The Fae King's Ruin

The Princess, The King, and The Lady Montfoltier

That night, Aislin dreamed of relentless, cat-like green eyes chasing her through a cornfield and woke up, rivulets of sweat dripping down her back and forehead, when the cat pounced on her.

She was not stupid. Aislin knew she had the nightmare because of Lady Catteline, Avery’s cousin.

After meeting her, Aislin promptly excused herself, insisting she was already tired from the day when in truth, she just wanted Avery to steer his cousin away from her. There was something unnerving with the way Lady Catteline stared at her. And given that she was her fiancée’s cousin, getting confrontational about it was probably not the best course of action.

The next morning, as Aislin got ready for breakfast, she decided to ask her maids about the King’s cousin.

She had to admit it didn’t help when all three of them gasped with delight at the news that the Lady had come to visit for the holidays.

“Oh, she’s simply wonderful, milady!” Ola gushed. “The King grew up with her and her two brothers but they were the closest.”

Willow nodded. “Lady Catteline is a couple of years older than King Avery and she is very kind. I used to be on her service and she is very gracious. I think you’ll be fast friends with her, miss!”

Aislin highly doubted that.

Periwinkle glanced at her through the mirror as she combed her hair. They had opted to wear it down today. “She is the only female born to the King’s bloodline in over six centuries. King Avery’s father and her father, the late Duke of Montfoltier and the King’s uncle, were brothers. Her mother is still alive, but the Duchess Dowager rarely leaves Montfoltier, still heartbroken over her mate’s death. The Duke died just before Lady Catteline turned nineteen.”

She blinked. There was an old belief in the Unseelie court that while males were important because they carried the family bloodline, females were precious simply because they were rare. Over six centuries and she’s the first female in their line? Aislin would bet on her fortune that Lady Catteline was far more magically powerful than perhaps Avery himself.

Maybe that was why she was wary of her presence. It was apparent from last night that Lady Catteline was very protective of her cousin so maybe her being earlier than what was planned had something to do with sizing Aislin up. In fact, she was betting that was the reason for it.

Aislin told herself that she should not be afraid of Lady Catteline. One, she wasn’t doing anything wrong, and it wasn’t as if she had any plans on breaking the King’s heart or stealing his kingdom from under him while he was sleeping. Two—

Well, there was no Reason Number Two. She just shouldn’t.

So she listened to Periwinkle, Ola, and Willow as they alternated telling her stories of the Lady and the King from their childhood, hoping she could piece together a solid idea of what to expect from her since Aislin was sure that Lady Catteline would join them for breakfast.

When she entered the King’s suite, Aislin wished she had bet money on it.

Lady Catteline’s smiling, fresh face greeted her as she entered the parlor. “Good morning, Your Royal Highness. You are just right on time. Avery’s finished bathing.”

Aislin’s mouth popped open, barely believing her ears on what she had just heard, but she quickly recovered and followed the lady to the windows of the closed balcony. It was their new setup since it was too cold to be outside these days and no heating charm could get their shivering under control.

But really? Why was she so early and how did she know Avery just got out of his bath? Did she not realize how… off that sounded? Was Aislin reading too much into this?

And her clothes! Lady Catteline was wearing a thick, amber, knitted sweater that hung loosely around her frame, with black pants and below-the-knee boots that made her look like the poster child for laid-back, mortal winter clothes. While she sat on one of the chairs surrounding the breakfast table, Aislin questioned her attire for the first time since coming to Alfheim.

The cat-like emerald eyes of her nightmares flickered at her. “Do please sit down. The King takes an awfully long time choosing his clothes.” She shot her a grin. “It was one of the reasons I thought he was gay when we were younger.”

Aislin blushed like a prude. How was it that she couldn’t get a read on this female?

She almost sagged in relief when Avery entered, his hair still wet from the shower and smelling like pine from the mountains. He’s also dressed differently today, much more similar to that of Lady Catteline’s own attire but with a cream turtleneck sweater that showcased his perfectly toned body and a pair of brown trousers.

His smile brightened as his golden eyes landed on Aislin, standing there awkwardly and picking at her manacles nervously. 

“Hey, you,” he greeted, kissing her cheek and probably being polite since they had company. “How was your sleep?”

