Faye and Ruin

Welcome to the City of Light

The oxygen was sucked from around us and we were back in my bedroom at the castle. He didn't let go of me still, even as the world solidified and I looked up at him once more. "Will you sing for me here?" He asked.

"Is your music the same as mine? Or like the fairies?"

"More like the fairies." He breathed out softly, still leaving his arms wrapped around me, holding me tightly against his chest. The odd part was that I didn't want him to let go despite the fear that the King would happen to see this embrace again.

"Then how will I sing if I do not know the words?" I whispered to him and he tilted his head, a softness upon his face that wasn't normally there. I wanted to reach up and touch his skin, let my fingers slide across his face.

One hand of mine slowly drifted upwards and then rested against his cheek. He closed his eyes, but didn't move. His voice came to me through my own head once more. "You could sing anything and it would sound beautiful."

My heart was beating expeditiously in my chest, pounding against my ribcage begging to be released. But I slowly lowered my hand from his face and he opened his eyes, searching mine. "Maybe someday." I whispered and he clenched his jaw as the softness in his figure sped away.

We broke apart, and my body felt cold and almost numb from the space that was now between us. He took a deep breath. A heaviness in that inhale that slipped between us as I looked up at his face. "Well, I guess it's my turn to hold up my end of the bargain." He stated and smiled half-heartedly at me.

I furrowed my brows for a moment before remembering what I had asked of him. "Where are you going to take me?" I clapped my hands with glee and he gave me a full crooked smile while shaking his head.

"How about I show you the city below the hills?"

"The one that you can see sitting just past the cliff?" My grin widened even more and that heaviness dissipated.

"That one." He stretched out his hands and I placed my fingertips against his palms so those silver bracelets could snake around my wrists once more. "Fastest way is to shimmer there." He grabbed my arms before I could pull them back and an ivory light encompassed us. Milky brightness, empty but bright with small flecks of midnight purple surrounded me for just a moment before I blinked and we were suddenly standing on a stone street.

"Can everyone shimmer?" I asked before gasping and taking in the sight around me.

"Powerful high fae can, they can grant temporary ability to those who can't, Runa and then you." He said, but I was only halfway listening. Beautiful buildings rose around me, cottages of wealth and beauty. Music that I had never heard before swam through the streets that bustled with the most unique and normal looking creatures; most of whom had pointy ears.

As they passed us, most bowed just briefly at Bayne and then gave him wide grins or waves. He smiled back, acknowledging his royalty status but his greeting was mostly of a friendly manner. "Welcome to the City of Light." He said and motioned for me to follow.

We walked between a row of cottages, several walking paths branching off, leading to more homes that were the cutest things I had ever seen. Everything seemed so bright. There were children laughing and playing in the streets. Adults talking and joking amongst each other.

As we rounded a corner to the right, the space opened up and I was entranced even more. This had to be the center of the city. Behind me were the little homes but in front of me rose a massive fountain. A large sun was floating in the middle, and I couldn't tell if it was water or literal sunlight that sprayed from the white marble carved sun. It trickled down into the fountain below and then small streams of the golden sparkling water stretched in four directions.