BEYOND THE RAINBOW

CHAPTER FOURTEEN - BATTLE STRATEGIES

Tanouie's clandestine dreams of Nitas were disturbed by a warning creak from the tree and a rustling of the leaves enclosing her cocoon.

"Psst!"

Her eyes flew open as a head of corkscrew blonde curls divided the leafy curtain and a cheeky grin split a familiar face almost from ear to ear.

"Jaddai! " Tanouie's arms were outstretched joyously.

"Get out of there, Elf!"

"We're here, Majesty! Coming through now!"

"Oh!" It was Neenie's neck Tanouie's arms curled around, just as a blink dressed her in a green, trailing nightrobe from neck to ankle, and the elf was summarily dealt with for his intrusion, by Brianna.

"For goodness sake, Jaddai, let us dress our Lady before you barge into the Royal boudoir ! We will have due protocol! Wait there." She pointed to a far limb. But the leaves parted and Tanouie was out of the cocoon, in a tangle of voluminous attire, trying to hug all three of them at once amid laughter and joyful sobs.

"Oo! I can't believe you are all here! I'm so glad to see you!" She sniffed.

"I told you I would come. Your Majesty." Jaddai bowed elegantly, balancing on the narrow limb. "No queen of mine is going to face this mob without her Equerry. It just isn't on. Where's the feasting hall? I'm famished." His grin broke out, ruining the obsequious pose.

"We had to come" Neenie declared, fussing with the huge frothy bow at Tanouie's neckline. Nothing could be more demurely concealing. "It's not right that you have no attendants with the whole world watching your every move. They are seeing far too much of your person. Your hair is a mess!" Neenie tutted, blinking the royal locks into perfect order and adding a dainty coronet of new leaves and baby blossoms.

"You're choking me, dearest one." Tanouie murmured. "And you best contain the rainbow light, we don't want to alert the security guards." She smiled fondly, but made no effort to assist herself. Only the love mattered. Their care for her was precious and normal after the disturbing qualities of her recent dreams. Brianna rearranged the bow, looser, but made it even bigger to cover more of Tanouie's chest. She was their virginal child queen again. Just for a moment. Womanhood was scary. She would worry about it tomorrow. She willed the image of dark, mocking eyes to leave her in peace and concentrated on the mothering love of her ladies-in-waiting as they blinked a dimension bubble, creating a boudoir and sat her on a gilded stool. In fairy light they proceeded to fuss over every detail of her comfort. She should stop their use of magic and would, in a moment. They braided her hair, manicured her nails and applied blossom essences as they patted and petted. Both equally taking charge of her person, in the usual manner and with loving harmony. Their hands were extensions of each other, even though they made it all up as they went along. It wasn't as if they had ever had a daily routine. Sometimes it was millenniums between their court gatherings and they could pop up anywhere. It was just so wonderful to have them with her here and now. To hear their excited chatter as they made plans to turn the entire Human belief system upside down.

"Neenie is quite right, Your Majesty. We are visible to Humans at last. So you have a public image to maintain." Brianna sighed over the problem. "Of course, they don't know yet that you are our Queen. Everybody's Queen, really."

"It's true, they have no real concept of their responsibility or of eternal Queen-ship."

"Or even of real Fairies." Tanouie reminded them mildly. Her Ladies were so enjoying their self appointed guardianship of her suddenly public image. She allowed herself to giggle and indulge them. Whilst Jaddai sat on another magic stool and grinned, happy to be included. Since the Queen was dressed it was doubtful the ladies considered the impropriety of his inclusion in the boudior. They had all been children together and caste from the same forest. Neenie was really getting wound up on the subject of human education.