1A/N: The ballad "Tam Lin" was quoted in the front of Tithe. While I quote the same ballad, I quote a different version, because I like this one better. (I think it's older.)
When I was little, like 8-ish, I lived in a haunted house. Behind the house were four Faerie Circles, you know, those circles of mushrooms. Just so you know where my random inspiration came from.
And duh: I do not own any characters from Tithe or Ironside. They belong to Holly Black. The lines from the ballad "Tam Lin" are traditional and belong to no one.
California:
It seemed Emelda spent most of her life telling her brother not to eat the mushrooms. She had gladly turned him over to the babysitter minutes ago and was currently lying on the softer, greener grass inside of the circle. She had been told not to, but after all, it wasn't as if she was going to eat them, what could possibly happen? Right?
Unseelie Court, New Jersey:
The Dark Lady was very angry. As Ellebere pushed his way to the great hall, past the other, wiser fey who were practically running in the other direction, he wondered what had gotten under his Lady's skin this time. Usually, she just ordered the death of whomever was annoying her. Sometimes, she came up with creative ways to torment them. Either way, she never visibly lost her temper. She was the queen of the Unseelie court, she was made of ice.
The nearer he got to the Hall, the less people he encountered in the halls. When he reached his destination, the Hall was empty, except for the queen. She had summoned all her knights, but he was the first to arrive. He bowed before the throne, refusing to follow the ridiculous protocol of kissing the queen's hem unless expressly forced to do so. Tonight the Lady was in no mood to press the point.
"Go find who is singing that! I want them torn limb from limb! I want them flayed alive!" Ellebere had never heard his Lady shout before. He struggled to keep from laughing.
"Singing, My Lady? But we are the only ones present," He made as show of turning about, as if to make sure there was no one else in the Hall. "And I assure you that I am not singing." Nicnevin scowled.
"Can you not hear it! It is as clear as Kirk bells on a Sunday morn." She sighed. "And as objectionable, too."
Ellebere tilted his head, listening. Ah. He heard it now. The very soft sound of singing.
"Lady Margaret, Lady Margaret, sewing of her seam,
And she's all dressed in black,"
Oh Dear, no wonder the Lady was angry.
"When a thought comes to her head she'd run into the woods,
Pick flowers to flower her hat, m'boys,
Pick flowers to flower her hat."
Their little visitor was singing Tam Lin.
"My Lady, the singer sounds quite young, do you truly want her flayed alive?" The queen seemed to calm down.
"No, bring her here. We shall determine where she is from and what she is up to, and then we shall flay her alive."
Ellebere bowed again. "As My Lady wishes."
As he left the hall, he past Roiben, just arriving to answer the queen's summons. Roiben raised an eyebrow, trying to silently ask what awaited him. Ellebere shrugged and with his finger drew a circle near his temple. As he entered, Roiben couldn't supprese a smile. Of course Nicnevin was crazy, he already knew that.
