A Mischievous Tale of Magical Mayhem

20 | Flowers and Vines

Flowers and vines enveloped the entire ship. Garlands snaked around the rails, ivy clung to the hull, and the nets acted as lattice for a woven floral arrangement for the bluebells, snowdrops, and other flowers spilling from the crow's nest.

As Tallon emerged on the top deck the next morning, he stopped short and gaped.

Not wanting to be left behind, Ben had followed close at Tallon's back, standing with his hand latched to the elf's sleeve.

"I don't understand," he whispered. "I don't feel ill or drained this morning. In fact, I woke up feeling..." He flushed, recalling exactly what feeling he'd awoken to, courtesy of Tallon. "...refreshed."

"I don't understand it either," Tallon admitted. "I placed a spell of containment on your power last night. Clearly, it didn't work."

"Oh, it worked." The Queen's smooth low voice floated down to them from the poop deck above her cabin, leaning on a rail wreathed in ivy. "But containing wild magic is no easy feat. This, I think, is the natural result of two bonded souls experiencing..." She narrowed her eyes. "...an outpouring of emotion, so to speak. There's no real harm done, but it is rather inconvenient. With training, I hope we can avoid such excitement in the future."

Tallon smirked, unbothered by her innuendo even as Ben shrank behind him. "I'm an elf with needs, my lady."

She rolled her eyes. "You're experiencing the elven cycle of puberty. Now go do your chores and meet me for lunch after your shift. The Gatekeeper won't maintain itself."

With a yawn, Maisie sidled up to the queen, wearing fur lined slippers and a nightdress, but not much else. Spotting Ben and Tallon, she grinned self-consciously and waved.

Returning the gesture with a wink, Tallon pushed himself off the rail and headed toward the kitchens.

Ben made to follow him, but Aeslin stopped him in his tracks. "Not you, fae. You and Maisie need to recover. Retrieving the diadem was no small feat. Your besotted lord will do fine without you for a few hours."

Ben wavered. He wasn't about to argue with an elf queen, but he wasn't sure what to do with himself, either.

"I beg your pardon, my lady," he replied, wincing as Sprout whizzed behind Aeslin's head, swinging down from a spar on a long vine with Scamp soaring close behind. "I am not accustomed to idleness. Only a deathly ailment would excuse me from my chores at the Tularul—the inn where I grew up—and when I wasn't working there, I was..."

He broke eye contact and scratched the back of his head. He didn't think the elf queen would appreciate his talent for thievery.

"I was working elsewhere," he finished lamely. "Besides, the longer I sit still, the worse this becomes." He gestured at the greenery enveloping the ship.

Maisie plucked a flower from the moss covered rail and tucked it into Aeslin's wavy hair. "I like it," she declared. "It'll be a right pain to clean up, but I've been craving a change of scenery."

Aeslin's green eyes shone with mirth. Caressing Maisie's jaw with her knuckles, she said, "Aye, we shall have that change very soon. I am honored to have you all aboard. Regardless of lineage or race, we are working to build a better world. Not only for ourselves, but for those who follow."

With a chaste kiss, she added, "If you are done resting, I'll send you to Healer Garynn. You could use the training, and I think he's better suited to your type of magic than Corrine, who you met last night."

To Ben above, she called, "Dress yourself and eat, Benethane. Then find me on the beach where we will commence your training. That section of land will be safe from Volaer's influence, so you can practice without distractions."