12. The Stolen Bride
Iwoke in moonlight with aching muscles and a throbbing headache. Perhaps, I was coming down with something. I turned my head to the cool side of the pillow and felt something hard press into my cheek. I raised my head and discovered the offending object, the pearls embroidered into my duvet.
Wait. I didn’t have pearls on my duvet. I blinked and took in my surroundings. Where was I? Even in the dim lighting, I knew this was not my bedroom. In the corner, soft lavender blossoms erupted from a shimmering sea glass floor and emitted an intoxicating scent. The posts of my bed were made of golden, twisting vine, curving upward to form a canopy of the smallest, brightest green leaves.
Then it all came back to me. I was in the fae realm. I was a stolen bride. My stomach dropped like an anchor, and panic rose in my chest.
What was I doing sleeping? I had to get out of here. Now.
My frantic gaze landed on a large set of windows. A warm ocean breeze drifted in and out like the tides. What would stop intruders from entering or stolen brides from exiting? I stepped closer and looked downward. The ground was many stories below.
I assumed there were wards I couldn’t see with my weak human eyes. But… perhaps there were not. After all, who would care if a mere mortal tumbled to her death on the rocks? Certainly not my groom who had dumped me at the entrance.
If he cared so little about my presence, perhaps I could simply exit through the main doors. I hurried to my bedroom door and turned the knob. Outside, the halls, the rooms, and even the entry appeared to be deserted. The sound of my footfalls echoed, making me feel like an ogre patrolling a stolen castle.
I was suddenly suspicious. Why were there so few staff attending the king? Was this common for fae, or did he prefer to remain isolated and undisturbed? Perhaps he traveled frequently? Perhaps he had given them a holiday?
I shook my head. I didn’t care about him or his staff. I had found the exit. There was no one to stop me from running out the large oak doors.
This was my chance for escape.
I wondered, brazenly, if I had time to find my stolen sister, too. How many hours did I have until daybreak?
I stormed toward the door, placed my hand upon the latch, and was ready to throw the doors open. Then, my heart began to hammer against my rib cage. I couldn’t catch my breath. I was running out of air. It felt as if I had been running for miles.
I feared I would vomit.
I feared I would die.
What was happening?
Then I realized this had happened before in my very own dining room. The bargain would not allow me to walk away so easily. It would rather kill me.
I will not break our bargain, I thought desperately. At once, everything eased. I leaned over with my hands on my knees, taking sharp, ragged breaths.
I will not break our bargain.
I will not break our bargain.
I turned the words over and over in my mind until my breathing returned to normal.
If I did, I would die.
There was more. If I did not uphold my end of our bargain, the king would not be bound by his. Maggie and father would be in grave danger.
My internal rebellion flickered out at once. I would stay and marry him, but I vowed to never love him. As I thought it, a deep sadness washed over me. Ours would be a cruel, loveless marriage. One of tricks and deceit.
I had known I was destined for an arranged marriage, but somehow I had still hoped for something more. That hope was snuffed out like a candle.
I returned to my bedroom.
When I woke again, the sun was well along its path across the sky. An ocean breeze blew in and gently tugged at the tendrils of my hair. I lay in a tangle of silk sheets, covered by a crumpled duvet.
As I looked up at the twisting vines that were the posts of my bed, my eyes filled with tears. I thought of my father and the cruel sapling that almost took his life. No matter how beautiful, I could not allow myself to be taken in by the curiosities and charms of this new world… or my dangerous host.
”Ah, mistress is up,” a high-pitched voice greeted me.
I looked around but saw no one. Was the lady invisible, or was there another frog hopping around, making cruel bargains?
There was a tug at the corner of my sheets. I glanced down and saw a small brown rabbit with a pink twitching nose. ”I am called Rosie, mistress. I am to be your lady’s maid.”
Stars above, a talking rabbit. Would these mad wonders never cease? The last thing I wanted was another fae oddity nearby, especially one so absurdly cute. She reminded me of the swamp rabbits I had kept as a little girl.
Perhaps, that was the reason for her form. If I befriended the creature, she would report on me to the king. I should turn her away. I didn’t need a spy in my chambers, even one with such an adorable nose. So, in my most regal, clipped tone, I said, ”I have not asked for a lady’s maid.”
She bowed. ”One does not have to ask when one is to be queen. I am here to serve. I am half human, so I may be familiar with some of your customs.”
I could hardly believe the King of the Isle had sent a half-fae to ensure my comfort. The same man who unceremoniously dumped me in the entry last night and bound me to him by pains of death. He must have an ulterior motive.
”Can you lie?” I asked, narrowing my eyes.
”Only with scorching pain,” Rosie replied, her whiskers twitching frantically.
”Good,” I said coldly. ”I don’t like liars or bargainers.” I may as well have told her I didn’t like fae. Even without the ability to lie, they were all natural born deceivers.
She said nothing in reply. Instead, standing on her hind legs, she placed a small tray on the edge of my bed. ”Drink this. You’ll feel better.”
”What makes you think I’m unwell?” I asked, frowning down at her.
”You said so, mistress. You talk in your sleep.”
Drat. That could be a real problem.
I eyed the steaming teacup warily. I had been warned never to drink or eat anything from the fae realm. But with each beat of my heart, my head throbbed in time. I was already in the fae realm. I was betrothed to a fae. A little tea could hardly make things any worse.
I tentatively took a sip. I didn’t feel the acrid sting of poison; instead, I tasted peach, sweet and tangy. I let out a small sigh of relief.
