Awake

by Riana Lucas

  Finally snapping out of my shock, I take a threatening step toward her. The queen puts her hand on my shoulder to stay me. She gives me a reassuring look before turning back to Holly. “Holly, I have repeatedly warned you of your contempt and total indifference for my wishes. I am your queen first and foremost, and you will obey me. Poppy is your princess. You will not question or disregard either of our wishes or commands. You are a servant of this court and will act accordingly from this day forward, or you will find yourself severely punished. Do you understand me?”

  Holly glares at me, her teeth clenched in anger as she clearly debates her response. I still do not understand the relationship between her and the queen. Any other fae would have been killed long ago for her shows of insolence. I am only more confused when the queen speaks again, this time, less commanding and softer, almost pleading: “Now, I have forgiven much of your behavior because of who you are, but it cannot happen any longer, Holly. I care a great deal for you and do not wish to have to punish you. Could you please try to get along with Poppy? For me?”

  Holly looks at the queen for a long moment, but the tension finally leaves her body. “Yes, My Queen, I will try.” She is clearly not happy about this. In fact, she seems sad. Her shoulders droop and her eyes become distant. The sorrowful look in them now mirrors the queen’s eyes, confirming there is something else going on here. It is clearly important, and I know it has something to do with me, but I do not have time now for this puzzle.

  The queen turns back to me. “Poppy, I grant you permission to leave the seelie court and return to the unseelie court. I also give you permission to bring your friends back here, if they wish. You must ensure, however, that they pose no danger to your court before bringing them back.” The emphasis she puts on ‘your’ is not lost on me.

  This is my court now. I may have always been an unseelie warrior, but I am now a seelie princess. My first loyalty must now be to the seelie court. All of the fae within the court are now my responsibility. They will look to me for guidance and for protection. Although the idea is a bit overwhelming, if not scary, I cannot help the small grin of happiness when I think of having a home and a place to belong. I will do all I can to protect my people, after I rescue Reed and Rho.

  “Yes, My Queen, I understand and promise I will not bring a threat back into our court.” She smiles when I claim the court as my own, and I am almost blinded by the brilliance of it, causing my heart to swell with a sense of pride.

  Her smile fades, though, and she continues, “I have one more stipulation.” The way she says this has my body stiffening immediately. I can see in her eyes it is something I am not going to like. “Holly must go with you.” She raises her hand to stop my argument. “I do not doubt your capability as a warrior, Poppy, but you are the seelie princess. I would not be doing my job as queen, or as your mother, if I allowed you to do this without protection. I will not force an entire guard upon you. I know it will only slow you down and be more of a danger than it will be helpful. But I must insist Holly go with you."

  At her suggestion, my mouth gapes open slightly and my eyes widen. "Are you serious? She tried to kill me!"

  "I know but I've spoken with her about that and she's been punished. She won't do it again. Will you, Holly?" The queen raises one delicate eyebrow at Holly.

  "No, my queen, I vow it," Holly mumbles reluctantly.

  Hearing her promise does alleviate some of my concern, but I still do not want her to come with me. As I open my mouth to protest again, the queen's features soften and her voice lowers. "You have recently recovered from a near-death injury.” She shudders slightly at the memory before continuing, “I know you have trained and feel stronger, but you have only had one sparring session with Gideon and have not had an opportunity to test your strength and ability as of yet. I really must insist on Holly accompanying you.” She takes a deep breath and lowers her eyes before dealing the final blow: “If only to help alleviate some of the awful worry and fear your poor mother will be experiencing while you are away.”

  It is quiet for a brief moment before Holly and I both begin to protest at the same time. Neither of us is happy about this, and neither of us is going to fall for her guilt trip. At least we can agree on something.

  The queen throws her hands up in the air in exasperation as she begins to argue with both of us.

  “Huh—hmm. If I may, My Queen?” I hear Willow’s hesitant voice break through the arguments, much more loudly than I would expect from her.

  We all stop talking and turn to face Willow. She blushes slightly at the attention and probably from the nervousness of interrupting the queen but does not hesitate to speak up again. “I would like to join Poppy on her mission, if you would allow it, my queen. I feel I can offer support and guidance as well as assist her when needed,” she says with a hopeful look toward the queen.

  “Oh, no. I am not taking anyone with me on this mission. I do not need help, and I definitely do not need to worry about anyone else getting hurt—or worse.” Willow's face falls, and I cringe inwardly but will not give in on this. Crossing my arms to emphasize my stance on the matter, I remain silent without meeting her eyes. I cannot be responsible for Willow. If something were to happen to her, I would not be able to live with myself.

  As the queen is about to speak again, there is a quick rap at the door. We all turn our attention to it. Gideon and Thorne are standing in the doorway, faces grim and dressed in full battle gear. So this is where Willow disappeared to earlier when I told her of my plan.

  I throw my hands in the air and spin away from them all, plopping down into my chair. Lowering my head to the table, I mumble, “Really? Has everyone decided I need help?” before I thunked my head three times on the table.

  The queen gently stills the motion with a gently touch of her hand to the back of my head. “It seems as if you have made some very loyal friends rather quickly, my daughter,” she says with amusement.

