Several cases came before the Queen, each one judged with little deliberation, from what Clíodhna could see. The one point of mercy the Queen granted was for a young Fae, small as a child. He had wandered into a forbidden area, something described as the Dead Marsh. For his crime, the Queen spoke to him in stern tones, reminding him that the marsh remained dangerous, and he should mind the rules better. Such human kindness gave Clíodhna a small glimmer of hope that her new position would be less horrible than she’d feared. She breathed more easily after that.
Hours must have passed before the Queen clapped her hands three times. Two guards had been leading a supplicant in, but they turned around in an instant, shuffling the Fae outside.
The courtier crowds increased over time, doubling and then tripling in size. Now at least forty Fae milled around, waiting for their Queen’s command. They watched her with eager anticipation.
She stood, surveying them all with pleased confidence. Then she gestured to a small cluster of three Fae in the back corner. They fumbled into the shadows and came out with elegant objects. Clíodhna couldn’t tell what they were until the music started.
Instruments! They played musical instruments. The ethereal strains of strings and wind soared through the vaulted trees and caressed her ears. Entranced by the delightful melody, she began to dance, without a thought for propriety.
A hand caught her arm and she grunted in surprise. The short, stout, toad-like Fae had grasped her arm, looking up at her with alarm. “You mustn’t! No one dances without the Queen’s permission.”
“I… I didn’t realize. I’m sorry.”
He bowed and gave a wide grin filled with sharp teeth. “I am here to help. I’m called Grimnaugh.”
“Thank you, Grimnaugh. I’m Clíodhna.”
“Oh, we’re all well aware of who you are, human woman! The court has been abuzz about you for some time now, ever since you came to Faerie. The Queen, in particular, is intrigued by you, a full human! She wants to make you a handmaiden.”
She glanced around at the other Fae in alarm. “But Adhna said he’d hide me!”
“He hid you well enough. We weren’t sure where Adhna hid his cottage. Only the Queen kept that knowledge. But the court has been abuzz with your arrival, and we’ve learned you’d been helping the other Fae, both in the human realm and here. It’s unusual for a human to be so helpful, so you became the subject of much speculation.”
He pointed out each Fae and told her the name they went by, and their relative rank in the court. “You, as the Queen’s handmaiden, are ranked above them all, until the Queen chooses a consort. But as a human, you won’t have real power. You’ll be… a curiosity, at most. She has been without one since the last one died, and they’re all pushing for the position. Well, most of them. Adhna doesn’t seem to be interested, though she favors him.”
Mixed emotions swam inside her. She didn’t want to lose Adhna, but if he had a chance at such power, why wouldn’t he have taken it? “Adhna could have been consort?”
Grimnaugh grinned, his smile almost reaching from ear to ear. “Many times past. But his heart, it seems, is promised elsewhere. He’s wise to turn the Queen down. She wouldn’t have tolerated such a split loyalty. Rejecting the Queen is dangerous, but she would never play second best.”
So Adhna had turned the Queen down because of his feelings for herself. She felt both relief and guilt at this revelation. She stared at her hands, clasped in front of her, terrified to move lest she violate some other court custom.
“Don’t be so worried, Clíodhna. I will help you learn what you must to survive. Adhna asked me if I would look out for you when he couldn’t. We’ve worked together in the past, and I owe him a few favors.”
“Thank you, Grimnaugh.” She glanced up, noticing a few of the Fae moving to the center of the floor, forming a double line. “Is the dancing to begin?”
“It is. I recommend you wait and study the steps before you enter the dance. Mistakes do not reflect well upon our Queen.”
Clíodhna studied the dance. She learned many dances, precise turns of phrase, meaningful glances, and other subtle power plays within the court of Queen Áine. Her prior education in social customs meant nothing here. The minute details mattered so much more now. Every gesture and nuance carried tremendous meaning. Until she became familiar with the possibilities, she kept silent and still during court.
Grimnaugh became her shadow, whispering information in her ear. She adored the short, squat Fae and his help most likely saved her life countless times. The Queen only acknowledged his presence at Clíodhna’s side once, with a bare nod. Grimnaugh informed her this qualified as high praise for any lesser Fae from his Queen.
When Adhna returned from his latest mission, he appeared ruffled and tired. He couldn’t speak of his errands, as they were the Queen’s business, but when he came back, they enjoyed their solitude for a few precious hours before she must return to court. He thanked Grimnaugh for watching out for her with a few pieces of precious cheese and a small jar of honey. Grimnaugh delighted in the gift, letting out a cheerful giggle and a small dance when he saw them.
“Adhna knows me so well! I grow weary of fruit and vegetables. He’s so lucky, getting to travel into the mortal world.”
“You cannot?”
His shoulders drooped, his joy diminishing. “I’m not powerful enough. Only the courtiers and their ilk can go back and forth at will. The Queen has assigned some, like the nature spirits or the bean sídhe. Our place is here, at
