Sun has risen and set since the warriors returned bearing victory's crown.
This night, beneath the full moon's silver gaze, Fae King Jaelan hosts a grand feast to honor his sons, Prince Mordered and Prince Orden, for their glorious conquest. Sounds of revelry and celebration echo through the ancient castle halls like spirit songs.
Tonight marks the hour of Faelyn's planned escape with her mother. The festivities will provide the perfect cover for their flight.
The cramped chamber where her mother dwells reeks of sickness and withering herbs. Faelyn has gathered their meager possessions - naught but a handful of pitiful belongings.
Her mother still looks scared and unconvinced. Rhoxa is but a shadow of the beauty she once possessed. Her hair, now turned completely grey with suffering, hangs thin and lifeless around her gaunt face.
Her flesh has grown paper-thin and creased from years of mysterious malady. Only her moss green eyes, mirrors of Faelyn's own, remain unmarred by time's cruel hand.
Faelyn clasps her mother's cold, frail hands and warms them within her own grasp. "Don't be afraid, Mother. They're all too busy celebrating to notice us."
Slaves who dare flee the kingdom are hunted down like wild beasts and tortured unto death. Though terror grips Faelyn's heart, Princess Amiral's promised aid grants her courage. The princess swore the hidden passage beyond the castle walls would lie open.
"The princess wants to help us escape. She even promised us money. We might not live like nobles, but it'll be better than this hell."
"I trust you, dear child. But I don't trust any spawn of that viper queen. Evil always wears the mask of kindness!" Rhoxa's eyes flash with deep fear and years of bitter resentment that burns like poison in her veins.
She has long suspected the Fae Queen orchestrated her mysterious illness before she died some years ago.
Rhoxa was once a young, comely human slave who captured the King's wandering eye. The Queen, renowned for her vengeful nature, punished her most cruelly for a sin Rhoxa never chose to commit.
After birthing her child, the King cast her aside completely, disgusted that she had sullied his pure fae bloodline with this weak half-breed abomination.
"Mother, don't think like that. Amiral is different from her family. She's kind. Haven't I told you how she protects me when she can…"
Faelyn sighs deeply when Rhoxa shakes her head, still believing this to be some snare that will bring only greater torment.
"Don't you want to leave this cursed place and start over with me? I heard there are good healers outside who might cure your sickness. You're just waiting to die if you stay here. Fine then - if you won't go, I'll stay too."
Rhoxa weakly cups Faelyn's face with trembling hands, tears gathering like morning dew in her eyes. Her daughter possesses the purest of hearts, and she fears it will only summon greater suffering.
Deep regret fills her soul for never properly tending her child. Even as a babe, she failed in her motherly duties, too weakened by sickness to care for her. Yet Faelyn has always been her devoted guardian, and even now refuses to abandon this place of bitter memories without her.
She would prove naught but a burden. It would suffice if Faelyn alone could escape, yet her daughter sees it not thus. To Faelyn, she remains the very reason to continue fighting for survival.
At Rhoxa's slight nod of agreement, relief washes over Faelyn's features like dawn's first light. She turns toward Daela.
"I'll go to the princess now. Take my mother and our things and wait for me outside the castle gates. I'll be back soon with the money."
Faelyn could not bear abandoning her sole companion. They have grown and suffered as one through countless hardships. Daela possesses knowledge of herbs and healing - she will survive once they flee this accursed place.
"Be careful," Faelyn and Daela exchange a lingering look, both nodding as if bestowing luck upon the other.
Faelyn hastens toward Princess Amiral's chambers, yet two armored guards bar her path.
"The Princess summoned me," she speaks falsely, though she knows Amiral will grant her audience.
The chamber door opens suddenly, yet it is not Amiral who emerges.
Juta, Amiral's betrothed, commands the guards to permit Faelyn entry.
Faelyn had not expected to encounter Juta in place of Amiral. She stands uneasily within the princess's chambers, harboring solid reasons for her discomfort in his presence.
"Why do you want to see the Princess?" Juta breaks the heavy silence. Faelyn's lips seal themselves tight as mountain stone.
"She's at the feast tonight. You'll have to come back tomorrow."
Faelyn's heart leaps to her throat like a frightened bird. Has Amiral forgotten their carefully laid plans?
Worry creeps across her features like shadow. She takes no notice of Juta drawing near until suddenly she finds herself trapped within his firm embrace.
"I just came back from war. Aren't you even a little happy to see me?"
A cry of alarm escapes Faelyn's lips, yet Juta's arms tighten around her slight form like iron chains.
"I missed you so much, sweet Faelyn."
Both heart and mind scream their warnings within Faelyn's breast. She struggles against his grip, yet their difference in strength compares as sparrow to hunting hawk.
"Let me go!" she hisses with deep revulsion.
Once there was a time when Faelyn harbored fondness for Juta. She had foolishly believed he shared such tender feelings. In the end, he showed her that none of noble blood would ever desire a mongrel half-breed.
Princess Amiral, who had given her heart to Juta while remaining ignorant of his past entanglement with Faelyn, offered marriage. Now they stand betrothed, soon to be wed beneath the moon's blessing.
Juta chose power over her heart, and Faelyn bore him no ill will for it. She buried those feelings deep - nay, she slaughtered them entirely. What fills her with disgust is how, even while pledged to the princess, he continues to torment her with false affections and unwelcome touches such as now.
"What do you think will happen if the princess sees this? You have way more to lose if she breaks off your engagement!"
"I don't care. The King arranged our marriage - I had no choice but to accept her. I don't love her. I still love you, Faelyn. I really regret leaving you."
Why does Juta always speak such meaningless words that hold no weight anymore?
Panic begins to consume Faelyn, though not for his declarations. She cannot tarry here longer. She must locate Amiral. Daela and her mother await her return.
"Since I helped capture the dragon, the king will grant me one wish. I'm going to ask for your freedom and your mother's as a reward…"
"I don't want anything from you! Since you're engaged to the princess, you should be faithful to her!" Faelyn sneers with disgust and by some miracle slips free from his grasp.
Alas, the hour grows too late. Amiral, who entered the chambers silent as a hunting cat, has witnessed their embrace. She overheard their words as well, and jealousy pulses through her heart like venom at this betrayal before her very eyes.
She knows well of Juta and Faelyn's past entanglement but chose not to believe that one of such noble blood would desire a lowly half-blood whose mother serves as mere human chattel. Part of her reason for sending Faelyn far away was to prevent Juta from sniffing after her like a hound in pursuit.
'She looks just like her whore mother, and she's just as seductive,' Amiral thinks with burning rage, her nails carving crescents into her palms.
Throughout their entire betrothal, Juta has never gazed upon her with such tender affection as she witnesses in his eyes this moment.
Female fae of power are rare treasures. She has devoted her whole heart to him, thus her pride burns with the fire of humiliation.
Amiral grows even more sickened to detect Juta's arousal upon the air. He lusts after Faelyn like a beast in heat. How utterly revolting!
Her heart pounds with thoughts of vengeance. Forget aiding Faelyn's escape - she desires to teach the half-blood a lesson in pain. Since the mongrel failed to learn what befalls whores who steal other women's men from observing her mother's wretched fate, Amiral will provide the education herself.