I know I wrote a fanfic like this already (called the Iron Court), but this one is slightly different, because it doesn't focus on Ash and Meghan. It's after Iron Queen, but Ash and Meghan are back together. YAY :D
"Going somewhere, ice boy?" Puck asked, dropping out of his perch in a wide apple tree. Ash blinked, a sliver of surprise flickered past his cold mercury eyes. Meghan sighed.
"Leave him alone, Puck," Meghan said. Puck's eyes followed Ash's hand as it snaked around Meghan's waist. He smirked.
"Just asking a question," Puck said, throwing up his hands in mock surrender, "Do you even know where his royal iceness is going?" Meghan looked at Ash, her face clouded with uncertainly.
"Um… I don't know exactly… Was it Icy? Izzy?" Meghan asked Ash. Ash smirked as Puck's face paled.
"My sister, Isilee, is back from her… long trip. She's in the Ice Castles of northern Tir Na Nog. I figured Meghan would want to meet her. And I bet she'd love to see you," Ash said drawled. Puck's lopsided grin faded. Meghan slipped from Ash's grasp to touch a hand to Puck's arm.
"You okay?" Meghan asked. Puck forced a weak smile and stepped away, his face drained of any color.
"She's back?" Puck whispered, a mixture of longing, remorse, and sadness spread across his face, replacing the usual mischievous smirks and smiles. Ash nodded, his face set back into its icy mask.
"Sounds like you know where well. Come with us," Meghan said. Ash made a funny sound at the back of his throat, and Meghan turned to him, her pale eyes all big and pleading. Puck blinked, starting to refuse, but Ash nodded.
"About time for your apology anyway," Ash said, and Puck threw Ash a dark glare.
"Scary," Ash said, and Puck rolled his eyes. Meghan stepped in before Puck could throw Ash another insult.
"Are we going to get Isi… Isilee or not?" Meghan asked. Ash sighed and nodded. Puck threw Ash another dark glare, but the glare faded into his trademark lopsided grin as Meghan turned around, her face stern.
"Why are we going there again? Refresh my memory," Puck said, as Ash led them around the garden to the hall of trods, a special hall in the Summer Castle with trods that would take you to just about anywhere.
"She's back from that trip. The one you caused her to go on?" Ash said, his voice dry and accusing. Meghan looked from Ash to Puck, ready to stop the argument she thought was breaking out, even though she had no clue what was going on. But Puck just buried his head in his hands.
Ash pushed open the backdoor and they walked down the Hall of Trods, their feet making small echoing sounds as it slapped against the marble floor. The walls were checkered with gold and pale brown slides of wood, and shimmered with faery glamour. On each slide of wood was a fancy engraving. Some had a multicolored flowery design; one was engraved with a gold and black teardrop, one with a troll's head, etc.
Ash frowned; making his way through the seemingly never ending hall of trods placed side by side, shimmering in a gentle golden light. Meghan trailed after him like a lost puppy, and Puck walked slowly behind them, studying each design on each trod carefully.
"Where is it?" Ash muttered. Meghan cocked her head to one side, while Puck smirked.
"Looks like his royal iceness can't find his way back home," Puck sneered.
"Lay it off would you?" Meghan asked. She sighed frustrated at Puck. Puck shrugged.
"When ice boy finds the right trod, princess. And this year please," Puck added, in a loud voice. It echoed across the hall, and when it reached Ash's ears, he frowned disapprovingly back at Puck.
"Don't make me tell Isilee about this. She isn't happy already. How long's it been since you two talked? I think your little incident happened before she left, am I correct?" Ash asked, his voice cold. Puck glowered at Ash, but kept his mouth shut.
"Is it this one?" Meghan asked. Ash and Puck ran over to the trod she was standing by. It had an exquisite snowflake and teardrop design engraved upon the shimmering glamour wood. Ash reached out and touched the mark.
Wind howled in their ears, and the room began to fade into darkness. When that darkness faded, they were somewhere in the northern part of Tir Na Nog. Tall, snowcapped mountains rose in front of them, while flurries of ice crystals pelted them from the bleak midwinter sky. Their legs sank knee deep into the powdery white snow that gathered in large quantities on the ground.
"Where to now?" Meghan asked, her teeth chattering against each other. Ash pointed at one of the snowcapped mountains.
"Walking? All the way there?" Puck asked. As if to answer his question, a soft whinny was heard from behind them. Turning around, Puck, Ash, and Meghan faced two great creatures. They stood tall and graceful, their ice white coats blending in perfectly with the snow covered ground. Their eyes sparkled like stars, and soft, darker white manes were tossed in the air as they shook the snow out of their faces. A great blueish white horn spiraled out from between two velvety ears.
"Isilee sent us. But the summer Fae wasn't expected," came the soft sound. It didn't come from the unicorns' mouths, but the three could hear it in their minds.
