The Seelie Queen

Chapter 8

    I was laying on my bed, thinking about everything I just heard. It was so exciting, but scary at the same time. When I was younger, I saw fairies as beautiful and carefree, dancing around without a care in the world. But this…this was so much more than I realized. So much darker than I ever would have thought. 

    “So, the fairy realm is split, between light and dark, and the only way they could ever sign a treaty with the other species, was if a fairy was able to absorb both light and dark, the ultimate queen or king over the fairies,” I said out loud to myself. It seemed impossible the more I thought about it. Could someone be that powerful? 

    “Hello, Princess Jaelyn. I came to see if you needed anything.” I sat up, blinking at the young woman smiling shyly at me from the opened door. I had left it open, uncaring since I wasn’t doing anything. It was a habit, one I probably needed to break. At my old house in the human realm, I could trust everyone, but here…I wasn’t sure if I could trust anyone here. Bree was sweet, Rhett seemed really nice, but other than them I only knew Zahra, Ronald and Naya so far. Out of all of them, the only one I really felt like I could trust was Zahra. Something about how she’s been going through all of this herself, on top of everything she’s told me and entrusted to me, made me feel like she wasn’t lying to me. With that being said, Ronald would be trustworthy as well, since he was her husband, and no one could distrust a seer. Seers didn’t take sides, they were unable to be lied to, they were the ultimate trustworthy person. They saw everything, and anything they wanted to see, so what was the point of lying to them? 

    Realizing I was making Bree stand there waiting, I stood up and stretched, feeling like I was out of my element. I was a princess, was it okay that I was spending my free time lounging on the bed? I had no idea what princesses were supposed to be doing. I did know Aislyn was much more refined than anyone else, so that probably proved she grew up with certain lessons that normal commoners didn’t receive. I bowed my head in embarrassment, feeling a blush on my cheeks. “I’m not entirely sure what I’m supposed to be doing, to be honest,” I said to her, feeling shy. 

    She blinked at me, a smile on her face as she came to stand beside me. “What do you mean? It’s hours from dinner.” She said, confused. 

    I wasn’t sure how to explain what I meant, to be honest. “I mean...Lessons? Am I supposed to be learning anything?” I asked her with a nervous chuckle. 

    She stared at me for a moment before smacking her hand into her forehead. “I was supposed to tell you earlier, but I had forgotten. Oh, I’m so very sorry, you must be confused. I’m not doing a very good job, it seems.” She said with a frown. 

    I placed my hand on her shoulder, giving her an encouraging smile. “You're doing fine, Bree. it’s okay, I don’t mind. You can tell me now.” I said, trying to cheer her up. 

    She smiled at me. “Thank you, princess. You’re very kind. Queen Zahra said you need to have some lessons before you can be the next queen. Not that she feels like you’re unrefined, there’s just so much about fairies that you don’t know, and it wouldn’t be proper to have you as a queen until you understand all of the culture.” She said. Her eyes went wide, and I had to choke back a laugh as her face grew dark red. “Oh my goodness, that sounds so bad. I’m so sorry, Princess, please forgive me.” She stammered. 

    I chuckled, making her look at me in surprise. “Please. I understand the formalities are necessary when there are others around, but please. I’d hope to call you a friend, since I’m in a new place and sorely lacking a friend. Could you please call me Jaelyn when it’s just us? And don’t worry about offending me, I grew up with an annoying twin brother.” I said, letting out a sigh. As annoying as he was, I still missed him dearly, and wondered if he was missing me as well. We bickered, but we were still twins. Then again it wasn’t the first time I’ve been away from him for this long. Often when it was warm Jareth and Sage would go with a few others to the woods and camp out for weeks on end, coming back with enough food to raise the pockets of mother and father’s coin purse. Even still, I was in a whole new realm, in a whole new place with people I didn’t know, and I couldn’t help but miss him. 

    She smiled at me, giving me a short bow that told me I’d have to constantly keep correcting her to call me Jaelyn until she got used to it. “Well, at the end of this week, that’s in three days, she’s holding a ceremony to introduce you properly to all of the Seelie court as the heir. Many will want to talk to you and get to know you, and starting tomorrow Queen Zahra has you booked with back-to-back lessons.” She finished. I nodded at her, even as I was starting to feel overwhelmed. I had three days? Just three days? She seemed to see my worry and stared at me with widened eyes. “The three days is just to announce you as heir, you won’t be queen just yet, Pri...I mean Jaelyn.  The lessons for the next few days are just to help you know what to say to the fairies and how to answer their questions. A lot of them will be weary, unfortunately, and might try to question you to see if you are good enough to be the heir.” She said. 

    I watched as she gathered my dress from this morning into her arms, holding it tightly to her body. “Why is that? Wouldn’t they be happy to know there is an heir, since Naya is unable?” I asked her, confused. 

    “Well, I’m not sure how much I can say,” She said, biting her lip. I smiled at her, encouraging her that she wouldn’t get in trouble and everything she told me would be between just us. Finally, she sighed, accepting what I said. “When Queen Wren split off into the Unseelie court, the fairies she took with her stayed but she’s been slowly gathering more and more over the years. New fairies are born, and some of them are against their parents. There are rumors of a few Seelie fairies in the court that are actually on Wren’s side, planted here to try and lure the fairies away from Queen Zahra. There are many fairies that are older that are firm and stand by Queen Zahra’s side, but the younger generation is wearier. Especially when they see princess Naya having her fits in public. They will want to make sure you’re not secretly a seer as well, and then they’ll probably ask you many questions on the sections of charge in the Seelie court, along with the Unseelie court. They’ll want to ask about the fight between Queen Zahra and Queen Wren. There will be much speculation. There will also be questions about...the king.” She said softly. 

