Hidden Wings

chapter twenty

"Three month and you still can't do it." My sparring partner laughs it was a deep music sound I glare at him. He holds a handout to help me up I take it his he grins at me.

"It's not that I can't I just don't want to hurt you." I countered get up from the floor he had punched my chest with a heavy wind and fist I was supposed to stop his wind with a fire blow without giving any harm to him and dodge his fist but the last time I had tried that move I burned his shoulder and it’s only been two days since it healed.

"Right, but you have improved in the last couple of months." I have been able to go toe to toe with him for a few days and it has been thrilling, I can start seeing his moves before his even moves.

"Thanks." I grumble. I might have been practicing for months even though he doesn’t get many hits on me I've barely been able to land an actual hit on him as well and that is frustrating. He laughs again.

"Don't you have anything better to do then beat up a girl." I laugh.

"What girl?" He jokes. I punch him in the arm making him wobble a little.

"Ass." I snort. I walk to the table where are stuff are my big bottle of water sitting on the table, I pick it up and take a big gulp.

"So, how are things?" Seth looks at me with concern in his eyes I flush lightly.

“Well you know there’s just a lot to be done and learn I feel like my head is going to explode some days, but I’ve been able to do more. Like you said I’m getting better and that has been the trend with everything. It’s not like I can complain.”

"Well if you ever need me for anything just let me know I'll be there for you." He winks at me then touches my hand lightly it was in the middle of the table granted the table was small. The last few weeks he has been doing that often it's sending shivers down my spine he stared at me with such an intense look it melts me in my spot.

"What is it with you?" I ask trying not to get lost in his eyes. The gold in his eyes shinned,

"What do you mean." He ask leaning forward resting on his arm, so he was looking up at me. His smile reaches the corners of his face the bright toothy smile was captivating. A giggle slipped out before I said,

"This." He had been dancing his fingers across the back of my hand before intertwining his with mine, I picked them up between us, trying not to smile.

"Yes, what about it? It feels nice don't you agree?" He sat up and moving closer moving our locked hands to him lightly brushing his lips on my knuckles.

"You are very smooth Seth McVally." My cheeks flush pick, he is a natural.

"My charms are working I see."

"Oh, so I'm not the only one I see." I huff removing my hand and turning in my chair, so he doesn't see my smile. He slide in front of me faster than any human and didn't skip a beat.

"Do you know how long I have been alive?" He ask I shake my head we have been hanging out every day for the last three and a half months together he is always with me now that Alzir and Seth are gone. He takes me to the village and walk around the castle when there is nothing left to do at the end of the day, Shay comes with us once in a while when she need things from the villagers. We would go meditate, spar or the records hall we even would go out to eat sometimes if we have time and my parents are busy. He even has a room next to mine in case of a night attack. I have never felt this normal he makes me feel like everything is going to be okay when we all know that we are only days to all out war.

"I have been alive for two hundred years I have bounced back and forth from earth to Ivearona, and in all those years I have only have had feelings for one other person but seeing as how she is married with babies I have long forgot about her. These last hundred years I have been in the records hall not wanting to be around others Alzir has been the only other fea I have been in contact with. Until you that is." He takes my hand, "It's funny I never thought I could love another but then you appeared. Your smile is like the sun, your eyes are like green moss from the enchanted waters your beauty is from another world completely unlike any from both fea and human alike. I have seen you cry I have seen you mad and I have seen you happy with the brightest smile. Even when your walls are up you are still the only thing I see. I know for a fact that I am falling for you." My breath gets caught in my throat. I open my mouth, but he puts a hand up. "don't say anything you need time, and time I got." He grins standing up pulling my along with him.

"Let's call it a day." I nod drinking the rest of the water as he picks up my bag with his free hand I glance down at the table not able to make eye contact.

"Your power has really grown fast." I smiled and was going to say thank you, but he continued to say, "And your beauty is enchanting." He laughs looking down at my flushed faced. I let go of his hand and turn he was teasing me; I take a few breaths before giving him a look. He chuckles and takes my hand again.

"Since it's Saturday you are going to be busy right?" I nod as we walk out of the room.

"Yeah, but what else should I expect it's Adela, she want me to catch up." I sigh letting my hair down. "I'm going to the third floor I have a history lesson in an hour. See yeah." I say trying to slip my hand out of his to head to the elevator however he didn't let go.

