Continuing on, some buildings were larger, but similar in structure, until at last they reached the settlement’s hub. Looming there was a massive oval stone edifice with a heavy wooden door mounted in the center, and multiple guards posted on either side.
Standing before the entrance, Eywen made another hand gesture, and one of the guards turned to open the door, revealing a wide arched entrance. Eywen led Finn inside, closely followed by Iseult, then everyone else. Two more of the armored Aos Sí followed them inside, then shut the door.
Remaining alert to any signs of danger, Kai peered around their surroundings in awe. The interior of the building was deceivingly spacious, with several closed doors leading to other unknown areas. Narrow slits in the stone wall served as windows, their sparse light accompanied by countless white candles, burning in sconces on the walls and on the surface of large shelves and a massive central table.
At the table sat a woman with pure white skin and hair. Her lustrous tresses blended in with her white gown which shimmered as if encrusted with tiny clear jewels. Her features resembled those of the male and female Aos Sí at her sides, though they both had more color to them, with long, black hair like Eywen’s. In fact, most of the Aos Sí they’d seen so far had dark hair, though not always pure black.
The woman blinked lilac colored eyes at them, then gestured with one white-clad arm for them to sit. “I did not expect to find any of the Dair so easily, though I see there are humans among you as well.”
Kai watched as Eywen led Finn forward, then pulled out a seat for her, opposite the woman he could only assume was the Faie Queen. Then Eywen surprised him by pulling out another seat, gesturing for him to take it.
After Kai was seated, those without Dair blood were allowed to sit. Bedelia, pale and sickly looking from her wound, was assisted by one of the Aos Sí.
Moving to stand behind his seated queen, Eywen cleared his throat. “Allow me to present Oighear the White, Queen of the Faie.”
Oighear smiled graciously with lips almost as white as her skin, save the barest hint of pink to distinguish them from the white teeth she subtly revealed. “I will jump straight to the heart of the matter,” she explained. “Since our return, I have besought my people to search out the Dair so that we might negotiate. You are the first I have found.” She gestured to both Kai and Finn.
Kai wanted to argue that he wasn’t one of the Dair, but decided against it. The Aos Sí seemed to respect the Dair, while showing mild distaste for the humans, and he preferred to remain arrow-free.
“Negotiate?” Finn asked, eyeing Oighear intently.
Oighear inclined her head. Her pure white hair slithered forward like water over her shoulders. “I would like my shroud returned to me. I am the rightful ruler of the Faie, not the Dair.”
Kai watched as Finn’s mouth formed an oh of understanding. “I fear I know little of the Dair’s politics,” she replied smoothly, surprising him with her tact. “As you can see, I do not travel with my clan.” She gestured at her companions seated on either side of her.
Oighear frowned. “Then I must ask you to point me in the direction of your clan.”
“I do not know them,” Finn answered simply.
Oighear’s pleasant mask fell away as if it had never existed. Underneath her calm exterior, waited a wrathful queen. “You will facilitate negotiations, or you will die,” she growled. “To what clan do you belong?”
Finn seemed to think about it, then answered honestly. “The Cavari.”
Oighear’s eyes widened in surprise, then narrowed. “The Cavari?” she intoned. “The very clan who stole the shroud from my sleeping form?”
“Sleeping?” Finn asked. “The legend says the Faie Queen died, and the shroud was stolen from her corpse.”
A chill wind swept through the room. At first Kai thought perhaps the door behind them had opened, then he realized the cold was coming from the other direction. It was coming from Oighear.
“You know very well that we fell into a long slumber when magic fled from the land,” Oighear growled. “The Dair survived it longer than most and took my shroud, but just because we were resting, does not mean we were unaware.”
Finn seemed to be deep in thought, not outwardly showing any of the worry Kai was acutely experiencing in that moment. “I remember something of this . . . ” she muttered, her words gently trailing off.
Oighear eyed her suspiciously. “What is your name?”
Finn didn’t seem to hear her.
“Her name is not important,” Iseult answered.
“Do not speak to the Queen, human,” Eywen warned.
Finn gasped, then refocused on the situation at hand. “I remember you,” she marveled. “Oighear the Snow Queen. Had you not been laid to rest, you would have brought eternal winter to the land.”
Oighear slammed a bare, white palm against the table. “I would have brought greatness to my people,” she snapped. “Unlike the Dair, who sullied themselves with the silly affairs of humans. The Dair are not fit to lead the Faie.”
Finn’s chair screeched across the wooden floor as she stood abruptly. “You were not a kind queen,” she accused. “I would sooner burn the shroud then give it to you!”
Kai looked back and forth between the two women, completely lost as to where the conversation was going. Finn had obviously remembered something of her previous life, and now she was going to get them all killed because of it. The Aos Sí in the room flexed their hands near their weapons, ready to defend their ruler. Kai stood and moved near Finn, ready to protect her, though Iseult had already reached her opposite site. Even Bedelia had staggered to her feet, though she seemed to be having trouble keeping them.
“Lock them away,” the Queen ordered, and the Aos Sí surrounding her stepped forward. “Perhaps we’ll find use for them later.”
Finn raised her arms, as if to summon her magic, then her face crumbled into confused lines.
Oighear smiled wickedly. “This dwelling is warded against outside magic, my dear. I have no intention of falling prey to the Dair a second time.”
The doors behind them opened, and armored Aos Sí spilled into the room, surrounding them.
“Do we fight?” Sativola whispered, standing with his back toward the queen, facing the door.
Kai felt a blast of ice against his back, and turned to see snowflakes streaming in through the doorway. He began to shiver, overwhelmed with cold. He tried to reach for his blade, but seemed unable to move his limbs. The Aos Sí circled them, somehow impervious to the cold. They aimed swords and spears inward, ready to skewer any with the power to run.
Oighear moved around the table and stood next to her Aos Sí warriors. Laughter sparkled in her lilac eyes as they fell on Sativola’s massive, shivering form.
“My dear,” she purred, “no one fights a queen.”
“What a disaster,” Maarav muttered, leaning against the wooden wall of the inn. He and Ealasaid had made it to Badenmar, hoping to perhaps plead their case to Iseult, or at the very least, to start following their party in secret, but what they’d found instead was An Fiach.
Fortunately, they’d seen signs of the large group well before they reached the small burgh, and so, had been cautious in their approach. They’d made it just in time to see the last few men depart, leaving sorrow in their wake.
Not sorrow at their passing, but sorrow at what they took. Badenmar had been robbed of its few horses, and most of its supplies. With the odd weather stunting the crops, they’d have a poor harvest as it was, and now they had few stores to last them through hard times.
While Maarav didn’t make a habit out of caring about small burghs, Ealasaid was another matter.
“Sheep licking, soft bellied fiends,” she hissed, kicking the dirt in front of her.
They’d just finished speaking with the innkeep to find there were no supplies left to purchase. Many of the villagers would be moving on toward Garenoch within the day in hopes of salvation, but Maarav knew their chances were grim.