Chapter Text
“That was quite a bombshell,” Claire said, as she and Elowen sipped tea in the two comfy chairs in Elowen’s room. “I can’t believe you kept it a secret for so long. I really can’t believe you didn’t, at least, tell me.” Claire was slightly more curious than hurt about Elowen’s perceived betrayal.
“I didn’t feel comfortable telling anyone about Cormac and me,” Elowen said quietly. “It was just too humiliating. I figured Cormac was a ‘love ‘em and shun ‘em’ kind of guy, or if that’s just how the Fey were, I wasn’t going to put my wounded human feelings out for everyone’s amusement. I honestly thought I could go home and it wouldn’t be an issue.”
She sipped her tea and glanced into Kylaren’s crib to see that she was sleeping comfortably, and waved her hand vaguely around the room.
“Who knew this would all be mine?”
“It’s pretty amazing, that’s for sure.”
“I suppose I shouldn’t say that yet,” Elowen mused. “I mean I haven’t taken the final test and made the throne “sing”, whatever that means. Maybe Derrick is wrong. The whole thing seems pretty far-fetched.”
“I don’t think he’s wrong,” Claire said seriously. “I think it says a lot that the various sprites let you across the river and into the castle with no questions asked. I don’t think the rest of us would have been able to cross the river if you hadn’t gone first. Plus, Melyne has treated you like a Queen since you first got here. Haven’t you noticed? The Castle and the sprites knew who you were right away. The singing throne will just be Royal icing on the cake.”
“I noticed how Melyne treated me from the beginning, and I kept meaning to ask her about it, but I either chickened out or got distracted. I had a lot on my mind, you know.”
“Preach,” Claire confirmed. “It was hectic, for sure. I’m looking forward to a little R and R. I don’t know what will happen next, but once your royalness is confirmed, it sounds like Derrick and Cormac are going to go out to drum up support for the cause. I’m not sure about Willem, but I will tag along, so I hope they wait awhile to leave. I’m not ready to go back on the road.”
“Cormac is leaving and you are going with him?” Elowen asked, surprised and upset by the news. “How did I miss that memo?”
Claire shrugged. “I don’t know that’s what will happen,” she conceded, “but it’s the next logical step. If the Magistrate refuses to accept your claim as Queen, we won’t be able to sit here and wait for him to come to us. We’re going to have to take him on at his castle, or somewhere in between. You represent a threat, in theory, but who knows if he would leave his stronghold to confront you, and who knows if the people of Fey would even follow you?”
She put down her teacup and poured a glass of wine.
“The guys need to get out there to tell the people about you, and to encourage them to take up arms against the Magistrate.”
“Do they both have to go? Why do you have to go?”
Elowen knew she sounded whiny, but this was the first time she’d heard about it, and she was not happy. She didn’t want any of them to leave, and she certainly didn’t want to be left behind.
“The Fey who were in the human realm are members of the High Houses, families with great wealth, property and armies. Obviously, we need to recruit them. Plus, my mum and other relatives are here and I’d like to see them.”
“Oh!” Elowen said, suddenly feeling very guilty. “I never asked you about your family. I have no idea what I thought, but you never brought them up. Of course, you want to see your family. How long has it been since you saw your mother?”
Claire mulled the question while she sipped her wine.
“Well, I had to be old enough for her to leave me here on my own, so maybe 20 human years, give or take? Normally, she would have stayed, but she was called back home for some reason. I haven’t heard much from her since she left, so I’m looking forward to seeing her. I just need to get word to her that I am here.”
At that moment, Kylaren squeaked, and then let out a full throated wail. Elowen winced and got up from her chair, but Melyne came from nowhere and picked up the child to change her diaper.
“Now, miss,” Melyne said. “Please take your seat. I will bring the young banshee to you to feed in a moment.”
Elowen sat down in relief. Kylaren had been up several times during the night and Elowen was very tired, and her nipples were sore. The littlest Queen was a vigorous eater.
“She might put me to shame,” Claire observed as Kylaren objected noisily to the diaper change or any other condition that did not involve her mother’s breast.
“She has a temper,” Elowen admitted ruefully as she arranged her garments to host the tyrannical infant.
“She gets that from her dad,” Claire declared firmly.
Elowen only nodded and took the squalling child from Melyne. The crying stopped the minute the baby latched. Elowen winced a second time. Claire looked sympathetic.
