Fae's Rebellion

2. Tierney

Chapter 2

Tierney

“Your father has been working tirelessly for months to make your birthday ball the event of the century.” Tierney’s mother placed a glittering tiara on her head.

“We both know that could be catastrophic. Dad’s not exactly well known for his party planning.” Tierney watched her mother in the mirror. Her mother fussed with her dress and its many layers of fabric that would make it nearly impossible to move in, much less dance. But it was so beautiful Tierney couldn’t stop staring at it.

“The dress is a gift from Aunt Neeve and Uncle Myles.” She brushed at the many flounces of fabric until they lay just right. “It’s the latest Gelsi style.”

“It’s gorgeous.” Tierney was almost afraid to move in it. The wide ballgown skirt billowed around her, cascading in yards of midnight blue fabric that sparkled in the light, giving the illusion of the night sky. Tiny live flowers grew up from the hem, with buds of ivory and silver that would bloom as she entered the ballroom. The vines were the palest green with streaks of gold, and golden leaves cupped the flowers.

The strapless bodice was the same midnight blue fabric trimmed in silver with an intricate neckline of flowers and vines that constantly changed from ivory to silver to a rosy pink and back again.

“Well, go on. Give us a turn.” Rowena stepped away from the other maids that had come to help. Rowena was like family. She’d arrived with Aunt Alona and Uncle Finn and was quick to offer her assistance with the birthday girl. Not that this night wasn’t for Toby too. A fact Tierney kept reminding everyone of, but they all seemed intent on making this birthday celebration all about her.

“I’m afraid I’ll crush it if I move.” Tierney made a hesitant circle to the oohs and aahs of everyone in the room. It wasn’t as if she’d never worn a ballgown before. As a princess of Iskalt, she’d worn plenty. But this dress was different. This was a gown fit for a queen. A future queen.

She hated being the heir. She would be an old lady by the time she was ever crowned Queen of Iskalt. Her father wasn’t that old. He would rule for years to come while Tierney lived her life waiting in the wings for the inevitable. The monarch perpetually on hold.

“Let’s give the birthday girl a moment alone, shall we?” Her mom flashed her a wink as she shooed the maids out of the room. “You look so grown up, Tia.” She forced a smile for her daughter. “But you’ll always be my baby. My first baby.”

“For eleven blissful minutes, I was an only child.” Tierney turned toward her mother, her skirts rustling as she moved. Without a little magical assistance, the dress would weigh her down before she ever made it to the ballroom.

“You ready, darling?” Her mother fussed with her own understated ballgown. Neither woman was overly happy about the fancy clothes—no matter how beautiful they were. It was a chore to wear them.

“Sure.” She gathered up her courage for the long evening ahead. Tonight, she had a role to play as Princess of Iskalt. A role she’d had years to perfect. “Here’s hoping I don’t tumble down the stairs with my skirts over my head.”

“Not again.” Her mother laughed.

“It was one time, and I was four.” Tierney followed her mother out of the room, feeling about as un-princess-like as she ever had before. Part of her wanted to tell all of Iskalt where they could take their crown and shove it. But the other part remembered all the lessons from her father about what it meant to be the heir of Iskalt. She represented the future of their kingdom, and the fae loved her for it. Adored her. She owed it to them to respect her station.

“Toby will meet you at the top of the stairs in five minutes.” Her mom squeezed her hand before she made her way down to the main floor toward her father. “Happy birthday, sweetheart!” she called over her shoulder.

Tierney took a deep breath, exhaling it slowly as she walked down the empty hallway to the grand staircase that led to the ballroom. The entire castle was decked out for the twins’ birthday celebration. Shimmering flowers bloomed in pots, and icicles hung from doorways, glittering with light and magicked to remain frozen even as the hallways pulsed with warmth from the braziers burning in every available corner.

“Happy birthday, Tia.” Toby joined her as he entered the hall from his suite. “You look beautiful.”

“Happy birthday, Tobes.” She reached to hug her twin. “And you look handsome in your suit. Want to trade outfits?” She looped her arm through his.

“Not even a little. There’s no doubt about it, your wardrobe is way more intense than mine.” He brushed a hand over his midnight blue silk vest adorned with silver and ivory blossoms in a similar style to her gown.

“You think we’ll ever get old enough for them to stop putting us in twin clothes?” He escorted her down the wide hallway.

“Probably not.” Tierney halted in front of the stately double doors that were the last remaining barrier between her and their father’s court.

“Do me a favor, Tia?”

“Of course.” She turned to her brother.

“Try to have fun tonight. We don’t turn twenty every day.”

She pursed her lips at him. “I can’t make any promises.”

“Dad’s gone to a lot of trouble to make this a special night for you.”

