Dinner that night was a celebration with just the family. The Queen sat quietly at the head of the table and watched the rest of us. I sat to her left, and Lark to her right. The Lost Boys sat down my side of the table and the Princes sat down Lark's side. At the end of the table mom sat on my side and Coach sat across.
"They were flying horses, Wren," Luck's excitement was almost contagious, but the heavy feeling was still there, and I couldn't force myself to be excited. The knot of dread twisted and wove inside my stomach.
"Their species is the Pegasus," Gryphon addressed the whole table. "They were created by Morgana. She wanted to be able to ride but also see more of Avalon. The ones in the wild do not like shifters, but the ones bred here at Wonderland Castle are trained as young foals to take even shifters as riders."
Legend took a gulp of his wine, "thank you for showing us Avalon. You have a beautiful home."
Gryphon nodded and smiled, "of course. We will all be family soon; you must think of Avalon as your home too."
The Queen picked up a small bell and rang it and a servant rushed over, ready for her command. "Tea, peppermint."
The servant rushed off to do the Queen's bidding. When he returned, he was so nervous that he splashed some of the tea on the white tablecloth.
She stood abruptly, her heavy chair fell backward, and another servant rushed to pick it up. She spoke under her breath to the servant, but I could hear the words clearly, "If I lose my temper, you will lose your head."
The servant poured the tea carefully. Even with his carefulness he shook so much that I could hear the delicate tea pot rattle against the cup.
Everyone else kept chatting even Lark. No one noticed anything out of place. Healer Willoughby stood in the corner of the room and his head turned softly to the side. After the Queen finished her tea, he trotted up to the table. "My majesty, I think it's time to return to bed. Tomorrow will be a big day."
"I'm fine," the Queen snapped.
"I insist, your majesty," the Centaur tried to mollify the Monarch.
Queen Dahlia looked around and caught my eyes on hers, her gaze narrowed. "Yes, I think I shall return to bed."
When she rose, the whole room rose with her. The queen smiled, "please, return to your meal. High Healer Willoughby thinks it's best if I get some sleep. I will see you all in the morning."
The Queen turned on her heel and with Willoughby accompanying her, left the room. Everyone in the room returned to their meal. The chatting about the joining ceremony tomorrow was a big topic. Everyone got along splendidly but still something felt off. It bothered me. It felt like an itchy tag that you forgot to cut off a new shirt. No matter how much you scratched it, or repositioned it, it still bothered you.
I stood and excused myself. Everyone stood as they had for the Queen. The Lost Boys started to follow me, "no it's fine, I just need to use the bathroom."
I rushed out into the hallway, trying to catch up to my aunt. I followed slowly behind the Queen and Willoughby until they went through the door into her rooms.
I stood outside the door. I stood for there for several minutes and debated internally on whether to knock and ask to speak to the Queen when Healer Willoughby came out and saw me.
He smiled warmly at me, "Princess Wren, is there something I can do for you? Are you feeling well?"
"Yes," I replied. "I was just going to see if Queen Dahlia is okay."
"She's fine, of course. No reason to worry," Healer Willoughby answered. I stood there and thought about the itchy feeling. After several minutes of me not speaking, the healer asked, "Is that it?"
"Of course," I turned to leave and then thought of the knot of dread that weighed my stomach down. "Actually, there was one other thing."
"Yes?"
"Does the Queen seem like herself? I mean I didn't know her before this happened, but you did. Is she the same as before? Also did she tell you what happened to her with the Jabberwocky?" I spoke so fast, just hoping to get all of it out before I lost my nerve.
"Princess Wren, I know you are worried. Let me assure you, she's fine but still recovering. There is nothing to worry about. She doesn't remember what happened to her after she left the mirror, but I think that's because of the spell. She just needs more time to rest and recover."
I nodded. I knew if I pressed it, that I would be stepping on toes. This wasn't my home, even if my family was from here. I didn't grow up here. I was the weird one, the autistic one, the sensitive one. If I kept pushing, these people would not stick around.
