Enchanted Bonds: A Tale of Moonlit Secrets

2: Eileen

"So, Prince Darian," my mother belted out over the sound of clanging plates and cutlery, "King Caspain told me your brother fell ill. Such a shame he could not be here today." Disdain laced her voice.

"Is it?" His eyes sparkled with mischief as he looked at me, "I have rather enjoyed chatting to Princess Eileen. She is every bit as charming as they said she would be." He winked at me, sending my mother into a coughing fit.

"Yes, well. I haven't decided to whom she will be wed, so you might want to hold off on the flirtacious remarks. Lord Edmund and King Tarek have yet to have a chance to engage with her." My mother all but spat the words out, shooting venomous looks towards him.

I could feel the tension in the room increase, as my mother's snide remarks hung in the air. Prince Darian, on the other hand, seemed unfazed as he continued to grin at me.

"Ah, but I believe the heart wants what it wants, Your Highness," he replied smoothly, his gaze never leaving mine. "And I must admit, my heart has been drawn to Princess Eileen since the moment we met."

I felt my cheeks flushing at his words, and I could see my mother's scowl deepening. She opened her mouth to retort, but before she could speak, Lord Edmund spoke up.

"Your Majesty. King Tarek and I were just wondering how it is that her suitor will be chosen. Do you mind going over the details? Both of us feel rather ill prepared given the... charm of Prince Darian." His beady eyes slid over to mine, his stare making me shift uncomfortably in my seat.

My mother cleared her throat, composing herself before answering. "Of course, Lord Edmund. As with tradition, Princess Eileen's suitor will be chosen based on a series of challenges. Each suitor will be given a chance to prove their strength, intelligence, and loyalty to the crown."

I suppressed an eye roll. The challenges held little meaning in my eyes, but it was tradition, and I knew better than to argue with it.

"As you said, Lord Edmund, Prince Darian is wildly charming, as witnessed by the flush that creeps up my daughters cheeks," my mother continued, her voice dripping with disdain. "But, her choice is of little consequence. It is ultimately mine to make. Being as we are the most powerful Fae Kingdom, also heralding the only Fae Kingdom to produce Queens, the choice is always ours."

It's true. Everdawn was the only Kingdom to ever produce daughters. Every other Kingdom only produced sons. A curse, or blessing, whichever way you wanted to look at it, put in place by a long ago Goddess to ensure the power stayed in the hands of women. Ill-fated, I might add, given the fact that none of the pairings for years had been to anybody's advantage. Our Kingdoms were more fractured than ever.

"Right, so, walk us through the challenges in detail, please." Lord Edmund pressed.

My mother nodded, acknowledging his request. "Of course. The first challenge will test your strength. You'll have to defeat a beast in the forest, and bring back a trophy of the victory."

I leaned forward, intrigued despite myself. A beast in the forest? It sounded dangerous, thrilling. My mind raced with the possibilities. What kind of creature would it be? Would it be something I'd never seen before?

"As for the second challenge," my mother continued, "it will test your intelligence. They will be given a riddle to solve, one that has been passed down through generations. If you're clever enough to solve it, you'll move on to the final challenge."

King Tarek raised an eyebrow, his interest piqued. "And what is the final challenge, Your Majesty?"

My mother leaned forward, her eyes gleaming with a fierce determination. "The final challenge will test your loyalty. You'll have to prove your loyalty to the crown by giving up something precious to you. It could be anything, as long as it holds a deep significance to you."

I frowned, feeling uneasy. What did my mother mean by giving up something precious? Would it involve sacrificing something, or someone?

Lord Edmund seemed to share my concern, his expression darkening. "Your Majesty, may I ask what exactly the candidates will be expected to give up?"

My mother hesitated for a moment before answering. "It could be anything, as I said before. It could be a prized possession, a cherished memory, or even a loved one. But please understand, this challenge is not meant to cause harm or pain to those who are not participating. We simply want to see who is willing to make sacrifices for the greater good of our Kingdom."

There was a heavy silence in the room as everyone contemplated the final challenge. It was clear that this challenge would be the most difficult and personal one yet.

"So, when will the challenges begin?" King Tarek asked, breaking the silence.

"In two weeks' time," my mother answered, her tone unwavering. "We will announce the candidates to the public tomorrow, and you will have until then to prepare yourselves. Our butlers will show you each to your living quarters."

