Excalibur's Seven - Chapter 6: Chapter 6

IN THE WORLD OF the Fair Folk, time was different. They were not so bound by it as humans allowed themselves to be, and it oozed and bended and slowed far more with them. Which is why the Grand Court noticed the absence of the Vernal Princess only minutes after she was taken.
"They were humans, they're easy to take," said one lady of the court. She was a brash woman of thick build, and very clearly of the Autumn court.
"Not these ones," the Vernal Queen interjected. "The Kingdom of Avalon have a large army, and they've studied us up close for centuries. They know who we are, how we work, better than any normal human does. That's why we tried to take their King. They're the only humans capable of posing a threat to us."
The Summer King, a spindly man with long blonde curls and a pointed beard, spoke next. "So how do you suppose we get her back?"
"We need a man on the inside," the Autumn lady spoke again. "One of their own who can take them down from the inside."
"Any ideas?" the Queen asked, eyes searching around the now quiet table.
No one spoke, until a certain pale-faced assassin did. "I've got one."
The travelers were frozen in place, as though his icy disposition had an effect on them. It was clear they knew who he was, what he was.
"It's you," the man hissed, drawing his sword and stepping closer.
The faerie raised his cane to block it effortlessly. He only sort of needed it to stand.
"If you're such a deadly assassin, please tell me why you look so frail." It was a woman who spoke this time, nearly as pale as him, covered in shining armor. They could've been related were it not for her painfully human lineage.
"Your question is irrelevant, you still fear me regardless," he crowed, and the prince's eyes widened.
"Your voice, it's-"
"It's what? The same voice that threatened your life just hours ago? Well, to you it's been hours but for me it's been quite some time. I'd nearly forgotten about you."
This time the faerie used his hand to grab the blade of his sword and toss it aside, ignoring the sap now dripping from his hand.
He walked forward, and they all stepped back. He laughed.
"I could be on the brink of death and you'd all still be terrified of me," he mused, eyes zeroing in on the Prince. "You were far more confident when you couldn't see my face. What changed? Is it the fact that there's no army to protect you now? Or have I flustered you with my eternal beauty?"
The boy blushed, but his face didn't soften. "What the hell are you doing here?"
"I thought you wanted to see me, to take me to your father and bring me to justice. He's not really your father, though, is he?"
"Shut up."
"You're right, I'm getting off track. Where were we? Oh yes, you were going to try to capture me."
The prince scrambled for his sword, but when he swung, his blade refused to move.
"What are you doing?" he cried, watching as the faerie stepped closer. "Why can't I swing at you?"
The faerie stepped closer, circling him, but not touching him yet. "You don't remember? You gave me your name. You were much younger and terribly stupid, but I've had your name all this time. You belong to me, Kristofer."
The prince's eyes widened and the man laughed. "Of course, it's only fair you know my name now. Call me Morgana."
"You don't have my name, Morgana, and I could kill you right now if you so much as touch him," said the lady knight.
"Oh, but I don't have to touch him to make him do what I want."
"And what do you want?" Kit interjected. "What are you going to make me do?"
Morgana laughed. "No need to be afraid, I won't make you kill anyone. I just need you to free the princess of the Vernal Court from the hands of your own men."
"And then what? You'll just make me do what you want for the rest of my life? I'll cut my own arms off before I do a single thing you say."
"You couldn't if you tried."
The lady raised her sword. "But I could."
"Fine," Morgana said. He didn't care about anything else but the Princess. "I'll make you a deal."
They all went silent. Everyone knew how dangerous a deal with a faerie was.
"You make the deal on my terms or we make no deal at all," Kristofer ordered.
"Fine," he sighed. "What are your terms?"
"I free the princess and you give me back my name."
"Fine. It's a-"
"I want to hear you say it. I free the Princess of the Vernal Court from the men who captured her and you give my name back."
Morgana sighed. He was going to do it anyways, but this prince was rather stubborn. "I promise to give you back your name, Prince Kristofer, once you free the Princess of the Vernal Court. You have my word, are you happy?"
Kit softened and the knight lowered her sword.
"Now," Morgana sighed. "Are you coming or not?"
I
t all made sense to them now. That force dampening Kit's spirit, the one blocking them from the message the Gods were trying to send through the prince, it was Morgana. Of course they couldn't read him, not when he'd been chained to an Unseelie for so long.
That buzz was still there, though, pulling at Chalice every waking moment that they were near him. There was still a message there, but they knew it would be harder to get as long as he belonged to this Faerie. They had just as much of a reason to rescue this princess and free Kit, too.
