Never trust a fae.
Never give them your name.
Never fall for their tricks.
Three simple rules that Enid should have followed, three simple rules that she forgot.
In the remote Welsh mountain village of Aethelney, Faeries are real. But unlike trad...
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Past grand paintings and carved statues Enid was led until finally, she reached the throne room.
The doors were opened and Enid's eyes immediately fell upon a beautiful Fae Queen, sat atop her throne.
The throne room was empty aside from the guards posted at each of the doorways throughout the room.
It felt like an age before the guards released their grip on her.
Exhausted from struggling against them, Enid crumbled and fell to her knees.
"Where did you find it?"
"Not far from the town square, your grace." One of the guards that had escorted Enid to the castle, replied.
With a single nod of her head and a flourish of her hand, the guards bowed and left the throne room.
She remained silent until the doors were shut behind them when she stood and started to walk down the marble steps.
"What is your name?"
"Enid...your grace." She had never addressed a Queen before but had taken note of the manner in which the guards had spoken to her.
"And you are from Aethelney I take it?"
"Yes, your grace."
"Hmm-" Unhurriedly, she moved around Enid, openly scrutinising her, her lips pursed. "-We have had a lot of trouble with the villagers of Aethelney of late. You came to my realm uninvited, this makes you a trespasser. No?"
Lowering her head, Enid nodded.
How foolish she had been. To enter the land of the Faes without Aneurin. If she had just waited for him to return none of this would have happened.
Did he even realise that she was missing yet? Did her mother?
"Usually, the penalty for trespassing in Elfhame is death. But I can see that you may be useful to me. Perhaps even help to bring peace to our realms. Would you be willing to do this for me?" She asked, eloquent yet detached.
"If that is what your grace would ask of me?"
"What I am asking of you is to bring me information about your village. What the people want in return for us being left alone for good, without this need for wasting good soldiers to patrol our borders." The queen stopped in front of Enid, her hands clasped together in front of her.
"You wish me to be a spy for the Faes?" Enid asked, swallowing hard.
"Yes, if you wish to put a name to the task I am giving you-" The queen returned to prowling around Enid, like a cat stalking its prey. "-though I need to know that I can trust you before I send you back to your family."
Enid's momentary relief soon disappeared.
To gain the Queen's trust Enid would have to stay in Elfhame for much longer than she would like.
