The Hunchback's Reluctant Bride ✔

22 | Bear It

Bear it.

Wyrn had spent the better part of the day preparing her room—their room. As he made a fuss there, Vadde panicked in silence. Bitter silence—save for the laughing fairies that followed her around, making bets as to how she was going to pull this off.

"I bet you they eat her," Matax teased.

The two of them were awful sometimes, but Jeze had her moments of clarity which made her rather sweet. "Oh, stop it."

They floated on either side of Vadde as she wandered the houses. There was no one to ask, not while she remained on this hill. But how far did the magic extend? To the very town? To the very valley? She didn't know. Beyond that, who would she ask? And wouldn't asking mean she bring risk to them?

A time or two, she considered finding rescue from these very fairies but thought better of it due to Wyrn's panic once they were alone this morning. His words still rang true even now.

He'd held her face, looking into her eyes as he begged, "Do—do not under any circumstances—engage with the Fae. They are our enemies. They are cruel, and should one lay finger on you, I will kill it. Our people fought theirs till both were near extinction. They are treacherous and can't be trusted. And while they cannot harm me right away due to the iron on my back, they can, and will, do terrible things to you should you provoke one. So, swear it to me. Swear. Please."

And she'd sworn because after she'd agreed, he hadn't let her go. It was only once she muttered the words, "I swear it," that he kissed her, pulled her close, then went off to ready their room for the night.

That was tradition. But Vadde circled the entire little hill village with no clue as to what was going on, what they were, or what was to happen tomorrow.

"They will eat her," Matax affirmed. "They will surely eat her. I bet you two fucks."

Jeze giggled. Once she crossed Vadde's nose and reached her lover, they shared a kiss.

"Wait," Matax said, "did she just react to you?"

"Hmm?"

"When you flew by. She paused for a minute."

Had she? Vadde probably had.

Matax zipped past and Vadde kept walking. She kept walking more and more and it was only when they finally believed she couldn't see them that she realized she was well into the forest.

She met upon a wall. The tower was amazing. It reached even further than the trees. It had an odd shape to it, too. And it wasn't the only one. There were several strange towers, with a round base and a slim top, that formed a circle. In the center, a boulder rested.

"Oww. Look. She's found our home." Jeze, holding Matax's hand, laughed. "Perhaps she will move that rock and unleash us all."

The rock.

It appeared to be a boulder like any other. If not for the strange towers, she might have rested atop it for a spell. With them here, however, they served as a warning.

Vadde hadn't expected the silence. She was sure to keep her eyes on the boulder as she circled the huge towers. There were no openings.

She soon learned the source of the awkward mood.

"Matax? Have you heard me?" Jeze pleaded.

"Those dirty ~~!" the fairy grumbled. "It's because of them we have no queen."

Jeze came to a stop by his side, her wings fluttering furiously. "Or king."

"Blast the king! We don't need a king. But a queen would more than serve." He leaned his head back and let out a shout.