Chapter Seven

"THERE'S A FEW PRESSING ISSUES that I feel need to be discussed," Angus started.

I'd just barely gotten settled in my seat at the oval table when Angus opened up the meeting. Rune, Jesiah, Dallas, Rance, and Imani joined me, and while I would've liked to have had more Land Fae present, Imani explained it would be better to go into this meeting with just Rune for now. No Land Fae had been given clearance to join, a process that required the Council of Doctrina to vote in favor of allowing a newcomer. Rune was being given special access as my partner, but even that was stretching it.

The Council of Doctrina was a group of ranked Water Fae who gathered to discuss matters of significance within the Water Fae Kingdom. Although Jesiah also explained that the Queen and King would get final say in each decision. The Council was more of an advisory council, and the Queen and King could use their suggestions, knowledge, and experience to make decisions, should they need it.

The Council consisted of the Queen and King, each head of their personal guards—Dallas for mine and Rance for Rune—their personal advisor, highly ranked members of the army, scholars, and an elected citizen to represent the Water Fae people. Because no one had been called back to the Kingdom yet, it was just Angus here to speak on behalf of the missing members.

Steeling myself for what I assumed would be a brutal next hour, I met Angus's dark eyes across the petrified seaweed table. "What issues would those be?"

"The first is crowning you as Queen. Right now, you're still just Princess Bria with practically no weight to your name. In order to proceed with all that you have planned—leading our people, attempting to advocate for peace with the Land Fae King, Elias—you need to be Queen, not only in name but in practice."

"We have those plans set in place," Jesiah assured. "She's starting her studies with me today. I'll be instructing her in everything—policies, etiquette, history, abilities. We'll leave no stone unturned."

My stomach dropped ever so slightly, and the air in the room suddenly felt thicker, making it hard to swallow. Jesiah's words were a blunt reminder of everything that was about to come my way, and I prayed that I could handle it. I didn't want to crumble under the weight of it all, yet fear was starting to eat away at my confidence like embers creeping along the edges of paper.

"And while the knowledge that will come from those studies is vital, so is practice," Angus pointed out. "A babe does not simply stand and walk. It must first learn to crawl, learn to fall and get back up again. I fear that it will be Bria's lack of experience that could hinder her goals."

I held my head higher. "I may not know everything about this Kingdom or Fae, but I'm determined to be what it needs. I'm not naīve, Angus. I know I have much to learn and numerous errors waiting for me, too. But I also know I have power and intentions that will lead Water Fae exactly where we need to go. I'm not alone. There are many who will aid me in the areas you're worried about, and once I'm able to stand on my own, I'll do so proudly and with every bit of confidence befitting a Queen."

"And a wonderful Queen you'll be," Dallas affirmed, her eyes shining with admiration and trust.

I was determined to not disappoint her nor anyone else who believed in me.

"I do not doubt that," Angus said, his tone clipped. "However, time is not on our side, Your Highness. You've returned to Ambrolia. Water Fae are soon to return to Morardia. Rumors of your intentions will spread and reach Land Fae. They will plan their own course of action, and I suspect it will be the opposite of what you seek. You may be a great Queen. One day. But how long until then? Months? Years? We do not have time to wait on you to become the Queen we know you can be."

"It sounds like you're alluding to the idea that someone else should lead Water Fae, General Blackwood," Rune pointed out calmly. He smirked. "I'm assuming you'd like that position for yourself, yes?"

Angus matched Rune's cold grin. "Not at all. I know my place, just as I know Bria's. I'm merely pointing out the possible issues with what we're trying to do."

"Ah." Rune nodded. "And what is it we're trying to do from where you're sitting? Better yet, let me ask, what is it you'd like to do, General? You sound so sure that Land Fae will wage war, and Water Fae will be in danger with Bria as Queen. So what would you suggest?"

Angus tapped his fingers on the tabletop, suspending the room in silence for countless moments. Finally, he leaned back in his seat and said, "I'd strike first. Wipe out Land Fae before they can do so to us."

I sucked in a sharp breath, fighting against the anger now coursing through my bloodstream. I knew there would be feelings like this on both sides, but hearing it first-hand from one of my own was … nauseating. He really believed that all Land Fae should be killed? Needed wiping out ? The mere suggestion leaving his lips burned against my ears and sizzled like acid within my gut.

Rune chuckled darkly. "And this is why a babe, as you put it, is the perfect person to have as Queen. Her judgment and lack of experience lets her see things in a way you can't anymore. Perhaps you've tripped and fallen one too many times, General Blackwood. It seems you're still down, struggling to get back up, and the helping hand you need is Bria's. We all do. It will be her strength, her mercy, her power that pulls us all up and shows us not only how to walk but how to fly."

