Chapter 11 – Adellia

After I had put on the dress, the strange woman – who still hadn't said a word since she entered the room – left me alone. I wondered why. I soon found out.

A man entered the room, his long hair hiding his ears, so that I couldn't tell if he had pointed ears like the maid had had. He said, in a voice with a thick accent, "Follow." Then he turned on his heel and walked off, leaving me to follow in my still-bare feet. I wished for some shoes.

I followed him down endless corridors, and past numerous oak doors. I continued to feel nervous and curious. I was also scared for Ilana and Duncan. Where were they? I would have asked my guide where my companions were, but I didn't think he spoke enough English to be able to understand my question.

At last, we approached a pair of enormous double doors made of what looked to be mahogany. My guide knocked twice on one of the doors, and they swung open to reveal a receiving hall. It was beautifully made. The floor was gold marble – which seemed impossible, and yet there it was. The walls were actually mirrors, reflecting everything in the room. My bare feet slapped the cold tiles as I followed my guide into the hall, and my face was reflected in a thousand facets. The domed ceiling was at least three stories high, and a huge chandelier was hanging from the middle of the dome. There was a throne directly across from the doors where we had come through, and on either side of the throne was a curved staircase.

And sitting on the throne, one leg draped elegantly over the other, was a seven-foot tall woman with pale wings protruding from her back, covered with a pale silver and gold film that made them shimmer. She wore a golden dress with a V-neck collar, and there were no sleeves to the dress, which made me think of her as scandalous. But this stately lady with her golden hair and golden eyes made me nervous, so I said nothing.

She stood as we approached, and I realized she was about seven feet tall. She opened her arms and strode up to me, her steps filled with purpose. I stopped walking, closed my eyes, and cringed, anticipating what she was going to do. I felt her wrap her arms around me and hug me. I hated being hugged. I hated it more than anything in the world, especially when I was being hugged by a stranger. Only Mother had permission to hug me, because I knew she loved me. I had known that Father loved me, but there had been times when I had questioned it.

The moment she released me, she grabbed my hand before I had time to open my eyes, and dragged me over to her throne. There was a smaller throne sitting beside hers, and she sat me down on it as though I were a sack of flour. I noticed that she was barefoot as well.

"Who are you?" I asked, terrified. My voice squeaked when I spoke.

"Oh, my dear!" She declared, standing up and walking over to the wall, where she primped herself and preened like a peacock displaying its feathers. "My name is Adellia," she said. "Do you know what I am?"

"A faerie?" I asked, certain that was what she was.

Her wings folded themselves and then opened themselves. Then she took flight, and flew over to me. "Yes, my dear," she said. "I am the Queen Adellia." She floated above me, proudly displaying her beauty. Her name, I recalled – because there was not a village who had not heard legends about the faerie queen – meant, "Beautiful, Winged Queen". It was a fitting name for a faerie queen.

After a moment, she landed in front of her throne and sat down. She said something in the faerie language – at least I thought it was the faerie language – and the man who had guided me here left. Then she shooed away all her guards, who I hadn't noticed until then

The moment we were alone, she took my hands in hers and declared in the voice of someone who is often lonely, "Now we will have such fun together!"

"Where are my companions?" I squeaked.

Her smile fell, and was instantly transformed into a frown. She let go of my hands. "Why do you want them?" She demanded. "Aren't I more beautiful than they? Aren't I more wondrous?" She puffed herself up.

I shrugged. She stiffened. "Of course you are," I said simply, finally finding the strength my voice needed. "But beauty makes no difference to who I wish to spend my time with."

She became quite angry. "Your friends," she sneered, "are safe… for now." Her voice became threateningly low, and she leaned towards me, blowing her hot breath into my face. "But that can change," she said. "I could kill them with but a flick of my finger, if I so chose."

I was terrified. Ilana and Duncan were safe for the moment. But I knew what would come next: what she wanted from me.

She abruptly changed the subject. "Would you like to be my friend?" She asked in a child's voice. Her voice was dangerously low. This faerie was mad!

I swallowed hard and nodded, knowing if I didn't, it would mean the death of both Ilana and Duncan.

She jumped up and clapped her hands. "Wonderful!" She declared. "Let's play a game!"

Throughout the course of the next five hours, I supplied the childish faerie queen with the entertainment she craved. I learned after my first win, that it was not wise to play fair with Queen Adellia. She craved adoration, attention, and love. And that meant that she had to win. Every time.

"I win again!" She declared triumphantly after a grueling hour and a half of tossing a ball back and forth. Whoever dropped the ball first lost. It was an unimaginative game, one that a two year old might play. I had dropped the ball after I noticed her face becoming sour. And after I noticed her fumble a little.

The queen was like a child, wanting "mommy" to play with her until the cows came home, and then some. Finally, I was too tired to do anything, so I just collapsed where I was.

"Wake up, sleepyhead," she said childishly. "Time to play something else."

But before I could wake up, I fell completely asleep. I don't know how she reacted, because I was unconscious. But I didn't care; I was too tired. My last conscious thought was, "Where are Ilana and Duncan?"

AN: There is chapter 11. Still a little short, I know. But if you review, maybe the next one will be longer! (I don't plan the chapters ahead of time). CC is welcome, flames are not.