Esterpine

Claire opened her eyes, blinking up at the crystal ceiling. She yawned so wide her jaw popped. But she didn't groan and roll over, didn't go back to sleep. Fatigue clouded her mind. Today was Spring Solstice. That, at least, brought a smile to her face. That, and the secret excitement of what would be discovered all over the city when Sprites began emerging out of doors.

Were she still human, there would be heavy bags under her eyes. She hadn't recovered from the fatigue of staying up nearly all night for the past week. Even last night, when she'd claimed an early retirement and snuck off to her room, she hadn't really gone to bed. She'd waited for Koldis and Taylynn to have their time together, waited for them to break apart and go their separate ways before sneaking out.

She hadn't meant to see them through the crack in her door, but when she had, she'd been overcome with a mix of emotions. The thrill of seeing Koldis locked in Taylynn's passionate embrace, the joy of knowing they both wanted each other, but also deep, deep sadness. She missed Talon like the sky missed stars when the sun rose, like the shore missed waves when the tide withdrew, like the mountains missed snow when warmer months arrived. Seeing them kissing—it ripped something open inside her.

I am the queen, she said, laying there in bed. I am the queen. Words she'd spoken to herself more than a hundred times since Jade's death. A reminder she needed because there was work to be done; she couldn't have simply run off to find Talon the moment the crown was placed on her head. She owed her people this, this little thing, her presence during their most festive time of the year, time to let the forest heal, to regain the balance Jade had disrupted. She needed to rule now, because once she left, she wouldn't truly be their queen anymore. She'd be forsaking them for the Drengr throne.

She sighed. At least with Taylynn, they would be in good hands. Taylynn knew the forest, knew her people in a way Claire never would. Yet, abdicating to Taylynn required a sacrifice of another kind. A sacrifice someone else would bear the brunt of. Koldis.

This was what it mean to rule. Making hard decisions. Putting other needs before her own. And it was only just the beginning.

Throwing her blankets back, she rose, made her bed, and lingered at her vanity, looking in the mirror. She'd matured, changed, grown more otherworldly. She didn't look human anymore. A sliver of pain pierced her chest, for what she used to be. If her parents saw her now, would they recognize her?

She drew a shaky breath. Of course—of course they would. Those were the same green eyes looking back at her. The same golden hair woven into a thick braid down her back. She forced herself to smile. Yes—that was the same too.

But the markings covering her from head to toe, those were signs of the woman she'd become. There was plenty of unmarked skin, but the luminescent tattoos were unmistakable. Even in the voluminous gowns of Kastali Dun, there would be no hiding what she'd become—who she was.

This time, she smiled in earnest.

After bathing and dressing, she emerged into the suite's common room. She'd heard everyone's voices before leaving her room. Hushed whispers of excitement. Almost as soon as she emerged, Feowen burst into the suite, face glowing. "Was it you?" he breathed, looking right at her.

She stood motionless in her doorway, dressed in a blush-pink gown that shimmered. She had Meira and Selphie to thank. Jade's handmaidens had insisted upon offering up their services once they'd found themselves without a queen. She'd first tried to decline, but upon seeing their bereft looks, she'd accepted. They'd spent two weeks preening, finding her new gowns, and weaving blossoms into her hair whenever she allowed them time to fuss over her. Mostly, she insisted on caring for herself—dressing herself.

They would never replace Desaree, and she wasn't sure she should bring them back with her. Wasn't sure how they would blend with the friends she already had. There it was: Yet another burden to carry and confront, another decision to make.

To Feowen, she said, "I'm not sure I know what you're talking about." She did a good job of sounding innocent, even if she knew exactly what he referred to.

Like everyone in the room, Feowen was dressed formally, and for once, wasn't showing off a confident amount of skin. His tunic was a deep purple and wasn't translucent. His pants went all the way to his ankles. They were so black they swallowed the light. But they had shimmery thread embroidered along the hems.

The king's Shields were dressed in velvet tunics of forest green and burgundy. Her Drengr-Rider pairs—who'd also started filtering into the suite—were similarly attired in the formal styles of Kastali Dun. Everyone wanted to look their best today.

