Kissing the Fae

Chapter 38

I just really wanted to hear something from my father. Why? But it’s too late now as I finally came face to face with the Queen Mother. It wasn’t a surprise when the blue Jaybird was there, too. I know they know each other and maybe, there is something in between them?

The blue Jaybird can shift to his normal physique. He’s an old man, my grandmother is an oak tree. I felt like they were both cursed but the Queen Mother chose what she’d like to be. She chose an oak tree, to what? To fed the blue Jaybird.

“Queen Mother...” I called in a low voice.

Terran and Deniz were behind me. While the Little Fairies chose to fled somewhere around the garden.

“I see... Rani Letisha, I have expected your presence.”

I looked at the Jaybird. Of course, they communicate. It probably told the Queen Mother about my arrival. After all, the bird work under her. I smiled slightly and directly stared at my grandmother.

We sat across her. The Queen Mother is really beautiful, no doubt about that. Her eternal beauty is so good to be true, one won’t get tired staring at her beautiful face. It was form so perfectly and her grace moves shouts elegance. She is really a queen... A woman with grace.

“I am here for the Power of Glamour,” I uttered straightly.

“I know...” she replied and smiled. “I had to keep it from you, Rani Letisha. I know how you wanted to keep your position but then, I can’t just easily give it to you, right? You have to find your way.”

“You possessed the power of illusion...” I assumed based on her words. “You have it, grandma? You are the one who has the power of illusion, right?”

She chuckled a bit. But I know there was no humor behind her laugh. There was a seriousness in her green eyes, it was so deep I felt like drowning to the depths as I stared at her but I didn’t back down. I am desperation and determine to accept whatever the Queen Mother’s gonna give me just to have it.

Just to have the Power of Glamour.

It’s my only way... It is the only way.

“You know it isn’t easy to have it,” she said and I nodded.

I never said it was easy. Growing up, I have learned that nothing is easy in this world. In order to get what we want, we need to go through a lot of things first before we get a hold of it.

Of course, in this challenge, I never see it as an easy job. This is serious and I need to get this things done already. I’ve wasted enough time and I can’t afford to waste another.

“I know, Queen Mother...” I told her as I smiled lightly, not giving up what I came here for just because it isn’t easy.

“You sure you want to accept the challenge given to you?” she sounded concerns now.

I bit the inside of my cheeks. Everyone knows how dangerous it can be. It is really dangerous but what can I do? I was left with no choice but accept it and fight for my life because that’s how things are.

You win or lose. You die or live. Everyday is a matter of life and death and you get to choose whether to fill your life or live like a dead man. Perhaps being challenged is just a way of me to feel I am still alive for that’s a way for me to feel pain.

Somehow, I just like the idea of putting myself at risk. Even how hard and life threatening it is, I’d still accept it.

“This is the only way for me to remain in my position, Queen Mother. I don’t want to leave the title, I still want to lead for that’s what I am ought to do, right? To lead the Acres Kingdom and its people. It’s where my life is and I can’t just give up the hard work I put to get on my position right now, so yes... I accepted it.”

She looked at me thoroughly. An ounce of concerns was visible on her emerald eyes. I get that she’s worried about me but then, I know she won’t let it take over her. She was a leader, the former Queen of the Acres Kingdom. She desires to know and witness if one is really capable and has the power to leas one of the regions and for that, the Queen Mother won’t be easy on me.

“This is not an easy job,” she reminded. “Being a leader is a big responsibility, Rani Letisha. We all know what you feel about it. You are not happy and it’s so selfish of us to let you be stuck at something you are not happy about.”

“Please, don’t...” I stopped her. “Don’t think about my feelings anymore, Queen Mother. I lead because it is a responsibility. The lives of our people is on my hands and in the future, I know I’d hold more difficult tasks and major obligations and I won’t leave because I find it so selfish to leave those people behind, Queen Mother. They believe in me, they put their trust on me and it would break me to let them down.”

She shook her head. It looks like she’s on my father’s side who wanted me gone, who wanted me to become powerless, who wanted me to give up my titles.

No. Never. I won’t let it happen and I won’t let myself to follow what they indirectly told me to. No one’s sacrifice will be put to waste and I promise her that. I will remain in my position and I will not wither. I will not give up and I won’t be taken down.

I will rise and lead. That was why I was born. To lead.

