MY NAME IS ETHEL. And I am a mistake.
I am, or so I'm always told, an important representative in Seelie territory and a favorite of Queen Titania. Strange, right? Nah. I'm her daughter.
What? Meghan Chase? Yeah, I know my... 'sister.' It's really weird saying that, since we don't really even share any blood. And Titania hates that, even though she has me, and tells me everyday, privately, that, if Meghan Chase ever got into our territory- which we knew would most likely wouldn't happen since Robin Goodfellow, or what everyone calls him: Puck, is taking care of her in the mortal realm- to hate her. But, to be honest, even though I always agree with Titania, I can't bring myself to do so. I mean, Titania did (almost) the same mistake with me, right? I bet Oberon actually wanted Meghan Chase to happen, but... I sometimes doubt that Titania wanted me to happen. She sometimes turns me into animals of her choice to make herself entertained- and that's what I often think about myself. A mistake. Entertainment.
But, every once in a while, when I am about to lose hope for myself, I think about the one person who could brighten my day- a person who was far away. Robin Goodfellow. (Or my dad, but I usually think of Puck.) The one man who would make my spirits brighten in a flash, the one man who can make me go to sleep in peace. The one man who can make my heart flutter when there's a hint of him anywhere- in reality or in my mind.
Nine 'months' later, in the seemingly middle of our day, after Puck left, I could be found sauntering down a staircase towards the throne room, where Oberon and my mother sat in wait for me, wearing my norm- a shining, long, and skinny emerald dress. I came close to the double doors, where the guards noticed my appearance and opened the doors to the throne room, where all eyes, of nobility or poor, looked at me. I could see a fragile dryad crumpled on the floor in front of two knights, crying her eyes out as Oberon whispered something to the knights. Her wails grew in volume before Oberon directed them to take her out of the room. They grabbed her arms, which looked very uncomfortable, and I quickly cut in, stepping in front of the two soldiers. They bowed in respect and tried to walk past me, but I moved in front of them again. They looked up at me again, this time in confusion, and looked at me in confusion.
"May we be of use to you, ma'am?" one of the knights asked. I nodded, holding out my arms.
"Give the poor soul to me," I ordered. The other knight went to do so, but the first took her back before I could even touch the dryad.
"King Oberon told us to kill her in the-"
"There will be no bloodshed today, boys, unless you do not give the dryad over," I snarled in warning and the first knight hesitantly handed her over. I put two fingers to my mouth and loudly whistled to call my servant, a satyr named Ruten. He came in a flash and I handed the fragile dryad, who had curled up in my arms, over to him. "Take her to my room, Ruten," I ordered softly to my satyr. "Give her the comfort of my bed and accept any order she gives you as if it were me. Unless it is completely absurd." Ruten nodded with an amused smile and left my company. I looked back toward my mother and Oberon, but the knights were still there. Another light clicked on and I whispered to them, "you or any other kill any dryads today, especially ones that she was helping, and I, myself, will take you to the courtyards and slice your neck into two." The knights nodded nervously and left my company, and I stepped up to King Oberon and Queen Titania.
"May I be of your service, King Oberon? Mother?" Oberon narrowed his eyes and shot a glare towards an unaware Titania, who smiled at me.
"Yes, Ethel dear. We have been told of a sighting in the wyldwood. A sighting of the jester Robin Goodfellow-" my heart stopped for a minute before it quickly resumed to let me hear the rest- "and the dirty half-blood-"
"Meghan Chase," Oberon cut in quickly, shooting her another glare.
"...Yes. And we order you to cage the jester and, hopefully, bring the girl into our custody. That is all, daughter," Titania smiled and I turned, leaving the room.
I then went to my room to pack up, but when I entered, I remembered about the dryad, who was sleeping on the floor beside my bed. I chuckled and picked her up, placing her on my bed and pulling the covers over her. I turned away to see Ruten, who was glaring at the window. "What did the window do to you?" I whispered to him, amused, and he looked back at me.
"Robin Goodfellow is back," he stated, and I nodded in confusion.
"So...?" I asked and he turned his eyes towards me, which had slightly, barely, faltered in glare.
"Mistress, Robin Goodfellow is not good for you. All he does is wreck havoc-"
"Yes, and?" I crossed my arms. "And anyway, it's not like anything is going to happen between us-"
"Your actions seem to beg for it," Ruten snapped. I narrowed my eyes.
"What gives you the right to use that tone with me? I have all control over myself and my decisions!" I tried to keep my voice down for the sleeping dryad, but it was taking every ounce of my strength not to.
"I just don't want you to be broken in the end, Ethel!" he responded and I stomped over to him, slightly shaking my room, a hollow thud shouting back at me as I stomp.
"Who says I will be? I know that a happily ever after is never going to happen to me. Especially with a man as wonderful as Robin Goodfellow." Ruten then sighed and looked away.
"I apologize for saying anything, Mistress," he whispered and I stepped back, going to gather anything that would be of use in my journey.