But it scares her. She knows only Meg and everyone else, even Hardy – who she’s so drawn to – are strangers. Do they want the best for her or the worst for her? Is she worrying over nothing or is she being used?
She takes a deep breath and follows Hardy inside the cabin. Only time will tell.
14
THEY GO INSIDE AND the front room is empty – it’s a small room with just a few seats.
“We meet in the back,” Hardy says, pushing open a door and leading them along a narrow corridor. “Here.” He pushes open the door and everyone in the room inside pauses, falls silent and turns to see who it is. Then they see Elsie – Elsie feels the weight of all of their eyes on her and blushes. Then the applause starts and Elsie blushes even more. Hardy laughs and joins in, then lifts her up onto his shoulders. The cheering and clapping and absolute delight on their face’s baffles Elsie, and she can see Meg is crying. It’s such an unexpected welcome.
Hardy sets her down and whispers in her ear. “I’m so glad you’re here with me.”
Elsie closes her eyes when his breath tickles her ear and smiles up at him. What are these feelings she’s feeling?
A young female fairy rushes over and embraces Elsie, almost squashing the breath out of her. “I can’t believe you’re here!” She takes hold of Elsie’s hand and holds it up, causing another wave of ear-splitting cheers. Elsie grins, awkwardly, and looks at all the fairies, the hope and happiness on their faces. She has done nothing to deserve such a welcome.
“Is there a toilet here, Hardy?”
“Of course. Out here.” He holds up a hand. “She’ll be right back.” There are more cheers as he leads her out.
Meg steps forward to follow them, but Elsie shakes her head. “I’m okay.”
Out in the empty corridor Elsie takes a shuddering breath. “Hardy what was that?”
“They’re just excited.” He laughs at her expression. “They’re happy.”
“That was madness. I have done nothing.”
“But you mean everything.”
“I don’t understand.”
“The royal family torment us, but historically they have always kept us safe. Your parents, your grandparents, did wonderful things for Allaire. It’s scary for a lot of fairies to wonder what will happen next. It’s fine to say we can overthrow them, but then what? Who is in charge? Who rules? Who metes out justice?”
“Me?”
“Now. But before you came back, when you were still locked up? We had nobody who could have stepped in to run Allaire... except for-”
“Except for?”
He folds his arms over his chest, looking a little defensive. “Me. I would have done it.” He holds out his hands at her expression. “Who else?”
“I don’t know. So why are they so excited to see me, if you would have ruled, anyway?”
“Nobody wanted to see me on the throne. I’m no king. I can fire people up, and I am well liked, but I’m not a royal. There would always have been somebody who thought their right to the throne was equal to mine. If I can take it from a royal – just a commoner – why couldn’t they just take it from me? We would have had unrest for years.”
“But you’d have done it, anyway?”
He shrugs. “My father was hell bent on this, Elsie. He couldn’t stand the unfairness and the abuses that went on. He wanted to change it, and he was brave enough and clever enough to think of a way. Most people never step out of the box they are put in, but my dad did. And why not? Allaire is being killed by your step parents. Nothing grows, nothing thrives here – not flora or fauna or fairy. All the enchanted creatures have left, they have squeezed all the magic out of the place. It’s become dark and dangerous for anyone who lives here. So if I had convinced anyone to join me in a rebellion, I would have. But I’ve never been able to get there. I’ve got close so many times, but we’ve always lacked the numbers and the fire. Now we have both. You are the fire, Elsie, whether or not you like it. You are someone that can give ordinary fairies hope. If you escaped the prison of the castle, under the rule of your step parents, maybe they can too.” His eyes are pleading with her to understand and she steps towards him; she cannot help but feel moved by his words, feel awe for his determination.
“I think you’re amazing. You are the bravest person I’ve ever met. But I’m scared.”
He puts a finger under her chin, forcing her to look up and meet his eyes. “I will look after you. I promise no harm will come to you while I’m alive. I’ve been waiting my entire life for this, Elsie, to make my mark, for my father’s sake and my own, and for the Kingdom I love. You have helped me to do it. I could kiss you.”
