Forever Fae (2 page)

I look at her running around and
grin
.

“Oh Elvena, father wouldn’t dare do that to you.  You are one of the most important people in this kingdom, and the most sought out prophetess.  Your prophecies have helped save our kingdoms for hundreds of years.  You are as much an asset as I am, and also, I love you too much.  You’ve been an amazing caretaker, teacher
and companion to me. I would
kick f
ather’s ass if he ever tried to get rid of you.”

She stops running around and stares
at me w
ith love in her eyes and laughs
at my crude choice of words.  She’s never approved of my vocabulary. 
It must have rubbed off on me from my trips to the mortal realm.
  Elvena is half
brownie and half elf.  Even though
she has elf blood i
n her, she is still a short and
beautiful woman.  Her curly brown hair hits her shoulders and her eyes are the color of amber.  Elvena is the one who has taken care of me while my parents were busy with court business.  She is also the one
who
p
roclaimed the prophecy that has been widely known throughout the land.

“You will serve this kingdom well, my dear.  Your powers are above anyone’s imagination and you will do great things. 
Only time will tell what those great things will be. 
Now let us get you ready for the ceremony.  What dress have you picked out for tonight?  It
needs to be something special so those boys will have so
mething to fight over,” she says and giggles.

After seeing my facial expression over
th
e
last comment, Elvena was laughing so hard she snorted and couldn’t stop.  I always loved her laugh.  It would bring a smile to my face even in the worst of times.

“Xylia and I travelled to the mortal realm to pick out our dresses for the evening.”  At her exasperated look, I cut her off before she could interrupt.  “Merrick was with us if that makes you feel any better.  We were well protected and you know very well that I am trained in battle.  Merrick
has been training me for years and I’m an excellent dagger thrower.
”  I said this with total conviction.  I’m a skilled fighter and I can take care of myself. 

By her slow growing smile I knew what Elvena was thinking. 
The only thing she heard of what I just said was that Merrick was with me. 
Merrick has been my life-long friend and we’ve grown very close to one another.  He has taught me how to fight in battle and has made me an excellent warrior.  Only Elvena and my best friend
,
Xylia
,
know about my trainings with Merrick.  My parents and the council would never approve of my training.  I guess I’m supposed to look pretty and be the well-mannered princess they all want me to be.  That’s not who I am, and I have shown that to them numerous times
,
much to their dislike. 
I didn’t get my reputation
of
being stubborn and hard-headed for nothing. 

The fae can travel to the mortal realm, but my parents frown upon my sisters and me going because it’s dangerous and we are not fully protected.  I travel to the mortal realm to go shopping, pick up books, watch the people
,
and sometimes to just get away.  It’s nice to pretend I have no duties and be a
carefree twenty-one year old woman.  Being around Merrick all the time has definitely had people speculating.
 

“I know what you’re thinking, Elvena, and that’s not going to happen.  Merrick is my friend, end of story.”  Her smirk told me
she thought
otherwise. 

“I believe you, child.  But I don’t think Merrick will hold up that end of the bargain.  Say what you want, but that boy has feelings for you.  He watches you when you’re not looking and his eyes show the longing he has for you.” 

Sighing, I say, “I care for him as a dear friend, nothing more.” 

I do care about Merrick and I really hope he doesn’t feel that strongly for me.  He hasn’t told me so and until he does, I will not address it.

“If you look in my closet over there, Elvena, you’ll see the exquisite emerald dress I picked out for tonight.  I fell in love with it and I knew I had to get it.” 

Elvena goes to my closet and pulls out the dress.  She looks at it up and down and has a smile of pure mischief on her face when she says, “Oh yes, Princess, you will cause a mighty stir tonight.  You won’t be able to keep any of the young men away from you once they lay their eyes on you.”

She brings over the dress and lays it on my bed.  She also pulls a little silver box out from her pocket.

“What do you have there, Elvena?” I ask curiously.

“Open it,” she says.  I open the beautiful silver box and in it is the most amazing looking gold encrusted ring with a purple stone set in the center.  The stone is a deep purple color and it has an iridescent look to it.  I have never seen a stone like
it
before.  The band has words of the Old Fae language engraved in it, and I stare hard at it trying to make out the words.

“Elvena, what do the words say?  I’m having trouble translating,” I ask.

“It says, my child,
Mind, heart, body, soul
…
I protect thee. 
It’s beautiful
,
is it not?  This was my ring as a child and I decided that since I no longer needed it I would pass it along to you.  It happens to be your birthday and tonight is a special night.  I thought you deserved a special gift and it will also help protect you when your
g
uardian
can’t.”

I can’t take my eyes off of it.  It’s mesmerizing.  I feel drawn to it somehow
,
like it’s a part of me now that I wear it and I have a feeling I will never be taking it off. 

“It’s beautiful, Elvena.  I will never take it off.” I smile and hug her so hard she pounds on my back for me to let her go.  I tell her I’m sorry and she just laughs it off.  She’s always telling me I don’t know my own strength.  We
spen
d
the rest of the time in silence as Elvena helps me into my dress and arranges my hair in a beautiful cascade of curls and braids with a sprinkle of
delicate flowers in all shades of color.

