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Hùisdean shrugged. “Call it a hunch. Oh, hello, Mother!”
Ayda nearly froze to the spot as two of the most beautiful people she had ever seen gracefully descended the palace's front steps through the open doors. They didn't even look like they were walking. They appeared to float over the stone. She could tell from the crowns on their heads that these were Hùisdean and Wyn's parents, the king and queen of the elves of Shetland Islands.
Ayda knew enough about history to learn about Elion and Imra, Hùisdean’s parents. Elion and Imra had been ruling together for the past fifteen hundred years. Imra looked most like Hùisdean, with golden hair down to her waist, while Elion looked more like Wyn, with tresses as black as night.
Their movements were so attuned to one another that they breathed in sync. Even their clothing was perfectly complementary and synchronized. Imra’s gold gown, embroidered with silver thread, was tailored perfectly to her tall, svelte figure. Elion’s clothing was the opposite—a silver tunic and gold-embossed pants.
Ayda's heart stopped as she looked down at her muddy boots. She watched as Hùisdean and Wyn eagerly greeted their parents without formalities, with hugs and kisses. It made Ayda miss her parents. A sudden longing for family and connection sprung up in her so harshly that she thought she might faint.
She pushed it aside as best as she could and waited to be addressed; she knew enough from working with magical clients nationwide that one always waited to be addressed by royalty.
Imra, however, had a different opinion. She glanced over Hùisdean's shoulder and caught Ayda’s eye, her face quickly turning to embarrassment as she playfully walloped Hùisdean upside the head—it was a perfectly maternal gesture that only a mother could somehow pull off with love.
“Hùisdean!” she gasped, her voice sounding like bells. “How dare you bring us such a lovely young woman as a guest and hesitate to introduce her!”
Hùisdean guffawed and clutched the back of his head, whining. “Why does everyone keep hitting me today?”
“I’m sure you deserved it,” Elion chimed in, his deep voice echoing through the courtyard. Hùisdean brushed the comment off and held his hand for Ayda, tugging her into the fold.
“Mother, Father, I'm pleased to introduce Ahyda Bhaduri, Scotland's premiere earth witch. Ayda, please meet Elion and Imra, my parents.”
“Your Excellencies.” Ayda tried to smile as gracefully as possible and gave a short bow.
“Oh, please, stand up straight.” Imra encouraged with a warm grin. “I won't have any of that overly formal nonsense between us, especially if you're a guest in this house.”
“We're honored to have you,” Elion said, extending his hand for Ayda to shake.
“Scotland's best earth mage! That's an incredible achievement, especially for one so young.”
“Oh, no.” Ayda's blush deepened. “Scotland's best earth witch is my mother. She recently retired, so now she's left the work to me.”
“I don't believe it for a second,” Elion countered.
His face was warm and pleasant, some of his age lines crinkling when he smiled. He still looked remarkably young for someone thousands of years old; he could pass for Hùisdean's older brother.
“Besides,” Elion continued and turned his attention to Hùisdean, “Hùisdean still calls our master of the gardens a novice, and he's been working here for five hundred years. If Hùisdean says you're the best, it's because it's true.”
Ayda’s face flushed, and she refused to look at Hùisdean's face as she processed the weight of Elion’s words. She could hear Hùisdean shuffling next to her.
“That's enough of that,” Imra interrupted her husband by gently touching his shoulder. “Ayda, darling, would you allow Luvon to escort you to your rooms? I'm afraid we will need to steal our sons for a while to discuss tonight's dinner reception. I'm sure you'd much rather recover from your travels than listen to all that politicking.” Imra winked as Hùisdean and Wyn loudly complained about going over seating charts for the hundredth time.
“This is ninety percent of the ruling, Hùisdean. I've told you to get used to it,” Elion grumbled, clearly rehashing an argument they'd had a million times before.
“That would be lovely, thank you.” Ayda nodded, and Luvon appeared at her side again, ushering her up the palace steps. As soon as they were inside the palace and out of earshot, Ayda sighed a long sigh of relief.
“They're lovely people,” she quickly tried to explain to Luvon. “I get nervous about meeting new people. I don’t even take on new clients who didn’t know my mother. It’s always something that hasn’t worked in my brain for some reason…” Ayda descended into a ramble and went on for a few minutes until Luvon gracefully held up a hand to stop her.
“Please, I understand.” Luvon's expression was kind. “Elion and Imra are personable because they have to be. They're the king and queen. But you'll find most elves tend to be solitary creatures. Loyal to a fault, pleasant to talk to, but still solitary creatures. We'd all rather be doing magic.”
Ayda was suddenly very near tears at Luvon's sentiment. She’d been attempting to live up to her parents and family’s expectations for most of her life. That included being the face of earth magic in Scotland, something Ayda didn't enjoy doing. She'd always preferred magic to people, so spending time in an entire kingdom of individuals who felt the same way? It might not be too bad after all.
If you don't screw it all up or make it worse. Ayda's intrusive thoughts did their best to rip apart her happy moment. You are here to try and help, after all.
“Right this way.” Luvon smiled and led her down a long hallway, finally stopping outside a set of doors that were nearly double Ayda's height.
“I’ll leave you to freshen up.” Luvon bowed gracefully. “Tonight’s reception will be held in a few hours. You’ll be able to meet the full court then. An attendant will escort you to the great hall, and you'll find clothes inside.”
Ayda appreciated that Luvon was two steps ahead of her, letting her know where to be and what she should wear. She might get to rest instead of worrying about getting lost on the way to dinner.
