Slave of the Fae: Chapter 13

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The next morning I counted the days since I'd arrived, it was hard with how time moved so strangely. It didn't help that when I slept I spent time training with Crier, sometimes figuring out when I'd actually slept and when I'd been awake was difficult. Still, I had a pretty good guess that it was my birthday.

Seventeen years old, and I'd killed people, lost my family, turned into a freakish girl, and had been almost killed too many times to remember. That was a pretty good accomplishment by almost anyone's standards. Smiling bleakly at myself in the mirror, I had to wonder what I'd accomplish in the coming year, it would be kind of hard to top the last two months.

I saw that my normal clothes were hung neatly in the wardrobe. I knew I should probably wear something dignified if I was going to be learning etiquette, but it was my birthday so I decided to be comfortable instead. Jeans and t-shirt it was. The jeans were almost skin tight, and the t-shirt was softer than I was used to, but after dresses, leotards and tights, I wasn't going to complain about little details. As always Crier finished my morning dressing.

The cafeteria wasn't crowded. A tiny long fingered man with enormous eyes I had seen before, but never talked to came over as I was eating. “Hello, Alex,” he said, sitting down.

I nodded at him, but didn't say anything.

“We've never been properly introduced, please call me Richard.” I nodded again. “Well, I came over because I thought you might want to avail yourself of my services.”

“Avail?”

He smiled, flattening his messy black hair. “Use my services. I know many secrets that could be useful to you.”

I didn't like him. His eyes never stopped moving. My dad would say he looked like a used car salesman. It didn't help that he wouldn't stop staring at my chest. “Like what?”

“Little things like when we're going to have a party. When you'll need to fight. What you'll fight. Things that can keep you alive,” he said.

“What will it cost?”

“You have an important position. Sometimes you could learn something useful, that you could pass on. Or I may need some help sometime,” he said.

“Sure,” I said, “But this isn't a regular deal. We talk about it first and then make a deal.”

He nodded his head, lingering as he stared at my legs. I felt dirty, with his eyes on me. Still if he could help me I would take it. But it would be on my own terms, I was done being peoples play thing. If he tried anything I didn't like, there were ways to deal with him. As I ate one handed, my other hand stroked Crier. I hummed a tune slowly to myself, as Richard tried to get me talking. I ignored him, humming louder.

He left soon after.

**

Paula found me polishing Crier in the cafeteria a little later. I was pleased to see her smile waver at the sight of him. She recovered well though, as she walked towards me I was surprised to see her wearing a loose skirt, I'd always seen her in tights or shorts, that were so tight they looked painted on. I started humming again, almost silently, staring at her as the silky cloth rasped on the blade.

“Come with me Ant,” she said, smiling widely. “You have so much to learn if you want to do well. We don't want to see you get burned again.”

I ignored her. Humming louder, I tested Criers blade on a shivering tree with purple bark that tasted like grapes. She didn't flinch, probably because she remembered we'd sworn an oath to not hurt each other physically. I wasn't sure what would happen if I broke it, but oaths had powers here, just thinking of breaking it made my chest hurt.

“Are you listening to me Ant?” she demanded.

I looked around, as if trying to see who she could be talking to. I saw something moving in the bushes. A quick thrust and I had a hand size, cockroach like bug squirming on the tip of my sword. “Is this who you were talking to Paula. It's not really an ant, but I suppose it would make a good meaty breakfast,” I said holding it under her nose.

She curled her nose up at the insect that was trying to pull itself off the blade with tiny monkey like hands. “Fine. Alex, come with me.”

I took my time flicking the bug off, and spent more time wiping the sticky slime from the tip before sheathing Crier. With a lazy yawn I got to my feet, and bowed to Paula to lead the way. We left the cafeteria and headed to the antechamber. I made sure to walk through the hallway properly, while it was fun irritating her, getting lost in the steading wasn't a wise idea.

“Courtroom,” she said, knocking on the single wooden door of the heart like chamber.