Emotion flooded my chest in a burst of warmth. Rune held Angus' glower from across the table, and despite the tension in the room, Rune was a picture of ease. He leaned back in his chair, his shoulders and posture relaxed, his hands resting along the chair's arms. Only his eyes, which were hardened at the edges, hinted at any sort of hostility between he and Angus. Even so, they also blazed with sincere confidence. He believed every word of what he'd said, and despite his calm state, his golden eyes held a promise to destroy anyone who so much as doubted me.

Angus's cheeks puffed red while he stared at Rune, and his nostrils flared as he took a deep breath. "You are Land Fae. You are a Fox . You truly believe your kind will willingly agree to become civil? To cease killing one another? It's not in your nature. You are killers by instinct."

"I'm sitting here, aren't I? Me, a Fox , as you so kindly pointed out. I believe in Bria and would gladly pledge my loyalty to her a thousand times over, just as I trust others will. Do you not?"

"I do not believe in Land Fae," Angus quipped. "Do you know how many Water Fae they've killed? Let me ask, Rune. How many Water Fae have you killed?"

"Angus," Imani snapped.

Rune's eyes never left Angus. "Too many to count. How many Land Fae have you killed?"

Angus returned Rune's question with a near smug smile. "Too many to count."

"Yet here we are," Rune noted, opening his arms wide. "Land Fae and Water Fae, sharing the same room, the same table, and we aren't slaughtering one another. We're talking . We're learning . We're working toward something better than the hate and hostility we've all harbored for so long. And you can thank your Queen for that. I know I do."

"Except she's not Queen," Angus retorted. "Not yet."

"That will be rectified soon, as you well know," Imani said, pinning Angus in place with her firm tone. "As soon as Water Fae have returned, we'll hold her coronation and crown her as Queen."

Angus's eyes flicked back to Rune, yet his question was directed at Imani. "And what of the Joining Ceremony?"

"The Joining Ceremony?" I asked, glancing at Jesiah for an answer. For some reason, the words struck a chord of unease within me, like I was about to be given another major hurdle to jump.

Jesiah glanced between Rune and me. "It's a ceremony that the current Prince or Princess performs with their intended partner for the entire Kingdom to witness. It's the official union of the two, and it's typically done as the Prince or Princess is crowned, announcing the partner as King or Queen with them."

"Basically, it's a marriage ceremony, only instead of vows and rings, it's a dance and display of power," Dallas said.

I swallowed hard. "M-Marriage?"

I glanced at Rune, who slowly turned his head to meet my gaze. For the first time in a while, I couldn't read what Rune was thinking. It was like his brain had stalled, and now he just stared blankly at me as he tried to wrap his head around what was being said. Even if he was struggling with what to think, I already knew where he stood on this.

Rune didn't want to get married.

The whole reason Rune and I were sitting here together, the very essence of why we became friends in the first place, was because Rune needed me to pose as his partner so that he didn't have to settle down and marry. Sure, we were lovers now, but marriage was a tie, a vow, a bond that wasn't to be broken, and Rune was adamant that he didn't want that. Marriage and kids weren't in his future plans.

Clearing my throat, I looked at Angus. "What about the Joining Ceremony?"

"Do you intend to perform it with him?"

"I just learned of the ceremony, so nothing is planned yet."

"I highly suggest you combine the ceremony with your coronation," Jesiah recommended, making a point to look directly in my eyes. "It would really help the people be more open to the idea that peace is possible between Water and Land Fae by seeing the two of you together, especially during that ceremony. It would also give Rune authority as King, your official partner and fellow leader of Water Fae."

I opened my mouth to explain that it was still too new for us to decide something like that when Angus interjected, "But how can we, as Water Fae, have a Land Fae for King? Not only has it never been done before, but Water Fae and Land Fae can't reproduce."

My eyebrows shot up at that, because … woah . That was an escalation. How did we go from talking about peace between Water and Land Fae to babies ?

"That's not true," Dallas argued. "There have been instances where Land and Water Fae have been able to conceive and give birth."

"They've all been powerless, though," Imani begrudgingly pointed out.

"Exactly," Angus huffed. "We can't have a powerless Queen or King once Bria and Rune's rule is done. We must have a strong, capable heir, which can't come from a union between a Land and Water Fae."

My head was beginning to throb. Placing my fingers on my temples, I leaned my elbows on the table. "An heir is so far into the future, Angus. I'm not even Queen yet—something you like to remind us of. I haven't even ruled yet. Our priority right now isn't what offspring I might produce one day in the distant future. Right now, our priority is stopping the war between Land and Water Fae as peacefully as possible. That's what we need to focus on. We can cross the baby bridge when we get there.

