The Fairy King

Magic

We had been walking for days now. No one had said where we were going next, only that it was far. Since we left the sea witch, Bryant hadn't said a word to me. He made sure he was at the front of the group, as far from me as possible. Over the last several days my conversation with Gerry kept popping back into my head.
If I was fully fae, what was my magic? Or more importantly since I had royal blood, why haven’t I been able to use my magic? I wanted to ask Bryant about this but due to his distance I thought better of it. The whole elf thing had me slightly concerned. Could I be both elfin and fairy? Both had an allergy to metals. Mostly iron.
Talking with Gerry I had been able to learn that other metals also affected the fae. My own allergic reaction to the metals was similar to the fae. It was why Gerry had known I was definitely the one he needed to guard. Or guide it was unclear just what his instructions in befriending me were.
One thing he told me, and I was sure it was true, we were real friends. Although it had started as an assignment for him from his king, he had found he liked me. Our time together had turned into true friendship. What was I to do with that information? I thought. If I became king, could I somehow repay those that helped me? I surely hoped so.
It was the alternative that had me hanging back from the group today. If we failed, if I didn’t make it back, it would mean all of our deaths. I was certain that the Unseelie people would see to that. They were ruthless. I had to do whatever I could to make sure we succeeded. Which meant, I had to find my magic. I had no clue how.
Asking Gerry didn’t help. He didn’t know how fairies reached or used their abilities. Throw in the possibility that I was either half mortal or half elf, who could possibly figure out how I could use what I may have been born with. Or if I was defunct. What if I didn’t have magic? I didn’t want to think about that.
Looking up I saw that I was at least fifty yards behind Gerry who was talking to Deriven. Awen was searching fauna for medical plants. Ariella was talking with Gem, who was a lot quieter since her abduction.
I held my hand out. Reaching into myself I searched for some spark, something that would show me what I needed to do. I had been doing this often over the last part of our journey. As all the other times, nothing happened. In anger I threw my fist sideways, opening it as it reached the apex of its arch. I then slammed the flat of my hand to my side. Frustrated I shook the sting from it, just as a nearby rock exploded.
It didn’t just explode. It burst apart then the particles froze. It was like it had begun to explode then turned to ice. It was in the same direction I had thrown my hand. I looked down at my left hand. It looked the same. No indication if I had done that. Walking up to the rock I looked at it. It was definitely still a rock, just frozen mid explosion.
“What was that?” a loud voice yelled. “Where the hell is Raven?” I looked back. I had walked around the rock and the others were hidden from my view. I came back around, just as they came jogging back. Wide eyes met mine.
“Did you?” Gerry pointed to the rock.
“Defiantly Unseelie magic.” Awen said.
“Wow, that’s cold.” Gem muttered unimpressed.
“Wait you exploded it?” Ariella blinked at the rock.
“It's about time. I was thinking you might be a dud.” Deriven grinned at me. Bryant said nothing. He just looked at me with a blank expression. If I had to put a name to the look, I would say he was slightly pissed. He spun away from me.
“Stop playing games. We have a list to complete.” He stormed away calling over his shoulder. “Stay with us.” He ordered. We walked onward.
“Why wont you tell us where we are going?” I yelled at him. As always, he didn’t answer.
“We have to go into Seelie lands. We are nearly there. Not many Unseelies are allowed into the Seelie lands without permission from the rulers.” Deriven told me.
“Does that mean we are sneaking in?” I asked.
“As long as you don’t tell the entire court where we are by blowing up the landscape.” Bryant called back to me. I flipped him off. Gerry busted out laughing. The others just looked confused.
We stopped a few hours later. Bryant found a cave big enough for us to hide in away from the entrance. We were able to have a fire. We roasted some nuts and berries along with sweet smelling grass and twigs. It turned out to be very good. It was also filling. Not since the night I tried to escape would Bryant allow me to be on duty.
I waited for all the others to unroll their bed mats. Usually I just slept near Gerry, but I didn’t feel like that tonight. They laid their rolls near the fire, forming a semi-circle around it. There was room for me but I moved away from them.
I had seen an another chamber in the cave while they were cooking. I moved behind the rock to slip down into the chamber. I unrolled my matt. I was as far from them as I could get. I leaned back against the rock wall. Pulling out my wallet I took out the only picture I had of my gran. She was sitting in an easy chair, a happy smile on her face. I missed her. Was she even related to me? I swiped the tears away.
I heard a voice from around the rock. “Just leave him be.” It was Gerry. “You've been ignoring him for days. Let's stick with that.” There was a hard edge to his tone. I put the picture back.
“I don’t need him blowing up the cave and causing a collapse. He needs to be up here with the rest of us.” Bryant's own hard voice had responded. I jumped up from my roll. Taking a light stone, I was able to activate it with just a few drops of blood. Unseelies for ya. I slipped deeper into the chamber I was in.
I heard a muffled curse from behind me. I knew he hadn’t seen the light in my hand. I had made at least three turns since moving. I drew my hand along the wall. Another turn and I was outside again. The night was clear. A full moon hung above us.
I was in a tiny clearing. The cave was behind me, a few large boulders extended out from it on either side. They ended in a small line of trees. These dropped over a cliff. I moved to the edge to see a wide rocky canyon below me. It looked like the Grand Canyon. I stood on the edge holding onto a sapling.
