Of Fae And Fire [#Wattys2016] √

(|] 14: solve [|)

On the way home, we come to the conclusion that I will still stay in the house with my friends, and Allen will continue to stay with our great grandmother. We part ways outside the castle, Allen going right, the Few and I going left.

Once the front doors open, I race back to my room to change into clothes that are a bit more comfortable. As much as I do like my glamour, I find pants to be much more my style.

I settle on black leggings and a sunset-pink tunic, to celebrate the fact that the war will officially end at sunset. We pass the time by eating, joking, laughing, and kissing, mostly between me and Faas, though occasionally otherwise when we drank a bit too much fairie wine.

Later, as I sit in the couch room with a full belly, I look out the window to see pink, red, and orange streaking the sky. "Guys!" I exclaim, springing up from the chair I was previously lounging in. "It's sunset, we have to go!"

"It'll take too long to walk. Should we teach her how to Swing?" Faas asks, his words slightly slurred.

"No, another time. For now, I'll Swing for her. Mer, take my arm," Ferin says. As soon as I do, white flashes and takes over my vision, and then the four of us are standing outside the dark castle, that suddenly doesn't seem so scary. I realize we just did the Apparating-type thing that Farland and Ferin did so many days ago...

"Meree, come on!" Ferin exclaims, tugging on my arm. We run inside the castle, following a waiting Allen to the conference room where the meeting is to take place. As he opens the door, all eyes, silver, black, and one pair of green turned to us. We smile politely and drift over to the table. Allen and I sit on either side of Fantasia, and she gives my arm a squeeze. I look over at her and she smiles, knowledge in her green eyes that are so similar to mine. I smile back as the Few sit to my right.

I hear someone clear her throat, and Queen Destry rises from her seat at the head of the table, across from King Inferno. She smiles, and it's ironically the kindest smile I've ever seen.

"Welcome, everyone, to my castle. Many of you may notice a slight change in my behavior."

May notice a slight change? Everyone, including the king, is sitting slack-jawed and wide eyed. I hear a snicker from Farland and Faas, and a slap that must be from Ferin. I smile.

"Well, we have our very own Golden One, Meree Abbott, to thank for that. She broke a curse that I had unintentionally placed upon myself as a child with two constantly arguing parents, just like the ones that she has herself." When the queen pauses slightly, the room fills with applause and grins, all directed at me. "Speech!" someone calls. The queen sits, also smiling, and waves a hand at me.

I clear my throat. "Thank you all very much. When I first got here, I was angry, thinking I had been kidnapped. But then I realized that I had been brought home. I am one of you, a fae, and I always have been. I just didn't know it. And in my time here, I discovered a world filled with amazing places and people and times. And I didn't want to lose it. And I still don't. And I don't ever want to leave." I smile at my friends and family, then at the king and queen and all of their subjects. "Thank you. Queen Destry, you may continue."

Polite applause, and the queen rises again. "Thank you, Golden One."

"Just Meree," I say.

"Well, thank you, Meree. And, Inferno, I believe I owe you an apology for getting so angry. It is my fault that war has raged this land for so many years, and I am the only one to blame. I apologize to all of you, for the important people that you have lost due to my wild feelings." Her lips curve up. "I still love you, but if you do not return those feelings, then very well. But what I do want to do is officially end this. And the only way to do that is-"

"I accept your apology," the King of Fire says.

Cheers rise up, but the queen puts out her hands. "Shall we sign a document to make it official? To hold it in place forever?" She snaps her fingers, and parchment and a quill appear. She signs her name, and it's passed down the table to the king, who signs as well.

As the document is hung on the wall, there is a moment of silence. Then, cheers stuff up the room. Hugs are given to friends, family, the king and queen, and me. I start to sweat from all the bodies piled on top of me. Faas kissed me, long and sweet, and everyone goes wild. The two fae that had brought me into the woods wolf whistle, and I glare. But that glare turns into a smile when I realize that today, right now, at this wonderful moment, I have enough forgiveness in my heart for everybody.

The rest of the night is a party. Food and drinks fill the castle, as do laughs, cheers, and kisses. More kisses. I even get the chance to meet the red-haired male who shot Faas. He sheepishly scratches his neck, then extends his hand to me. "I'm sorry," he says bluntly, the hint of a smile on his lips. I shake, and coax the smile out of him. He tells me his name is Calland, and after an hour, we get along famously.

Once the sun peeks it's shining face over the land the next morning, the Few and I say goodbye to everyone and head back home. I go to bed tonight with a permanent smile etched upon my face.