Aislin gave him a convincing smile even as she lied through her teeth. “I slept well. And yours?”

Avery glared jokingly at his cousin. “I’ve slept all of two hours because Catt would not shut up at all before I was forced to finally kick her out of my apartment. I’m surprised she was even up this early.”

The cousin in question lifted a brow. “If you want me to go, I will go, cousin. What was I supposed to do? You survived your war with the Mistress and you didn’t even visit me in Montfoltier. All I received were letters! Lousy, glaringly lacking in detail letters!”

He rolled his eyes as he ushered Aislin to a seat, pulling his own chair closer to her as he said to Lady Catteline, “For the last time, I was busy, Catt. Aislin and I are trying to make something monumental happen here.”

Lady Catteline only rolled her eyes back at him. Aislin wordlessly fixed her coffee as Avery did his usual pomegranate tea. Without thinking, she handed him the sugar tongs and accepted the container of milk from him.

“Hmm.”

Aislin glanced up at her. “Yes?”

Her eyes widened. “Oh, nothing. I am merely making an observation.”

Avery picked out his sandwiches from the tray in front of them. “Regarding what?”

“You two seem to be very much in synch.” Cat eyes slid towards her. “Like an old married couple whose had a lifetime of breakfasts with each other.”

The remark should have caused Aislin to smile or do something similar. Avery grinned at his cousin and explained how they have been getting to know each other during breakfast for the past few weeks that some things have become like second nature to them both. All the while, Aislin was having a hard time fighting to keep her neutral, pleasant mask in place.

There wasn’t anything wrong with Lady Catteline’s assessment of their relationship and yet she said it in a way that seemed to reek of distrust. 

Aislin thought of the letters Avery had been sending her and wondered if he had written about her to Lady Catteline —if he had said anything about how well they were both getting along both politically and romantically.

The scrutiny made her incredibly nervous and Aislin berated herself for feeling this way because it probably made her look guilty as charged. And there was no way that she would give Lady Catteline any more ammunition than she thought she had on Aislin. No way was she letting her come in and disrupt the normal she had now grown accustomed to having with Avery.

Setting her teaspoon down, Aislin pulled her shoulders back and decided to treat her the way she would any other catty —forgive the pun— noble female sitting in front of her.

“I do hope you stay until the wedding, Lady Catteline,” she murmured with a bland smile of her own. “It does me good to see Avery so happy.”

The fierce grin was back again. “I hope I can, too. And please, call me Catt. Or Catteline. Whichever you prefer. We’re practically family now, anyway,” she replied, voice like honey.

“Catt is Montfoltier’s most excellent healer,” Avery explained with pride shining in his eyes. “Fae and non-fae alike travel from all over just to be examined by her. I would have made her Royal Physician, but she turned down the job.”

Aislin politely raised her brows in interest. “That is a very formidable profession,” she praised, even if Aislin now knew Catteline could poison her food or drink whenever she wanted and make it seem like a freak accident. “But why did you refuse?”

The lady shrugged her shoulders daintily. “Montfoltier is my home. If given the choice, would you not choose to work closer to home?”

She felt Avery’s gaze on her and decided that whatever Catteline was doing, cousin or not, protector or not, it was uncalled for. Knives out, Aislin answered, “It might not have been that long for me, but I have started to consider Alfheim my home. I miss Mhoryga, yes, but is that not normal for females who’ve taken up husbands?”

“Are you saying you are married to my cousin already?”

For the first time this morning, Aislin felt her smirk become real as she put her hand over Avery’s. “It sure does feel like it,” she murmured.

Avery chuckled, kissing her knuckles and probably thinking Aislin was just being charming. Good. Let him think that while she subtly fought with his cousin.

She watched as the green cat eyes swiveled to Avery pressingly. Without looking up at her, Avery said, “Relax. We did not elope, even if things would have been easier that way. Learn to take a joke, Catt.”

“Says the one with barely a sense of humor,” she shot back, her expression returning to its earlier playfulness. “I gave Res one job before I left and that was to improve your character by way of humor. I told him that the Nice Guy card shouldn’t be the only card in your repertoire.”

“I don’t need a ‘repertoire’, whatever you mean by it. I'm getting married.”

“Getting married is just half the job, pisswad,” Catt admonished. “The other half is keeping it.”

