Much is explained in this chapter, so no worries.
Hopefully you'll enjoy reading it as much as I am enjoying writing it :) All I can say is, poor Gracilella.
-Last Time-
Looking around I found myself in the middle a field full of blue Forget Me Nots. How funny. My favorite kind of flower. I thought smiling slightly. Then I frowned as I stood. Where am I though? I said 'someplace safe.'...is this someplace safe? How is it safe if I don't even know where I am? I muttered under my breath about how ridiculous this all was. Growing wings, changing hair color, ending up in a field of flowers in the middle of nowhere having no idea where I am. I must be dreaming. But even as I thought it I knew it wasn't true. I was very much in the here, and the now. I was very much alive, and this was very much true.
Bring it back together, Grace. Bring it back together. I thought as I raised my chin and straightened my back. No fear. I stroad forward, then paused unsure of where to go. Well, since there is really nowhere to go, I suppose I'll just start walking. I tucked away my fear and uncertainty deep into my little eleven year old heart and began to walk.
Chapter 4, Forgive me, I Wanna Go Home
September 10th, Tuesday
A woman wearing a long, white dress stood in the distance, beckoning to me.
'Young one, fear not. You will be safe, nothing will hurt you. We will not let anything hurt you.' We? I looked beyond the woman and I could just make out the shadowing figures of a crowd of people, stretching back as far as I could see.
'Hold the jewel, and think of home. Come to us, Gracilella-regia. Come home and be safe.'
Home? Where is home?
'Home Gracilella.'
I jerked awake, gasping for breath, and drew my wings around me protectively. By now I had figured out how to maneuver them, and felt a sort of protection when cocooned within them. What was that all about? I wondered. It had been a dream, that much I knew, but at the same time it felt like so much more then a simple dream.
"Hold the jewel and think of home..." I muttered myself standing up. I brushed the dirt and grass off of my tattered hospital gown and took in my surroundings. I hadn't made much progress, the setting sun and exhaustion forcing me to rest. I was still in the field of flowers, and beautiful as it was, I was getting sick of it. My stomach rumbled uncomfortably. I stretched and sighed, then began to walk aimlessly once more.
"What jewel? What the bloody hell was that woman talking about?" I growled in frustration, biting my bottom lip and wincing as it pierced through the skin.
"DO I LOOK LIKE I HAVE A BLOODY JEWEL?" I yelled, spreading my arms and my wings out in anger. There was, of course, no one to hear me, but it felt good to yell none the less. My word. I am going barmy. Before the events of the past couple of days, I would never have yelled in frustration like that.
"Oh yeah, 'you need a home', and you put me in stupid Slytherin. What home? I'm not even in the school anymore! how is it supposed to be a 'home' if a week after I get there I end up in a bloody field filled with bloody flowers in a stupid hospital gown STARVING!" Stupid bloody hat.
I stopped suddenly, ashamed of my behavior. I'm glad no one is around to see me acting like this. Usually, I had better control of myself, but with everything that is happening I just couldn't help it. The world was just do unfair sometimes. I always get the short end of the stick, don't I? I thought to myself as I started to walk again, Mother dies, Father goes practically insane (though I still love him, I would never want to go back home) takes grief out on me, shipped of to a school, grow wings, hair changes colors, grow fangs, bite myself, and now I'm afraid, and alone walking with no idea where I am going and talking to myself. Life bloody sucks.
I reached up and brushed my hair out of my face, tucking it behind an ear. A very pointy ear. I growled in frustration as I let my fingers explore it. Now I have bloody elf ears? I must look like a freak! I stopped, suddenly, when my hand traveled over my ear lobe and i found a lump. An earring. A jewel? I wondered silently.
I brought my other hand up and tried, failingly, to take the earring out. It seemed it was pretty much welded to my ear. Well. It's worth a try. I thought as I grasped it in my hand.
Now. What is 'home'? I asked myself sinking to my knees, and folding my wings around myself. I looked at them skeptically. I suppose I do kind of like them, now that I can control them. Was bloody annoying at first. Anyway. Home.
