18. Emilia
Chapter 18
Emilia
S tanding on the balcony looking out over the cherry blossom grove, I finally have a moment alone. The light breeze will likely mess up the hair Sylphina spent way too long on, but it feels nice. I felt him before I heard him. The moment his strong hands touch my hips, a shiver runs down my spine, and I can feel his warm breath as he leans down to kiss my cheek. A swirl of emotion turns in my stomach. How does one tiny gesture make every nerve in my body fire simultaneously? My attraction to this man is all-consuming at times.
“You look beautiful, my flower.” Turning around, Timas has his hair half-pulled back and more intricate braids adorn it. His striking blue eyes rove over me, and I can’t help but do the same to him. His usual white and blue robes are gone, replaced with dark blue robes with silver accents. It matches my dress.
“We match!” I exclaim as he takes my hand and spins me around, watching the fabric of my dress flow.
“I may have asked the dressmaker what you chose and then requested a matching robe.” His playful grin makes me chuckle.
“That’s so cute!” He stops spinning me and squints his eyes.
“I am not cute! I am a terrifying King! The only acceptable compliments are strikingly handsome, unbearably gorgeous, or irresistibly attractive.” I am sure my cheeks are red by the end of his little spiel, but I’m still smiling despite it.
“Oh yes, so sorry, frightening King. You are, in fact, strikingly, unbearably, irresistibly attractive” I fan myself to emphasize my point, making him chuckle.
“Are you ready to go to the ball?” Though the nerves in my stomach say otherwise, I nod. Timas takes my hand and leads me out of my suite.
We find ourselves in front of another large set of ornate doors. The guards on either side stand quietly, waiting for their cue. Milori comes out of nowhere and stands close to Timas, but he is looking at me.
“Ah, you are absolutely beautiful, Emilia.” The same growl from the garden builds in Timas’ chest, making me smile. It must entertain Milori because he starts grinning like a child who found candy.
“It is a good thing I am in such a good mood, Milori, or I might have to ruin your nice new uniform.” Milori’s mouth drops open in mock horror before he gives a rebuttal.
“You ruined the last one! I’m starting to think you don’t want to be friends anymore.“ A very unattractive snort escapes me.
“You two sound like a pair of old women.”
“I’m obviously the good-looking one. He can be the grumpy one.” Milori turns to face the door while Timas rolls his eyes .
Timas looks at me and says, “You know, encouraging him only makes it worse.”
Biting the inside of my lip I try to restrain my growing smile.
“I like having Emilia around. Makes you a lot more fun.” Milori says to the door but I know he is talking to Timas. Timas turns to Milori at that and scowls in his direction.
“I’m fun!” The slightly raised shout doesn't really help his case but he is so cute when he gets teased.
“Sure you are, friend.” He hits him on the shoulder and nods to the guards. Before Timas can say anything else, the doors open, and the ballroom comes into view. The room is immense. The ceiling is a series of domes covered in multi-coloured glass. A level surrounds a square-shaped dance floor that is sunken into the floor. Sheer fabric hangs from floating tables laden with candles and flowers. Vines grow up the walls and even sway from the ceiling. Curiously, little lights float in the air that blink off and on. Are those fireflies? No matter, it’s absolutely magical. The noise in the room quiets as Timas walks into it, and the hand I have wrapped around his arm tightens with anxiety as I take in the number of people filling the space.
“Spring Blessings! As we enjoy our last event of the week, I want to personally thank all the guests who were able to attend the spring festival. We are especially grateful to share our Fae traditions with those of the continent.” A polite clap goes up around the room, though the disdain for the humans from some of the Fae is not entirely hidden.”This time is for our people to start fresh after the cold months. Where new life begins, and new love is created! I am beyond pleased to announce, like some of you, I have found a bond–my spirit bond in fact. My darling Emilia is the light of my life, and I am happy to present her as my betrothed this evening! So let us dance to celebrate the fruitful year ahead of us. Enjoy!” The applause is far louder this time, and music starts to play, filling the space.
Many Fae people look at us with large smiles while others stare at me curiously. But the looks of the noble human women could cut like a knife. Their assessing gaze and jealous eyes make me nervous and slightly uneasy. On the far end, I catch sight of Lady Dahlia. I have seen her angry before, but she currently looks beyond enraged. Timas starts to walk in the direction of a tall, elegant woman who looks a bit intimidating. She is wearing a lovely green gown that fits her perfectly, and her sharp, hazel eyes take me in as we approach.
