A/N: This chapter is purely based on Reyna – there was a few more things I wanted to introduce and explore with her character. I started this chapter a couple of days ago when I had to go home sick from work. Because that's just what I get up to at night when I've been home all day. Haha. But finally getting it posted now. Also don't know if you've seen, but I have done a pic for her on ArtBreeder. The website has changed now, so I think it'll be a bit easier to use, which is good.
In the soft glow of the string of lights hung in her room, Reyna allowed herself to relax for a short moment. She lay back against the bare chest of the Seelie Court member she'd slept with that evening, letting him run his fingers through her hair.
"I love the copper highlights in your hair," Blaze remarked, and while she couldn't see his face, she could hear the smile in his voice as he kissed a few strands. "It is as if the sun itself has kissed them."
She resisted the urge to laugh, instead containing it in an amused smile. Ah, how he liked to use his words for compliments. "Is that so? You are generous with your compliments tonight."
"How can I not be? I have admired you from afar for too long. It feels as if you have finally granted my wish. It is not often that my eye catches on a faerie so fair and beautiful."
"Now, all faeries are rather beautiful. You're being simply too kind," she replied, not particularly in the mood for her own usual complementary nature. She had the feeling that he might never leave if she did so. It was rare that she invited others to her room, but he had insisted, and she'd had a little too many faerie drinks to argue otherwise. She often liked to stay mysterious to others, and she guessed that he'd wanted to glean something else about her.
When she felt him about to disagree, she turned to set a finger against his lips. "Shh," she said, with a slightly sultry smile. "We are not in the midst of the Court. You don't need to charm me."
"Fine, fine," he said, once he gently pushed her finger away. "But speaking of the Court, have you ever thought of what kind of power we might have if we joined forces?" he questioned. "You are talented at diplomacy and collecting information, and I am just as dedicated and have many connections. If we worked as a team, we could achieve even more politically. Can you imagine it?"
While she could see the pros of such an offer, she preferred to work on her own, knowing that then no one would be holding her back. "I appreciate the offer, Blade," she said, keeping her words polite. "But you know that I prefer to work alone."
"I know, but I really think it could work," he pressed, lightly. "Just have a think about it."
She didn't respond, and he made a sound of protest when she moved get up and to pick up her floral kimono from the wooden side table, slipping it on and doing up the tie. He still lay there in a state of undress, and she wasn't afraid to look. His long, silvery hair fell over his face, able to see a peek of his sky blue coloured wings behind him. He was beautiful to look at, and she'd been satisfied enough, even if he could be a little too clingy. "Do you not want to take the night off? Wouldn't it be nice to lay together just for the night?"
She kept her expression pleasant, even if he couldn't take the hint. It was her room, and she didn't want him staying that long. It was nice, the time they'd had together, but she had no desire to extend it. "I'm sorry. It's been nice, but I have work to catch up on," she responded, carefully. "I'm sure you can understand."
Slowly, she started over to her desk, sitting down at the chair there and picking up a few of her notes she'd written from the last meeting. It was certainly the strongest kind of signal that she could give.
"You're always working, Reyna," he complained, although it was lightly. Finally, he rose to his feet. "I won't interrupt any longer then, as long as you promise to consider my offer."
"I will," she replied, although it was mostly only to be polite. She heard him shuffling around, guessing that he was getting dressed. Eventually, he came towards her, bending to give her a kiss, which she quickly returned. "Have a good night, Blade," she said, as she pulled back.
"Mmm, you too," he said, glancing at her papers, although she made sure that nothing much was showing, not liking her private notes to be read.
Eventually, he left, and she leaned back in her chair. She had much to do before the Court met again, never wanting to not be properly prepared. She was always strict on herself, like that.
It had been a surprise Court meeting, that morning, the Queen calling it with little notice. Reyna had a guess as to what it was about, knowing that she'd mostly be observing, rather than adding anything to that particular topic. This was a larger meeting than usual as well, as it was not only the usual higher gentry Court faeries, but it was also open to other faeries who might like to attend – something that rarely happened.
Most of the Seelie Knights had attended as well, and Aedyn slipped into place beside her, giving her a nod, to which she inclined her head in return. She couldn't help but look at some of the other Knights in curiosity to see who had attended, her gaze catching on Tif for a long moment. She was busy, talking with one of the other guards, her pale blue skin causing her to stand out against the others. If she had looked her way, then perhaps Reyna would have given her a subtle smile, however when it looked like the proceedings were to start, she cleared any distractions from her mind.
One of the usual announcers spoke, and she listened to his words carefully.
"Those who sought to harm the Prince have been apprehended," he announced, standing on a platform as he addressed those gathered there and announced the traitor's names. The names were of no surprise to her – she had gathered them a while ago, through her ways. "And their punishment has been decided on."
