A court of love and secrets

8

The bells ran as they walked thought the city of Scalswind. Circe had talked about the people, about the homes that looked both ancient and beautiful. But she had not spoken about how large the village was. More then double the size of the city of starlight. Lilith looked at the people, each of them had brown or black hair and their eyes changed from black, brown or even a few had hazel and sims had gray. Even rarer some had golden eyes. All of their heads turned towards the male before Lilith. The Dune. The heir.

"Did you know?" Lilith asked Theodora.

"Of course not." Theodora said. "The Dune is meant to stay inside the castle. Meant to guard it if the lord is not home. . .I don't understand."

Both heiresses turned their head to the Dragon who only smiled at them. Before she bent down and allowed a small child to place a flower crown around her head. Lilith knew that the dragon was beloved in this land. The castle appeared up ahead, five floors with roofs that seemed to look like the bottom of a ship. Nearby music began to play, traditional instruments of this land. Flute, guzheng and even a erhu. Cherry blossoms blew on the wind. The Dune of Scalswind smiled. He then turned on his horse.

"Welcome to my home." He said.

The people where what shocked Theodora the most. She knew that humans and fae had been living side by side for over a thousand years before the war. But seeing them so close together, them laughing and playing. Their offspring dancing together in the rain puddles. She had forgotten how beautiful and serene this place was. She had visited only once, over hundred years ago and she had forgotten. . .if she had it her way she would live here. Theodora closed her eyes as she allowed the music of the nearby musicians to play. They had gotten of their horses a while ago and where now walking throughout the castle that the Van Rosenburg's called home.

"You lied to us." Lilith said as she walked after the Dune who was now wearing the clothing of his people under his hood.

"I did not such thing." He said in the common language. "If you asked me who I was I would have answered honestly. You know my aunt, Circe, so you know us Van Rosenburg's do not lie."

"And your grandmother?" Lilith asked. "You said we would have to meet with her to have her blessing to stay in this village. Will she lie?"

"Not if Kat can help it." The dragon, who now also wore the clothing of these people said. She wrote a red dragon on her back and the sword on her hip. "But she will give you a fair judgement."

"Judgement!" Lilith yelled.

Some servants turned and looked at them.

"Shh." The Dune said. "We at Re'en like our quiet. You will find that at any of the villages here on our lovely island, which you are free to travel to. Though, I would ask and recommend waiting for my mother to return so you can have her seal of approval. With it you can stay almost anywhere for free."

"Why?" Theodora asked.

"I suspect that you have no money nor goods to sell." Eve said smiling. She was the Dunes half sister thought their father. "The Van Rosenburg name will take you far. People love to think about the wealth Nicole keeps here."

"Does she?" Lilith asked.

The Dune laughed, "if my mother kept her wealth here she sleeps, she is stupider then she looks. Everyone knows not to keep it in the same house in which you sleep."

"Inky the Fury made this right." Lilith asked as she looked out of a bamboo window. "Everything?"

"Yep." The dune said and pointed to a painting done of her. "My ancestor. Inky herself. My grandmother is just passed those doors, I myself cannot go any further, but my sister and the dragon will take you."