Kierran

I woke up to small hands pushing against my shoulder. Groaning I looked over to see Electra's little sister, Light, staring at me with her huge violet eyes. They lit up when they locked onto my eyes. It was as if the electricity from her hair moved to her eyes. I guess that's where her name came from, I thought.

Sitting up I asked, "Whatcha doing in here, Light?"

"Electra asked me to wake you up," Light answered. "She's came up with this date; she thought it would be a good way to help you cope with whats happened to Queen Meghan." Light grabbed my hand and pulled trying to get me out of my bed.

I didn't budge. "Is she okay?" I asked. I thought my mother was safe—she should have been safe—but the way Light talked...

"Who? The Queen or my sister?"

"Queen."

"Oh, she's better—recovering—but they say with some rest she be fine."

"Then why does Electra want to go out on date with me if she'd fine?"

"Because Queen Meghan almost died and Electra though it would take some stress off," Light explained.

She is my stress, I replied but said, "I see..."

"So, are you going to get ready?" Light asked.

I smirked. "I can't do that while you're in here."

"Uh, s-sorry." A slight blush formed on Light's cheeks and hurried out of my room.

I smiled as I though, She's definitely a cute kid, but her sister is evil.

Sighing, I got up and walked to my closet. I shrugged off the t-shirt I was wearing and replaced it with a dark green one. I threw on blue jeans after and turned towards my mirror. Another day with the electrical witch, I thought.

Walking out of my room I found Light leaning against the wall by my door. She was looking down at her feet. It seemed the young girl was in her own world, and I didn't want to take her out of it. Light looked so peaceful and thoughtful and cute; like the cute little girl that she was.

Light suddenly was blinking rapidly and looked up at me. She gave me a smile as she asked, "Ready?" I only nodded. "Great. Electra is in the throne room."

"What is she doing there?" I asked. Light shrugged

Light shrugged but answered, "I think Electra wanted to talk where you two can be alone, and no one goes into the throne room without Queen Meghan there."

"I see." I left Light then; I wanted to hurry to see what Electra was doing in the throne room. Whatever it was I didn't think it could be good.

When I finally made it to the huge room I found my against-my-will-fiance lounging in the uncomfortable chair that was known as the throne. "What are you doing?" I asked immediately as I laid eyes on her.

Electra jumped looking at me with surprise. "You're as quiet as your father, you know that?"

"Electra what are you doing in my mother's throne?" I asked as if she hadn't spoke.

"I was just sitting in it."

"Exactly. Now get out of it."

"It's going to be my throne one day anyway, can't I sit in it for a little while?"

"No," I answered coldly. Electra opened her mouth again as if she was going to speak again, but I spoke before she could. "I'll kill you if you don't." When she didn't move I stomped up the steps to the throne and pulled Electra out of it by her her arm. "It's still my parents', and will not be yours for a long long long time."

Electra stared at me for a long time, the flashing of the numbers in her eyes even slowed down. It seemed Electra never expected me to stand up against her and let her do whatever she wanted—as long as my parents weren't involved—but she was dead wrong.

"Kierran," she finally said, "never say anything like that to me again, got it?"

I couldn't believe her. "I hate you and would love to kill you, so don't try to control me like I'm your slave."

Electra let out a growl as the purple numbers in her eyes flashed quickly again. They flashed so quickly it was like she was a calculator. I didn't like that scenario truthfully. "I'm your fiance! You should be treating me like a princess!"

"I'll leave that to everyone else when you are a princess."

Electra huffed madly, but then seemed to think it over what I said. "Whatever," she growled.

Finally, I thought. "Now, why did you want me to come here to meet with you?" I asked. "Did you just want to show me how good you thought you looked in my mothers throne?"

Electra made an irritated noise. "I wanted to figure out our colors for the ball tonight." Electra crossed her arms over her chest, staring at me as if she expected me to retort something. But I didn't.

"Okay."

"That's it?"

"What do you mean?"

"I was expecting more..." Electra looked away.

"Like what?"

"Like: 'I'm not going there with you.' 'That's never going to happen.' 'Why the hell should we do that.' You know the normal," Electra explained

"Well, we do have to start acting like a couple at some point, right?" I asked.

Electra's eyes narrowed on me, but she smiled. "I'm glad you think that way. Come on." Electra lead me out of the room to downstairs, where she took me to the tailors room.

The room was full of fabric and human-looking manikins, some with clothes and some without. Most of the clothes on the manikins looked like they came from the human world, though. My dad was the only faery that wore more old-fashioned clothes.

