10. The Favor
Chapter 10
The Favor
R aewyn
“I’ll gladly give you the invitation,” I told her, already getting to my feet, preparing to run home and fetch it.
I could hardly wait to bring back that worthless piece of paper and hand it over to her in exchange for these precious, life-saving offerings.
She laughed. “Oh no. That parchment will do me no good. It is you who have been invited to the royal ball. And it is you who will use the invitation and attend.”
Surprise stole my words for a few moments.
Finally I asked, “But… how can I go? I’m human. And the ball will be full of treacherous Fae.”
Her smile didn't lessen.
“Just treacherous Elves,” she said. “In the past, all manner of Fae folk were present for the Assemblage—Nymphs, and Dryads, Nyads and Selkies, Dwarves, perhaps even the stray Pixie or two, nasty little beasts. Not anymore. Not since King Pontus became ruler of Avrandar. Now the Assemblage is Elves only. The other Fae hold their own court gatherings, the species generally keeping to their own kind.”
She sniffed. “Much less interesting that way, if you ask me. But that’s King ‘Pompous’ for you.”
“The Assemblage? That’s what the ball is called?” I asked.
“No, the First Night Ball is a one-night event marking the opening of the Assemblage,” Sorcha explained. “The gathering itself lasts a fortnight. Representatives from all the great Elven houses in every region of the continent converge on the royal city of Merisola once every ten years. There’s trading and policy discussion as well as many dances and social events. The First Night Ball is the largest and most formal of them. Which is why you must attend.”
“Why do you want me to go?”
“At some point while you’re there, you will do me a service,” she said. “That will be your payment for me saving your family from certain starvation and doom.”
Sorcha got up and took several more bowls from the shelf and began filling them with piping hot stew.
“If you do it well, I will see that your sisters never go hungry again and that your father will be healed of his injuries. I can't return his vision—that is beyond my powers—but I will heal his other maladies so that he is able to live a long, pain-free life and usher your young sisters into adulthood.”
Naturally, I asked the next obvious question. “What service do you want me to do?”
“Does it matter?” the Earthwife asked.
I had to think about that. I couldn't imagine what favor I would be capable of performing that would be a worthy exchange for all that she was offering my family.
When it came down to it, I supposed it didn't really matter. Beggars could not be choosers, and people with no options could not afford to turn down life-changing opportunities like this one.
“I suppose not,” I said. “But still… I do wonder what it is I could possibly do for you at the ball.”
“I will give you that information when you need to know it,” she said. “Do we have a deal?”
My mind flashed to Alux and Nilsa, whose own deals with the Earthwife had become millstones around their necks—or in his case, crushed his neck entirely.
But I wasn't asking to become rich. I wasn't asking to become famed throughout the land. The favor I had asked her for was simple–help my family survive.
Surely the favor she would require in return would be simple as well?
“Very well,” I said, “but how will I manage it? I doubt I'll be permitted entry, even with a golden invitation. I have no way of getting to the ball and nothing to wear. Even my good dress is stained and riddled with threadbare patches. Even if I could beg or borrow a nice dress, I have no hope of fitting in with Fae high society.”
“Oh don't worry about that,” Sorcha assured me. “You’ll be arrayed in the finest of Fae Court fashion. And you will have no trouble fitting in. You’ll be the belle of the ball in fact.”
She directed a meaningful glance toward a potted plant on her windowsill that had seen better days. Within seconds, the dried and wilted plant plumped up and regained its green color, fresh flower petals unfurling as if by magic.
On second thought, that was exactly what it was. Goosebumps rose on my skin. I’d never seen a magic spell happen in real time.
“I’ll cast a spell to alter your appearance,” the Earthwife said as if it was no big deal. “I’ll turn you into an Elven noblewoman so beautiful, the princes themselves won’t be able to resist you. Not only will the sentries at the doors allow you entry, they’ll be falling all over themselves to escort you inside and will probably beg you for a dance.”
