The Changeling

Chapter XXX- Prophecy

Sophie:

"Have you ever wondered why none of you have mates?"

The words echoed around the room, making everyone in the room shift uncomfortably. low, warning growls came from every creature around the room. I stood there, confused as it all went down.

"Well, now one of you does, and you will all soon follow," the woman- I decided she was the banshee, spoke. She had long wavy brown hair that flowed out from under her veil. Her voice was enchanting, speaking as if a promise.

"I-I had a mate," the remaining queen spoke up. I recognized her from the pool party at the summer court. Niamh, I think her name was, Queen of the Merrows and the creatures of the sea.

The three fates all tilted their heads to the same time, very creepily, and then turned to each other, speaking in whispers. I could tell by the way all the royals were leaning in that they too couldn't make out the words they were saying.

"You said one of us now has a mate, who does?" A voice called, and I turned to see a blonde haired man, sitting with a crown of flowers on top of his head. Spring.

"She's mine," the familiar voice called, staking his claim on me. All softness was gone from his voice and I turned towards him. I could feel the power radiating off of him as he spoke, and it was so powerful I noticed everyone around the room flinched as he did.

"Because where you walk, you have a queen before you," one of the fates chanted, the girl with antlers and soft brown skin, the... Pùca? I think... I'll have to ask Ciardha or Muirgen afterwards.

"Hah, never thought that would happen," a gruff, dry voice called from behind me. I resisted the urge to turn towards it, it was confusing enough with the three fates talking back and forth in rounds, making a mental note of each and every one of the six other people in the room would be too much.

"When will we know what court she belongs to? That matters for our relations and politics, as you well know," the intelligent man's voice called.

"When they complete the mating bond," The central Fate spoke, the one with gold writing all along her dark skin. Cat Sìth?

I felt that same powerful, still, darkness fill the room again, as if daring anyone to speak anything relating to the mating bond. I felt a harsh blush creep over my entire body and AI forced my gaze downward.

"May I return home?" I choked out, my voice sounding extremely weak compared to their powerful ones.

"Home? What home?" a fate said.

"New Orleans, I would like to see my siblings," I spoke honestly, almost shaking in fear as I did, but trying to maintain a level appearance.

"You will return at the end of the summer as you were supposed to, but we hold the power to change the time, and we will let you know when that time has come in the mortal world, as our worlds don't run on that same time."

I nodded, not sure how to feel about those words being spoken to me. How long would that be? Years? Hours? I had no way of knowing.

"You will find your home," another fate spoke, comforting me. A calm feeling crossed over me, and despite my mind flooding with questions, I felt... content.

"Just know, when the last and final of you find your mate, Tír na nÓg will never be the same again-" The first fate spoke

"It will see bloodbath, and there's nothing you can do to escape it," the second spoke, as if finishing the first's sentence.

"Rejecting your mate will only land you in more blood," The final spoke.

"Heed this age old prophecy, and heed all older ones as well, when darkness and light become one, when the songs chanted by the mortals, when their eyes mirror each other, a new dawn will rise. There will be 14 halves of 7 wholes, and then they rise, our oldest enemy will return," They chanted eerily. It reminded me of the play for Macbeth we saw last winter at my school.

"You know this, and more," they each spoke, one at a time. And with that they vanished into thin air with a gust of wind.

The world was strangely still and silent for a few moments after they left, and everyone shifted around awkwardly in their seats.

"Why must they always do that?" Conrì asked as he pranced inside, Muirgen in tow.

"Why must you always show up," Alvar said, sliding his hand into his hands in frustration and annoyance.

"Oh please, you know you need me," Conrì teased, spinning his daggers around and around in his fingers.

"What do we plan to do?" The intelligent man, the king of Fall spoke.

"Where should the girl go?" another voice, Niamh spoke.

"This is not a discussion we are going to have now, she is my mate," Ciardha scoffed, darkness pooling at his feet.

"It's clear to see this prophecy doesn't involve me- I lost my mate within the year I met her. I pray you, any of you, never have to bear that pain. I must leave now, someone needs to make sure Étain doesn't do anything rash," Niamh spoke, gracefully climbing out of her throne. Her long black braid stood out against her dark skin, glittering with little pearls and shells woven into them.

"Return home, as you find your mates, alert one another, it's best to return to our own courts now," Ciardha spoke, climbing down from his throne.

People began to exit the room, but suddenly a dizzying feeling came upon me. I felt my head spin and suddenly, I hit the floor. Darkness came over me.

OK! I am tempted to take a break to begin planning the next sections of the story... but a quick break probably just means a week. We are sort of at the end of a section, call it, "part one" of the story.... but it'll just get better. it'll definitely be a series, but I'm not sure how many books it'l ultimately end up being. I hope y'all like it!