My boy? Surely this simple Sidhe dressed in a nondescript tunic could not be Oberon!
“It is a pleasure to see you once again,” said Eversleigh.
“Your brother misses you,” the king said.
“I have missed him as well. I have brought a friend with me today, a mage known among mortals as Darcy. He has been meeting with our mortal leaders in the hope of persuading them to protect the sacred groves.”
Silver eyes turned to assess Darcy. “Why?”
Darcy’s mouth went dry. What had Cathael said? “Because our two worlds are bound together like twins in the same womb, andanything that interferes with that binding harms both of our worlds. We mortals have been too busy in our short lives and have forgotten our ancient responsibilities. It is time for us to remember them.” The magic flower must be granting him eloquence as well as a new language.
“Your efforts do you honor.” Oberon stepped forward in that unnaturally quick fay movement and laid two tapering inhuman fingers on the side of Darcy’s neck just above his cravat. His cold fingertips tingled with magic. “I grant you the freedom of Faerie, Darcy.” He said the name with an odd accent, as if it had three syllables.
“You honor me,” said Darcy, his newfound eloquence abandoning him.
Oberon turned back to Eversleigh. “You will see your brother?”
“I will.” Eversleigh bowed again.
Oberon shuffled back to his desk. Apparently they were dismissed.
Darcy let out a long breath as he followed Eversleigh past the halberd-bearing elves and further down the long colonnade.
“Well done,” said Eversleigh. “It is a great honor to be named by the king.”
“What do you mean?”
“He gave you a fay name. Most mortals who come to Faerie are renamed here, just as I am Evlan here and Eversleigh in our world. To all fay you will be Diarcey. It is a traditional fay name that means dark. Not a very imaginative choice in your case, I grant you, but easy to recall.”
“I thought he was simply mispronouncing my name.” A fay name? He was not certain he liked that idea.
They reached a set of open doors tall enough for giants to pass through. “Here is the King’s Hall, grown over many centuries by the finest fay architects. It is an impressive sight, and it is not a bad place to begin our search.”
They entered a towering hall reminiscent of a cathedral, butinstead of being built of stone, it appeared to have been grown of living wood. Branches coiled themselves into decorative spirals and statues, and vines formed latticework windows. A sculpted fountain tossed glistening drops of water in the air, and an empty throne, also made of living wood, dominated the hall. Beside it two Sidhe fenced with glittering swords. Darcy would have found it breathtaking had he not been so worried about Elizabeth.
A young-looking Sidhe with a welcoming smile strode towards them. “Evlan! I thought I felt your arrival.”
Eversleigh gripped the newcomer’s wrists. “Aelfric. Well met.”
“It has been months! It is good to see you. How long can you stay?”
The two fencers had noticed them now and came to join them, giving Eversleigh the same two-handed greeting.
Eversleigh slung an arm around the shoulders of the one he called Aelfric, an impressive trick given the Sidhe’s greater height. “This is just a brief visit over a matter of business, but I plan to return for a longer stay at the equinox.”
Some of the animation fell from his companion’s face. “Business with our father?”
“No, I am looking for two young mortal women who came to Faerie yesterday. They failed to return last night as they had planned. Their friends are very concerned. I assume they were simply delayed, but I offered to check on their well-being.”
One fencer asked, “Is one of them the delectable Marigold Meadowsweet? I hope you have not come to take her away. I would welcome her for a much longer stay. There have been so few mortals to choose from of late.”
The other fencer added, “I liked the looks of her little friend Libbet, even if she did not stay long enough to dance.”
Aelfric’s face contorted. “Libbet is off limits.”
The Sidhe raised his eyebrows. “My apologies, prince. I did not realize you had a proprietary interest.” He sounded amused.
Fine lines appeared between Eversleigh’s brows. “Are these ladies recent arrivals? If not, my friend and I must continue our search elsewhere.”
