Twisted Willow

A fanfic from the modern faerie tale Ironside

disclaimer: tho it pleased me greatly to write this, i have no rights with Ironside. The rights lie specifically with Holly Black.

Chapter 1

Roiben enters the space beneath the lazing branches of a willow. Silarial remains as beautiful as ever, but it does not change his loathing heart or the disgust he feels, being so near, but without his hands upon her throat.

She laughs, a shrill, foreboding tone ,"Ethine tells me you have said that nothing about me tempts you. Is it so?"

He lets his longing creep onto his face, allowing his wish for her death to be mistaken for something else. He kneels before her, his hand trembling as he forces it to caress her cheek rather than choke the life from her. "I am tempted," he whispers almost huskily.

Silarial brings her mouth to his, briefly brushing their lips together. Furry claws at his gut, but she needs to believe that he remains under her spell. He reminds himself of this as he moves his hand to the back of her skull and fists it there in her hair. He bends her body to his, enveloping her mouth with what would seem to be hunger. He takes some comfort in showing her what it is to be the "bitch" and it makes him smile to see it how Kaye probably would, but he can't go on with her in his head. So, he breaks the kiss, his breathing labored with guilt. Hers with desire.

The taste of the Bright Queen remains in his mouth like bile rising in his throat. A trickle of her blood drops from her bottom lip, maddening him with the image of it pooled around her.

And then… something seemingly unremarkable catches his eye.

And his blood turns cold, rooting him to the spot.

Of the human attendants behind Silarial, one girl has pink, crescent-shaped indentations marking her palm, where her own nails have been digging into the flesh.

He nearly chokes on her name as he says it, "Kaye." the girl shifts her weight slightly, and though she manages to keep her head down, he has no doubt as to whom his eyes rest upon.

Silarial's eyebrows rise, and her eyes widen. However, her expression changes to an angry pout as she says, "How did you know that she was among us? I had rather hoped that our game would go unnoticed."

Roiben can no longer hold himself with dignity and shouts at the Bright Queen, "Game!? Why is she here!?" Though his gaze remains on Silarial, the girl's trembling— Kaye's trembling— pierces through his peripheral vision.

The Bright Queen gives an almost nonchalant wave of her hand to bring Kaye forward. "She wished to have the real Kaye placed with her mother."

Roiben flinches, thinking of what Kaye could have bargained with. Herself? As a human attendant!?

"All she had to do for me in return was to go unnoticed through our bargaining," Silarial says, almost out of boredom.

Kaye squeaks in despair, and Roiben can't help but ask, "And what of the bargain now?"

Silarial inspects her nails as she says, "Well, seeing as the twist of our game amuses me, and I remain pleased, the girl will soon be left in the care of her mother."

Kaye continues to tremble, but looks relieved. However, Roiben cannot get her to look at him. " Very well. Thank you, Silarial, but I believe that you will understand when I request that we leave what remains of our negotiations for another time," he says.

Mischief rises into the Bright Queen's eyes as she replies, "As you wish." Roiben so nearly shudders, knowing she believes she may get more than a kiss if she waits. Even though he will make sure that Kaye is absent, Silarial will not even receive that much kindness again.

Though Kaye does not fight him, he sees resistance glittering just below the surface of her black eyes as Silarial removes her glamour.

"Farewell, Silarial," Roiben makes to take Kaye's hand as they leave Silarial's chamber, but she refuses him. Pain clenches in his throat, but he walks on. Her dainty footsteps follow him as they make their leave.

I hope you enjoyed my first chapter of two ^^ please review x]