The Seelie Queen

Chapter 5

I looked at Naya in surprise, my eyes widened at her. The queen, and the future queen? Surely that was her, right? I looked at my mother, noticing the sigh, the way her shoulders fell forward. Was our visit here because grandmother wanted my mother to take over instead? What was going on? Rhett stood again, handing out beautiful white plates with little matching cups on them. It was, indeed, tea. He held out a plate of sugar and milk, honey, and other different colored liquids I didn’t recognize. I was always told to never partake in fairy food and I hesitated. Rhett seemed to notice and brought the plate to the others first, waiting until I watched mother eat it to see that I was allowed. Then again, I wondered if it would really affect us, since we were part fairy after all. I swirled my tea, studying it. I had placed milk and honey into it, choosing not to touch the other liquids even though my mother had used one of the red ones. I didn’t know what it was, and I was hesitant to use it. He gave everyone a little plate of different assorted cakes, beautifully made, and I placed them on the table next to my side of the couch. It was quiet for a moment as we all stirred our tea, taking a moment to eat our food. The taste was marvelous, but I was nervous, waiting for someone to address what Naya said. She was giggling quietly, and I noticed Ronald had walked over to her, sitting beside her. He held her cup for her, helping her drink, and wiping the liquid as it splashed down her chin. Like a baby, she was acting like a baby.

I noticed this was probably why mother wasn’t looking at her. She was worried. Worried she was looking at her future. I shivered, sadness making my heart clench. I hoped it wasn’t the same for all seers. I had to believe it wasn’t. Finally, after a few minutes, Zahra sighed. “There is so much to tell, it seems. So much to explain. I’m not sure where to start. I know I need to hurry though, or else it will be too much for you as well, little one.” She said, concern flashing in her eyes as she stared at my mother. She turned to look at me, a small smile on her face. “I know you don’t know anything about this realm, not really. I created it, to save the fairies. It took years, but we rebuilt our life, better than ever. Everyone was content, for a while. One queen, and eventually one king as well. No one had a problem with Ronald, and they all loved Naya. She was...better back then.” She said with a sigh, looking at my aunt with a sadness that broke my heart. "But, then everything changed. Ana was injured, and healed by Aislyn. She was awakened to her fairy side, her seer side, and she could go from our realm to the human realm with ease. Many of the fairies wanted to watch her, to see her life, to see what was going on. They were curious about this lost princess. Unfortunately, when they did spy on her, they saw the wars. The War of the dragons. The birth of the mother of Elementals. They saw the werewolves attacking our princess’s true mate. There was one fairy, her name is Wren. She had been the one the fairies followed when I was with Ronald, living with him and Ana in the human realm. She was very influential, and slightly...unhinged. Dark, twisted. She saw these species, and she decided to petition us to use our magic to destroy all of them.”

She paused, taking a sip of her tea as I felt the pounding in my chest, pulling at me. “She was important to a lot of fairies, and for that, it was my fault. I didn’t think to gather them, to look for them, or try to aid them. I met Ronald and fell in love, assuming everyone was gone and dead, I created a life with him. A lot of the fairies felt like Wren was right, and that she was the one who was there for them. Despite not having royal blood, she was still very powerful and she demanded us to attack the human realm. We could pull the humans into our fairy realm and kill the other species, she said. Then give the regular humans back their realm, where there would only be fairies and humans. Of course, I didn’t even consider this. She was trying to petition against me, to have me overthrown, removed. Before Ana was found, I had gathered all of the extra magic in the realm, and I stored it in a glass ball, a white one that I carried with me everywhere I went. From then on the fairies couldn’t just come and go between the realms, not tangibly. During the solstices for one hour, midnight, when the veil was at its thinnest, was the only time the fairies were able to be seen. Otherwise, they could cross over but they couldn’t touch, they couldn’t be seen or heard. If they were strong enough, used enough effort they might be able to touch or whisper, but that was about it. She was furious, but she couldn’t do anything. But then Ana was found and the fairies watched her, watched the wars, and Wren used that against me. Used it as proof that the different species were horrible. She gathered a fairly large amount of the fairies against me.” She said with a sigh.

