A/N: Updated to make a few corrections, and to add the last two lines. :)
Chapter II
"What?"
"She was in your class at high school, and now you go to the same university. She says you don't know her."
"Oh . . . I . . ."
"Charlie, it is because she chose to make herself invisible to you. She has liked you very much from the time she met you."
"What's her name?" asked Carol, who used to be the principal of Charlie's school.
"In the mortal world, her name is Melody Jamison, but she goes by Fia."
"Melody?" asked Carol, her eyes wide, but twinkling.
Charlie turned to her.
"You know her?"
"She was one of my cheerleaders."
"A cheerleader, huh?" Scott said, grinning at Charlie.
Charlie, though, looked more frustrated at this news.
"How could I not know her?"
"I told you, Charlie. She likes you very much. She chose to become invisible to you, in fear of rejection."
There was another moment of silence, and then Queen Mab stood, her ebony black hair falling to her thighs.
"Think on this, young Charlie. Santa. Mrs. Claus. Inform me tomorrow of your decision. For tonight, I will retire."
She walked to the door amid quiet goodnights. Then she turned to face the head elf.
"Bernard?"
He quickly joined her, and Scott – Santa – let out a questioning noise.
"I need you, Bernard!"
"Sorry, Santa. She is my queen," he said simply, before following her out.
"We are all part of the Fae Courts, Sir," said Judy, one of the other elves. "We are usually left to our own devices under your care, but when our queens are here, they must be treated as such."
Carol looked puzzled. "You aren't all part of the same Court?"
"No," said Judy, smiling gently, as if she was speaking to a child. "Many of us are of the Seelie Court, but some, like Bernard, are Unseelie. Haven't you ever noticed that he's different?"
"I thought he was just old and grumpy," Scott said.
"He is," Judy said, grinning.