Queen of Autumn Chapter 3

Will was exactly how Alicia remembered him, brown eyes sparkled with mischief and determination. His true thoughts and feelings inscrutable. She forced herself to remember that whilst they were better, he probably hadn't forgiven her betrayal. Her mind whizzed and whirred. Her human half desperate to fall into his arms, her Faerie half reminding her to behave in a manner befitting her station and to consider the needs of her people first. Then her Faerie self caught his woody masculine scent and wanted the same as her human self, but a bit dirtier.

Will bowed and murmured the appropriate greetings for an envoy. When had he learnt the Courtly skills? He expertly waved off the offers of refreshments, clearly schooled in losing human manners amongst the Fae. Every thank you constituted an agreement for a favour. Another subtle danger in Faerie. His presence terrified her. She couldn't speak. She was unaware of Connor relating the words she should have been speaking. Her nobles suddenly more aware of the irregularity. She had to do something. Now Alicia, now. Her father's voice boomed in her mind, shaking her from her shock.

"Come now Envoy, join me for supper, so as not to bore my darlings." The words felt connived, false to her ears. Will have his half smirk, understanding and playing along.

"Your Majesty is most kind."

Her Court smirked, thinking their Queen was playing cat and mouse with the human. Would she make him high? Would she glamour him? Would she use him for her pleasure?

Aliciera left the throne room, trusting Will to follow. Knowing that Connor most certainly would. What the hell was she going to do with Connor? She had to think fast. There was no way Connor was going to leave her alone with Will long enough to have an honest conversation.

She entered the smallest of the three dining rooms. This one could seat 50 comfortably. Aliciera seated herself at the head of the table. Connor seated himself to her left and Will to her right. Aliciera nodded to the waiting staff and took a subtle breath. She was as ready as possible. She turned to Will.

"So, Envoy, you are aware of our… situation?" The staff placed the meal, a Faerie salad and chimera meat. Will kept his eyes on Aliciera, not bothering to pick up the knife and fork.

"Yes. We understand there is some concern that the Spring Court had involvement. The King has sent me to tell you that it wasn't him." Will shrugged, the same way she had seen him do a thousand times before. More to the point, she knew that he had his negotiation face on. She studied his face, letting the silence build for a moment. She glanced at Connor and mouthed "investigate". Connor blinked, sighed, took his plate and left the room. Within moments, Rochelle entered, presumably at Connor's order. Slowly, deliberately, Rochelle tugged at her pockets and pulled out her IPhone, placing her earbuds in her ears. Fairly quickly the loud sounds of some random rock band came through. Aliciera rolled her eyes at Will.

"Subtle, isn't she?" Will smiled

"Yes, very." Aliciera looked at Will, memorising the healthy glow, his clear eyes. She was filled with nostalgia for their past. "I've missed you Will. There was so much left unsaid, and I regretted every lost moment." Will could hear the wistfulness, the honesty in her voice. Will leant forward, letting his hand brush over hers briefly.

"If I'm letting you lot talk without listening, you gotta keep it PG." Rochelle said loudly, breaking the moment. Will laughed, that soft, oh-so-sexy laugh.

"I've missed you too Alicia. One day, maybe we'll finally get our timing right. I'm a bit surprised though. I never even considered you were one of the Fae." Aliciera laughed. Never could she have ever imagined this conversation taking place.

"You didn't believe in the Fae. You couldn't have."

"Well, no that's true. But even after everything I went through I didn't realise. The thought should have occurred to me."

"You're off your game." They laughed together, feeling like old times were here again, despite the vastly different surroundings and Aliciera's youthful face. "Why do you think you should have guessed?"

"You've aged exceptionally well."

"Maybe I moisturise?"

"You hate lying, it makes you incredibly uncomfortable. I'm guessing you can only lie because your mom is human?" She shrugged in response. It was an odd quirk, but in her full Fae form she wasn't capable of lying directly.

Will paused a moment before suggesting the next idea.

"You couldn't admit you had fallen in love with me."

"Why not?"

"Because I'm overwhelmingly human."

"So is Peter." A delicate shrug that didn't match a racing heart.

"I'm yours and you are mine. I'm your mate and that's a damn dangerous position in Faerie"

Alicia rose from her seat, intending to walk away, but walked around the vast table instead. Mates, or soulmates as they were known in the human realm, were incredibly rare. A Fae would recognise their mate by scent, a scent that would haunt them day and night. It would urge them to bond with their mate, sleep with them and bind themselves for eternity. Aliciera's human blood meant she could ignore such a call.

She completed the final steps of her lap around the table and was seated again.

"You're wrong Will."

"In what way am I wrong?"

"Being mine would be fatal. I'm pleased that you are alive, but you need to go now." She waved him off, being clear in her dismissal. Will smiled, stood and bowed appropriately before turning his back.

Later, as dinner was finished, Aliciera turned to Rochelle.

"I didn't ask him a damn thing about the Spring Court." Rochelle held back her laughter.

"Oh shit. Want me to call him back tomorrow."

The elegant Queen responded by groaning with her head in her hands. She motioned for more wine to be brought forward.

What the hell was she going to do? Then it occurred to her, Will had distracted her deliberately. He'd done it a thousand times before. Well, two could play at that game.

Aliciera bade goodnight to her friend and began to plot for the following day. Will Gardner absolutely would not catch her out again.