I blinked.
And that was that.
There was no crackling snap as reality ca undone. No prodding by my loyal handmaiden to ensure my face didn’t grace a puddle of mud. It was as gentle as my eyes opening to the swaying branches of my apple trees after a brief 9 hour nap.
Except this wasn’t my orchard I saw before .
It was a window.
And all beyond it was a town in motion.
Lavishly ornate hos snaked around a glass road, the dod rooftops of orange jade brightly illuminated beneath an ever twilight sky. Hues of midnight, dusk and dawn twirled like a palette assailed by a child’s first touch. And although there was no sunlight, neither was there darkness.
There was only joy.
The joy of song.
The joy of dance.
The joy of colours.
The fae danced beyond the window, their wings glimring as much as their smiles.
Ribbons of pure magic floated around them like bubbles beneath the sea. And all around them was music. Songs which bore no nas were played by instrunts untouched by hands. The very air was alight with notes which struck as cleanly as the tap of a fork against a glass.
A celebration was in progress.
As was appropriate.
After all–
I’d been kidnapped.
To the Fae Realm.
Again.
The stars returning over my kingdom were no more. As was my kingdom itself. Yet that didn’t an it was the abyss of an empty bedroom or a small playground adow which was there to welco .
No … this ti, it was tables and chairs.
I slowly turned my gaze.
Unlike what the fae architecture would suggest, my surroundings were distinctly quainter.
Mahogany made up the furniture of a large room, as well as much of the walls.
The darkened wood was brightened by the flowery vines which hung from them. The tables were adorned with shining cutlery, glassware and potted azaleas–of which the largest sat upon a shining counter neatly filled with individual bricks carved in the shape of cake slices.
A small sign was proudly displayed overhead.
The Midsumr Café.
All our bricks are made with locally sourced clay!
A café.
One not far different from those overlooking the pronade of my royal capital … including the dubious edibility of the food served.
That likely explained why there was only a single custor.
And it wasn’t .
“Welco, Your Highness. Please sit and peruse the nu. I recomnd everything.”
At last, I turned my attention to my smiling assailant sitting at the table beside .
A beautiful maiden with golden eyes and a wavy ponytail as red as any of the potted flowers.
She was no lady laying waste to decorum by hurling her fists at a pillow. Nor was she a young girl navigating the realm of dreams while playing upon a swing.
Instead, she bore the appearance of an elven townsgirl no older than myself.
There was no fine gown of rubies and crystallised sweat from the seamstresses adorning her. It was a linen dress with a roughly stitched bodice, lacking any trailing carpet necessary to trip up the suitors doubtless after her wealth.
It was modest and practical.
Words that were anathema to describe anything worn by royalty.
Yet here was the Sumr Queen herself, dressed as plainly as any commoner likely to accidentally walk into this establishnt–just before walking out again.
After all, no matter how she arrayed herself, she couldn’t dispel her regal presence.
Nor, indeed, the crystalline wings reflecting the image of a shimring dawn.
I offered a pleasant smile.
“Salutations. Would you be the Sumr Queen?”
“I am, yes.”
“I see … and this would be the Sumr Court, yes?”
“That’s correct.”
I nodded.
Then … I picked up a knife from the table.
The Sumr Queen imdiately raised an eyebrow.
I saw it from the polished reflection as I leaned in to study the utensil. I was mildly impressed. Pure silver. No dilution. Enough to ward away the undead just by waving it.
I slipped it into my bottomless pouch.
A mont later, I did the sa with a fork. And then a spoon. And also a cup. Plus a few napkins.
And then I did it again … and again.
One by one, I went to each table, adding to the song of sumr in the backdrop with my own lodic humming as I burgled the Fae Realm.
“... Your Highness, may I ask what you’re doing?”
“Hm?” I glanced towards the Sumr Queen, smiling innocently as I started pulling out drawers from behind the counter. “Oh, please don’t mind . I promised that the next ti I was abducted against my will, I would acquire souvenirs for my loyal handmaiden. Do you have a palace nearby?”
“... You wish to visit my palace?”
“Yes, I wish to visit the bathroom. To see what toiletries are available. Would you have any?”
The Sumr Queen blinked at .
For a long mont, she made no reply.
And then–
“Pffft.”
She burst into laughter.
Leaning back in her chair, she raised her head and offered her mirth towards the ceiling, her golden eyes wincing as her hands quickly went to her tummy.
It was only after allowing enough ti to plunder the cabinet drawers did she lean forwards, elbow resting against the table and her cheek nestled within her palm.
“I’ve no toiletries available,” she lied. “However, if it’s souvenirs you desire, I’m quite happy to offer you much better than spoons and napkins.”
I clapped my hands in delight.
That ant she didn’t notice taking the teacups.
“My, how wonderful! Just the words I wanted to hear! And if it stops with those, then all is well!”
“I–”
“No no no, that is enough! rely point the right direction and my bottomless pouch will do the rest.”
I waited for the Sumr Queen to direct to her vault.
She didn’t.
“I’m afraid that’s quite impractical,” she said with a look of bemusent. “Sumr is the season of abundance. Of wealth and prosperity. I have more treasures than all my sisters combined. There’s more to offer you than there is pollen for the honey bees. And that ans I’d need to point in every direction.”
“Truly? … Then I suppose you can begin gathering select treasures into a single pile. They will serve as compensation for this latest act of egregiousness which violates the laws neither of us follow.”
“I suppose that’s doable. Which treasures would you like?”
“Everything.”
“... Everything?”
