The She-Wolf in Fae Clothes

Chapter 2

The main hall of the Ivory Palace was more than crowded- what with attendants and waiters and confidants of the different kings and queens there. It was almost like a beautiful spectrum of the different kingdoms in attendance. One could easily pick out which kingdom was which based on the garb of all involved. The dragons were the easiest to see, their tall statures somewhat outstanding in the crowd. Their brilliant scales on their tails and wings glittered like thousands of tiny lights and their glowing eyes shone almost romantically on their sharp features. In an attempt to not stand out so much, Melody noticed they wore exclusively suits- even the women. Even the suits were toned down- muted greys with only some gems on their horns and ears being the one lavish thing they dared to wear. She couldn't help but appreciate the humility the dragons tried to present on such a momentous day for the fae.

The next stand out group had to be the elves, with their beautiful silk robes and long ears adorned with gold creating almost statue perfect figures. Melody couldn't help but feel as though they were paintings sprung to life, almost floating across the marble floors with their delicate steps. The current elf queen, Rivaldeen, was magnificent, she practically lit up part of the hall she was in, her attendants carefully watching her every move and watching out for her dress in case of tears or malfunctions. She was the absolute pinnacle of divinity in Melody's eyes. Grace, beauty, and regalness all rolled into one person. She had the fortune of meeting with the queen on more than one occasion, as elf made tea was the most delicious in all the realms. The honor of being invited to little tea parties with the queen was one of the many luxuries Melody had been allowed to experience in her life. In reality, the elf queen deserved all the praise and adoration she received. Her wisdom and love was endless, and she was the person who taught Melody all she knew of her healing powers.

The other groups, dwarves, centaurs, and nymphs somewhat were mixed into a beautiful array of bronze, leather, and the gorgeous hues of spring, summer, fall, and winter. The three kingdoms were known for their tight relationships with each other, as they benefitted the most from each others works and exports. The dwarf king and queen were particularly easy to pick out, their rambunctious and jolly demeanor being heard from the balcony where Melody and Lirael stood, gazing happily at the festive people. They had given the most in terms of gifts, as the fae were the ones who had blessed their mines with good fortune and items to easily carry their riches back to surface. Many of the jewels adorning Melody's hair and dress had been hand picked, cut, polished, and inlaid by the dwarf queen herself.

The last two groups were definitely the black sheep among the crowd, literally. The vampires and werewolves. Their clothes, black as night and demeanors far grimmer were a stark contrast to the attitudes of the other kingdoms. The vampires stuck to one of the edges of the hall, their gothic and beautifully haunting clothes making them similar to the elves but in a way one would be mesmerized by the dark beauty of the night. Their silent and almost hive-like movements set them apart from their rivals, werewolves. The vampire king being especially eager to be as far from Sullivan Black as possible- his blonde hair somewhat obscuring his expressions as he had his back turned to the lycans, yet still angled towards the balcony where the announcement would be made.

The lycans. Oh Gods- were they already causing trouble? Melody chewed her lower lip anxiously as she watched them struggle to mingle with the other kingdoms, their black suits and dresses blending together to form a forboding cloud. Sullivan himself seemed to be only there for what felt like Melody herself- his gaze readily holding to hers as her eyes fell upon his. Her breath caught in her throat, a chill spiraling up from her belly to her throat, grasping it tightly. A warm hand was placed on her back between her wings, and the tension slowly began to leave her body. Yet.. she couldn't tear her eyes from Black. Was someone calling her? She couldn't tell- she couldn't move. Something inside her yearned to go down there and talk some manners into the lycan king. How dare he make fun of their kingdom on hers and Lirael's engagement party and entrance back into the courts of the otherwordly.

"Melody? Princess? Are you alright?" Lirael's soft voice in her ear snapped Melody out of her trance with Sullivan and she turned to him, cheeks reddened from either anger or embarrassment- she couldn't tell.

"Yes... Yes.. I'm alright, Lie..." She mumbled, glancing back towards the lycan king before focusing her attention on her beloved. His eyes were filled with worry, their comforting and warm blackness pulling her in. "Let's... Start. I'm ready. After all, I think the dwarves and centaurs are aching for the feast that comes afterwards."

Chuckling, Lirael put his hand on Melody's waist, turning with her to face the crowd below as his wings spread out to their full extent. Even though they were above eye level to most, the display of his wings and the pair of them drew almost the entire hall's attention. A respectful silence fell over the crowd, with the attendants and others kneeling before the future king and queen, while the other rulers slightly bowed their heads down in a show of respect.

"Friends, we have gathered you here for this momentous occasion of the fae kingdom's reentrance into the courts. Our long break from the affairs of the realms was much needed to make sure our strength would not fail you, as we live to serve our people and the other peoples of the kingdoms. It would also be remiss of me to not mention the upcoming wedding of myself and Melody Moonwhisper, the faes' beloved healer and princess. She and I have finally determined our date of union and we will be happy to enter the court as king and queen following that day. Our borders will also be open again for you all to come and go as you please. We want only the best for everyone. Long may the realms prosper!" Upon the ending of his speech, the uproar of joy from the kingdoms echoed and boomed in the hall, the sound bringing tears to Melody's eyes. The other kingdoms had always seemed to accept her, and the way they cheered now only encouraged the young fae princess to be serious in her resolve of taking care of her kingdom.

As servants began to guide the other kingdoms to the dining hall, Melody and Lirael looked to each other with adoration and contentment.

"I will meet you in the gardens later, my love. I have to spend some time with the other rulers for a while. I understand this may have been a little draining on you, why don't you head out there first?" Lirael brushed a few stray strands of Melody's white hair behind her ear, smiling down at her.

"I suppose I could be patient and wait for your company, your Eminence. Do not keep me waiting long, it's rude to keep your beloved alone- especially out at night." She teased, beginning to walk towards the stairs so she could head out to the palace gardens. Of course, they both knew the gardens were one of the safest areas due to the amount of care was put into it and it being in the center of the palace.

As Melody's heels tapped quietly on the palace floors, she noticed it was a full moon- judging by the amount of milky moonlight bathing the hallways against the gentle, warm glow of the candles. Her fingertips traced the walls gingerly, her smile still on her face as she approached the gardens.

Once outside and hidden amongst the silent shrubbery and blossoms of the fruit trees, she unveiled and allowed her wings to capture the glow of the moon, her white hair practically outshining the moon's face as she soaked it all in.

"So, you are one of us. I should have known by that hair of yours, Moonwhisper." Cold, crushing fear now froze Melody in place as Sullivan Black stepped out from the shadows, one of the white roses from the garden in his fingers. Snapping the stem and allowing it to slip from his fingers to the cobblestone below, he licked the blood from his thumb where a thorn had pierced the skin.

"There's no use in hiding it, she-wolf."