Becoming Fae

Prince Pushy left via portal, making electricity spark along my whole body, leaving us to discuss the box, note, and the feather. Naturally, Mom and Dad had questions. I wasn’t sure how much to tell them, honestly. I hadn’t told them anything about the Vale, Immail, Netiri, Ambrosia, Greed, or Gluttony.

“So, I think we need to talk,” I sighed and grabbed a pastry from a dish on the table.

“That would be appreciated,” Mom nodded.

“First, let me say I wasn’t keeping it from you out of spite or malice or whatever,” I made a face and waved my hand.

“I didn’t think so,” Dad agreed. “Being a leader during tense times means you have to keep your cards close to your chest on occasion.”

“We completely understand that you won’t be telling us everything, but I think we need to know what might be coming to Royal City,” Mom said calmly, pouring herself more tea and adding a lump of sugar.

“We are close enough together that it makes sense to be cautious,” I nodded. “With that out of the way, I’ve been leaning into the demonic half our heritage.”

“I guessed as much,” Mom nodded again before taking a sip of her tea.

“Gluttony’s deal... It went a bit differently than planned,” I grimaced.

“That’s an understatement,” Mal scoffed.

“Greed gave me Ambrosia,” I said.

“Odd for someone that personifies greed to give something,” Mom hummed.

“I bet the ‘differently’ comes afterward,” Dad smirked.

“I don’t support slavery,” I said flatly.

“Good. It’s been outlawed in most of the Sidhe since the treaties were signed,” Mom nodded.

“Gluttony gave me some information while I was still recovering from the poison. It points to the heart of the Vale.”

Dad scowled harder than usual, and Mom sucked in a big breath, letting it out in a heavy sigh. I agreed with both of them.

“We discussed it as an option, but after meeting with Shovington’s father, it was decided that it was too great a risk to make that a primary course of action,” I said. “The Vale is not a place Mal and I can go without pissing it off. My gut says that I would have to go.”

“So, this box?” Dad gestured to it sitting on the couch between Mal and me.

“A message,” I nodded. “More than the note said. Much more.”

“On a scale of one to ten, how worried should I be?” Mom asked, speaking to me queen to queen and not as my mother.

“Honestly? I’m not sure. Right now, I’d say someplace between three and four, but that could change,” I admitted. “I doubt the Vale will be the concern, though.”

“What would you be concerned about, then?” she asked.

“Gluttony.”

“A Sin is a concern,” she agreed with a nod.

“Ambrosia has never been free before. Hundreds of thousands of lifetimes of servitude,” I shook my head. “She doesn’t want to go with Gluttony and he didn’t take it well.”

“I bet not,” Mom snorted.

“She zapped him,” Mal chuckled. “It was kind of glorious.”

“Hopefully, he takes Ambrosia’s words to heart and lets her live the life she wants,” I took a big breath, then blew it out, puffing my cheeks. “But wishful thinking never helped anyone before, so I’d be concerned about his retaliation spreading closer to the city than comfort would allow.”

“Would you need support?” she asked.

“You’ve done enough,” I held up a hand. “Our forces aren’t exactly trained, but that won’t be a problem for long. I have a few messages to send and a discussion with the others to see to, but I don’t think you should involve yourself more than you already have. As soon as there’s a whisper of an attack, someone will send an imp to warn you.”

“We’ll shelter the children when it happens,” Mom said, leaving no room for arguing.

“I appreciate it,” I nodded. “I’m sorry this wasn’t exactly a pleasant get-together. We’ll have to fix that soon.”

“Whenever you have the time, dear,” Mom smiled. “Now, I believe we both have things to see to. Best get to it. Not enough time in the day, remember?”

“Unfortunately,” I groaned.

-----

Rollie

If I had known what it took to lead a group of people all of those years ago, I never would have been so ambitious to make a play for the Throne. It was exhausting in ways I never knew were possible. I did very little in the way of physical activity aside from a couple of hours at the training fields to wake myself up in the mornings. By the time I dragged myself to my dwelling underground at the end of the day, I felt like I’d been in a three-day battle.

I liked doing it, but it was just too much when Fae and Mal were away. I was clearly not meant to lead any large number of people the way Haddie and I once thought we were. Looking across the table while eating lunch with Fae, Mal, Naz, Ben, and Blaine, I knew it in my bones that this was never meant to be mine.

