A Court so Cruel and Lovely

Chapter Seven

A week later, after a lesson at the palace school, Cardan and I walked in on Balekin talking to a male I didn't recognize at first. His identity clicked after a moment - Madoc, the Grand General. Madoc was a green-skinned Fae male with cat-like eyes and blond hair. He's bulky from his soldiery.

Even though Rhys trained me in swordplay for 2 decades, I was more lithe than muscular. Probably from the dance lessons. Both males turned to us. Madoc stood.

"Thank you, Balekin for this... enlightening advice," he said, looking at Balekin. "I shall look into it."

He looked at me and Cardan, nodded, and said, "Prince, princess."

With that, he walked away. I looked at Balekin.

"What was that about?"

"Madoc's wife," Balekin answered, not going into any detail. "Or ex-wife, I suppose."

"Oh," I responded.

"How were your lessons? Are you making any friends?"

"They were fine. There are a couple females I like. Not much on male friends," I said.

The only male friends I want are the ones that think I'm dead, I added in my head.

"Well, I'm sure you will make more friends rather quickly," Balekin said. "And perhaps in time your mindset regarding male friends will change."

I didn't respond, merely shrugged. Maybe I would, maybe I wouldn't. Many of the Folk were younger than me. But then again, so were the other princesses and princes. I was older than them by a decade, maybe more.

I was way too old to be in palace school. But I attended it anyways, if only because I had nothing better to do with my time. Sewing was out of the question. It reminded me too much of my mother.

Maybe one day, I would heal enough to be able to sew again without feeling melancholy.

***

As time wore on, and the princes and princesses grew older, Balekin introduced me to his faction of the High Court, the Circle of Grackles. The Circle of Grackles was one of the three factions led by the three eldest children of the High King - Elowyn, Dain, and Balekin.

Balekin led the Circle of Grackles, who enjoyed merriment and pleasure and despised anyone who got in the way of it. Elowyn led the Circle of Larks, they prized art above all else. Dain led the Circle of Falcons, which consisted of soldiers, spies, and those who wanted power.

Frankly, I would've preferred to be a part of the Circle of Falcons but since I lived with Balekin, I was kind of stuck with the Grackles. He allowed me to attend the revels.

The revels were wonderful and terrible. I took numbing powders and drank to excess. I would pass out half-way through the revels, wake up, and take even more numbing powders and drink even more.

Usually, I would've thought it unhealthy but it helped take my mind off my mother's death. It helped me forget that I might never see the Night Court again, never see Starfall, never see my brothers. So, I drank and took those powders and relished in the numbness, the high, I felt in those moments.