“You must. If you do not, the other Queens will take you to task, else risk similar resurgence in their queendoms. This is not merely a matter of your own realm, Queen Clíodhna. It’s a matter for all of Faerie.”
She ground her teeth with stubborn intransigence. She didn’t want to do this, but his words made sense. “Very well. What do you advise?”
His grin stretched from ear to ear, the bark crackling at his glee. “I suggest a token punishment for their leaders.”
Clíodhna drew in a deep breath. “Bring them to me.”
* * *
It took some time to gather the leaders of the revolt, but after a few sleeps, they assembled before Clíodhna’s throne. Every courtier she’d ever met came to watch her mete out punishment. In the meantime, she’d consulted Grimnaugh to gauge his opinion on Bodach’s idea.
“I’m afraid he’s right, my Queen. You must punish them. However, your punishment needn’t be too dire. Perhaps banishing them to the mortal world for a time would be sufficient, at least for the leaders. Most of them survive well enough there, and enjoy their time, so it isn’t a harsh punishment.”
“Is that why I’ve met so many there? Did they all get banished from Faerie?”
“Oh, no! We go when we want if we’re allowed. I’ve never been, but many travel there. The mortal realm works differently from here, and some enjoy those differences.” Grimnaugh shivered, displaying his own opinion of the mortal realm.
Clíodhna had so many questions to that statement, she couldn’t choose one.
A flood of nostalgia washed over her, and an aching need to hold her children tight. Grateful she stood in front of just Grimnaugh and not the entire court, she gave in to her sobs and fell to her knees, her face in her hands. She cried silent tears, her shoulders shaking with the love of her children, away from her in the mortal world.
Grimnaugh patted her shoulder with awkward comfort and cleared his throat. When she dragged her sorrow back inside, she looked up, tears staining her cheeks. “Grimnaugh, have you ever missed someone so much it felt like something stabbed you?”
He cleared his throat again. His voice grew to a mere whisper. “Once, your Grace. Once, long, long ago, my dear lover. A piece of my heart died with him on the battlefield.”
Still on her knees, she hugged him tight. At first, he resisted with a stiff back, but soon he melted into her hug. They drew comfort from each other.
Clíodhna drew back and sniffed. “If I must punish the rebellious Fae, let us do so in the kindest way we can. For the sake of those we miss. They surely lost loved ones in the battle, and we might divide families with this edict.”
Grimnaugh’s brow furrowed in puzzlement. “But if you do that, other Queens may see you as weak.”
“Then we must disabuse them of that notice. How often do the Queens visit each other?”
“Visit? The Queens? They don’t, your Grace.”
“What? Queen Áine never visited other Queens? They never came to this court? She sent Adhna as emissary in the past.”
“Never, ever! Not that any Fae in living memory can recall.”
“Perhaps we should change that.”
Grimnaugh’s eyes grew wide. “But any Queen visiting would be at a horrible disadvantage, and in terrible danger! Your power base would surround her, leaving her vulnerable to attack! None would take such a chance.”
“Even if I did so first?”
Grimnaugh wrung his hands. “I beg you not to do this!”
“If Bodach thinks he can control my actions when I’m the Queen, he has made a dire mistake. I will not sit idle and let him manipulate me because he holds power over my people and my children. If I can make allies with other Queens, the power structure will shift. I must try.”
Grimnaugh’s face had turned pale green and his spots had faded almost to invisibility. “What do you mean to ask the Queens for?”
“Safe passage for me and my blood family in any of their lands. And I shall grant the same to them.”
“But how can you guarantee Bodach and his loyal Fae won’t attack them?”
“If he does, then I will no longer be Queen. I’m the only one he can control in that position, otherwise he wouldn’t place me here. Therefore, it’s in his best interest to keep me in place.”
Grimnaugh’s gaze darted around. “I don’t like it, my Queen. I don’t like it. Too much can go wrong. I don’t like it one bit!”
“Grimnaugh, you’ve been my dear friend and invaluable help. But I never asked you to like it. Do you think it will work?”
He stared off into the distance, blinking a few times. “The logic is sound, my Queen. It fits into how things work in Faerie.”
Clíodhna stood, dusting her hands together in a gesture of final decision. “Excellent. Now, let’s make some plans.”
Still nervous, Grimnaugh asked, “What plans?”
“Since Adhna hasn’t returned from his last mission for the old Queen, we must find another emissary to put things in place. Someone we trust above all pettiness.” She lifted one eyebrow and frowned at Grimnaugh. “As much as I value you by my side, only once choice remains.”
He glanced around behind him three times before placing a tentative hand on his chest. “Your Grace, you can’t mean me! I’m no diplomat. Indeed, I possess no rank to be an emissary. I wouldn’t even know what to say!”
“I have faith you’ll know exactly what to say. You’ve been an acting Seneschal for me since I got here. You understand court etiquette inside and out. Above all else, you are unthreatening and humble. What more could I need in an emissary?
