After the somber affair of burying Regina, I wasn't really in the mood to deal with the guests staying in the palace. But when did I ever get my way? After having lunch in the small cafe that we'd visited when Tylas was injured, we eventually had to go to the palace, and there I was, listening to yet another ridiculous argument.
"Elect Madeline, that vile snake over there stole my favorite hairbrush," The Fae pointed at a sneering male Sidhe wearing the most beautiful silk saree I'd ever seen. The saree looked like it was dyed to shimmer like a hummingbird's wing and was bordered in what I assumed was real gold. The outlines of gold flowers were embroidered on the cloth. The man pointing at him was wearing a gauzy sarong in teal over slim teal pants.
"Well, that ugly cockatrice broke my bottle of rose water, so of course I took his hairbrush as payment." He flipped his goldenrod-colored hair over his shoulder and shrugged. "It's only fair. My perfume was worth much more than his silver hairbrush." He sneered.
I wondered if they realized that a cockatrice and a snake were kind of related. The saree wearing man stomped his foot. "For the last time, it was you that broke the bottle of perfume. You insist on bringing a fan with you everywhere and you knocked the perfume off the table. Elect, please make him give me my hairbrush back!"
The Sidhe with the goldenrod hair did have a huge, feathered fan slung on a silver chain around his waist. I had been told that I had to deal with the concubines first, because they had been waiting so long to have their concerns aired, and there had been some physical fights that had to be broken up. But this had been the seventh minor squabble I'd had to mediate, and it was getting old. Ever since I'd entered the palace, my initial impression that it was a serious and imposing place had been ruined.
While Ciaran's castle had been fairytale charming, this palace was like a silvery queen that brooked no nonsense. Gilded patterned ceilings and aging silver tapestries lined the entrance hall. The floor had a silvery blue carpet runner that led to another set of giant, blue marble, gold, and silver doors. It took two strong men on either side of the doors to pull on the twisted, gleaming handles and open the door.
The silvery-blue carpet led up several steps to a silver, sapphire, and diamond-encrusted throne with smaller thrones on each side and lower stools before it. More chairs were behind the throne done in a simpler style. The throne itself was shaped like a silvery tree with sapphire and diamond fruits.
I'd been sitting on its uncomfortable hardness for two hours now, listening to nonsense. Every now and again I glared at Luke who just smiled benignly. All the staff, concubines, guests, and suitors had been told to gather and I hadn't realized just how many people were going to be there, or how many problems I was going to have to listen to. I regretted telling Dom I would come here.
When we had arrived at the throne, Luke had surprised me by taking my shoulders and setting me down on it.
"No!" I'd whispered as I tried to remove his hand from my shoulder.
"Yes, you'll have to get used to it. May as well do it now." He sat down on my right side.
"I disagree! I haven't won the trials yet," I had told him, but Luke, being Luke, had managed to talk me into sitting there. Now I realized he didn't want to be the one who had to listen to the squabbles. Jerk.
My lips thinned. Based on how shocked and overjoyed Tylas, Brin, and Noc, and the other erstwhile concubines were about even getting the most basic of human rights such as food and clothing, I could understand why the concubines had swarmed me to express all their frustrations. I had to be understanding. Still, I felt the need to complain, so I addressed our seating arrangment. "And what's with the way we're seated? Why are Tylas, Noc, Xavian, Brin, Dimini, and Rielte kneeling on the ground?"
"The audience will not be able to see you if all your court is in chairs. This is the traditional seating for the court. Your chosen consorts, banmuinen, and favored concubines must all have a seat on the stage, but concubines are in a lower position. Adrian and Ciaran get a seat next to you because they fathered an heir, and Dominic and I are your right and left hands, since he is your sword and I your regent," Luke said.
I smiled and said between my teeth, " All of you are important to me. The other guys shouldn't have to kneel."
"That many chairs won't fit up here. We'd have to fan them out."
My smile flattened into a line. "Then we'll make a bigger stage."
Xavian laid his head on my lap which surprised me long enough to stop bickering. "I do not mind being down here as it means I am able to cuddle you this way," he said.
I coughed in embarrassment at the heat behind his flirting. Xavian had been spending quite a lot of time with me because I still had imbalances, and it was showing in the intimate tone he took with me recently.
That my face wasn't full of leaves again was a wonder.
Tylas piped up. "Yes, I agree. I can rest against you or Dominic. I'm perfectly content."
I laid a hand on Tylas and Xavian's heads, "Stop trying to make this better. I appreciate it, but you both deserve more."
