Faetality |✓|

Chapter Twelve, Part Four - Deadly Confessions

"One night, in the castle that used to be hers, your mother, Tierney, was attacked. She was forced to defend herself against someone wieldin' a Blade of Woe. I was her Knight... and I didn't get there in time to save her." As he paused he looked down, loosened his grip, and then let go entirely. "She died in my arms, just before the castle guards had me thrown in the dungeons. And I wouldeh died had it not been fer your ma's brother –"

"Oberon," I whispered. He nodded.

"He rescued me from the castle and told me that Tierney's daughter was in danger. He knew I was from the Human Realm and he said he'd help me escape there if I promised to take her with me. So I did. I made it to the Human Realm and because I knew Titania would never stop until she'd hunted me down, I left the girl with a family that promised to take care of her. And they did."

"So... Oberon knew you were innocent?" I asked, wiping my face. "Then why didn't he tell Titania? Why didn't he stop her from sending their sister after you?"

"Because for centuries, Oberon has been helpin' other Fae escape to the Human Realm. And he knew that the only way to keep yeh safe was to send you there, with me. He thought whoever killed your ma' would then come after yu' too. But if he told Titania that I was innocent, she wouldneh' listened – she still wouldeh kept yeh in the Otherworld. This was th' only way."

Suddenly, it all seemed to make so much golden sense. Titania and her sister had gotten it all wrong – Westley wasn't a traitor after all, which meant that neither was I. My instincts had been right all along. Realizing this, my sense of self-confidence was greatly restored.

"But he didn't send us to the Otherworld without protection. He gave me a Blade of Woe, one that I could use to defend us against Titania – should th' time ever come that we needed it. And it has."

"And that's what's in the box that you gave my mother, isn't it?" I said, putting two and two together.

"Aye, Oberon gave me the box too, and that's where I hid th' blade."

"But... why didn't you just tell me this from the beginning? Why did you have to drag it out?"

"Because I wasn't sure yeh'd believe meh. I didn't think yeh were ready to hear the truth. But obviously I was wrong, and for that I am sorry. But there's one more thing I haven't told yeh, Tamsyn – and it's about your powers. Again, I shouldeh told yeh earlier, but I thought that if Margaret didn't tell yeh everything at once, maybe it was safer if I didn't either. But you should know – yer not just Luduan – part of what makes the High Fae High Fae, isn't just that they're royalty. It's the fact that they also have control over a powerful, dangerous magic. The High Fae can control the elements."

"My mother controlled the wind... didn't she?"

Westley nodded.

"Aye, but not just wind – air. And a jealous wench Titania was because of it. She knew Tierney was more powerful, more beautiful, more noble, and a better Queen. And she couldn't stand it."

A heavy silence passed in which the room and even life itself seemed to darken.

"Westley... do you think... do you think Titania envied my mother enough to want the crown?"

Westley paused and his lip curled with fifty years worth of sorrow and hate.

"Aye. Enough to kill for it."

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