"Let's turn this into a drinking game," I whispered to Sander and Sarah when the group of Guild masters drifted around, looking for drinks and snacks. "Every time an argument breaks out, we take a drink?" I offered which the two nodded to. Sarah snagged three glasses with what I assumed to be some sort of alcohol. Arguments were famous among Guild masters, usually a fist fight or some sort of physical fight breaking out. Our trio would be drunk by the end of this meeting, I just knew it.
"Now Sander," Tally, a shapeshifter Master, approached us. She seemed very young, if you didn't know her you'd think she was probably ten or eleven, but she was actually twenty six. "It has come to our attention you were a 'thing' with this rogue witch, is that correct?"
"Yes Ma'am. But this was very long ago, before I met the princess, Miss." Sander grunted, tensing suddenly. I could feel his emotions drop suddenly like the descent of a roller coaster, fast and furious and I couldn't help but tighten my hold on his arm, trying to calm him down.
Tally quickly scribbled the new information down onto a notepad she held between her twinning tails. She had two purple tails, striped and fuzzy that acted independently. She preferred to be at a half morph from what I've heard from everyone else since I had never met her for longer than a few minutes, and that was at the ball my mother threw last year.
"Alright," She nodded and padded away to a group of a few others to inform them of the new information. The few around her became thoughtful and nodded quickly, a couple crinkling their eyebrows. Some extended input on what they thought, but over all I didn't bother to lend my hearing that far. I just hung onto Sanders arm, circulating the strength we were shared. It was very possible it was the only thing keeping either of us from having a nervous breakdown in front of everyone here right now.
"Aren't we supposed to be discussing plans about the Witch? Not having a damn play date?" I heard someone hiss from just behind my shoulder suddenly. "Who decided the princess was in charge anyway? She's a child!" I clenched my jaw, trying to ignore them. "She knows nothing about how we run things here anyway! She lived with humans for years! Not along side us!" I turned, deciding I had enough of their shit-talking and tilted my head, smiling with as much venom as I did sugar at the two men who currently stood behind Sander, Sarah and I. They quickly grew pale as they realized I had overheard their completely rude and out of place commentary.
"We are gathering information about her my lords," I replied to them as I disengaged my arm from Sanders', clasping my hands in front of me, stepping over carefully, making sure my back was straight like a ruler, my footsteps evenly measured with the grace of a warrior and a princess. "We all have known her at one point in time so it is best to converse about the possibilities of where she may be hidden," My hair swayed as I tilted my head to the side, smiling at them still. "This, of course would be much easier, and more progress would be made if you two, were to say, I don't know, join the conversation and, apply some of your knowledge on how to run this meeting of course," Now I was standing right in front of them, their faces completely drained of blood. "Unless you are here to offer information, instead of criticizing my age and how I run a meeting such as this, you are very much so free to leave." I put as much power and emphasis as I could into 'leave', getting sick of all the bullshit.
They were both rigid, possibly from the fear I was placing in their minds, or from the realization that they had made a very grave mistake. But they quickly and stiffly folded over, bowing and quickly offering weak apologies. I just laughed quietly, gritting my teeth to keep from chewing them out farther on not having any manners when talking to a lady, let alone when you are in public and said lady can hear every word you are saying. But, being the Time Seeker she was and being able to stop a confrontation when it was needed, Sarah glided over, her hands folded in front of her, a neutral expression gracing her Barbie like features.
"You have a visitor Princess," She bent her knees in a little bounce kind of way, causing her hair to sway around her delicate bone structure. I had to restrain myself from sighing and running a hand through my blonde hair, but instead grabbed Sanders arm roughly, pulling him away.
"What's wrong?" Sander asked softly, seeing the look on my face as we approached the doors to see who ever this "visitor" was. "You look upset." The honest worry in his voice made me want to melt into a puddle of tears due to the sudden stress. It was easy to forget I was princess, Heir to the throne in this magical world when it was just him and I in our own little sanctuary here, but it really. Fucking. Sucks. When I am forced back to the reality that I'm and heiress, future leader.
