10: Be Careful With The Wine

This dining room, my bedroom, the rose garden. These places had been my entire world over the past week here. One week down. I thought to myself. I only had three more to go. After my encounter with Vas in the garden, we managed to stay out of each other’s way. Even when we were forced to be in close contact, he held his tongue. Maybe my show of resistance had worked? Nelo had still been kind and protective of me, although a bit more distant than she was when I had first arrived. Maybe I was turning out to be a sullen pet, something less fun than her heart had initially been hoped for. I knew she was my friend here, although I wouldn’t come back once I left this place.

I sat at the table with the King, his brother Vasileios and Penelope. The room was still grand but less impressive the more I used it. You could ignore the glittering splendor when your mind counted the seconds until you could return home. Every day was another step in the right direction. The visions, save a few short flashes of the beast, were less and less every day. I knew that when I felt that hot vibration down my neck that it was time to hit the deck. I would stop and sit. I didn’t want to hurt myself, and I certainly didn’t want anyone to feel like they needed to catch me. I ignored Vasileios for the most part. I knew he still watched me. Occasionally I would hear him with snide comments about a fox and knew it was directed at me. It wasn’t my most brilliant move to bite him, but I needed to make some kind of stand. It annoyed me that he didn’t have the healer fix the injury I had given him. Although the wound was small, his already full lower lip had been fat for days. I think he wanted to remind me that I had been cruel. Maybe he liked feeling like he wasn't the only bully. I had even managed to avoid the Summer Estates version of family dinner until now. The pixies, scared by my accidental spell casting, kept to themselves. They would bring me my food when ordered by the cook—but not hearing their snide little comments had been worth it, even if I hadn’t intended to cast that spell.

I tried to use the magic in the gowns Nelo made me when I was alone. I would pick at the seams of her beautiful creations and pull tiny golden threads between my fingertips. I would focus that sparking energy on simple things, like moving a cup or cracking the door open. Sometimes it worked, and sometimes it didn’t. I’m not sure I had the logistics down, but I didn’t want to ask. I didn’t want to draw attention to myself. I only had 23 days left before I could go home; why stir the pot?

Orthus sat at the head of the table, his right was flanked by Vas, and his left by Nelo. I sat next to Nelo, who was still as sweet and kind as ever. The king and I hadn’t spoken much since our encounter in the cave, I did want to press him on the preparations for my journey, but it felt like a private conversation. I would ask him after dinner. I know he retired to his study after everyone else left for the evening. It seemed strange that he would wait. Shouldn’t a king lead the way for his subjects? I had grown accustomed to the Fae male’s size, and while I didn’t count myself as a friend of Vas, I felt as though the king would do his best to protect me for the short time I was here. I looked at him, the pale king, and saw his sad beauty for what it was, my fear of him having waned. While he held his chest and chin high, you could see the great loss his human love had been. He wore it on his face, a mask of quiet sadness. It didn’t make him any less handsome. Dinner tonight had been silent, maybe for the politeness of their depressed human guest? I supposed I could try to lighten the mood a bit.

“So, I heard that you two are brothers?” I asked my dinner companions. Orthus cocked a white eyebrow in my direction—Vas scowled a bit before laughing.

“I didn’t realize you already were picking up on the estate’s gossip. We are brothers,” The king responded. Vasileios looked at me and laughed at the king's comment.

“You’re surprised the fox is cunning, Orthus? We share a mother, but I think it’s safe to say my skin is of the Autumn.” He ran the back of his hand over his melanin-rich forearm and winked. Penelope threw a bit of roll in his direction that Vasileios quickly batted away.

“We’d love to know more about you.” Orthus interrupted the budding food fight with his polite questions. “I know you don’t remember much, but do you remember anything about your life?”

“Maybe there’s some magic you possess that can help? You calmed my mind before.” I wanted to know how deep his powers went. I would feel foolish if he could read my mind all this time.

“If I could read minds, would I bother asking?” Orthus said, making me feel like a stupid child. “I can calm a mind, a gift from our Mother.” He looked gently towards Vasileios. “It only works if you’re already in pain or distress. It doesn’t fix anything either; it just dulls it for a short time. I am no healer.” I had to bite my tongue before the My mother was a healer slipped from it. Oh god, my mother. I pushed the pain down.

“Well, I don’t know. I’m sure there’s not too much that would interest you.” I tugged at the fibers of the magical dress under cover of the tablecloth. It had quickly become a nervous habit.

“As I said before, you are a guest here; we don’t need to push any conversation.” He motioned towards my plate. “But as my guest, I insist you eat. I’ve gotten word from the cook Isadel that your trays are being brought back nearly as full as when they arrived.” He snapped his finger, and a pixie refilled his goblet with the shimmering purple elixir. “Just be careful with the Fae wine; it is stronger than you are accustomed to, Cordelia.” Orthus, obviously having already acquired a taste to the wine, took a large swig. Vasileios looked like he wanted to make another snide remark but held it back and began eating.