Chapter 2

Ryder

“Are you sure you don’t want to accompany me to the ceremony,
M
other
?” I ask sarcastically.

My mother, Queen Mab, had graciously asked if I would go to the Guardian
C
eremony
for the Princess Calista.  Graciously might
not
be the word I would say she used.  She told me I
had
to go.

She lifted one of her eyebrows and smirked to show me that she knew what I was doing.  I love to get my mother worked up over the Summer
Court
Queen. My mother is a beautiful lady with long, raven black hair and blue eyes.  She’s been known to freeze things with a single glare.  She’s funny when she gets going and also a little scary. 

“No, dear son, I will wait here for your father’s return.  Your father is the only one who can keep me from ripping Queen Tatiana’s hair out of her head.  That woman drives me up the wall with her air of arrogance, and with your father not here, I find it in the best interest of both the courts if I sit this one out.”

I laughed at the mental picture in my head of my mother going head to head with the Summer Court Queen.
It would definitely be entertaining.  My mother looks menacing when she sits on her throne. However, she does save her smiles only for me, my brothers, and my sister.  She is kno
wn throughout the Winter Court
as being the true Ice Queen.  The throne room is the central room of the palace
where
my parents live.  Council meetings and any other gathering are held in this room. 

The white draperies cascading down the walls of the room glimmer in the light.
Floating lights flicker across the room
,
which gives the illusion of snow falling. It’s like a
w
inter
w
onderland
here.  Outside there is always snow falling
;
the room is surrounded by windows so we can enjoy the scenery of the grounds.  I am twenty-three years old, the oldest of my siblings.  I have spiky brown hair, and my height is six
f
eet and
two inches.  I have two magical affinities, controlling the weather and invisibility.  The invisibility has definitely had its advantages.  With my other magical affinity of controlling the weather
,
I could make the snow and ice melt here in the
W
inter
C
ourt
and make a blizzard occur in the Summer Court.  I’ve thought about playing a cruel joke on the
S
ummer
C
ourt
by
bringing them a full on blizzard, but starting a war would not be in our best interest. 

When I go to the Summer Court there will be a meeting about the happenings within and around the Black Forest. 
My father will be with Durin, the leader
of the dwarves
, in
the Endelyn Mountains to discuss the production of more magical relics.
Evil magic is brewing and the bitter taste of it is in the air. So many fae creatures are being taken from their lands and it’s unclear why it is happening.
We’ve sent people to search for them and they have also gone missing.
My father once told me of the battle that occurred in the Black Forest hundreds of years ago.  He was the
re and it took everyone in the
W
inter
a
nd Summer Court, as well as the
dwarves
and
elves
to help conquer the evil sorcerers.   I can’t wait to hear
what the
k
ing
and
q
ueen
of the Summer C
ourt have to say about all of
it
.
  They, too, have had many people go missing.
This is
going to be my first time going to the Summer C
ourt.  Usually my mother and father have dealt with all court functions, but being the eldest son
, I have taken over the Winter C
ourt
A
rmy
and taken my place in court meetings. 

We have heard of the prophecy and our people are trying to translate its meaning.  Our advisor, Heylfred, believes that it will begin with me and the Princess Calista.  Being that we are
the eldest
and of the next generation
,
he believes that our hearts
are
destined to be together.
  Heylfred is a smart man, but some
times I wonder about his sanity, however, he is usually right.
  I have never met Princess Calista.  I wonder what she’s like. Queen Tatiana gives an air of being better
than everyone and King Oberon can be
a stubborn mule
.  I can only imagine what the
p
rincess
will be like.
  

The time has come for me to leave so
I lean over to kiss my mother’s hand and bid her farewell. 

“
I thought I would at least try to get you to come with me.” I give her a wolfish grin and say, “
We
wouldn’t want you killing the Summer Q
ueen
,
now would we?  I’ll take my leave now to prepare
my things for travel.
Warren and Kalen will be accompanying me along with se
veral of the warriors.”
 

My mother laughs
at me and smacks my arm.
“
You are too much, my son.  Be safe and make sure to tell the Queen I said hello.”  I shake my head at her and turn to leave the throne room.  I hear her cackles all the way outside the house.

I
head to my own house on my parent’s
property.  My mother and father refuse to let
my brothers and my sister live outside of their own grounds.
  I have two younger brothers, Kalen and Brayden, and a younger sister named Sorcha.  My brothers have their own houses on the property as well, but my
sister stays in the main palace.
 

As I reach my house, I see that my travelling companions are already dressed and ready to leave.
I chose to have m
y house built to look like a log cabin.  Yes, I like the finer things that I am offered, but nothing compares to the rustic feel of my house. 
T
he
Winter C
ourt has such a magical appearance with the dusting of snow
everywhere and the icicles hanging from every surface.
  The whole land shines
and glimmers
like diamonds.