The Wildness Within

Two Kings 2

The Raven Prince neatened a cloak that resisted neatening, then struck off down the golden paving, both of their boots clicking heavily on the bricks. Around them, tall and stately oak trees, ancient in power and wisdom, radiating an essential sense of goodness and something that was generously natured. The whole effect was of warmth and welcoming, which was somewhat ironic, given that the Oak King's Court was one of the most intolerant towards Unseelie fae, of any of the Seelie Courts.

As they walked down, fae watched them from either side of the road. Fae that needed to live closely to the King, who were attached to the oaks themselves, who enjoyed the landscape, who were also visiting. Diminutive fairies with their tiny moth and butterfly and dragonfly wings flitted from tree to tree, keeping pace with them. Deeper in the warm and friendly shadows, a heavy, lumbering bear-type creature with spiralling horns upon its head groaned a sound that could have been a warning or a greeting.

They made their way down the road, which widened until it could fit at least twenty horse-drawn carriages side by side. In front of them a golden wrought-iron gate, and set into the middle of it, a wooden round that was polished and gleaming, the knotwork representing the Oak King – an oak tree with a crown in the canopy – carved in a delicate hand. Augus wondered just how many spells and charms rested upon it, adding further protection to those who lived within.

The Raven Prince said nothing, didn't stop until he was three paces away from those who guarded the gates. They were great soldiers, one wearing the golden-brown wings of a gryphon in human form, eyes gleaming raptor yellow at them, his hair a crest of feathers. He held a huge spear that towered another five feet above him, and by his side hung a shield in the shape of a diamond. Beside him, another fae who had a sword hanging at his side, covered all over in white fur with lamb-like eyes watching them. For all that he looked soft and approachable, he was a trusted warrior to be guarding the gates like this.

Not that any Unseelie could enter the Seelie Court without the Seelie King's permission. But still, appearances counted for something.

'Your Majesty,' the gryphon said with a deep, ringing voice. 'I shall alert the Oak King, our magnificent Seelie monarch, to your presence. If you would but abide here, and I will see you and your guest escorted within as soon as I am able.'

The Raven Prince inclined his head, his expression impassive. In that moment, despite his slender form, despite the fact that the gryphon-soldier was taller than he was, he seemed every inch a powerful King. Augus couldn't explain it, wondered how much of it was the Raven Prince's glamour.

But as he watched the gryphon-soldier move within the bounds of the Seelie Court, he took a deep breath and felt something very like pride, that he was Unseelie, and represented by this King.

Augus didn't say anything at all. He knew enough to know that he would follow the Raven Prince's lead in everything. So he stayed quiet, and two paces behind his King, as they were escorted within the palace grounds.

As soon as he went beyond the giant gate, he felt a strange, unpleasant sensation fall over him, the kind of itch that would be painful as soon as fingers were laid upon it. He looked around, vexed, and then remembered belatedly that the Seelie Court was innately unwelcoming towards Unseelie fae, just as the Unseelie Court was the same towards Seelie fae. It wouldn't do any harm, especially with short-term exposure, it was just a constant reminder that Augus didn't belong here, that it wasn't his world. He wondered if the Raven Prince felt it too, how he managed not to squirm beneath the weight of knowing he was in the very heart of what the Seelie considered their beacon of hope.

They were led down another golden road into a giant throne room columned with oaks and marble alike, trees reaching up to create a broken canopy that allowed the sun to pour itself in through shafts of light where it was able. Where it fell, the white marble of the throne room itself blazed brightly. All around, fae in finery mingled. Here were the Courtiers of the Seelie Court then, the Court families, the ones who vied for attention, wished for the positive favour of the King, made business deals here and were merchants or Mages or makers of war. They all knew the Raven Prince, and they turned to watch him with curious or awed or knowing or even disdainful eyes. They each wore what was considered fashion for their people, which was everything from sheer transparent dresses, to the jingling nonsense of the ellyllon, the elven folk who wore their economy on every part of their body and decorated themselves with bells to boot.