Xavian took my hand and kissed my palm. "That I have the freedom to speak freely and give you my affection when I wish and not otherwise is enough for now."
I felt sad that he would think such a small thing was worth celebrating. Then I turned my attention back to the two angry Fae waiting for me to make a decision. The goldenrod-haired guy looked as though he might cry because I had been ignoring them. Then I remembered what Ciaran had said about their insecurities and nodded my head at them in apology.
"All the people up here, including you two since you're living at the palace, are my family. I want you to both feel safe here. Hopefully we can all come to a compromise."
"Family. That's...something I've never heard before," the victim of the thievery whispered. I stared at him, both in dismay at his surprise, and because he was so beautiful. He had long platinum hair with jade-colored eyes, and you could cut your finger on his jawline. He wasn't wearing a sarong because it was warm in the room. He had a torso that would make a bodybuilder bite his exercise towel in envy. He'd belonged to Marisol and had been one of her consorts so I could understand his confusion, but it was sad. I hoped that they would all eventually understand that they were valuable too.
"What's your name?"
He seemed surprised that I would ask. With a sweep of his hands, he bowed low. "I am Crienis."
I looked at the defendant and asked him the same thing. "Tamlin," he said with an even more expansive sweep of his hands and a lower bow. He looked at Crienis smugly and I rolled my eyes.
I cleared my throat to get his attention again. "Tamlin, did you actually see Crienis break your bottle?"
His pretty mouth grew sulky. "Not exactly, but he was right next to it."
"Crienis, please come forward and take my hands."
He struggled not to grimace. He knew what I would have him do, as I had solved two other squabbles in the same way. Still, he came forward, which was a good sign that he was innocent. Dimini stood up with a golden basin of water and a hand towel was draped on his arm. Crienis took my hands and I asked, "Did you break the bottle?"
As my sap flowed, he couldn't help the grimace of disgust he made. "No, my Mistress."
The sap didn't turn red, and I released him with a smile. "Tamlin, return the hairbrush. I will buy you another bottle of rose water to replace what you lost."
I looked at Crienis, "And you would like a pretty comb for your hair. One with emeralds."
Crienis looked dazzled as he wiped his hands on the towel that Dimini gave him. It seemed I was right. "Yes, I would but how did you..."
Adrian had let me know mentally. I was so happy that he had that gift.
"I will get one for you since you had such bad day today. I hope you and Tamlin can get along better. " My brusque words were meant to be the end of the matter.
Tamlin didn't look happy about Crienis not being punished and wouldn't let it go. "Crienis might have done it on accident. That is why he was able to pass your test, Mistress."
I smiled at him, then at Crienis. Tamlin also had belonged to Marisol, and this was a long-time rivalry I was dealing with. "Tamlin, I've already decided on the matter. I promise that we will all find a place for each of you in our new family and you won't be made to feel less. Can you trust me?"
Tamlin stared at me in shock. "You are asking me?"
"Of course. I can't demand you to trust me." I gave him a quizzical look.
He twisted his fingers together and bowed his head. "Actually, yes you could. Once you won me, all my oaths to Marisol became yours. I'm your property."
I felt sick to my stomach. "No, for now, you're part of the family, and maybe soon you'll be my friend. But you're not my property. None of you are, but I know how bad it is for men around here so I'm not kicking anyone out. We'll figure out all this together. How does that sound?"
He frowned at me, looking more upset than relieved, "My Lady, I am proud to be yours, and I don't want to be anything else."
My heart sunk at the realization that many of these men might find freedom to be a frightening prospect. It also seemed like he was subtly rejecting being part of the family. I stood up and walked down the steps towards him, which caused him to quail and lower his head. He put his hands out, expecting me to strike him and I wanted to be sick. "Raise your head."
When the strike didn't happen, he finally did. I held out my hands for him to take. After a minute or two, he took them gingerly, still looking at me in fear.
"Tamlin, do you not wish to be a part of my court and family?"
His eyes, which were the dark purple of a pansy, filled with tears. "Where would I go? I no longer belong to my lady, Marisol. She won't have me back."
I glanced at Marisol who was sitting in the back. She shrugged at my look. It seemed that it was true. She'd rejected their return. Looking at the man, I felt extreme pity for him, understanding what rejection felt like. My mother had done it. Erick had done it.
Luis...
"May I hug you, Tamlin?" I asked.
"You may do anything you like. I am yours." His full lips trembled.
"You have the right to say no to anything, even to be mine, and won't be punished. That's what I'm saying to you. Do you understand?"
