The village was comprised of a few hundred cottages with thatched roofs and wooden doors, congregated around a central town square. A circular fountain took up the center of the square, lying dormant in the chill. It had been festooned with faerie lights and shimmering ribbons. The entire square had been transformed into a faerie dream world. Courtesy of her father, of course.
He’d clearly sent ahead enough decorations and food for the entire village. It was an incredible expense that she’d had no idea he was going to incur for her. Sure, he usually helped throw a party for his subjects, but she doubted it was anything this extravagant.
“My lady,” a man said as they pulled their horses to a stop. He bowed deeply. “May I assist you today?”
“Yes, please,” she said.
He helped her down and then took both horses away to be stabled.
An elderly woman approached then with a dozen littlings, each holding a string of frost drops—a white winter flower that only bloomed after a snowfall. They’d laced them together and made a small crown.
“It is with great pleasure that we welcome you back to the House of Cruse, my lady,” the woman said with a deep and powerful voice. She curtsied, and the littlings fell over themselves to follow. “We present you with the winter crown.”
“Oh, thank you,” Kerrigan said.
She bent down to allow one of the littlings to place the crown of flowers on her head. When she straightened, she felt a shift in the world. In faerie, symbols had meaning. The queen of Geivhrea with a crown of frost drops meant something to these people. And the world responded in kind, illuminating all of the faerie lights, intensifying the glitter on the ribbons, and brightening the smiles on all the village faces. If she had to guess, the food would taste better and the wine more potent. Nine months from now, there’d be a whole new cropping of littlings to look after. A blessing on the people since it was so hard to have Fae children in the first place.
“You bless us,” the woman said. “Come. Let us celebrate.”
Kerrigan walked into the center of Lillington just as the music started up and dancing transformed the square. They were local country dances, and she remembered every one of them as if she’d learned them yesterday. She’d always cursed Fae memory for how much she remembered about her time in Bryonica, but now, she was glad that she could keep up.
A smile crossed her face, and she grasped Fordham’s hand. “Well, princeling?”
He laughed. A real, joyful laugh. It made her toes curl. “As you wish, my lady.”
She flushed at the words before he caught her up and swung her into the dance. She didn’t need faerie punch to survive this, as she had in the House of Shadows. She didn’t need anything to enjoy Fordham’s company. Cut off from the constraints of his people and the Society, they could live in the moment. She was a princess for her people, and he, her prince consort for the evening. Everyone accepted that as fact, and for tonight, it was.
They stopped only long enough to dance and accept the toast before returning to the dance floor. Her father appeared at one point, and Kerrigan only realized it because the rest of the village paused at his approach. As if the power of him swelled and magnified what was around them.
But he came no farther, accepted no food or drink, nor did he offer a smile of his own. He just cast sad eyes upon the crowd and watched their merriment. Was he thinking of Anya? Had he spent a Geivhrea here with her? Had they been prince and princess of their holiday?
When she thought to ask him, she found he had already left. It was appropriate for him to appear before his subjects, but he didn’t owe anyone anything more. Especially with Kerrigan here in his stead.
She fell back into Fordham’s arms. The music slowed to a syrupy cascade that she melted into.
“What is that face?” Fordham asked. She scrunched her nose in response. “You seem sad.”
“I’m worried about my father.” She shook her head. “I can’t believe those words just left my mouth. I hated him for so long. It’s weird to have any other emotion related to him.”
“I’m glad that you’ve reconciled. You deserve to take back what was stolen from you.”
“I don’t know.”
He tipped her chin up, forcing her to look at him. “You do.”
“It’s just hard. I always thought he was ashamed of me.”
Kerrigan had confided in him about her problems with her father. He’d wanted to know why the sudden change of heart when she asked to start eating dinner with Kivrin.
“That’s what he wanted you to think. It was safer for you.”
She nodded. “I know that now. But I’m so confused.” Her eyes roamed Lillington’s square, all the people out here for her. This was the life she could have led. It was what she could have again. She voiced the treacherous thought. “Did I make a mistake by not returning to Bryonica?”