“Do you see Marigold Meadowsweet sitting by the queen and reading to her, with a rapt audience of dryads? I broughtThe Mysteries of Udolphowith me yesterday to read while I was here. Titania saw it and asked me to read a passage aloud. They had never heard of a gothic novel. Every time I stopped reading she begged for more. We tried having one of the dryads read it, but Titania claims that only a mortal can bring the correct feeling to it. We have been reading for hours.”
“Is there any chance of a break in the story where I might be able to speak to Titania?”
“I will ask her.”
A few minutes later, Titania waved away her sprites and beckoned Eversleigh forward.
Eversleigh went down on one knee in front of Titania but did not sink back on his heels. “Great lady, might I beg a moment of your indulgence?”
Elizabeth watched him suspiciously. Why had he knelt? Kneeling would be for a mortal queen. It might have been a mistake, but Eversleigh did not make mistakes of that sort.
“Of course, Prince Evlan. How may I be of service to you?” Titania’s face was drawn.
“Great lady, I would speak to you not as my father’s son, but as a mortal, one of some consequence in the mortal world. You will soon be making a decision of great import, and I have information which might be of some small use to you, if you will allow me the presumption of sharing it.”
“Granted.” With only the slightest expression of amusement, she said carefully, “Lord Eversleigh.”
He bowed his head. “Great lady, out of loyalty Libbet has withheld from you certain details of her return to Faerie. There was another Sidhe involved, one of several Sidhe who are unhappy over the war with mortals. He learned from her that mortals no longer rememberthe Great Treaty. He hoped to employ Libbet and her friend Diarcey as go-betweens to educate mortals about the importance of the groves. Not knowing of your previous connection with Libbet, he wished her to tell you how little the mortals know. That is one thing I wish to tell you: that there are Sidhe who oppose this war.” He paused. “The second matter is more delicate.”
“Continue,” said Titania.
“It is generally believed that Prince Aelfric encouraged my father in making war. I am of the opinion that Aelfric deliberately fostered this belief in order to hide our father’s increasing irritability and impulsive behavior. Aelfric would not thank me for telling you this. I honor my father and my brother, and I would happily lay down my life to protect either of them, but I also believe this war to be misguided and dangerous. Mortals need education, not a war in which both sides will lose.” He bowed his head.
“I see. Who is the Sidhe who met with Libbet?”
“Great lady, if you command it, I will tell you, but I prefer not to break a confidence.”
Titania held out her hand to Elizabeth. “Come sit with me, my Libbet.”
Elizabeth obeyed. At least Titania did not seem angered that she had never mentioned Cathael to her.
Titania stroked Elizabeth’s arm. “It was Aislinn who brought Libbet to me. What Sidhe would Aislinn ally herself with? It could be Celynon, or Fionn, or Cathael, or ... Ah, it is Cathael, I see.”
How had she guessed? Eversleigh’s expression had not altered in the slightest.
“My poor Libbet, you cannot hide your reaction from me. Do not fear; I have no intention of harming Cathael.”
It was so easy to view Titania as caring only for the pleasure of the moment that Elizabeth had forgotten she was also the woman who hadruled Faerie for centuries. The touch of her power was light, but it was there nonetheless.
“One last thing, Prince Evlan,” said Titania. “These books Libbet brought – are there more of them in your mortal world?”
Eversleigh’s lips turned up in a smile. “I believe there are.”
“You must bring us all of them,” the queen decreed.
He bowed. “I will bring you all I can carry.”
Frederica said in a sweet, if slightly scratchy, voice, “Prince Evlan, do you not wish to take a turn reading aloud? You would bring such feeling to the role of Valancourt.”
TITANIA MADE HER DECISIONfaster than any of them expected, calling together all the Sidhe in the great clearing. She gave no reason for it, but it was not difficult to guess.
Lady Frederica Fitzwilliam craned her neck to see what was happening. She was not accustomed to being outranked and did not enjoy being in the back of Titania’s retinue while Elizabeth stood beside the queen. She raised herself on tiptoe to get a better view of the lines of Sidhe men, each dressed in black and silver armor, Oberon’s colors. The Sidhe ladies, all in silver, sat grouped to the side. Beyond the Sidhe, the clearing was crowded with lesser fay. Only the tall dryads and elves were visible; all the others were hidden behind the Sidhe.
She wanted to be able to relate every detail of the event. It would not occur again during her lifetime, nor her children’s or grandchildren’s time. Apart from Elizabeth, and perhaps Eversleigh if he was here, she would be the only mortal who could tell this tale. It was a heavy responsibility. No matter how long the ceremony lasted, Frederica intended to remember every detail.
She felt a sense of pressure behind her. It was Eversleigh, ofcourse. She could always tell when he was nearby.
“Good morrow, Marigold Meadowsweet.” He swept her a bow. There was something about how he said her fay name, as if he enjoyed the taste of it.