    I frowned. I had been keeping up with her, all until that point. “The King? You mean King Ronald, my grandfather?” I asked her. 

    She shook her head. “No, they will want to know about who will be marrying you, who will be made the next king. When you become Queen, Queen Zahra and King Roland are stepping down. You’ll be the sole ruler of the Seelie court.” 

    I nodded, understanding her. “But in the fairy realm, it’s more crucial to have a queen than a king. Couldn’t I just rule alone? Why must I need a man by my side? I mean, of course I’m not against marriage, but I know no one and even in the human realm, I’ve never had a sweetheart. How could I marry anyone when I don’t know anyone here?” I asked her, confused. 

    “Of course, Princess...I mean Jaelyn. They won’t expect you to marry right away, but soon. Because you weren’t raised in the fairy realm they will see you as a slight outsider until you can prove to them that you are a fairy, and that you’re here for the fairies. Many of them will try to throw their eligible sons on you. They will want a King by your side, so they can feel confident that you will be able to lead properly.” She explained. 

    I groaned, sitting back down on the bed. “I am in full understanding, but...to be rushed into marriage, the man would be a stranger. I will do what I must, of course. I agreed to be the Queen, and that means I have to agree to everything that comes with it. Whining and crying over things that I don’t like isn’t going to change anything and I have to do my best to prove I’m ready for the position. I just wish, you know. Love. I would have liked to have fallen in love, at least once in my life. A love like my mother and my father, a love like Queen Aislyn and King Jem...I would have liked to have loved, and been loved in return just as deeply as they do.” I said with a sigh. 

    “Don’t despair, Jaelyn. I’m sure Queen Zahra won’t force it right away, but she’d make sure you’re fine with the choice as well. Sure the man might be a stranger to you, but I doubt she’d let him be a stranger to herself. She’d pick a nice man, one worthy, I’m sure of it. Then she’d give you time to get to know him before forcing the wedding, time to say no, you’re not ready, or time to say he’s not the one. Rest assured, Jaelyn. I’m sure you’ll get the love you’re looking for. There are many sweet and kind men in the court.” She said with a blush.

    I smiled at her. “Is there someone for you as well?” I asked, feeling like I didn't want to be the center of attention anymore. She giggled, a blush on her face as she sat down next to me on the bed.

    The shift was obvious, and it made me start to relax. She was a sweet girl, and she lit up like a light as she talked about a certain blond-haired boy that was named Eran, a boy she had been friends with all her life that she admired from afar. We spent the rest of the evening until dinner time talking about him and trying to help her work up the courage to ask him out. Finally, it was dinner time and because Naya was feeling unwell Bree told me dinner was just going to be in my room. I forced her to get a plate for herself as well and we ate together, happily talking about her life. Once we were finished eating she helped me dress into a long nightgown. She bid me goodnight and I stood in front of the mirror, admiring myself. I had my hair unbraided and brushed, hanging down around my shoulders like a curtain, soft and silky. It was strange, seeing myself with my hair down. For so long I refused it, tying it back and forcing it into bands day after day, but now it felt natural, and with my hair down I looked younger, more innocent, and carefree. I smiled, swishing the long nightgown side to side. It was beautiful, soft silk that felt like I was wearing water. It was so light, like a cloud. 

    I walked to the window, looking out at the forest below. Bree seemed confused that I’d want to leave the blinds off, so I compromised with her. The one across from my bed was closed, and the other one was open, so I wouldn’t be woken from the sun but I could still see through the other one. I stared out at the beautiful forest, the luminescent flowers glowing in the moonlight, and wondered if I would get in trouble if I went for a walk. I was hesitant, not wanting to mess up so soon after coming, but the more I stared at the forest the more I felt drawn to it. Finally, I couldn’t help it anymore and I went to the closet, finding a pair of soft and silky leggings to slip on under my nightgown. I pulled a shawl over my shoulders and kept my hair down, slipping my feet into flats since I wasn’t used to walking around barefoot all the time yet. 

    I stepped silently into the hall, happy for growing up in a kingdom of assassins and dragons that taught at an early age all the kids on how to hunt silently. I tiptoed cautiously down the hall and the stairs, silently thanking the fairies for their magic that allowed the castle to stay silent and without creaks. Once I got to the door I slipped outside, biting my cheek. Maybe it was alright for me to do this? It was so easy, shouldn’t there be someone to stop me? I went out the side door that I was shown belonged to the fairies that worked for the royals, and quietly tiptoed through the bushes, trying not to be seen by the fairies that were gathered at a few picnic tables near the door, obviously having their own late dinner. It was probably why the castle door wasn’t as guarded, since I happened to have snuck out during their dinner time. I could see Bree sitting next to a certain blond-haired boy with a blush on her cheeks and smiled, but quickly frowned. Hopefully I wasn’t doing anything bad, and I hoped she wouldn’t get in trouble because of me. 

    Finally, I was away from the castle and I ran through the forest away from the castle, heading in farther and farther without a thought about how I’d remember how to get back. I ran through to a clearing and breathed in the air, sighing out in relief. I could hear the swish of the wind through the tall flowers, so tall I could stand in the middle of them and they’d be at the same level as my head. Sunflowers, I believed they were called. Many were even taller than I was. I turned to look back at the castle again, seeing the distant light from the backdoor, and smiled, feeling more confident that I’d know how to get back. With one more glance at the castle, I walked deeper into the field of sunflowers, touching everything I passed, brushing my fingers on the soft flowers. I knew walking further was a bad idea, but I couldn’t help it at this point. Something was drawing me forward, and I realized I couldn’t stop myself from venturing forward if I wanted to, not until I could figure out what it was that called me to the forest, or if it was the forest itself calling for me to come to visit it.