Dangerous Creatures

The Holy Forest - Part 3: Cornelius Fay

Margo shivered on her throne. Though the room was warm, thanks to the fire burning strong and hot in both fireplaces at each side of the giant room, she could still feel the cool air from the Forest. Her golden dress couldn't keep her warm, and she pulled at her sleeves, trying to cover her arms up to her wrists. She was fidgeting, one could say. She could feel the heretic and the witch waiting outside of those tall golden doors. She could feel the original vampire and the ultimate standing out there with her friends. She stared at the doors, waiting, wondering, worrying. They seemed so far away, as if the more she stared the more they shrank. The room was silent, her 20 guards posted around the room were being so still that they almost became stone, invisible, forgotten.

Eventually, she raised her hand and silently asked for the doors to open. There was almost no noise as they slid on the impeccable white marble floor, revealing her guests. Heidi and Alexander led the way. But that's not who caught her attention. She had seen plenty of them in the last centuries and will see plenty more of them in the next. Her eyes immediately fell on the original vampire, currently the greatest threat to her Queendom. Or maybe she was wrong. Maybe the shy, impressionable, nervous and intimidated girl at his side was the greatest threat to the Forest. Or the supernatural world as a whole. She saw nothing of Aella in Mackenzie. Not her grace, not her fierceness, nothing. Of course, she had more than that within her while Aella had so little. Even Margo herself had so little compared to what the ultimate had.

Heidi stopped a few feet away from the stairs leading to the throne. The witch bowed, though she didn't need to, Margo always appreciated the show of respect. Alexander bowed too, but in a more amused way, as if he were mocking the gesture, mocking her or Heidi. Those two were the complete opposite of one another. But Margo loved them both equally. Or at least that's what she would say. It was no secret to anyone that Heidi was her best friend. They were like sisters.

"Your Majesty," Alexander said. "Let me introduce you to Mackenzie Alemaund and Elijah Mikaelson."

Elijah bowed to her as he was announced. He did it with ease as if he had done it a thousand times before, and maybe he had. Mackenzie managed to produce a little curtesy that Heidi had just showed her earlier. Margo wouldn't criticize any of it. She knew Mackenzie was no actual threat to her. She knew she had her respect. She only wanted people to bow to her when they were reluctant to accept her as queen. It was always such a pleasure to see people bend the knee.

"Mackenzie Alemaund," Margo repeated dryly.

Mackenzie tried to meet the queen's gaze, but she seemed highly uncomfortable. She seemed to shrink, as if wishing she could disappear, as Margo stood up. Slowly, she walked down the three steps to meet her guests, ignored Heidi and Alexander as her eyes never left the ultimate. She analyzed her, looked her up and down, carefully studied her clothes, a black turtleneck and a brown skirt, short black heels like a schoolgirl would wear.

"You look nothing like your mother," she continued. "I see a lot of your father in your face. Of course you would look like him. He's the one who gave you your powers after all."

Mackenzie said nothing as the queen walked around her without saying another word. She then lifted her eyes from the small elemental and found the vampire standing close. He was in love, no doubt. Ready to jump between her and a bullet, or anything that could harm her. Anything. Or anyone.

"Elijah Mikaeslon."

"Your Majesty," he said as he bowed again.

She appreciated his respect. It put her in a better mood. "I hear you are the... honorable one."

"I... have been called that once or twice," he chuckled modestly.

"I have to be honest, I wouldn't have opened the doors to my city to any of your siblings."

"I understand. It would be... wise."

"You understand of course that killing here is forbidden."

"I do."

"And that keeping the Forest a secret is required."

"I was made aware of the protocol."

"Good. Then we should not have any problems, you and I," she said, dismissing him with a wave of her hand. "Have you received my gifts?" she then turned back around towards Mackenzie who was taken by surprise.

"I... Yes, I did. Thank you," she answered in a steady voice, finding her confidence again.

"I have to be honest and admit I don't remember who gave them to me. But I know all of those spells and I have no more use for those old grimoires anymore. I was told you could be trusted with them, have I been lied to?"

Mackenzie gulped. She was probably referring to the grimoire of dark spells she had found in her room, along with a grimoire of spells that Mackenzie could imagine herself doing one day.

"No."

"Good. Then we..."

The queen didn't get the time to finish her thought as a page entered the room, seemingly out of breath, bowed, not to anyone in particular, and then announced a surprised guest.

"Lord Cornelius Fay, your Majesty."

"Ah, Cornelius," Margo said as she forced a smile on her face. "What a pleasant surprise. And what good timing."

A man, whose age Mackenzie couldn't tell, appeared behind the page. He was dressed in dark green, and old fashion, a tunic as long as a dress, and that suited his silhouette perfectly. He was incredibly tall and thin, with bright blue eyes and very long blond hair that reached the end of his back. He gave Margo a friendly smirk before he bowed to her.

"Your Majesty," he said with an overdone gesture, yet not disrespectful.

"Cornelius, let me introduce you to Mackenzie Alemaund, I know you could not wait to meet her."

"Indeed," he nodded as he took Mackenzie's hand and brought it to his mouth, placing a gentle kiss on her skin. "It is a great pleasure to finally meet you, Mackenzie," he said with a grin.

"You're..." she cleared her throat, surprised and a bit confused. "Nice to meet you too... You're... a Fay?"

"Indeed I am. The eldest Fay alive, I'm afraid," he chuckled, though neither Mackenzie or Elijah found anything amusing in that fact.

"Mackenzie," Alexander said as he stepped between her and the original vampire. "This is Cornelius Fay. Your 20th great grandfather."