《Return to the Fairies》Chapter 8: Welcome to Wairua Cruin, Part Two
Advertisement
Anya did not respond. She was used to the rejection of her presence by others, as a child who had been deemed 'broken' by her human kinsmen. Ceris' words stung a bit, admittedly, but Anya did not take it very personally. She simply kept her head down and remained calm. This was also a part of the etiquette that the fairy queen had taught her. She should not seek fights (which, incidentally, she had already been taught by those humans).
The elves worshipped the fairies, after all. The fairies were akin to gods in the eyes of the elves because they did not stoop to mortal habits when the elves were in their cities; they did now wish to disillusion the elves who honored them so greatly. Anya was the child of the Fairy Queen, if in title alone; she had to maintain her dignity. She wanted to act as flawless as the fairies, even if it took every last ounce of her self-control.
As the fairies and elves seated themselves together for the welcome feast, Ceris found herself seated directly across from Anya. It was customary for the Fairy Queen to sit at the head of the table, with any fairy of her choosing on her right side and the ruler of the elves on her left. The fact that this child, who was clearly not fae, was seated next to the queen meant that Queen Kiridian valued this child, for whatever reason, quite a bit.
As Ceris pondered this, dishes poured out from the kitchen, with fairy servants bringing such fanciful and exquisite food. It all looked as if it were sparkling. In particular, the crystal wineglasses that had been distributed were never empty of the fairies' unique brew.
As Anya reached to drink from the wineglass that had been given to her, Queen Kiridian covered the top of it and shook her head. "Apologies, but you are too young for this still, my dear." She withdrew the glass from Anya's place setting and glared at the fairy who had given it to her. "Please bring something that my daughter can enjoy," she instructed the fairy servants, returning the wineglass to them. A few moments later, a glass filled with juice made its way to Anya's seat.
Advertisement
Ceris watched all of this, feeling genuinely baffled. "I thank the Queen for having our clan at this time," she spoke, in the hope that engaging in conversation with the queen would explain this child's presence.
"Well, we must maintain the bond with the descendants of our magic. To celebrate our connection once a year is simply natural. Some may even say that it is too infrequent."
"I must confess, we honor the fairies and their kin, but I am curious about this child before me, who is clearly not a fairy. Would you tell me about her?" Anya felt both relief and tension as she asked this question. She had asked the question, yes, but now she had to hope that her question had not offended the queen.
"Oh? The Draiochta have become quite bold, if their ruler would enquire about my company," Queen Kiridian remarked, a bemused grin crossing her face.
Ceris shook her head. "I am merely attempting to make conversation. Is asking about this child bold to you?"
The queen laughed. "I suppose not. One must admit, though, that it is rude to speak about someone in front of oneself without addressing them. Please address my child yourself."
Ceris faced the young girl, the pale, wide-eyed girl who was dressed in the garb of fairies but was not one of them. Holding back her sharp, prideful tone, under the attention of the queen, Ceris addressed Anya.
"I thank your country for its welcome of my people. I am Ceris Draiochta, Ruler of Elves. May I be so bold as to ask your name?"
Anya smiled nervously and waved her hand in the air, creating fairy runes with each stroke. "You may. I am Anya, the Queen's Child and Disciple. I am sorry about my unattractive writing, but I can only speak like this. It is nice to meet you."
Advertisement
It wasn't nice to meet her, but it was imperative, in this situation, to be polite.
Ceris maintained a cool expression, but inwardly she was even more dumbfounded. This child couldn't even speak! What was she doing here? How had she tricked the Fairy Queen into taking in this child as a disciple? This was utterly absurd!
"I see," Ceris replied. "It is nice to meet you as well."
What 'nice to meet you as well'?! Ceris felt like flipping the banquet table and storming off in a rage!
But she had to remain calm and collected. She was the Ruler of Elves, and it would do no good to get worked up over things she had yet to explain.