Leaning out as far as I could, I looked down. I loved heights. The view the feeling of flying. The thought that all I needed to do was let go. My feet slid a little on the sediment tiny rocks rained down the side of the cliff. A hand grabbed my belt.
“Are you trying to kill yourself?” Bryant yelled flinging me to the ground. I glared up at him.
“What would it matter to you?” I yelled springing to my feet. “Oh, right your precious reinstatement to the “Captain of the guard.”” I growled. “We both know I won’t survive to become king if I don’t figure out what the hell my magic is!”
His face looked thunderous. “Is that really what you think? That I won't save you? Protect you?” he spoke almost inaudibly.
“You can't protect me when you don’t know where I am.” I informed him. “Just do your job and leave me alone.” I spun around marching back into the cave. Gerry stood there mouth agape. Yeah, I never really lost my temper enough to yell at someone. Usually I just took off to sulk quietly alone.
“Don't" I said pointing one glowing finger at him. What the hell? I blinked at my hand. It was glowing red, like dying embers it burned down slowly. Gerry and I watched as it started near my wrist. It cooled down to the tops of my fingers.
“Maybe it was a good thing you always had a good handle on your anger.” He pointed out. I looked at him.
“Gerry, that was fire, on my hand!” I cried. He laughed.
“Yeah, pretty cool.” He said leaning back against a boulder to look at me. “Well heat any way.” He corrected.
“But I’m…”
“An Unseelie Royal. You should not be able to control fire.” Bryant whispered from the entrance to the cave.
“Only Seelies can.” Gerry said getting it now.
“Well you said that thing about exiles?  What if my mother was an exile from the Seelie court?” I asked. Gerry was already shaking his head.
“Even the lowest Seelie knows what the Unseelie king looks like. She would never have allowed him that close to her.” He had one arm across his stomach. His other elbow resting in the palm.,The fingers of that hand taping his chin.
“Well then" I threw my hands up in the air. “Maybe I’m contaminated from the mortal world. Some ancient curse or something.” I said.
“Or something.” Bryant agreed slowly. He hadn’t moved. He took a step toward me now. I turned heading back into the cave to find the others. I didn’t need or want his advice or theories. I found my bed matt. Flopping down I rolled so that my back was to where they would come out. A few seconds later I heard the shuffle of their feet.
“You're not sleeping down here alone. Even more so now that I know there is a second entrance.” Bryant said. I ignored him.
“Stop being a child, Raven!” he said sounding exasperated.
“If it’s that big of a deal, just put another guard on the back door. And leave me alone!” I told him. They walked away. I closed my eyes. The glow of my hand shining in my mind’s eye. As I was drifting off to sleep, I heard someone unroll another bedroll near me. It wasn't enough to wake me.
When I woke I was alone again. I rolled up my stuff. As we were eating breakfast Bryant finally told us where we were going. It wasn’t an easy place to get into or out of if you were a royal heir to the Unseelie court.
“Let me see if I understand this.” I said. We were sitting around the fire to get warm. They had made a very good tasting coffee of sorts. It was almost like drinking hot chocolate. Gerry said it would keep you warm and energized. We had only found the beans the night before last.
“You want us to just stroll into the Seelie Kings Palace.” I held up my hand. “Oh, no that's not right!” I snarled. “We need to go into his freaking treasure vault!” I stood. Pacing was an underrated emotion. I couldn’t sit still. It felt like heat was pouring over my entire body.
I threw the tin cup against the wall, it bounced off smacking me in the forehead, and dented. I wanted to hit something I was so furious.
“Raven, you need to calm down.” Gerry said in his soothing I’m smarter than you are tone. It rankled ever nerve in my body. I spun on him. The sight before me was bewildering.
All of the fairies had their weapons drawn. They were pressed as far back from me as they could get, while still staying in the cavern. Only Gerry was close. He held up the cup that had hit my head. It was dented. What I took as a dent was…
“Melted, it melted?” I took it from him. He had been holding it by the very edges of the handle.
“Wait, this is metal?” I looked confused.
“Not exactly. I mean it looks like tin, but it comes from a wood tree deep in. The elfin mountain range. It’s very hard to come by.” He explained.
“And it melts at over 4000 degrees.” Gem stated from the safety of distance. I looked over at them.
“You're clothing has holes in it now.” Bryant observed. I looked down. They did. This was crazy.
“How is this happening?” I said. “I thought I was Unseelie. You know dark, emo, moonchild.” I did the whole jazz hands thing.
“I think you are much more than that.” Bryant said. He turned to Gem. “How is your standing with your uncle?” he asked. She gave a one shoulder shrug.
“I can get a favor or three out of him.” She told the fairy.
“See what you can find out about a Rowan Stormweather.” He said. I narrowed my eyes. What was his game plan?
“Before or after I help you steal the crown jewels?” she asked.
“Go now and we are not stealing the crown jewels. Just taking a very rare lava stone.” He said. She replaced her sword shrugged her pack on gave us a good luck wave and left.
“Well let's go steal a stone.” I said as we doused the fire, picked up our gear and headed out.