"What are you on about now?" Koldis asked from his place on the sofa, closest to the King Tree replica. A brief glance revealed a heap of gifts at its base.

"What I'm on about," said Feowen, "is that there are star...things, glowing all over the city. All over the throne room. I've never seen anything like it."

"They're rather lovely," said Jeanine, pushing past Feowen to get through the doorway. Her gown was the same color as Feowen's tunic. Claire blinked, taking her in, suppressing a smile. This was the first time she'd seen Jeanine dressed so femininely. Despite her usual warrior getup, she looked breathtaking, proving that even warrior females could be soft and delicate.

"Star-things?" Reyr asked, glancing between everyone.

"Star-things," Taylynn confirmed, filing in after Jeanine. The suite's common room was growing more packed by the moment. Seeing everyone here—Claire's heart was full to bursting. Taylynn's met her stare and offered a smile, like she already knew the secret because, didn't she know everyone's secrets?

Claire cleared her throat and glanced around the room. "Well, I for one would like to see these star-things that are apparently all over my city. Shall we?"

Everyone filed out into the hall and down the stairs that wrapped around and around the central chamber of the palace. Far below sat the Spriten throne, elevated upon its crystal dais. Beside it stood the giant replica of the King Tree. But everywhere else, floating, bobbing, and glowing ethereally with shades of color, were the fruits of nearly one week's labor. Sleepless nights spent pushing her fingers to the limits.

She didn't look at the beautiful stars though. No, she watched the faces of everyone around her, especially Koldis and Reyr. Their expressions transformed, wide smiles softening the hard lines of their faces. "Wow," Reyr breathed as they set foot on the floor of the throne room. "There are so many of them." Everyone's eyes turned upward, towards the shimmering stars that hovered some twenty feet above, turning slowly, bobbing as if floating in an ocean. "And, they're all over the city?" Reyr asked.

"Everywhere," Feowen answered. He hadn't taken his eyes off her, though, waiting. Their gazes met and she offered him a mischievous grin. "How'd you manage it?" he asked. "And...why?"

She shrugged.

"It was you?" Koldis asked, turning to her, his gaze darting over her face.

"Try not to act so surprised," she told him.

A peal of laughter caught their attention. Taylynn stood, eyes glowing. "My mother would've never done something like this. It's...perfect, Claire. You're perfect. Are you sure you don't wish to keep this position permanently?" The question was an innocent joke, but Claire didn't miss the way Taylynn's eyes flicked to Koldis and back.

"Definitely not," she said, pulling her shoulders back. "Absolutely not. One hundred percent positive. Ten out of ten, I do not wish to keep this position."

"How?" Koldis asked, looking at her. "How'd you manage this without us knowing?"

"Yes, I'd like to know that too," Feowen chimed in.

She glanced around before answering. Most of the other Drengr-Rider pairs had drifted around the throne room. Some had even gone outside. She lead everyone out of the room to the stairs that spanned the palace entry. There, they had a perfect view of the magic before them.

Silence fell. And then—

"Well! Now I know what all that parchment was for," Reyr muttered.

"You knew about this?" Koldis rounded on him.

Reyr held up his hands. "I thought she had letters to write, you know, now that she's queen and all."

"No letters," she said simply. "But it did take some thought. With Solstice coming, I wanted to give my people something special, something different, but what? I used the parchment, copied the markings for each of the elements, air, earth, fire, and water—just like they appear on my skin. Copied them onto each sheet of parchment. Then I folded, and folded, and folded, star after star, all night for a week."

Years ago, she'd joined an after-school extra curricular club for origami. Thank the gods it had come in handy here. While she could fold a number of shapes, stars seemed the most appropriate.

At the top of the stairs, they had a good view of the main part of the city. Everything that wasn't obscured by forest. And even through the trees, her stars could be seen floating, glowing with rainbows of colorful light, shimmering like prisms.

"But...there must hundreds, thousands," said Koldis. "There's no way you could have folded that many."