Nelo placed her hand on mine. “Maybe we can work on trying to spur your memories on how you got here tomorrow; for now, just eat and rest.” Her hand drifted to the fresh scar that the cave’s sharp rocks had bestowed on me. “Why don’t we start with what you do remember then.” Nelo smiled.

“So you know my name, Cordelia,” I said, quickly being interrupted by the friendly female fae.

“Do you have another name?” She turned towards Orthus, “Are family names a thing in the mortal realm?” She questioned him. You could tell she often sought his counsel.

“I do,” I said without thinking before the words left my lips. Shit. Should I even tell them my family’s name? Landau was a common name, but maybe it was more than I should divulge. Be smart, be more intelligent than you usually are. I thought. How hard was it for me to just think before you leap into some fae trap?

“Oscuro, my name is Cordelia Oscuro.” Why on earth had I chosen Caleb’s name to take as my own? I felt pathetic. I had told him I didn’t want that name, but look at me now.

“Cordelia Oscuuuuuro, I like it!” Nelo said, letting my fake name dance on her tongue, rolling the r’s.

“So, is Oscuro your father’s name?” She must not know too much about my world after all.

“Yes, his surname.” She cocked her head, unfamiliar with the word.

“A family name, through the generations.” Orthus explained to her.

“Oh, well, my other name is just my father’s name. Penelope Mataxes, but I’m not too fond of Penelope, so I prefer Nelo. Vas knows that but uses my full name to spite me.” She said, annoyed.

I looked towards Orthus. “Helios. My father, our last king of summer’s name.”

“Orthus Helios,” I said, nodding. A funny-sounding name on my mouth. I regretfully met Vasileios’s gaze.

“Just Vas is fine.” He said, quickly diverting the question, swigging even more wine. A bastard then, I wonder if he knew who his father was?

“When were you born?” Nelo asked, looking expectantly at me.

“October twenty-second, right before harvest festival, it’s just passed,” I said.

“So the fox is a child of autumn, after all,” Vasileios said slyly. I ignored him, as did Nelo.

“How many years?” She grinned.

“Twenty-three, I’ll be twenty-four next year.” Nelo’s jaw went slack.

“Goddess, I always forget you humans are all so young. It’s insane.” Young? Surely they weren’t that much older than me?

“How old are you, Nelo?” I asked.

“Well, I’m four-hundred and one. Vas is what, six-hundred and fifty?” She looked at him, and he nodded. “Orthus, he’s....” Orthus cut her off.

“Older.” Is all he said.

“Oh.” Is all I said, taking a small sip of the wine that looked like stardust. It tasted tangy but incredibly sweet. I liked it instantly.

“We just take much longer to mature, I guess,” Nelo said, trying to make me feel comfortable. “I mean, Vas still had adolescent blemishes until about 300 years.” She raised an eyebrow and it was evident she enjoyed the dig. Vasileios shot her a dirty glance. She looked back at me. “If you were fae, I mean, I would guess you were about my age; you seem... developed.” Vas choked on the food in his throat and lifted the napkin on his lap to cover his reaction. “I mean, is 23 an adult?” She seemed like she didn’t want to offend me.

“Yes.” Orthus said as he leaned back in his chair. Orthus had a more bottomless well to draw from than Nelo regarding human knowledge.

“Okay, well, good. I don’t need to babysit anyone.” She laughed and squeezed my arm. I liked Nelo. I would let them keep me as a pet until the stars aligned or some shit, so I could get home and find a way to kill that beast. “I’m glad you’re here. I’ve needed some better, more feminine company around here. You know, besides these two idiots.” She laughed a rich, teasing chuckle. Orthus eyes lit up for a moment, the sadness quelling, his family sparking something inside him.

I knew that feeling, the longing for a friend. I loved my family but was often jealous of the groups of sisters we saw at the harvest festivals. They would dance in circles and whisper in each other’s ears. I was jealous of that connection, that belonging. I found Nelo’s honesty brave- I don’t think I had ever admitted aloud that I was lonely before this whole mess.

Orthus looked at Nelo. “Don’t forget that this Idiot is your king.” He said warmly with no malice. These three were family, and it pulled my heart apart. I thought of my own family of three as I cut the venison- flames whipped around their memory. Run! My mother screamed. I put the knife down and closed my eyes, willing the memory away. When I peeked from behind my lids, they were all staring at me again.

“Are you all right?” Nelo asked softly.

“Headache, I’ll be fine.” I picked up the wine and gulped it down again.

Illustrations by Ana Kajaia

“You might want to heed Orthus on that wine, though I wouldn’t mind if you didn’t little fox.” Vasileios snickered. He was insufferable, the rudeness of before replaced my fake flirting, but as the purple drink slid down my throat, I could already tell he was right. Warm waves ebbed from my center, relaxing my posture and slowing my pulse.

“I can handle myself.” I lied. Vas put his hands up in defeat.

“I think we all know you can.” Orthus said, tapping the bridge of his nose. I didn’t take another sip of the fae wine for the rest of the dinner. I wanted full control of my facilities while I was stranded here, no matter how good it would feel to succumb to the wine's numbing comfort.