"If I may once again be bold, Queen's Child Anya, might I ask how you came under the queen's care?"
Anya looked down for a moment and nodded. "You already know that I cannot speak. I am a human who was expelled from my village because of this. I happened to encounter a fairy in the forest. She was surprised that I could see her, of course, because of the curse. After that, I guess I was brought here because Queen Kiridian wanted to know about humans. I think she took me in because she knew that I had nowhere else to go."
"My apologies, but you're a human? How can that be possible? You can see the fairies, and you have the tapered ears of our Draiochta elven race."
"I think that is because I ate the Siol Draiochta when Queen Kiridian gave it to me," Anya explained. "I think I am closer to an elf now, but I was human right up until then."
This child, whatever race they claimed to be, was completely and utterly baffling, and Ceris had no idea how to address her.
Advertisement
- In Serial90 Chapters
The White Horde
[participant in the Royal Road Writathon challenge] Game of Thrones meets Attila the Hun. Set in an alternate Earth where magic is slowly fading and decadent empires must stand or fall against the barbarian hordes pushing west, this epic tale is told from the view points of three different people: Amazonia, a female gladiator who gains her freedom at the cost of a cursed Rune sword, and a mission to save the Empire of the East from destruction at the hands of the Sasnayam empire. Blood-Wysper, a Celtic priestess stolen by the Shadow-walker Ghostdog for the High Priest of the Sasnayam god Yun-Kax. A young woman with a mana node inside her like a second heart that regrows each time she is 'sacrificed', driving her to the edge of madness. Greywolf, son of Ghostdog and Asena, known as the Wolf-mother and once considered a goddess of war. a young man Asena considers scarcely more than a boy, Greywolf's actions will cause Blood-Wysper to lose her life unless he can save her, risking his freedom or his death at the hands of the high priest, Muzen. Empires will shatter and new ones arise, and all because of the power of the White Horde.
8 209 - In Serial41 Chapters
Long Island
Long Island was not the first virtual reality game or to say a VRMMORPG. Not the one which changed the world and became a legend. No, it was made when there were lots (quite a few) of virtual reality games already on the market. Each game had its own unique AI feature, its own unique adventure, promising everyone a chance to become King, if not a God. In such a time Long Island was made. Just a little different, just a little unique. Swamy was starting his own adventure, in life and in game.Note - Thanks @DameCarnelian for the cover. Just so people don't get confused, that ship is not Raka's ship :)
8 111 - In Serial33 Chapters
Tearha: Queens of Camelot
Following the lost of the leader of Wendereight, a serial killing case in the town of Grimmel unravels into a tale of politics and intrigue as the lost race of lizardkins returns. Slowly, the secret rulers of the Tinderland Consolidates around Artria Pendragon and Morganna Dresden. The two Knights of the Round ends up standing between a genocide and the fall of an empire.
8 194 - In Serial24 Chapters
TRAGEDY || R. BLACK ✓
BOOK ONE OF THE MARAUDER ERA SERIES-"Most love stories end in a tragedy, you know.""Not this one."-started march 8, 2021completed march 15, 2021
8 136 - In Serial23 Chapters
The Strongest Magical Beast
You all know all those wuxia and xianxia stuff where most of the MC gets a magical beast as a companion. However, this story will be different as the MC is an animal. Do follow through the story as you find out how an animal from a dirt weak climb up its rank and makes its name as one of the upper echelon in beast rank. You can also find me at https://rancerqz.wordpress.com/
8 220 - In Serial26 Chapters
guilty (reapertale sans fan-fiction)
(Quick A/n)My worst nightmare are doing summaries so you guys can just find out in the story slow updates but 1000 - 2000 + words and this is not edited so please guys no hate And also this is my first story it is not a lemon so no dirty thoughts OK guys I'm too young and innocent and I can't do punctuation properly OKBut there will be swearing in this story you have been warnedYup that's it OK you guys can read now
8 78