“I know, but it’s not just my night. It’s ours. I don’t like eclipsing your birthday just because I’m the heir.”

“You know that doesn’t bother me. Never has.”

“Well, it should. You’re just as important as me.”

“To you and our family, yes. Not to Iskalt. I am just the spare, with a serious lack of magic.”

“Fine. I will try to enjoy the party.” Tierney smoothed a nervous hand over her dress.

“You ready?”

She nodded, taking another deep breath as her brother tapped on the door to let the footmen know they were ready to make their grand entrance.

Tierney pasted on her princess smile and stepped through the double doors with Toby at her side.

“May I have this dance, your Royal Highness?” Yet another young nobleman bowed at the waist before Tierney. She thought she’d danced with everyone her age at least twice already, but they kept approaching her.

Toby leaned in and murmured in her ear. “Lord Kellen Sullivan, heir to the Duke of Kildare.”

“Lord Kellen, how nice to see you again.” Tierney accepted his hand. “What brings you all the way from Kildare?”

“Your Highness, of course.” Kellen stood to his full height, towering over her. “I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to attend your ball this evening.”

“I’m flattered.” She turned onto the dance floor, her skirts billowing around her as she sank into the graceful curtsy this particular dance demanded. As the quartet’s melody increased, she rose and stepped toward her dance partner.

“You dance beautifully, your Highness.”

“Oh, please call me Tia.” That was her first test after meeting someone new. If he refused to call her Tia, she would excuse herself, and that would be the last she’d see of Lord Kellen this evening. Tierney had rules she expected her friends to follow. And those rules existed to help them feel comfortable treating her like a normal person.

“I do hate it when my friends insist on calling me ‘your Lordship’ every time I turn around.” Kellen kept them moving with the music. He was a great dancer, but Tierney could already tell he was a bit too pompous for her tastes. “I prefer my closest friends call me Kildare.” He whirled her into a graceful turn.

“Isn’t that a little premature?” As the reigning Duke of Kildare, Kellen’s father, was known simply as Kildare. Kellen was nothing more than a lord trying to make himself appear more important than he was.

“Father’s an old man.” Kellen shrugged. “Though, there is still time for me to pursue other, more impressive titles before the dukedom passes to me.” Kellen gave her a knowing smile.

The only title that would surpass the one he would inherit would be prince … or prince consort.

Tierney was relieved when the dance ended. Dropping his Lordship’s hand, she made a quick escape.

“Your Royal Highness.” A familiar breathless voice caught her off guard.

“Lady Siobhan? Is that you?” Tierney pulled the slim girl up from her deep curtsy to give her a warm hug. “I haven’t seen you in ages.”

“Father insisted we make the journey down from the northern mountains. We didn’t want to miss your ball.”

“I’m thrilled you came.” Tierney led her old friend onto the dance floor. “You look lovely.” She admired her rose gold silk gown, but she knew Siobhan wasn’t comfortable in her finery. Just like Tierney, she was much more suited to the leathers she wore on horseback, with a sword in her hand. As the future Marchioness of Belmore Keep along the border of the Northern Vatlands, Siobhan was more warrior than lady. Her father, the Marquess of Belmore, was probably one of the most important men in the room tonight. It was his responsibility to guard the border between Iskalt and the Northern Vatlands, which also bordered Myrkur—once known as the prison realm.

“I’m afraid Father has grand ideas.” Siobhan rested her hand at Tierney’s waist for the dance. She was a marvelous dancer, probably from her years of training as a swordswoman. Tierney had always found Siobhan beautiful. She was slim but strong, with wide shoulders and lovely chestnut brown hair that normally fell to her waist in a mess of loose braids. Tonight, her hair was elaborately styled in a pile of curls on top of her head, pulled back from the russet skin of her cheeks.

“How so?” Tierney pulled her attention away from the feel of Siobhan’s smooth shoulder under her hand.

“He has hopes we will ‘rekindle’ our friendship.” Siobhan ducked her head, embarrassed.

“There is nothing to rekindle. We are still friends as we have always been.” Though, there was no doubt Siobhan had grown up in the years since Tierney had last seen her. Just a few years older than the princess, Lady Siobhan’s presence was the highlight of the ball in Tierney’s mind. Yet, she found herself wondering where on her father’s list the future marchioness fell.

“I believe he is hoping I will catch your eye amidst all the eligible young nobles here this evening.”

“Eligible?” Tierney frowned.

“When father received the king’s invitation, he was so thrilled that I would be included—”

Tierney tilted her head in question. “As my friend?”

“As a noblewoman … eligible for your hand.”

“My hand?” Tierney stopped dancing. Grabbing Siobhan’s arm, she led the lady through the crowded ballroom, avoiding cries of happy birthday and offers to dance with this son or that daughter.

