Chapter Text
Grace walked up the palace steps feeling more than a little intimidated. As she reached the top of the stairs, she smiled at the guard who opened the massive white-wood-and-glass door for her. “Thank you, Captain Dernor.”
The elven guard smiled a little and dipped his head. “Of course, Lady Grace.”
Stepping inside the now-familiar entryway of the palace with its soaring glass ceiling, gilded flourishes, and full-size willow tree growing from the center of a small pond, Grace felt the ghosts of the butterflies she had felt nearly five years ago, the first time she had seen this sight. Well the ghosts seem to do as well at making me nauseated as the originals did, she thought wryly.
A young, willowy elleth with nearly white hair stepped toward her and curtsied. “Lady Grace, welcome. The queen, the lady enchantress, and Lady Alastryn are awaiting you in the Queen’s Parlor. May I take your wrap?”
Grace surrendered the item, then followed the servant up the sweeping grand staircase. The presence of the lady enchantress, she knew, was the source of her butterflies. Seeing Quinn, having Elvish lessons with Quinn, even staying to tea with Quinn had all become rather routine despite Quinn’s title of Queen of the Elves, and Grace saw Lady Alastryn almost as regularly. But Lady Enchantress Angelique was a hero, having led the Continent forces in dozens of battles with the Chosen army. Why on the Continent have I been included in this illustrious gathering?
Grace swallowed hard as the servant led her inexorably on, the Queen’s Parlor coming into view far more quickly than Grace would have liked. She hesitated a few steps from the door that the servant, apparently oblivious to her distress, flung open.
Stop it Grace. You are married to one of the heroes of that same war. The Lady Enchantress can’t hold a candle to Yneari. She felt a sappy smile cross her face. No one holds a candle to Yneari. Nodding resolutely, she glided into the room and heard the massive door close behind her.
She barely restrained herself from gaping. Lady Enchantress Angelique with her dark hair and sparkling silver eyes was by far the most dazzling beauty Grace had ever seen— and I live among the elves who are all impossibly gorgeous. She let her eyes shift to Lady Alastryn with her more familiar ethereal beauty—perfect creamy features, white-blonde hair, and elegant movements. Thinking of her own plain russet hair, hazel eyes, and freckles, Grace would have turned and run, but she allowed herself to look to the only other normal human in the room. Queen Quinn was considered a blonde beauty in the human world, no doubt, but her beauty paled in comparison to the women who had joined her. It made Grace feel a little less homely to have a normal human to compare herself to.
Grace shook herself from her reverie and curtsied to the ladies in attendance. “My Queen, Lady Alastryn, Lady Enchantress, please forgive my tardiness. Somehow my other slipper had gone missing.”
“Somehow?” Quinn laughed. “Did your husband possibly have something to do with that slipper slipping away?”
“Every time I found the silly thing, it hopped away like a terrified rabbit—and at twice the speed. I finally had to acquiesce to his demands in order for him to unmagic the little monster.”
Quinn laughed and waved at the one remaining chair in the grouping. “Come sit down. And what were these demands exactly?”
Grace’s cheeks flamed, and she made the most of the opportunity to pay attention to the chair as she sat. “Let’s just say his demands made me a little bit later and a whole lot happier than I would have been otherwise.”
Quinn grinned. “Sounds like it was worth being late for.”
Grace blushed harder, but Quinn continued without acknowledging her. “Lady Grace, may I introduce Lady Enchantress Angelique?”
“Hello, Lady Enchantress,” Grace said, dipping her head. "It is an honor to meet you."
“I have to thank you, Lady Grace,” the Enchantress said. “Not only did you save Craftmage Stil, one of my best friends, from capture by the Chosen, you also broke one of the many, many curses the Continent has been dealing with. All those curses—everyone expected me to break them. You and Quinn saved me some trouble.”
“I should be thanking you, not the other way around,” Grace said. “You trounced the Chosen army and helped so many kingdoms. All I did was make a cloak, and I’ve been repaid a hundred times over. I never dreamed I’d be living such a fairy tale existence. And of course, I got Yneari.”
Angelique shook her head and held up her hand, embarrassed with the praise. “I assume Yneari is your husband?”
