Serenity

03 Guidebooks & Favors

SERENITY

"Ugh, stupid family brunches," I stomped into my room.

We have a family brunch almost every Sunday and invite Micha's family over to join us. Mother always likes to make it very clear to be on my best behavior... or else.

'Serenity, it's not lady like to slurp your soup! Don't cross your legs like that. Stop fanning yourself with your wings. Why are you wearing that? Engage more in the conversations, you will be future queen of the Spring Region after all. Don't speak unless you're talked to. Don't do this, don't do that, don't don't don't.'

I let out a frustrating scream and flicked my wand at my tall glass shelf filled with figurines. It exploded and started steaming like burning wood.

I took off the ear cuffs that I wore on top of my pointed ears and released my hair from the tight bun mother made me wear.

"Serenity!" An angry voice yelled.

I gritted my teeth against each other nervously, at my now destroyed shelf.

Uh oh.

I quickly folded my arms and legs and shrank into a butterfly. While fluttering to a secure hiding place, my mother stormed into my room.

Smoke might as well should have been coming out her ears, her face was so pink, it concerned me. She only turns that rose bud like when I do something bad.

Now, before she accuses me of anything, don't be so quick to judge. I'm clearly not lady like and my manners could be better. I know it, the rest of the fae know it, I'm pretty sure the whole world knows it.

Yet my mother will never except it.

"Serenity Waterborne Cornelia!" Mother yelled. "Get out here right now young lady!"

Never!

"Fine then," my mother drew out her wand.

She muttered a few words in some dead elvish language, and flicked her wand forward. Purple sparks sparked out of her wand and made their way towards my hiding space.

The lights grabbed me and drew me forward into my mother's line of sight.

"You should know by now that even as a butterfly, I can still find you in a heart beat," Mother told.

More lights flew out of her wand and struck me, scorching my wings and my fragile little body. I began to grow back to my normal self and scowled as I did so.

"That wasn't necessary," I crossed my arms over my chest.

My mother's anger was beginning to become dangerously tangible.

"You want to know what's really not necessary?" Mother's eyebrows knitted together. "You speaking all types of inappropriate nonsense in front of the Hargrows. You even brought up how much you enjoy ripping off the heads of your enemies and eating them for breakfast which absolutely startled Mirabella. It took a lot of explaining to convince her that you haven't killed nor eaten anyone and that you aren't cannibalistic in any way."

"It was just a form of expression. And you told me to try to engage in the conversation this time!" I argued.

"Yes, like taking an interest in the various political topics we speak about. The things you're going to need to worry about when you're queen. The way you behave and uphold yourself is unacceptable. Everyone in the regions can see it, they doubt you'll ever be able to handle the responsibilities of being queen. And frankly, neither do I," Mother scorned. "I mean for fae's sake, you talked about how extraordinary winged fawn intestines look."