XXV

Floating lanterns glimmered above their heads, covering the Queen's Court in soft, cold light. A massive number of faeries stood by each side of the path, leading to the throne. Elanor felt countless eyes on her and Talvi, and the noise of whispers exploded as soon as they made a few steps inside. 

Talvi put on his go-to humorous face, and she worked on looking calm. He was holding her hand very tightly, and she did not dare turn to look at him anymore until they reached the foot of the throne. As little as she wanted to have anything to do with this place, meeting a monarch in person was no small matter, and Elanor felt it was important to leave a good first impression. She did not raise her eyes to the royal fae's face yet, and she followed with a curtsey when she noticed in the corner of her eye that Talvi bowed. 

"Our infamous merchant, finally at Court. And your guest, have you found yourself a bride?" were the first words that the Queen said. Her voice was youthful and rang like silver in the large hall. The attendees fell silent, and the elf replied:

"Allow me to introduce Lara, Your Majesty. She is my business partner. She is providing me with human goods for the shop, and in return, I shall help her get back home." 

Elanor could not see Talvi's face, but she was once again impressed by the talent of the folk to avoid telling the truth while they cannot lie. 

When he spoke to Aeden earlier, he made it sound like he had just met me in the woods to avoid an investigation about why he would visit Yara with me. Now he made it sound like we work together, to give more importance to my attendance and protect me from, apparently, thralldom, but without contradicting what he said to the Secretary. Indeed, it would take a hundred years to master this.

"In that case, you would find a lot of customers in the Seelie Court. We should absolutely discuss this more tomorrow at the ball. Such an opportunity for collaboration is too precious for either of us to miss," returned Queen Violet, and Talvi bowed once again. 

"Your eye for the arts of trade is, as always, impressive. I would be delighted to attend the ball with Lara, and we both consider it an honour."

"Of course, Lora, I will see you at the ball as well." Elanor followed with a deep curtsy. 

And so, Elanor and Talvi were dismissed, happily retreating away from this pompous gathering. First thing outside, the elf threw a cloak on her shoulders and put the hood up. He was following a servant, who was tasked with showing them to the rooms, leading Elanor with a hand on her shoulder, always in front of him. Talvi's room was on one of the top floors of the stone tower on the west side, and once they arrived, the servant wished him goodnight and called for Lady Lara to follow him. 

"Lady Lara is not staying here? Where is she staying then?" asked the merchant with confusion.

"I'll take her to the north wing, that's where the humans reside at the Seelie Court. They have very nice accommodations there, completely matching Tall Folk's needs," explained the servant nonchalantly. 

Elanor looked at her friend with panic. Talvi argued, but unsuccessfully:

"There is no need, she follows me everywhere. We will just share my room," he managed. The servant remained unvavered.

"I'm afraid this is not how things work. Mortals are not allowed to live on these floors. Let's go, Lady Lara."  

Elanor froze in place and ignored his call, trying to think of any way she didn't have to walk away in this castle alone. Talvi, however, took her palm, kissed it and smiled at her. He then winked and entered the tower bedroom. 

I hope he has a plan, it looked like he did.

She decided to trust Talvi to find her and allowed herself to be led away. They walked for a long while until they finally reached the north tower, similar to where Talvi was staying; the only difference was that they were descending underground. No fancy carpets were covering the floors, so their steps echoed among the bare stone walls, since no gebelens decorated the walls like in the fae parts of the castle. The atmosphere was gloomy and dark, and Elanor was glad to get to her room and hide there until the sun came back up. 

When the fae accompanying her left, she sat on the straw mattress bed that was firm and a little damp from the moist, mildewed air so many old castles had, and began weeping. The humiliation and hostility of the arrogant faeries of this new Court caught her off guard after the warmth and kindness of her Autumn friends. She was on edge ever since meeting Aeden, who felt like he was dangerous, all the way until witnessing a lost human being working in the gardens, and the Queen, who made it very clear that Elanor is no more than a nuisance. 

The girl was still crying when she heard a knock on her door, and it startled her so bad that she struggled with the flimsy latch lock of her door because her hands were shaking so much. Behind the door was Talvi; he immediately entered and locked the door behind him. He did not say anything at first, grimly taking in the interior of her bleak chamber. 

"I have never stayed as a guest here in the castle," he began eventually. "I've attended a few events and would leave right after. I've known they employ a lot of humans, but did not realize the extent of it all. On behalf of the fae folk, I apologize for how you're treated here."

Elanor wanted to say that apologies are unnecessary, but instead just started crying harder. Anxious, Talvi did not know what to do with himself. The girl's tears disarmed him; he hesitantly stepped closer and stroked her back, but in response, she pressed herself against his chest and continued sobbing.

"Did you see? All those... people... dazed... Are they?.." was trying to explain Elanor through sobbing with a shaky voice.

"I know. I know..." said Talvi, holding her and stroking her head gently. He waited until her weeping slowly stopped and led her to settle on the bed, himself sitting on the ground in front of her, folding his long limbs elegantly. "Look, I think you will like this."

He opened a pouch from her belt that Talvi snatched earlier, and Lumi jumped out of it, wagging his tail madly and running back and forth between them to give them kisses. Elanor beamed through tears in her eyes and laughed, pulling the Samoyed close into her arms. 

"I'd like to have my belt back. Why did you nick it from me in the first place?" asked Elanor with a smile, pretending she was appalled. 

"It's... complicated," confessed Talvi. "Did you notice how the first thing the queen asked was if you're my bride? She did not mean that seriously, of course, but were you fae, she would think just that. You would be in danger then."

"Yes, I thought it was weird. So she's after your hand in marriage?" scoffed Elanor teasingly. 

The elf shook his head, smiling. His dark eyes met hers with challenge.

"And what if she is? I might be the most sought-after bachelor in the Faery," proclaimed Talvi in pretend conceit, swinging his dark green locks, flaunting himself. They both laughed.

"And you don't want to marry a queen because?..." Elanor inclined jokingly, but her companion suddenly answered in a quiet, serious voice.

"Because there is only one person in my heart. And has always been," he confessed, looking into her eyes with such intensity that Elanor felt nervous. 

That's right, his lost lover. Thinking of all the facts I've learned, could his lover be?...

"Talvi, I was told you lost a loved one..." she began. Their heads were very close to each other, sitting on the floor, he was still almost at the same level as Elanor, who sat on the bed and leaned towards him, resting her elbows on her knees.

Talvi tensed with anticipation, waiting intently for her next words.

"Was your lover... the Winter King?"