We entered a room I had never seen before. It was lit up as brilliantly as a clear summer day by creatures that crawled along the ceiling and walls, their backs were like glass balls. Within each one was a boiling liquid that splashed against their transparent skin, each one glowed a different colour from leaden grey to hot pink. The lights twisted and joined in the air making it hard to see clearly. Perspectives and shadows changed and shifted as I looked at them.

As I looked at the walls covered in wooden carvings of dancing fairies and animals stalking prey, moving in time to some music I couldn't hear, Paula took a seat on a simple granite throne. She cleared her throat, loudly, getting my attention again. I took a seat on a padded stool just in front of the steps leading to the throne. She smirked at being above me, I didn't care. Having to look up at Paula wasn't anything new for me, and I could move a lot more easily if she tried to hit me than she could with her legs draped over the granite armrests.

“Now Alex, where should we begin?” she asked, more to herself than to me. “Have you ever been to any parties?”

Birthday parties and the school or community parties during the holidays probably didn't count. The one school dance I'd gone to definitely didn't matter, I'd been too embarrassed to do anything except talk with my friends. I shook my head.

She gave an exaggerated frown, sticking out her lips like a duck. “Well than, we simply must start at the beginning. Those clothes won't do for this. A proper lady doesn't appear before the Lord and Lady in street clothes.” She raised her hand and pointed at a screen of child size leaves woven into a curtain with strands of golden hair off to the side. “Go over there and pick a dress that fits you. Be quick about it.”

I almost refused. But I'd agreed to let her teach me, and this wasn't exactly a big request. As she made a big show of waiting, I went to look at the dresses. As always there was a wide variety of clothes to choose from. The one I hated the least had a flaming red, orange and yellow skirt, with a black bodice covered in spots of red like sparks of a fire. I placed my clothes on a bench made of clouds, and quickly dressed again.

“That is lovely, Alex,” Paula gushed. “So much better than those drab clothes you had on before. But remember you can't keep it.”

Shrugging I sat down again, refusing to get angry.

“The first thing you must learn is how to curtsy. Please put your sword to the side, it will just get in the way.” She stood up, delicately grabbed her skirt at the sides, put one foot in front of the other and bent her knees a little.

I stood up and placed Crier on the stool. The curtsy looked easy, after some of the contortions and bends I'd practiced for fighting and dancing, it was childs' play. I tried to copy her.

“Wrong. You must grab your skirt with you thumb and your first two fingers. Make sure your pinkies are always extended. Then gently pull the skirt to the sides, don't yank it. Put your right foot, not your left foot in front, about 5 inches forwards. Try again,” she demanded.

Grinding my teeth I did it again. As I bent my knees, I leaned forward slightly. A hand slapped my butt, almost making me fall on my face. I spun, raising my fist to hit her.

“Don't stick your ass out, it's not ladylike,” she said.

She was so calm, without a trace of emotion on her face, I suddenly felt foolish for getting so angry. This was a lesson. I'd been burned and beaten learning how to dance and fight, a simple slap shouldn't be too hard to take. I forced myself to calm down.

I repeated the curtsy, keeping my body ruler straight. Paula gave a tiny smile. “That was good enough, but next time rise more slowly.”

I spent the next several hours learning how to address different fae. Who I was suppose to call a lord or lady, sir or ma'am, or by their basic name or type. It took half an hour to get the right tone for the Lord and Lady. Through it all she was very proper, never insulting, but every comment was backed up by something I'd done wrong. If I made a mistake she was quick to point it out. Her face never changed expression, not even a smirk when I couldn't remember if the differences between a fae with diamonds floating in its hair, one made from diamonds, or one with diamond eyes.

It was like preparing for a test made in Wonderland.

After far too long my mind was spinning. The shifting lights had given me a headache and my eyes burned, my throat was dry from reciting facts Paula was throwing at me almost at random, the music in my head was becoming overwhelming, and then it was done. “Same time tomorrow, Alex. Please be waiting in this room for me.”

Before I could say anything, Paula was out the door. Somehow she made her fast exit look dignified. Stretching, I stroked Crier for a few minutes, trying to calm myself down. I needed food, a drink, and a few hours of not thinking. Finally I was ready to leave.

