Mara Brok Akil as Queen Tressa
***
I land heavily on the grass on the other side of the portal, while Rafi does a roll and is on his feet. I groan and ask him "How do you do that?!"
He smirks at me and replies "A shitload of practice. I have to keep portal hopping to look after your ass and to visit Lillia."
I nod and hold out my hand for him to help me up.
I brush myself off and start to look around. I forgot how beautiful it is here.
The trees are lush and vibrant, a deep green of summer. The grass is soft, and the flowers stretch on for acres creating a pink and blue and purple horizon. The rustling bushes are full of pixies trying to scare the little ones running around barefoot, and the feeling of the sunshine on my skin is just so much more invigorating than in the human realm. I feel so at home here, a feeling I haven't felt in a long time.
"It's great that you feel so good, but we really need to get going. I can't wait for you to meet Lillia. You'll love her almost as much as I do." Rafi said with a dreamy look in his eye.
I grin at how happy he is, but then I remember that I will never get to feel that joy, and the corners of my mouth turn down again.
"Let's go, I don't want to be recognised." I replied in a cold voice.
Rafi looks at me oddly but then realisation dawns on his face and he says "I didn't mean-"
"It's okay, it doesnt matter. Let's just go."
We set off on silence, both using our wetsuits but staying on the ground so that we don't set off any air pressure triggers by flying. We run for a good two hours, then slow to a jog.
After around 3 hours of travelling Rafi decides it's safe to talk again without me dissolving into a puddle of tears. "Sorry about the long journey. They don't let portals near the castle, y'know, just in case the Darks decide to drop in unexpectedly. Things haven't been going well recently between King Kyron and Queen Tressa. She's not happy about how he deals with his son's... misbehaviour. So, basically, she thinks Corbin needs a good kick up the ass and Kyron isn't having it. She can't do anything about the betrothal without a full on war, but she can ask for the prince to have more discepline and grace."
"That sounds like a waste of time. The poor Queen will have all her pretty hair pulled out of her head before Corbin is a gentleman."
"You got that right."
We trudge along through yet another sea of daffodils, but I can see the castle in the distance. It's a gorgeous shade of blue, the exact colour of the sky, but I've been told it can change to any shade, from baby blue to dark navy, depending on Tressa's mood, so sky blue seems to be a good thing.
Soon, I see huge golden gates straight ahead, towering over us. They're at least 8 metres up, twinkling in the sunlight.
"Don't be fooled. Those gates can withstand ten thousand goblin soldiers at once. Oh, and I know you really want to, but I can't emphasise enough that you do not want to touch those gates. They've been hexed to be very appealing to run your hands over, but come in contact with it and you'll get like 8th degree burns. That's a light fairy secret to rule out imposters, it's basically treason to tell a dark fairy about it. do we only know half about it, right?" He laughs at his own joke and I crack a smile at how happy he is. It must be nice.
Before we come ito sight of the guards, Rafi tells me the plan. "Okay, so you can't just waltze up to the gates as your pretty little self because we can't have word reaching the kingdom that you're back in Elphame. I'll tell him you are a... special friend for Prince Ead."
You're probably wondering how prostitution works with fairies when you can't actually have sex. It's basically everything but literal intercourse. Fairies tend to eat 'special berries' for a buzz and then mess around for as long as they feel like.
I look at him and say "Well good sir, what do prostitutes look like in Elpheme?"
"Glad you're taking this so well. Long skirt, probably white, with beads on it. The more the better because it's a sign of rank and... skill. Just like a bikini top or something would work. Make sure your hair is really long and wavy, because that's what Ead's girls tend to look like."
"Okay, turn around."
"Why?"
"Because it's too much effort to alter my clothes when I shift, so I just conjure new ones. I need you to turn around because I'm not letting my brother see me in my pants."
He pulls a face then gives me a thumbs up and turns around. I go for black hair down to my waist and lighten my skin to a pale pearly white. I decide to wear a white crop top with a little bit of cleavage on show and a long flowing skirt covered in small purple beads and little golden bells.
I tap him on the shoulder and twirl when he looks. "What d'you think?"
"Perfect. Let's go."
Soon enough reach the gates. A guard comes and asks "What is your buisness he-" he pauses when he sees Rafi "Oh, hey dude. Why did you come this way? You usually head in the east door."
"I just wanted my friend here to get the official welcome and veiw of the castle. She's here for a session with Ead."
The guard looks me up and down and nods. "Ead really needs to settle down before he runs out." Rafi and the Guard who, according to a little mental poking around, is actually called Clay - probably because of his hair colour - start laughing and we get waved in.
The huge gates are opened by some invisible force and Rafi guides me inside.
"Does Ead really fool around that much?"
"He has a girl - or sometimes a guy, depending on what end on the bisexual spectrum he's on - at least once every week. Which is a lot in fairy terms."
"No kidding."
Rafi guides me through the large oak front doors and into the grand sandy coloured marble foyer, with a huge ocean coloured staircase leading to the second floor.
"Each floor is designed after a particular eco-system. I live on the Evergreen Forest floor. It smells like pine trees and it's freaking awesome. Not as cool as the top floor though. We call it Cloud 9. It's got a floor made of fluffy carpet magicked to look like clouds and the beds are so soft." He gets a far off look on his face. He then comes back down to earth.
We head for the Forest floor, with wood of all kinds everywhere and all different leave shapes painted on the ceiling. He opens the door to a room that is completely hidden from sight behind a huge slab of birch and I walk in.
"I'll put you in a guest room and alert the Queen that you're here. I also need to tell Ead that he's not getting to play today. There's an enchanted wardrobe, so pick out a dress and it will change to fit you perfectly. I'll get you when the Queen is ready to talk. I'll be back for you as soon as I can."
I look at him, my eyes turning purple with anxiety, something they seem to be doing a lot recently, and just nod, keeping my head held high.
"See you then."
He steps away and closes the door.
And then I am all alone. Yet again.
