War of Winter (Iron Fey Fanfiction)

Chapter 18 - The Locket

Winter was preparing for war. They would travel to the forests circling the perimeter of the Reaping Fields and make camp there until the day of the first battle. Sidhe heaved packs of food, weapons, clothes, and other supplies onto the backs of huge war horses with blazing blue eyes.

   Crystal stood polishing one of her daggers - a rather fancy one at that â€" as she leaned against a frosty tree near the courtyard. She watched as Snowberry (why the daffodil was marching off to war in the first place was beyond Crystal's comprehension) made an effort to heft a heavy looking pack onto the back of a tall gray mare.

   Amusingly, Prince Ash strode by and glanced at her as the pack won the battle and fell to the ground, almost pulling Snowberry with it. She looked at the prince sheepishly and Crystal smirked as she witnessed the faery's cheeks turn rosy. Disappointingly, Ash sighed and lifted the pack onto the horse's back without any problems.

   Well, they did need all the supplies, and Snowberry certainly wasn't getting anywhere with them.

   Crystal spotted Rowan approaching her with two Thornguards following close behind. He had a bit of a limp and was fighting to hide a wince. It had only been a day or so since he'd been attacked.

   Instead of meeting his blue gaze, she simply pretended not to see him and turned away, walking over to where Blackbird was saddled and bridled. He snorted at her arrival and nudged her with his nose.

   "Sorry, no snacks this time," she told him. "Although..." she paused and glanced at Rowan, who had changed to entertaining himself with (cringe) Narissa. Why she was also marching off to war was beyond Crystal.

   "Crystal, dear," the voice of her mother startled her and she jumped slightly.

   "What? Yes, I'm here," she sputtered, distracted.

   "Goodness, daughter, you must not be unaware! We are in a time of war and you are drooling over Winter Princes! Come down to earth will you?" her mother snapped, smacking Crystal with a roll of parchment. Probably the inventory list.

   Crystal blinked and shook herself, sighing. "Yes, I understand, Mother," she said through clenched teeth.

   The Duchess's voice and expression changed to that of devious intent and she smirked, her eyes glinting. "Although it looked a moment ago as if you wanted to murder him," she observed.

   Crystal blinked again. "I don't know what you're talking about," she replied.

   The Duchess laughed and shook her head. "I told you not to get involved with them - him especially." She smiled and raised an eyebrow at her daughter. It was the first time Crystal noticed that her mother was in pants and fighting leathers instead of a gaudy dress.

   "I'm...sorry," was all she could manage. She glanced at her mother's attire, astounded to see her this way. The last time the Duchess marched off to war to aid Winter was when Crystal was just a baby. She'd never seen her in battle attire until now.

   "Ah, I have something for you," her mother said, noting her daughter's eyes. She reached into her collar and produced a small silver locket, about the size of Crystal's smallest fingernail. "This was your father's. He always wore it in battle when he aided the Queen. It protected him. It is induced with powerful magic that must not be underestimated.

   She clipped the pendant around Crystal's neck and tucked it below her collar. "Here, keep it for now." She smiled a sad smile and ran a thumb along her daughter's cold cheek. "You might need it."

   Crystal frowned. She'd been in war and other battles before; she knew how dangerous it was. But, her mother had never given this locket to her in the past when she'd been sent off to war. And after her father was killed...

   "After your father died, I couldn't set foot on the battlefield again," her mother told her quietly. "Always, he wore the locket, but on the last day of the battle with Summer, he removed it and gave it to me, saying that I would need it." She hesitated and glanced down at her hands, her face a mask of minor confusion. She quickly swiped away a stray tear that threatened to spill over.

   "Little did I know he was a Seer. He foresaw that the battle was going to be bloodier than the previous and gave me the locket. He sacrificed himself for me. And for you, Crystal," the Duchess continued. She swallowed. "Your father loved you deeply, dear. Know that."

   Crystal watched as her mother smiled again and turned away, heading over to where her horse was waiting for her next to the Queen's white stallion. She frowned. Her mother was an interesting individual. Usually, she would not show that much devotion to her in a public setting. She supposed that since they were going off to fight for Winter that keeping emotions in check didn't really matter until the battlefield.

   Crystal shook herself once more and turned to swing up into the saddle. They would be heading out soon. She couldn't stop thinking about what her mother said, about her father being a Seer. She'd never heard much about him as a child; her mother claimed it was a touchy subject. Still, she couldn't push it out of her mind. And, furthermore, she couldn't keep the chills from running down her spine when she spotted Mab watching her with deep, morbid black eyes.