“Estola, I want you to meet Emilia, my spirit bond.” Not exactly sure about the customs, I bow slightly towards her. Timas looks shocked, but Estola smiles and takes my elbow, pulling me upright.
“No, no, dear, you are not to bow to others. They bow to you. You will be our Queen, after all.” I grimace inwardly at what should have been common knowledge. This is going to be a very, very long night. Timas pulls me closer to him and whispers in my ear.
“I’m sorry, my flower. I didn’t prepare you for this evening, did I?” He looks embarrassed by the encounter, but this is all new for both of us—we will be learning as we go along.
“It’s alright. I’m sorry about that,” Estola speaks up, breaking the moment between us. A welcome and probably wise interruption, seeing as we are in a room full of people.
“King Timas, why don’t you make the rounds while I speak with Emilia? Help her understand some of the ways of court.” Timas looks reluctant to leave, but he eventually nods his head and kisses me lightly on the lips.
“I trust Estola. I’ll be right back.” Slightly nervous about being left in the care of a stern-looking Fae woman, Timas goes off to socialize.
“I don’t think I have ever seen the King so happy before. It looks good on him.” I walk over to stand beside the table Estola is standing at while she flags down a server to bring me a drink.
“He makes me really happy.” Thankfully, my drink arrived quickly, and I took a long sip. The cool liquid soothed my dry throat.
“I suppose the first thing to say is that you do not need to bow to anyone;. You are to be bonded to the Day Court King, which makes you rather important.” I huffed at the comment. Important? Me?
“I see this will take you some time to get used to.”
“I’m no one special. I was raised in an Orc village and served in a human noble house–there is nothing important about me.”
“Ah, but you forget one thing. You are the King’s entire world, which, in turn, makes you significant to the Fae people. The Fae people love the King. He is good and honourable, though some say he is frightening.” Looking over at Timas, who is walking among the many attendants, his smile is restrained, which doesn’t suit him. He has never terrified me, but his imposing presence may frighten some.
“I’m out of my depth here. You said you could give me some helpful tips?”
“Of course.” She smiles kindly at me. “The first thing to know is that there are five council members. Myself, Raza’l- he’s rather grumpy, Zilor - he’s less grumpy, Aecus- more preoccupied with wine than politics, and Uldor – very old thinking but reasonable.” I try to keep track of the obviously important information on the council members
“The council members all come from noble houses, which elevates them above most. Some houses still hold to the idea that noble birth alone makes them superior to those of the lower class, but some of us are slowly changing that mentality. The Fae have a social hierarchy which many would love to see changed, while others believe it is not strict enough. Your best course of action in dealing with anyone is to see where they stand on those social issues and act accordingly. That is if you want to maintain the status quo. Part of me would love to see you ruffle some feathers.” She stops to wink at me while she assesses the room. I find myself overwhelmed by the intricacy of their noble society. Orcs also have a sense of hierarchy, but it is based on how well you fight, and with that conviction, anyone can rise to the top if they are strong enough. I don’t know how I feel about navigating the complexities of the Fae people .
“Either way, don’t bow to anyone. Tip your head in acknowledgement. We are a prideful race and respect those who demand respect. It’s our way, I suppose. I think you will be good for our people and especially for our King.” Before I can come up with a surely inadequate response, my former mistress, the illustrious Lady Dahlia, inserts herself into our conversation.
“I certainly didn’t expect to see my old Lady’s maid walking in attached to the King. What kind of favours did you have to give to get his attention? As I recall, you have never been that good at speaking with the opposite sex, and your appearance has always been subpar.” Lady Jules stands beside her with a smug look, but they don’t know who I really am. The last year of holding my tongue has been one of the most challenging feats I have ever endured, but I don’t need to hold my tongue any longer. Estola straightened beside me, sensing the tension between us. Instead of looking at me and assessing the truthfulness of Lady Dahlia’s claims, she zeroed in on the horrible excuse for a human and addresses her directly.
“Ah, Lady Dahlia, it is so good of you to be able to attend this evening. It is my understanding you have recently lost all your staff. It is a tragedy, really, because it is clear you can barely dress yourself. I am sure I can ask some stable hands to attend to you if you need.” Her face turns beat red, her anger growing. Instead of addressing Estola, she turns her fury on me.
