Becoming Fae

I ended up spending most of the day outside of the castle, walking among the demons. It wasn’t the same happy easy feeling I had walking around in Royal City before, but it was very close. Despite the tensions, fear, and lack of basic necessities, most of the people I met smiled and spoke to me like this was only a minor inconvenience and they were glad to push through it. They were curious, though, as to what my plan was concerning the Throne and my rule once I claimed it.

I was sitting in a circle of children letting them touch my wings and ask me questions that only a child could think of when some of the parents, who were chuckling to themselves looking incredibly amused stiffened and looked over my shoulder. A quick peek showed Mom and Dad dismounting a pair of horses, dressed in their formal ‘casual’ clothes.

“Who’s that?” one of the fox kits asked.

“The King and Queen of the Sidhe,” I answered, mushing the sandy red hair of a little boy sitting on my lap. “Looks like the fun is cut short.”

I got up, extricating my legs from the young ones and walked over to meet my parents.

“You missed lunch,” Mom said with a smile.

“I ate here. Mal attempted to, but when he found out what we were eating, he lost his nerve,” I laughed.

“Dare I ask?” she lifted an eyebrow.

“Probably not,” I shrugged. “What’s with the regal getup? Should I be concerned?”

“Oh, no. Actually, we’re here to help,” Mom smiled.

“It didn’t go over well with the council, but this is kind of the exact reason we have this stuff put aside,” Dad laughed maliciously. “Your mother made it clear that the Demon Lands might be ruled separately, like the fairies and the elves, but they are still a part of the Sidhe, just like every other people that live here. Besides, the ones that need this aren’t in the Demon Lands. They’re right here, at our doorstep.”

“And what is ‘this’?” I laughed with him.

Dad smirked and pointed through the rows of tents towards a line of wagons coming from one of the main roads in and out of the city. We were situated inside the gates, but just before the buildings of the city began crowding the streets. To avoid more attention than they wanted, the demons had set up their little tent village a fair distance away from the main roads, where the smaller streets were.

I looked at my parents, then back to the wagons as they drew closer. Several were filled with food, fruits, vegetables, sacks of flour, salt, and sugar, eggs, grains, and sides of carefully preserved meats and even live chickens in crates. Other wagons had crates whose contents I couldn’t identify, and others had tools, saws, hatchets, nails, hammers, heavy canvas, and rope.

“Are you serious?” I asked them.

“Yes, dear. We’re serious,” Mom giggled. “Go on. You better get over there before there’s chaos.”

I grinned and jogged towards the wagons, making it there just as they stopped, and Mal landed beside me.

“Where did this come from?” he asked.

“Mom and Dad,” I answered. “We need to get this stuff passed out, so everyone gets some food.”

“We’ll handle it,” Blaine said as he and Ben stepped out of the gathering crowd behind me. “You two should figure out the non-food stuff and where it needs to go.”

A few people came up and started helping Ben and Blaine pass out the food while Mal and I took inventory of the other wagons. It wouldn’t solve all of our problems, but it would make it a little bit easier to breathe for a little while. Getting everything sorted and put away took very little time, shockingly. Everyone took something, everyone did something that didn’t only benefit themselves.

I handed the last box of medicine to Mal and looked up to see Harmondius standing away from everyone, watching with an odd look on his face as we finished unloading the wagons and I let the driver know he was free to go. After I hopped off the wagon, I walked over and stood beside him, watching as people shared the food and supplies that they had received, laughing and smiling and looking much more hopeful than they did this morning.

He had replaced his armor with a cotton shirt and pants with leather boots. His sword was gone, but I did see he still carried a dagger on his hip, but nearly everyone here did. Aside from his freakishly white wings, he looked nearly like everyone else here, only far more confused and out of sorts.

“Shocking, isn’t it?” I asked him after a moment.

“I... did not expect such behavior,” he admitted.

“They are demons,” I shrugged. “But they are people, just like every other being in this realm. They laugh, joke, cry, feel things like hunger and fear just as much as we all do. Just because they’re a little darker by nature doesn’t make them all bad people, unworthy of living a good, peaceful life.”

“Everything I knew,” he shook his head. “Everything I was told is turning out to be wrong. The injustice of it is... Painful to see. To learn I had a hand in continuing it is damning.”

“But you’re seeing it now. You’re learning. Actually, you’re unlearning. I had to do much the same. I still am, actually,” I chuckled and tilted my head for him to walk with me. “I was raised human. I didn’t find out differently until about a year ago. Human stories are so wrong about literally everything. I’ve had these prejudices in my head that, until I saw them for what they really were, I didn’t even know they existed. Things I thought to be true suddenly weren’t.”

“You seem to be adjusting. How?”

“I am not adjusting well,” I laughed. “It’s natural to resist change of this magnitude. Unlearning things you thought were absolute, having your entire world shaken up, is challenging, to say the least.”

“How do you know what is real and what isn’t?” he asked after a second.

“You have to figure it out for yourself,” I shrugged. “Look around you, see things without that filter over your eyes, and make your own opinions.”

“Is that what you did with me?” he asked.

“Yes, in a way,” I nodded. “Humans think angels are pure beings of justice and goodness, incapable of doing anything morally gray. Naz is of the opposite opinion. I have yet to hear the reasons, but they are his reasons, not mine.”

