Page 69 of Their War

“None taken,” I assured her, following as she led the way to where we'd be meeting members of the council. She chattered away the whole time, but it was hard to focus on what she was saying. My nerves were eating away at my stomach, and I had to keep wiping my palms on the front of my transparent dress.

We reached the door to the dining area faster than I had expected, and I took a deep breath as I readied myself for the onslaught I was about to face. A large, warm hand found mine as Brannoc laced his fingers through my own. I smiled at him gratefully, ignoring the different sort of butterflies that took flight at the gesture. Refusing to think too much on the support, I reasoned with myself that he was just being a good friend and helping me face his enclave, as he'd called them. He didn't mean anything more by it other than to help me in my quest. He was here for Arryn, not for me. Maybe if I told myself this enough times, I'd finally start to believe it and not be crushed when he told me he didn't want me for his true mate.

We entered the room together, hands clasped tightly. All activity ceased when we were spotted, the silence echoing around us. Refusing to be cowed, I squared my shoulders and held my head high. Let them think whatever they must. I'd change enough of their opinions tonight and tomorrow that we'd succeed. There was no other option.

“Welcome, Rhowyn and Brannoc!” Revna announced from her table at the head of the room. I dipped my head in response and deferred to her as a show of respect. “Come, sit with me and my family.”

Her invitation stirred up a storm of whispers that I refused to listen to as we made our way across the large room. There were hundreds present, each bustling around to serve themselves before sitting with friends and family. We took the empty seats that Revna had gestured to, a couple of Ravens rushing over to place full plates and glasses in front of us. I smiled at them in thanks, earning blushes from the two ladies before they hustled off.

“Please eat and enjoy our hospitality,” Revna offered. Unable to do anything else for fear of offending them, I reached for my glass that held a grayish liquid that resembled milk of some sort. Without hesitation, I took a large drink, pleasantly surprised at the honey and lavender taste.

At my expression, Revna just laughed. “It's thistle milk. A delicacy among our kind.”

“It's amazing. I can see why it's prized, but I'm assuming it's rare?” I asked, trying to strike up a conversation.

A male Raven across from me sneered. “The thistle only grows near Cashel Rí, somewhere we have not been welcomed in a long time.”

“I'm sorry to hear that. Hopefully when I'm crowned, I can change that,” I offered, trying to placate the man.

Somewhat appeased by my answer, yet not willing to grant me any leeway, he replied, “Yes, well, we shall see won't we. First, you'll need to be crowned, something I still can't see happening. As if Titania's rule would fall to a human.”

“Now, now, Corbin,” the Chieftain cut in, “Rhowyn here is not actually human, right, dear?”

“She's correct. I'm actually High Fae, cursed with a glamor of a human for the time being.”

“Hmmph.” A lady a couple of seats down made her opinion known. “Not even strong enough to break a simple glamor. How does she think she'll even defeat the Queen if she can't even beat that?”

Revna made as if she was going to interrupt the lady's musings, but I beat her to it. “Even Master Jude and the Queen herself have tried to break the glamor, each clearly failing at the task. However, I have no doubt that once I have the magic of Avalon at my fingertips, I'll be able to break it.”

“Oh, is that all she wants?” another grumped from the other side of me.

Unsure who to address, I tried again, refraining from rolling my eyes or growling. A nasty habit I'd picked up from Callum. “I simply wish to restore the balance of magic to Avalon and to bring prosperity to everyone. After all, my True Mate is one of you, so I hope that we will be able to broker a truce and eventually bring peace to both our kind.”

At my announcement of Brannoc being my mate, everyone at the table gasped, glancing to their Chieftain for clarification. “She speaks true. I have sensed it myself. Her True Mate is Brannoc.”

“An outsider?”

“How's that even possible?”

“What does this even mean?”

Questions rushed out from everyone at the table but were immediately silenced by Revna when she held out her hands to placate them. “I know not what this means, except that it was ordained by Avalonia herself. After all, it is her that grants us the favor of finding our True Mates, so who are we to question her will? She's never steered us wrong before.”

“But he's not really one of us,” a man muttered from further down the table.

“I will have none of that. Brannoc is not responsible for the decision of his mother and was an oversight of our own people to have left him with the other fae for so long.” She glanced at the man in question, who was staring at his plate, shoulders stiff under the weight of everyone's judgment.

I took his hand in mine again under the table, offering him my solidarity. If they couldn't accept him, then they could all rot away here for all I cared. I didn't want to welcome such narrow-minded people into my own lands.

“Brannoc,” Revna began, waiting until he looked up at her. “Please accept my apology on behalf of all of us. It's unforgivable that we were not there for you after your mother's passing. By the time I had heard of it, you were already grown and had moved on.” I could sense what her apology and acceptance meant to him as the weight of her words lifted an invisible weight from his shoulders. He simply nodded, his throat bobbing as if forcing down the emotions her words had caused to rise to the surface.

“Now that you have found your way back to us, I hope to see more of you in the future. After all, you're family in more ways than one. I would like to know my sister's only child, if you would allow me the opportunity,” she offered quietly.

The others at the table remained silent, watching her acceptance of us with open arms. Now her support made more sense. She was Brannoc's aunt. I smiled at him, truly happy for him in this moment. Whether he chose to stay with me or not, he'd now have a home either way.

“I'd like that, thank you,” Brannoc rasped out through the emotions that kept threatening to bubble up.

Granting him a reprieve to regain his composure, Revna changed the subject. “Now, let us rejoice in finding a lost relative and enjoy tonight's feast. We have Avalonia to thank for providing for us in more ways than we could ever foresee.”

---