“Are you well, your Highness?” Siobhan’s brown eyes filled with concern. Her full lips parted in question.

“Tell me about this invitation your father received.” Tierney’s heart raced, and her palms began to sweat.

“It was just an invitation to your party, sent to the families of all the young eligible fae nobles of Iskalt. I was actually surprised to see it. Not that the king invited me and father, but that you agreed to it.”

“Agreed to what?” Tierney’s voice rose.

“Tonight isn’t just about celebrating your birthday. It’s meant to introduce you to potential suitors. I thought you knew.”

“No. I did not.” Tierney was going to murder her meddling father as soon as she could get her hands on him.

“I’m so sorry, Tia.” Siobhan squeezed her hand. “I didn’t realize.”

“Please excuse me.” Tierney stepped away from her friend, her eyes burning with angry tears. “Enjoy the party.” She darted around the crowd, making her way toward the service entrance. She had to get out of this ballroom immediately before she screamed.

She slipped through the doors into the wide servant corridor and ducked behind a row of columns to lean against the cool stone wall.

“Going somewhere, Princess?” Something flat and rather fuzzy tapped against her forehead. She’d recognize that tail anywhere.

“Gullie?” She stepped from the shadows to find her favorite person in all the realms eating a pastry with a smear of icing on his nose.

“Happy birthday.” Gulliver wrapped her in a warm, familiar embrace.

“I’m so glad you’re here.” She wanted to cry, but she had lots of practice keeping her emotions in check.

“What’s wrong?” Gulliver pushed her back at arm’s length and studied her. “That is not a happy face.”

“I’m feeling quite murderous, actually. Tell me, are you on the list?” Tierney stepped away and crossed her arms over her chest.

“List? What list?” He frowned. “I’m here for the food and to hopefully steal you away from all the fancy fae at some point so we can actually celebrate your birthday like normal fae.”

Tierney lunged toward him and wrapped her arms around him. “At least one of my friends knows what I really need. I’m glad you’re here.”

“You know I’m always here when you need me, Tia.” Gulliver gave her an awkward pat on her shoulder. “Your dad’s about to make a speech, so let’s trot you back out there and let the court get their Tia time. Then, we’ll sneak away with a few friends and have a real party.”

“Promise?” She sniffed.

“Promise.” He turned her toward the ballroom.

“It was a lot easier when we were ten, Gullie.” She took his hand in hers. “Why can’t we just stay ten forever?”

“Easier? You do remember we were saving the realm from a s******c king when you were ten, right? Anyway, easy is boring. At least now, we get to make our own decisions.”

“Speak for yourself.” Tierney looped her arm through his as they made their way around the crowd toward the king and queen.

“Dad’s about to make his speech.” Toby sidled up beside her, Logan right next to him. Tierney slipped her free arm around Toby’s, still gripping Gulliver’s with her other.

“Ah, there she is.” Lochlan turned his smile on his daughter, tapping his champagne glass to get the court’s attention. “Ladies and gentlemen, twenty years ago today, our lovely Queen Brea delivered our very first princess and prince. Sometimes, I feared these two would never make it to adulthood.” He paused for the laughter that swept through the room.

“Never has this castle seen such a pair. Thick as thieves from the moment they were born, and a handful we were ill prepared for.” Lochlan smiled at his eldest children. “But your mother and I couldn’t be prouder.

“To Prince Toby, the Ogre Killer, our second born. You bring us joy every day, son. And with your gentle spirit, you remind us to always have hope. We wish nothing but happiness and love in your near future. Happy birthday.” The king lifted his glass, and the court echoed his birthday wishes.

Lochlan turned to Tierney next. “To Princess Tierney, our firstborn and heir to the throne of Iskalt.” Lochlan blinked and took a deep breath. “You make me so proud, Tia.” His voice went gruff and hard like it did when he was trying to hide his emotions. “You have your mother’s strength, and a fair bit of her stubbornness too.”

Tierney didn’t miss the way her mother elbowed him for that. She couldn’t help her smile. As mad as she was with her father right now, she still loved him more than he could ever know.

“You are the future of Iskalt, my darling girl. And as long as you fight for Iskalt, we all know our home will be safe in your capable hands. None of us would be standing here now without you and your brother. I can only hope your future consort stands in this room with you tonight. Your union with a fae of our kingdom will ensure your reign after I am gone. And that man or woman is a lucky fae indeed, for my daughter’s hand is a precious one I will not offer to just anyone. We wish you nothing but joy and happiness, my children. Happy birthday, Tia and Toby.” The king lifted his glass again, and his court cheered him on.

But to Tierney, his speech, though heartfelt, was nothing more than a presentation of her eligibility. A reminder to all those fae from his stupid list that to win the great Princess Tierney’s hand in marriage was a prize like none other.