Fairy Born

Chapter 5

Maille left her father alone in his room and sought out the library, needing to learn more about glamour and magick, spells, and wings. She did not want to believe that this was all happening but she saw so much with her own eyes. 

Maille came across a book about the winged ones and sat down at her desk with it. It was not a large book, probably because the fey did not have a long attention span. She opened the book to find sketches of the fey on the first two pages and continued on.

Maille read about the different fairies, the lunar fairies that could see the future like a witch, the sun fairies that made rainbows, and even the frost fairies that brought snow. She stopped, however, when she got to the shadow fairies. 

They were supposed to be mean spirited, they thrived in darkness and shadows. They were supposed to use their magic for selfish reasons, the last ruling fairie was a shadow fairy until her father came along. And there, at the bottom of the page, was a painting of her mother. Her wings were jagged and black. 

So that was it. Her mother was an evil shadow fairy. So what did that make her? Was she evil too or does the fact that her father is a nature fairy better? He was the king of the dark fey though, that meant more bad, right? 

Maille knew she had not met any of these types of fairies but looked forward to it. They sounded pretty and from the sketches that she saw they must be. Maille studied in the library for hours before ivy found her there, nose buried in a book. 

“Your grace?” Ivy’s voice startled Maille and she almost cried out.

“Oh, Ivy, it's you. What is it?”

“It is your father ma’am. It is supper time and you are not there.”

“Oh, yes. I am coming.” Maille rose and thought of taking the book with her but instead put it back on the shelf. She knew most of the way to the great hall and needed little guidance from Ivy now. The hall was again full and Maille saw several water fairies as well as shadow and nature. She did not see any frost fairies or moon fairies. She took her seat beside her father and started to eat as well. He was halfway done with his plate before he spoke to her.

“Did you learn anything new today?”

“Oh yes, father. I learned that you are a nature fairy and that my mother is a shadow fairy. I do not know what that means for me. I do ask though, why did you tell me I was half-fey?”

“I did not. You said you were half-fey. I never said anything of the sort.” He said he had a small smile on his face, amused at her earlier choice of words. Maille replayed that night in her head and realized, he was right. Only she had mentioned half-fey. He never even said the words. 

“What does she being an evil fairy and you being a nature fairy mean for me? Am I evil?” Her question caused him to stop and stare at her before he could answer.

“We are not evil or good based on the actions of our parents, thank heaven, but their power may influence us. Your mother was a shadow fairy, meaning she delved into dark magick, that does not mean you will too, it just means you may be capable of the same magick as she.”

“So I could follow in your footsteps and be good?”

“yes, though why not follow your own path?” 

“My path started terribly, I separated you and mother remember?”

“Your path started with love. I loved her.”

“But she was tricking you! She never talked to me about you. She never mentioned you unless I brought you up and she changed the subject as soon as she could. Though she did say my birth was noble… I do not know what she meant.” Her voice faded away as she thought about it. “What, what happens now? What am I?”

“I thought you might have guessed by now.” Her father's voice was full of humor so she did not feel too stupid for not guessing. 

“You become the crowned princess, you will rule after me. You will pick your mate after you come into your wings and your power. We do not do arranged marriages anymore..not after, well, your mother.”

“Will I ever get wings Father?”

“I do not know dear. I assume you will. You see humans who stay here too long grow wings and become demi fey as well. But you have fey blood in you. Full-blooded demi fey. You may grow your own based on that alone. I do not know. My wings are clear, shimmery, beautiful. Your mothers were jagged, black with purple. You may get one or the other, a mixture of both, or one of your own based on your magic or a random coloration due to exposure of our magick.”

“What if the one I love is human?”

“As I said, they turn sooner or later.” Her father waved that concern off as if it meant nothing but it meant everything to her. 

Life passed by, each day the same as the last, she read more and learned of her history and saw the wars between the two courts.

Maille watched the trees in the courtyard change their colors from a lush green to a bright red and orange before turning brown and shedding their leaves. The snow fell heavy that year, or maybe it was she who felt the weight of the winter. She had much to learn and she had yet to see her mother or hear of her brother. She missed them both. She did not like to think about what war would be like for her brother and herself. She thought of her brother often, and of her mother. She wondered what they would be doing if her mother was alright...if she was ill. Maille was pondering that when Ivy came to take her to the great hall for dinner after being there for a year... 

“Ivy, am I allowed to go visit my family?”

“Your father awaits you now silly.”

“I meant my mother.”

“I know. You would have to ask your father but I see no reason why you could not.”  Maille thought on Ivy’s words while they walked and absently scratched between her shoulder blades. She had an itch that would not go away.

The hall was packed as it always was, She sat automatically beside her father but he stared at her for a few moments before addressing her.

“Maille…”

“What father?”

“Your eyes, they are different.”

“They are still blue father, I won't fall for a trick. I just saw them in the mirror.”

“Tis not the color, but the shape.” He held up a silver plate and Maille looked at her reflection. Her eyes had changed it was like a cat’s...like her father’s.

“Oh, yes, I guess being here has agreed with me father. I wanted to speak to you.”

“Yes?”

“May I go visit mother? I wish to see that she is well.”

“I can not see the harm in it. You have not yet come into your own glamour and you have no wings, and yet if you go you will take guards with you. Like it or not you are still a princess.”

“Yes, father.” Joy filled Maille, she was to see her family. After dinner, she made to her room to pack a bag, a dress for her mother, a sword for her brother, and a bag of gold for her uncle...oh, wait, he was not her uncle. who was he? Either way, she lived with him, she owed him some semblance of gratitude. She knew she would only spend the day there, not the night so she did not pack anything besides a few gems to pass on to young females who may need them. She slept well that night, hopeful of the next day. 

Maille rose early, ready to grab a snack and be off but something caused her to pause. There was a great weight on her back, she stood, hunched over and when she looked in the mirror there was a black mass on her back. She screamed, her voice echoing down the halls and her door burst inwards. Her father stood in the doorway, fear on his face, he still had a comb in one hand. She was half undressed when she found the mass and her father stumbled backward as not to see anything that he should not, though he seemed happy when he saw her back.

“Father? what is it?”

“They. They are your wings. Let me unfold them for you. I will need a little added dust. He pulled a bag out of his pocket and sprinkled the dust on Maille’s back on her wings and they shifted. Her father peeled and unfolded the wings. When they were fully unfolded he stepped back and gasped.