I walked down the hallway and followed the path I took with Lark the first morning I stayed at Wonderland Castle out into the apple orchards. I followed the path to the apple trees, enjoying the slight chill to the air, it was colder than Weverland. I found Arthur's tree and sat down below it. I wrapped my arms around me, to try and stay warm.
I reached out with my magic to touch the roots and was met with memories of other twins, some young some old. They had all played, slept, talked, cried, and loved under this tree. The tree itself had absorbed the memories of so many from Morgana's line, tears seeped from the corner of my eyes and ran down my face. They dripped onto the roots and added to the tree's memories.
A small purple flash hovered around me. I felt a tiny wet drop touch my cheek and a flash blinded me. I stuck my hands in front of my eyes to protect them. After I got my vision back, I lowered my hands and kneeling before me was a human sized fairy.
"You're the Pixie, right? Thistle?" I asked the man with purple hair, pointed ears and beautiful wings.
"Thistle," he answered and sat down in front of me.
"Why you have tears?" Thistle picked up an apple, rubbed it on his pants and handed it to me.
I took a bite, the crisp tart juice of the apple burst on my tongue. I had never had an apple so sweet before. It was almost like there was caramel inside of it.
"Mmm, that's good, thank you," I smiled shyly and took another bite.
"Apple magic," he smirked.
"It's not going to poison me, is it?" I looked at it, hoping to see the poison that was inside the apple, but it just looked like a normal apple.
"Apple sweet, apple good. Why you have tears?" Thistle repeated.
"You wouldn't understand," I sighed. I felt so alone, so different. I didn't want to be different.
"Thistle smart, Thistle listen," the man crossed his arms in front of him in a snit.
"I didn't mean you were dumb. I just don't think you will understand, you aren't like me."
"Thistle, Thistle, no other," he stated matter of factly. "Tell Thistle why you have tears."
"I've always been different; in my world they call it autism. Here, in Avalon, they call it being a sensitive. People don't like different. Sometimes I get stuck on things, or they bother me, like the tag on clothes or the smell of perfume. Other times I get a feeling about a person. People don't like it when I say what I feel."
"Thistle different. Thistle Pixie, Thistle Sprite. Pixie no like Thistle, Sprite no like Thistle. Thistle chosen guard Arthur tree. Pixie no chosen, Sprite no chosen, Thistle chosen. Thistle best, Thistle different."
"You're different from your people too?" I was shocked. How could this beautiful man be an outcast?
"Thistle different. Different good. Thistle see tree. Pixie no see tree; Sprite no see tree. Thistle different, Thistle see tree."
"You can do something your people couldn't?" I clarified.
Thistle smiled, "Princess Wren different, Princess Wren see. Different not bad."
"I think you're right, because I'm different I can see things the others cannot or won't," I reasoned. "You're right, you are smart, Thistle. Thank you."
"Pay Thistle," Thistle beamed under the compliment.
"I'm sorry, Thistle. I don't have any money," I frowned.
"Pay Thistle, kiss," Thistle bargained.
"Umm, well I don't really know you," I reasoned. My heart beat faster, and my palms sweat.
"Thistle Periwinkle, Arthur tree guardian," Thistle pointed to himself and smiled in delight.
"The see the thing is, I don't think, well I don't think I want to kiss you. You are very handsome and all, but you aren't my Lost Boys," I explained. I gestured back to the castle.
"Pay Thistle," Thistle stood up and stomped his bare foot on the ground.
I scrambled to my boot covered feet. I glanced back to the castle to see if anyone were coming to rescue me. If I screamed, would anyone even hear?
When I turned back around, Thistle's lips came crashing onto mine. He stood there with his eyes closed and his mouth held to mine. He didn't try to open his mouth or stick his tongue in just pressed his warm lips to mine gently. His hands reached into my hair and his wings came around us.
I was startled when I heard a large bird screech in the air, and I pulled away from Thistle in terror. Behind me, was a massive bird that was on fire. The bird had no feathers, just plumes of fire. The bird screeched again, and I pulled back in fear. Thistle's arm came around me in protection. I closed my eyes, not wanting to see the beautiful bird tear into my skin. Except the pain never came, but Phoenix's voice did.
