The Woods

Chapter Seventeen

Several days passed, and I sensed a different atmosphere in the castle. I came across more faeries and Fae in the hallways and everyone seemed to be in good moods. Everyone was laughing and smiling as if they hadn't a care in the world.

"What's going on in the castle?" I asked Cain when we were in the study together.

He smiled. "Of course, I had forgotten you do not know all of our traditions. Tonight is the Dance of the Stars. It's in remembrance of the Houses that fell during the Rebellion."

I supposed that would explain why there were so many people around. They wanted to be together to remember their friends and family. "Why would they be in such good moods then? Surely remembering the fallen would be a sad occasion?"

"We are old and immortal," he replied. "Grief can only last so long before it consumes you. We celebrate to remember their efforts in carving the path of society to what it is today. We celebrate the good memories and the bad. Remaining on the bad things is futile, and so we do everything we can to stop the grief from getting the better of us."

"I suppose that makes sense," I murmured. How dreadful it would be to live an immortal life, haunted with guilt. Every mistake would live on with you, the weight growing stronger by the day. Mortals with short lives struggled, but to have thousands of years? I almost shuddered. "So, I'm assuming I can't come if it's night-time?" I said, trying to move away from my thoughts.

"No faerie would dare to disrupt tonight," Cain replied. "With every Fae gathered together, no faerie would risk their lives just to get at a mortal girl. You would be safe if you attended."

I smiled, delighted at the thought of being able to attend. Ever since I was a child, I had dreamed of going to events, and even though this was supposed to be a day of remembrance, I could not wait.

After my lesson, Cain walked me back to my room before leaving me. There was no combat training that afternoon, since the field was being set up for the event that evening. I was relieved, as it meant I could spend the rest of the day reading. Alas, I was not so fortunate.

Late in the afternoon, two maids entered my room, one carrying an armful of silk gowns, and the other carrying a wooden box. They asked me to bathe while they set everything up, and it took me a few moments to realise they were there to help me dress for that evening. I silently groaned at the thought of being dressed up, but obediently went to bathe, letting them prepare everything.

I emerged from the bathroom twenty minutes later, wrapped in a silk robe. The maids had laid out the half a dozen gowns on the bed, and the wooden box was on the dressing table, open to reveal makeup and hair pins.

"Take your pick," one maid smiled, indicating to the gowns. "The Fae usually wear their House colours, but because you do not have a House, His Majesty said to let you choose."

I nibbled my lip, scanning the dresses. To put it simply, they were gorgeous. Never before had I seen any gowns like them, and to choose would be impossible. I didn't have the option of choosing the simplest one, as they were all so elaborate, so I decided based on colour.

Soon enough, I found myself standing before a mirror as a maid worked on my hair, staring at the stranger before me. I never really paid attention to my appearance, so it was a shock to see myself. Any softness my body once had was gone from all the training I was doing. Somehow the physical changes added to the gown made me look powerful in a way that made my heart light.

The gown was of midnight blue woven with silver threads. It hung off my shoulders and clung to my waist before flowing to the floor like a waterfall. The bell sleeves were made from blue lace, woven into the pattern of flowers. With each movement, the silk swayed and hovered around me.