A Day in the Castle

“She can’t go to breakfast wearing that! What were you thinking?!”

I was suddenly tackled and dragged back toward my quarters by a surprisingly strong female. As I was dragged away, Brand looked annoyed.

“Everyone was running around in their pajamas last night, what does it matter what she’s wearing now?” he asked.

“She’s a guest in our castle! We must treat her like one, not like a prisoner. Let me lend her some clothes!”

I whipped my head around to see the face of this extremely sheltered and obsessed person. It was a faery woman, older than I, but very beautiful, and obviously concerned about her own appearance. She had shining, silky red-gold hair that flowed behind her, and large, sincere eyes.

Brand sighed. “Don’t be long.”

The faery woman smiled at me, and continued to pull me back down the corridor and past my door.

I slipped on my silky dressing gown. “Wait! Where are we going?”

“To my room! I have a plethora of extra dresses!”

“Wh- why?” Of all the strange encounters to have in the faery world... she was like Rachel, but annoying. She just laughed and pulled me down several corridors and around a few corners, and up two flights of stairs. Finally, she went through a door and closed it behind us. Is she going to help me escape?

“It’s so great that you’re here!” She was giggling. “You’re just my size, too! It’s only a matter to determine what color would look best on you now!”

A half-hearted smile tried to form on my face. I stared at her blankly.

“I’m sorry,”  She gestured to a comfy-looking chair, and I sat in it. “I’m Emilia. My father was one of the old king’s close friends. I’m also the fourth cousin twice removed of our Regent.”

“Regent?” I echoed, lost.

“Brand. He isn’t rightfully king yet. I’m sorry about his manners, he simply does whatever comes into his head sometimes! Usually he’d have more tact around women, but he’s been so stressed, and it tends to make him absent-minded; you know how men are.”

Airhead... They have airheads here too?

“I’m sorry.” Emilia said again, finally speaking like a calm, sane person. “It’s been so long since I’ve seen a human. I know they’re everywhere, but I mean a human who still has her memory. You’re not walking around in a dream, pretending that you’ve always been here. You remember your home, and all of this is new to you. I’m very happy that you came here, so I could meet you.”

My fingers stroked my bruised throat. “Thank you, but I wish I could say the same.”

“I know!” the crazy woman suddenly hugged my head. “You’ve been treated so roughly! Kidnapped and forced to live on run for two days! You must be exhausted!”

I was exhausted. Emilia patted my head.

“That’s why you should let me treat you like a guest! I have the finest--”

I broke out of her grip and stood on my feet. “Are you an idiot?” My voice came out louder than I expected. “Do you have any idea what’s been going on around you? Your king was murdered! Then Brand tried to kill Donal, and decided to stab Jinge through the heart instead! Do you think that smiling and wearing nice dresses is going to fix any of that?!”

Emilia stared at me, shocked, as if I was threatening her with a knife. “You’re wrong! The king’s death was a tragedy! He was-- Brand was only-- What are you saying?”

“I’m saying you make me sick! Brand is a murderer and a liar.”

“No, no, the king was possessed with a demon! Brand had no choice but to kill him! The young prince was too upset to understand what happened, and ran away, don’t you see--?”

“You’ve been lied to.”

She shook her head. “No. No. Neither of us were there. We don’t know. We don’t know.”

“I know.” I folded my arms. “I know how I was treated while ‘kidnapped’ and ‘forced to live on the run,’ and I know how a ‘guest’ is regarded by your Regent.”

“You haven’t been treated badly!”

“Haven’t I?  I know who to trust.”

“Whom to trust.”

“What?”

“Direct object of the sentence:‘whom.’”

“What does that matter?!”

“It doesn’t. But then, you’re in love with him, aren’t you?”

“Huh?”

“Ciaran. Of course you would take his side.” Emilia’s world was all right again. “It’s only natural. And don’t worry, once he comes to his senses, he’ll come back to the castle, and then he’ll see you in the most beautiful gown existing!” She smiled and walked towards her closet.

I groaned. She was hopeless. But all in all, Emilia did have good taste in clothes. I guess that was her best quality.  She had me wear a forest green dress that flattered my figure nicely. I would really have enjoyed wearing it at any other time.

Breakfast was so-so. For adoring sweet things so much, faeries sure have nasty pancakes. It was like they used old, cheap pancake mix, but perhaps that was what prisoners usually got to eat. And Brand was only joking about the french toast and strawberries. Apparently we had taken too long with getting dressed, so I didn’t get any. Cruel man. But I ate the fluffy, baking powder-flavored slabs and washed them down with orange juice all the same.

Emilia stuck to my side like gum to a shoe the entire day. Maybe she wanted me as a friend, or maybe she wanted to make sure I saw how wonderful a leader Brand was. Perhaps she wanted to make sure I was treated properly. Whatever her intentions, it was a pain. After an hour or two, Brand got so sick of her himself that he left and made John babysit us instead. I have to admit, it was a relief to see him again.

I was shown around the castle. They took me to see the view from the battlements, where I could see the whole valley: the city, the fields, and the forest around them. It was gorgeous. The city is really clean, too, with beautiful old buildings. If you’re ever in the faery world, that’s a sight you’ll have to see. Go from the barracks in the outer courtyard, up the steps along the wall to where the archers patrol, and you’re there. It really is something.

After a long day of walking around and listening to Emilia chatter about useless things, we returned to the dining hall for dinner: roast chicken. John had barely said a word all day, and he was still wearing the glasses he didn’t need. Brand was sitting at another table, one that was higher than the rest-- meant for the royal family. I wondered how Donal and Ciaran were doing.

I was just getting started with my second drumstick when an awful, repetitive noise rang through the hall. Half of the faeries in the hall (mostly soldiers) leapt to their feet and began running out. It was like a fire drill.

“They’ve been sighted!” someone yelled. Brand got up and ran out himself. I started up after him as well, but John grabbed my wrist.

“You’re staying inside.” he told me.

“Johhhhhn!” I said, my irritation showing.

“Do you want to be his ball on the playing field?” John retorted. “Just be glad he forgot you for now. I’m taking you back to your room.”

He started leading me away by the wrist. I protested. “But I haven’t finished my drumstick--”

“Just bring it, then!”

John didn’t take me to my room. I asked where we were going.

“Where do you think? Answer me: am I a just a pawn, or am I your friend too?” Without waiting for me to answer, he added, “I’m going to erase your memories and take you back to the human world.”