"Have dinner with me?" He ask slightly tightening his grip to keep me from moving.

"Okay." I smile, "But this doesn't count as a date." I let go of his hand, "Just yet." I wink and blow a kiss then running to the elevator. Ever since I got my powers and became fully aware of my emotions, I no longer hold anything back. I could hear Seth laugh then footsteps following me. I get to the elevators and press the button,

"Now than Ms. Ivey you can't just do that to a fea like me." He growls in my ear once he reaches me placing his hands around my waist once we get inside. "You are not ready for what I can and will do to you." He says in a much lower voice my whole body boils from his touch and his voice in my ears.

"MH, no, Mr. Seth I am well aware you just can't have what you want just yet." I chuckle, the ding announcing the elevators arrive to our floor. I remove his hand and slip out of his heat. "And so, you know I haven't said yes to you about anything so you can't just touch me." I spin to look into his eyes they were shinning with excitement. I laugh slipping out the elevator his eyes went from a soft glowing gold to a burning fire sun gold. I chuckle leaning on the wall at the next of the elevator waiting for his next move when a door opens.

"Ivey, good timing I was just about to drop these off for you." My grandmother says walking my way from further down the hall with a flouting stack of scrolls, books, and other loose papers.

"What is all that?" I point to the stack.

"Your family's history." She says following into step with me. "You get the joy of all of it." I internally groan. I roll my eyes and we head back to the room she came from she had an hour to wait but here she is early and read to shove more info in my head. I take a seat I am currently mad at her for making me do this I have seen a lot of my past so this makes no sense. I look around looking to find the regular old dusty fea that taught history.

"Today I'm going to tell you about all the diverse kinds of feas." I perk up that is different.

For an hour she talks about all diverse kinds of fea's but not really going into specific of each just the types and what their powers are she was sucking the fun out of it. There are many and they all have jobs in Ivearona to keep the place civilized. While I was being told about the fea's I was looking a pictures of each fea from the past with the power she was talking about with a description of them, their name was set up as such,

Fea: Fylgia

Status: Unseelie court

Lifespan: 1,009

Region: Vreommurea

Unique ability: Its membrane copies a mortal’s essence and transforms from his/ her shadow to become a mirror image in order to fill in for the victim (as soon as said victim disappears).

Extra: When in shadow form, Fylgia's also serve as personal guardians

"I thought the realm is called Ivearona?" I ask looking up from the paper.

"It is but we have regions just like you do along with towns, villages, cities and states. The information of where they are from is the general area of where most of them live and die, not many fea's venture out of their comfort zones." I nod and look at another paper,

Fea: Fodden

Status: Unseelie court/solitaire

Lifespan: 2500

Region: Reomlin

Unique ability: Able to use their claws to dig underground and take their victims from under them

Extra: Not intelligent

"So, there can be species that can be both?" She looks but from one of her papers.

"Not exactly. One is either Seelie or Unseelie, there are those that are considered Solitaire which indicates that they are not from either side and those that are Solitaire can choose if they wish."

"What if a Seelie would prefer to be a unseelie or vice versa?" I ask but she just laughs at me.

"That doesn't happen." She states in a matter of fact tone after laughing.

"Why?" She sighs,

"Because there is no way one can go against their instincts the Seelie’s have a sense of dignity and pride, we are what keeps the plants and world moving we are life givers. The unseelies are ruthless savages that love nothing more than to wreak havoc and chaos. We are two separate entities and we Seelie’s are here to keep the unseelies from ruining everything we have created." For a minute I thought I saw her eyes flash a bright red, but I blink, and her eyes are the same bright blue as always.

After finishing my lesson, I head to Isaac's office, he hasn’t been back since he left for the boards and it can get lonely without him, next I go to the conference room and sure enough I spot him with the Seekers even it was only as a copy.

"Hey." I announce myself to the room, in doing so I end with about fifteen pairs of eyes on me.

"Ivey, what are you doing here are your lessons over already?" I nod moving further into the room.

"Yeah, I was wonder..." Not sure how to say it but what Adela said was stuck in my mind. "Um, if you're not too busy, that is, I was wondering, can we talk?" I stumbled and paused enough times that Isaac and the others all knew I was nervous about something and they had already started to walk out giving us the room. All but Alzir of course he never leaves my brothers side unless told to do so.

