When All is Lost

23.

"I agree," I say. "For what it's worth, I agree with Veva." Everyone is looking at me now and I shrug. "We shouldn't need persuading, we don't, do we?" I turn to Nate who looks at me with the circumspect look he'd give me if we were in negotiations for new roads or a trade deal.

"Persuading of what?" He asks, playing dumb and I want to kick him.

"Do we need persuading that a Fae life is equal in value to a humans?" I ask him pointedly and watch as he hesitates briefly over the answer.

"No." He says a little too loudly and I take a breath hearing the hesitation, hearing the yes.

"Ok. Well, that backfired." Veva says, and I absolutely agree with her.

"Can you take us to my father's camp?" I ask Will, changing the subject.

"I can, but I have work to do first."

"Do you two know each other?" Nate asks, pointing between Will and me.

"No... I saw him once."

"And that was enough to recognise him in a pub?"

"Well, the shadows helped." I smile, "Nate, this is the Ferryman."

Nate smiles in disbelief. "The mythological person the Fae speak of?"

"Yeah, I saw him when he came for Alice."

Will is watching us, well Nate, and I sip my drink as a distraction.

"So, you collect the dead?" Nate asks him, and I swallow quickly.

"I do" Will answers simply.

"Why?"

"Because I can."

"Can you really take them back to Faery?" I ask, curious.

"I can. The shadows aren't susceptible to the sickness, they protect me but only for a short amount of time."

"So, you bury all the Fae dead, just you?" Nate asks, incredulous.

"I take those that want to return to the burial mounds that are beside the entrance to Faery."

"Why don't we just build burial mounds here?" Nate shrugs.

"Because there are laws against it, your Majesty," Veva says and I cringe. How does he not know these things?

"Laws against burying your dead?" Nate shakes his head but see's my look and stops. "Really?"

"They prevent the Fae from owning land in Albion. If you don't own the land you can't be buried in it. A community tried in the first few years of the pact. A village of mixed settlers were happy to have a mound built in the common land, over time the new generation had built up antagonisms and as the elders died out it was decided the land should be reclaimed as pasture. The Fae dead were exhumed and burnt, which is sacrilege in their culture." I explain sadly.

"You know your stuff," Veva said approvingly.

"I want to help," I answer simply.

"I didn't know," Nate says softly and I nod, taking his hand.

"Maybe spending a bit of time with the Fae wouldn't hurt," I suggest and I'm relieved when he nods.

Having decided on a vague plan of action the four Fae begin serving up the stew, breaking a large heavy loaf that smelled of hazelnuts and handing it to each of us. Nate and I eat quietly listening as the four discussed the next steps in some plan. I'm starving, and focus mostly on eating, sad that there isn't much more than a few scoops of the stew each. I can't remember a time I finished a meal and still felt hungry. Pampered princess indeed.