"I didn't. I only managed a hundred or so." She lifted her hands in front of her, flexed her fingers. There was a reason she hadn't allowed anyone but her new handmaidens into her bedroom chamber, and even then, she'd managed to hide all the stars under her bed as they accumulated.

"You used magic to multiply them," Feowen mused, finally understanding.

"Yes, hundreds of times, but only after painting the elements onto each sheet and folding them up. I snuck outside late last night"—she lifted a knowing eyebrow in Koldis's direction— "and sent them skyward using the markings for each element to encourage them to do what I wanted. Air—to make them float and send them on their way. Earth—to tie them down so they wouldn't drift up to the heavens. Fire—to give them light and make them glow..."

"And water?" Feowen asked.

"Oh..." A smile came to her lips. "That's my favorite part. Raindrops refract light in the most beautiful ways."

"Ahh, that's how the light shimmers through each color," he said, nodding with approval. Koldis and Taylynn had drifted close together. She pretended not to notice the way his hand caressed the princesses back while they all gazed upon the city.

She hadn't used the multiplication magic until after she'd sent her hundred skyward. Then she'd done exactly as Pelwyn had taught her during their first lessons together, partitioning her mind, imagining iterations of the stars. One hundred became two, became four, became eight, until there were thousands floating through the city. And she hadn't done it alone. Isabella's staff had been in her hand the whole time.

It tied her to the King Tree—she was certain of that now. Tied her to the Tree's vast wealth of power. Not only had she heard the Tree's voice a few times over the past couple of weeks, but she'd felt the surges of power when she performed magic. The staff was a conduit. And that gave her hope—hope that it would be enough to defeat Kane.

"That's...Your Majesty, it's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen." Feowen placed his hand over his heart and bowed. "A perfect, thoughtful Solstice gift for all of us, for our people." She bowed her head in acknowledgement.

In truth, she'd started drafting the idea the moment she'd woken up the morning after gaining the throne. What might she give an ancient people who had everything they wanted, who could craft whatever they wanted with magic? And that's when the idea had slowly built, morphing into what it was now. Something beautiful to reign in a new era. Stars, a symbol of hope and new beginnings.

Sprites were emerging from their dwellings eyes lifted upward, looks of wonder on their faces. They pointed, oohed and awed, laughing with delight. A few joined hands and danced in circles, giggling.

"Well," she said, looking at everyone gathered on the stairs. "Shall we go up and open gifts?"

While she hadn't been expecting it, she'd received so many that it took her all morning to unwrap them. Each of her pairs had gotten her little trinkets, and she treasured every one. But it was the gifts that had come from Kastali Dun, from Talon and his Shields, from her friends, from Jeanine, Feowen, and Taylynn, that were the most special of them all.

Of those, she opened the Shields's gifts first. A beautiful silver ring with a sunset orange stone from Bedelth. A pair of teardrop earrings, ruby red, from Verath. A bracelet with lovely purple gems from Dallin (even though he wasn't oath sworn yet). A necklace with little sapphire flowers from Jovari. A coil of delicate gold chain that wrapped around her upper arm from Reyr. And a beautiful emerald green tiara made of Spriten starlight silver from Koldis. At first, she'd been confused by their gifts, by the representation of color in each one, until she realized that this was their way of giving her a piece of them, a piece that she might carry with her always.

And that's when the tears started.

"Come now, Your Majesty," said Reyr, who sat beside her, wrapping her in his arms. "Today is a day to be happy, to celebrate, not weep."

"I am happy!" she confessed into his shoulder, her voice muffled. "I'm so happy I'm weeping."

His answer was a chuckle.

"I, for one," said Koldis, interrupting their moment, "am keen to see what King Talon has gifted you. Are you going to make us wait all morning?"

Everyone was still crammed in the suite, her pairs from Kastali Dun, plus Koldis and Reyr, and of course, Feowen, Jeanine, and Taylynn. Nearly all of them were seated on the floor, elbow to elbow.

"All right, all right," she said, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. "Hand them over, then."