Lord Edmund nodded, a determined look in his eyes. "I will make sure that I am well-prepared for these challenges, Your Majesty. My Kingdom not let you down."

My heart raced as I listened to the conversation. What sort of ridiculous notion is this? Challenges to win my hand in marriage? I don't want to be won like some sort of trophy from a fair. I am a faerie, a literal Princess and yet here my mother is, unconcerned with my own well-being. If I could choose, I would, and yet she's staying the course for the Goddess just to maintain a shred of power. Her last hurrah before she is forced into the Umbrarealm. Where those who are no longer needed to serve go to spend their remaining days.

As the meeting came to a close, the room emptied out and I found myself alone with my mother. She turned to me, "I know you think this is funny. Openly flirting with Prince Darian, but I might remind you that he has to win all three challenges to win your hand. If he fails, then the winner will be whoever has the most points. Which is decided... by me." Her face darkened."

I am not a prize to be won, mother," I hissed back, my wings flaring in frustration. "This is not fair to anyone involved, let alone me. How can you sit there and act as if this is all for the greater good?"

"You are a Princess, dear," she replied, placing a hand on my shoulder. "It is your duty to serve the Kingdom and to ensure its prosperity. And for that, sacrifices must be made."

"Even if it means sacrificing my own happiness?" I shot back, unable to contain my anger.

"Yes, especially at the cost of your own happiness" my mother said firmly. "It is for the good of the Kingdom."

I shook my head, "this is not what father would have wanted."

"You know nothing of what your father would have wanted. He was a coward. It is because of my mothers weakness, her softness for him that I wasn't paired correctly. It's why we are in a state of decay. It's why I must make it right and why you WILL marry whomever I choose."

"What? You said-"

"Yes, I know what I said, child. Whoever wins will be because I put them there. Make no hesitation, I have no qualms with any of the candidates dying in rather mysterious ways so that I might align Everdawn with the strongest Kingdom."

My mother's words hit me like a ton of bricks. I knew she was ruthless, but I never thought she would be so callous as to kill potential suitors for me just to strengthen our Kingdom's alliances. My heart sank with the realization that my own mother was willing to go to such lengths for power.

"You can't do that, Mother," I said shakily, trying to hold back tears. "You can't just murder people to get what you want."

"I can and I will," she replied coldly.

I paused, trying to think of a way out of this mess. Failing to find one, my heart sank.

"Who is it that you will have picked out for me?"

"That is for me to know, and you to find out. May his strength, cunning and deception unravel the truth of his power so that he might prove himself worthy." She looked down her nose at me. "Go to bed. Wash up, my dear. For tomorrow, the parades begin."

I nodded, too scared to utter another word. I knew there was no point arguing with my mother when she was in this state. She had always been like this - ruthless, cunning, and manipulative. But the thought of her killing off suitors just for the sake of aligning our kingdom with a stronger one made me sick to my stomach.

As I walked back to my room, I couldn't help but wonder who my mother had chosen for me. Would he be equally as ruthless and power-hungry? Or would he be a kind soul, forced into this situation by his own family's ambitions? My mind drifted to King Tarek. He was the obvious one she would go for. Cunning, ruthless. But Lord Edmund seemed to be hiding something sly underneath that old, decrepit body. I ruled out Prince Darian, he seemed far to kind and compassionate for her to want to align us with him.

Ugh. Pulling Pyro out of my pocket, I set him on the desk before rolling another blunt. I needed something to take the edge off and try to clear my head. I lit up the blunt, feeling the warmth of the smoke fill my lungs as I stared blankly at Pyro.

"What do I do, Pyro?" I asked him quietly. "What am I supposed to do in this situation?"

Pyro remained silent, as always, but somehow his presence was comforting. I knew he didn't have the answers, but just having him there made me feel like I wasn't completely alone.

I took a deep breath, trying to steady my racing thoughts. I couldn't let my mother's actions go unanswered. But how could I stop her without losing my life? It wasn't unheard of for Queen's to off their own daughters who proved too unruly to conform to the stringent standards of the Kingdom.

I glanced over at Pyro again before a plan began to form in my mind. It was risky, dangerous even, but it might be the only way to take control of my own life and protect myself from my mother's machinations.

