Chapter 6 Fae Protection Ritual

Andy and Thomas were just adding the finishing touches to their new living quarters when the fae prince suddenly went unnaturally still. He had been skillfully arranging a tall and slender sky-blue glass vase filled with gorgeous purple lilies. His hands were frozen on the stems as he tilted his auburn-haired head while closing his eyes, as though he was listening for something.

Thomas waited until his eyes reopened before inquiring, "What is it, Andy?"

"I sense a fae hunter nearing this town," he replied. His voice was low and serious as he turned to meet Thomas's eyes. "I thought I would have more time, but I need to shift our residence into the fae realm for our protection. Thankfully I already have everything I need to do the ritual. Well, everything but my father's permission. But he will understand this is an emergency."

"What do you mean, shift the house into the Fae realm?" Thomas asked in clear confusion.

"It will still exist in this world," Andy explained. He moved back out into the shop to begin gathering the supplies he required quickly. "But it will also be part of the fae realm, and thus be under my father's protection. The hunter will be unable to even get near us. The sooner I complete the ritual, the stronger that protection will be when the hunter arrives. He likely thought to take me unaware so I would be unprotected except for my own magic, but since I am a prince I can sense them from further away than your average fae. By the time he arrives, it shall be too late. It seems you will be meeting my parents sooner than I had planned, my love."

"I.. I see," Thomas replied, his expression clearly concerned. "This.. hunter would hurt you?"

"He would kill me if he could," Andy stated, his eyes darkening as his tone of voice hardened with obvious anger. "Simply because I am a fae. These hunters are descended from humans who were unfortunately negatively affected by fae who lived hundreds, or even thousands of years ago. Before our king began limiting our visits and actions in the human realm to searching for our fated mates and protecting them and their families. Most of these remnants have likely never even met a fae. We no longer engage in the things shared in the darker faerie tales about us. Except in defense of our lives, or those of our mates and their families."

"That is terrible," Thomas breathed. He moved closer to Andy, his dark eyes wide as he drew the other man into his arms. The embrace was gentle, Thomas kissing Andy's forehead tenderly as he held him close. "Can I do anything to help you?"

Andy relaxed in response to his mate's touch, answering him softly, "Not with setting up the ritual, but once I am ready to begin you can sit beside me. The positive energy and loving touch of my mate will help calm my mind and body so that I may easier perform the ritual."

"Alright," Thomas agreed. He squeezed Andy's slender waist tightly for a moment, then released him reluctantly. "I will go and work on the clocks to get out of your way for now. Call when you need me if I have not returned, sweetheart."

"I will, Thomas," Andy replied, kissing him briefly on the lips. "Can you also make sure your mother and sisters do not leave the house during the ritual? It will not be more than an hour, but they must be here while I do it in order to be included in the protection. We will not have time to explain all this to them until after it is finished."

"Of course," Thomas agreed, giving Andy another kiss. "Then we can explain everything to them together."

"Yes."

Thomas returned to Andy when he called his name to let him know he was finished setting up for the ritual. There were several bowls containing herbs and lavender-scented candles. The fae prince sat down on one of two soft cushions on the simple wooden floor in front of the arrangement, gesturing silently for Thomas to join him.

Thomas sat down on the second pillow on Andy's right with a wordless smile, tenderly linking their fingers together when Andy reached out and took his hand. With his left hand he used his magic to light first the five light-purple pillar candles secured in a dark-blue ceramic bowl, then the herbs contained in the two rose-toned bowls on either side of the candle bowl.

The scent of lavender and various burning herbs began to slowly fill the room with their pleasant, calming fragrances. Andy closed his beautiful dark-brown eyes, breathing deeply and concentrating on forming a connection between the clock shop and the home above to the land of his birth.

Thomas, through his connection to Andy, felt the shift into the fae realm and the shields of protection coming into existence around their residence.

Andy slowly opened his eyes, sighing in relief and tiredness while leaning slightly into Thomas's side. "It is done, my heart. We are safe."

"Thank goodness," Thomas breathed softly, his low voice soothing. He released Andy's hand reluctantly in order to slip his arm around his shoulders, supporting him within his warm embrace. "So what happens now?"

"I need to rest for a while. And the candles and herbs need to burn down and out," Andy explained. smiling at his mate. "This, as well as the flow of magic, will strengthen the connection to my homeland and the protective barriers."

"I see."

"Yes. We shall have to speak to your mother and sisters soon. Perhaps after you finish your work for the day. It will also not be long before you and I receive an official summons to my father's court to speak with him and mother. Amelia, Rose, and Julia can meet them later in an informal setting, without the added social pressures of standing before the court."

"That sounds good. I want to meet your family. Do- Do you think they will like me?"

"I know they will, Thomas," Andy reassured him. "My mother will love you, Amelia, and the girls. There is no need to be worried. They sent me to this world to locate you after I finally found you. Trust me."

"I do. I love you, Andy."

"I love you, too."

"How did you find out I was here?"

"We have magical mirrors in the fae realm which let us see into this world. For study purposes, so we can learn about humans. Which is why most of them are kept in the library. But we also use them to find our soul mates. As a prince, I used my own personal mirror to search for you. I am quite a bit older than you. Being a fae, I do not look it, of course. So I have been searching for you for many years."

"How many?" Thomas asked him curiously.

"Since I turned thirty. Seventy years ago."

"Seventy years? So you are one hundred years old?"

"Yes, Thomas. And after we fully bond, your aging shall stop as well."

"I see. When you say fully bond, what do you mean?"

"When we make love fully for the first time."

"Oh. Yes. Have you stopped taking your pregnancy preventative?"

"No. Would you like me to?" Andy inquired curiously.

