Lina: Twisted Fairy Tales Book Two

38: Reckoning

“I wasn’t trying to be cruel!” In all my years, I never imagined that I would be where I was at that moment. Running after the Fae King, me, running after a male. The very one who had abducted me and irritated me to no end! So I could apologize. “I meant no offense!” I stumbled and had to stop and snatch up my skirts again so I could keep pace with Arran, who had not slowed.

“I was merely.. Look, would you please stop so that I can speak with you?” I shouted, but Arran continued pacing away, shoulders stiff.

“I have work to do, Princess, not all of us live the lives of Royalty here.” Arran tossed over his shoulder stiffly. I tensed, anger working its way through me.

“You insufferable-!” I burst from my clothes, using talon and beak to rip at the neckline of my dress to make room for my wings. With a high-pitched shriek, I drove myself upward and followed after the Fae King. As soon as I could circle in front of him, I dove back down at him, wings tucked close to my body, talons extended, aiming straight for that infuriating face. He raised an arm at the last minute and I wrapped my talons around it. I could feel the muscles flex below my taloned feet as he lowered me to eye-level, his jaw ticking.

“I would have thought attacking me from behind to be below you, Laoina.” His tone was outwardly calm, but still managed to be suffused with anger. I glared, tightening my grip. Arran barely reacted, despite the terrible force that a hawk can exert with its grip. Inwardly, I rolled my eyes, then fell backwards, feathers flying as I regained my human shape. Angrily, I stood from my crouch and stared Arran down.

“My grandmother intends to turn this banquet into a farce. I was trying to warn you. She wants to make it ‘Faery themed’ and have everyone play dress-up as Faery Folk, and I didn’t want your feelings hurt, so I tried to ask you to stay away.” I crossed my arms, still glaring as I finished, and a brief flash of surprise and pain crossed Arran's features.

“I see.” He said slowly, his face going blank. “Thank you for the advanced notice. That is very.. kind.. of her to try to make me feel included.” Arran brushed past me and continued walking. I raced once more to catch up.

“Did you not hear what I said? I said she was going to-” I babbled, running at his side.

“I heard!” He snapped, making me freeze. “I heard.” He repeated more softly, finally stopping. His head was hanging, so when he turned to face me, I expected to see pain, all of the pain he hid from everyone else. Instead, he gave me a falsely chipper smile.

“Your grandmother stated you would be in attendance. Is that correct?” He asked lightly. I blanched, glancing down, my crossed arms now hugging me as protection against my own betrayal instead.

“I.. have very little choice. I sponsor the orphanage and she has already ordered the dress..” I scrunched my toes into the mossy earth beneath my feet, not daring to look at Arran. There was a long pause.

“Then I shall still be there. After all, I am doing this for you.” The words were whispered so softly, I almost didn’t hear them. By the time I looked up in shock, he was gone.

After redressing and making my way slowly back to the castle, I realized I had completely forgotten that this was the day I was supposed to sit in on grievance procedures.

“Ah Hells!” I spat as I tore my way through the castle halls. Papa was going to give me that look and Mama would rip me to shreds with her chastisement afterwards. I didn’t have time to change my ripped clothes, so I merely pinned a few things together and made my way around the room to stand behind the thrones.

The look Papa gave me was possibly worse than I anticipated, as he took in the bedraggled state of my clothing and my heavy breathing. As he handled the next issue, Mama glanced at me over her shoulder and her frown was enough to tell me how much trouble I was in.

“If you weren’t in such a terrible state that it would be an embarrassment to this Kingdom to have you preside over them, I’d have you handle the rest of the cases alone. What were you thinking?” She hissed and adjusted my youngest sister in her arms.

“Yes Mama. I’m sorry Mama. It won’t happen again Mama, I had just forgotten myself.” I kept my eyes downcast, and something in my tone must have gotten to her, because her own response was slow to come.

“We will discuss your punishment after this session is over. As long as you are adequately covered, I am not going to excuse you from your duties. You will observe the rest of the grievances and immediately go to your room to dress more appropriately. You will await us there for further instruction.” My mother murmured.

“Yes Mama.” I stepped back into the shadows of the thrones and listened as a dispute over a farmer’s cattle escaping into and damaging a neighbor’s crops ended with that farmer losing several of said cattle to his neighbor to compensate for the loss of crops. That turned into a petition to build out further around the castle. It was a debate that was put on hold due to the feasibility of protecting citizens, and a council was arranged to discuss it at a later date. A decision which was followed by a shopkeeper accusing a man of being a thief. He wanted the thief’s hand removed, but my parents instead ordered the accused thief to work off his debt under the shopkeeper’s purview.

I felt myself relax at that one and hadn't realized my muscles had gone so tight. Then there was a squabble between siblings over how a deceased parent’s property would be decided. A few disputes over property lines, which led to records being pulled, and in at least one case, a professional being sent out to the properties in question to survey the land. Finally, there were the disputes with the Kingdom itself. Issues over taxes or pay, promised protection that was not up to the recipients' believed levels of requirement. And multiple demands that the King and Queen end the raiding that was still going on.

At last I was allowed to leave, and found myself hurrying through the halls with my head down to get to my room. The smattering of conversation around me easily faded into background noise as my mind raced, scattered thoughts of punishments, nearly lost limbs, and Fae Kings chasing each other around my skull incessantly.

I changed swiftly and took a seat on the edge of my bed, staring at the floor between my dangling feet.

He’d said he was attending the Banquet for me…