Fairy Lights

Somewhere on a Path

"Lia, you need to sit." Adrian scolded from behind me. I kept my back to him, listening as he swiftly set down a glass on a table and walked towards me. "Lia, please," He put a hand to my cheek, then my forehead, feeling my temperature again, "If you don't feel well then sit down. I have water for you, it will help."

I bit the inside of my cheek, letting him fret over me. Not even my mother got so concerned over something like this. "Some fresh air helped. I'm fine now." I informed him, gently pulling his worried hands away from me. He sighed softly, his eyes searching mine. I held my ground.

"Just... Drink some water. Please. We have to go back out to the floor soon, my father is finally out and he isn't a patient man." He said, going back inside and shutting the doors behind us as soon as I followed. The music filled my ears and the place felt stuffy again, but I was more concerned with my growing romantic feelings towards my arranged husband.

I met and married this man two weeks ago, he's become my friend, and now I think he may have become something more. A crush, maybe. Fairies weren't a species to deny their emotions, but I was definitely having trouble reconciling them. I was so distracted by this sudden revelation of love that I hardly noticed when we were back in the throng of people.

Adrian guided me towards the small stage at the front of the ballroom, which held two thrones. In one sat Queen Verona, and in the other was King Turner.
I had heard so many rumors about the king that it was almost a shock when I didn't see a huge lumbering monster sitting at the head of the ballroom. He was a normal man, although incredibly bulky. His cold eyes seemed to hold no emotion, as if he were watching ants build their colony rather than crowds of people laughing and dancing and praising his name in his own home. I disliked him for this, but I had no reason to believe he was really as awful as he was said to be.

"Father." Adrian bowed beside me and I took it as a sign to curtsy. "This is my wife, Princess Aurelia, from a Northern fairy city. I have not had the pleasure to introduce you yet." He said. He sounded mechanical, like how he had introduced himself in the carriage the day we met. He gestured to me with a stiff arm, lips drawn in a tight smile as he watched us. I took a breath and did another small curtsy, "Pleased to meet you, King Turner."

The king regarded me with a nod, and I would almost say he looked bored if not for the flash of disgust that danced across his face.

Ah, so it is true he doesn't like Fairies. Still not a reason to hate, not every rumor is truthful. I thought to myself, my smile becoming a bit more forced.
"This was part of the treaty, Verona?" He grunted, not bothering to look at his wife when asking the question. "Yes." She answered simply, looking forward into the crowd. "And it outlawed all taking of Fairy territory?" The king asked. "I believe that is what the contract you signed said, yes." She sighed, her left eye twitching. The king grunted again.
I looked at Adrian from the corner of my eye. He was rigid, looking between his parents as if they might suddenly explode at each other. Perhaps that has happened before.

"Your kind are lying, nature-obsessed, little children. Your treaty will fall through at some point, and I will not be surprised when it does." The king said suddenly, looking at me like a hawk would look at a mouse. "And when that day comes, I will not hesitate to continue my work of expanding the Kuvine Kingdom."

My smile faltered, but I bit my tongue. I didn't know what to say anyway, but I knew if I opened my mouth now a string of obscenities would fly out and may trigger the king to call off the treaty, claiming I had violated it by insulting him. Thankfully, Adrian stepped forward slightly, placing a hand on my back, and faced his father. "I believe we have some other things to attend to, my apologies, Father. Please excuse us." He said, bowing again. The king waved us away, turning his steely gaze back to the crowd of partygoers.