like to say?”
“No,” she looked away.
“I'm sorry but we don't have the time for this,” King Cian put a hand on Cahal's shoulder. “She must tell us or I'll be forced to treat all of you as traitors to Spirit. I can't have untrustworthy subjects at my back, not today.”
“High King,” Cahal turned to him in horror, “the Kingdom of Earth is ever faithful to the High crown.”
“It wasn't you we conspired against,” Queen Aalish said in a small voice.
“What was that, Queen Aalish?” Cian pushed Cahal gently back so we could all get a good look at Aalish's face. The yellow of her skin had gone pale and her green eyes were wide with fright.
“She took my pixies,” she finally declared. “I simply wanted to keep an eye on her, see what else she was up to.”
“You tried to send a spy into the Kingdom of Fire?” King Cian looked shocked. The fey could be callous and barbaric with each other but I guess espionage was not a level they were willing to sink to.
Then I realized what it meant. I turned to Roarke and he met my gaze with a sad smile.
“You refused to spy on me,” a warm feeling spread through my chest. My trust hadn't been misplaced and I treasured every moment that I'd used to stand up for him.
“You're my friend,” he shrugged. “That comes with a certain amount of loyalty. They say dogs are loyal but to who? Not to other dogs. So how can you trust them? No, a cat's loyalty is harder won but greater in the having.”
“I agree,” I couldn't help myself, I gave him a hug.
“What of the loyalty to your family?” Liam shot at Roarke. “You were already spending so much time with them, spying would have been easy.”
“And wrong,” Roarke said simply.
“You're a traitor,” Liam hissed.
“And what of you?” King Cian interrupted. “You asked a Prince to betray friendship, friendship with a Queen who has been integral in helping us find the Darkness. Your actions could have jeopardized the well-being of the entire realm.”
“I did only what my Queen bid,” Liam lifted his head as if blind loyalty was something to be proud of.
“She took my pixies,” Aalish whined once again.
“What are you, three?” I huffed, because I didn't know when to just keep my mouth shut.
“I don't have time to judge this matter now,” King Cian growled. “You will bring your wife and King Liam to me for my decision later,” he instructed King Cahal, who bowed in acceptance. “Until then, you will all fight for Faerie as best as you can and stop fighting amongst yourselves.” He started to turn away but I stopped him.
“King Cian?”
“Queen Vervain?”
“What about Roarke?” I gestured to my friend.
“Oh,” Cian blinked. “Yes, well, what would you like to do about this, Prince Roarke?”
“I'd like to be a part of Fire,” Roarke said flippantly, “but I don't think that's an option.”
“Isn't it?” King Cian looked first to me and then to Arach. “As Queen Aalish has pointed out twice already, her pixies have chosen to be a part of Fire.”
“Arach?” I looked at him with hopeful eyes.
“The House of Fire welcomes such loyalty and honor as has been displayed by Roarke, Prince of Cats,” Arach said, winning a grin from me and a shocked expression from Roarke.
“Truly?” Roarke came to stand in front of us.
“You've been a friend to Vervain and so to me as well,” Arach nodded and held out his hand. Roarke took it but dropped to his knees.
“I vow to give my loyalty and service to the House of Fire until the last breath leaves my body,” Roarke swore and the crowd gasped.
“You are no Prince of cats!” Liam shouted. “I disown you, you are not my son!”
Roarke paled a little but held his eyes firmly on mine. I stepped forward and placed my hand over theirs.
“The House of Fire recognizes your royalty even if Earth does not,” I tried to be as regal as I could and I hoped the words would do but really, I was winging it. Thankfully, Arach saved me from floundering.
“And we hereby grant you the title of King of Fire Cats,” Arach grinned a little before he could hide it.
“There are no fire cat-sidhe,” it looked like King Liam was about to burst a blood vessel. “You are King of nothing!”
“There is now,” I shot back at him. Yes, I was behaving like a five-year-old, sue me. “And who knows, maybe some of the other cat-sidhe will see the potential in being a part of Fire.”
“King Cian?” Liam looked to the High King for help. “This is preposterous. Fey are born into an element and that is where they stay.”
“The Kingdom of Fire can create whatever titles they wish and as far as the elements,” King Cian paused as if he knew his next words would be momentous. “We are not slaves to ourselves. Fey are free to live and align themselves with whichever kingdom they choose as long as that kingdom accepts them.”
Shocked gasps and murmurings flowed through the armies of fey. It was one thing to allow low-magic pixies to leave their kingdom for another but to allow a sidhe to place his allegiance not where birth had determined it to be but where he willed it? It was a huge step, a breakthrough in thinking that I hadn't even hoped would come so soon, much less be instigated by the High King himself.
“Silence! We have put ourselves into stasis through our unyielding ways. Faerie has told me that change is the only way to save our people and as your High King, I am bound to do what I think is best for all of you. You don't have to change kingdoms but you will respect each others right to. I recognize the new House of Fire Cats and any cat-sidhe who would like to join it will do so with my approval... after we fight the Darkness! I am done with this matter for now.” King Cian shook his head and smiled at me. “Fire cats, what else a
re you going to bring to Faerie?”
“Victory, I hope,” I nodded to the High King as I helped the new King of Fire Cats to his feet.
“Yes,” King Cian nodded crisply and then shouted. “Everyone back in formation! We move out immediately.” Then to Arach he said, “Prepare your army and then meet us at the carriages.”
“Yes, High King,” Arach nodded.
“Thank you,” Roarke said to Arach and me while the Earth royals and cat-sidhe slunk away, giving us nasty glances.
“We're glad to have you with us,” Arach patted Roarke's shoulder.
“We so are,” I hugged him. “Thank you for not turning spy on me.”
“Ah,” he shrugged. “I never liked my family anyway. Now I can start a whole new race.”
“Oh crap,” I looked at Arach. “He's going to make more like him.”
“A castle full of cat-sidhe,” Arach sighed.
“You love me,” Roarke scoffed and got back into line beside me.
Then I had an aha moment. In the God Realm Roarke had called me his Queen, instead of just Queen. I had worried over what it meant, knowing the distinction had displayed his loyalty to me over the Kingdom of Earth. But that hadn't happened yet for Roarke and when it did, I would be his Queen. I huffed happily to myself, glad the reason had finally been revealed and glad to have Roarke on my side for good.
“Shall we?” Arach held a hand out to me.
“Sure,” I let him escort me to waiting carriages.
We went to the first one, where the High King and Queen were waiting for us with King Guirmean. We all piled in and I saw that the Earth and Air royals would be taking the second coach. I admit I was relieved that I wouldn't have to travel with them after that big fiasco.
Then a shiver filled the air and I looked out the window to see that the mages had dropped the warding around the castle. We began to move forward and the armies fell in behind us. It was a wondrous sight, the armies of Faerie heading to war. The beauty of the heraldry and costumes was tempered by the grim countenances of most of the fey. I say most because the goblins and red caps were grinning like they were going to a party.