“How dare you show up here dressed like that! I brought you to this dismal place; Without that, you wouldn’t have been able to persuade the King to even notice you. I gave you a job! You owe me, you ungrateful swine!” Her voice has risen, drawing the attention of the nearby guests. Insulting the people she is staying with is not a good idea, but insulting people with powers is an even worse idea, and part of me hopes someone will blow her up.
“Your Father hired me, not you. You have no power there or here. I am not ashamed of my past. It has made me who I am today, and there is nothing you can say to make me feel embarrassed by it. My suggestion, Lady Dahlia, is to acquire some of the manners you seem to be demanding of me and not insult the entire race of people you are currently in the presence of.”
That stops her rant quickly as she turns around to take in the hateful stares from the Fae people. Suddenly, the floor shakes, and Lady Dahlia’s face pales. His presence is powerful as he approaches me, radiating warmth. Looking up at Timas, I see his eyes starting to crackle with the power that lives inside of him. I sometimes forget how magnificent he is.
“You humans are ungrateful cretins! How dare you insult my spirit bond! You have no respect for the Fae people or our culture, which is a greater crime than most among our people.” His voice causes the pictures on the wall to shake, and even the window panes tremble from his voice. Lady Dahlia has quickly stepped away from us and is cowering behind Lady Jules. Many around us fear Timas, but more than a few angrily stare at Lady Dahlia. The anger coursing through Timas seems to radiate off his body, and I’m afraid he will break something if he doesn’t calm down. Stepping in front of Timas, I reach up and bring his face down to look at me. His eyes have nearly gone black, with streaks of lightning crossing them; it takes my breath away how terrifying and powerful it is. Slowly, I place my hand along his cheek, trying to bring him back to me.
“Hey, hey. I’m alright. She’s pathetic and only seeking attention–we don’t need to give it to her.” Taking in deep breaths, he finally starts to relax, his eyes returning to their beautiful blue. “Hi there, handsome.” He gives me a small, quick smile, leaning down to kiss me swiftly. But he returns his attention to the woman who has made my last year nearly intolerable.
“You are no longer welcome here. Your blatant disrespect for the future Queen is unacceptable. I will inform the High King that one of his noble houses has brought shame to his kingdom. Guards, escort this woman out of the room and off this island.”
A gasp escapes Lady Dahlia as two imposing Fae guards grab her. She struggles and pleads for forgiveness as she is removed from the room, but no one listens to her. Even Lady Jules ignores her pleas and fades into the crowd, thoroughly embarrassed to be associated with her. Timas turns his attention to the crowded room.
“I will make myself clear. Emilia is to be respected at all times. If I so much as hear a whisper against her, it is not her you will deal with, but me. Now, let us not allow such insolence to ruin the celebration. Let’s dance.” The noise of the event slowly increases, and people start to dance once again. Timas has wrapped his arms around me–tightly, I think—reassuring himself that I am here.
“Are you alright, my flower?” He looks at me with such devotion. How can you not fall for someone who looks at you like you are their very reason for breathing?
“I’m fine. I thought I was handling her well.” Smiling up at him, mesmerized by his very presence.
“You were doing amazing, my darling, but I will not have anyone insult the future Queen of the Day Court, let alone my future bonded.”
“Funny, that. You pretty much told everyone we were bonded. You also called all humans ‘ungrateful cretins.’ You do recall I’m human, right?.“ Laughing at his obvious embarrassment, he leans his forehead against mine letting out a defeated exhale.
“I am sorry, my flower. I did not intend to be so thoughtless with my words. You are not ungrateful, and if I had my way, we would have already had the bonding ceremony. So in the interim, that was my subconscious surfacing with its desires.” I lean up and place a chaste kiss on his lips. “I know. Thank you for defending me. Thank you for caring enough to defend me.”
“Always. Now, let’s not let her idiocy ruin a beautiful ball. Come, let’s dance. Tomorrow we will go to the continent. I am sure it will be long and tiresome, so let us enjoy tonight.”
And that’s exactly what Timas did. He danced with me the entire night, hardly sparing a glance at anyone else. I became his entire world, and by the end of the night, I know that I am falling in love with the Fae King.