"Later, Sander," I pinched the bridge of my nose, sighing softly before recovering my composure. I had quickly learned constant calm and kindness while still being authoritative in my short time as a Princess, bottling everything negative to remain fae like, and being a descendant of a faerie a fae Queen and King, it was definitely a must. It was heavily stressed and really annoying, but, as mother told me, I needed to be as graceful as I was fiery. I was, after all, going to be queen when she decided to step down, which, I prayed to dear god, would not be for a very, very, long time.
Sander pushed open the door way, revealing a shocked Reiner, his bright eyes wide and confused like a deer caught in headlights. He stumbled backwards a bit, almost falling over. The noise of the doors scraping across the floor had, of course, attracted the Leaders, few wondering over out of curiosity.
"Reiner?" I froze, not needing more stress right now. "You can't be here!" I hissed to him, reaching forward and turning him away, about to start shoving him out and back into the hallway. Sander remained quiet, but I could sense his own stress building up in the way his muscles tensed suddenly, seeing Reiner and trying to keep him hidden. I could feel the strength he was allowing me to draw from him, trying to keep a steady face instead that of a broken dolls.
"Who is that?" A woman's voice called over, the sound of heels clicked as she stepped over. A woman whose name I didn't bother to remember, with a tight button up and pencil skirt strutted over. Her square glasses sat on her little, porcelain nose, a tight bun held by a pencil was coiled on her head. I couldn't remember which guild she belonged to, all I know is she was getting on my nerves right now.
"This," I grabbed his ear, pulling him into the room, pretty sure I had a vein popping out of my forehead, "is Reiner. Our newest member," I let him go, crossing my arms over my chest. "Who was told to stay away from the meeting," I clenched my jaw, glaring at him, my lips in a tight line, almost like wire. I heard Sander whisper softly "Now you've done it," But I ignored that, resisting the urge to rub my temples and put on what I was sure was a grin dripping with venom.
"The fire user?" Tally paced around him, her tail twitching as she tilted her head, analyzing him. She almost seemed like a predator, fixated on her prey. "He's quite young don't you think?" Her lips drew back to reveal her pointy teeth, her nose wrinkling.
"Yes, but he's very talented, though he does still have much to learn," Sander added in, his voice low and calm, adding to the image he was creating. That was when the flurry of questions started, coming from nearly everyone in the slowly gathering circle. It grew to an uproar, ringing throughout the library as they all demanded to be heard. "We accept those of all ages and backgrounds here."
Reiner grew tense, his hands shaking and starting to smoke. His large, crystal eyes seemed terrified and something inside of me kicked into play. I didn't know what it was, but whatever it was caused me to stepped in front of him, anger firing up in my stomach as I opened my mouth.
"Enough!" I shouted, silencing everyone in the large room. My voice rang out, the sound sharp as knives as it bounced off of every book and shelf in that maze like library. I swore I even saw a breeze whip through the small crowd. I took a breath to settle myself, shutting my eyes. My heart was beating like a wild horse in my chest, using up every ounce of strength I could muster at this point to keep my voice from shaking. "Reiner may have a very rare ability but he is still a child and you all need to stop bombarding him with senseless questions and allow him to grow as a Flicker before he can even come close to answering you all," I opened my eyes, holding my chin up as I stared them all down. I felt them shrink, this being the first time I exercised my power as heir to the throne. I didn't feel so small suddenly.
"Excuse us," Sarah interjected as she took Reiner's arm gently, leading him away as I stared down everyone in the room. I heard her whisper to him as she led him out, but I kept my eyes fixed on the people in front of me.
"Reiner is very bright, and I have taken it into my own power to teach him to control the gift he has," I clasped my hands in front of me so no one saw the shaking.