He didn't. I could tell. But he put his arms around me nonetheless and accepted my hug. After a few minutes, I could feel his body relax and he inhaled slowly. As he exhaled, he said, "You smell like a dream. I can't believe that I'm hugging an Edentree. I can't believe I belong to one... "
"You're my family until you don't want to be," I firmly restated, but he shook his head. After one more squeeze, he knelt on the ground before me until I urged him to sit with the palace concubines.
I knew this argument was going to take time. Time we didn't have right then.
Duir cleared her throat at me and I looked over at her. She'd come with Nian, Huathe, Leah, Willow, and some other otherworldly looking people I assumed were Trees and she had been sitting impatiently while my court aired all their grievances.
They were here because I had to deal with the business of both my Aunt's and Marisol's lands. Due to my aunt's disgrace, I had no choice but to take her duchy. I also took Parson's duchy even though I hadn't technically won the trials yet. Marisol had been defeated by me, and I was in first place regardless of Zovria's technical win, according to Duir.
I had a feeling that her animosity to her former ringer was going to bite us all. The goblins were crafty and intelligent, despite their vicious tempers. Their dual natures of looking both like adorable confections and hideous monsters had given them the tools to disarm their enemies.
"Light of the Trees," Duir said as she nodded her head at me.
"Duir." I raised a brow at the title she gave me. Although apparently, we were pals now since I was the reincarnation of an important Tree, I didn't think for a moment that Duir had suddenly changed. Maybe she wasn't out to kill me anymore, but that didn't mean she still didn't want to use me.
Duir gave a sheaf of papers to a male Tree who was holding a platter. The Tree looked the most like a tree than any I'd seen so far. His hair was made of long green ivy that sprouted with broad, triangular leaves. His skin looked as smooth as an espresso mixed with cream, and he had soft brown eyes with no whites showing. Tattoos on his face and body swirled like wood grain, as though he'd been carved from his tree instead of being the tree himself. He was too otherworldly to be described as beautiful or handsome, but I couldn't stop staring at him. He realized I was fascinated by him, which elicited a broad grin from the man. Ciaran made an annoyed click of his tongue and I shot a glance at him. He was staring narrow-eyed at the male.
"Here are the papers that give you full ownership of the Brightfield Duchy, your aunt's properties. And also, beneath those papers are the rights to Parson's Duchy. As he was defeated by you in hand to hand combat, it truly belongs to you. With the addition of his duchy, your title is now Grand Duchess Madeline Thomas." Duir seemed quite pleased by her proclamation
I heard what she said, but my atttention was on Ciaran who was giving the man with the ivy hair a sneer. The ivy hadn't lost his grin and shrugged at Ciaran. I wanted to find out why Ciaran didn't like Mr. Ivy, but first I had to deal with all this paperwork. I turned back to Duir. "I'd like to give Marisol back her lands."
Duir's smile fell. "No. It doesn't work that way. She was the daughter of a man who wished to usurp the crown. Her title is lost even if she didn't lose to you. "
"She saved my life and Dimini's life, so I want to give them back."
"No," Marisol said from the back of the room. "I am Zovria's banmuinen now. I'd like to win my lands back rather than have them given to me by my enemy."
I gazed at her, feeling crestfallen. I thought we were friends, but Marisol wasn't thinking the same. "We're enemies, Marisol?"
She shrugged. "I know that you're trying to change things, but I like the way things are. I respect what you're doing but I just can't support it."
Duir was pleased. "There are rules, which Marisol understands. I hope you will learn how to manage your court better. Letting all these men speak before us Trees... well..." she tutted and gave me a disapproving look. "It's only because you are The Light, and so young that we aren't upset."
"Leave my court to me." I folded my arms. "I think the Trees spend too much time being uppity."
I heard some shocked murmurs from the crowd. Most of them had gone prostrate when the Trees had shown up. It had only been my insistence that all of them rise that they were sitting now.
Duir sniffed in irritation but didn't argue further. Duir not arguing meant she was scheming and planning. I was rightfully concerned.
Since Marisol wanted me to take over her properties, I went ahead and signed all the papers. As I handed back Mr. Ivy's pen, he held my hand a minute longer. When I tugged away, he said, "I'm at your service. Call on me if you need my aid. That apple there has a rotten core, Lovely Girl."
Ciaran's annoyance became an unbearable scraping and I threw up my defenses with a dirty look at him. He should know that I'd seen all his dirtiness and accepted him. The words of a stranger meant nothing to me. When the Ivy had released my hand, I said, "I know Ciaran. He is the father of one of my seedlings. I don't know you."
The ivy Tree smiled at me. "You will. I promise."