"Electra, you're back so soon!" Came a high pitched voice from behind a big turquoise cloth. Suddenly a indigo woman peaked out behind the cloth, her messy light purple hair waving around as she moved her head around. She first made eye contact with Electra before turning her pupil less green eyes on me. "And you brought the Prince Kierran." The woman grinned stepping out from behind the fabric.

"I wanted him to help me choose the colors," Electra replied.

"Of course, I almost forgot." The woman then vanished behind a gold colored cloth.

"Wickes, where are you going?" Electra asked.

Wickes' muffled voice said, "I have a dress for you that I think you'll love." She came back with a black dress stretched out on her arms. "I made it this after you left this morning."

"It looks beautiful." Electra stepped over to Wickes. She grazed her hand over the black silk. "It's only black though?"

"Oh, yeah!" Wickes ran back into the maze of fabric.

"What did you forget?" Electra asked.

"You'll see!" Wickes yelled, though, it sounded funny like she had something in her mouth. I didn't need to wonder long since Wickes was back in the open in seconds. Se had needles sticking out of her mouth like someone would a cigarette and a fabric rose and a small red cylinder in her hand.

Electra touched a pedal on the rose , and then her eyes moved to the cylinder. "What is this?" she asked picking it up. Electra seemed to be examining it closely, I was sure she thought it was going to be sewed onto the dress.

"It's a leather ring," Wickes explained.

Electra put the ring on her index finger on her left hand. She held out her hand examining it. She turned it around on her finger and her eyes were moving as if she was reading something. When she stopped turning it Electra was smirking.

"What is it?" I asked suspicious.

Electra's smirk was still in place as she walked up to me until she was close enough to show me an inscription on the red ring. I glared at the ring as I read, 'Soon to be Iron Queen'.

"It should say, 'Soon to be Iron Princess'," was the first thing to come out of my mouth after I saw it.

"I have one that says that if you'd like," Wickes said.

"Really?" I asked.

"I made it after I made that one." Wickes nodded towards the ring still on Electra's finger.

"But I like this one," Electra whined.

"But I'd rather get one that's more truthful," I explained.

Electra grumbled as she took of the ring and handed it to Wickes. Wickes gave Electra the dress and told Electra she could go behind a hanging cloth to change. Electra practically appeared behind a piece of cloth that she was so anxious. Wickes grinned before hurrying back for the other ring.

Once Wickes was back she handed me another leather ring the color blood. I hated the color. "Thank you," I said still.

Suddenly Electra came out shoving the fabric she hide behind to the ground. "I love it!" she yelled. She was wearing the black dress, and it did look nice on her.

It was a long sleeve dress that went down to her knees. Wickes lead her to the mirror and began using the needles still in her mouth to pin the fabric rose to Electra's hip. Electra watched herself in the mirror smiling. "I look fabulous," she said.

I sighed watching them from the door. An annoying thought kept bugging me; I had to start acting like I was in love with Electra, or else people may not believe us. Especially because my parents, I knew for a fact, would be able to tell if we were really in love or not.

So, I decided I would show Electra fake affection. I walked behind Electra, close enough so my chest was inches from her back, and leaned in. "Here," I said into her ear as I held up the leather ring. "I already told Wickes This, but I was thinking this could be your engagement ring."

Electra sucked in her breath. "K-Kierran?"

I quickly whispered, "Just go with it already." I picked up her hand lightly placing the ring on her finger. Electra smiled as she locked her eyes on my through the mirror. I only stared at her, though.

"You two are adorable1" Wickes cheered. "When are you going to tell your parents?"

"Kierran wants to wait when Queen Meghan is back on her feet."

"Oh, I see," Wickes said thoughtfully. She made a face as if she was thinking with a hand on her chin.

Electra nodded and watched herself in the mirror again. I watched Electra myself as she lifted her skirt as she turned back and forth—looking at herself at all angles. From the corner of my eye, I noticed Wickes was watching me.

I could feel her eyes boring into my back. It made me uncomfortable, so I left the room. Electra turned around, but I was out of the room before she could say anything. I hurried down the halls and upstairs until I was to the Glider's ledge. I wanted sometime away from the castle and everything in it.

Once I was up in the air with a Glider on my back, I already knew where I wanted to go. I had some friends who lived together in a giant warehouse. It was close to the castle too. When I was finally over the huge iron building, I dropped from the sky to land in front of it.