My eyes settled on Fae and a bit of pride welled in my chest. She’d changed so much since I first met her. The fear was still there, the uncertainty and lack of confidence, too. But there was a fire in her now that hadn’t been there then. Unlike the possessive fire Haddie had in her eyes before I took her life, this one was more about doing what she felt would benefit everyone under her watch, even if it cost her. That was a leader was supposed to be.

Selfless and driven to provide for the greater good.

Ruled by morals and a clear view of right and wrong.

Weighing the good against the bad and making a choice.

It was something Haddie and I never truly had. Even now, I knew I wouldn’t have made it this far had my sister and I succeeded. She certainly wouldn’t have. Her greed and lust for power, her head filled with notions of taking what she believed was owed her. Thoughts placed there by our own family that we both accepted as absolute truth until it filled our hearts with this... sickness.

Leading the Demon Lands was never meant to fall on anyone other than Fae and she was proving it more and more with every word she spoke, every grievance she heard, and every second she put into making sure these people who followed her were cared for to the best of her ability. And she wasn’t even tapping into her whole ability yet. It was amazing and awe-inspiring to see.

“So, what is it that we aren’t seeing?” Ben asked.

“The feather is from Netiri, but I smell demon blood. Immail’s,” Naz said, looking at the items in the middle of the table. “And darkness that makes my skin itch. There’s something Celestial in the taint.”

“Gluttony said they were cursed. I think this is them asking for me to help them break the curse,” Fae said casually. “And I believe it might be more important to venture through the Vale than we had originally guessed.”

“And the part about the elf king saying your markings and your Bond would draw the worst of the Vale’s ire right at you makes no impact on this?” I asked her, lifting an eyebrow.

“I’m at a confusing impasse on the matter," she replied. “It’s a fool's errand to go into the Vale at all, but it’s plain suicide for me, with my magical marks and Bond. But, on the other hand, one of the most powerful demons and the most powerful Celestial priestess are telling me to come find them. You don’t ignore something like that lightly.”

“This is a terrible idea,” Ben said. “I think we should wait to deal with the Vale until we don’t have a Sin putting his crosshairs on us.”

“If the Soul Bond with Mal is a beacon in the Vale, it might best of your Bonded Warriors stayed here,” Blaine frowned. “I do not like that idea at all. I agree with Ben that it might be best to deal with it after dealing with Gluttony, but Fae is right as well. You can’t just ignore the message.”

“You can assume my position on the matter,” Naz said. “The Vale is known to be dangerous, even for high ranked demons. Preparing will need to be handled with great care.”

“I’m with Blaine,” I said. “Immail and Netiri are too powerful to ignore. If they’re reaching out for you, you can’t ignore it. But there’s a lot more at stake than just them. I also agree with Ben. It’s an awful idea to test the Vale, especially when you’re going to be targeted with everything that place has to offer, and I get the feeling that that is a significant amount.”

“I think Blaine is right about him and Ben staying here,” Mal said. “If Gluttony makes a move after we leave, they would be the best choice to defend this place.”

“Along with Rollie,” Fae nodded. “Harmon, too.”

“Not me?” Naz snorted.

“Tony said that Immail and Netiri were cursed. Not the nature of the curse, mind. If they’re violent, I think it would be best to have you with us,” Fae spoke. “I might be able to handle one of them, but not both. The Bond makes us stronger than we would be on our own and the two of them are very powerful on their own. Not to mention they’re both significantly older than I am and have far more experience in all matter of things.”

“This isn’t making this bad idea any better, Fae,” Ben sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose between his eyes.

“I agree. It’s a terrible idea,” she said, looking at the box. “But there’s something else that bothers me about the darkness I feel on all of that.”

“The Celestial inside the taint,” Naz nodded. “It bothers me as well.”

“What do you think it is?” I asked.

“I think that whatever it is, Harmon would be the one to help figure it out,” she said, and everyone went quiet.

We all thought it over, several long minutes passing in silence as we ate. Shockingly, it was Naz that spoke up.

“I think you’re right,” he said. “I don’t much like his kind, but you were right. He’s done nothing but be helpful since he showed up this time.”

“I believe we’re all in agreement,” I nodded. “And I think he should go with you when you go into the Vale. He may be able to help with his healing and if they’re violent, he can help subdue Netiri.”

“Ben?” Fae looked at the fox.

“It does make me feel better that Harmon will be with you all. I still don’t think it’s a good idea, but you make a point. It seems like something you should take seriously,” he said. “And I know you wouldn’t be going if you didn’t have a plan in place for whatever Gluttony has cooked up.”

“I do,” she nodded.

“Then I guess that’s settled,” he nodded. “We should hear what Harmon has to say about that box before making plans.”