I have engraved in my soul that I will be forever stay in the Acres Kingdom not just an ordinary fairy but a Fae who will lead the whole kingdom. Since then, my life has been plotted. These obligations waited for me to grow up to finally rest on my shoulders so I can carry them. My happiness is important, yes, and this clearly isn’t my happiness but the people’s smiles and hope, are those enough reason to stay?

Yes... Those are more than enough. I won’t let anyone of them lose their faith because of my failures. I won’t.

“Your happiness is important, Rani Letisha,” said my grandmother. “You can always say no, love. You can always choose to be happy and not this. For your titles clearly don’t bring you smiles. It brought you nothing but heaviness and it took your freedom.”

“It didn’t,” I defended. “It didn’t... I am okay with it, Queen Mother. That’s why I am here to ask for the Power of Glamour so I can go back and lead again, so I can attend to my responsibilities I’ve left for the meantime for this sole reason.”

She held my hands. I didn’t bother to avoid her touch. I let her gently massaged my palms. It was too soft and so gentle I felt like closing my eyes. So caring and delicate that I wish to stay on her hold. But I can’t...

I have always dreamt to live simply. Even though I was born and exposed seeing my parents filled with heavy duties, I still had those little dreams I buried deep inside me when I realized that no, a simple life is impossible for someone like me who was promised to people to lead them when the right time comes.

No... It is not possible and honestly, those little dreams don’t matter to me anymore.

“Rani Letisha, I understand your father for putting you in this situation. But you should put yourself first, too. I know you wanted to lead because you felt like it is your responsibility but sometimes, it isn’t bad to choose yourself.”

I smiled at her wearily. “Not this time, Queen Mother. For choosing myself now also means giving up my throne. It means leaving my people behind.”

“There will always be someone who’d be more happy to take it for you, love. Your happiness should be on your top list of priorities.”

I don’t understand her. Perhaps because she reached the life she wanted before so it was so easy for the Queen Mother to advice me such things. In reality, our smiles don’t matter but the people’s happiness. I can’t understand her for the rule in our kingdom is to set aside yourself and rather, attend to whoever in need because that’s how one should lead.

One should take care of her people. One should lead her region. One should look after them and one should not run away from the responsibilities given to her and I am that one.

The three idiots chose the path they are now in. We were given a choice but we thought, we were with no choice but swear to take care of the region our ancestors worked hard to build. Our parents remain the peacefulness of each region and it would be a shame to left it drown and lonely in the midst of darkness without a little light that would somehow guide them towards tomorrow.

I shook my head. “There is no one but only me, Queen Mother. It’s me only who will lead the Faye region and the whole Acres Kingdom in the future. No one else but me.”

I looked at her firmly. The determination in my eyes, I showed it to them. I won’t back down and I won’t be taken down that easily.

She sighed deeply, now letting go of my hands. She stood up and faced us with her now serious expression. The blue Jaybird fled and it landed on the tree behind the Queen Mother, looking at us.

“I hope you know the consequence of having the Power of Illusion, Rani Letisha. You can have it but you have to mentally prepare yourself that it might you to death.”

I gulped. Of course, I know. It is scary but it’s more scarier to fail. As have said, I trust myself that I can handle this one.

“You are aware that you can die from this, right?”

Slowly, I nodded. I wanted to ask why she hasn’t. Maybe my hunch was right again. That perhaps the Queen Mother was once part of the Pixies. I guess she was now telling me that she possessed the power I need to acquire to stay in the kingdom.

“Yes...” I whispered but it was full of conviction. “So... You have the Power of Glamour, Queen Mother? You are the one who handles and control it now after the previous queen of the Achlys died, am I right?”

She smiled at me. Yet it didn’t reach her eyes.

“Yes... I have it since then, Rani. I have the Power of Glamour and your father knows it, and he believe I won’t pass it down to you so he gave you this crude challenge and you accepted it.”

“I had no choice... If this is the only way to prove myself I am capable of ruling, I will. To prove that women can have power, too, then I’d willingly accept every challenge one would give me to prove our worth.”

She stared at me for a second. “I admire how passionate you are in fighting for equal rights. But I guess, you became overconfident you think you can overcome every single of it.”

I bit my lip, not wanting to cause a fight. I respect her still... And somehow, I can’t help but yes, agree to her words.