There were whispers, before he quickly silenced them with a stern glance. "The Queen has decided to banish them from the Seelie Court – they will never be allowed to return. This will happen at the next full moon." She felt Aedyn tense beside her, and she wondered if there was more to it than that, surprised that they hadn't been brought out to make a show of it. At this, the whispers increased, many of them anguished at the thought of such a fate. For a Seelie faerie, it was the worst possibility, to be cut off from their home and their friends and families. She could never imagine such a thing, and she knew that most would rather die. "If anyone-…" The speaker's voice cut off as the crowd gathered turned to look at the approach of some new footsteps on the platform. It was none other than the Seelie Queen's, her long hair pulled back in a bun, and her expression unusually sharp and weighty. "Your majesty," he said with a bow, shifting aside quickly to let her speak.
The Queen took her time, moving to the centre of the platform and eyeing the crowd. She had this way of making it feel like she looked at each person individually, and that she could see into your very soul. "My son – your Prince - has been a blessing to this Court in many ways. If someone seeks to harm him, then they also harm me, their Queen, for he shares my blood," she said, and she didn't need to shout, her words commanding just as they were. Everyone seemed to lean forwards, in fact, as if not wanting to miss a word. "Anyone who tries anything – like the two mentioned – will face unflinching punishments that will cause them to wish they had never been born. Royalty must be respected above all." There was something regal about her stance and the way she raised her chin, and Reyna had always admired it. The crowd seemed to hold their breath as they waited for her next words. "My son is strong, and something like this cannot keep him down. He is recovering well, and he appreciates your many well wishes. We must take heart in the fact that the offenders have been caught, and the Seelie can once again be restored to its normal peace and unity."
Once she finished, an applause started, and soon everyone was joining in, Reyna herself included, although her own was politely subdued. She glanced sidelong at Aedyn, lowering her voice. "Was there something else to their punishments?" she asked him, under her breath. "It is strange that we haven't seen them."
Aedyn gave a slight shake to his head, looking uncomfortable. Sometimes she was able to get information from him, but on some important topics, he could be very tight-lipped. "I can't say. I'm under orders from the Queen."
"I see," she replied, although it had been all the answers that she needed, for now.
Now that the brief address had finished, the faeries gathered were quick to start talking about the news, many speaking in whispers. Aedyn looked at her pointedly. "What do you hear?" he questioned, lowering his voice. She knew exactly what he was asking, having been going to delve into it herself.
"Give me a minute," she said, before she reached into her magic, feeling it unfurl and roll over her skin, sweeping down as if sending out invisible feelers. It pulled the words that people whispered to her ears, stringing them up in her mind.
"How could someone do this to the Prince?"
"Poor thing! I'm glad he's recovering."
"Being banished from the Seelie – how awful! It makes sense that the Queen would take such drastic action."
"I just talked to one of those faeries a few meetings ago. I had no idea that he was planning such a thing."
"I can't believe they would do such a thing… they had a valued place here and a say in matters. They have lost everything!"
"I know he's the Prince but… it's his views that are causing this disunity. The Seelie has survived perfectly well all this time without such… revolutionary thoughts."
Even with the training she'd done, sometimes, in such a large crowd, all the whispers could be a little too much, giving her a dull, throbbing headache. So, she allowed herself to focus on a familiar voice for a moment, bringing Tif's voice to her.
"The Prince has been cleared to leave the underground and come up for some fresh air," Tif told one of the guards. "I'm going to escort him, introduce him to some friends, maybe go for a horse ride. He can't wait to go out for a bit."
"I bet," the other guard laughed, giving a nod. "I don't know how he's lasted this long being stuck down there, without much company."
"Hey, I've visited him," Tif protested. "What are you trying to say about my company?"
A smile had almost started to gather on her lips, but she was pulled from her concentration at a voice beside her.
"Reyna?" Aedyn asked, impatient, she imagined, to get some answers.
"Sorry," she said, withdrawing from her magic and tucking some hair behind her ear. "Most seem surprised and horrified by such a crime, especially now they know who did it – such well-known and respected Court members. They feel sorry for the Prince and the Queen. A couple though… did talk about the so-called disunity that the Prince has caused with his views. As if he is partly to blame."
Aedyn frowned, looking a little worried at the latter part. The Prince's safety was certainly at the forefront of his mind. "Who was it – do you know?"
She scanned the crowd. "There's too many here for me to be able to pinpoint everyone. You know it's harder with so many here. Besides, there's not much you can do about it here. For now it's just their opinion. And it comes at no surprise really – you know that others are likely thinking it too."
He sighed, acknowledging her words. Aedyn was one of the only ones she trusted with the knowledge of her gift. They had always tried to help each other succeed – ever since she had watched over him when he was young. Now, he was skilled in battle and defence, and it was often him that looked out for her when she was in new places and on trips for diplomacy. That's if he could fit it in around his other duties. If not, then he assigned someone else he trusted.
Her magic came in handy many times for collecting information in the Court, and she could use it to better influence things. As well as listening to what people said around her, her magic could do other things too. In fact, she could take away someone's voice, if she so desired. But that was not an ability that she ever practiced. Not since the time she'd done it by accident as a child, which had caused the Queen to take notice of her, and it had quickly been covered up.
As the Queen left, the proceedings quickly wrapped up, and Aedyn moved to trail behind as an added backup, especially after what had happened to the Prince.
