Safe Haven

Chapter 3 : Visitors

Boris and Charlotte tag-teamed in cleaning up after dinner. Ramen was always a big hit with everyone. With a large pot of broth and noodles in the middle of the table and platters of different toppings spread around, everyone could pick what they wanted. Charlotte had made raspberry tarts for dessert, another hit.

They'd had a couple of new faces that night : two Elves named Callon and Ithil. They had been beautiful, as all Elves were, tall and graceful and an aura of ethereal magic around them. It was difficult to tell if they were male or female, since most Elves had an androgenous look about them. Their clothing told her they were members of the Seelie Court, one of the two political factions the Fae were divided into. The Seelie court was home to the "Light" Fae, the ones associated with beauty and light and goodness. They were known to be look kindly on humans, but did not take insults lightly and their vengeance was swift and often very brutal.

Callon's white hair had been pulled back over their pointed ears, their silver eyes looking about sharply. It had been hard to not be distracted by their eyes, for they looked like they were made of pure moonlight. Their hands were things of beauty on their own, smooth and soft with long tapered fingers that looked like they were made for playing any musical instrument. But Charlotte did not miss the sword strapped to their side. When she had politely told them that no weapons were to be drawn in the house, they had bowed and agreed with no hesitation.

Ithil's hair had looked like a waterfall of spun gold down their back, it had been very hard not to reach out to touch it in wonder. Their green eyes made her feel like she was looking at a glade in a forest. They were slightly taller than Callon, but not by much. She could imagine Ithil being at home running through an Elven forest, with a deer at their side. Ithil had also spoken more than Callon, leading Charlotte to believe they were the main spokesperson of the two and Callon was there as backup, so to speak.

It had been a little... informal for them, but they seemed to appreciate how everyone was together, even complimenting the food. They had asked questions about Charlotte; who she was as a human, how she had come to find out about the world of mythical and magical beings, why she offered her home as a place of refuge, etc. Charlotte had felt like she was being investigated, interviewed. Afterward they had thanked her for her hospitality and told her that they'd be watching, whatever that meant.

"Are the bougie bitches gone yet?"

Charlotte looked at Lilyanna, smiling. "Yes, the representatives from the Fae Seelie Court are gone," she said pointedly.

Lilyanna shrugged. "So they are noble bougie bitches, who cares?"

"You would care if they had decided you insulted them. They are not normal Fae folk Lilyanna, they are a big deal."

"So what were they doing sniffing around here?"

"I don't know. And that worries me," Charlotte admitted. "If I've caught the attention of the Seelie Court, that means I may have caught the attention of the Unseelie Court as well."

Lilyanna was about to make another smart remark until she saw how troubled her friend was. She walked over and put her arm around the human. "Charlie, you know we'd never let anything happen to you right? You've got me and Malcolm, plus the others you've helped. Any being who wanted to hurt you would have to come through the hell we'd bring on them."

Charlotte smiled and hugged the vampyre. "I'm so lucky to have you guys, I really am."

"It's not luck, it's because you are you. Even if you won't let me dye your hair."

"You want to dye my hair pink!"

"Cuz it'd be so cute!"

"Aren't you going out tonight?"