Koldis dropped a couple of packages into her lap. She lifted the first one, ripping away the brown paper, and blinked. She turned it over in her hand. A glass bottle with clear liquid and a gold inscription written in delicate font. "Essence of Talon," she read aloud, without thinking. Then her eyes widened and a crazed laugh burst from her lips. "Oh my gods! I can't believe it. I can't believe he really did this!"

"Essence of...what?" both Koldis and Reyr said at once, weird expressions on their faces.

She popped open the cork and inhaled. A sigh fell from her chest. It wasn't perfect, but it was damn close. "Salt and smoke," she mused, dabbing a little on her wrists and her neck. "He found a perfumer and had it made for me."

"And why in the name of the gods would he think to do that?" Koldis grumbled. "I knew he was a shade cocky but...Essence of Talon? Really?"

She barked a laugh. Around the room, her exuberant expression was met with confused looks. "It's a joke," she explained. "The night before I left to come here, I told our king that I loved his scent. I told him that I wished I could bottle it up in a perfume or a candle. He...remembered."

He had put real thought into the gift she held in her hands, and it made her want to cry. Made her wish more than ever that he was here, that she could hug him, kiss him, thank him. She lifted her wrist and inhaled, immediately calmed. He'd given her something that made him feel a little closer. She could smell him all around her.

"All right, all right," Koldis grumbled, accepting her answer. He shot a glance at Taylynn and said more quietly. "I hope you don't expect me to make you a perfume now."

Claire couldn't help the bark of laughter that burst from her lips.

The other gift from Talon was larger than the first. It was also wrapped in brown paper. But she could already guess the contents before fully unwrapping it. The smell of sugar filled the room. As soon as the paper was gone, she feasted her eyes on all the brightly colored candies.

"Now that was my idea," said Reyr smugly. "But I let our king pick them out."

"From Flynn's Fine Sweets?"

"Where else?" His grin was infectious. She immediately tore into the bag and popped a toffee into her mouth, sighing. Then she passed the bag around, insisting that everyone should have one, even two. It meant the entire bag would be gone in a few minutes, but she didn't care. She was too happy to care—wanted everyone else to share in her happiness. Reyr's eyes narrowed, so perhaps he cared. She merely elbowed him and grinned wider.

From Jocelyn came a gorgeous embroidered shawl that depicted a black, iridescent dragon breathing fire. A perfect replica of Talon. She must have insisted that Talon transform just so that she could get his form correct. There was a leather-bound journal from Saffra with an inscription on the first page, so that she could record her life after coming to Dragonwall, tell a story that would last for thousands of years beyond her own. And from Desaree, a pocket book of miniature maps of all the territories in Dragonwall. Her eyes watered with the thoughtfulness of each.

Jeanine got her a pair of starlight silver bracers for archery, light as feathers. "I saw you eying them in the market last week," she explained.

And she was right. Claire had studied the beautiful stamped details, the Sprite markings, and thought of all her time spent working with Pelwyn's bow. She'd wanted them immediately, but decided she'd get them later. "That was so observant of you. Thank you, Jeanine. I will cherish these."

Jeanine's gaze fell to the floor, but as soon as Feowen grabbed her hand, it lifted again to meet Claire's and she smiled.

"I too got you something I saw you eying," Feowen announced, passing over his gift.

"You didn't," she gasped. Because she knew he'd seen her looking at Spriten swords during that very same trip to the market. Market wasn't the same here as it was in Katali Dun, filled with merchants looking to make a living off buying and selling. It was held once per week as a chance for artists, blacksmiths, and the like to show of their life's work. Art, weapons, clothing, sweet treats, all made by the one selling the goods.

The box was exactly the size of a sword, so it was no surprise when she lifted the lid and found a beautiful Spriten blade sheathed within. The sheath was starlight silver, just like the blade, covered in Sprite markings. She lifted it from the box and pulled the blade free. It emitted a pure note of music that left her shivering with delight. "It will sing like all Spriten blades?" she asked, hopeful.

"Indeed," said Feowen, grinning. "And when I told Delayn that I was getting it for you, our queen, he added the extra gems there on the scabbard, cross guard, and pommel. Said it needed to be fit for royalty before I could give it to you." Indeed, it had additional glittering gems of different colors embedded into the metal.