“We aren’t angels. Such a thing doesn’t exist,” Harmondius pinched his lips together. “But we do try to live by justice and goodness, as you say. At least, that’s what we say we do. We have fallen a very long way from that, I’ve discovered.”

“That’s not as damning as you think, you know,” I shook my head. “It’s not good, obviously, but people aren’t perfect. We all make mistakes. You and I aren’t that different, you know.”

“I fail to see the similarities,” he said plainly.

“Then you aren’t paying attention,” I snorted. “Finding out your whole life was a lie? Trying to come to terms with that and struggling to find the truths in the rivers of crap? I like to think I wasn’t such a pretentious jerk about my beliefs, but I wouldn’t know.”

“You surround yourself with demons and social rejects. I don’t think pretentious applies,” he smirked.

“Okay, ouch,” I laughed. “That was kind of mean, but you aren’t entirely wrong.”

“I did not mean that to be insulting,” he said, making a face.

“I didn’t think you did, since you only just got here,” I nodded. “But you may want to consider being less... blunt with your honesty in the future.”

“I will take it into advisement,” he smirked. “I’m sure you’ve been told you are making a mistake, allowing me here. I would like to prove otherwise and causing problems by what I say might not help my cause much.”

“I’ve been informed of concerns, but no one has said I’m making a mistake as of yet,” I laughed. “And I’m glad you brought up the ‘helping your cause’ part.”

“You need my assistance in something?” he lifted an eyebrow at me. “Seems to me like you have it well enough in hand already, but anything I can do, I will.”

“I need your help flying materials back and forth,” I said. “The most pressing matter is the lack of medical supplies. There is a clerical village not far from here, by wing, and having another person with wings will help.”

“Did you not receive enough today?” he asked.

“For now, it will suffice, but a lot of the current needs are more long term than bandages and ointments,” I admitted. “Tonics and mixtures for specific ailments, herbs, things like that.”

“I will do what I can,” he nodded. “You know, I can also heal small things, if the need should arise.”

“That’s actually very helpful. Just don’t exhaust yourself. We’ll be moving locations soon and will need all the strength we can get,” I smiled graciously at him.

“I think you might be able to do more, if you were trained properly,” he added.

“Well, I’ve been focusing on defense and such. I’m sure you can understand the need for it, considering the insanity I’m facing in the depressingly near future,” I shrugged.

“You still should know how to at least heal yourself,” he pointed out. “If you have the ability, that is.”

“That would be nice,” I sighed wistfully. “Hey. This might be... well, this might be pushing it, but could you teach me how to use my wings the right way? I don’t know what to do with them when I’m fighting and they get in my way more often than not, throwing me off balance and causing problems.”

“I am not a trainer, but I can try. When you have time,” he nodded with a small smile. “I think I might enjoy your company, Abomination.”

I laughed loudly and he chuckled, drawing a fair amount of attention to us before I shook my head and pointed at him.

“That’s not fair. Without your armor, I can’t call you Sparkles,” I said.

“You can call me Harmon,” he nodded, then looked at my wings. “And mine still outshine yours.”

“Mine have more depth in color than yours,” I rolled my eyes. “And they’re bigger.”

“Bigger is not always better, Fae,” he smirked.

“It does help, I’ve learned,” Blaine said, catching our attention. “Nice chat?”

“Comparing wingspans,” I laughed.

“I’d say she has you beat,” Blaine snorted. “The people are wanting to celebrate tonight.”

“There is a lot to be thankful for, but we should save as much food as we can,” I said.

“They wish to show you there is more than sorrow and problems with them,” he shook his head. “I don’t think telling them no is wise.”

“They’ve already started preparing, haven’t they?” I asked with a smirk.

“Almost immediately,” Blaine nodded. “Some of the hounds come from packs that are secluded and quiet. Celebrations aren’t really their thing, so I was going to rotate the guards once you’ve spoken to everyone, so they aren’t in the middle of the noise.”

“That’s fine. Just make sure they get fed,” I nodded. “How are you doing, being the Alpha?”

“A lot like you, I’d guess,” he shrugged. “I have no idea what I’m doing, but it can’t be too bad, since no one has challenged me yet.”

“The anticipation is maddening,” I groaned. “The longer I can avoid that, the better.”

“You and I are in complete agreement,” he smirked, then looked at Harmon. “I’m not sure I trust you, but Fae seems to believe you deserve the chance to earn that. You better not prove her goodwill to be in vain. I’ll hunt you myself, even if you have little value to me.”

“Blaine,” I rolled my eyes.

“I will do my best not to disappoint,” Harmon nodded at Blaine.

“Good. Naz is back,” Blaine said and pointed towards the part of our camp that was closer to the wall. “He’s not alone.”

“Is it the messenger?” I asked.

“I’m not sure. I just got back from a hunting party when I saw him,” he answered. “There’s not much game. We need to move in the next few days so we don’t run right through the food we just got and wind up right back in the same spot we were.”

“We’ll discuss it after the announcements,” I nodded. “Could you explain to Harmon the trips we’ll be planning to the clerics? He and Rollie might be able to plan a route for the rest of us fliers that would be easier and less tiring. Then he needs to speak to Mal about the medical needs.”

“Sure,” Blaine nodded. “I think Ben is needing to talk to you, too. Last I saw, he was by the paddocks.”

“Thanks,” I nodded and turned to hunt down Naz, not really looking forward to the outburst when he heard about Harmon.