Reyna glanced at Tif once more briefly as Tif turned to leave with a few of the other guards, but she didn't move to pursue her. While she couldn't deny that her thoughts held some curiosity and interest towards her, she had work to do after all. Work which involved talking with some of the other Court members there and trying to influence things as best as she could. Straightening, she moved towards one of the groups nearby, wanting to start on her work before everyone left.
It was not every day that the Queen called on Reyna, but she was always honoured when she was called upon. In this case, she knew the reason for the meeting, and she made sure she was well presented as she headed to one of the Queen's inner meeting rooms. The guards let her through without a word, and she was quick to school her expression into one of respect and admiration.
The room was well lit despite being underground, and the Queen sat waiting at one of the chairs at a glass table with a base made of sparkling crystals.
"My Queen," Reyna said, giving a deep and graceful curtsy, until the Queen indicated that she could rise. "Thank you for inviting me."
"Reyna, please sit," she responded, gesturing to the chair across the table from her. She did so, sliding out the chair quietly, and sitting down, careful to keep her posture perfect. "I am curious to hear what the warlock who visited was interested in. Your message gave me some clues, but I would like to hear it from you."
"Of course," Reyna replied, smoothly. "I'm sure you've heard of Lucian Hex before, as he's visited the Seelie a number of times in the past. He brought some thoughts regarding the Nephilim – that they might be inclined to ignore an incident where an Unseelie might prey on a Seelie if they are too busy, deeming it less important than other things. And that changing the laws regarding Changelings was talked about extensively. It is nothing we didn't already know, although it is good to hear it from another source."
The Queen's eyes glittered as she inclined her head, gesturing for her to continue.
"He is keen to pursue official political talks between our two kinds. Not filtered by Shadowhunters, and on our own common ground. He mentioned in particular a trade of information, as well as supporting each other in political affairs. That demands and grievances would likely be addressed quicker if we combined forces. That could of course come in useful to us," she remarked, on the end. "The rest I detailed in my message."
Reyna was not a nervous person, although there was something about the way the Queen made her wait that sometimes made her question things. She did not let any kind of discomfort show however, keeping a pleasant expression.
The Queen tilted her head to the side slightly, analysing her words. "And what were your impressions of him?"
She took a moment to collect her thoughts. "He was… not what I was expecting," she admitted. "He took care to speak our language and dress in faerie attire. As well, he spoke well diplomatically. I was impressed, in fact." She had the urge to reach up and fix her hair when she felt some strands fall out of her braid, but she resisted it. Likely, it would be seen as a nervous gesture, and she wanted to look nothing if not confident and put together. "He has his own goals out of this, of course. From what I could gather, he is interested in furthering his knowledge and understanding. I also gather that he is interested in our magic and culture. Likely he is wanting to further the warlock's stance politically as well."
"Those are all things we can work with," the Queen acknowledged, crossing one leg over the other, under the table. "Having allies has always served us well. It is something that we should carefully consider."
"Indeed," Reyna agreed, pausing before speaking up again. "He also sought to extend an offer to one or two more guests from your Court to attend the Accords ceremony in Alicante. The Nephilim usually allow such a thing. If so, he needs to know in advance. It would be useful perhaps to have another there to support our representative."
The Queen met her gaze. "I was hoping you would be willing to go for me," she said, a look exchanged between the two of them. "I would appreciate it if you could be my eyes and ears at such an important event."
The implication was clear – Reyna's magic would certainly come in handy for such a thing. She inclined her head in an acceptance. "Gladly. Where my Queen sends me, I will go," she replied, politely. "I will be sure to report anything of interest back to you."
The Queen smiled slowly. "Thank you, Reyna." She eyed her for a moment longer. "I'm aware that this will be your first trip outside of the Land Under the Hill," she remarked. "This does not worry you too much, I hope?"
It was certainly a strange prospect to think of leaving the Faerie, if only for a small time. That she might have to go to the home city of the Nephilim and be surrounded by a mix of friend and – majority - foe. This time, she would have no Seelie Knight's protection. Instead of voicing any of it, she raised her chin confidently. "It is an honour to be asked. I will carry out my duties without any issues. I am good at adapting to unknown settings. You know that I have never failed you."
The Queen looked satisfied with her answer. "You've come a long way, Reyna, in such a short lifespan. From the child you once were, honing your power. I am always proud when one of my Seelie children excels."
Of course, she meant child loosely – the Queen often referred to the Seelie and those in it as her children. But it was pleasing all the same, to hear it. "You are too kind, your Majesty," she responded, feeling her cheeks warm subtly. To impress the Queen was no easy feat. "I will work to continue to make you proud."
In response, the Queen's smile remained. "I know you will," she said, rising to her feet, and Reyna quickly did the same. "I have someone else to meet, but I look forward to hearing of your trip."
"Thank you for meeting with me, my Queen. I won't take up any more of your time," Reyna replied, with another deep curtsy. She then started back to the exit, already starting to think through the preparations she'd need to be ready to leave. Some more research would help as well, always wanting to know the important details ahead of time.