Beneath the Wings

Chapter Four

Dain

I come down the stairs after I hear Trix and her mom leave. Hopefully mom and dad have already gone to bed.

I sneak into the kitchen and grab a drink, leaning against the counter. My eyes roam to the trail leading into the woods, the ones that lead to the house in the trees. Our safe place. Fairy, I haven't gone there in forever.

"Can we talk, Dainey?" My mom's voice makes me jump when she walks in. I barely contain my sigh of disappointment at not having escaped this tonight.

"Of course, mom." I turn around to face her, hoping like hell that this isn't another scolding about my relationship, or lack thereof, with Trix. "What's up?"

"I just want to talk about Trix for a minute." I groan my disagreement but she cuts me a look that shuts me up immediately. "It's not another talk to try and talk some sense into you. This is a talk about your guy's marriage."

"Okay, go ahead. Tell me how it is." I still feel like this is going to be a lecture, but I'll listen to her. Hell, there was a time that she was in Trix's almost exact position. Just she was less of an evil bitch.

"Look, at this point, I don't expect your opinion on Trixie to change. But you can at least try to play nice. You both are in this for the long haul." I shake my head.

"You don't understand, mom. Her kind is evil, she is or will be evil. How am I supposed to be okay with that? With being married to that? It's in their instincts." I don't know how they are so brainwashed about the Dark Elves.

"You're right, I don't understand how after so many years of knowing them you can still believe that old tale. How can you accuse them of crimes you have no proof of? But you know what I do know?" She walks closer to me and points a finger at my chest, a look of anger on her face. I've officially sent her into mama bear mode over Trix. Again. "I know that as the king you'll have an easier time in this marriage because of your heritage. I know that as a spring elf you'll have an easier time."

"How the hell do you know?" I expect her to hit me for cursing at her but her glare just darkens.

"Curse at me again and you'll have a sore ass for a week Dain, you'll never be too old for it. And I know because it's simple math. If you take a mistress people will understand because 'oh, you were forced to marry the horrible dark elf'. But her, she'll be seen as a whore, a betrayer and dishonorable. As a king if you lose your temper or make a harsh decision you'll be seen as stressed-out and overwhelmed but if she does it, she'll be publicly damned enemy number one." She sighs and meets my eyes, softer this time. Eyes begging for a fellow woman's mercy.

"You will make mistakes and you'll be forgiven but her? If she even breathes the wrong way honey, she and her kind will be forever deemed horrible evil creatures. So, for my sake please just try to give her a little leeway with you, she won't have it with anyone else."

I hang my head in defeat as a tear falls from my mother's face. Nodding my head, I wrap my arms around my mother. I remember those early days with dad when people would see her bruises or how he'd yell at her and they would justify it because he must just be stressed or she must just not be doing right.

"I'll try to be kinder to her mom, at the very least a safe space for her. I promise." She nods into my chest. "I love you, mom."

"I love you too, Dainey."

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I walk through the woods, heading towards the house in the trees. I haven't been here in years but after that conversation with mom and dad, being wherever the hell, he is I had to get out of that house for a little while.