I'm baaaaaaaaack. Yeah, I know. I'm terrible.
Anyway, the majority of this chapter was written in the past two days,
while I've had my year 10 exams. I'd finish, not be able to do anything until the 2.5 hours were up,
grab the scrap paper they gave us and start writing. I wrote 3 & 1/2 A4 sheets full. My hand hurts.
Enjoy!

The Elysium dawn filtered though my curtains and I sat up slowly. I hadn't slept at all, stressing over seeing him. I was suddenly thankful my sisters had decided to sleep in their own rooms instead of falling asleep in mine as we gossiped the night before. They had gotten into the habit of sneaking into my room after our parents retired of an evening – they didn't like us wandering around at night. They surely would have noticed my unease and it would have made them quite suspicious. The night had been filled with memories, all of Ash.

Something by my window sparkled in the morning sun, catching my eye. I swung my legs out of bed and lent forward to see what it was. Caught between the sill and the curtain was a silver bracelet, adorned with snowflakes. One I recognised. Ash had given it to me, many moons ago. I had hidden it in the curtains before I went into the mortal world, to ensure it wouldn't be taken when they cleared anything to do with Ash out of my room. It must have untangled itself and fell. I picked it up and went to slip it onto my wrist when there was a sudden knock at the door. I tucked the bracelet between the headboard and the mattress before calling for whomever it was to enter. Lila and Celia swirled into the room, talking a million miles a minute, excited beyond belief.
"C'mon, Juliette, Lady Weaver is waiting. We need to start getting ready," Celia ordered sharply. The relationship between us was still icy enough to put Winter fey to shame. We were acting civil when we were around Mother and Father, but we still detested each other.
"It's barely daylight!" I protested, "Surely it won't take us that long to get ready?"
Lila sighed.
"Lady Weaver needs to get all five of us ready then attend to Mother. Mother will take awhile, so we need to be done quickly," she explained.
I sighed and changed into a simple day dress. We left my room in a flurry of skirts, moving towards Lady Weaver's room quickly.

It was nearly midday by the time we were all ready. My sisters were flawless in their gowns. It was surprising that none of them were being courted already. I knew Father had received countless offers. Issy had pinned my hair up elaborately, leaving a few curls loose. We sat off to the side of the room as Lady Weaver began to attend to Mother. Her dress was deep red and full skirted. It required a corset, which Lady Weaver had us help with. It was late afternoon by the time Mother was ready, nearly time for us to make our way to the clearing. We had to be there early, to ensure everything was in place for the Unseelie's arrival. The courtyard where Elysium was held was bustling with last minute arrangements being made. We entered together, moving towards Father, who was standing at the long table, ordering a group of satyrs around. He turned to us with a brilliant smile.
"My girls," he said, " you all look beautiful."
We giggled, naturally, and stepped onto the raised platform we were to be seated on. Mother brushed leaves from his shoulder and rested her hand there.
"When are they supposed to arrive?" she asked indifferently.
"A short while before sundown," he answered, " a messenger just sent word of their proximity to the edge of the wyldwood."

A sense of nervous anticipation filled the courtyard as the Summer fey began to arrive, dressed in their finery. The air got cooler as the Unseelie approached and one of the satyrs fetched cloaks for my sisters and I. We settled in our seats to wait.
The air had turned icy and the sky was nearly black when the Hedge shuddered and parted. Queen Mab lead her subjects through the gap, her three sons directly behind her. Sage and Rowan stared impassively ahead, but Ash? His eyes were locked on me.

ASH POV

The trek from Tir Na Nog was long and boring. If Mab had let us hunt along the way, it might have been a little more tolerable, but no. We were to be on our best behaviour. The closer we got to Arcadia, the hotter it became. We were shedding cloaks and furs as we walked. The Hedge loomed in from of us, the first stars appearing overhead. Mab stepped up to the Hedge and it shuddered, recoiling from the cold that emanated from the Winter Queen. She moved through with my brothers and I following close behind, our heads high and hands resting on the hilt of our swords. My eyes ran around the room instinctively, checking for threats to my queen. When they landed on the royal table, I nearly froze in place. Julie. My Julie was sitting there with her sisters. I couldn't believe it. She looked just as flawless as the first time we danced together.