After they'd walked well into the morning, a break was long overdue. Eurion urgently needed her wounds to be treated, while everyone other than the faerie were in desperate need of rest. Some of them had been awake for upwards of a full twenty-four hours and it was clear none of them would be functional unless they slept.
Selene was set on staying awake to watch over the others, and no one could make her sleep, but Chalice knew she wouldn't be able to last very long. She sat against the tree, sword in hand, glaring at Morgana. The faerie, unlike everyone else, was wide awake and leaning against the tree which Kit was slumped against, already sleeping like a log.
It was an odd sight to see. Morgana almost looked protective of the sleeping prince as he and Selene stared each other down with equally icy glares.
The only other person with any fleeting sense of consciousness was Eurion. Not only was she unable to sleep with the pain of Chalice dressing her leg and upper arm, but she'd also gotten a few hours in while she was locked up. Not that she would be too great at protecting anyone, but an extra set of eyes to keep watch over the Unseelie would be helpful.
Once her wounds were dressed, Chalice got comfortable. They'd be awake for awhile too, the buzz coming from the prince keeping them wide awake no matter how exhausted their body was.
After Selene inevitably gave into sleep and Eurion got comfortable picking at the grass, Chalice let their eyes fall shut, resolving to at least get a few hours of meditation in while the group rested.
They took in the sounds of the forest, of swaying grass and the gentle breeze in the trees. Birds sang and crickets chirped and sometimes they would heard someone turning to another side or Morgana getting comfortable somewhere else. They kept tabs on him, sensing his energy with everything he did.
So far, he wasn't doing anything threatening, but they couldn't be too careful.
They took in other senses, too. The sun peeking through the trees and touching their freckled skin was a warm contrast to the cool wind on their hands, which cut through their heavy cloak and loose tunic. The smell of sage and wet grass and a hundred different kinds of flowers filled their nose.
They didn't realize how long it had been until they heard rustling and a clinking of armor, followed by Kit's sleepy groan.
"Afternoon, Kristofer," Morgana hummed. "Sleep well?"
"Why do you care?" They could hear him sitting up and the metal of his armor as he put it back on.
"What, can't I have good manners?"
"What Unseelie cares about manners?"
Morgana scoffed. "You make a lot of assumptions, Your Highness. Tell me, besides myself, have you ever actually met a faerie?"
"Well... no, but I've read hundreds of accounts. I know what your people are like, and if I could help it, I would rather have nothing to do with the lot of you ever again."
"Have you ever considered that perhaps some of these 'accounts' are biased?"
"So what if they are? The fact of the matter is that faeries have no sense of morals and view the rest of us humans as toys to be played with for entertainment."
"We have morals, we just don't subscribe to your trivial ideas of right and wrong. Our moral system is not aligned with yours, but we've been alive since the beginning of time as you know it so how can you assume yours is better?"
Kit was silent after that, but Chalice could sense his tension. "You're so arrogant," he grumbled.
"Oh, and you're not?"
They cracked an eye open when they heard Kit walking towards the river. They watched him splash the sparkling water onto his now stubbled face. His argument with the faerie, who looked more amused than angry, was now almost inaudible.
Their attention was pulled elsewhere when Selene jerked awake, sitting up and looking around anxiously. "Where are they?" she asked, eyes landing on Chalice.
Chalice calmly motioned towards the men, who were still going at it while Kit used a rock to sharpen his sword.
Selene just rolled her eyes and relaxed again, pulling the ribbon from her hair only to tie it back up again, though neater this time as it had gotten messy over the course of their adventure.
"I hope someone found my dreadful mare," she mentioned to herself. "I'm sure she'd fuss loud enough to be heard clear across Avalon, but a woman still wonders."
Chalice simply nodded. Eurion had gotten awful quiet, and when Chalice turned to look at her, she was sound asleep.
"Maybe we should let her rest and go find something to eat," Selene suggested, eyes softening on the thief. Chalice could feel the guilt flaring off of her like heat from a fire, the glint of it in her eyes.
The castle seemed a cruel place, one that came with regrets to everyone who worked there. They recalled the manner in which the King talked to his son and looked down at their hands. They couldn't help but feel pity for him. At least now he had an insufferable Unseelie to take out all his anger on, just as he was doing now.
When they looked back up at them again, Kit had the tip of his blade pressed beneath Morgana's chin as if it were a viable threat, but the faerie just laughed. They no longer had any interest in their bickering and more in their growling stomach.
They rose to their feet and dusted themself off, offering a hand to Selene, who now watched the two men with a bored stare. "I don't think I need to worry about that Unseelie, he looks more interested in pissing Kit off than hurting him."
"I can see it," Chalice agreed with a smile. "Let's go look for breakfast, shall we?"