The Changeling

Chapter XXXII- Party Tricks

Sophie:

I looked down in my lap, feeling uncomfortable in his burning gaze. What was there to tell? I was anything but a mystery to myself, but this world was wild.

"Why don't you tell me about this place?" I said, avoiding his question, or rather, demand. I glanced up at him through my lashes, and saw him with his arm propped on table gazing at me. My chest felt heavy and my neck felt hot from his attention to me.

He sighed and leaned back, "Well, what is there to know?"

"Everything- anything," I said a little too desperately, pleading for someone to shed the light on this world.

"You know there's different courts, the four seasonal courts. This is a high court, there used to be two but... one fell. About twenty years ago. On top of that, you've met the fates. There's also the pod lands and pack lands. The pod lands are in the sea, and ruled by the queen of the merrows. All the merfolk are in their own pods and such. Pack lands belong to werewolves, and they are scattered around-"

"Werewolves?!" I gasped, leaning back in my chair in shock and fear.

"You show no surprise or fear at learning monsters, fairies, mermaids, and us fae folk, with powers beyond your wildest imagination exist, and yet, werewolves scare you?" Sarcasm and annoyance shown through his voice.

"Y'all have powers?"

Ciardha scoffed, "You think this," He said sticking his hand into the air and shadows erupting around it in billowing clouds, "Is just a party trick?"

"Well.." I pause and then shrug.

Ciardha laughs gently, if not slightly menacingly, "Not all fae are blessed with powers, but the royals among others do. The Geimhreadh Court is known for their icey powers, the Fómhar for their wind related powers, the Earrach for their plant related powers, and the Samhradh for their storm powers."

I tilted my head, absorbing this information, and nodded slowly, trying to memorize it all. Ciardha seemed to notice me do this and sighed, while running a hand over his face.

"While you're here, I'll have lessons for you to teach you the history of our realm. There's so much for you to learn and so little time to do so," His voice sounded wearily, and exhausted as he spoke.

I picked around at my plate of food, while an awkward silence enveloped the both of us. I studied him from out of the corner of my eye, taking in and appreciating every inch of his magnificence.

"Why don't you tell me about yourself?" I asked gently, nudging him with my elbow as I did so.

I felt the sparks between us, but to my dismay me touching him the opposite effect than I wanted it to. His expression darkened, and his jaw tightened.

"There is not an incredible amount to know," He scoffed crudely.

"Am I not fated to be with you? Doesn't that grant me so sort of access to your inner self?" I pushed, intrigue being fired only by his resilience to my question.

"And yet, you failed to tell me about yourself," He cocked a brow at me, and I did frown at myself.

"I'm just a bastard child, a fae that was disposed of as quickly as my parents could. Even my mortal parents didn't treat me as parents should treat a child," My own vice grew bitter and icey as I spoke.

"Somehow, I believe there's more to your story than that."

"Why? I'm a changeling, a 'brood parasite'," I scoffed.

"Because of that mark on your side, and the prophecy of course," His voice was soft and gentle, as if he was explaining something to a child.

"Oh. right." I coughed uncomfortably, I once again stared down at my hands in my lap, and started to mess with my hair.

"Muirgen and Conrì shall join us later, last time I saw them they were... enjoying their time together," He said the last part awkwardly and my jaw dropped at his insinuation.

"Holy shit," I choked on the fruit I was eating, my face reddening to match the tomatoes and cherries in the basket.

He threw his head back in laughter, true, pure laughter, "For a girl who claims she's no virgin, you certainly blush like one."

"That makes me wonder how many virgin girls you make blush, my mate," I drawled, giving Ciardha quite the look.

He waved a hand dismissively at me, "Before I met you, it's not like you saved yourself for me."

"Firstly, I was teasing, in all honesty there's many things I haven't ever done, secondly, I didn't know I had a mate."

"Neither did I," He muttered, more to himself than to me. He straightened up after saying so, "Today, I'll show you around the palace, tomorrow, you'll begin your training."

"Training? What does that entail?"

I enjoyed working out, sort of. My parents always pushed me to be fit, to a point it was toxic. But, I loved the feeling of being in shape. Healthy felt good, felt better than a lot of things. But my parents telling me I had gained ten pounds or my clothing didn't fit me like it used to, that felt bad. To say the very least.

"Fitness, strength, fighting capability, weaponry, war tactics and the like," He spoke as if it was learning how to make different kinds of cake.

"Why is that necessary?"

He looked at my darkly, his sapphire eyes blazing with color as he did so, "Because, my dear Siofra, according to the prophecy, we are going to go to war."

I hope you like where I'm going with this, I read read what I wrote recently, and realized theres a couple lose ends I need to tie up or edit when I'm writing later, I understand if you're confused on some stuff, because I'm trying to emulate the confusion Sophie is feeling. I am realizing I've written alot of chapters, but the story is just starting. It'll definitely be a series, But I think it won't be necessary to read in order or whatever. But.. yeah I'm vibing with this book alot more than I expected to. It's so much more fun and I have a plot in my mind more seriously than the last book I wrote.