Roman Holiday

The Fairie Court (Under The Sun)

Reyna scowled at the peppermint stick bars of her cage -a cage, that to her annoyance was shaped like the canary cages of old- before knocking her forehead against the red and white striped bars. The subtle shift in movement causing the cage to swing forward and make her dangling feet knock into the cage hanging just below. Pretty clever trap. The bars are too strong to break, but you could lick your way through. Trapping you in the Otherworld forever.

"This is all your fault," the daughter of Aphrodite whispered from below.

Reyna was sure Piper didn't intend to whisper, rather she was physically unable to speak any louder.

"Y mae mewn gwirionedd," Wayne sighed in his cage just to her left. Though it was hard to see in the dim dungeon light, the Welsh Will Solace was not responding well to being captured by the Fair Folk. Besides the scrapes and bruises he has sustained from their scuffle, the Welshman looked paler and scrawnier; his arms and legs passing through the cage bars with ease.

If these things weren't enchanted, he'd be our ticket out of here.

"Ah hate ta say it, but I agree wi' sunshine," Cú muttered to her right. Unlike Wayne, the seven-toed, seven-fingered, seven-pupiled demigod of legend was occupying every square centimeter of his cage. His knees touching his shoulders as his muscular legs wouldn't fit through the bars.

Even Sir Hawk the boar piglet, squealed in agreement with the trio. Though, Reyna had to question why it was still present when it was the only one of them not in a cage. The small mass of brown fur staring up at them with shining black eyes as it sat on the gingerbread floor.

"If you hadn't choked me out for a year, we wouldn't be here!" Piper rasped.

"Oh, I did not choke you for a year!" Reyna snapped at the Greek. Though I certainly wanted to...

"It certainly fucking felt like it!" Piper cried. Her voice growing weaker with every syllable.

Reyna's scowl deepened.

She had nearly burst every blood vessel in her eyes when she saw Piper eating a piece of chocolate after Cú had literally just explained that eating anything in the Fairy Queen's court would result in becoming a slave to the queen. Thinking quickly (the number qualification for becoming a praetor), she had closed the distance between them, and slammed her fist into the Greek's gut. Forcibly evacuating the foodstuff before Piper had a chance to swallow.

It had been satisfying to watch the girl drop to flower-covered ground and clutch at her stomach as she rolled around.

But that satisfaction turned to unbridled rage when Piper groaned that the chocolate was from the Robin. She didn't know why she did what she did next. Maybe it was the resentment from being brainwashed and dragged to Britain. Maybe it was the frustration from of being forced into yet another stupid quest while still hungover. Perhaps it was even just the result of years of pent of stress without a proper vacation to vent it. Whatever the reason, her vision turned red, and she jumped on the daughter of Aphrodite and tried to strangle the life out of her while a primal roar reverberated from the depths of her being.

Which alerted the Fairy Queen's court of their presence...

And while Wayne and Cú futilely tried to pry Piper from her grip (which was like trying to take a leprechaun's pot of gold - or is that a stereotype?), the field of flowers proved to be more than it appeared. Unseen vines snaked their way beneath the vibrant blooms, while unseen fairies sniggered at what was about to transpire. The sentient plant life slowly wrapped their ankles with such subtlety that all present mistook the feeling for a gentle breeze- only to snare them and pull them through the flowery field at blinding speeds.