The Princess of Elfhame

Fete Magic

Cardan 

Both Rhea, Jude, Trevan and Aeden are fast asleep as I walk through the quiet halls.

Everyone is asleep. 

I look at the painting of Caelia and Elowyn hanging on the wall, their smiles bright, their eyes even brighter. 

I miss them like hell. 

Rhea would've loved them more than me, and everyday I curse myself that I didn't spend time with them until they had died to my brother's expense. 

I'd never forgive a dead man for murdering the two beauties of Elfhame. 

I sigh, turning away from the portraits and down another hallway. 

Jude has invited the Elves to Elfhame for the first time since the treaty signing back 30 years ago, when Jude had been younger. 

Everyday is a gift to me and Jude, Jude at age 18 nineteen years ago and I still mortally young. 

How foolish we had been to believe that there would just be another king. 

Jude is now 37 and it terrifies me that one day, she'll be gone, and I will still be so young in my fae years.

Rhea is more terrified for that day to come, terrified that her mother will one day be gone while years fly by. 

I poke my head into our bedroom, and Jude is pacing the room as she reads something. 

"Jude. You need to go to bed if we are to entertain our guests tonight," I whisper and she turns around with a smile. 

"I was just reading a letter from Taryn. Everyone's okay but Locke is asking for you." 

I shake my head as I take the letter from him. "Remind me again why your sister decided to name her son the very reason he doesn't have a father?" 

She laughs. "You know better than anyone how dark me and my sisters became. For crying out loud, Taryn murdered her husband. Beautiful, elegant, light Taryn." 

I shake my head with a smile. "You've become an influence on her." 

She shrugs. "Maybe I have." 

I place a kiss to her lips and brush away her tangled brown hair. 

Rhea has her mother's looks, my wicked sense of humor, my smile, my ears. 

If anyone didn't know any better, they would think that Jude and her were sisters.

"You need to go to bed. You didn't sleep back in the mortal realm. I have enough to get through the next hours." I murmur and she nods her head as I hug her to myself. 

"Okay. Fine. But I'll only sleep if you sleep with me."

 I take her hand and as I watch as her eyelids droop, I admire her. 

I could never believe how lucky I was. 

Jude was my wife and the Queen of Elfhame. 

Those 19 years had been good to her, her eyes brighter and her smile wider.

It had been difficult at first, for she had miscarriage after miscarriage and fell into a dark place. 

But then Rhea was conceived and she was panicked. 

She didn't want Rhea to disappear like the past, and until she was nearly finished with her pregnancy, she finally fell back into the role of Queen until the day she went into labor. 

We had all been frightened for Jude's condition, miscarriages got continuously worst if you kept on trying but Rhea was lucky.

 After Rhea, we waited until she was older until we began trying for another, when Trevan was born.