"—A few things I need to tell you," Sky had been saying when Rowan pre-empted the team prep-talk by walking into the beam of light. There were more than a few things, if Sky was honest, that everyone needed to know about the Fae. Like how you should never agree to attend one of their parties, how you shouldn't eat their food or drink their libations, that their gender was fluid so you had to stay clear of pronouns until you knew which, if any, they preferred, that their bodies were able to change form over time, and of course, you never ever wanted to offend them. Or make a binding deal with them. But mostly, that the leader of these Fae might just have a little bit of a hatchet to bury with Sky ... hopefully not in her back.
But it was too late because half the party was already on the other side, somewhere near Fae territory. So Sky followed, stepping through with Joel taking up the rear.
When she emerged, Sky was face to face with her old friend.
How it was even possible, how they'd known that the Aary party was coming, Sky wasn't sure. Spies then, even in the rebel camp? More likely spies from above. Of the Godly variety. Only one God dealt with the Fae. And only one God knew where she was going before she even got there. Father Time. And though Sky wanted to contemplate where his interests lay and just why he was concerning himself with her activities, she had more urgent matters to handle. One was staring right at her.
A face, familiar to Sky, glowered at her from a foot away. A face she had known well once, cared for once, but whose features had changed. Their hair was still silver, ears still pointed, but the jawline had sharpened, the lips grown fuller. Once the features had been more manly, where now the combination was more androgynous, a stunning mix of the delicate feminine and strong masculine. Then again, the Fae were mercurial. Always changing, always fluid. The statuesque figure wore braids in their hair and a turquoise flowing robe. Still, the resemblance was enough. Those eyes. Green, with a golden sun rimming the pupil. They could belong to only one Fae.
Finvarra.
The High Fae, Finvarra was standing in a clearing, in a shaded forest everglade that was lit from the warm glow of fireflies flitting through the branches of the tall ivy-covered trees, dancing golden orbs of twinkling light in the gloaming. Standing stones stood at intervals in a circle surrounding them, marking this space and the arrival of Sky and the Aarys as a significant event. Wild roses roamed at the base of each standing stone. In front of them, the guardians, the fae solidiers, stood in formation around their ruler, hands at their swords. All types of Fae -- some Sidhe, almost human looking with pointed ears, some Seelie, regular height but with skin like bark or leaves or fur or wings like butterflies, chameleon-like with features they mimicked from the natural or animal world, and some pixies, small winged-creatures or stalky gnome-like ones that were miniature in size -- watched curiously, a million peeping eyes, hiding behind stones or peeking from behind trees and through bushes in the forest. Fixated on this very encounter, there was an audience imbued with listless excitement watching Sky's ragtag group.
Finvarra silenced the chittering in the forest by raising their hands in the air and bringing them down to their sides, playing with the drama of the moment to demand the undivided attention of a rather flighty group.
"Greetings Goddess. A visit? So soon?" The voice, like tinkling angry bells, was laced with sarcasm as if Sky were a spurned lover waiting to be punished. Time passed differently in the Elven realm, but even so, Sky had stayed away for more than three centuries. And the leader of the Fae was not pleased. If once they had been friends, now Sky needed to tread carefully. Very, very carefully. It had been a slight, neglecting Finvarra. And from the steel in Finvarra's eyes, now was not the time to ask for favours. At least not until their mood changed.
"You've brought guests," announced Finvarra, peering behind Sky hungrily. "Welcome to Tara, humanlings." Finvarra addressed Sky's companions directly. "Have you come to join the party?" Their face twisted into a gleeful, dangerous smile, assessing the newcomers, new toys to be played with.
Sky balked. To leave now would be to leave empty-handed, but to agree to join the bash would be to play a very dangerous game, one where Finvarra knew Sky wanted something. The stakes they were playing for this time were too high for Sky to turn away out of fear.
Sky froze, deciding how best to respond. Joel stepped forward to save the leaden silence of a forest full of Fae, waiting for a tree to fall.
"Your Majesty," he said, bowing. "We have long heard tell of your magical gatherings. We would love to take part in the festivities, to behold them with our own eyes."
Sky tensed. She wanted to protest. She wanted to say they couldn't attend. But then they would leave without the support of the Fae, and already their war would be lost. So she assented with quiet surrender.
"Very well," announced Finvarra, to her guests, to her Fae. "Tonight we shall abandon ourselves to revelry, to a gathering the likes of which you humans have never even dreamed!" Which was exactly what worried Sky.
And with that, Finvarra looked at the Valkyrie with a sense of victory in their chameleon eyes, the threat tacit: this would be a party for which there would be no morning after.