I smiled slightly. Home is Mother laughing, and the scent of Father's cologne mixed with light cigar smoke. Home is peace on a rainy Sunday, and the warmth of a hug when your sad. Home is tutors, etiquette, and books. Home is where I feel better, safe, loved. Where I can lay back and block the world from my mind, and be only myself, and no one else. No mask, no hiding, no bruises, no yelling, no hurt. Home is...a dream, and nothing more then that. I ended my thought process, sadly, trying to bring myself back to reality. My wings were still wrapped around me, but instead the grassy ground underneath me, it as a polished stone floor.
Whoa. Guess that worked. Not coming out yet though. I thought, heart beating. The stone was jet black, maybe marble or granite. Definitely not the Slytherin common room, to the Manor, and not Hogwarts at all. Then where am I? I listened closely, and I could here light footsteps coming in my direction. I bared my teeth, even though this...person, seemed safe. They felt safe, Yes, because that makes perfect sense, now doesn't it Grace?
"Gracilella?" A male voice asked quietly. that's what the woman in the dream called me. I though in wonder. How does this man know who I am, or what she called me?
"Gracilella, you can come out. There is nothing to harm you here. You have nothing to fear. You thought of home, no? And it brought you here."True. I thought to myself reasonably. But that doesn't mean this is not a trick, or that t's safe. But, then again, I can't very well stay this way. I drew my wings back, just a fraction, and peered out from them. There was a boy crouched in front of me, with large wings much like my own. He looked to be about sixteen, his wings color black with green streaks, and his hair a striking red bound tightly into a braid that curled around his head. He had a kind face, and didn't look as if he would do me any harm. But you never know...Despite that thought, I retracted my wings the rest of the way. He looked at me and smiled. Painfully aware of my drab appearance I blushed hotly and wrapped my arms around my knees that were already drawn up to my chest.
"Gracilella, I told you, you are safe here. I am Acerydd." I shivered lightly, and he drew off his long cloak and offered it to me. I looked at the garment suspiciously, then took it lightly from his hands and settled it over myself. Kneeling as I was, the green garment covered me completely and then some.
"Thank you." I said quietly. I raised my chin, determined to stay in control. He laughed at my expression lightly. I glared at him from behind the hair that had fallen into my face.
"I am sorry, Gracilella, it's just you looked so like Mother just now." I looked up at him, keeping my face still, but apparently he could read the grief in my eyes. He face softened into sympathy. I don't need your pity, you bloody creeper. I need to get out of here...
"My Mother is dead. I do so hope that I don't look like her." I said snidely, trying to cover up my earlier emotion. He raised an eyebrow.
"Mother is not dead, Gracilella-" I cut him off, glaring at him fiercely.
"My name is not 'Gracilella' it is Grace. Grace Silverman. And my mother died just three months ago, I went to her funeral, I saw her dead body. Trust me, she is most certainly, dead." I drew my wings around myself a bit more, as I stood on shaking legs. I made my back ram rod straight, kept my chin in the air and adopted what I thought was a fierce expression. In reality, I probably looked like a glaring kitten. I wrapped the cloak around myself tighter, noting with annoyance how long it was as it pooled on the ground beneath me. I also noticed that it had slits in the back to make allowance for my wings. It was really very comfortable and warm. And it's mine now. I don't care if it's polite or not, he gave it to me so Im keeping it. Unless, of course, he asks for it back. Then I might give it back. But probably not.
Acerydd stood up as well, and I was shocked by how tall he was. He must have been over six feet, completely dwarfing me at my measly five feet two inches.
"Well then, Grace, may I ask exactly where you think you are going?" He asked I turned and began to walk away, only to realize I was walking straight towards a door. I sniffed, and turned around again, and again, and again, trying to find the way out. There were three doors, on set considerably larger then the others and so I took that to mean that they were the way out. Smirking triumphantly, I walked quickly over to them and laid my hand on the handle and pulled. When the door didn't move, I growled slightly and put all of my weight behind it. The door swung open slowly. I peered through it and promptly darted back inside, shutting the door behind me. Oh. My. Bloody. Word.
