A Carnival Row short story✔️ Miss Green

Madonna-Lyne Green

3 AM

In the warmth of the night, the clapping hooves of a Fauns'herd woke me up. Did you ever noticed that a couple of Fauns'steps does not sound like a horse? It may be a little more subtle with a horde, but I can tell the difference. The hitting of the horseshoes against the pavement sounds much more regular among fauns, like a 2-count rhythm whereas a horse or even a Mesogeo Centaur's gallop sounds like a three-beat move. A goat smell reached my nostrils: the Fauns were just riding close to the building. Then the heavy noise of pouring rain disrupted the rhythm. A lightning bolt lit up the room and the thunder slammed. I got up to close the window just in time to notice the soaked herd running away. So here I am again writing to you in the middle of the night with a candle as a sole companion.

78 days since you've been away. The Burgue seems darker without you. Most Fae no longer dare to go out at night. Did you know that a serial murderer is roaming the neighborhood? Sometimes I wonder if I should get back to Ignota, but it is so far away... At least, when you were here, I felt secure and your love filled me up. I know it was hard for you to live here but why did you have to go? Now... Arghh.. If only you knew all that happened since you left.

Just yesterday again.

Remember the beautiful burgundy floral ball gown you offered me for Christmas? I was wearing it yesterday. It suits so much my greenish complexion. With a bit of powder, I really look human. I was wearing the brace you had specially made to hide my green wings. I put on my long white gloves and my grey tights to hide the twigs that serve as my legs but my love, I am so skinny now that the tights almost fell. So I had to adjust the garter belt to make sure they stick in place. Oh my darling ... (sighs). Then, on my dark wig I chose to put the black equestrienne hat you had bought me when we went to see your parents the first time. Nobody could notice my small antennae and the red veil perfectly enhanced my complexion and my deep green eyes. Then I added the final touch: the perfume you brought me back from Witchveldt. It is amazing, darling. It really does the trick.

A bit before 7, I head out to the theatre. Your friend Alistair, the one who knows the detective Philostrate, he had invited me last week to see that new play in Finistere Crossing to cheer me up. He was already there when I arrived. Portly, he couldn't close his black jacket, but he was absolutely charming.

- "Miss Green, please, take my arm," he offered me with a genuine smile taking shape on his face as we were about to climb the theatre's stairs.

- "Thank you Alistair, but please call me Mady," I insisted.

- "You look absolutely fabulous", he whispered in my ear. The scent of his own perfume pleasantly passed through my face.

- "Oh, thank you Alistair. This is very kind of you."

We exchanged some polite banalities during the show. Alistair was gracious. But the play was very classical, a bit boring I must admit. It is too bad they don't allow all species on stage. I can tell it would have been a lot more fun should they have included Fauns, Pucks, Faeries, Kobolds or even those giant Trows... I mean what can you expect of a play without horns and wings? The Hardtackers have won another battle.

After the play, Alistair offered me a lift. Who could have guessed?

- "Let me ride you home, those streets aren't safe anymore with all those immigrants. I don't even understand why you didn't want me to pick you up in the first place."

I replied that I wanted to walk at daylight. That was a bit true. He can't know where I live, you understand. But when we got out at 9:30, it was dark already. No woman of quality would have walked alone by night. Thus, I accepted.

A Puck opened us the door of the coach. Poor creature, it would not even raise its head and look at us. I am quite sure though it smelt I was no human. At least, Alistair seemed to tolerate the proximity of Fae. He would not move an inch or wrinkle his nose despite the proximity of the Puck nor its skunk smell. At least, I, can really impersonate a true lady.

Inside the carriage, Alistair sat in front of me. The carriage moved forward along the high-end streets of Finistere Crossing for a while and then entered the cut-throat streets of Gloamingside. He was observing me, carefully. From where I was, behind his industrial perfume, I could smell his human skin. Different from yours. Sweeter.

After a moment, he stood up and came to sit on the same bench as me. Then he took one of my hands and stared at me:

—"Your eyes shine as bright as an emerald" he complimented me, a bit moved. Then he started touching my chest, slowly with his fingers like you used to. I was lost, you see ... he's a member of the Commonwealth party after all. I did not expect this.

His face went closer to mine. His scent. Oh gosh... I had to keep my distance, so I stuck myself to the window. But he got closer to me. Oh Darling, what could I do alone in the streets of Gloamingside?

He started touching my back, slowly. I was shaking. He found the opening at the back of the dress. I was petrified. How was I supposed to react? Was he going to hurt me?

He slowly removed the laces from my corset until my wings opened wide in the carriage.

All my muscles froze but my wings were wriggling of having regained their freedom.

His eyes shone with excitement.

—"You are a faerie, aren't you?" All his face lit up with desire. That is when I realized that he had long suspected I was no human. Had you told him?

He asked the rattle to leave us at the corner of the alley. Despite the Puck's warnings telling him that the neighborhood was not safe, he made it stop and asked it away. So here I was with him alone inside the coach. Outside, once the steps of the rattle faded away, only the silence of the night could be heard. No soul seemed to live around but a strange howl resounded once in a while, probably coming from a werewolf.

At a leisurely pace, he let his hand tightening my long neck. His face came dangerously close to mine and suddenly his lips landed on mine. He laid me down on the bench, his hands then exploring everywhere. What could I do?

I took his top hat off and started to kiss him back. You need to understand, darling, I did not have the choice! Then I warped my legs around his body. He did not realize at first. He was kissing my neck when my wig accidentally fell. When his gaze stopped on my bald green head and my flared triangular forehead, he straightened up sharply. Fear had replaced excitement. The problem you see, is that fear conversely excites me.

- "You aren't a faerie..." he suddenly had trouble articulating.

This is the exact moment when I let my spikes got out. He tried to escape but I pinned him in place and devoured his cervical lymph nodes. I was so hungry you know and he tasted so good!

After a while, I flew away to the corner of the street and walked in the shadows. You know I can't fly very well. I reached the park and found the clothes I always keep at my secret place, when the bell stroke one. I put on the black and sober dress, the headdress and the white-collar. I adjusted the wig and my gloves, and smoothened out the folds of my dress so that it would not appear wrinkled.

Then I entered the Martyrite convent and began to pray. I am no faerie, but you already knew.

#CarnivalRow