Their Fiery Love: A Holiday Special

Chapter 5: Madelyn

 “Is that, what you are wearing to see the Queen?” my sister, Emma, says to me incredulously. 

I look down at what I am wearing. I am in my typical, grey warrior outfit. 

“What’s wrong with what I am wearing? This is what I wear every day, Em.” I say to her confused.

“You are going to be in front of our Queen Lailane and the Fairy High Council, Mads. You need to dress appropriately and respectfully when in their presence. Look at you and the rags you are in.” she says to me.

I knew I shouldn’t have stopped by my house before heading to the castle. I would have avoided this ridiculous conversation and scene. I internally sigh and take a deep breath. 

“Sis. This is who I am. I am sorry you don’t seem to be able to accept me for who I am, after all these years. But honey, you need to get over it and stop trying to change me.” I say to her.

Emma throws her arms ups in the air, giving up the fight. She walks out of my bedroom and slams the door. I roll my eyes and decide to leave through my window, to avoid the scene waiting for me downstairs, with my mother. Nope. Not even going there. 

I release my wings and make myself smaller, so as not to attract any attention outside, just in case my mother is in the yard. 

As I fly over our fae city, I see everyone hustling and bustling around. It’s close to evening hours and the market stands are starting to tear down for the night. Most fairies in our city, are merchants. We live in some of the most fertile lands in our magical world. Everything can grow, from the rarest fruits to the most mundane vegetables. We grow the most beautifully exquisite flowers to the greenest ferns in existence. My own family is in the business of winemaking. We have wines in our vineyard that rival the best in the world. My father takes pride in each bottle of wine that comes out of Starview Vineyard. For many centuries we have cultivated the grapevines that grow in abundance on our lands. 

My mother is sister to Queen Lailane. She gave up her royal title of Princess when she married a commoner. I know our lives would have been very different if my mother would have kept her title. As the oldest daughter of King Henry and Queen Vanessa, my mother would have been the next in succession for the throne. But she met my father in the palace when he went with his father to present to King Henry the wines of their vineyard. My parents often tell the story of when their eyes met in the dining hall that day. Mother thought he was attractive and father thought she was the most beautiful female he had ever seen. 

Days passed and my father always volunteered to deliver the barrels of wine to the palace, just to see if he would catch a glimpse of my mother. One day he heard singing in the palace gardens and he almost dropped the barrel he was carrying. He said that her voice made his heart stop. Her song pulled him like a magnet to her and he hummed the tune of her song, only it came out differently. Both tunes turned into a melody and they just knew they were meant for each other. He kissed her right there and then in the palace gardens next to the rose bushes. 

They went right into the palace hall and announced to the king and queen that they were destined, mates. My grandfather, the king, was not impressed with my father. He told my mother to choose between her mate or her throne. My mother didn’t think twice, before choosing my father. She left with him, that same day. Ever since my parents were estranged with the royals until the Queen fell ill and died. The King followed her, two minutes later. That is when Aunt Lailane became queen. When she took the throne, she reached out to my mother and they connected again. 

Now, it is common for us to walk in the palace and around the grounds. My aunt has never found her mate but has two sons of her own. My sisters and I are treated like her children since she has no daughters of her own. She was the one that convinced my mother to let me join the training program to become one of the Queen’s protection squad. My sisters became her ladies in waiting until they found their mates and made lives for themselves. When I was of age to become a lady in waiting, I refused. My aunt saw, that I was not meant for such a role. She saw how I wanted to aspire to be more. 

So here I am. One of five females in training to kill for our Queen. 

I land in front of the large doors of the Fae castle. The castle stands tall and magnificent, on the edge of the city. It is made of white stone and has many towers. The windowpanes in front of the towers are stained glass. Each depicting the kings and queens that have existed in our species. 

I look upon them as I transform into my normal-size, human form, with my wings, tucked safely inside myself. I brush my hands over my clothes and pat down my hair. I walk up the steps and the guards quickly open the doors to let me in. 

I walk straight to the Queen’s office, for that is where I assume she will be waiting for me. I knock on the doors and my aunt summons me in. I walk in and I see my aunt sitting behind her desk. Cousin Micah and Cousin Philip are sitting in chairs in front of her. Three members of the Fairy High Council are also sitting in the office. I look up and am not surprised to see Rob standing off to the side.  Rob is a member of the Queen’s protection detail. I have sparred with him a couple of times. He is an intelligent fighter.

“I am sorry to keep waiting, your Highness.” I apologize to my aunt.

“No need for apologies, dear. You are right on time. Everyone else just arrived.” Queen Lailane answers with a smile. She looks small in her chair and she looks gorgeous in her dark blue, outfit.

“How may I be of service?” I ask with a bow of my head.

“Rob, please step forward, next to Madelyn,” she orders him.

He complies quickly and is standing next to me. Queen Lailane nods and smiles.

“We have been discussing the Species Ambassador Program. We are needing to choose representatives of the Fae people for the different species.” She informs us. 

“What is the Species Ambassador Program?” I ask confused.

“It is a program that all the species are participating in. Basically, every species needs to send a female and male representative from their species to keep communication open between the lands. We have chosen you and Rob to represent the Fae clans in the Dragon’s territories.” Prince Micah explains.

I openly gasp and look up at Rob, who is looking down at me. We both have the same look of shock. I will be having open communications with one of the most feared species in our magical world. 

The Dragon King and the dark Dragon Prince.