The Fae Prince

Chapter 9: I Win, You Lose

8 hours until Samhain
(Elphame time is ahead)

Haley

"Why is hardly anybody out and about?" I ask as I glance through the halls we pass.

"Faeries sleep during the day and live during the night. Soon the palace will be buzzing with life and you'll wish for it to stop," he says with a mischievous grin. I just hum in reply.

Finan and I leave the previous hallway only to enter another and then another until we are greeted by two huge red doors. I hear bustling on the other end and look to Finan.

"This is where you will be getting ready, the tour of the palace will be after you have bathed, readied and met the majesties," Finan says as he gives me small nod, "Dress accordingly."

"Wait," I say, scared to walk through the doors.

My pride vanishes for a moment and I seek comfort and support from the very man I admitted to hating.

"What?" Finan asks with a raised brow.

"I-I," I stutter, unable to find an excuse to get him to stay longer so that I won't have to face what's behind the doors.

Finan sighs, "You'll be fine, changeling."

I look at the door nervously and Finan urges me forward by the small of my back. He opens the door for me to show me a huge room bustling with men and women getting girls around my age ready.

"There are more changelings?" I gasp.

"Including you and the doe, there are five changelings this Teind. Now go, you must get ready," Finan gives me one last look before he leaves.

I turn back around to the bustling room of people and take a small step forward, causing everyone to turn their heads. Mostly all of them raise their noses in the air, getting a sniff of me.

"Hi," I squeak.

Two tall female faeries and a male rush towards me and grab onto my wrists, pulling me with them towards the back of the room where there is a large door. When we go through it, my eyes are met with rows and rows of gowns.

"We must choose your gown," the woman with pink hair says.

"She has pale skin and there is honey in her eyes, maybe black will suit her," another with orange hair comments.

"Gold will be the color she will wear. The doe is wearing black to greet the majesties," the green haired man says as he checks something off of a clipboard.

My ears perk up at the mention of a doe, wondering if they meant Cathy. The three ladies nod and faster than I thought possibly, they begin pulling out gold dresses from the racks. Ranging from the lightest of golds to the darkest of golds, they lay them out for me to gaze upon. I look at the man for permission and he nods.

"Pick," he grunts.

I look back to the dresses, all of them clearly made for the point of showing skin, and immediately gravitate to the only dress that caught my eye. The gold sparkles glint brightly under the fluorescent lights of the room and I can't help but run my fingers over the gems. I've never been one to be afraid of venturing out of my comfort zone when it comes to style choices, so I choose what I think will be the most eye catching. I look back at the green haired fairy, eyes twinkling with excitement. He gives me a small smirk and nods his head towards the dress.

"We must bathe her now," the pink haired faerie says, "She reeks of humans and petrol."

I frown, "I do not."