***
The Fae lived in a city of houses in trees, hammocks suspended from branches, platforms above the woodland canopy that looked out onto clouds and mountains stretched across the Sacred forest below the Wolakciw mountains of Eriland. Natural hollows grew warm and safe and habitable. Abodes hewn from yew and pine were built, in the air, one with the natural and wild world surrounding them. It was stunning. Unobtrusive. The Fae lived as if they were simply extensions of the environment in which they existed, raw beauty the epitome of grandeur. It was to two tree houses, camouflaged in the verdant foliage of old oaks, that Finvarra lead them. The leader of the Fae bid them to prepare for the upcoming celebrations, gesturing towards trunks at the roots of the trees that were open and overflowing with gifts: silks, clothes, jewels, makeup.
Finvarra left the group with a telling backward glance: meet me when you're more presentable.
Sky lead the way, climbing the winding ladder up into the first tree-cabin, nestled in branches. A bridge of wood and rope hung suspended between the first and second treehouse. Inside the pine interior of the one she entered were mattresses and pillows stuffed with down feathers, and heaped with furs. There was a picture window looking out to the mountains and ocean in the distance, a grand armoured gown that had once belonged to Sky hanging on the frame, dappled in the setting sun. The dress was forest-green velvet with a hammered-gold bodice, a nod to her warrior ways. It had an illusion neckline, netting extending down the arms and low back with leaf embroidery weaving patterns in an alluring manner, ending in a long skirt and train with small-embroidered roses along the hem.
She had worn the dress once, in her youth, in a different life. Before Aman. After she had run from her duties. When she had not yet known herself, had not found herself or her other half, hadn't known how to listen to the music in the beating of her own heart.
Lost and confused and in pain, she had found her way to the Fae. To Finvarra. And they had accepted her, let her simply be, let her be carried away on whimsy and abandon. Finvarra had let Sky hide from herself and the worlds. She hid from the Gods with Fin. She ignored her pain, numbing it with drugs and spirits and revelry because she hadn't wanted to face what might lie ahead. And though it may have been what she needed for a while, it wasn't until Aman that she had understood that your best friends are the ones who help you confront the truth. Who make you face the broken parts. In yourself, in the worlds. So you can heal and help the world heal. She'd learned you can't hide forever. But Finvarra wouldn't ever agree with that.
Hiding, playing, it was what the Fae did best. Blissful childlike ignorance or willful self-indulgence? Or simply a necessary way of life to keep their magic flourishing, Sky wasn't sure which or how to get them to see the benefit of assisting the world outside this bubble, the human one in dire need.
And Finvarra was angry. The dress, hanging there like a picture of simpler times, a captured memory, it was a message as clear as if it had been written in ink: You abandoned me. You forgot me. You left me.
Rowan let out a low whistle as the whole group packed into the sauna-like interior when she saw the expensive gown. "That's quite the dress, Sky." Rowan had a hand on a cocked hip, an accusatory look on her face. "And that greeting back there was quite the hello. Did ya let 'em know we were coming?"
They all stood about, waiting for her explanation. Will looked at her with complete trust. It made Sky want to shake him. Instead she glared back at Rowan.
"Of course not! I suspect Father Time told them," she said. "Though why he's invested in this, I have no clue."
They all just looked back at Sky with blank faces.
"The God? Father Time," Sky explained. "He's an important God here. Its why time can be tricky in the Fae lands. It's also partly why this party is such a dangerous proposition." Sky pitched her voice low, looked around her for bugs or birds or small fairies with big ears, knowing it was simply futile. They would hear if they were listening. "I wish we could have talked about this all before," Sky said, exasperated, giving Rowan a caustic look. "But since we can't, there are a few key things you all should know if we are going to escape this Fairy ball. This is a perilous situation. Do you understand that?"
Joel laughed. "It's a party. Lighten up, Sky."
"This isn't just a party, Joel. It's a trap!" Sky grumbled. "So follow the damn rules."
"Uggh," Joel sighed. "I hate rules." But he shrugged in resignation, indicating to Sky flippantly that he would at least listen.
"One," Sky started, in her most authoritative take-no-prisoners-tone, "no ascribing gender pronouns. It's 'they' until a Fae presses their chest and says 'I feel she' or 'I feel he' or 'I feel they.' They identify as different genders throughout phases of their lifetime, and it is rude to make assumptions. Their bodies change too, big and small, wings, no wings, all parts, no parts, some parts, part plant, part animal. It's a long process that reflects who they are and how they change over many years."
