Fae Queen

Habits

Habits

 

“Ellaine” A male voice called as soon as I step into my room, and I turn to glare in the direction of my vanity.

Beterm has never gotten into the habit of calling me Felaine, the fairy name I chose for myself 5 years ago when I chose to become Queen. Even my brother and mother had been convinced my name had always been Felaine – even ensuring Peter had a cute nickname for me.

Beterm however, always felt the need to call me my human name, he said because he was the reason I was here in the first place he should have the honour. Since I didn’t remember how I managed to find my way back to Faery I simply took him on his word for it.

“Beterm, what a pleasure” I snarled slightly more vicious than I had intended. Beterm raised his eyes in a mocking gesture and I planned quickly, needing to keep him on his toes.

I glided over to him, turning so that my back faced him, pulling my hair over my right shoulder I smiled back at him.

“Mind helping me with this?” I asked, indicating the zipper, happy to see the look of utter shock cross his face. 

Soft, feather like touches flittered down my back as Beterm worked to slowly undo the hidden zippers and strings that held my dress together. As soon as I felt the last part of the zipper come down, I let the dress drop to the floor, smirking when I saw Beterm’s face in the mirror.

“You won’t mind if I shower and change before we talk?” I asked, already moving towards my private bathroom.

I disappeared quickly, closing the door behind me before turning to face the mirror. I let out the breath I had been holding, and hoped I had shocked him enough to keep him well behaved for the rest of the night. To be safe, I slipped on my old pair of sweats and a massively oversize shirt that had no regard for my body whatsoever.

If I was ever appealing to Beterm, it would not be dressed like this.

I pulled my hair into a low ponytail at the nape of my neck, taking a deep breath before exiting the bathroom. I had to do a double take quickly – Beterm wasn’t sitting at the vanity like I had expected, instead he lounged on my bed, propped up with an elbow staring at me intently.

I moved to sit in my wooden, chair, crossing my legs and raising an eyebrow.

“You wanted to talk. Start talking.” I ordered, but understood Beterm had his own way to do things – he rarely took orders from anyone, especially me.

“Ellaine, my dear.” He purred and I glared. 

“Get on with it Beterm.” I almost hissed. I was already done with his theatrics, and he hadn’t even begun yet.

“My Queen.” He smiled and lay flat on my bed and I cringed. I would have to change the sheets. “It has been rumoured, that you gave an excessive amount of our fortune to your human family – which I’m sure is impossible since you know it’s against the law for a fairy to see their humans again.” He finally turned to look at me, and I had to construct my features subtly, so that he could gain nothing from them.

“And I’m sure you know anyone seen to be….rumouring about the Queen is surly to be dealt with.” The threat was clear, and he nodded, eyes gleaming mischievously.  

“Well, you might want to reconsider, since the next rumour is much juicer.” He licked his lips and I shuddered.

“Go on then.” I motioned for him to continue.

“This rumour is very interesting. It is said that one of the solitary Fae has determined a way to lie straightforwardly. Oh and then there’s also a little rumour out our Queen being pregnant…..” He paused and appraised my body. “I however, am certain that one isn’t true.”

I narrowed my eyes on this new piece of information.

A fairy lying.

 It was physically impossible; it literally caused us indescribable pain to lie straightforwardly. However, going the round-about way and telling half-truths, or playing tricks with words? Nothing could hurt us less.

“Tell me more.” I spoke low and commanding, moving my chair forward slightly.

“Well, apparently the child is Dantor’s.” Beterm smirked in my direction, pausing as his eyes grew wide at my look before quickly recovering himself. “The rumours do not state who the fairy is, or how he managed to do it, or what the lie was. We have no specifics whatsoever.”

I clenched my firsts by my side and growled.

“Get out.” I stated and Beterm was gone in the blink of an eye, leaving no trace of his presence.

I tore up the sheets from my bed, leaving them in tatters on the floor and tried to make myself breathe deeply. I was sitting on the concrete floor with my legs crossed, my fingers digging into my legs leaving angry, red marks.

I sometimes had an issue with my temper.

Something I was trying to work on – seemingly without making any progress.

“Dantor.” I called, knowing he was close by.

“My Queen.” He bowed and lifted me from my place on the floor setting me on the bed like I weighed nothing more than a twig.

“Get me some more sheets please.” My voice was meek and Dantor nodded easily, scooping up the remains and setting them in the basket to be destroyed.

He was gone for a shorter amount of time than I had expected, and he still found me sitting on the bed exactly the way he had left me.

“Anything else your Majesty?” He glanced at my face worriedly.

“Will you stay the night?” I asked and ne nodded, planting an easy kiss on my forehead before dragging me back to the head of the bed and placing the covers around my body.