I quickly snuffed out the blunt and got to work. I gathered every ounce of courage I had and began to write a letter - not to just anyone, but to Prince Darian. He seemed the most compassionate of the three. In it, I told him about my mother's plots, her ruthlessness, and the danger I was in. I spilled the biggest part of my secret in hopes he would understand and be able to cover my tracks if he came across them in the search for me.

I was going to leave Everdawn and the Faerie Realm and travel to Earth, where I hope to find someone who can protect me. As I finished writing and sealed the letter, a knock on my chamber door startled me. It was one of my mother's guards, I recognized him from his black and gold insignia.

"My Queen requests your presence immediately," he said in a curt voice.

I grabbed the letter and hid it in the folds of my skirt before following the guard to my mother's chambers.

As I entered the room, I could feel her piercing gaze analyzing my every movement. Her throne was imposing, made of black marble with golden flames carved into the armrests.

"Daughter," she said, nodding in acknowledgment. "I have been thinking about what I said. I understand it left you feeling rather distressed, so I thought about how I may explain it so that you better understand why I need to be so ruthless in my protection of Everdawn."

I could feel my heart racing as I tried to steady myself and maintain a calm facade. I knew that my mother's words were just a cover-up for her true intentions, and my mind raced with thoughts of how to get out of this predicament alive. And how to keep the others alive too.

"I appreciate your concern, Mother," I said, attempting to keep my voice even. "But I still feel uneasy about all of this. Can you please explain further?"

My mother studied me for a moment, a calculating look in her eyes. "Of course, my dear," she said finally. "You see, the Faerie Realm is a place of great power and magic. And with great power comes great danger. There are those who would seek to exploit our realm and use its power for their own wicked purposes."

I nodded, pretending to understand. In reality, I knew my mother was speaking in riddles and half-truths. But I played along, hoping to figure out her game plan.

"That's why I need you to trust me, Eileen," my mother continued. "I know it may seem harsh, but I assure you that everything I do is for the safety and protection of our people, for you."

I forced a smile, trying to ease my mother's suspicion. "Of course, Mother. I trust you completely."

My mother seemed to relax, but suspicion played on her face as she eyed me closely. "You seem tired." She said as she stared straight into my eyes. "Why don't you rest for a while? I have some things to attend to, but we can continue this conversation later." She rose from her throne and gestured towards the door. "Guards, please escort my daughter to her chambers."

As the guards led me out of the throne room, my mind was reeling. I knew my mother was up to something, but I couldn't figure out what. I had to find out before it was too late.

Once I was safely inside my chambers, I waited with bated breath until the guards footsteps could no longer be heard.

"Pyro, take this and deliver it to Prince Darian's quarters. Meet me in the library when you are finished." Pyro looked at me, licking my face before taking the letter in his dainty claws and taking off like a bullet.

Peeking around my door, I saw the hallway was empty and breathing a sigh of relief, I ran towards the Great Library. As I entered the library, I noticed the shelves were filled with ancient tomes and scrolls. I scanned the room for any signs of life before sneaking towards a hidden passage at the back of the room. This is where I knew my mother would keep her most secret and important documents. She didn't know that I knew of it's existence, but that's what happens when you are cruel to the pixies. They are willing to do almost anything for a shred of kindness. Of course it helped that I genuinely loved their presence. Happy little things.

The passage was dimly lit and lined with cobwebs. As I made my way down the winding corridor, I heard the sound of footsteps approaching. My heart racing, I ducked behind a nearby tapestry, praying that I wouldn't be caught.

I peeked through the thick threads of the tapestry, and saw my mother enter the passage. She had an air of urgency about her, clutching a stack of papers in her hand. My curiosity peaked, I continued to follow her, carefully avoiding any creaking floorboards.

As we approached an ornate door at the end of the passage, I heard my mother mutter under her breath, "It's time."

My heart pounding, I watched as she pulled out a key from her pocket and inserted it into the lock. The door creaked open, revealing a spacious room filled with maps, charts, and books. It was clear that this was where my mother came to plan her conquests and schemes.

Taking a small step out from behind the tapestry, my hand flew to my mouth when I saw it.

The Goddess, Feyara, strung up to the wall, the light that was usually depicted to shine from her skin, dull and blackened. Before I could cry out, my mother stepped into the room and slammed the door.