I tore my eyes away from her, praying that nobody had seen my staring. I adopted an air of indifference, but my mind was whirring. Her sixteen mortal years were finally over. They had been the longest years of my existence, but I hadn't realized they were over.
Apparently, neither had my mother, for as soon as she saw my Julie, she stiffened. I could tell she was enraged that Oberon had failed to inform her that his 'harlot' – as she referred to her – daughter would be present. My brothers soon caught on to the reason for our mother's fury. They both slid clandestine sideways glances at me, but I kept my expression impassive and pretended to be checking that the Redcaps were behaving. We approached the royal table, Mab glaring at Oberon all the while. He and Tatiana rose, greeting us formally. Mab took her seat to Oberon's left and my brothers and I joined her. I was on the end, and with the U-shaped table, that placed me directly opposite Juliette.

Music began to play and the festivities began. Phoukas showed off, Nymphs danced and Goodfellow – the idiotic twerp he is – entertained the princesses with his infantile court jester routine. I snuck glances across the room constantly. All I could hear were her giggles. They seemed to be echoing around the room and ringing in my ears. Rowan nudged me under the table before leaning towards me to speak.
"You'd best not be thinking about that princess, brother," he warned maliciously.
I sent him the iciest glare I could muster, hating how he could read me so easily.
The sharp tone of our mother's voice caught our attention.
"You would scorn me, Oberon?" she hissed venomously.
"Mab, I cannot allow Juliette to dance with him! Her memories are still being triggered. Unless you want her to remember…" he trailed off, raising an eyebrow at Mab doubtfully.
Sage and Rowan both glanced down the table at me, then away quickly. Evidently, the look on my face was not overly pleasant. The desire to run Oberon through with my sword was nearly overwhelming, but I held my place.

Mab and Oberon discussed the issue for a few more heated moments before my mother leant down the table and informed me that I was to dance with the second youngest, Abigail. Not my Julie. I nodded once stiffly and gave the dancing fey my full attention, not wanting to converse with my brothers. After a while my gaze began to drift around the room, locking onto a pair of familiar brown eyes. We dropped our eyes almost instantaneously, I looked back up to check her reaction to find her red-cheeked and hiding behind a curtain of hair. She peeped out past her curls, glancing at me shyly then away again. The eldest sister, Lily or something, noticed what was going on and shot me the utmost dirty look, silently warning me to stay away from her sister. I fought the urge to roll my eyes. As if she could keep me away.

Sage, coming back from dancing with a young sidhe girl, jabbed my shoulder and suggested that I got the dance with the princess over and done with. In not-so-nice words, of course. I sighed internally as I stood, making my way through the crowd to where the princesses sat. They all eyed me warily, except Julie. She looked uncertain, biting her lip. I jumped back onto the platform lightly from the lowered dance floor. I approached the end of the table, making the older girls tense anxiously. They were incredibly high-strung.
"May I have a dance, Princess?" I requested, extending my hand to the second youngest. She nodded and took it, throwing a confused glance at her father as she stood. I turned my head in time to see Oberon's approving nod and pointed look towards Juliette. I led Abigail to the middle of the floor, where we arranged ourselves into the proper hold and began to dance. After several minutes, she tipped her head back and gave me a long, measured look. One that I was quite used to – guess I know where Julie got it from.
"Prince Ash," she began, staring at me intently, "do you still love my sister?"
I was stunned, to say the least. I was not expecting Abigail to be the one to question me. It was quite unsettling and I was hesitant to respond to her.
"I do not see how it is any of your business, Princess," I retorted coldly, hoping to upset the spirited Summer princess enough to make her forget about it. Oh, but she is persistent – to the point of being more annoying than Goodfellow.
"Oh, just answer the question. It's not that difficult," she snapped.
I blew my hair out of my eyes, looking over her head to the table. I spun us around so my brothers could not see my face and leant down slightly to ensure no-one heard me.
"Love does not die, even if the one you love forgets you," I murmured, before ending our dance and leading her back to her sisters.

A short while later, I was standing at the edge of the courtyard, top button of my shirt undone, trying to find a cool place in this God-forsaken place. A few bshes were between the royal table and I, giving me a shield for my endless staring at my princess. She sat with her sisters, laughing and talking. Those sneaky glances between us earlier had made me think she might remember me. But watching her now, the truth was obvious.

For her, nothing was missing. Life was perfect. I was merely the visiting prince. Her father's plan had worked. She had forgotten me.