"He will be safe here, able to reach the level of mastery needed to defend our world," Sander added at this point, coming forward and reaching for my hands, unfolding them from in front of me. "We do have the wonderful Princess as his teacher, the only one capable of this level of teaching at this current time." He gently kissed the back of my knuckles, taking some of my aggravation with it.
"Now, if you will excuse us, this meeting is finished and you can all return to your homes unless you wish to stay and continue your thought processes and wish to seek out Sander or I some time later, but for now, please allow us to take our leave here. Dinner is at seven this evening," I finished speaking, taking Sander's arm gently, suddenly feeling exhausted and mentally spent from keeping up the act of knowing what I was actually doing. I quickly remembered to curtsy and show respect for these powerful people who could very well make my life a living hell though I am very much higher in status being an heir to the throne. We turned swiftly, leaving the large hall in silence as we exited, exhaling as we left.
"You handled that better than I thought you would've," Sander spoke as we entered the elevator. It carried us upward as I collapsed against his side, unable to stand on my own from all the energy I wasted by projecting my thoughts and such into others around us.
"I don't like dealing with obnoxious people," I sighed softly into the soft material of his leather jacket. I could have probably fallen asleep from how spent I was right there.
"I know babe," Sander held my waist gently, kissing my hair softly before our elevator stopped on our floor. Just as the doors clanged open, he surprised me by literally sweeping me off my feet. He seriously looped his arms around my back and my knees, picking me up as if I weighed no more than a flower, spinning in a circle as he left the elevator and entered into out room. "You've had so much weight on your shoulders the last few weeks, it's okay that you snapped a little bit, you deserve it."
"Not when I snap on the most powerful people in our world," I groaned into his chest sighing softly afterwards. Sander plopped onto the couch, bouncing me a little bit as he did so. The sun was still shining softly through the curtains, signaling that it was still daytime out in the human world. It was probably around five in the afternoon, or at least close to sunset, due too the fiery colors that streaked the sky. "Do you ever miss it?"
"Miss what baby?" Sander was gently twisting strands of my hair around his finger, creating a golden cylinder around his index finger.
"Human world, mundane things," I sighed again softly, staring out the curtains, across the city skyline. I swear, I could just barely see the ocean, glittering in the distance, over the hustle and bustle of the life that took place down below. They all took this beauty for granted, never expected death or even danger to ever affect them.
My question seemed to have caught Sander off guard, because he stay silent, probably trying to figure out why I would ask him such a crazy thing. "No, I can't say that I do," He had that calculating voice of his, the rare one that proves that I actually surprised him in one of those rare instances of which wasn't an outcome he was expecting. "The human world is boring and cynical," I could see the gears, shifting and spinning passed his metallic eyes.
I didn't answer back, just staring out the window as the past reared up in my minds eye. The names, the taunting, the beatings, the bullying, the blood. So much blood, both from the death occurring around me, and my own blood. My screams, and cries for help, but yet, no help ever arrived, I was always alone.
"Creepy Katie, Creepy Katie, Creepy Katie!" Shrill voices sang in my mind, growing increasingly louder. The bedroom began to fade from my sight, while a grey tone image came to my mind. Faceless children, pointing, yelling in an out of tune song, circling around me as I cried.
"No!" I shouted, my voice broken with my sobbing. "I'm not cr-creepy!" I sniffled, all the voices echoing through out the walls of my mind. The faceless children laughed at me, the torment getting louder and louder until it made my mind pulse with pressure. I collapsed, crying, begging them to stop.
"Katie! Katie!" The voices started to get quieter, lower, less child like. "Katie, Katie!" I noticed something was shaking my shoulder trying to get my attention, the voice getting even lower until I noticed it wasn't in the dream and that the children were fading away.
My eyes fluttered open, everything fuzzy and hazy with sleep. I hadn't even realized I fell asleep if I'm being honest. I noticed that it was Sander, trying to wake me up, his face creased with stress and worry.
"Katie!" I sat up, rubbing my eyes as I blinked at him.
"Whhaatt?" I yawned, stretching.
"Something's wrong, you need to change, now."