"As for your issue with Rune being my partner, your point is moot. I love him. I will be with whomever I deem worthy, not you. I choose Rune, and whether we do the ceremony or not, he is the one that will be by my side as I lead this Kingdom. That is one matter that's not, and will never be, open for discussion."

The room fell quiet, and I took the chance to breathe deeply. It felt like I hadn't had a chance to just fucking breathe this whole damn meeting. It was one thing after another being thrown my way, and I was starting to sense that this was how it was going to be from now on. Exhaustion tugged at my shoulders, but I shrugged it off. I refused to be shaken so early on.

Sitting up straight once more, I captured Angus's attention across the table. "I will train and study, and as soon as the Water Fae have arrived safely to this Kingdom, we'll hold the coronation. Once I'm Queen, I'll take the necessary steps to get everyone I can on my side. We'll correspond with King Elias, and in time, I'm confident that we can end this war-torn era."

Angus stared at me, his jaw working. He inhaled deeply before asking, "So you truly want to do this? You want Water and Land Fae to forget all the wrongs done to us? You want us to let go and become allies?"

I shook my head. "I'm not asking everyone to forget. Asking that would be wrong. You can never forget something like this—the bloodshed, the lives lost. I'm asking for forgiveness . I'm asking for a better future for all of us, one created by healing and goodwill. Do I expect all Water and Land Fae to be best friends and to go skipping hand-in-hand through a field of rainbows and flowers? No, absolutely not. But I expect a world in which that's possible. A world where Land and Water Fae can smile at one another as they pass each other on the street. Where Water and Land Fae can fall in love, if that's what fate has in store. I expect a world far brighter and beautiful than this broken one."

Angus's shoulders pulled taught, and his fingers thrummed listlessly against the armrest of his chair. He closed his eyes and hung his head as he chewed his cheek. Finally, he shook his head, and when his eyes found mine, I was stunned to see raw anger directed right at me. "You ask for the impossible."

"Angus," Imani thundered. "You are out of line. Stand down. That's an order."

I held up my hand at Imani, but my eyes never left Angus. "No. I want to hear him speak openly and honestly. I don't want people to censor themselves around me. Please, Angus. Continue."

"And I may speak freely? Honestly?" The words were spoken cold and quietly, and I almost sensed that he meant it as a challenge.

"You may."

"Then let me be frank. Your goal for peace is a childish fantasy. It can't be done. You don't understand, Bria. How could you? You aren't from this world. You haven't witnessed real war. You haven't watched your entire life, your entire reason for existing , bleed out at the hands of another. You haven't lost anyone to this war like we all have, yet you waltz in as if you're a part of this world and somehow know what's best for it. How could you possibly know what is best when you haven't felt the devastating pain of loss that the rest of us have felt for centuries?"

Every word sliced deeper and deeper into me. It lashed out at every insecurity I had, reopening each one to flood my mind.

You don't belong here.

You can't rule an entire Kingdom.

You aren't powerful enough.

You aren't good enough.

Your pain is invalid.

Rune's chair scraped back sharply as he shot to his feet with a deep growl, fire erupting in either hand. Before he could move in for what I feared might be a kill, I grabbed his arm and held him back.

Swallowing hard, I forced a smile. "You're right. I don't know this world like you do. I didn't grow up here like you did. I don't know what it's like to see people I love die right in front of me. You're right. On most points. I take it you lost someone important to you?"

He gave a sharp nod.

Slowly, I nodded, too. "Losing someone dear after so much time together can't be easy. The memories that haunt you because they're just that now—memories—is probably excruciating. But you still have those memories. You had time together. You had a chance to really know and love that person. I didn't.

"I will never know my mother's touch. I will never know my father's voice when he's telling a joke or when he's cross with me. I will never, ever get back the memories that could've been. Because this war—the one that has stolen so much from you—stole from me, too. I wasn't raised here in what should've been my home. I know nothing of who I am because of this war . So no, I may not understand your kind of loss, Angus, but I struggle with my own kind. Pain is pain. Let's not make a habit of comparing each other's."

His furious dark eyes slowly clouded over with remorse. Seconds ticked by before he whispered, "Forgive me, Your Highness. I didn't think about your situation before I spoke."

Fighting the ache expanding in my chest, I said, "I only want the best for Water Fae. I want the best for Land Fae. I want every child to know their mother and father. I don't want them to spend their whole lives wondering who they are and where their true home is. I want for no one to hurt the way you do because they lost someone they loved to war. So from this moment on, we'll work to heal, to forgive, and to make my childish fantasy a reality." I quickly got to my feet, and I refused to look back as I barreled toward the door. "This meeting is over."