As I sipped my tea in bed, Rosie drew vines away from my windows as if opening curtains. More sunlight streamed in, and she took a good look at me. Or at least that’s what it seemed like she was doing. She was a bunny, after all. I wasn’t exactly skilled at reading her expressions.
She hopped onto the bed next to me, stood on her hind legs and sniffed the air.
Suddenly, I felt horribly self-conscious. How long had it been since my last bath or change of clothes? I probably looked like a drowned rat and smelled like one, too.
She pointed me toward a bathroom nearby.
When I returned, I found a gown and underthings laid out for me. However, my lady’s maid was nowhere to be seen. How did she expect me to get in the garment on my own?
I moved forward to inspect it, and it became clear. This gown was in the style of the fae–scantily few undergarments and no corset laces whatsoever. My dirty clothes had vanished. So, I had no other choice. I pulled on the loose-fitted stay and then the gown itself.
I winced as I looked myself over in the mirror. The gown was a soft sea-foam green linen that nearly matched my ocean eyes. Rows upon rows of tiny pearls had been woven into the bodice and threads of what I believed might be real gold. It was a work of art, but none of that made me feel less exposed. The hemline ended mid-calf, and the neckline showed the tops of my breasts. There was very little shaping or volume, so the natural curves of my body were amply displayed. At home, this dress would have been considered lewd. Here, I suspected it was modest.
Moments later, Rosie returned. ”You’ve missed breakfast, but if it is convenient, mistress, lunch is being served.”
I nodded and allowed her to lead me to the dining room. The table was laden with food served in large shells. Instead of candlesticks and linens, the table was adorned with the treasures of the sea—coral, glittering algae, and pearls.
The strangest part, however, was that only one person sat at the table, and it was not the king. I turned to ask Rosie the meaning of this, but she had already gone.
So, I turned to the man instead. All of my defenses were up. ”Who are you?” I asked through gritted teeth. ”Where is the king?”
”Oh,” he said, taking notice of me and giving me a sincere smile. He quickly stood and bowed. ”You can call me Harry. I’m the king’s right hand man.”
He was a handsome young man with silvery blue eyes and warm brown hair that curled a bit at the ends. Every part of him was neatly polished. He was the portrait of civility. Even my own father would have hired him.
If it weren’t for the slight point of his ears.
Still, I had a suspicion he was not wholly fae. His ears were too curved, and his height was closer to average. But there was something more. Something intangible. Like the way you can read kindness on a face. Something primal.
He returned to his seat and began to heartily dig into his lunch.
”And the king?” I asked again. ”Where is he?” I wondered briefly if he was hiding somewhere in his frog form. It must be nice to be able to shift at will.
”He rarely attends breakfast or lunch,” Harry replied over a bite of toast.
”A night owl then?” I asked.
”You could say that,” he replied in their cryptic way.
”You would think he could manage an appearance after dragging a woman through mortal peril,” I grumbled.
He gave a short, sudden laugh and covered his mouth just in time to prevent him from spewing half-chewed toast in her face. ”Quite.”
A few moments of silence passed between us.
Finally, I asked tentatively, ”Are there other humans here?”
”Other humans?” Harry echoed, cocking his head to the side in confusion.
I knew I was pressing my luck. Anything I said could get back the Fae King, and if he knew I was seeking my sister, he would likely be suspicious. ”You know,” I said with a shrug. ”Other stolen brides perhaps?
”Hmm,” he said, regarding me carefully. ”There are very few humans and even fewer that you would wish to meet.”
I nodded, and silence lapsed once more between us. I took the opportunity to pick at the food on my plate. To my surprise, it was quite good. In fact, once I had taken my first bite, I ate like a farmhand.
Harry cleared his plate and looked over at me. ”If you have any requests, please feel free to ask. Forrest would want it that way.”
”Forrest?” I asked.
”Your betrothed,” he said.
I felt a hot blush creeping up my cheeks. I didn’t even know the name of my own betrothed. In fact, I still didn’t. The fae rarely gave out their true names.
I shook it off and asked my most pressing question. ”Am I confined to my room?”
He frowned. ”Of course not. You are betrothed to the king.”
”I haven’t exactly received a royal welcome.”
He bowed his head. ”My apologies.”
I rolled my eyes. ”It’s certainly not your fault.”
”You have free reign over every nook and cranny of the castle and isle itself. However, if you wish to explore during the day, I beg you to allow me to escort you. The palace halls are not always friendly. A king always has enemies.”
I sensed his offer was sincere, so I tried not to roll my eyes at his sage advice. ”I’m the daughter of a king, and I’ve been warned about the fae realm since infancy. I understand the dangers, thank you.”
He bowed his head again. ”I can see I’ve offended you.”
I wondered how many of Forrest’s tasks Harry fulfilled. My father would have never tasked his man servant with entertaining and escorting his newly betrothed while he slept the day away.
The marks against Forrest just kept adding up. First, he was fae. Now, he was lazy. I only hoped that would be the end of his vices.
The following day, I did not see the king at breakfast, lunch, or dinner. I did not see or hear his movements within his chambers either. I’m not ashamed to admit I held my ear to the door.
Had he brought me here to wander around empty rooms? Had he forgotten he stole a bride?
The following evening, dinner was served on the terrace. The Fae King arrived, and he looked like hell–bags under his eyes, sickly green skin, even his ridiculous wings hung limp.
I almost felt concerned for him. Had the trip made him unwell?
His expression was almost hollow. There was more than fatigue there.
Until he caught me watching him. Then he transformed. Once again, I stared at the beautiful shell of my charming fae suitor. He swept across the room and took my hand and pressed a kiss across the top. ”Good evening, my beautiful bride.”
My concern vanished. I was a prisoner. Not a bride.