"I would, yes," Thomas admitted. "If you are ready, of course. I would not want to push you."

"I am ready. I promise I am eager to have your child."

"Our child," Thomas corrected him with a smile.

"Yes. Our child. I will stop taking the herbs."

"Thank you, my love."

"Of course. I can not wait to begin our own family."

After Andy had taken his nap on their bed, which they had moved along with the rest of the furniture to their new quarters, Thomas had also finished his work for the day. So they locked up the shop and headed up the outer staircase to speak to Amelia, Rose, and Julia about what had happened earlier.

"We are going to need a bigger bed," Andy stated before they went inside. "I will contact my mother to let her know I have found you, and that we have a place to stay. Then I can ask her to bring the bed from my cottage. It is not fancy, but will be much more comfortable than a one-person bed."

"That would be wonderful," Thomas replied with a smile. "But I do not understand, your cottage? You did not live in the palace?"

"No, Thomas," he said, smiling in return. "I am not one who enjoys excess, or the intrigues of court. I chose to live in a simple, peaceful cottage on the vast palace grounds. Father and mother have many sons, and daughters, so thankfully I will never have to lead the people. I am more of a reclusive scholar, plant-tender, and healer. And now that I have found you, we shall be far too busy caring for each other and your mother and sisters. And our own children. Our family."

"I see."

"Yes. We could always stay in the cottage on weekends to relax. Perhaps I will just ask mother for a different, but still simple bed."

"That sounds like a nice idea, Andy."

"It does."

Thomas knocked on the door with the code, and Amelia let them inside, leading them into the small drawing room. Rose and Julia were waiting for them there."

"So, Thomas said you would both explain why we needed to stay in the house earlier," Amelia stated. She sat down in her chair next to the couch where her daughters sat.

"Yes," Andy agreed. He turned to look at Rose and Julia with a smile. "Do you remember when we first met? When you mentioned the faerie tales your mother told you when you were girls?"

"Yes."

"Of course."

"Well, I am not a garden faerie. I am a prince of the fae realm."

"You- What?" Rose gasped, her eyes going wide with shock.

The other two women had the same look as they all stared around the room at each other, then back to Andy.

"As I said to Thomas when I first told him of my love for him, the best way is to show you by removing my glamour."

The soft white light appeared, surrounding Andy like mist once again, and when the light vanished and the mist cleared his fae form was revealed. He wore the same sapphire blue, hip-length silk tunic, leggings, and matching slippers as well as his silver circlet with its elegant, gleaming sapphire. His auburn hair had been pulled back into a long, single braid, making his sharply pointed ears and luminous skin even more noticeable than before.

The reason I asked Thomas to tell you to stay in the house earlier, was because I sensed a fae hunter on his way here. I needed to perform in order to connect this house, and the shop, to the fae realm so that he could not enter. And in order to be included in those protections, even when you leave the building, you all needed to be here while I performed the ritual."

"What kind of ritual?" Amelia inquired. There was an understandable sharpness in her voice. "Nothing unholy, I trust?"

"No, Amelia," Andy reassured her. "The fae have not performed dark magic rituals in thousands of years. Long before I was born. We are no longer taught those spells, either. It was a simple spell of protection and connection using lit lavender candles and burning herbs. My magic and connection to my homeland allowed a link to form and open between here and the fae realm. So now this house, the shop, and all of us are under my father's protection. The hunter can not touch us now."

"I see. That is good."

"Yes, it is," Julia agreed, her expression relieved.

"Yes," Rose stated. "Very good. So we are all safe?"

"Yes," Andy promised firmly.

"And I know you said you are not a garden faerie," Rose continued. "But do you have wings?"

Thomas blinked, his eyes widening in response to Rose's question. He looked to his mate with obvious curiousity.

"I do," Andy revealed with a smile in Thomas's direction. "But they can not be seen in the human realm. There is not enough fae magic here. You will all be able to see them when we visit my parents there at my cottage. I will be contacting my mother after this conversation so she can send Thomas and I a larger bed for our new quarters. And I will ask her to add beds for you all to my cottage for when we visit."

"That is so amazing!" Rose said excitedly. "I am sure they are beautiful!"

Julia nodded in agreement, also smiling.

"I have been told so many times, yes," Andy stated with a return smile. "My calling as a scholar, plant-tender, and healer does not make a lot of money. But I have been working for a long time, and live a simple life despite being a prince. So if any of you need anything, I want you to ask, please. You are all part of my family now, and family should take care of each other."

"We will keep it in mind," Amelia said, her expression clearly approving of his words. "Thank you, Andy."

"Thank you."

"Of course."

"I also need to tell you all, because of my fae magic, and my submissive nature, I am also capable of having Thomas's children. We plan to start trying for a baby soon."

Amelia's eyes widened with her shock at his statement. "Men having children in your homeland is normal?"

"Not all fae men. Just those who are like me," Andy explained. "Those who are destined for male mates. But yes, it is normal there."

"I am going to be a grandmother?"

"Yes, Amelia. I hope that does not bother you. I have wanted a baby for many years now. But I had to find Thomas first. Fae are completely loyal to their mates. I could never have been with anyone else."

"Of course, it does not bother me, Andy dear. I enjoy babies. And I am sure you and Thomas shall be better fathers than my husband was for my children."

"I am sorry your husband was not a kind father. But I am glad you have faith in us."

"Of course I do. I can see how much you love my son. And how much he loves you. I am sure you will both love your children just as much as you do each other."

"Thank you, mother."

"Of course, Thomas. You will let us know as soon as the first baby is on the way?"

"Of course we will."

"Good. It is good. Now the girls and I will go start making dinner while Andy and you speak to his mother."