"That's so cool," Will said. "So they can shape shift, but really really slowly? They decide what to look like?" Sky nodded. "I never thought of gender as something humans created to label the world until now. I mean, I knew gender identity was fluid, but it's amazing that Fae can look however they feel they should present to the world."
"It is," Sky agreed, touching the soft fabric of the dress forlornly, recalling memories that had been lost to the ether only moments before, "but that brings me to rule number two. Do whatever you can not to offend a Fae." Her advice was laced with regret and guilt. Sky had already broken rule number two. "Do not hurt their pride. So three: Don't make any deals with any Fae. We can do it to win this war, but otherwise it is binding and unwise to do so. Four: Fae love to play and fool and trick. Keep your wits about you or they will be having fun at your expense. And five: Whatever you do, do not eat or drink anything they give you. Pretend, but DO NOT put any food or beverages into your mouth."
Sky paused for dramatic effect, looking at each set of eyes around her, trying to convey the import of her words. "Just stay safe. And don't have too much fun. Now get ready. They'll be expecting us. Soon."
Rowan pulled a blue skirt over her leather pants, donning a heavy onyx stone necklace around her décolletage. She drew kohl around her eyes and called it a day. Her armour was staying on, fancy dress code or no.
Sky had made her way behind a screen that held a vanity and a mirror to change. Rowan called over to her. "So what's the deal with you and the Fae Ruler? You two got history or something?"
"Uhh... yeah, I mean," Will asked from somewhere across the room, "Did you... I mean... you know, was there every anything between you?" He seemed uncertain and a tad wary.
Sky hesitated as she hung her armor over the divider and took the dress off the hanger. "Well we ... we were friends once. Or maybe more. But many many years ago."
"So you were romantically involved then?" Rowan asked and Will coughed. Sky stepped into the velvet pooled at her feet.
"Not really. It was never defined. We were flirtatious friends more than anything else. And Finvarra has a partner now: Una, the high Queen of the Fairies. But I lived here for a while. We were close. And then one day I left and never really returned." She was chagrined by her past actions, but she and Fin had grown apart from each other.
"So you ghosted Finvarra?" Will crowed, sounding shocked.
"I'm not a ghost," Sky said, confused. "I thought we'd established I'm a Valkyrie."
"No ... uhhh, ghosted is a thing on Earth where you stop texting someone back who you've been dating and you just disappear on them."
Sky peered out from behind the screen at Will. "Texting? I don't understand."
Both boys had pulled matching overcoats from a trunk: a golden embroidered one for Will and a charcoal one for Joel.
"Don't even try to explain," Laina admonished Will. "Just go get changed in the other cabin." She gestured towards the door leading to the bridge and the other tree.
As the boys trundled out, Will rather reluctantly, Sky's hand shot from behind the screen as she beckoned for Rowan to join her, facing her back to the woman so Rowan could do up the leather laces of the armoured bodice of her dress. When Rowan was finished, the girl walked around the divider and plunked down on a bed to wait impatiently for everyone to be ready.
Laina was leafing through the assorted outfits. She pulled out a lavender dress with a deep vee, a cinched waist, and a sparkling tulle skirt. It would be fetching on the fair girl, thought Sky. It was the right choice. Sky had noticed the way Joel kept looking at Laina. Pretended not to be looking. He was going to be gobsmacked. Sky smiled to herself and then turned to the mirror, assessing her outfit.
"Laina," Sky said, "would you bring those emerald drop earrings, the moonstone pendant and the make up back here? That dress will be perfect on you. Come join me."
Laina brought the gems and Sky placed the emeralds in her own ears, pulling her black hair up into a chignon. Then, once Laina had pulled the stunning purple dress on, Sky turned her attention to the young woman. Sky took the purple-hued pendant necklace out of her hands and brushed Laina's hair to the side, fastening the clasp behind her slender neck, where the moonstone dangled perfectly into the deep vee. She turned Laina towards her then, and with gentle hands she painted Laina's face with eye shadow from crushed minerals, and rouge from dried flower petals. Then, she dipped her fingers into a small pot of condensed berry compote to stain her lips a flattering pink berry colour. The girl didn't need much. Sky ran her fingers through Laina's loose blonde waves and turned her towards the mirror.
"You look beautiful," Sky whispered to her, conspiratorially. Laina looked at herself like she was still slightly self-conscious, like she still hadn't realized what an attractive woman she was growing into.
"Maybe," Laina said, making a crinkled face into the mirror.