She holds her breath, her eyes full of fear but something else. She wants him to kiss her, she suddenly wants to be someone who means everything to somebody else; to be the most important thing in someone’s life. She’s never been special, and she has never been adored. She cannot look away from him.
He leans close to her, and she closes her eyes and he kisses her cheek, so soft and so gently that her eyes fly open. His eyes are closed and then he pulls away from her.
“Thank you.” His voice breaks slightly and she smiles. He might not want to kiss her the way she was hoping he’d kiss her, but he’s grateful for her and she’s happy with that for now.
“Didn’t you need the toilet?”
She shakes her head. “No, actually. I was just feeling a little overwhelmed in there. You know I’ve been ignored for six years, right? The only person I’ve seen for years is Meg, and suddenly I’m free and I’ve seen so much and found out so much. I’m still reeling.”
He takes hold of her shoulders. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t think. I thought you’d be as excited as me to be here.”
“I am excited. Please don’t feel bad. I just wasn’t expecting... that.”
“Neither was I, if I’m honest. They never cheer like that for me.”
This makes Elsie laugh out loud, and Hardy grins at her. “Better?”
She nods and gestures to the door. “I’m ready to go back in.”
“You sure?”
“Yes.”
They go back into the room, hand in hand, and Hardy shakes his head when the applause starts again.
A sullen-faced fairy joins them.
“This is Malachi. My cousin and the brains behind this entire thing.”
Ajo laughs. “If he’s the brains, what are you?”
“I’m the brawn, of course.” Hardy tenses his muscles and then shakes his head, laughing. “I’m the drive. But I’d rush in and get myself killed, or so Malachi tells me. This way we get to win. And live.”
“Both pretty important,” Malachi says, wiping his hands on his trousers before holding out a hand for Elsie to shake. “We need more manpower. It’s why we’ve never gone for it. Hardy thinks he can storm the place by himself, but it’s impossible. We need to be careful.”
“Which is why I found us more manpower. Do you know Ajo, Malachi, from the troupe? They are ready to help us.”
“You’re kidding. Really?”
Ajo nods and grins, slapping Malachi on the back, causing him to cough and splutter.
“Your boy Hardy came and talked to our elders today and they finally agreed. Elsie tipped the balance. Just give me a day and I’ll figure out how many we’ve got. How many do you need?”
“As many as possible. We’ll struggle to hold back the regular army and the army of clippers otherwise.”
“This is it, Malachi.” The two men embrace, and in that second the atmosphere in the cabin changes. The excitement is replaced with a nervous energy, an additional level of concentration and intensity takes over all the conversations and the air hums with the electricity of it all.
Elsie turns to Meg. “I’ve got goose bumps.”
Meg tries to smile but can’t help the expression of caution that comes over her face.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
Elsie makes a face at her that sh
ows she doesn’t believe her.
“I’m just feeling nervous, that’s all. This is an enormous thing they’re planning.”
“We’re planning. We’re part of this now, Meg.”
“That’s what frightens me. We don’t know these people, we don’t know what they’re planning, how many will get hurt.”
“I know them, Meg. Already I feel like we’re old friends. All of us.”
“You really feel a part of this?”
“I do.” It isn’t true. She doesn’t feel a part of it quite yet; she’s hovering on the outskirts of it all. But she wants desperately to be a part of it and not just a figurehead. She wants to impress Hardy and show that she could rule if she had to. That ruling – the very idea of being in charge of a Kingdom full of angry, abused and bitter fairies – petrifies her and makes her feel like flying back to the ship and captain Tom, is something she’s hoping will pass. She’s hoping that if she throws herself into this rebellion, she will feel a part of it, and she will feel worthy of the crown when it sits on her head. She can see Meg isn’t entirely impressed with Hardy and this setup. Meg doesn’t have to say a word; Elsie knows her too well. But it impresses her. She thinks what they want to do is brave and clever and will change the lives of so many innocent fairies. When she feels like flying away, she tries to think of the little children. Poor Carys with her clipped wings; the little fairy at the docks. These children don’t have a choice, but she does. She must be brave, even when every inch of her is screaming for her to leave.
