Hope you like it!
We rode to court in silence , except for the sound of the horses galloping.It is well after midnight when we arrive at the great hill at the Palace of Elfhame.To go inside,we must ride between two trees,an oak and a thorn,and then straight into what appears to be the stone wall of an abandoned folly.I've always found it fascinating , but what can I say? Faerie is full of wonders.
I've done it tens of thousands of times,but everytime the stone wall get nearer,my whole body braces,I grip the reins hard,and my eyes mash shut-for all I know,Jude also has the same problem as me-and that's what happens.
I open my eyes the same time as Jude.We ride through a cavern, between pillars of roots,over packed earth.I can't help but smile.
There are dozens of Folk here,crowding around the entrance to the vast throne room,where Court is being held-long noses pixies with tattered wings;tricksy boggans;laughing foxkin;a boy in a owl mask and a golden headress;an elderly woman with crows crowding her shoulders;a gaggle of girls with wild roses in their hair;a bark-skinned boy with feathers around his neck;a group of knights all in scarab-green amor.
I don't love going to Court but I can't say I don't enjoy it very much.
Father swings down from his horse,followed by me.Oriana and Taryn are already off theirs,handing them over to grooms. Father reaches out his fingers to help Jude,but she hops off the saddle on her own.Her leather slippers hit the ground like a slap.
I don't blame them-Vivi, Jude and Taryn-I really don't blame them.Rumors spread fast in Faerie,everyone knows what father did to their mother and father.I don't think much about it, it has nothing to do with me.I've got quite a past as them too.
I'm looking at the other Folk arriving,when Jude hooks her arm around mine and Taryn's-with her in the middle-and hurry along inside.The room is redolent with burning rosemary and crushed herbs.Jude pulls me along with her and Taryn to greet the king-I was distracted by the Folk-the first thing we have to do when we get to Court is greet the king,everyone knows that.
The High King Eldred sits on his throne in gray robes of state,a heavy golden oak-leaf crown holding down his thin,spun-gold hair.When we bow,he touches our heads lightly with his knobbly,be-ringed hands,and then we rise.
His grandmother was Queen Mab,of the House of the Greenbriar.She lived as one of the solitary fey before she began to conquer Faerie with her horned consort and his stag-riders.Because of him,each of Eldred's six heirs are said to have some animal characteristic,a thing that is not unusual in Faerie but is unusual among the trooping Gentry of the Courts.
The eldest prince,Balekin,and his younger brother,Dain,stand nearby,drinking wine from wooden cups banded in silver.Dain wears breeches that stop at his knees,showing his hoobes and deer legs.Balekin wears the greatcoat he favors,with a collar of bear fur.His fingers have a thorn at each knuckle,and thorns ridge his arm,running up under the cuffs of his shirt,visible when he and Dain urge father over.
Oriana curtsies to them.Although Prince Dain and Balekin are standing together,they are often at odds with each other and with their sister Elowyn-so often that the Court is considered to be divided into three warring circles of influence.
Prince Balekin,the firstborn,and his set are known as the Circle of Grackles,for those who enjoy merriment and who scorn anything getting in the way of it.They drink themselves sick and numb themselves with poisonous and delightful powders.His is the wildest circle-I personally don't drink much,so I get drunk easily
Princess Elowyn, the second-born,and her companions have the Circle of Larks.They value art above all else.Several mortals have found favor in her circle.
Prince Dain,the third-born,leads what is known as the Circle of Falcons.Knights,warriors,and strategies are in their favor.Father, obviously,belongs to this circle.They talk about honor,but what they really care about is power.
"Go enjoy yourselves,"Madoc tells us.With a look back at the princes,Taryn , Jude and I head out into the throng.
We go our separate ways,I spot my only friend ,and head towards him.It's funny how we met really,so me being 14 year old ,was in a relationship with this Faerie named,Aiden.It started well and stuff but it slowly began to become a toxic relationship.One day I told him that I wanna break up as the relationship is toxic and it isn't good for the both of us,well he became mad?and he said"Fine.Nobody would wanna be with you anyway.You don't even look good......."
and he stormed off,and left me crying there ,under the tree.When suddenly,a faerie boy sat down beside me and he was my now best friend,Kai.
Kai sat beside me with his arm around my shoulders.When my crying stopped,he said "Hey,I'm Kai.D'you wanna like talk about it?"
So I told him everything,he did not talk during that period of time,only occasional nods.After I finished he started saying stuff like,"Darn that guy!you are the most beautiful girl I've seen.He is just mad"(crappy explanation I know)
Making me chuckle ever once in awhile.And that how he became my best friend,he always knew how to cheer me up,we cheer each other up.
"Heyyy"Kai said and hugged me,I hugged him back
"Missed me?"I said
"More than ever"he replied
He offered me an apple,which I happily took.We started passing it back and forth,taking a bite of it till the core,which he throws into the crowd.I look at the Folk dancing,in awe,then Kai says,"Dance with me?"
"It would be my pleasure"I reply
And so we started dancing,then,a new ballad begins,and the words drift up to me,"Of all the sons King William had,Prince Jamie was the worst."they sing."And what made the sorrow even greater,Prince Jamie was the first"
"That remind me of a certain someone"Kai says, pretending to be deep in thought.
I chuckle,"Prince Cardan?"
"Bingo"he laughs
"Oh for gods sake! can't they give it a rest!"I groan and Kai who follows my gaze says
"I guess not"making me glare at him
Prince Cardan,sixth-born to the High King Eldred,yet still the absolute worst,strides across the floor toward Jude and Taryn."Come on,let's go.They need some saving"I say pulling Kai with me behind Jude and Taryn.
Ooooo
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The Cruel Prince | Vera's life in Faerie (On Hold)
Aventura(SLOW UPDATES) A year after Jude and Taryn Duarte was born,Madoc's fling had Vera(Note:Vera's mother was just Madoc's fling and he had no feelings for her mother).Vera's mother didn't want Vera so she ran away,leaving Vera with Madoc.When Vera was 6...
