Chapter 2
The Invitation
Later that evening, Scriddle reappeared at the door, Poison looked upon him uninterestedly, "Yes, what do you want?" She hated to admit it, but in some ways she was trying to imitate the Phaerie Lord, he was the only great leader she had ever met, even if he was fighting on the other side. Scriddle looked like he wanted to rip out his own heart rather than say what he was about to, but his master had given him an order, and had layered it with ill concealed threats, he really had no choice. "My Master, the great Lord of the Phaerie, Aelthar, has invited you to dinner this evening, he has a proposition he would like you to consider." She looked at the little Phaerie, then smiled. "Tell your master I accept his invitation, I will be along shortly." Then she closed the door sharply in his face. The room was silent for a moment, Peppercorn was the first to laugh, "Oh Poison! Well done, you were so grand!" She clapped her hands excitedly. Bram and Fleet joined in, Poison smiled at her friends, then turned to Fleet. "I was wondering if you had any weapons I might use, I would feel a lot safer if I had something to defend myself with." He looked at her thoughtfully for a moment, then said; "I might have just the thing!"
Poison was left with Peppercorn and Bram when Fleet had gone to fetch what he had been talking about. "Well... I guess that's it, when Fleet gets back, I'll go and meet with Aelthar and get my sister back, end this thing once and for all!" Bram nodded slowly, he looked like a man confused, but with something on his mind. "What is it Bram?"
"Nothing really Poison… just, there must be more mustn't there?" Poison's brow furrowed, she had a bad feeling that she knew where this conversation was headed. Carefully she enquired, "More what Bram?"
"More kids Poison, there must be more kids that were took from their proper homes, their proper families!" Poison nodded slowly,
"I guess there must Bram, I guess there must." There was an uncomfortable silence, which Peppercorn helpfully broke. "Poison, you should go and get yourself cleaned up before dinner, I know where the bath houses are, Anderson showed me. I'll take you; Bram can send Fleet along with the knife soon." Poison looked down at her ragged clothes and nodded slowly, a wash and a change sounded very welcome indeed!
She got out of the warm water reluctantly, when she was dry Peppercorn passed her a bundle of clothes, not her clothes though, these were new, she held up the dress Peppercorn had chosen for her, with disbelief. "I can't wear this Peppercorn, it's..." She was lost for words, but Peppercorn just laughed, and told her that she'd be waiting outside and to hurry. Poison didn't hurry, she hadn't a care how late she was for the Phaerie Lord, maybe he had been more polite this time, but it was another summons, she didn't doubt that. Though it did feel good, knowing that she'd forced him into a situation where he had to ask her to come to dinner. To stoop to the level of a lowly human; it was embarrassing for him for a start, and it was very gratifying for her - though that may have been a direct result of it being embarrassing for him…
Peppercorn was waiting outside like she'd promised, she handed Poison a knife which was to be strapped to her thigh and was reachable through a readymade slit in the folds of her dress. "You look quite lovely Poison, just let me do your hair…" Poison squirmed as Peppercorn fixed her hair, but the result was pleasing enough. They walked up to the Phaerie Lord's chambers, were Peppercorn left her. She gathered herself and knocked.