Promises of Glory

“It’s hard to play the good guy, but even harder to play the bad guy.”

-Thomas Instaug, famous actor

The town bustled with life, an organism that moved on it’s own. Alys’ hand was in Rhode’s as they strolled down the street. Their locked hands drew many eyes, many smiling, wishing them well. Many people, that Rhode could see, looked fondly at Alys. After all, it seemed that she was their lord.

“What’s your title?” Rhode wondered what titles leaders had in the Fae world. Perhaps she was a queen, perhaps she was a princess.

“I’m a Queen.” So she was right.

“That sounds important.”

“It is, I govern this court, and in exchange for the people’s taxes, I protect them with armies and my might.” So she was strong.

Rhode glanced through shop windows, not wanting to seem like she was fishing. Which she was. “Do you suppose I too will be some day?” Rhode thought to herself that Theo was wrong, she was totally a princess.

Alys squeezed her hand, a sharp pain jutting up the girl’s arm. She didn’t let it show on her face. “Do you see anything you like?” She pointed, “You’re looking in all the shop windows, you must have found something.” Rhode didn’t know how to respond, honestly, she wasn’t looking in the windows at all. She was scaling up the passersby and the shopkeepers, eyeing who would be easiest to take out, who would fall down the quickest, and most importantly, she was looking at all her escape routes. The long pause urged Alys to speak again, “That’s all right, I know just the place that you can get a beautiful dress.”

Rhode clapped, managing to finally pull her hand from her grandmother’s vice like grip. “Oh, goodie!” She smiled. The daintiest child she was.

The shopkeeper welcomed them with open arms and bear like hugs. Rhode thought she felt her bones break under his arms. She heard him take a deep breath while he held her, probably smelling what everyone could. The human stench.

The burly man took Alys into his arms as well. “Welcome Madam and Miss, It’s so good to see you. Welcome to my humble shop.”

Alys laughed, “You know just as well as I, this is no humble shop. You’re overpriced dresses are top of the line, truly the work of a craftsman.” Her compliments slid from her like melting ice on a hot day, bathing the man in their refreshment.

He smiled broadly, “You’ll have to thank my wife for that, she’s the one that makes all the dresses, I’m just the face of the store.”

Rhode’s grandmother placed a hand on his arm, “Give her my regards, will you?” He nodded eagerly. “Rhode, this is my good friend Arturo, or as I call him, Arty. Arty, this is my granddaughter, Rhode.”

“Nice to meet you little one.” He gave her another hug that lifted her up off the ground. The small hairs on his chin scratched her face. She frowned, she hated to be reminded of her small stature.

“Likewise,” Rhode said when she was finally on the ground again.

“What can I do you for today, ladies?” He motioned around the store with his wide arms. “I’ve got lot’s of finery. Jewelry, blouses, flowing skirts.” His business face was on, there was no kindness left over in his eyes, he was going to get out as much money as he could from Alys.

“We’re just looking for a dress.” Her grandmother said, “You know I would never come here for anything other than a dress. You know what’s coming up, don’t you?”

He clapped his hands together. “Ah! the Calliorous festival. That’s sure to be a treat.” He looked to both of us, “Who will be attending this year?”

“Indeed it will be. The Kings and Queens from other courts will be coming this year, celebrating the year of water. And of course, Rhode.”

The girl finally found it in herself to speak up, “Calliorous festival?”

“Yes, you don’t know?” Arty gave Alys a look.

She crouched down, her giant stature coming to eye level with her granddaughter. “Calliorous is when all the masses, regardless of class, come together to celebrate.”

“What do they celebrate?”

“Calliorous,” Arty laughed heartily. Rhode scowled.

Alys smiled patiently, a sigh slinking off her lips, like she couldn’t stand his not so delicate nature. “We celebrate new birth and the love that gives us it, that includes the harvest and any new younglings, as well as the Mother who made it all possible.”

Rhode shut her mouth and nodded before she could ask who the Mother was. There was no need to pile on more embarrassment for Alys.

For the next few hours, Rhode tried on dress after dress. Alys smiled at each one, always offering opinions about each one. How a seamstress could improve each one, how the bodice fit, how the neckline complimented or insulted her facial structure. Rhode had little to say about each one.

Her mind was elsewhere.

The last time she went shopping like this she was with Livinus. Together they scowled at every dress, sorting out the best from the most famous. They went from shop to shop until they finally landed in the one where they found the perfect dress. Rhode could still hear his voice, echoing throughout the empty hall. Gods, you’re breathtaking. He’d said it all without a shred of hesitation. How she missed that. Missed the ease that she had had with him. She wanted that again.

Her grandmother had set her eye on a bright pink one, that billowed out in a way that only looked good on those in the highest class, that knew how to walk and talk and hold themselves. Needless to say, Rhode was not one of those people.

But they tried on dress, after dress, after dress.

As soon it was obvious that Rhode’s heart wasn’t in it and Alys bought the pink one. The girl figured she probably would have ended up with it anyway.

Alys and her granddaughter walked back, foregoing the carriage that had been waiting for them. Apparently, Alys wanted to chat.

“What would you like to talk about, grandmother?” She had gotten used to the sweet act. So much so that she was beginning to question herself. She hadn’t settled in that much, had she? To the point where the con was becoming something real?

“What happened in the store today?”

“With the questions? I’m really sorry about that. I didn’t mean to embarrass you.” And that’s when Rhode realized, she actually didn’t want to embarrass her grandmother. She wanted Alys to be proud of her. A tear slipped out and she wiped it up before anyone realized.

“No, not that. You seemed out of it.”

“Oh.” Oh. Right. She would have to explain that. She couldn’t be blanking out anymore.

“What was wrong?” There was legitimate concern in her voice, and Rhode melted. Probably as so many did.

A gulp. Honesty was always hard. But she would do it, for her grandmother. “I was thinking about my friend.”

A smile. “A boy?”

“Yes.”

“Is it that Theo boy? Because I do think you two would make a lovely pair.”

Rhode’s feelings dropped, of course she couldn’t be thinking about a human boy, not here, not now. Nor could she ever tell her grandmother about that human boy and how much she cared. That would bring about his death. She, in that moment, remembered what she was dealing with. The woman her grandmother was in the cellar. So she blushed, and played along, “Please now. He doesn’t look at me that way.”

“I think you’re wrong.” Alys giggled.

“Oh, please grandmother, please do not say anything to him.”

A disappointed sigh, “I could order him to go steady with you, you know? At the threat of his life. Surely he would grow to love you.” There felt like there was something more that she was going to say. But Rhode overlooked it, opting to instead change the conversation.

“Do you think that dress will look good on me?”

Alys laughed, “Of course I do! I’ve already seen it on you. I know it looks darling.”

“You don’t think it looks a little young?” Rhode remembered worrying about that when she was trying on dresses with Livinus. She missed the boy. But for him, she would forget that he existed. At least for now.

“You are young.”

“I’ve already had my entrance party.”

Her grandmother swallowed, “I know.”