Inside the warehouse it was a giant room full of various couches and comfy chairs. There was a couch with a TV in front of it in the middle. At that moment there was two people on the couch watching a horror movie I didn't recognize On the other side of the building from me, music was blasting from a stereo where a girl I knew was dancing. Most of my buddies were at a table behind the couch though. At first glance it looked like they were playing poker, but a with a better look I could tell they were actually playing Go Fish.

One of the boys playing looked up at me. His green eyes seemed to widen as he realized it was me. "Kierran, what are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be getting ready for the Winter ball?" the boy asked.

"Don't be rude, Hayes.," said a different boy named Dylan.

Hayes and Dylan were brothers, but I didn't know which one was older or younger. They could have twins for all I knew, except Hayes looked older—which doesn't matter really in the Nevernever. I was pretty sure Dylan was the eldest, though.

Hayes and Dylan were both tan skinned with white hair, and I was pretty sure they were both around 5'5" too. Hayes had green eyes, though, and Dylan had brown. They were lean and muscular also. It was the reason why I thought they were twins.

The last boy at the table, Conner, waved at me as he ignored the brothers. "Hey, Kierran," he said. "What's up?" Conner didn't look much different from the the two boys—other than his cream colored skin, everything was about the same.

I sat down across from him. "Have you ever met Electra? Glitch's eldest?" I asked.

"No," Conner answered with a shake of his head. "But I've heard that she's crazy in love with you." Conner grinned as if it was a good thing. I glared at him making his grin falter. "Is she literary crazy?" he finally asked.

I nodded. "She's a complete lunatic, and she doesn't love me."

"If she's not in love with you, why does she love you?" Hayes suddenly asked. I didn't realized Dylan and Hayes was paying attention to the conversation.

"She's not obsessed with me; she's obsessed with becoming queen," I answered.

"She's a psycho who wants to be queen?" Conner figured.

I only nodded my head.

"That's rough, dude," Dylan added.

"Dylan!" a high pitched voice whined. It was the girl that had been dancing by the stereo, but I didn't see her face until then. It was Ellen, Dylan's girlfriend. Her light blue eyes were staring at Dylan intensely. At first he seemed as clueless as the rest of us, and then a sudden grin appeared on his face. "It's our song," the couple said in unison. Dylan walked to Ellen to dance with her before he finished his sentence though.

I wanted to face palm because of how ridiculous they were, but instead listened to the music. The jumpy tone blasting from the speakers sounded like Shakira's "Wherever Whenever" song. I wondered if it was "their song" because it was the first song they danced to or if it was because Ellen liked the song. If either was the case, though, that would mean mine and Thorn's song would be a Seelie song.

"Can you believe her?" asked Hayes, but I ignored him since he was only talking out of jealousy.

I decided to watch Dylan and Ellen dance together. Their dancing wasn't elegant or appropriate—well it wouldn't be appropriate to the other courts—but you could tell they loved each other.

Ellen—unlike Dylan—was very immature, but she was very pretty. Ellen was a slender woman with smooth dark skin and curly brown hair—her light eyes looked white compared to them. She was very short though.

I finally looked at the couple watching the horror movie. I realized I knew them too. Their names were Allen and Hattie, they were married and had been for quite sometime apparently. Allen was kind of a weirdo, and a lot of the time he spoke very formally like most faeries. I think it was a reason so many girls ended up hitting on him—plus his good looks. Hattie on the other hand pretty much hates every man except Allen. Which sucked for most guys when she was single since she was absolutely gorgeous too, with olive skin, hazel eyes, and long, curly white hair.

Hattie suddenly screamed as a girl on the screen was murdered into a gory mess. Everyone, even Allen, laughed at her.

"Shut up!" Hattie yelled over our laughing. "That was scary!"

The room exploded into more laughter. Hattie crossed her arms over her chest and glared at the movie still playing. Allen put his arm over her to comfort her as he said, "It's alright, hun. I think it's cute you get scared from movies." Hattie rolled her eyes as reply, but smiled.

"Kierran, what are you doing here?" a terrible voice came from behind me. I looked back to see Electra at the door with her hands on her hips. She was looking from my friends to the scenery with disgust and annoyance.

"Electra, what are you doing here?" I growled with annoyance thick in my voice. "We're not married yet."

"So? The ball at Tir Na Nog is tonight and you need to get fitted for your suit."

"I already have a suit."

"I don't like it; it doesn't match my dress."

"You haven't seen it!"

"Yes, I have."

"How?"

"I went through your closet." Electra said it like it was the normal thing to do.

