Daughter of Winter

Chapter 20

The date of The Meeting was rapidly approaching and you could tell. Outfits for all three days had been picked out two weeks in advance. Guard schedules were meticulously planned for protecting both us at The Meeting and for protecting our home. We went over the itinerary at least six times, were updated on our current stances on foreign policy, practiced dances, reviewed what titles to call people, etc. etc.

It was interesting, for a time. It never ceased to amaze me how radically my life had changed, though the specifics of my new position in the world became a grind. As Kendryek's significant other, I was to be pretty, smile, wave, and just about nothing else. I was told this was common and an unfortunate aspect of High Fae culture. I wondered if Thalia's husband would be relegated to a pretty face, though I suspected I knew the answer.

At least grandfather's obsession with manners would pay off.

We would be coming to The Meeting along with Aurelius and Ignis. Quercus did not have a replacement for Damien (who had had his manhood removed and been left on a ship to be taken to the continent), so a forgettable, quiet, lesser lord was chosen to accompany us. The day before we would meet at The Forest House, talk about a few things over dinner, sleep in three of the four corners of the massive building, then in the morning we would proceed to The Meeting.

We were to meet Under the Mountain, the approximate geographical center of Prythian and the center of all magic on the island. I was told that things were a bit stranger there, a result of the destruction of the Keystones. One's magic would not work well, if at all. Sometimes strange noises were heard. Odd colors would flash in one's vision. Things would...happen. This did not dissuade anyone from using this as the place to hold Meetings, since almost nothing could make a High Fae abandon tradition.

To say I had mixed emotions about going would have been a serious understatement. It was more like a whirlpool of emotions, a tornado of feelings. I was honored to go and to be a central part of it, but I was fearful. I was not a High Fae, I had not been a part of this culture for more than a few months. Others would surely know. I was going to be questioned. I was going to get those glances. I was going to be challenged.

Worst of all, I would have to see Terrin again. After which, the state of things would begin to deteriorate. We were preparing for war now, but living it was going to be something entirely new.

Despite this, I was determined to make the best of it.

"Are you even remotely stressed?" I asked Lysander. It was the day before and I was at his cabin to practice my magic. All of his previous confidence had returned after he had gotten some more rest. He had not shown his wings once since Autumn's Eve and none of my attempts to enter his mind had succeeded.

"No. This is my two hundred and thirty-second Gathering. I stopped being stressed after the third. Let me tell you how it goes," he started.

"I already have the itinerary memorized," I said, rolling my eyes and drawing my sword. We had gotten into a habit of sparring before he taught me magic. We always took it easy, using it more for a time to talk than a time to train.

"The itinerary isn't exactly accurate. It leaves out a lot of the important details. First, everyone slowly trickles in to where they are staying for the duration of the time they are there. During this period of time, at least a fifth of the fae there are having sex." I raised an eyebrow. He stuck his knives into a tree and drew a sword out of thin air.

"You should show me how to do that sometime," I said, twirling my blade and rolling my shoulders.

"The sex?" I threw the iciest glare I could possibly muster at him. "I'm taking that as a no. Anyway, There's some meet 'n greets, during which you'll likely have the misfortune of meeting fae from other courts. It's the second best part if you are single, but the second worst if you are tied down, since it's when you get to see the kind of fish you are swimming with in the ocean," he continued. I wondered how many fae he would catch over the next few days and hoped it wouldn't be in the double digits. "Make sure you are wearing your gold band at this time. If you don't, a fae can latch onto the idea of having private time with you and can get angry when they are not allowed to. It happened to me sixty years ago."