Wildfire

Seventy Eight

The greetings had all been had and Emrys had made a speech that had made more than just myself cry about the love that we've found and how we intend to share it with each and every one of them, and see our guests as not only guests and subjects, but family... The music had been struck up and everyone is seemingly having a fine time... But for some reason when the food comes out I find my wine-fogged head full of a nervousness that I cannot explain, the other royals in attendance sitting at a table not so very far away that we won't be able to hold polite conversation if we feel so very inclined giving me the chance I had wanted to speak with the tiger King's bride about his own experiences supporting his King... I should be so very excited to finally take part in an actual feast where I am actually celebrated and wanted instead of having everyone sneer at me the whole time, though I know that I am being stared at all the same... But instead of being excited, I find that I have chills running up my spine as though someone is watching me with the most malicious of intents... But I cannot tell from where... 

It's as though no matter where I direct my somewhat limited vision I cannot track down where it feels as though the animosity is radiating from... And once again I am presented with the most wonderous of feasts, platters upon platters and everyone waiting for me to take the first bite so that they may know where to start first on their own plates and I am too nervous to pull my face out from where it is currently sheltered in the crook of my husband's neck, Emrys crooning to me and trying to get me to come out and join the rest of them instead of being so shy... 

I want to tell him that something seems amiss but I have no words to express what is actually wrong when no one else seems to share the same sense of foreboding that is currently washing over me with such unrelenting strength... And without a way to explain my steam at a loss as to what to do or say to express that, I would very much like to flee this place and never return to it... And I have not the slightest reason as to why I would like to run back to our bedchamber and hide myself away until absolutely everyone leaves. I do not wish to see another unfamiliar face until everyone who stands against us are no longer threats to my person... And when a throat clears in front of us it makes me nearly jump out of my current form ready to defend myself at a moments notice I find that I have no choice but to finally draw my face out of the only place that makes me feel just a tad bit safer to find myself presented with a nearly blinding shimmering display of white and gold clothing encasing the very elegant Queen Karim, the gold of his crown and veil complimenting the darkness of his skin tone he waits for me to motion him forward so that he may approach my husband and myself as we stay perched on the throne. 

...

Emrys

...

"King Emrys... Queen Rayne... I was wondering if I might be allowed to give you our gift now... The timing seems most inappropriate, but I think that it may put to rest some of the nervousness I see..." It has been a very long time since this kingdom has had the pleasure of hosting Djinn, so long in fact that the sing-song way that Queen Karim speaks as he addresses us nearly takes me off gauguard much as the clearing of his throat had... 

I wish I did not know what nerves he was speaking of, but unfortunately my, sweet shard of starlight had clammed up right as the food was beginning to come out of the kitchen and I've not been able to soothe him enough to put him back at ease, the wine not seeming to help relax him as it was a little while ago... I am hesitant to let anyone other than family actually close to us, but I find myself nodding to allow permission for the foreign Queen to come closer, his hands empty of everything but his promises of possibly being able to put my wife at ease as he closes the distance put between us by the short flight of stairs that sets us a head above the rest of the room... Close enough that Kavya, Ronin, Indra, and Bohdi all step forward in an effort to try and make sure that nothing ill is afoot with the encroachment... 

He keeps his hands raised up to show that he means no harm until he feels he is close enough to lift one of them up and wait for Rayne to be brave enough to reach out and trust him enough to latch on the mysterious man behind the veil, "I need you to close your eyes, Queen Rayne... We had heard of your misfortune even on our fair shores and I would very much like to give you the gift of a blessing, for no one's nuptials, should be so very surrounded by permanent pain, my Dear... This will not hurt, but it may feel slightly uncomfortable..." 

The words raise the alarm in my mind, but before I am able to pull Rayne away from Karim and his ominous words a puff of smoke erupts around us leaving me blind, my grip on Rayne a fierce one in an effort to keep track of his safety with my sight taken from me in the stark white smoke... 

But just as suddenly as it had appeared, the smoke folds in on itself and is quickly wiped from the air as though it had never existed in the first place, the first thing I see is what I think  maybe be a smile hidden behind Queen Karim's golden face covering, my sweet Rayne still in my lap and seemingly unharmed by whatever the Djinn has just done to him, "Open your eyes now and gaze at everyone here to celebrate with you, Rayne...No Queen should be half-blind at his own wedding celebration, now should they?"