Aislin frowned, setting down her cup. “I’m afraid you’ve got me all wrong, Catteline. This marriage is first and foremost happening because Avery and I are duty-bound to make sure the Treaty between our peoples stays in place. I will not make things complicated by demanding anything from him in marriage.” She straightened. “I have said it before and I will say it again: I am already so lucky to be promised to a male who is kind and has a multitude of other great qualities. Why would I ask for more when already so many would kill me to be in my position?”

Catteline stared at her, more contemplative rather than apologetic for misjudging Aislin and her motives. In the small of her temples, she was already getting a migraine from dealing with her this early in the day, especially when it did not seem like Avery was anywhere near realizing how his cousin was being towards her. 

“I did not mean to offend you, Aislin,” Catteline swore as she laid a hand flat on the table. “Nor was I implying that my cousin lacks the abilities or qualities needed to keep a relationship. I’m just saying he needs a bit of character development, especially because you’re his first.”

 That was news to Aislin. Her eyes slowly slid over to Avery and found his neck and face golden with the bloodrush while he stared daggers at Catteline. 

Aislin was his first relationship? Somehow, she was having a hard time believing it. He was handsome! And, in Catteline’s own words, a Nice Guy. What, was that not enough for any Seelie female? The one on the opposite side of their table laughed lightly.

“Oh, I simply meant to say that the princess is your first real girlfriend, Avery.” She waved a hand in dismissal. “I hardly think all your other pursuits account for proper ones.”

Avery groaned, leaning his elbows on the table as he covered his face with his hands. “You are a menace, Catteline. I deeply regret ever inviting you over.”

Catteline smirked and raised her cup in salute to the King. “Alas, you could not have stopped me even if you wanted to.”

The two bantered endlessly and it was all Aislin could do to keep up with whatever they were talking about. Avery, bless his soul, tried his best to keep her in the loop of conversation even if there was no way Aisline could contribute. So she contented herself with listening to them catch up and talk about distant family members, recent gossip, and society business that were probably in the papers anyway but Catteline wanted to know from him anyway.

As if Avery read the society pages.

She nibbled on her buttered toast quietly and kept track of the time on the grandfather clock just beyond Catteline’s shoulder, counting down the minutes before she could exit gratefully. Aislin was upset because she usually never wanted her breakfasts with Avery to end, yet here she was doing so because she could not seem to connect with Catteline, and even Avery, at the moment.

Once the clock struck nine, Aislin finally gave up on her half-eaten toast and smiled apologetically. “I have to go,” she reasoned. “Kingdoms to run and classes to ace, and all that. Will you be working today, Your Majesty?”

Avery glanced at his cousin. “I have decided to take the day off and keep Catt company.” His eyes brightened. “Maybe we can persuade you to take a break as well? Let’s go into the village and spend the day together.”

Aislin shook her head with all the pretense of forlornness, hating the way that she was lying to him. “I’m afraid my business today is a tad urgent.”

Catteline’s eyes sparkled. “What about lunch?” she asked in a hopeful tone. “I’d so love to get to know you.”

Somehow, Aislin didn’t feel bad lying to her. “I have a standing commitment with my cousin that we’d be discussing over lunch. Perhaps dinner? I’ll send word.”

With that, Aislin stood. Avery followed after her as Catteline waved at her from her seat. She let him escort her out, struggling to keep her shoulders back and remain unfettered by his cousin.

But who was she kidding?

He put his hand on the door handle. “I’m sorry if Catt made you uncomfortable,” he whispered to her, golden eyes searching hers. “I promise she’s a good person. She just takes a little time to warm up to someone.”

She gave him a smile that her heart wasn’t in. “I hope you have a good day with your cousin, Avery. I’ll see you later.”

Aislin walked out of his suite and kept her head held high until she heard the click of his door closing. With a sigh, she let her shoulders fall, her posture sag, and allowed herself to hate Catteline of Montfoltier a little more for cutting her time short with Avery, especially when she had nothing really better to do at the moment.

That was how Res found her as he rounded the corner, no doubt making his way towards the King’s suite. But he stopped in his tracks once he saw Aislin despondent, recognition and understanding in his cerulean eyes.

“The bi*tch is here, then?” He swore under his breath. “I was wondering why Alfheim is colder than normal. Come, I know just what you need.”