The Faery King and Company

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, my lady.” the Faery King said with a smile. He couldn’t have been more than fifteen years old. His voice had changed, but his age had yet to make him grow, so he was still short and slight. Strangest of all, he was blond and adorable. There was nothing kingly about him.

“I have heard many good things about you, but I’m sorry that we couldn’t have met in better circumstances.” he continued, ducking his head under a tree branch.

“Thank you?” was all I had time to say. We had to walk single file in the path that the huge faery led us on, and the ground was very uneven, so I had to watch my step in the dim lantern light. Some of the bushes were thorny, and the skirts of my cloak kept catching on them. We walked through the deep forest for about two hours, I think, when I tripped and fell to my hands and knees. Both Ciaran and the short Faery King helped me up.

“Why are we doing this, anyway?” I sounded very exasperated, but that was mostly because I was annoyed at myself for falling.

“It’s very simple, my lady.” the Faery King said, offering his arm to me in a gentlemanly manner and leading his horse in front of Ciaran’s. “I shall start at the beginning so it is clear for you. My name is Donal, and I recently became king because his brother --” he pointed at Ciaran, “ -- my cousin, killed my father yesterday. His name is Brand. My cousin, not my father. Since I’m king now, he also wants me dead, so we’re on the run.”

“...I’m sorry about your father.” was all I could think to say.

“Oh, it’s not your fault!” the little king assured me. “If anyone’s to blame, it’s Ciaran.”

“What?” Ciaran objected from behind. “You can’t blame me for having a brother like that!”

“That’s true.” Donal admitted. “But we both made him very mad in the first place.”

“Then blame yourself, not just me!”

“Guys!” I interrupted their squabble. “What is going on? Why is this brother on a killing rampage?”

“Yes, stop confusing her, Ciaran. The lady has been kidnapped, forced to travel with strange men, and is very confused. Don’t make it worse.” Donal’s tone almost made me laugh. It was the tone of a grown-up speaking to a small, misbehaving child. His cute, turned-up nose made it all the more comical.

“To answer your question, it is because he wants to be king, and I didn’t let him.” Donal answered me.

“So he’s trying to kill you?”

“Not just me! Ciaran too!” Donal said cheerfully.

“Thanks for reminding me, brat.”

“And I thought my family was crazy.” I murmured, and looked back at Ciaran. He looked really worn out. “You are actually a prince, then?”

“Well,” Ciaran began.

“Technically,” Donal said.

“Technically, I am. He’s my cousin, so, yes I am.”

“But you never told me you were a prince.” I said, starting to smile. “The letter wasn’t from you, was it? I knew it!” It was such a relief I sighed.

Ciaran smiled crookedly. “How did you know?”

“Well, I didn’t. I mean, I didn’t know for sure, but it didn’t sound like you.” Life was suddenly so much better. But I still added, “If it was you, though, you would’ve gotten what you deserved. There’s no way I would have come running after four years.”

My faery looked startled. “Not even if I was in trouble?”

“You wouldn’t send a fancy piece of parchment like that if you were in trouble.”

“It’s true.” the Faery King cut in. “Besides, you can’t keep a woman waiting like that and then expect her to still rush to save you. Psh. Honestly.”

“Like you would know.” Ciaran retorted.

“I know that much!”

“Wait, so who did send me the letter?” I interrupted.

“Will you lot keep it down? You sound like chickens cackling!” The huge faery growled, causing all of us to cower.

“Ciaran’s brother, sent it.” Donal whispered. “We intercepted it after you threw it at Rodger.”

“The squirrel?”

“Yes. But he’s not really a squirrel. He’s just been keeping an eye on you.”

I laughed at the sheer absurdity. “And all this time I thought he was after Megan.”

“Oh, the girl that feeds him? He adores her. But no, he was supposed to be watching you.”

“Why?”

“Long story.” Ciaran said. “Jinge, how much further?” he called to the huge faery.

Jinge (his name rhymes with hinge) replied “Until Brand can no longer catch us while we sleep.”

“But, Jinge, we’ve been running all day! If we go much longer, we’ll be useless tomorrow.” Donal complained like a child.

Jinge hesitated. “Just a bit further.”

We quietly plodded along until I asked timidly, “So who is he? You didn’t introduce him.”

“That’s Jinge. I met him in prison.” Ciaran told me.

“You were in prison?!”

“He’s my sworn bodyguard.” Donal added, whispering again. “So you don’t need to be scared of him. Just don’t make him mad. He is half-goblin.”

“That’s possible?!” I asked, horrified at the thought.

“Not by choice.” Jinge answered me, making all of us jump.

“He also has very good hearing.” Ciaran whispered. “Anyway, Rodger told us about the letter, and we knew that we had to get to you before Brand did, even though you didn’t take his bait.”

My head was aching from all the questions and odd answers. “But why is he after me? What did I do?”

There was a pause.

Finally, the Faery King turned to me and grinned. “You’ve done nothing directly to him, my lady. Brand is only after you because you’re a way to get to us -- because Ciaran likes you.”

I ventured to glance at Ciaran, but he was looking at the ground, apparently ashamed.

“We can stop here now.” Jinge announced lowly as he tethered his horse to a thick root of a large, fallen tree. “Ciaran, you start a fire. The king and I will bring back some meat.”

“Yay! We finally get to eat! Help Ciaran with the fire, okay?” Donal gave me a thumbs up, his key bracelet clinking, and walked his horse ahead to his bodyguard, leaving us together for a moment.

Ciaran stopped with his head bowed, his long, black hair partially hiding his face. “I’m sorry, Ashlyn.” he said.

I turned to face him: tired, sore, and kidnapped for my own safety. “What are you sorry for now?”

My faery hesitated, his shoulders slumped, and then he spoke with a bitterness that startled me. “I’m sorry that I ever asked you to dance in the first place.”

            He walked away to join the others while I stood in my tracks, feeling like I’d been punched in the gut.