Sky laughed in response, but then her mind flitted back to what was waiting for them. "Come," Sky said to the ladies. "It's time."
The boys were waiting at the bottom of the tree, giant roots spreading out around their feet.
When Will saw Sky he stared, fixated on her as if haunted by a déjà vu moment that was water trickling through cupped hands.
Joel looked at Laina, his eyes flitting to her low-cut dress and then up to her pink lips. Sky interrupted his overly intimate and obvious appreciation.
"Remember: no eating, no drinking. And ... please don't sleep with any Fae. Hopefully that goes without saying."
"Does it?" Joel joked, cheeky as always. Then he sighed heavily. "Why does it feel like we are going to a funeral instead of a party?"
Sky leveled a glare at him. "Because we could be. Ours perhaps." Then she headed out into the beckoning night. It was electric with an energy of excitement and risk. And danger for all of her friends.
***
There was a long oak table, every inch laden with heaps of charcuterie – decadent cheeses, vibrant fruit, savory treats; nuts and jams and thinly sliced meats -- running underneath an alley of overhanging orchard trees. Lit by flames from torches, candles and glowing fireflies, the feast was a still-life painting, but for a fountain streaming with spirits. A clearing opened up as a dance floor, giving way to a stage where the leader of the Tuath de Danaan stood.
Will looked at the buffet with almost as much longing as he had looked at Sky only moments before. In an attempt to redirect his attention, Sky cleared her throat and smiled at him coyly over her shoulder, keeping him riveted on the low dipping back of her dress. The group of them stood together, clustered a few feet from the middle of the table that faced centre stage across the empty dance floor.
Finvarra, dressed in a flamboyant golden robe, silver hair up and earrings of tiger eyes hanging from their lobes down to the waist, raised their hands up, goblet in one, demanding the spotlight. A hush followed from the gathered Fae.
"To our worldly guests," Finvarra began a toast, gesturing at the humans, "shall we dedicate this celebration. And to the Goddess," their cup pointed towards Sky. "May friendship be enduring and may times be always good, and good times be never ending. And mostly, to love! May it always be intoxicating!"
The tenor to Finvarra's voice trumpeted loudly, as if victory was already theirs.
Sky knew it was a riddle mixed with a warning. The damned Fae. Like the prophecies her aunt and mother were so fond of, Fae spoke in smoke and tricks and puzzles. Why couldn't everyone just stop mincing words and speak bluntly?
"Eat. Drink. Dance!" Finvarra cried, and the Fae cheered as the party began.
She looked back at her friends. "No to the first two," Sky reiterated. "Stay out of trouble while I go discuss matters with Finvarra. I should see what I can do to smooth things over and convince the Fae to join our cause." She sighed, already feeling defeated. It was an impossible task.
Finvarra was making her way off the stage to a grove with a gauzy tented area, offset slightly from the main festivities. Sky started in that direction before turning around one last time.
"Just ... don't do anything ...," she hesitated, trying to find the right words.
"Stupid," Joel filled it in. "Yeah, yeah. We'll try to keep out of trouble ya worry-wrinkle. Now go."
So she left them behind, hoping they'd be fine. Sky stopped at the entrance of the tent where two armed guards stood at the ready. Behind them was a curtain made of chains of wild flowers that provided privacy for the royal party, while still letting the breeze flow through. One courtly-looking pixie gnome with a tuft of chin beard and a small horn trundled up to block her progression, gesturing for her to wait. Then he blew his horn in a small diddy, removed the ivory from his lips and called out "Announcing Skuld of the Wyrds!" Then he stepped out of the way and motioned for her to step through the flower curtain and into the folds of the tent. In a room lit by soft candlelight, Finvarra was waiting.
***
Dear Wattpaders & readers,
I know I've been gone for a while. BUT I've been writing off of Wattpad like a fiend so that I have lots of content actually prepared ahead of time so I can post regularly! So I've been silent, but there was a very good reason. I have lots of new chapters waiting for you and I am so, so, so excited to finally be sharing. Trust me, I hated being patient too.
When I started Wyrd I had had this story in my head for years but I also had two jobs and lots of plates I was juggling. I thought, why not just truck along and do this thing and see if it's okay. When I won the Watty I was excited, but so busy I couldn't keep up. So I made the decision to take a break on here so that I could come back with a chunk done. And it's been such a lesson in patience not just posting as I go because I wanted to share and see what you all thought! BUT LET'S GO!
So how do you like the Wyrd interpretations of the Fae race? What do you think of the gender fluid approach? I hope your curiosity is piqued and you want to get to know them better!
Happy to be back <3
Emmy