A Faery Tale - Finished

Part Four - One Night With The Fae

- Drake Part One -

At first, Drake assumed she was fae. Her hair was long and shiny, her face delicate and pretty and familiar. But what he thought was a glamoured faery turned out to be 100% human. This made him curious.

She shouldn’t even have been at the festival because of the rules, not unless one of the hosting fae had invited her. She didn’t seem to be spellbound nor was she panicking like a human should. She seemed almost at ease. She swung her fringe away from her eyes as she took a sip from a goblet.

He hesitated, wanting to warn her but afraid of drawing attention to them both. He didn’t know whose guest she was or why she was there, but she didn’t seem to realise how much danger she was in. On such a night, it didn’t bode well. There were already whispers of something dark in the air, some undercurrent of treachery. The presence of a human confirmed some of the fears he already had. He couldn’t let anything get in the way.

When she seemed prepared to drink a second filling of the tainted liquid, he had no choice but to intervene. It was dangerous for a human to wander around the festival intoxicated. Another sip and she would be completely helpless. He glamoured himself so he wouldn’t be seen as soon as she looked away to put the cup down. She seemed confused by his sudden absence, and a little drunk, but she held herself together better than he had hoped. She almost fell over, but at least she could walk.

He watched her from afar, trying to figure out how she had arrived at a festival on the one night in a century when the Seelie and Unseelie Courts met. It was dangerous for them all, never mind a human. Had she really arrived by mistake? She still didn’t appear fully entranced, and her eyes showed horror at a non-important death so he had to wonder if it was an accidental visit. But that would mean…

The Unseelie Queen arrived, the air instantly thickening with a different sort of drug. Lust and bloodlust mingled together in that typically dangerous combination that prevented regular meetings of both courts. This was the one night when both Queens were at their weakest, the only night they could be in the same room. It was a long standing faery tradition.

Drake was a solitary fae but of course, he too was expected to attend this festival. He, like many others, had no real interest in being there, but his presence was a requirement. He didn’t want to offend the sensibilities of either Court by not showing up. That would mean a lifetime in hiding. He had his own reasons for showing, but his plans had fallen through yet again.

He hoped the human girl wouldn’t be embroiled in any part of the Court politics, but that was just too much to ask for. He sighed to himself as he watched a banshee take her away.  He sincerely hoped she hadn’t attracted the attention of either of the warring Queens. For everyone’s sake.

Although they were officially at peace, both Queens would jump at the chance to claim a war had been initiated and the peace treaty broken. That would signal the end for most of the solitary fae who would undoubtedly get caught up in the middle of every battle. The courts actively participated in plans to provoke each other enough to make a move, but on such a night, the outcome could only be the bloodshed of innocents.

He followed the human and the banshee, wishing the girl would stop struggling, stop drawing attention. More than one of the fae had noticed, following her with curious gazes. A doorway appeared, and the girl gasped audibly. So she wasn’t used to faery magic. Still, he puzzled over how she had ended up in the middle of such an important faery festival. It made no sense. Even less was how compelled he felt to give her assistance. He normally avoided the company of others, human or fae. It was safer for everyone.

As soon as the banshee left the hiding place, Drake slipped inside to find the girl. The banshee had left her alone in a room with some fruit, obviously infected by a spell intended to keep her there, quiet and willing. Her dark brown eyes were dazed, a half-eaten apple clasped tight in her hand.