The Offering

Chapter Twenty Nine - Daella

The chosen are walked to the south wing of the palace where small bonfires have been lit. Streamers in all different colours are hung up everywhere, garlands of flowers wrapped around every pole and light.

Fae are dressed differently, not wearing their fine fitted suits, but loose dresses and shirts and trousers.

They all wander around the bonfires, smiling and drinking.

The King's podium stands. He walks with Queen Marlia following him, flowers threaded through her long white blonde hair. The Princes follow their mother, each wearing trousers and loose shirts. Aeris leans over to speak into Alvaryn's ear and he smiles in return.

"Welcome my friends to the Summer Solstice celebration." King Harwyn speaks, his voice loud and clear as everyone stops and turns to face him. "As we gather and watch the sun set may we all be embraced by its light and warmth as it watches over us, giving us its strength and power." Everyone breaks out in applause and cheers, whistles and happy cries. I feel like I am in a different kingdom. Where are all the high lords and ladies and their usual false smiles and quite words.

Music begins to play and it is so unlike the music they usually play. I watch as the fae males and females start dancing around the fires, their movements somewhat wild and carefree compared to the usual orchestrated dances.

I can't help but be reminded of the dancing back at home, our feet stomping and stepping with the beat of the music, smiles on our flushed faces and fire lighting up the night sky.

Rue smiles at me brightly, a ring of flowers on her head. She holds out her hands to me. "Dance with me." She insists, pulling me towards the bonfire. She is laughing and happier than I have ever seen her.

We spin and leap around the bonfire, Fae voices sing in harmony, words I don't understand but sound beautiful. Rue spins, clapping her hands with the others.

I try my best to follow along, drawn into the others, spinning and dancing and quickly finds myself out of breath, when one of the males reaches for Rue and she takes his hands I step away.

I wander around the groups of fae laughing and conversing before finding another bonfire and see shapes in it, deer made of fire dance around the flames. I have never seen anything like it, then I see Aeris, his eyes concentrating on the flames.

Magic.

I watch as the deer change into birds, swooping in and out of the flames as fae dance around.

"It's beautiful." I say coming to stand beside Aeris.

"As are you," He smiles at me, looking me up and down. "Enjoying the Solstice dearest?" He asks, eyes returning to the fire as the birds change into small fae dancing around with linked hands.

"Yes, only, it reminds me of home." I admit, eyes transfixed by the dancing flames.

He scoffs. "Fae in their true form remind you of your human home?"

"This is your true form?"

"We weren't born to live in palaces and wear suits, talking politics while servants follow us everywhere." He smiles. "We were born living among the woods with the other fae folk and creatures, living in trees and sharing the land."

"They haven't told us that in fae history."

"No, they wouldn't. It isn't a history that many like to remember. They have become too used to their finery and wealth that the idea of actually working and living with the land is too horrific for most." He replies.

"What about you?"

"I think I would rather enjoy living in my true form, I don't particularly enjoy all of the court nonsense as it is, so a life where there was even less sounds good to me."