  “No. They all know I am the princess and do not wish for anything to happen to me. Trust me; it is out of duty, not loyalty.”

  “Ahh, but sometimes they are one and the same. Maybe they feel a duty to you because they care about you, not about who you are.”

  I snort. Then I laugh. Great. Now I am becoming hysterical. This entire situation could not be any worse. Two of the most important people in my life appear to be in great danger, pleading for help in my dreams. Now the queen of the seelie court has informed me she is my mother, which makes me the seelie princess, and the one person I trusted most in my life is not to be trusted whatsoever. One of my enemies, a fae who tried to kill me, has been assigned to protect me. My new friend, who is as innocent and delicate as a flower but has become more important to me than I ever could have expected, has proclaimed herself my protector and guide on a mission I know will prove to be dangerous.

  I take a deep breath and look at them one by one.

  The queen has a look of equal parts hope and fear that has me second-guessing my decision. She has only just found me and fears losing me forever. Holly is staring her daggers at me, as usual, with a promise of payback. Why would the queen even think for one moment Holly would protect me? She’ll probably stab me in the back the first chance she gets, even if she did vow not to kill me. Willow is still blushing but has her chin held high and her back straight. Her confidence makes me proud, but my fear for her is high. Gideon looks handsomely fierce, a loyal fae I am proud to call my friend. Thorne gives me a sly look and his customary wink. I cannot help but to smile and wink back at him.

  All of these fae are here for me, well, except for Holly. I am still not sure what the queen is thinking, but they are here to protect me and to follow me without question. I do not know if they would call me a friend, but I know I consider them friends and am proud to have them follow me into what I know will be a battle.

  Looking back at Thorne's knowing smile, I shake my head. If nothing else, it will prove to be an adventure.

  Chapter Tenr />
  Recognizing there are no other options, I gaze at the group around me. “Well, is everyone ready?” I ask with false cheer, of which I am sure everyone is aware—if the smirks on their faces are any indication. I look over each one of them critically, checking their attire, weapons, and intensity. Even though they are all wearing those smirks, they are ready for battle.

  Holly is the first to catch my eye, but I move my gaze past her. She’s always prepared, and I am relieved that I do not have to worry about her fighting capabilities or readiness. There is no doubt in my mind she will be able to handle herself. Watching my back to make sure she does not put a dagger in it—now, that may be something to worry about. As if the queen has read my thoughts, she pulls Holly aside. Her voice is low, but I can hear her warning Holly how important it is that she keep me safe. I want to cut in so I can tell her I do not need anyone to protect me, especially Holly, but I think better of it. If Holly is forbidden to harm me, I can worry about more important things.

  Like Willow, standing there with her spine straight and her head held up rebelliously. I have gotten to know her pretty well over the last few days, so I can tell she is not as confident as her outside appearance portrays. Although she is hiding her emotions well, there is still a hint of worry in her eyes. I approach her with the intention of talking to her about this, but she stops me.

  Her eyes hold a fierce glare when she says, “I know that you’re worried about me and don’t want me to come with you. But I am very smart when it comes to strategy and puzzles. If the need arises, I can help you with those things. Otherwise, I will stay out of the way and won’t slow you down. But I must come with you, Poppy.”

  The determination in her voice, as well as the case she has made for herself, gives me pause. I have seen her use small amounts of magic and can appreciate how she uses her power with an ease that most other fae wish for. Although she is a mere servant, I have been told that her healing abilities are recognized around the court, and she is one of the most sought-after healers here. Still, I ask, “Why must you go?”

  She hesitates but for a second. “You’re my one and only friend. If anything happened to you, I don’t know what I would do. Besides, I'm a good healer. You’ll probably need me."

  She is right about that, but still. “I do not want anything to happen to you, Willow. If I failed to protect you…” I gaze at her, willing her to understand, but her determination will not allow her to relent.

  Blowing out a breath, my shoulders sag, and I recognize I cannot stop her if she truly wishes to come along.

  “Fine, but you must listen to everything I tell you and do exactly as I say at all times. Do you understand?” I finally give in.

  “Oh, yes! I promise, Poppy. I swear,” she says very seriously, but she can’t seem to stop the huge smile from breaking out on her face. I shake my head in exasperation.

  “Um, excuse me, Poppy?” Gideon says from behind us.

  I turn and wait.

  “I hope you aren’t offended by my and Thorne’s offer to assist in your rescue mission. We both feel very strongly about our court and our princess, and it is our duty to help and protect you if we can. We respectfully request to help in any way possible on this mission.”

  “Duty,” I say mockingly, knowing that is the only reason they are offering to assist me. “Yes, I realize I am the princess and you must protect me. I understand the politics that come along with my position, and I grant you and Thorne permission to accompany me. Make no mistake, though. I may be the princess but I am a warrior fae first. I can and will protect myself. Do not try to stop me or command me because I am in charge of this mission unless I state otherwise.” I glance around at everyone, waiting for some sort of acknowledgment. They all nod—everyone except Holly, of course.