“But, you were able to cross over constantly. Aislyn told me about the past, everything you did. If fairies weren’t able to cross over so easily, why were you able to?” I asked her as she paused to drink more tea.

She turned to look at Rhett, smiling at him. I think it’s about time you retire for the evening, Rhett. Thank you for helping me tonight.” She said to him. He stood, bowing to her, then to all of us, before walking away. “He’s a good boy. He has no parents, unfortunately. I have been raising him as my son ever since.” She said. I nodded at her, waiting. Once she was sure he was gone, she sat forward, smiling a sad smile at me. “Yes, lovely one. But I had the sphere then.” She said. I gasped, my eyes wide. I remembered that night, when I was twelve. Seeing her in the kitchen, talking to mother. The sphere disappeared, and she had handed an object to my mother, to hold on to it. “Years after I helped Aislyn and Jem, Wren kept gathering fairies against me in secret. Their numbers were growing, and when they had about an equal amount of fairies against me that were for me, they attacked. They had learned that the power of the realm was inside the sphere, and I had brought it to your mother, asking her to guard it for me. No fairies outside of this room know this secret. So your mother is the only one who is able to come and go between realms. Her, and now you, as well.” She said, looking pointedly at me.

I stared at her, confused. I wasn’t full of witch magic like mother was, why was I able to? It didn’t make any sense. I looked at my mother, watching as her shoulders drooped, a sad smile on her face as she looked at me. She pointed to my neck, and it suddenly made sense. I lifted my hand, touching my necklace, the one mother gave me. I turned to look at Zahra, my eyes wide as she nodded at me, pressing her finger over her lips, quieting me. I gripped the little white heart tightly in my hand, so tightly I could feel the cold metal in the groove of my fingers. I was holding all the magic of the fairy realm in my hand? “Why?” I asked her, my eyes wide. Why was I given this? I couldn’t have this responsibility. I was just...Jaelyn. Nothing special.

She stood, coming over to me, falling to her knees. She took my hands gently in hers, a sad smile on her face. “Naya was my heir, Jaelyn. But seers, it’s impossible for them to be the heirs. We hoped, hoped she’d be stronger. That she’d last long enough to have children, as your mother did. But she saw something, something she couldn’t recover from. It broke her. It’s very hard, nearly impossible to change the future. But she did, and that shattered a part of her, the part that was her. Now, she is forever three years old in her mind, broken.” She whispered.

I felt my tears prickle as I stared at Naya, the horror of her words registering in my mind. Mother was shaking, either from her own grief or from her wolf wanting to leave, I wasn’t sure which one. “What did she see?” I asked her, my voice hollow.

She sighed, brushing her fingers against mine in a soft circle. “She saw a horrible, horrible death of her husband and children, by the hands of a boy that probably wasn’t even alive yet when she had the vision. Most likely a follower of Wren. But it was so horrible, that it broke her. She was a child for longer and longer. And, when the time came that she met the man that was to be her husband, she snapped. She became a three-year-old in her mind, and the man did not marry her, and they did not have children. That act itself was so woven into her future, that when it didn’t happen, she never returned to the adult Naya. She broke, and now the only time she talks, it’s of the future. Otherwise, she’s as a three-year-old.” She whispered sadly.

Surely you can tell, she can not rule the Fairy realm like this.” She said with a sigh.

I nodded, understanding flashing through my mind. “So, mother then, but...what about father? What about me and Jareth? We have to live without our mother?” I asked her, horror in my voice. To think of a life where I had to watch father wilt away, unable to be near his mate, it was too horrible to think of. “You can’t take mother away from father. They can’t survive without each other!” I yelled at her, anger in my voice.

