“Hmm.” She paused, considering the question. She and Jerah did not look especially alike, but some of their expressions were unsettlingly similar—the thoughtful expression on her face reminded Florian very much of his father. “I’ve never been to see her. But I know Jerah visited her at least once. Kallik didn’t have any information for you? He’s the one who went there with Jerah.”
“He remembered a little bit, but...” Florian shrugged. Tatiana gave him a knowing nod. “We have an idea of what to do once we track it down. We just don’t really know how exactly to get there. Jerah had a map that was marked, but it’s not super exact. And getting lost is the last thing I’d want.”
“Of course,” Tatiana agreed, pressing a hand to her chin thoughtfully. “I think Jerah might have brought something back from his visit with the hag? It was so long ago, I barely remember. But I think there was some kind of trinket... maybe a bracelet? I’ll have to sort through some of his things to see if I can find it. Maybe that would help.”
“I think anything would help at this point,” Florian agreed, nodding. “Whatever it is, if you can find it, I’d appreciate it.”
“I’ll do my best,” she said, nodding. “I guess it’s good all his things are packed together. Should make it easy to find.”
A beat of uncomfortable silence passed between them, both clearly absorbed in their thoughts. Much as she seemed to be holding everything together, Jerah’s death must have been difficult for her. They had been close, and as far as Florian was aware, they were each other’s only family other than himself. Before he could dwell on it too long, though, Tatiana took in a deep breath and stood abruptly.
“I’d better get to it, then,” she said briskly. She managed a soft smile down at Florian. “I’m glad you’re back. I’ll see you at dinner.”
“See you,” Florian echoed, and he watched her go. In the weeks since Jerah’s death and his own coronation, she had been more withdrawn in some ways, but more openly affectionate with him in others. It was strange, but also entirely understandable. From what he could tell, Tatiana didn’t exactly seem like an overly warm person, but she did seem to care about him—and not just as the Winter King or the center of a prophecy, but as her nephew, her last living relative, her family.
Distantly, he wondered how she and Jerah had grown to be so different, and what his grandparents must have been like. He wondered if he had other family somewhere, maybe relatives of his mother—August had never mentioned grandparents on his side. For all Florian knew, whether on Earth or the Veil, Tatiana and August were truly his only family left.
The next day, a few fae from the village joined Florian, Kade, and Tatiana for dinner. It was a much smaller affair than the feast Jerah had thrown the night before they’d left on their first excursion into the Veil; but it still felt strange to have new people in the dining hall. The fae that joined them were the heads of some of the older families in the village, whose lineages within the Winter Court could be traced back to well before the Nova Blight took hold of the Veil.
“Anthurium, Camiss, Imryll, and Lavender,” Tatiana introduced, gesturing to each of the four visiting fae in turn—two men and two women—each with that familiar, ageless sort of look about them, and dark hair and eyes similar to those of Tatiana and himself. “It’s my pleasure to introduce you to King Florian. We welcome you.”
“King Florian,” said Anthurium, stepping forward—the man was a bit stouter than the others with a well-kept dark beard. Florian recognized him: the man had made a point to say hello to him during the feast Jerah had held before they’d left, and he’d been front and center amongst the gathered crowd of fae during Jerah’s funeral. “Good to see you again. I’m glad to see you’ve returned safely from your travels. Taking after your father, I see!”
Florian managed to smile, and the three other fae laughed politely. “It’s good to see you too. Please, everyone, sit down.”
Conversation was polite, if stilted. The family dinners they’d been having with Kade’s relatives had helped Florian figure out how to act in these kinds of larger meals, at least, so he went through the motions. He listened as each of the guests introduced themselves to him and they got to know each other.
He had learned that most of the residents of the Winter Court were artisans; because of the Winter Court’s small and isolated economy, bartering was of much more value than money. Most fae passed their time making and crafting things, growing food, or maintaining livestock. The older families, while technically having a greater wealth than other families and townsfolk, didn’t own much more land or do anything very different from their fellow fae. At the very least that made them easier to talk to than Florian had expected, and by the end of the meal he was even enjoying himself a bit.
Kade was as standoffish as ever, mostly silent with only a few interjected comments here and there. But occasionally their feet would touch under the table, and Florian would smile indulgently at him to see the slight flush that rose in his face, invisible to everyone but him.
“I see you couldn’t get rid of Jerah’s ward,” Imryll, the older of the two women, remarked as appetizers were set out. She smiled openly as she said it, though, and Florian could see a tiny smirk on Kade’s face in answer. “Kade, I’m surprised your father didn’t haul you back to the wolf kingdom the moment he heard the news.”
“Kallik’s far too devoted to Jerah and all of the Winter Court to do such a thing,” the other man, Camiss, interjected. It seemed that the strong union between the wolf kingdom and the Winter Court, between Jerah and Kallik, was well-known.
“That’s true,” Tatiana agreed, and Kade nodded. “We’re happy to host Kade as long as he’d like to remain. His service to the Winter Court is indispensable.”
“Indispensable,” Florian repeated, meeting Kade’s eyes. That same tiny blush rose in Kade’s face, and he glanced away, but a self-satisfied smile remained lingering on his features for a long while afterward.
Tatiana effortlessly took the lead for most of the conversations, adding comments or questions at just the right time to keep the momentum going. Florian knew she was good at running things in his absence, but to see firsthand how effortlessly she seemed to socialize, and how friendly they all were to her, made him fully understand why his father had seemed so glad to keep her around.
Lavender, the younger of the two fae women, was quiet for most of the meal. But she and Tatiana seemed to have a particularly friendly rapport; and after a glass of wine she was a little more outspoken, though she mainly addressed Tatiana, rather than Florian or the others. A few times Florian noticed her looking at Tatiana with an expression that was... affectionate and familiar, in a way, but mostly unreadable; and Florian realized that he knew very little of his aunt’s personal life outside of the work she did for him and the Court.
He remembered Meriwa’s words to him at their first meeting, how he had left Tatiana to do all his work for him, and a tiny pang of guilt pulsed through his chest. He would really have to put in the time to get to know her better, and eventually lighten her workload with his own efforts. Once everything had settled down a bit more, though, he was sure he’d have nothing but time.
Once dessert had been served, and the last round of drinks were had, Florian couldn’t exactly say that he was glad about their decision to host the dinner, but he did understand Tatiana's reasons and the need to meet his people. At the beginning of the meal, the four other fae seemed stiff and unsure of him, but by the end, they smiled and chatted with him as if they had always known of him. Somehow he’d managed to win them over, it seemed; and judging from the soft smile that lingered on Tatiana’s face, she too approved of how the evening had gone.
Finally, the evening drew to a close, Kade rose to escort their guests out of the castle, and only Florian and Tatiana remained seated at the table. She smiled softly at him from across the table, and he smiled hesitantly back.
“I think that went alright,” he said, shrugging, and she stifled a slight chuckle behind one hand.
“I think so too,” she said. “You did very well. Camiss in particular has been... rather vocal in his uncertainty about the exchange of power. Tonight should have helped assuage some of that.” She reached across the table, hand outstretched in a decidedly maternal gesture. It took a moment for Florian to process, but after a moment, he hesitantly reached out and placed his hand in hers.
“I know this has been a big adjustment for you,” she said softly, squeezing his hand. “But you’ve done very well, Florian. Jerah would be proud. I know I am.”
Florian blushed at the affirming words, but forced himself to meet her eyes. They were a soft periwinkle blue, quite dissimilar to his and Jerah’s.
“Thank you,” he said, swallowing hard. “I, um… I really appreciate your help in all this too. I couldn’t do it without you. Really.”