"Yeah, sure take a seat." He gestures to a chair next to him. I sit and take a deep breath.

"I was wonder about the divisions between Seelie’s and Unseelies."

"What about it?" He was giving me all his attention now before he was still kind of thinking about whatever it was, they were talking about when I entered the room.

"Well, are we really that different? Are they that horrible? Isn't there a possibility that we have it all wrong and they're not that much different than us?" I look at Isaac and he has a blank face obviously not prepared for that. I look at Alriz who came to sit across from me and on the other side of Isaac. He give me a small smile,

"Ms. Ivey, I understand where you are coming from. I been through many wars and at some point, I had those questions run through my mind, but the sad truth is they are evil."

"How can one just say that so easily about someone else?" I protest before he spoke any further.

"I can say from firsthand that they are nothing more than vicious monsters, Ivey they love to kill they thrive on it, feed off of it. No matter what their sole purpose is to do as such." I wasn't sure what to say so I just look down at the papers Adela had me take with to study. I sigh,

"Okay, by the way I am going out to eat with Seth." I say straightening my papers as I stand Isaac had the look of ease.

"You sure have been hanging out with him a lot lately?" It sounded like a question but I just shrug,

"I don't have to pretend around him, and he is technically one of the youngest fea I know plus he grows on you." I laugh looking at Alzir, "He is not as serious as I though he was when I first meet him. I thought he was going to be just like you Alzir." He smiles,

"He's my nephew not my son."

"He is a good fea." My brother nods, "Be safe." I nod back and leave the room. It’s always nice to see them even if I can’t hug him, I know he’s safe. I head to my room to change into something nicer. Shay had taken me shopping a few times while we went to the town next to us so I had clothes that would fit into Ivearona even if it doesn’t stop everyone from staring at least it was because I am the queen to be not cause they think I am strange for wear sweatpants. I hear a knock on the door I tell the person to come in, Shay enters closing the door behind her,

“His majesty as informed me that you are going out to town with Seth for dinner and ask that I would tag along?” She raises her eyebrow asking if that is what I wanted, “Unless there is a reason, I shouldn’t go… Like this being a date?” She questions giving me a raised eyebrow again this time I laugh awkwardly then sit in front of my mirror.

“For the record that a no, it’s not. However, if you are to tag along per say could I ask you to keep a distances?” I ask if it becomes a date and we are alone I am worried something could happen so having backup would be great. She smiles placing her hands on my shoulders before helping me brush my hair back,

“You will make a wonderful queen; you have learned much.” I smile at her through the mirror she was focused on braiding my hair, so she doesn’t see it, but the time spent with her is like being with a sister.

“It’s all thanks to you guys helping me and teaching me amazing things that will be practiced on a daily once I am crowned.” I announce feeling proud that I have improved enough for her to noticed, my confidence raises and I know I am not alone in this, mom has been helping me with learning about the people, dad is focusing on the ruling aspect of living and it has been difficult since the older fea’s are worrying. I am too,

“You were talking to brother earlier, was it about them advancing closer again?” I ask. The last meeting was a very loud one they were all talking over one another and staying things that weren't wrong but very overdramatic however even though they were the worst case scenarios they had points their people are the ones that will be attacked first and will feel the brute force of hungry unseelie’s. they have been acting more careless coming and going through the boarders forest on their side attacking our men while on patrol leaving them for dead right were, we can see in the early morning lights. The first time was a week after I went to the sacred temple and has only got worst. I have been hearing nothing but this for weeks now. Shay nods sadly,

“Yes, this time however we found two dead bodies at the eastern gate this morning they were sprawled out in a warning signals.” Her face hardens as she starts to recite the report, but I place my hand on hers she had finish the braid and they were resting on the chair, she stops and looks at me.

“It’ll be alright we will have a send-off of for them and help their families has best as we can.” I stand then head to the closet to take out a cloak it is deep green and almost drags on the ground. “Believe me when I say that they will get what is coming them, they won’t get away with killing my people.” I practically growl the last part as I head to the door Shay in toe, I could feel her anger. I want to feel that as well however our village does not need a volcano erupting, so I swallow it down deep in my stomach and focus on what I would like to eat. I glance back at Shay then throw my arms around her shoulders, “What do you say, join me and Seth for dinner?” I look at my watch, it’s a little before six thirty. “We can have some burgers and fries with some shakes and then roam the town after to walk in off?” I grin at her wiggling my brows. She smiles holding in a laugh as we reach the elevators. She shakes her head pushing me off of her. I slid to stand next to her as she hits the bottom floor.