"Grace, that would be the dining room." I glared at him. He seemed so bloody amused at my frustration. I stalked up to him and fixed him with my fiercest look.
"If I may ask, Acerydd, where exactly am I? And who, exactly, are you? And what, in the name of Merlin, am I doing here?"
"Well, Grace, you are at the Unseelie Sidhe Court. In the palace to be exact. I an Acerydd-regia crown prince of the kingdom and you are Gracilella-regia, crown princess." I looked at him with raised eyebrows.
"Prove it." Got him there. Of course it's not true, so how on Earth could you prove it? Me, a princess. HA!
"On your left ear there is an earring, in the shape of a Forget Me Not flower, marking you as the crown princess." My hair was down, so there was no way he could have seen the earring in the short time we had been in this room. but then again, he knew my name to. Or, well, some weird form of my name. I stopped suddenly, a thought coming to me.
"So, if I am a princess, and you are the prince...does that mean you're my brother?" He grinned broadly, settling a hand on my right shoulder.
"Exactly. Welcome home, little sister." I snapped my wings shut, and he snatched his hand back. I whipped them open again, baring my teeth and growling at him while backing away. Where the hell is this coming from? Growling? Baring my teeth?I knew I had done it before, in frustration, but never like this. I just felt so, so, threatened. But not by him. Not, not by him. He felt safe. I felt threatened by the whole situation, the uncertainly of it all, the impossibility of it, and yet at the same time it felt right. All these feelings and emotions rippling through me left me, to say the least, terrified.
"My Mother is dead. I have no brother." Even as I said it, I knew that it might not be true. I was adopted, Mother and Father had told me only a year ago. Was it possible that what he was saying was true? They told that they didn't know who my real parent were, only that I had someone ended up at the orphanage, alone.
"Gracilella, you were adopted, correct?" He advance on me slowly, hands up in a placating nature.
"Is it so impossible that this is your home? That you have a Mother, a Father and even a brother? Even though we are royal?"
No, a voice in the back of my head whispered. No, it's really not all that impossible. But none of this is supposed to exist.
"None of this is supposed to exist. No weird," Acerydd looked offended here, "human thing" I spat out, "with wings and colored hair, and fangs."
"But, Gracilella, it does exist. We are not" He grimaced, "'Weird human things', we are People. We are of the Fae. We" He gestured form himself to me, "are Unseelie Sidhe. And we," He continued slowly "are royalty."
I felt my face crumble a little bit, before I put it back together again. "I just can't ok?" I whispered quietly.
"I'm sorry, this is all so sudden for you. We should go see Mother and Father. They do, of course, know that you are here but we all figured it would be better for you if you met me first. The King and Queen, can be, a bit, intimidating if you don't know them. And certainly if you don't even know that they exist."
The King and Queen. I am going to meet the King and Queen. My parents.At according to him.
"Ok." I told him shortly, giving over to my trusting instincts.
"Now," He said walking towards one of the doors, "don't be nervous, and don't worry. They really are very nice people, and wonderful parents. They have been aching to see you ever since they knew you had changed. Just be polite, I suppose."
I was nervous, there was no denying that, but I once again schooled my face into a blank mask. Or well, as blank of one as I could manage, which really wasn't very good. I was to rattled. Grace, chill.I told myself, silently, urging. Being royalty could be cool. But I kind of just want to go back to Hogwarts...where's my wand? I though suddenly, frantically. I need to have my wand on me!
"Wait!" Acerydd looked back at me questioningly, but he did stop.
"I don't have my wand. When I left Hogwarts, I must have left my wand. I need it."
"Why do you need it?"
"What if I get, I don't know, attacked or something?" His face darkened.
"You will not come to harm here Gracilella, I promise you. But, in the imaginary case that someone did attack, you can trust that I would protect you with my life." He said fiercely, and I believed him. I nodded and we continued our journey into the next room.