“Melyne says it will stop hurting as soon as the scabs heal,” Elowen said, as she adjusted Kylaren on her breast.
“That’s a comfort, I’m sure. It’s the price you pay for being a superhero.”
There was a soft tap on the door, and Cormac stuck his head into the room.
“On that note,” Claire said. “I’m outta here. I’ll see you later.”
Claire gave Cormac a speculative look as she walked past him and into the hall. She shut the door firmly behind her.
“How are you?” Cormac asked in a low voice. “How is Kylaren?”
“We are doing well, thank you….considering. She was up several times last night and is a beast on the breast. I think she takes after your side of the family.”
Cormac looked confused. “I have no idea,” he said. “I do not remember my family.”
Elowen immediately felt awful for making the joke. Cormac would not understand human humor. He was too literal sometimes.
“Then she takes after you. She has a bad temper and a big appetite.”
“That I understand,” he said, a little relieved. “I do not believe I have a bad temper, however.”
It was Elowen’s turn to look surprised. “You don’t think you have a bad temper?”
“No.” Cormac looked completely sincere.
“Hm. Whatever.” Elowen looked up at the big man. “Why don’t you take a seat? It hurts my neck to look up at you.”
“Are you sure I am not interrupting?”
“Cormac,” Elowen said gently. “You are Kylaren's father. You aren’t interrupting.”
Cormac nodded and sat down in the other comfy chair.
“Do you want to hold her when she’s done eating?”
“I would like to hold her,” Cormac said. “I am fascinated by my feelings for this child. I have never particularly cared for children, so this is surprising for me. Fey men do not normally have much of a role in raising the offspring. I assumed I would have the same disinterest, but that is obviously not the case.”
“Do you think it matters that you know you fathered her?”
“Possibly, but I felt this way the moment I claimed her in your womb,” he said. “Perhaps I will raise this with Derrick the next time I see him.”
They sat in silence for several minutes while Kylaren enjoyed her midmorning snack. When she was done eating, Elowen burped her and handed her to Cormac, who held her gingerly as he dwarfed the tiny baby who was content enough with a full belly, and she considered her father seriously until she hiccupped and fell asleep.
Finally, Elowen spoke.
“Claire said that you and Derrick might leave to drum up support for the cause. Is that true?”
Cormac looked surprised by the question. “Yes, all indications are that the Magistrate will resist your claim to the throne, so we will have to go out from here to meet with potential allies. We cannot win a war from the safety of the castle. We will likely be traveling for several months, if not years, before the battle begins.”
“Months? When are you leaving?”
“Not right away. There is still much to do.”
“What do you have to do? When do you think you would leave?”
“I do not know, but it will take some time to make the necessary preparations.” Cormac was obviously confused by Elowen's questions, and troubled by her reaction to his answers.
“We have not made a secret of this,” he said. “We cannot wait here for the Magistrate to come to us. We must gather our forces and attack him, either at his stronghold or, if we can lure him out, in a more strategic place for us.”
“I guess I understood that, but I didn’t think it meant that you were going to leave right away.” Elowen worked to keep her voice steady. She didn’t want to sound like a spoiled child who was being left behind. “I also didn’t know you would take Claire and maybe Willem as well.”
“Claire at least,” Cormac said as he studied Kylaren's face. “I have not heard whether Willem would join us. His House is clearly loyal to the Queen and is only waiting further instructions, and he has no close relatives to visit. He may choose to remain here. Ultimately, we will gather here to make the final plans, since it is a strategic location, but not immediately.”
Cormac looked up from the baby to concentrate on the mother. His face was sympathetic, but firm.
“We are not leaving right away,” he said softly. “I do not want to leave you or this babe, but it is necessary.”
“Oh,” Elowen said is a small voice. “I understand.”
“Now, miss,” Melyne said as she entered the room. “It is time for you to get some rest. You must sleep while the bairn sleeps.”
She gave Cormac a meaningful look and he immediately stood up, placed Kylaren in her cradle, bowed to Elowen and left.
As soon as the door shut behind him, Melyne put her arms around Elowen as the tears began to fall.
“Oh, miss,” she said quietly, as she patted Elowen's shoulder. “We all have a role to play in this, and none of them are easy. The men may leave, but you have many tasks here that are just as important as anything they will do. You must draw your people to you, even as the others actively gather them.”