“Yes, General Malfin. I’m sure you’ve met him. Tall, blonde, and handsome,” Quinn clarified, winking at Grace. “Grace rejected him originally, but…”
Grace said wearily, “The man’s relentless. He would not take no for an answer. Do you know that he literally asked me to marry him on the first day of our courtship?”
Angelique’s eyes narrowed. “Reminds me of another overconfident elf I know. Didn’t Emerys do something similar?”
Quinn laughed. “Are you kidding? Emerys didn’t bother with courtship. He jumped straight to marriage.”
“To Yneari—and perhaps the king as well—everything is a challenge to be conquered,” Grace added.
Lady Alastryn nodded sagely. “Indeed. Both are accustomed to being the best among their peers in all of their endeavors.”
Quinn huffed. “Tell me about it. I can’t stand shooting with Emerys. He beats me every time. But every time I try to go to the practice field without him, he pops up.”
“He is simply desirous of your time and attention, My Queen,” Alastryn said.
“You know," Angelique said with a twinkle in her eyes, "while Evariste and I are in Sideralis, there should be a contest. An archery contest. You two against your husbands. And Alastryn, you should join, too."
“What good would that do?” Quinn asked. “Alastryn shoots like an elf so she would do fine, but I’m already quite aware that Emerys can beat me in a bow contest, and I’m guessing Yneari can beat Grace.”
“All the way from Baris. With his eyes closed,” Grace said wryly.
“Not this time,” Angelique said, waggling her eyebrows. “I’ll get Evariste to judge this one. And I’ll provide some…distraction…for the boys’ pointy things. I owe Emerys for that trick he pulled with my magic.”
“Lady Enchantress, forgive me, but I don’t know what trick the king did with your magic. I’ve never heard of someone using someone else’s magic,” Grace said.
“First of all, call me Angelique. Secondly, he didn’t actually use my magic. He interfered with me using it.”
Alastryn said, “An army of goblins sought to overrun the Forest before the warriors returned; Lady Enchantress Angelique was called upon to help.”
Angelique piped in, “Emerys—the suicidal boil—jumped in front of my magic when I was flinging around every sharp object in the area.”
“Oh! Why would he do that?!” Grace asked, wide-eyed.
“Because he’s an idiot,” Angelique said.
Alastryn intoned gently, “Although his methods were unorthodox, King Emerys was attempting to prove to the lady enchantress that her magic would harm no one she herself would not choose to harm.”
“Well, in that task, he failed because I would absolutely harm Emerys,” Angelique grumbled. “Letting his wife beat him at archery is the least I can do.”
“May I invite Tanearan—General Rustui?” Grace asked. “If there are three lady archers, it would seem fair for there to be three on the other team.”
“Ohhh! Great idea,” Quinn said. “Angel, Tanearan is one of Emerys’ best friends and Yneari’s brother-in-law. Grace, do you think we can get him to throw the game for us?”
“To help us prank the king and Yneari? I think I can make that happen. I’ll just need to get his wife on board. She’ll relish the opportunity to knock her brother down a notch!” Suddenly Grace looked a little worried. “But, Lady Enchan— um I mean, Angelique, please don't get the wrong impression. Yneari is one of the best men to ever walk the Continent, and I love him dearly.”
Angelique shook her head. “I have seen enough sickeningly sweet, twitterpated couples to recognize the signs. You’ve got it bad.”
Grace flushed, but she smiled.
“Ahem.” Quinn raised an eyebrow at the enchantress. “You’re one to talk. You and your betrothed are awfully cozy. You might even be called twitterpated.”
It was Angelique’s cheeks warming this time. She cleared her throat. “So, when do you think we can schedule the archery contest?”
“I’ll talk to Tanearan in the morning,” Grace said. “Yneari has to be out at the military compound really early, so I’ll join Tanearan's family for breakfast and ask him then.”
“The king and queen are scheduled to dine with Lord Enchanter Evariste and Lady Enchantress Angelique tomorrow evening. Perhaps Lady Grace and General Malfin may also be invited?” Lady Alastryn suggested.
Quinn grinned. “In that setting, it will be incredibly easy to goad our overachieving husbands into showing us up at archery. Grace, you and Yneari are officially invited.”