Wanderess

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER THREE

Fayre thought about her day as she lay in bed that night. Her day had started off early as staff has rushed into her room with Iris at the front, shouting of commands like she was a sergeant about to go into battle.

"Start on her hair now!'

"You, go and set up her dress."

"Why has no one begun on her face yet?!"

"You, go and find her shoes. Go!"

It took an incredibly inordinate amount of time for Fayre to be considered completely ready – as decreed by Iris. Her long, waist-length golden hair was up in a complex yet stunning bun, and her light blue dress with white stiletto heels complemented her eyes all the while bearing the kingdoms colours.

Then it was time for the ceremony. She was escorted to the large hall where it would be taking place.

Every guest was dressed head to toe in white, all except her and the king. Just by that fact alone, it could be said that this event was of extreme importance.

Vows were made and promises to the kingdom had been said. If Fayre was completely honest, the ceremony was a little fuzzy in her mind – the whole thing so surreal.

After the speeches were over, her father had bestowed her with a mark in the shape of a crown on the inside of her wrist, it vanished shortly after being branded onto her pale complexion, forever I her soul. The mark symbolised her Becoming of royal blood and her new access to her wings.

She had expected to feel pain or at least some sort of sensation as her wings sprouted from behind her shoulder blades – but nothing, it was painless, almost as if nothing had happened. But sure enough, behind her was a pair of magnificent white wings stretching out, filling the massive throne room. It wasn't until shortly after when her cousin had pointed out, did she notice the blue in them.

"By the power of Cael's Halo, I bestow on you the greatest gift of our kind. These wings symbolise your Becoming and may you be forever prosperous and an amicable leader. Do you accept this symbol and your duties to the kingdom of Solas?" Her Father looked at her through the entirety of his speech and now it was her turn to speak.

"I do."

Applause had gone up into the air the second the words left her mouth and the celebrations began.

If it was such a joyous occasion- why did she suddenly feel like she couldn't breathe?

Needing an escape from the hoard of excited well-wishers, she made her way out into the hall, where the mirror wall was.

After leaving her questioning cousin behind, Fayre made her way to her favourite place in the entire castle. That place being her Mothers garden.

Fayre, Isa and their Mother Rosa would spend hours each day playing and drawing and reading in the garden. It was their happy place and had become Fayre's refuge the past few years.

Rosa was buried under a rose bush in the garden because of how much she loved the little place and Fayre went there almost daily.

When she left the garden an hour later, she could hear the festivities as she made her way to her room. It took her maybe half an hour to release her hair from its previous confines, and began brushing it, lost in her thoughts of Isa and Rosa when she heard her Father's second knock.

Her previous thoughts had created a cloud of upset that hung over the area of Fayre's room, but that wasn't the reason why she wasn't enjoying the party- as she had told her father. She wasn't ready for the responsibility of running the entire kingdom of Solas in simply a years' time. Physically and academically she is as ready as one could be for such a role, but emotional was another story.

Fayre wanted an epic adventure. One straight out of a fairy-tale. Everywhere and everything around her was white with the occasional blue. She was sick of it. Fayre wanted a cornucopia of colours. She wanted the blues, greens and reds of the world. Fayre was done with the whiteness. She was over the bleakness that her life was now. Her life would be drastically different now that she was to rule. There would be endless meetings and regulations to follow. There would be no time for spontaneous adventures and meaningful quests.

Fayre's emotions got the best of her as she admired her Mother's tiara that she had the privilege of wearing proudly.

As her father – the esteemed King- questioned her, Fayre could tell he didn't entirely believe her tale. It was partly true at least. She never meant to deceive him – that was not her intention in the least, but she could hardly tell him the truth. There would be no one left to rule if she abdicated- well Iris wold most likely rule, but she was not remotely fit to be a Queen. Fayre couldn't do that to her Father, let alone the memory of her sister and mother.

Fayre concluded as she lay atop her bedspread late at night- that she would have to accept there may always be a part of her that craved adventure – that craved more.

Fayre Ayer went to sleep that night restless, feeling as though a piece of her may always remain unseen

****

Now I feel I should clarify some points.

Firstly, Fayre had no idea what had become of myself- contact is forbade when you are banished. She just assumed I was banished, despite my father's lack of reassurance. It is deemed incredibly difficult to stay alive on your own in banishment, so my family was right to treat my memory as if I had passed- because they didn't know if I even survived... Luckily, I had never been alone.

Next, Cael; the first angel, is like a God to our kind, there is a higher power or however it is referred to, but when praying or worshipping, swearing an oath or even making a promise, it is done in Cael's name.

Lastly, Fayre had always been an adventurous spirit, so admitting defeat and attempting to smother that is possibly the biggest sacrifice she would have ever had to make. Well... one of the biggest sacrifices anyway.

Fayre was always the bravest, most funny, caring and charismatic person I had ever known and watching over her these past years have shown me that my opinion has not changed. She has grown stronger and more wilful and will make an extraordinary Queen. I sometimes think that this was Cael's wish. For her to be Queen and rule of all Solas. Only she wasn't born first.

She may not realise it, but Fayre has been a leader since she was young and would lead my mother and I on adventures around the castle grounds. Whether she thought she was ready or not, she was born to do this. And it would take a hell of an adventure to let her figure that out for herself.