“If you’re a part of it, then I’m a part of it.”
“Exactly.” Elsie grins. “I know you worry about me, but you can stop. I’m in expert hands, whatever happens. This rebellion isn’t something new they’ve done because I’m here; they’ve been planning it for years. I’ll be safe. We’ll be safe.”
A few fairies have come closer to Elsie and Hardy, smiling shyly at Elsie, causing her to blush. Nobody has paid any attention to her for years; she has lived as anonymously as a princess could. She’s not used to this level of attention or adoration. These younger fairies look awed by her very presence.
“What made you come back?” one of them asks. She’s a dainty fairy with the faintest blush of pink on her wings, which matches her hair perfectly. She looks too tiny and delicate to be involved in the planning of a war.
Hardy grins at Elsie’s expression. “Don’t let her fool you. This is Norah, one of our feistiest fairies. She’d be the one to help you if Bella digs her heels in.”
“You want to learn to fight?” Norah asks, her expression incredulous. “But you’re a princess.”
“I’m only a princess in name, I promise you. I haven’t been cosseted at the castle. I’m not spoiled or pampered.”
“I’ll help you. I’d be honoured to help you. I’m nearly as good as Bella, and I’m four years younger.”
“How old are you?”
“Fifteen. Just a year younger than you. I’ll help you.” Norah turns to Hardy. “Can I help her? I’d be so good.”
Hardy nods. “You’re definitely the one to help Elsie.”
Norah beams and tucks her arm through Elsie’s. “I bet she refuses to help. She’s such a grump. Then I’ll help you. I bet you’ll be great. Why did you come back? You never answered me. Not that we’re not glad. Without you, we’d still be in limbo; making plans that go nowhere.”
“I found out what was happening here on the boat when I was leaving here. As soon as I found out I just felt sick. I knew I couldn’t leave, not knowing what everyone here was going through. What my sister might be going through.”
“Is she locked up like you were?”
Elsie nods. “I haven’t seen her for years. Can you really miss someone you don’t see, don’t know?”
“You can if she’s your sister.” Norah hugs Elsie and then squeals. “We’ll rescue her, and we can reunite you with each other. You’ll see – it’ll all be so wonderful and marvellous and fantastical.”
“Norah.” There’s a subtle warning in Hardy’s voice, though Elsie isn’t sure why. She likes the girl’s enthusiasm, her childlike excitement. She can’t help but feel her dread turn into bubbles of hope and possibility.
“Well, I’m super glad you came back. You’re our spark of hope.”
“I’m glad I did too.” And she is, despite Meg’s apparent reservations. Whatever happens from here on in is at least her choice and not somebody else’s. She’s not a pawn in somebody else’s game anymore. She makes the choices, and this is her choice. If it ends badly and the rebellion loses, then she’ll have lost at a game she wanted to play in. If she wins, then she will rule. Either option is better than running away and leaving her home Kingdom in a quandary.
Looking around this cabin, thinking about the war room and the work she saw being done in the caves, she’s confident that she’s picked the winning team. Or the winning team picked her. She’s not sure which way around.
Ajo claps Hardy on the back. “I’ve spoken to Malachi and a few of the others. Give me until tomorrow and I’ll let you know how many I can rally. When are we looking at starting this, realistically? So I can give them an idea.”
Hardy rubs his face. “We’re ready. We’ve got weapons stockpiled and we’ve got all the manpower we will get. If you can give me your numbers so we can plan who to put where doing what, then we can do it soon. Maybe a week or two.”
“That doesn’t give me much time to learn to fight,” Elsie says, unable to stop herself from butting in.
