A Wolf of Ice and Iron [OLD]

Chapter 16

Adras

I've spent hours in my room in the last two days. I love the faerie land, and I love reading about it. There are countless books in the library just a few doors down from my room, and it's become my second residence. Morel and I even played hide and seek there this morning.

I find that I miss my home and family, but not in the way I expected. In the way that I am not used to being allowed free reign, in the way that I am unsure of how to act in the presence of someone entirely a different species to me. But I'm learning. And I find that I'm learning fast.

"Adras!" My bedroom door flies open, and Morel leans in. He has his usual mask covering his nose and mouth, a thin sheen of purple. I can see his features beneath it, but they are slightly obscured. I haven't asked him why he wears it. "Time for swimming!"

"S-swimming?" I repeat, blinking in clear surprise. In this weather? It's cold. I've been wearing two layers of faerie clothing for nearly three days. The chill is even worse during the day - it warms during night, but still it is too cold to even contemplate swimming.

"Yes!" Morel smiles and reaches over, plucking me from my desk and out of my chair. I nearly trip over my boots, and he barely notices. "Swimming. And lessons."

"Lessons..?" I can't seem to do anything but repeat his words. I don't even have time to try and say anything else before I am whisked out of my room and hurried down the stairs.

Morel hums in agreement, skipping down the stairs quite happily. He is barefoot, I notice, and he is wearing a loose v-neck black top and trousers. He seems rather cheerful today, even more than normal.

"So. There are different faerie courts, you know that, right?" He looks at me expectantly.

I startle a bit, then nod. "I... I vaguely remember Winter telling me something like that."

"Good." He smiles wider and tugs me down a passageway I haven't explored yet, which smells faintly of juniper and cherry blossom. Perhaps this is where Winter got his scent from. But I don't detect any sandalwood or anything remotely similar to the other various scents he's picked up.

"There's this Court, obviously. The Court of Stars." Morel's words turn a little more serious as he recites off names. "There's the Court of Blood, the Court of Rain, and the Court of Flight."

I frown. "They... ok." I look at him quizzically. They don't seem to have anything in common at all, other than three of them being actual... things. But Flight? I'm confused about that one.

"Those faeries have wings. They don't really use them, but hey, you get what you get," Morel shrugs and laughs. "They all have different things to help you identify them. Court of Stars faeries are often really pale, and they can shift into animals. Court of Blood faeries can... uh." He pauses. "I forgot that one." He snorts and smiles.

"But anyway, Court of Rain fae can control water. It's a really cool power, and something other faeries often struggle with. We can still learn it, but they're born with that power. It's amazing." He blinks and smiles. "Any questions?"

"Ah- no," I say quickly. Then rethink. "Well... actually. Where are the different courts?"

Morel blinks in surprise. "Oh. Well, the Court of Blood is the closest to us. They're allied with us, too, if war was ever in question. The Court of Flight is really far North, and the Court of Rain is to the east. The Star and Blood courts are the only ones in such close proximity." He tilts his head. "That was a problem during the old war, but now it's beneficial. What with the alliance and all."

I'm a bit confused with the information, but it's rather simple when I unpack it. I nod, and Morel seems satisfied, humming and dragging me down the hall and to a door on the left. He flings it open.