DAMEISELE CWĒN (Damsel Queen) 7

[sidhe_faerie]

 An Enchantment For A Child

Taralen had made the potion and was ready when the mundane woke up. The footman watching him had sent for her as soon as the man woke. She and Miran went to the turret immediately.

“Where am I? What is this place?” The man was sitting up and asking when Taralen and Miran arrived.

“You are in the Southern Court of the Tuathe. I am Taralen. I am Queen here.” Taralen said. “What is your name?”

“I am Caleb dales. I was fighting the Cullen army for King Unbane.” The man said. “You are faeries. How did I get here?”

“You fell through a protective barrier around our land.” Taralen said. She turned to the footman. “You may go. I will call for you when I am ready to leave.”

“Yes my lady.” The footman bowed and left.

“I want to go back to the battle.” Caleb said. “I’m sure they are looking for me by now.”

“We will send someone to tell them you are recovering here.” Taralen said. She held out the small bottle with the potion. “Here, drink this it is a tonic to restore your strength.”

“Thank you but I feel strong enough.” Caleb said as he eyed the bottle the queen was holding.

Taralen frowned and opened her other hand. She had faerie dust in her palm. She blew it in his face.

“Hey! What are…..” Caleb went quiet.

“Drink this.” Taralen held out the bottle out to him again.

Caleb took the bottle and drank the potion.

Taralen took a deep breath and looked at Miran.

“My Lady, I will stay on the other side of the door to make sure you are not disturbed.” Miran said.

“Thank you.” Taralen whispered. She waited until Miran was out of the room and then turned to the man staring blankly at her.

“Remove your clothing.” Taralen said.

Caleb removed his clothes and stood naked in front of her. Taralen dropped her gown to the floor and lay down on the bed. Caleb looked at her and the potion took over. He climbed on top of her and took her purity. Taralen cried out but didn’t stop him.

On the other side of the door, Miran bit her lip and started to cry. She heard Taralen sobbing as the man grunted. Finally all was quiet. She peeked inside. Taralen was putting on her gown. The man was sleeping in the bed.

“Taralen?” Miran whispered.

“It’s done. We need to clean him up and get him dressed. The sheets will need to be changed as well.” Taralen said.

The two women put everything right so no one would know what happened there and left with the sheets and soiled towels.

“Footman! You may return.” Taralen called out to the footman as Miran went around the corner with the laundry.

The footman came around the corner and bowed. He quickly returned to his place. He found the mundane deeply sleeping.

They returned to Taralen’s chambers where Miran poured water in a basin and set it behind the changing screen.

“Are you all right?” Miran asked.

“It hurt more than I thought it would. It still hurts some.” Taralen went behind the screen to change and wash.

Miran shook her head. “You have the Tylwyth Teg envoy tomorrow. If you had waited you may have found a husband.”

“We have talked about this.” Taralen said as she came from behind the screen in her dressing gown. “Besides it is too late now. The man has the coloring of a Tylwyth Teg. I will use that to my advantage. If anyone asks who the child father is I will say he was one of the men from the envoy.”

“You will link the child on one of them?” Miran asked.

“No. I will not name anyone. I will say it was a heartbreaking experience and leave it at that.” Taralen said. She gingerly sat down on the settee. “I will use the potion on Caleb again the day after tomorrow. I will do this as often as I can stand it. I need to be with child as soon as possible.”

“The potion may not work on a mundane the way you want.” Miran said.

“It did work. It worked a little too well.” Taralen shook her head. “He was ….before I could tell him to. I should know soon, I suppose.”

“It will take weeks before you know. Are you prepared to do this for weeks?” Miran asked.

Taralen sighed. “I must. I need to rest.”

Miran nodded. “I will take these things to the laundry and bring you supper later.”

“Thank you Miran. I do appreciate all you do for me even when I don’t seem to.” Taralen said.

“I know.” Miran gave her a sad smile and left with the laundry.

The next day the envoy from the Tylwyth Teg came with their proposals for a treaty. The envoy was an older Fae that was a brother of the current Queen.

“My Lady, My sister, the Queen and I were saddened to hear of your mother’s passing. I hope you will think of the Tylwyth Teg Court as friends and allies for now and the future. The Fae said.

“I will see what you have proposed and then decide. What is your name?” Taralen asked.

“I am Prince Wans, My Lady.” The envoy said. He handed a scroll to Taralen. “I think we have been reasonable in out dealings with you.”