Entering, I saw that it was not at all like the previous chamber. It was well lit, and luxuriously furnished. Sitting at the end of the room, on a couch to lovely to be called a couch, was whom I assumed was the King and Queen.
The Kin had long black hair, much like my own, but streaked with red instead of purple. He had a wide forehead that was adorned with a circlet of gold, and was wear long silver robes that glittered and shimmered the candle light. They seemed to be moving even as he sat. He had deep set green eyes, that matched his hair and a hard mouth. He did indeed look frightening at first glance, but when you looked closer you could see light lines framing his eyes and mouth. Laugh lines, smile lines, slight wrinkles of a man who loved life. He did not look at all old, however, and neither did the Queen.
The woman from my dream,I thought in wonder. She had on the same long white dress and had silvery hair. She had delicate features and her whole posture scream unearthly grace. She was, to say the least, magnificent.
"Mum, Dad," Acerydd said, nodding to each in turn. "May I present my sister, Her Heigness Princess Gracilella-regia." The two adults turned to me, smiling. I fidgeted under their gazes, nervous. Bring it together Grace. Show them you're not afraid. I ceased my fidgeting and brought up a teeth baring smile of my own.
"Charmed."
"Pleas, Gracilella, sit." The woman gestured at the couch opposite to their seats. I took a seat, keeping my stiff posture and tucking my wings behind me. I drew the cloak tighter around me.
"Gracilella, how I have longed for this day to come. Please, take of that cloak so I can have a proper look at you." Oh you really ant to look at me? You the man who abandoned me, gave me up? As much as I loved my adopted parents, I won't easily forgive that. I smile coldly and removed Acerydd's cloak, standing up. I stood in front of them in the tattered, hospital gown that was still splattered with the blood from my once bleeding finger. They stared at me astonished, and then I saw the King's face turn form an expression of shock to one of anger.
"Gracilella, why is their blood on you...garment? Who hurt you?" I was surprised by the sound of such fierce anger in his voice, and I shied away, backing up slightly comforted when Acerydd stood and draped the cloak back over me.
"Well, I did , actually. I'd rather not talk about it."
"Are you hurt still, daughter, anywhere?" The Queen's voice sounded like wind chimes. Very sad, concerned wind chimes.
"No your Heigness, I am fine." A look of hurt flashed across her face, and the King sighed heavily.
"Gracilella, I am Father and she you Mother. Please, call up Mum and Dad, Father and Mother, anything. But please do not call us by our royal titles."
"I don't know you as my parents, sir, so forgive me if I am not hasty in calling you as such." The nerves that I had felt about speaking to them were gone now, replaced by a fierce anger.
"Grace, please sit with me. You are about to fall over." Acerydd whispered to me covertly. I realized it was true, my knees were shaking and I was largely only standing because of an arm that he hand managed to weave around me while I was distracted. While I was certain he could hold me up if I collapsed, with wouldn't be good for, and so I sat.
"I know you-" I cut him off. I cut the king off. Either I was more exhausted then I had previously thought, I was going insane.
"Why did you do it? Why did you leave me?" I could hear the hurt, pain, and anger in my voice and to my dismay I felt tears prickling in my eyes.
"Gracilella, it is law, and even we" The King gestured to the Queen, "are not above the law. You were born human, or at least in human form. Your Unseelie blood had not taken over, and so we were forced to give you up until you changed. You are what we call a 'switch' one who appears as human, and then switched to Fae when you become of age, which can be anywhere between ten and sixteen. You brother here, was born the way he is now. Though a bit smaller." He told me, trying to lighten the subject with a joke.
"So you, you didn't want to then?" I asked quietly, almost afraid of the answer.
"Of course not! People do not often have children, and so when we do they are prized highly. You would never want to separate and mother from her child, which is why we waited until you were two years old to send you to the mortal world. Even then you Mother was practically unbearable. You couldn't go near her for weeks."
