Genevieve's Tale: A Nutcracker Retelling

Chapter Six: The Elder Council

"You have your father's eyes and jawline."

Vi suddenly felt light headed. "I do? I didn't know that."

"You didn't? That's strange. Your father and I were close friends. I knew who you were as soon as I saw the same spark in your eyes as he did."

"My father was from here?"

"Not exactly, but he lived here for many years until he died."

Grandfather said that my father died when I was an infant, but why didn't he tell me that my father spent part of his life in a world with fairies, magic, and strange looking creatures.

The fairy stepped closer to the castle's front gates, but didn't attempt to open the door. Turning to face Vi again, he said, "When we go inside, you will be meeting the Elder Council. They will ask you a myriad of questions...considering the current circumstances. I advise you to comply with them. Some of them do not welcome visitors very well."

"Yes sir," she stated automatically.

"Don't call me sir. Call me...Felix. My actual name does not translate well into English."

"Then, thank you Felix."

"For what?"

"For being kind to me even though I am a stranger to this world."

Felix opened his mouth in astonishment before he pressed his lips tightly together. After a moment, he replied, "We shouldn't keep the council waiting any longer. They have been expecting you."

They've been expecting me?  They've been anticipating a foreigner in their land?

Vi clasped her hands in front of her as she followed Felix into a large room. In the middle of the room, there was a large circular hole about a foot deep. A group of elderly fairies, both male and female, were convening at the far end of the room, their heads bent together in private conversation. All of a sudden, Vi let out a sneeze, which sounded much louder than it was due to the stillness of the room. Everybody's eyes landed on her and Vi dropped into a curtsy while her face grew hot. "Pardon me," she said shyly.

The fairies glided over to her and stood in a straight line.

"Council, may I present to you, Lady Vi."

"Is this--" asked a fairy with gray hair pulled back into a tight bun; her eyes glistened as she took a couple of steps closer to Vi and Felix.

Felix nodded his head.

Some of the fairies had large smiles on their faces while others appeared skeptical.

"Vi. That's a rather unusual name," said a fairy with long silver-white hair.

"It is a nickname, Ma'am."

"Call me Silvia."

"Then what is your full name child?" asked the eldest fairy; his face and hands were wrinkled, but his eyes were bright and alert.

"Genevieve, sir."

Murmurs erupted between the council members. A fairy with rosy cheeks moved forward, so close that her nose almost touched Vi's.

Vi did her best not to squirm under the fairy's intense inspection of her face.

"She demonstrates the politeness and grace of a noble lady and such a pretty thing. I would even say that she is far lovelier than her mother," said the fairy with rosy cheeks; she pinched Vi's cheeks roughly before she stepped back into the line of fairies.