"There's nothing wrong with owning more than one sword, is there?" she asked Reyr, hesitant, because she felt a little guilty. Cyrus's sword was beautiful, but it was his sword as much as it was hers. This one...it was all hers.

"Nothing wrong at all," Reyr answered, winking. "You are of two peoples, so it makes sense that you would have a sword to carry from each." She nodded, relieved.

Taylynn's gift came last. A delicate starlight silver ring, no stones, no adornments, just a few bands woven together. Simple, yet, elegant. "I have imbued it with my own magic," she said, holding up her hand to show a matching band. "They are a pair. It means we will be able to sense one another. Should you ever be in danger, I will feel it. And vice versa. You will be able to find me no matter where in the world I am, and I will always be able to find you."

Claire opened and closed her mouth. Koldis looked stunned...and jealous. "I...thank you. It's perfect." She slipped it on her finger and smiled, holding it out. "What do you think?" she asked the room, to which she received all sorts of answers from "Beautiful," to "Excusisite." It was a ring fit for a queen.

***

"I should like to wear my hair up tonight," she told Selphie. "To show off my marks." They were preparing for the ball, which had already started. But apparently, as queen, she was expected to make a late entrance.

"Of course, Your Majesty," Selphie began twisting and pinning, pulling her locks into place. Beside her, Meira held a brush and gold glitter, to be dusted over her skin. Tonight, she'd sparkle as the brightest star.

Her gown was gold, a hybrid of styles to match the blood that flowed in her, both Sprite and Drengr. While it was made out of the fabric that all Sprites wore, there were layers of skirts that trailed the ground, cascading around her, with a generous train. It would have to be pinned into place after her entrance or she'd never dance properly. In true Sprite fashion, the upper half of her gown was revealing, almost immodestly so. Layers of fabric looped around her neck, plunging down to cover only her breasts before anchoring to the voluminous skirts. Most of her stomach was on display, including her bellybutton and her entire back. A narrow band of gold wrapped beneath her breasts around the circumference of her torso, crossing her back. It was set with white diamonds that glittered.

"I hope we did well, Your Majesty, to incorporate the fashion of Dragonwall's capital with our own." Selphie's voice was tentative.

"It's perfect," she told her. "Absolutely perfect."

"I'd like to see it some day—Dragonwall's capital," Meira ventured. "I've seen paintings, with dwellings stacked atop one another. A giant castle."

"It's a sight to see," Claire mused. "I was shocked the first time I laid eyes on it."

"Do you think...that is to say...if you ever return, that we might..."

"You wish to travel?" she asked, eyebrows lifting.

"I..." Meira and Selphie shared a look, something she couldn't quite read.

Perhaps it was better that she tell them now, rather than spring it on them later. She couldn't tell them everything—not yet. Not when she hadn't discussed the particulars with Taylynn. But...

She sighed. "After our celebrations here, I will depart the forest to travel. To Fort Squall, specifically. I will be taking my Queen's Guard with me."

Their eyes widened and they shared another look. "You will be riding to war, then?" Meira asked. She squared her shoulders. "You will need us, then. We will accompany you, to ensure you want for nothing along the road, and once you've reached the battle. We must keep you looking your best."

Her insistence reminded Claire of Des. "That's not—I mean...I cannot ask that of you, to leave the forest." Never mind that she'd be putting them in danger. Even if they remained at camp and didn't actually partake in the brutalities of battle.

"It would be our honor to accompany and serve you, Your Majesty" said Selphie. "We are your handmaidens. It is our place."

But I have Desaree, she wanted to say. Even if queens in the past had a whole slew of ladies, she certainly wasn't at the point where she needed multiple people fussing over her. What was more, she wouldn't just be taking them to Fort Squall; it would be on to Kastali Dun. She'd no plans of a permanent return to the forest. Yet, she couldn't say anything without revealing that her position as their queen wasn't permanent.

She chewed on the inside of her cheek. "All right. You may accompany me."

To their credit, they wore their excitement quietly, with gentle smiles and glittering eyes.