"We love you, Gracilella."
"CAn you do me a favor?"
"Anything."
"Can you please, call me Grace? If I call you Mum and Dad?"
Mum's eyes warmed measurably and she nodded. At that moment my stomach decided, loudly, to protest at it's lack of food. I blushed hotly.
"Sorry. I haven't eaten in a couple of days." Mum and Dad looked shocked, and Acerydd stood, saying "No wonder you could hardly stand. Come on then, let's get you some food." Seeing my look of uncertainty, he continued "don't worry, the others in the dining hall will not bother you. we sit t out own table, since we are royalty. Mum, Dad, will you be joining us?" They shook their heads and replied,
"We've already eaten, and there are some papers that we need to go over and sign. Gracilella, I mean, Grace, we love you very much. We will see you in the morning, your brother will help you with anything you need and will show you to your rooms" rooms? As in, more the one? "when the time comes."
When Mum and Dad left, I looked at Acerydd, that name is way to long. I am going to call him 'Ace' from now on. Let's see how he responds to that, shall we?
"Ace?"He looked at me with raised eyebrows, an amused expression on his face.
"Yes?"
"Since you obviously haven't realized this, I suppose I'll point it out to you. I am wearing a blood stained, ripped, hospital gown and a cloak that is frightfully big on me." He looked at me skeptically then whispered a few words. I felt the fabric on me slid and twist. when I looked down I saw a long, loose fitting, red dress, but my feet were still bare. I wiggled my cold toes, but decided against saying anything.
"Better?"
"Much." Ace offered me his arm, and I took it silently as we once again entered the room where I had first met him, and then went through the doors that led to the crowded dining hall.
"Our table is just over there, see?" He told me pointing. It was a long table at the front of the dining hall, over looking all the rest of the seating, much like the table the Professors at Hogwarts sat at during meals.
"But there are only two of us, Ace. Won't that look a bit...odd?"
"Well, we could sit with some of my friends of the nobility. It wouldn't do for the Princess to be seen sitting with those to far below her rank, especially on her first day in Court."I frowned but nodded as he led the way to a long table where a multitude of People were sitting. They looked up as we approached, and stood.
"Greetings you Heigness, and,"The one speaking paused looking first at me, then at Ace, questioningly, "My sister, Princess Gracilella-regia." the mans eyes widened a fraction of an inch before he bowed deeply to both myself and Ace, the others followed his suit and Ace spoke again.
"You may sit." They looked at me.
"Huh? Oh, uh, erm, yeah. Go ahead and sit." They did so, and I took a seat next to Ace.
"Rica. Please bring Gracilella and I a meal."A pop sounded and food appeared before us, I looked at my plate curiously and tried not to grimace in disgust. On my plate was raw meat, rolled in to balls and flecked with spices. On the side were some less disgusting, but still unappetizing veggies.
"Something wrong, Grace?" Ace inquired seeing my look.
"I've just never, uh," I looked around myself, and seeing that early everyone was eating raw meat leaned in a little bit close to Ace, "I've never eaten raw meat before."
He smiled at me, finding this funny for some reason, and spoke again.
"Just try it Grace. Since your Switch, I'm sure you'll find it appetizing enough."
I soon found out that he was correct, and dug in with new zeal, though I still kept proper etiquette and used my utensils and sat straight. When I was full I felt my eyes begin to droop, and found myself leaning on Ace rather heavily as he spoke with one of the men siting with us.
Sometime later I felt him shift, and opened my eyes.
"Grace, why don't I show you to your rooms. You seem rather tired considering you just feel asleep on me at dinner." I blushed when I realized he was right. How rude can I get?
"I am so sorry, Ace. I didn't mean to, it's just been such a long day and I am just so tired."
"Perfectly understandable, little sister, now, let's go." I stood up as he did, and saw that the large room was almost empty now. I was only vaguely aware of walking through the halls, up some stairs, and then hearing Ace talking to someone before I fell into a cloud and slept.
Sooooooooooo.
Yeah.