I went to change my clothes.

The screen had vanished. Along with my pants and shirt. I ran around the room looking in every corner, feeling the wall as I went to make sure it wasn't hidden behind some illusion. Nothing. I cursed, I'd liked those clothes. They were normal.

I headed for the door. If I wasn't suppose to take the stupid dress with me, they shouldn't have stolen my clothes. As I entered the antechamber, I felt cold.

Looking down, I saw that my dress had vanished, leaving me in my underwear and shoes. I closed my eyes, trying to remember how to breathe. I just had to walk down a short hallway and I'd be in my room. The others were always running around doing errands or jobs or going slowly mad, I probably wouldn't see anyone.

I opened the door again, and stepped into the hallway. There were gasps of shock. Almost every human in the steading was there, talking to each other, walking into or out of the cafeteria or simply leaving their rooms. It was a real crowd. And all of them were looking at my virtually naked body. I cowered, trying to cover myself. My still healing cuts, the S above my heart, the A beneath it, seemed to burn as they stared.

“Amber!” Mrs. Jones shouted in horror. “What do you think you're doing young lady?”

That shook me back to reality. I straightened my back. This wasn't my body, who cared what people saw? “I'm going to my room. Move.”

She tried to cover me in her woolen shawl, her we face frowning. “You will not talk to me like that. Was there a boy involved? I know you are very close to Sam, if he di-”

I shoved her. She outweighed me by at lest thirty kilo's, but I knew how to hit hard for the best effect. She fell backwards into the arms of a blue man covered in tattoos. I stormed past the rest of the audience, my hand on Crier's hilt, daring anyone to say anything. Mrs. Jones wails followed me, until I slammed the door to my room.

Happy birthday to me.

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Comments

Paula is up to her old tricks again

Renee_Heart2's picture

Making Alix the laughing stalk AGAIN!!!! Paula REALLY needs to learn when to quit I think the Loard and lady seam to enjoy this antics of Paula I hope she falls from their graces soon. Alix does NOT deserve to be treated like she is.

Love Samantha Renee Heart

Don't worry

Domoviye's picture

It gets worse for everyone.

hurmph...

Hopefully it gets much worse for Paula. =p

Wait and see

Domoviye's picture

No one walks away from my horror stories without a few moments or days in hell.

Birthday

terrynaut's picture

I've had a worse birthday but still. I'm surprised she's still sane after everything she's gone through so far. Dang.

The author has said everything gets worse for everyone. That would have to include Alex. Double dang.

I wish I could've whispered in her ear to keep her clothes close by her and put them with Crier. I think she would've been able to keep them in that case. Paula needs a strong dose of karmic backlash. Triple dang!

Thanks and kudos (number 26).

- Terry

She's sane?

Domoviye's picture

Believe me at this point she has severe emotional problems, which we're going to see quite clearly in the next few chapters.
We're not at the lowest point I've got planned yet, she's got more room to before she hits rock bottom.

Promises

I went back to check, as there was a bit about Alex swearing not to harm Paula, but that was not quite what she swore it was this. “I swear on my honour and my life, I won't kill Paula.” There is much that she can do to Paula and only one that she can't, Paula should start begging or running now.

The question is how the oath

Domoviye's picture

The question is how the oath works. Will torturing her in a way that she could die but not planning it count? Could Alex slap her every day without worrying but a hard punch to the temple activate the oath?
She's going to need to find out.

Paula should find someplace

Paula should find someplace to hide once Alex has the chance for pay her back for all that has been laid on her recently.

Yes

Domoviye's picture

Paula is the only one in trouble here. Alex is perfectly safe and nothing bad will happen to her.
Let's all clap our hands and believe that really really hard.

humourous sarcasm mode off

Arrghh!!!

So angry towards Paula. She is gonna scream in agony very soon I think.

Not before Alex.

Domoviye's picture

And Paula is smart and strong enough to fight Alex not only as an equal but with a strong advantage.