"You've really never left the forest?" she asked after a few more minutes of their fussing.

"Our queen forbade it," Meira said. "Said it was impossible. But Princess Taylynn said, if we wished, that she would make it possible."

Her head whipped around, forcing Selphie to hold several pins in place. "Taylynn put you up to this?!"

"Well...no...yes...I mean to say..." They both shared yet another look.

"Well, if she did, then I very well couldn't deny you even if I wanted to. The princess always knows best." She almost snorted. Of course it was Taylynn's doing. What wasn't?

Selphie finished with her hair and held up an extra mirror so that she could see the back.

"It's a masterpiece," she admitted. "You've done well." But she missed Desaree's fussing and would have rather had her friend here, with her gentle hands and stimulating conversation.

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Selphie bowed.

They were both dressed in traditional Spriten garb, as excited as she was to go down to the throne room. She looked them over, taking in their eager expressions. Like all Sprites, they were ethereal and beautiful, with markings that swirled over their skin, though not as many as she'd earned in being here, she realized, keeping the thought to herself.

"There, you are ready." Meira finished a last dusting of gold on her exposed shoulders and they exited her private bedroom.

Only Koldis and Reyr waited in the suite. Both Shields saw her and gaped. "I don't think I've rendered either of you speechless in quite some time," she said, breezing past them, leaving them to blink after her. "Shall we go down to the ball?"

"At once, Your Majesty," Koldis managed to croak.

Her handmaidens both had escorts waiting just outside her suite door, so Koldis and Reyr took an arm each, sandwiching her in the middle. "You'd better not tell our king about this dress," Koldis growled.

"Thanks, Mom," she said, grinning up at him. "Any other nagging requests before we go down?"

He huffed. "I'm only saying that he'd be quite jealous. Knowing how you look tonight—not being able to enjoy your company."

She chuckled. "I'm not so sure he's the Jealous type. Well, perhaps he is, but he knows my heart belongs to him." She offered Koldis a wink.

"He does, indeed," said Reyr. She hadn't gotten much time with her favorite Shield since his arrival. It had been one thing after another, meetings mostly. She leaned her head against Reyr's shoulder. "I'm glad you're here, by the way. I know I haven't had much time with you—much opportunity to tell you how happy I am that you made the trip here. But honestly, it may have been the best Solstice gift I received."

"Better than Essence of Talon?" Reyr smirked, lifting his eyebrows. Koldis cleared his throat. "And anyway, King Talon and I both thought you'd appreciate seeing me. He was ready to come himself, but..."

"But he's the king and his people need him." She hesitated. "Has he missed me much? Has he been...okay?"

There was a long pause and then, "He's missed you, as I'm sure he's said in his letters. Between us, he's been more irritable than normal. Complains that he can't properly eat anymore. But I'm rather impressed by how well he's handled it."

"He won't have to miss me for much longer," she said.

"No, I dare say he won't."

The hallway ended just ahead, at the start of the staircase. She hesitated, keeping them hidden. Behind her, her handmaidens and their escorts also paused. In a few moments, she'd be on display for her people. She'd be the queen they expected. There would be no peace, no quiet, no rest. Only formalities and expectations. I am the queen, she repeated for the umpteenth time, hoping this time she might believe it. Dragging in a deep, steadying breath, she said, "Well, shall we?"

"Yes. I think its time for your people to see their queen," Reyr answered.

Keeping both their arms locked in hers, she stepped out onto the stairs. 

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Hi Book Dragons!

Wow, this was a long one, almost 5000 words. But I know you're not complaining ;)

It's been a loooonnggg week, so I'm thrilled that it's the weekend. I'm still deep into my Lady Witch series writing. I'm having a lot of fun. So I'll probably get 2-3 chapters for that written this weekend. But I do want to write a chapter from Jeanine's POV featuring the solstice ball. I left a place holder for it. Technically, it would be the next chapter in the set. So if all goes well, that's what you'll see next week. Initially I'd just skipped on to the chapter after that.

It's also the last weekend of the month, so that means my bi-weekly newsletter goes out this weekend.

Hope you're having a great week!

-Mel