  Before I can say anything further, Gideon moves a little closer, saying softly, “We aren’t here only out of duty, Poppy. You’re our friend. We care for you and want to help.” He puts more emphasis on the care for you part than I like, but I understand what he’s trying to do.

  “Thank you,” I tell him. “It is an honor to have all of you as my friends.”

  “Thank you.” He straightens, taking a step back with the others. They all get in line, shoulder to shoulder—except, once again, for Holly. “Not only are we honored to fight by the side of our friend, but it’s our privilege to assist our princess in whatever mission she deems necessary.” In his warrior voice, Gideon adds, “Give us your orders, Princess Poppy.”

  “Well, now that there is a group of us, we must first discuss a plan of action. I must admit that I have never gone on a mission with others. Usually I work alone, so you will all need to bear with me and give me time to adjust to working as a team.”

  “Yes, Princess,” they all say at once.

  “My first order is for you all to stop addressing me as Princess." I shoot the queen a look of apology but I must insist. If we are all to be friends, I want to be treated like one. "I am Poppy, always.”

  They all turn to the queen. Part of me wants to yell at them to listen to me but that would contradict exactly what I am seeking from them. So instead, I wait patiently for the queen to give her approval. When she does, I draw everyone's attention once again.

  “Okay, so now we make a plan. I am familiar with the layout of the unseelie court, so I know where my friends are being held. It should not be that difficult to rescue them. We can only shimmer so close to the unseelie court without tipping the guards off that there are intruders among the court, though, so we will have to spend some time in the woods, making the rest of our journey on foot. As you all are aware, the woods are not safe. They are full of unclaimed fae who are loyal to only themselves. They will not hesitate to kill any one of us.”

  I look into each of their eyes to make sure they understand the danger we will encounter in the faery woods. When I reach Willow’s innocent eyes, I begin to worry once more. “Gideon, you will keep Willow as close to you as possible at all times. You will protect her before even me. Give her a weapon she can handle with no trouble, and give her a few quick tips in case she needs it. But I do not want her out of your sight, ever.”

  He appears upset for a brief moment, probably because agreeing will mean if I am in danger, he must still defend Willow, but I do not care. I can take care of myself, but Willow cannot.

  “Of course, I will protect her with my life,” he vows, inclining his head in a show of respect. I see Willow blush slightly, but she stays silent. She recognizes this must be done to keep her alive.

  “Very good.” I nod before continuing, “We will shimmer to the closest point of the unseelie court before making our way through the woods. We should arrive at the edge of the unseelie court just before nightfall. Once we reach this point, I will take Gideon and Thorne with me into the court. I know where Reed and Rho are being kept, so if all goes as planned, it should only take a short time to find them and get back out. Then we can make our way back to the woods. There, we will be able to shimmer back home. This mission should take no time at all and we should be home by dinner.”

  Everyone nods in agreement and understanding.

  “And what would you like me to do, Your Majesty?” Holly sarcastically asks.

  “You will stay with Willow when we enter the court. And I just asked you not to call me that,” I snap.

  This time the queen interjects. “Poppy, I would prefer that Holly join you when you enter the court. I know how dangerous this is, and I wish for you to be as protected as possible.”

  “We will be in more danger if there are too many of us. It will draw attention.” Although my statement is true, my reasoning is more because I also do not want Holly or Willow going into the unseelie court with me.

  “I understand, but your life is very important not only to me, but to the entire seelie court. You must remain protected at all times. I ‘m not insisting you take the entire guard with you like I should be, but if you are taking these few warriors, then they
must all remain at your side. I’ve already lost you once. I am not prepared to lose you again so soon after I found you.”

  I understand her concern, but I have my own. “Willow will not be safe if she enters the court. I do not want her harmed,” I argue.

  “I understand your concern, but Willow is a very capable warrior. Don’t let her lack of formal training fool you. You’ll all be safer if you remain together at all times, including when you enter the court,” She argues back.

  “I do not wish to speak against either of you, but, Poppy, I must agree with our queen.” This is from Thorne, who has remained quiet the entire time. “Our numbers are small enough that we'll be able to move through the halls quietly, but if we're noticed, it would be better if we were all there to fight together.”

  I look to the others for their input; they all offer a quick word of agreement. Holly is the only one that has more to say.

  Speaking to Thorne, not me, she says, “You’re right. Our small group is an advantage in stealth, but not if it comes to a battle. If we fight, we must all do so together.” Holly and Thorne share a smile that I choose to ignore. I need no other puzzles right now.

  A good leader recognizes when to give in to a majority vote and a solid plan. We must stay together. The risk will be greater to each of us, but as a group, we have a better chance at success. Right now I must put my own pride aside and consider what’s best for Reed and Rho.

  “Okay, then. That is what we will do. I would like to leave as soon as possible. Gideon and Thorne, if you would please take Willow to the training room, make sure she knows the basics of self-defense, and how to handle the weapon which suits her best.”

  They both nod and begin walking to the training room. Willow takes a step to follow, but I stop her. “Willow?”

  “Yes, Poppy?”

  “I know you are capable of taking care of yourself. I have full confidence in you, but please pay close attention to what they teach you. It may save your life.”