"Wait, wait, wait," Hattie interrupted. I was glad for it. "You two are getting married?" she asked sounding horrified by the idea. I couldn't agree with her more.

"Yes we are," Electra growled. "Have a problem with that?"

Hattie narrowed her eyes on Electra as she surprised everyone by saying, "Yes, I have a very big problem with that."

"What did you say?" Electra practically roared.

"You heard me." Hattie walked around the couch and table. "You are one of those horrible women that make a man's life hard, not their dick."

"Hattie!" I yelled as I felt my cheeks heat up.

"Hey!" Electra yelled at the same time as me. "Did you just call me unattractive?"

Hattie seemed to only hear Electra. "That's only part of what I'm calling you. You're also snotty and annoying and rude and—"

"Shut up, bitch!" Electra's scream echoed through the metal room.

"Hey!" Allen yelled standing up. "Don't you dare call my wife a bitch!"

It was time for me to act. I shot out of my chair and ran to Electra, taking her by the shoulders. I leaned close to her as I said, "I believe it's time for us to leave."

"I don't think so," Electra grumbled.

My fingers tightened over her thin shoulders. "Electra, these are my friends," I started, "if you don't back off now, you will regret it."

Electra seemed to see the truth in my threat as she nodded. "Fine," she said lowly.

"We're going," I said loud enough for everyone to hear me. I grabbed my fiance's arm—not too nicely either—as I walked out of the hangout. I couldn't deny it; I was pissed. I couldn't believe how Electra acted with my friends. She was not fit to be queen, and I had a feeling she never would be.

I didn't speak to Electra the rest of the way home.

Thorn

I was a wakened by a high pitched scream. It scared me so badly that I fell of the small.

Lifting myself from the ground I asked groggily, "Who died?"

I was rubbing my eye and didn't notice Hanna until she spoke. "No one has died, but you're about to."

I looked at the blonde girl confused. "What did I do?" At that moment, I finally realized I didn't fall on the ground, but on Ion. I forgot he fell asleep next to me because he had a plan to make Hanna mad so she would kick us out of her house. Well, his plan worked better than I thought it would—maybe even better than he thought it would.

"You brought two—two—Winter faeries into my home!" Hanna yelled. "Do you have any idea how much trouble I could get? I'll make you pay for this!" Hanna kept yelling but Ion and I were too busy grabbing our things to listen.

By the time we were outside Hanna had thrown two vases, a book, and something else that was glass at Ion and me. We pretty much had to run out of the house.

"And stay out!" Hanna yelled finally as she slammed her door shut.

"Anyone else feel like a stray dog?" I asked trying to joke.

Ion and Kiri glared at me as Wolf just stared at me as if to tell me that was a stupid pun. This is why I'm like my dad, I thought with a sigh.

Wrapping the big coat around me I said nothing as I headed towards my home. The others didn't question it as they followed.

Ion spoke up quickly though. "Thorn, don't you want to change?" he asked patting his bag.

I stopped walking then. "Wait, how many dresses are n there?" I asked.

"Um," Ion seemed taken aback. "I believe about six."

"Then why are we going to my house still?"

"Because we're almost there anyway," Wolf answered.

I looked towards the huge dog. "It would be faster to turn around and go back to Tir Na Nog, wouldn't it?"

"Your house is barely a day a way from here," Grimalkin said appearing suddenly. I hadn't realized he was gone...

"Plus, we could get a real ride and not come to the ball as a group. You also could put those dresses away," Wolf added.

I still didn't want to go home because of my dad, but agreed anyway. "Fine, let me go change then," I said. I took the orange dress from Ion and head for some shrubbery to hide behind.

Once I was finally in real clothes, I hurried to lead the others to my house. It may have not been a day walk, but it was still going to be a long day.

Kierran

I didn't say a word to Electra. Even as we got home. Even as we went back to Wickes' sewing room. Even when Wickes fitting me for my suit. I hardly even looked at Electra I was still so mad.

The suit was very nice though It was a single-breasted button-up shirt. It was a dark green color that made me think of moss. I was wearing dark gray pants and a matching tie with the shirt. I thought it was very modern for a ball at Tir Na Nog, but I wasn't about to tell Wickes that. I only would have told her if I was going to a ball at my grandpa's court.

Wickes kept complimenting me on how well I looked in a suit, too. At first it was charming, but the more she said it the more it got annoying. I said nothing again. For once, neither did Electra.

When Wickes finally sensed the tension in the room, the room fell silent. I was happy it did, too. I hoped it stayed quiet until we got to the Winter court also.