Page 2 of Finding Closure

That was fair. He didn’t know me.

I smiled at him. “I have five mates, and I want to accommodate that even if I’m not at the place of living with all of them yet. Also, Lucca will mostly live with his sloth but of course have a room here.”

“Thanks, cream puff,” he whispered, sounding touched. “I’m glad you’re doing this. Do you know where you want to start?”

“Yes, the throne room,” I answered, clearing my throat and hurrying off that way trying to hide my nerves.

“Your mother would be very proud,” my dad promised as he fell in step with me. “You’re doing what she always wanted but said she was too scared to know where to start and balance. She would want you comfortable. That would be her priority. Always.” He glanced around. “She actually didn’t like the castle. It felt more like a prison than a home.”

I nodded, glad he told me but hating that for my mom.

But completely understanding it, and that was why I wanted to make changes.

I cleared my throat again as we entered the throne room. I gestured to the whole wall full of regal paintings of my family. “I want this all gone.”

“What?” a few people gasped.

I nodded. “I want them all boxed up and stored with magic or however. There’s huge storage here and—”

“What would you put up instead, Your Highness?” Morgan blurted.

I glanced back and saw most of the commanders had joined us. “Seriously?”

“Fairies are nosy by nature, and I was talking to Irma when you sent word asking for her to join you,” Shael muttered, sounding like a kid who got caught with her hand in the cookie jar. “We were supposed to be silent observers though.”

“Yes, of—I apologize,” Morgan mumbled. He was one of tradition, so I understood his shock.

I simply didn’t want to deal with it, but I did, repeating what I’d said earlier.

“What are you planning to replace these paintings with, Tams?” Hudson asked, glancing around.

“I want to try and find any paintings of the original—well, I guess not the original since that’s thousands and thousands of years old.” I waved off the questions from not making sense. “All the castles. The oldest art of Faerie’s leaders—light and dark.” I moved along the wall and gestured to another section. “And here, huge portraits of today. Each castle from maybe—”

“A drone shot!” Izzy gasped, nodding when I did. “Yes, I get you. What about any blueprints or maps of the older city layouts and town squares? Then you could do paintings or more shots of today. On the other wall?”

“I love that,” I agreed, nodding my head. “I was thinking the temples. Lots of fairies have never even seen temples in the realm from where they were born. There have to be the original sketches or—”

“Yes, there are,” the castle keeper cut in. “Sorry, I apologize for interrupting, Your Highness.”

“It’s fine, this is completely informal,” I easily forgave. “But you know where they are?”

“Yes, in the castle archives, protected with magic and preserved.”

“I believe we have the same in my castle,” Neldor muttered, glancing all around.

“So we could magically make copies and keep them preserved?” I checked, glad when they both nodded. “That would be so cool.”

Neldor cleared his throat and waited until I glanced at him. “I would have reservations on that being seen as regal decoration for the throne room.”

“I disagree,” a few people said, but Onas continued. “Some of the most elegant and profound places are museums and fine galleries, Your Grace. There is a way to—most of the elegance here is the frames and lighting. Otherwise, they’re just paintings.” He dipped his head to me in apology.

“No, I completely agree,” I said easily. “And I’m not going with the originals, so it’s not like we have to put them behind bulletproof glass or anything. Even with that, the Declaration of Independence looks cool though. Some of the most notable prints are pictures of famous locations like the White House or Buckingham Palace. There’s a way to do it.”

“Especially the temples,” Lageos muttered, glancing around. “It’s a profound statement to have—light or dark fairies believe in the same gods and always have. It’s one of the many things that brings them together. It also shows your determination to be humble and take the warnings of the gods as you have already done.”

“I absolutely agree with that sentiment,” Stefanie praised. “It was my first thought as well. Not having grown up here and still accepting the gods, praying to them, and asking for their blessing is astounding. Many of us believe that, Your Highness. Always reminding yourself—and your people—of that in this sacred place where you will enact laws and hold court is profound.”

“I stand corrected,” Neldor said, looking embarrassed.

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