"Ah well. I'll ride with Ash. Puck can ride the other one," Meghan said. Ash helped her atop the great white creature, and Puck swung himself up onto the other unicorn's back. As soon as Ash was settled onto the unicorn, the two creatures took off, leaping with long, graceful strides over the snow-filled banks. In within two minutes, they were at the gates of the famous Ice Castles.
The entire castle was made out of a dazzling blue ice that glinted and sparkled in the twilight. The walls glowed a pinkish gold with lights opened within the castle, and plum trees and evergreens encircled the castle. Brownies bundled in fluffy jackets scurried about, trimming the trees, and watering the irises, daisies, and roses that poked their colorful heads above the ice frozen ground.
"Are those gremlins?" Meghan asked, her voice barely audible, nodding towards the little creatures sweeping leaves. They looked like a cross between a monkey and a bat, and their happy grumbling caused a racket to hear.
"The reason why I brought you here. Isilee was and still is, the other Iron Queen. While she was away, she put Machina in her place. Ferrum was never king. And now, you rule the Iron Realm with her. Which means you two need to get to know each other," Ash explained as the unicorns lead them through the gardens.
"Oh?" Meghan asked, a slight waver in her voice.
"Don't worry. Isilee's really sweet and shy. A great person to get along with. My sister's never held a grudge or was able to stay mad at anyone for very long," Ash reassured Meghan, who smiled in relief. But as Ash spoke the last sentence, he glanced purposefully at Puck.
"What's up with Puck and Isilee?" Meghan asked, looking from Ash to Puck.
"Once the spotlight of court gossip," Ash said, shaking his head.
"Puck was Isilee's knight. Even when your father sent him to protect you. Then… well he didn't come back for a visit for a long time, and Isilee grew worried. Of course, Mab and Oberon knew about this. They couldn't exile Isilee because she's winter and Iron Queen, and so Oberon didn't exile Puck." Ash stopped to take a breath, while Puck nodded at Meghan, confirming Ash's story so far.
"Then Oberon sent for him, you know? Right in the middle of summer vacation, because then it would be normal for a mortal to leave, and Goodfellow could say he was going somewhere for the vacation. But Goodfellow, the idiot, didn't come. He preferred staying with you," Ash said, somewhat sadly.
Meghan looked incredulously at Puck, remembering the movie marathons and endless lazy days filled with lounging on couches and throwing tubs of popcorn at each other. He had traded away the love of a fey princess for that? Puck looked down, his face a bitter, remorseful mask.
"And so she undid his vows as her knight, and wouldn't see anyone for days. It ruined her to let him go, he meant the world to her, and she thought she meant the world to him. Apparently she was wrong," Ash said. Puck's face was turned away now, and the unicorn's fur had three damp spots on it. Wet with tears. Ash continued his story as the unicorns wove through the gardens to the main door, on the other side of the icy castle.
"Puck didn't come back. Isilee pinned after him for years. But no one ever saw him. Until you came," Ash said. He tucked a loose strand of hair behind Meghan's ear, and Puck still was turned the other way.
"Seeing him with you. That did it for Isilee. She just got up one day and left, bringing only a few gremlins,… packrats, and a distant cousin with her. No one knew where she went, or when she'd return," Ash said.
Then the unicorns stopped by a large set of French doors. A girl dressed in a white dress and apron was waiting by the steps, her hair snow flecked.
"Isilee's waiting. Follow me," The girl said, bobbing a deep curtsy. Ash helped Meghan down, giving her an affectionate smile. They followed the girl down the large hall, with Puck trailing not far behind.
The girl led them into an elaborately decorated room, and sat them all down in couches surrounding a small crystal coffee table laden with sweet treats and cups of what looked like water, but smelled like sugar.
"Her highness Isilee will be here in a few moments," The girl said, and exited the room.
"Puck?" Meghan asked. Puck didn't reply, but stared out the snowy window. The door creaked gently open, and a girl walked in.
She had the beauty to rival the stars and moon. Isilee was slender and tall, with ice blue painted fingernails and icy blue stud earrings. She wore a dark blue dress that shimmered in the soft light, and silver designs embroidered the hem of the midnight blue dress. A chocker that looked like it night have been woven out of diamonds sparkled around her slender neck, and her pale skin shone with a radiant, slightly pink glow. Her thick, wavy black hair hung to her waist, framing her pale face and grayish blue eyes. Her frosted pink lips were curled up slightly at the ends in a soft smile, and she moved with fluid grace.
"Ash," Isilee said, embracing her brother. She smiled.
"Meghan, right?" Isilee asked. Meghan smiled and nodded.
"Pleasure," Isilee said. Puck was ignored.
"You should be hungry. Eat," Isilee said, pushing the plateful of food towards the three. As they ate, Isilee spoke. Her voice was soft and light, sweet and singsong like.