“This is supposed to turn in to a date for you two and who knows when you will have a day to yourself again.” She sigh for the first time, “It’s more than likely you will be busy soon after tonight they will be here in matter of days.” She was right but I was ready. I hug her from the side,

“You are always so honest we me Shay, I love you for that! Thank you for being here, I promise I will protect you all and kill that dumb son of b***h for forcing my hand.” I raise on hand and clench it into a fist. She laughs resting her head on mine. I was dead serious though I will kill that fea the first chance I get.

“I know you will sweetie, but we are also here to protect you, you are our sun light. I will be with you always your majesty.” I feel my face get hot I lower my fist and leave my head resting on her shoulder.

“Don’t call me that I’m still just Ivey.” I mumble, I feel her nod then hums. The elevator dings as we reach the ground we move apart before the door opens. Seth was there waiting for me he was a little taken back that Shay was with me.

“Don’t worry I am not tagging along.” She says his eyebrow comes together,

“You mean you’re not going to be that far away?” He then smiles after she nods, “I know.” I bit down on my lip as he turns and at the flick of his wrist makes a bouquet of flowers appear, he hands them over. “For you, my lady.” Giving Shay a wicked grin he says, “Sorry I only bought one I would have got you one as well if I was informed sooner.” She flicks his forehead quite hard before saying,

“You’re not as charming as you make yourself out to be kid.” I chuckle smelling the flowers,

“I think he is quite the charmer.” I breath, she rolls her eyes at me,

“Well of course you do.” She then laughs, “Now let’s go I have a few things I need to pick up before the market closes.” She stops to inform the guards about out plans and how long we should be gone, we walk ahead of her.

“Thank you for the flowers.” I smile before transporting them to my room. “So, have you thought where you would like to eat?” I ask taking his hand once we were no longer in sight of the castle. He kisses my knuckles then nibbles on them a little making my face flush.

“Nothing but the best for you my queen,” I glare at him, “Ivey, I mean” He laughs then says, “There is a nice home dinner a few ways in the west village it kind of a walk but there are lot of great sights to see when the moons come out.” I nod looking forward to seeing another side of my lands. I don’t hide myself anymore I can give the land more energy when I am as I am meant to be, plus Shay and my grandmother believe that it gives the people more hope. I am usually greeted everywhere I go however tonight it seems that they are giving me some spaces today still bowing their heads if we make eye contact but do not speak. Some look at mine and Seth’s hands smiling. I blush harder ready to pull it out of his grasp, but he tighten his hold refusing to let it go.

“But people are staring.” I hiss as I try again to no avail.

“They always stare, I however am only aware of you and your hand, I don’t want to let it go.” He bends to whisper in my ear his tone gets deep a delightful shiver runs through me. He pulls me gently to make us walk again instead of standing in the middle of the road. We get to our destination rather quickly the flowers we pass at shops and fields bloom larger than when they are in the daylight and they glowed their colors flowing around them mixing and mingling within one another into the air around then spilling onto the grounds around them. As we walked by some of the particles stuck to our shoes. I laugh at the trail behind us. We get to the restaurant and take a seat in the far back. We don’t even order or look at the menu when several plate of food are set down on our table,

“The chief sends all of our best appetizers your majesty.” He bows at me with a wide grin on his face, “Please enjoy and if you need anything, I be here for you.” He bows once more before leaving. I laugh slightly embarrassed. I didn’t even get to say thank you.

“Dig in I guess.” I chuckled awkwardly. I can hear Seth trying not to laugh but failing miserably, I roll my eyes and take a bite of fries. After I get use to the stares smiles and royal treatment, I am able to enjoy our time together. Until that is before Shay come over with worry look on her face.

“What wrong?” I ask getting up from my seat, “What has happened?” I move to her side lowering my voice so that those around us could not hear us.

“We need to get back to the castle now.” She mutters. Seth get the check then picks up our cloaks.