"Wren, it's just me Little Bird. I'm sorry I didn't mean to scare you. I felt your fear, and then something took over and that happened," Phoenix's voice soothed my soul.
I drew away from Thistle and ran to Phoenix. I buried my face in his chest. I was thankful that he had come to rescue me.
"Why were you kissing him, Wren?" Phoenix asked, but his eyes were firmly on Thistle.
"He said I had to pay him," I explained. I could see my breath coming out in puffs of condensation. "I didn't want to kiss him!"
I heard rather then saw everyone rush into the orchard behind Phoenix. When they finally got there, I realized that mom and Coach weren't there, thankfully.
"Oh, Wren I'm sorry. I should have explained the Pixies and Sprites better. They have a transactional society. If they give you something, they expect something in return. People of Avalon know, either not to take from a Pixie or a Sprite or to negotiate the deal before they do," Lark clarified.
I turned back to Thistle, "I'm sorry, I didn't know."
I held the apple out to him, even though it had bites already taken out. Thistle shook his head no.
"Pay Thistle," he growled.
My body shook. I didn't want to kiss this strange man, in front of the Lost Boys.
"Can I pay for her?" Stone asked.
"No!" I shouted.
"Yes!" Thistle answered and beamed
"What would you like?" Lark negotiated.
"Kiss," Thistle replied ardently.
"You didn't negotiate beforehand," Lark reasoned. "It's not an unreasonable request, I mean he's not asking for your first-born child or anything."
"Can he do that?" I was incredulous.
"It's happened before. I don't think he'd get away with it, the Pixie's and Sprite's are usually fair and won't trick people into giving something more valuable than what they gave to begin with," Lark shrugged.
"Let's please not tempt the man," Phoenix growled and wrapped me in his arms.
"I agree, the kiss for the apple," Stone bartered.
"Yes," Thistle agreed and took a step forward. Stone followed suit.
"Are you sure about this Stone?" I felt horrible. How had I landed us in this mess to begin with? I just needed some time to think!
"It's fine, Little One. Once this is done, we'll go back to our rooms," Stone smiled at me and turned back around to face the half Pixie, half Sprite.
Stone and Thistle stood eye to eye, toe to toe. I could see the sensual smile that sat on Thistle's lips and I wanted to hit him.
"You don't have to watch," Phoenix pleaded with me to turn away.
"This is my fault," the anger and jealousy churned in my stomach. Below that anger and jealousy lived another emotion, an emotion I didn't want to look at, lust.
Thistle brought his lips to Stone's and nuzzled them slightly. Stone brought his hands up and placed them on Thistle's bare chest. My breathing came faster. Phoenix dropped his mouth down to the spot where my neck met my shoulder.
I almost felt it when Thistle's mouth connected with Stone's, unlike the chaste kiss that had just started with me and Thistle, Stone's mouth opened, and I saw Thistle's tongue dart in to steal a taste. Stone groaned and pulled the fairy in closer, their mouths battling. Stone's hands glided against Thistle's chest, up to his neck, over his shoulders and then sunk into Thistle's blonde and purple hair. He buried his hands into the waves and then gripped them strongly.
I squeezed my legs together, trying to staunch the wetness and ache that built there. Phoenix nuzzled and licked my shoulder. I didn't know if it was because, like me, he was turned on by the scene in front of him, or because he was trying to distract me. Either way, my eyes were firmly on the men in front of me.
Stone plundered Thistle's mouth until the fairy pulled back to take a breath. Thistle's eyes were hazy with lust, and he leaned forward to capture Stone's mouth again. Stone dropped his hair and took a step back. With a harsher voice than I had ever heard him use before, he said, "I think our transaction is complete. Stay away from Wren."
Stone turned around, flushed, picked me up and started to jog back to the Castle. I pushed my face into his neck and enjoyed his masculine, smoky scent.