"I've arranged for you to have the room you always have, Ash. Meghan can take the room next to you, and Puck can take the room across the hall," Isilee said. Puck's eyes lit up a fraction, because his room would be next to Isilee's.
"I've already arranged for a few of your things to be brought and placed in your rooms. Did I forget anything?" Isilee asked, her head tilted to one side. Meghan swallowed the cookie she was eating, then smiled.
"No. I'm sorry for all the trouble," Meghan said. Isilee waved it off.
"No. It isn't trouble. Besides, it does get lonely up here sometimes. I think I'll go back to the Unseelie Courts," Isilee said. Ash shot Puck a purposeful look, but Puck's face was set into his bitter, remorseful, and sad mask, and he stared at the floor.
"Thank you," Ash said. Isilee smiled, and the whole world seemed to brighten.
"It's nothing. Do you want to see your rooms now?" Isilee asked, eyeing their empty cups and plates. A couple brownies came into the room, arms laden with brooms and mops, looking purposefully at the dishes on the table. Isilee laughed.
"Come on. I'll show you your rooms. Let the brownies clean up," Isilee said. Meghan followed her, and Ash lagged in the back, in deep conversation with Puck.
"I was just wondering… this may seem like a stupid question, but what's it like, being the Iron Queen?" Meghan asked. Isilee smiled.
"Nothing different. But the gremlins follow you everywhere, insisting to help, so it's a big improvement on the house, especially if the brownies come. But you have to attend all these meetings held between summer and winter, and you have to be there for the start and end of every single ball and party that summer and winter holds. It all starts to blur together after a while, and can get quite tiring. You know how to dance?" Isilee asked. Meghan nodded.
"Good, because half of your life involves dancing. Dancing and smiling and taking care of dozens of iron horses and holding a billion meetings. Iron has to cooperate with both summer and winter, so you have to be careful of the choices you make. It's like you're the thin chain that stops summer and winter from breaking apart. But we're both queen, so the responsibility is divided. That means a lot less work, and we can both talk over the decisions," Isilee explained. Meghan smiled again, a wave of relief washing over her.
"Oh. That doesn't sound that bad," Meghan said. Isilee laughed.
"Not bad. Tiring maybe. Oh. Here are your rooms. I'll let you get settled in. There's a crystal bell on your nightstand. Ring it if you need anything, and my room's right across the hall from yours. Goodnight," Isilee said. Meghan smiled again, and slipped into the room.
Isilee watched warily as Puck shuffled around her to go to his room, then was all smiles and laughter again as Ash bade her goodnight.
"Night," Isilee said. She opened the door to her room, and walked to the window. Ice flurries still poured from the dark skies to the snow blanketed floors, and icicles swirled down in front of the windows. She heard the noise of the door softly open and close, but didn't turn around.
Isilee's heart hammered hard in her chest, hoping for Puck. But her mind scolded her heart, knowing that if she hoped too much, she'd just fall again, and walk away with a broken heart. Just like last time. From the doorway, someone cleared their throat.
Slowly, holding her breath, Isilee turned around. Puck was standing in the doorway, his hands hidden in his pockets, a sad little smile on his face.
"I know this won't change anything, but I really don't know what I was thinking back then and I'm really sorry," Puck said, forcing a small smile. Isilee's heart ached for his usual lopsided grins and teases. Not the sad stranger before her.
"You… were everything. I just didn't know if I meant that much to you. And for the record, I didn't say no. My invitation back to Fey was lost in the mail," Puck smiled, his grin closer to his usual ones. Tears built up in Isilee's eyes and began to trickle down, and Puck's eyes widened.
"Did I do anything wrong again? Damn," Puck cursed. Isilee smiled through her tears and shook her head. Sighing, Puck crossed the distance between them in two long strides and had her in his arms in the next second.
The tears Isilee tried holding back for so long came out in a large wave of body racking sobs, and Puck's shirt was soaked with salty tears.
"Better?" Puck murmured. Isilee's face remained pressed against his chest, but she nodded. Puck leaned back and tucked a finger under her chin, gently pushing her face up to his.
"I was an idiot, Isilee. I was blind. But not now. Please forgive me?" Puck asked. Isilee nodded, and Puck lowered his lips onto hers.
"That's good. 'Cause you know, it'd suck to have Mab shoot death glares at me for the next few centuries. No one she glares at ever survives very long," Puck laughed, his lips still briefly touching hers.
"You're back? To stay?" Isilee asked. As soon as the words escaped her mouth, she wished to call them back. Her cheeks flushed, and she buried her head in his chest so he wouldn't need to see her face. Her words made her sound like some possessive psycho.
Puck's arms tightened around her.
"Yep. Looks like you're stuck with me for as long as forever," Puck smiled. Sighing with relief, Isilee cuddled up against Puck. He was back. To stay.