“There’s a reason my tax inspectors are most active in sumr. It’s because no snowballs are there to attack them. But also because sumr is the season of generosity. If my peasants can part with all they have, then so can the monarch of sumr. Or could it be that you only have more treasures than your sisters because you hoard your trinkets like a goblin preparing a bazaar?”
The Sumr Queen tilted her head slightly.
Even so, her smile remained unabated.
“... How very curious. My mories stretch further than the first wave upon your shores. But I believe this is the first ti I’ve ever been likened to a goblin.”
“Yes, well, it’s a rather unfair comparison. For goblins, that is. They may have busy hands, but none of them are used to kidnap princesses. They know as well as I do that stealing away in the middle of the night is sothing reserved only for dragons.”
“Then I’d suggest that such worries are punted to the horizon. Whatever you’ve heard about the noble and ancient dragons, the truth is that you’re unlikely to be bundled away.”
I gasped.
“Excuse ? Are you suggesting dragon’s don’t kidnap princesses?”
“No, I’m suggesting dragons won’t kidnap you.”
“... Hm?”
“It’s more than the fae who have heard rumours about you. Especially since I’m cursed with very gossipy sisters and they’ve told just about everyone that you … well, it doesn’t matter.”
Poomph.
I slamd my palms down against the counter.
“W-What did they say?! What slander do they vomit?!”
“It’s not slander. Only the truth. And that’s enough to make it very likely that no dragon will kidnap you. Under any circumstances. In fact, most will simply fly away from you.”
I was aghast.
How … How dare they discourage dragons from kidnapping !
“That is outrageous! To be flown through the sky while kicking and screaming is the sign of my birthright! … Where are the queens who have spread these libelous rumours?! I demand to see them at once!”
“That can be arranged,” said the Sumr Queen, not looking the least bit fussed about betraying her own sisters. “But I’d need sothing in return.”
I instantly directed my finger of ire at her.
“You already have it! An unscheduled eting with !”
“To you, perhaps. But every eting is written in the stars. And here in the Fae Realm, ours are as nurous as our songs.”
I leaned over the counter to threaten my fingertip just a little closer.
She leaned away, despite the distance between us.
“Do not try to explain away this latest breach of protocol with lazy poetry! … Really now, just how many tis must I repeat myself? The queue applies to all, whether that be you or your servants andering about my kingdom–a diplomatic error which I’m only willing to wave away with a subtle donation to my pillow collection!”
A girlish laugh ca as my answer.
Yet another insult. I was being serious. If the Sumr Kingdoms could export pillows, then I saw no reason why the Sumr Court couldn’t as well.
“My subjects are clumsy, but well aning. Should any be found wandering your kingdom, know that it’s only because they cannot help but indulge in the endless joys it has to offer.”
“Please.” I rolled my eyes. “Empty if also accurate flattery isn’t enough to avoid reparations.”
“There’s nothing empty about my flattery.”
The Sumr Queen removed her palm from her cheek. She offered an earnest smile.
“In truth, I find myself sowhat envious. A queen may enjoy many things, but few of them involve idling in another kingdom. Unlike my sister of snow, I’ve no wish for my crown to be stolen just to experience a tour … although I can see why she was tempted. Your kingdom may be lacking in size, but not entertainnt.”
“Firstly, my kingdom isn’t lacking in size. It’s as vast as your reservoir of shalessness. Secondly, my kingdom doesn’t exist for your entertainnt. That is rude and callous. It exists for my own. Now, how did you kidnap and how do I stop this from constantly happening?”
The fae in the guise of an elven townsgirl fluttered her wings ever so slightly.
It was enough to douse her in a shimring aura of hazy light.
“Generosity is not easily prevented,” she said with false gentleness. “Where there are flas, there are my eyes. And what I see is a princess in need. I am extending a helping hand.”
“Wonderful. You can help by sending back.”
“And what about the Witch of Calamity … ?”
“The only Witch of Calamity I see is a fae queen burning etiquette to the ground. To best an empty bedroom and a playground by greeting in a common establishnt is certainly a problem. But no less than an errant mage who believes she can slumber away her soap making responsibilities.”
The Sumr Queen raised her arms and stretched, diligently ensuring that not even the ashes of decorum remained.
“To allow Miss Lainsfont to slumber is the wisest action you might take,” she said, clearly making the minimum of effort not to yawn. “Given a few centuries, you might find an answer to her curse after trawling through every to lost beneath the depths of the mortal plane. But since that's awfully tedious, I'll save you the trouble. I wish to offer a fair exchange, Your Highness.”
“Words I’ve heard all too recently. And unlike with a devil, you don’t even offer the spectacle of a floating contract engulfed in infernal flas.”
“Devils are shaless,” said the Sumr Queen with a playful smile. “I am more reserved. As are my demands. You shall find this to be a relief. The curse of calamity is a fla which runs deeper than any spring breeze can reach. It cannot be extinguished. But it can be controlled.”
“I see. And just what would sumr require for such a conveniently tid service, I wonder? A song to help the flowers bloom, perhaps?”
“As a matter of fact–yes. I would have you tend to the most beloved flower of the Sumr Court.”
I offered the raised eyebrow this deserved.
The rejection would co shortly after.
“And which flower is this, exactly?”
The Sumr Queen reached forwards and plucked an azalea from the pot before her. She admired it for a mont, leaning in to take in its scent.
“The flower which sumr is most known for," she said, the maiden smiling innocently as she looked up from the petals. "And in this, I believe you’ll wish to offer your gardening skills, lest the thorns grow to overco even yourself.”
A trickle of sothing red dribbled down the azalea's stem.
Then, she elegantly pointed at herself.
“... ."
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