At my wide-eyed reaction, she added, “Don’t worry. They’ll never know your real identity. And there will be so many attendees at the ball, it will be easy to blend in.”
Now I was really confused. And suspicious. Was I supposed to blend in or be irresistible?
And what did the King’s two sons have to do with any of this?
Did she intend for me to somehow seduce one of them? And do what—ask for their mercy for our village? Treasure for Sorcha herself?
There wasn’t a magical disguise in the world that could make me that alluring.
She must have read the skeptical look on my face.
“Don't worry child,” she said. “I know of your aversion to the pleasure houses, and I would not ask you to perform any such services, not even to get close to King Pontus and his wicked sons. You will simply attend the ball, eat all the delicious food you can hold, enjoy their incomparable Elven wine, and spend an evening looking and feeling like a princess.”
Walking over to the window, Sorcha plucked the newly bloomed flower, snapping its stem and bringing it over to the table to offer it to me.
“At some point during the evening,” she said, “I will get a message to you about the small task I need you to perform.”
I was getting a bad feeling about this. Why couldn’t she just tell me now what the task was? It seemed like important information.
What if she wanted me to steal something from the castle? A squirmy feeling of discomfort made me shift in my seat.
In spite of our impoverished state and living with constant hunger, I’d never resorted to thievery.
Besides, the Fae royal family would be there. The Randalins were deplorable, and I wanted nothing to do with them—or their delicious food and incomparable wine.
“As long as you do your part, I'll continue to do my part for your family,” the Earthwife said reasonably. “But I warn you… go back on this bargain, and the penalties will be severe.”
Cold shivers worked their way from the back of my neck to the bottom of my spine. Never a good sign.
Rising from my chair I pushed it back under the table. “I thank you very much for your offer… but I think I must decline.”
The temperature in the room seemed to drop. Sorcha said nothing.
My nerves were simmering now, and I moved quickly toward the door, speaking at double speed.
“And thank you for the delicious stew. I will be back when I have secured payment for Papa's medicine.”
I’d expected Sorcha to raise her voice or perhaps to say something cutting about how foolish I was. But when she spoke, the Earthwife did not seem angry or insulted or even particularly worried about my refusal.
She simply gave me a warm, grandmotherly smile.
“That's fine,” she said. “There are two weeks until the royal ball. A lot can happen in two weeks.”
Lifting the bowls, she poured their contents back into the pot.
“People can get very hungry—and sick—in the span of two weeks. Have a lovely day, Raewyn. You may let yourself out.”
Though it was not a windy day and she was nowhere near it, the door slammed behind me the moment I stepped onto the stoop outside her cottage.
On the way home, her parting words rolled over and over again in my mind like a stone tumbling down the hill. There was a stone in my stomach as well, and it seemed to grow larger and heavier with each step.
How could I go home with a full belly, smelling of stew, when I had nothing to feed Papa and the girls?
I didn't want to accept Sorcha’s mysterious bargain. The risks seemed too great. But what else was I going to do?
Waiting for a miracle was not going to fix this. Attempting to flirt with Dardick and convince him to marry me— ugh , I threw up in my mouth just a little at the thought—was not going to fix it.
As usual, I was the only one who could help myself. And I had only one option for doing so.
Stopping in the middle of the road, I turned around and started back up the path toward the Earthwife’s home.
Once again, she opened the door before I even had a chance to knock.
“I am so glad you've changed your mind,” Sorcha said.
“Yes, I have, but I have one condition,” I told her.
She raised one eyebrow as if entertained by my audacity. “Yes?”
“That you don’t wait two weeks to start helping my family. I want my father healed right away—and food to feed my sisters tonight —before they get any more frail.”
I was pretty sure none of us would make it two more weeks without immediate intervention.
“You can trust me,” I rushed to add. “I promise I will make good on my end of the bargain when the time comes.”
The Earthwife’s smile was wide—and a little frightening, if I was being honest.
“I know you will, child,” she said. “I know you will.”