Taralen looked at the scroll then around at the delegation. Most of the males were older. There were a few that could have reasonably assumed to be her lover. She nodded and gave the scroll a quick read.

“I see you speak the truth.” Taralen said. “I have chambers prepared for you. I need to look at this more carefully before I give you my answer on this.”

“Of course My Lady.” The prince bowed as he was shown out of the throne room to the chambers that were waiting for them all.

Miran came up beside Taralen. “I saw you looking. There are a few that would be possible.”

“I saw that.” Taralen said. “I need to look this over more thoroughly and write out a counter proposal before tomorrow afternoon. I will pay our friend in the turret a visit early in the morning.”

“I will go with you. You should not go to him alone.” Miran said.

Taralen nodded. “I know. We will go after breakfast. I have more of the potion ready. The enchantment should still be holding. I will refresh it in any case to make sure.”

“That is wise.” Miran said. “I will tell Sol I have to help you plan the farewell feast for the Tylwyth Teg. I know we have done it already but I haven’t told him.”

Taralen smiled. “So many secrets will be kept for the sake of a child that isn’t even here yet. My mother would be appalled.”

“Not as appalled as you might think. Your mother kept secrets of her own.” Miran said. “It is the way of queens.”

“I really hope I will not have to tell many more before I die.” Taralen said.

“You are a Queen. There will be far too many before your crown is put upon your daughter’s head.” Miran said.

“That is not encouraging.” Taralen said as she started to walk to her chambers.

“It is not meant to be, My Lady.” Miran laughed as she followed the young Queen. 

Taralen worked on the proposal until supper. She said her prayers like always but included the wish for a child as quickly as possible. She went to sleep with thoughts of a baby in her arms.

The next morning after she had visited the mundane in the turret she rested until midday. She had the meeting with the envoy in the afternoon and it went well. There were some adjustments made but a treaty was quickly negotiated.

Arrangements for a signing celebration were made already so Taralen went for a walk in the garden alone. Prince Wans was standing at the rosebushes when she rounded the corner.

“Hello.” Taralen said. Those were my mother’s favorite. I have a fresh bouquet put on her tomb every day when they are in bloom.

The Prince bowed. “My wife loved them too. She passed in the same fever epidemic that took your mother. She was trapped at the Northern Court when she went to visit a friend. She passed without me being able to tell her I loved her one last time.”

“I am so sorry.” Taralen said. “The fever took many here as well.”

“I asked to be sent here my lady. I was hoping to talk to you about a betrothal.” The price said.

Between? Taralen asked as she sat on the stone bench.

“You and me. I know I am older but I have a great deal of experience in matters of state I would be an asset to your Court.” Prince Wans said.

“I am not looking for a husband.” Taralen said flatly. “I will handle my own matters as my mother did and hers before her. Your offer is generous and surprising. Why would you want to be tied to a young girl after the love of your life has died?”

“You are right, my lady. My wife was the love of my life. My queen suggested it as a way to give me a fresh start. I see now it was inappropriate. Please forgive me.” Prince Wans said.

“Tell me of your wife.” Taralen patted the bench beside her. “I know you must miss her. My mother talked of my father often after he fell in battle. This bench was put here because she and my father loved to sit in the gardens of the Northern Court near the roses.

“I will tell you all about her.” Prince Wans smiled and sat down.

They talked for hours until Miran came out to fetch Taralen.

“My Lady, it is getting chilly and I have supper waiting for you.” Miran said as she eyed the older prince.

“Thank you Miran. I need to go but thank you for talking with me. I will see you tomorrow at the signing.” Taralen said.

“Thank you My Lady. Rest well.” Prince w stood and bowed. He watched as Miran and Taralen went inside.

“He asked me to marry him.” Taralen said as soon as they were inside. “The Queen put him up to it.”

Miran shook her head. “You are too young for him. Surely the queen would see that.”

“She had a motive but it is of no importance. I turned him down. I could tell his heart wasn’t in it.” Taralen said.

Miran said. “Will he be the one?”

Taralen sighed. “I have no plans to link him to my child. If there is a child of which we are not certain.”

The next day the Queen of the Tylwyth Teg came and the treaty was signed. She seemed disappointed that there would be no betrothal between Prince Wans and the young Queen but did not comment on it.

Taralen was sure there had been a motive behind it when she saw the Queen’s face as Prince Wans told her there would be no betrothal. They left as soon as the celebration feast was over.