Hardy turns to her, takes her hands and smiles. “Elsie, with all respect, we can’t wait for you to be ready to fight. We have to do this; we have to move while we’re all ready and fired up to do it. I’ll make sure you learn the basics; you’ll pick up enough to defend yourself if anybody gets too close – which I assure you I won’t allow – but to learn to fight properly takes years. You know we don’t have years, right?”
“I thought we had longer than two weeks. Why so quick, why the rush?”
Hardy drops her hands. “Elsie. You know why. For every day we leave your parents in charge, more fairies get clipped. Some of those fairies get ill, they get infections, and they die.”
“Step parents.”
He rolls his eyes. “You know what I mean.”
She is silent after his outburst. She knows that action is imperative, but she didn’t think it would be so soon. Meg takes her hand.
“It might be time for us to go. The princess isn’t used to so much stimulation. She’s probably tired. We can take a lesson in fighting tomorrow and the next day, maybe early in the morning, Elsie. Then you’ll be twice as equipped to fight as you are.”
Elsie squeezes her hand and Norah nods at Elsie, sympathy in her expression. “I live right by Maud. I’ll come over tomorrow and show you the basics. Even if Bella can help you, it won’t hurt to have a head start.”
Hardy bows his head. “I’m sorry for my outburst. I feel so passionately about this. I forget that not everybody has been planning this for years. Norah, take them home, would you?”
Norah nods, looking over the moon to be asked to carry out such an important task. Elsie nods at Hardy but quickly turns away from him. She’s been dismissed, and she knows it. It stings, but she won’t show it. She could cry, but she won’t. She is a princess and knows how to carry herself despite being locked away from court for so long.
Norah flits off to say goodbye to her friends and then comes back to Elsie and Meg. “Ready?”
Norah is so enthusiastic that Elsie forgets for a moment that Hardy is cross with her and turns to say goodbye. He has turned firmly away from her, head to head with Ajo and Malachi, and she feels rejected all over again.
15
NORAH KEEPS UP A RUNNING commentary as they fly to Maud’s house. She flies ahead, turns around, chatters and points things out, flits up and down and left and right, so excited to be with Elsie and taking her to Maud’s that she’s almost hysterical. Elsie smiles at Meg and Meg
grins. “She’s so cute.”
“I know.”
They fly on, thoroughly enjoying Norah’s chatter and her insights into the Kingdom. Elsie recognises so many parts of it as they fly along. She feels like she’s going back in time to when she was a young princess flying around with her mother and then her father. The Kingdom was such a friendly place and the royal family were so beloved. Her eyes fill with tears as they fly.
“Not far now.”
Elsie’s stomach flips as she sees the castle looming in the distance. Maud’s house is so close to it, it’s uncomfortable. The memories of her mother, her father, her step mother and her step father fill her up and make her queasy. She calls out to Norah. Norah swoops back to her side.
“I need to stop.”
“Are you all right?”
“I just feel a little sick.”
They land and Elsie drops to the floor, leaning back against an enormous oak tree, eyes closed while the nausea passes.
“It’s the castle,” Meg says. “Being so close to the castle brings back terrible memories.”
“Oh, poor thing. I can’t imagine. Was it so awful for her?”
“Bad for both of us.”
Norah hits herself on the forehead with her palm. “Of course. They locked you up with her. I’m so sorry. I wasn’t being rude; I just forget things.”
“It’s fine. I didn’t think you were being rude.”
Meg goes to Elsie’s side and hunkers down beside her. “Are you all right? We need to go to Maud’s.” She looks around. It’s fairly quiet; a few fairies hovering around and chatting in groups. “I don’t enjoy being out here. You’re not meant to be here, remember?”
Elsie stands up, holding onto Meg for support. “I just feel so strange. Remember how exhilarating it was to leave the castle?”
“I know.”
“I hadn’t stepped foot out of that door in six years. Such a long time, and then I was free. It felt risky enough coming back to Allaire, but to be within a stone’s throw of the castle feels like tempting fate.”
The Rise of the Fairy Queen (The Fairy Queen Trilogy Book 1) Page 13