She blinked at me, confused, before looking at my mother. Finally, her eyes softened, and she reached up, touching my cheek. “Lovely, we would never try to take your mother from your father. They’re true mates, they’d die without each other. No, lovely one. We are hoping that you will accept the role. That is why your mother accepted this long ago.” She said, pausing to touch my necklace. “She saw the future. She saw this moment. I waited as long as I could, but I’m getting old, lovely one. I need an heir, and you’re the only hope we have.” She said.

I stood, and she seemed to understand I needed a moment. She backed away from me and I walked to my mother. I grabbed her hands, pulling her to her feet. She was shivering so hard her teeth were clacking, even as she let out a giggle, a soft giggle that made Naya stand up and dance. “You’re so beautiful, beautiful, and shining.” She whispered, her good eye closed as she patted my hair. Naya came in the middle of us, grabbing my mother’s hands and the two of them twirled together, giggling and dancing their glee. I couldn’t help it, I let out a sob watching them, clutching at my chest.

I had hoped she’d tell me no. I hoped she’d ask me not to go. But, all I could do was rely on myself. I closed my eyes, pressing my hands against my chest, thinking. I felt it all my life, the pull of something else, the destiny that I knew was waiting for me. I felt it when I walked through the portal, the seductive pull to this realm, the feeling of belonging, the feeling of home. I was scared, scared of the fairy side. Scared of the unknown. Scared of the past, and the dance that caused the joy, the dance that caused the death. I clenched my chest tighter, taking a deep breath. Even still...even still…

I opened my eyes, and it seemed as if my mother recovered at the same time I did. She straightened herself, opening her eye, and folded her sister in a tight embrace. Naya threw back her head and sobbed loudly, like a child that just lost their favorite toy. Mother released her and Roland came up to them, scooping Naya easily into his arms, carrying her away. “Mom,” I whispered, my eyes filled with tears.

She came to me, wrapping her arms around my shoulders, holding me close to her. “I saw this moment, Jaelyn. I saw this conversation, even as I desperately wanted it to be longer from now. Even still, no matter what, you can always visit us whenever you want. I can come to you as well, even if it’s agitating.” She said, her teeth clattering. She was scratching at her arms as she held me, and I let out another sob, knowing she was going to have to leave soon.

I had to make a choice, and I had to make it now. No, who was I kidding? I was scared, but I knew...I already knew what my choice was. I couldn’t run from it, because as scared as I was...I was also excited. This was it, what I was waiting for. The destiny I was made for. “I will visit you and father and Jareth. I’ll visit often, so don’t forget about me. Tell the others, please. I’ll come to visit as soon as I can.” I whispered in her ear.

She nodded, a smile on her face as she kissed my cheek. She pulled away from me, then stared at her mother, understanding in her eyes as she sighed, before hugging her as well. Zahra sighed, kissing the top of her daughter’s head as a tear dropped down her cheek. I wondered if everything was cleared up between them now, now that mother knew the truth of why Zahra wasn’t able to raise her. But I couldn’t help but wonder if there was something else, something I still didn’t know yet. Mother pulled away, finally, and the white light appeared behind her, beautiful and gleaming. She smiled at me, a soft smile, placing her fingers against her lips before holding them out, as if blowing me a kiss. I watched as she stepped back into the light, and then she was gone.

The light faded and I took a deep breath, turning to look at Zahra. She was smiling, wiping the tears from her eye as she let out a soft chuckle, most likely overwhelmed by everything that just happened. I bowed to her, smiling as I straightened. “I accept your offer, to be the future Queen of the Fairies,” I said to her.

She nodded, taking a deep breath. “There’s still so much you need to know, Jaelyn. But for now, I’ll show you your room. We will talk more in the morning.” She said. I nodded, following her to the intricate staircase and up the stairs. I was nervous, but excited. Excited to see what was in store for me, in this new chapter of my life.