Heir of Spring

Asta's Return

3 months later

Asta couldn't help grinning delightedly as she walked through the rich green forests of Spring. Three faeries followed her closely, two of which uncharacteristically quiet. Somehow everything was different, and yet the same. The trees around the group hadn't changed, the dirt underfoot still springy and green, but Asta supposed something within herself had been altered, her perspective and attitude affected by her time away.

She spied the edge of the forest a few hundred metres away.

"There!" Their pace quickened, all eager to find the city of Spring. They had actually meant to winnow directly to the town, but Winnie's abilities were still developing, and their trajectory had been slightly miscalculated.

They quickly emerged onto the outskirts of the town. Asta navigated the narrow bustling streets, smiling and waving when she was recognised. She headed towards the townhouse she'd left Tamlin in months ago. The door was open, letting in the cool breeze sweeping down the road. Window boxes brimming with slightly droopy red primroses decorated the front of the house, and a narrow gravel path led the group into the open hallway. As Asta walked past, the flowers perked up, and the vibrant petals unfurled.

"Tamlin?" Asta called cautiously. She and her new friends loitered uncomfortably by the open door, wondering whether the High Lord was home or not. Before they could decide, a deafening yell pierced through the streets.

"Asta!!" Asta barely had time to register the lithe body attaching itself onto her back. "Cauldron, I've missed you!" Braelynn squeezed Asta tightly. "Tamlin is terrible company compared to you."

"Watch it." A half-hearted reprimand came from behind the hugging females. Asta detached herself from the embrace and turned to the figure standing in the front garden.

"Dad." Asta breathed. She embraced Tamlin tightly. "I've missed you." He pulled back and smiled.

"Me too." He turned to Asta's companions. "So. Are you going to introduce us?" Asta nodded.

"This is Winnie and Elovi." They took turns to shake Tamlin's hand. "They are healers from Siva's Temple." Tamlin nodded in greeting. "And this is Aiden." Aiden was distracted, staring, almost entranced, as Braelynn messed around with her knives. "Aiden?" He shook his head slightly, and his eyes cleared.

"Hello. Lovely to meet you." He shook Tamlin's hand enthusiastically.

"You all know who this is," Asta gestured at Tamlin. "And this is my best friend, Braelynn." She pointed in the direction of Braelynn, who was leaning against the garden wall, tossing a dagger from hand to hand. Braelynn grinned wickedly at Aiden, who was, yet again, watching her with a kind of childish wonder.

"Braelynn, could you show our guests to their new residences? We can reconvene later." Tamlin looked at Asta. "There is something I want to talk to you about."

Braelynn nodded and escorted the newcomers out of the front garden. Tamlin sighed.

"Let's go inside."

***

"So. What did you want to talk about?" Asta lounged in one of the wooden chairs positioned around the dining table. "If it's about the healers, I-"

"No, it's not that." Tamlin chuckled as he slid into the chair opposite. "The opposite." He ran a hand through his long straw-like hair - a sure sign this was something serious. 

"Ever since I met you, you have been part of this court. Not just part- the centre of this court. You represent everything I wish this court stood for. Strength, bravery, kindness- and with me leading this place," he gestured around the room, "the Spring Court can never represent these values." He leaned forward, holding Asta's gaze. He smiled. "But you. You deserve this." He waved a hand at himself, at the golden waves of power constantly emanating off him. "I never asked to be a High Lord," He shook his head incredulously. "I never wanted to. But that's the way the world works." He shrugged. Asta watched his whole speech, eyes wide and mouth dropped.

"What are you saying?" Asta whispered. He took her hand in his and squeezed.

"If you want it, I will crown you High Lady of the Spring Court."

"What? How would that work? I thought a High Lord must die to pass on his crown."

Tamlin grinned. "First lesson of being High Lady. You make the rules."

Asta started to smile too, before shaking her head and jumping to her feet.

"What are you thinking? I can't lead!" She started to pace. "I'm not your biological heir! I'm not even High Fae!" She scoffed deliriously.

"You are what this court needs. It doesn't matter about your roots. You of all people should know that. I mean, I leave you in another court for a few months and you come back with a whole medical system. Everyone loves you-" Tamlin stood and faced his daughter. "I messed everything up. The Spring Court needs a clean slate. And that clean slate is you."

Asta pulled Tamlin in for a hug, sniffing back the tears. "I can't believe this is happening."

"Is that a yes?" He asked, awkwardly patting her on the back. Asta snorted and nodded, wiping away a few tears that escaped. Tamlin pulled back and bowed deeply. "Then congratulations to Asta, our new High Lady of Spring." 

***

It took a while for Asta to become accustomed to her newfound power. Tamlin's golden aura now encircled her, leaving him looking slightly frailer but much less tired. 

Asta had inherited Tamlin's strength and could now shapeshift into a sprightly reddish wolf, but her existing powers were also strongly amplified, to the point where the new High Lady could barely control it. Sometimes when she was distracted small plants and flowers would force their way above ground, shifting cobbles and wooden planks without Asta sparing it a thought. 

These powers were put to good use though. Asta explained to her people that she would create a place where anyone in need could visit, could talk to her and stay as long as they need. With that said, she turned around to face the empty clearing in the forest, only a few feet from the newly named city of Gwenwyn, named after Tamlin's mother. Asta took a deep breath, and the ground started to tremble. 

The citizens of the Spring Court watched, amazed, as thick tree trunks shot up from the ground all around them. They grew tall enough to overlook acres of land, and then endless vines began to sprout high above them. There were so many that soon enough Asta and her subjects found themselves underneath a breath-taking canopy of living plants. Asta peered around critically. She waved a hand, and rope ladders made of vines unfurled from the canopy. Another gesture of the hand had branches extending from the trees, connecting from across the room and creating ledges wide enough for two faeries to walk across together.

Asta turned to Braelynn, whose head was tilted up to the ceiling, mouth slightly open in awe. 

"We can sort out hammocks later," Asta confided. Braelynn nodded slightly. 

"Wait." Tamlin appeared at Asta's other side. "This is your palace, right?" 

"I suppose." Asta grinned, not quite believing what was happening. "I have a palace."

Tamlin nudged his High Lady. "A palace needs a throne." 

Asta approached the higher ground in the centre of her creation. Her magic was slightly drained, but she enjoyed the feeling of not having that constant pressure building inside her chest as she flicked a hand and more vines emerged from the dirt, rapidly forming a chair. Small colourful flowers adorned the throne, all the delicate petals facing Asta. 

As she lowered herself into the chair, the palace went silent. Asta tutted and craned her neck to face the back, adjusting it to fit her wings. When she turned back, Asta froze. 

Braelynn smiled at her as she bowed down. Everyone, all the people assembled in the palace and outside of it, followed suit until the only person left upright was Asta's father. He subtly wiped away a tear and fell into a sweeping bow.