fair is foul.

            At times he wondered, though in rare, idle offbeats, what humaneness must taste like. Not humans in themselves—he took that in morsels often enough. But their deeper cutwork, the pith of them : if a God sliced them open ( an old god, older than fae, a god that spoke the words of wind and earth before fairy was even a splinter in the sky ) what would they find pulsing within ? What sustains their limbs ? What wards off their despair at their own wretchedness—the squalor of blood and piss and blindness they live in ? Their existence an open wound; their entire genesis a misstep. What he cares to know is whether they feel more intensely. For himself, he thinks he would never stop screaming in hollow fury, should he have been born of man. So is that the reason, the burst which gives them leave to weep so freely, to love so unabashedly ? After all, the laws of nature should ordain it, since they have a much shorter time to bathe in all these things ; to clash with rage and desire and the leaden flurries of melancholia. It’s the latter he reckons he’s seeing on this one. It comes out in violet tinges, interspersed through those curls as plain as jewelry. Her own private headdress of unease.

            He stretches his legs with cat-like languor, until their length reaches the sides of Cordelia’s own chair. They border her in, two dark-clad brackets. Along the hemline, embroidered jacquard shines when it catches the light, exposing miniature hunting scenes, minute symbols of destruction. The summer fae grins, and it encroaches his words, their space, the very breath tumbling from both their lips.

          “  Oh, obliteration is good, little mortal. It’s what we mean for you when we bring you here. Our awfully clever design. We would have you unheeding, and speechless, and suffused in enchantment. This is the meaning of the word, yes ? Bewitched. Spirited away. It’s when you’re starting to see that you should become worried — when you can witness what magic touches, what it repels. What it requires from you.  ”

what blinded humans to the fae’s true nature was their beauty. they could utter soft words with the most ugly meanings, but their perfect features and charming allure could trap the keenest mind. cordelia had once looked at the world through shielded eyes, unable to see them for what they were: monsters. something about isaliendrin caused every fiber of her being to yell for her to run. but still, she sat across from him, as if nothing were wrong, as if she were still a content human in the summer court’s cabal.

“ would you suggest i be scared of it ? ” she raised a brow, truly curious as to what he’d say. cordelia was utterly horrified of the magic the fae possessed and what it could do. she had once been amused by it, like a child to a butterfly. but not anymore. “ i suppose magic is just like you all. ” her voice is light, she sounded as if she were making a great realization. it isn’t meant to come off as an insult “ both beautiful and terrible all at once. ”

“let’s hope this week won’t be your first and only time at high court then,” she said before offering her a chalice filled to the rim with faerie wine. the revels hadn’t started yet, but that had never stopped her before.  her smile directed towards human is sweet, as tonight warranted. comfort wasn’t guaranteed from finding a familiar face in high court, however cordelia was harmless enough. disobedient to a fault, but just enough for it to be deemed amusing by her. “maybe so, but i would appreciate fresh eyes. the previous artist we had in the court before your arrival never could see the big picture. it’s a pity what happened to him,” she added nonchalantly before drinking from her chalice. what cassian saw in the human perplexed aurelia. yes, she was beautiful but so were most of the humans brought to their court. though when had she and cassian ever had similar taste? “stranger things had happened before in faerie. mattaeus is a generous ruler after all.” a slight dig at the current situation that caused the courts to convene in high court. 

“ we can hope. ” it was funny, all the fae she knew seemed to expect humans to want to be like them: immortal, and all too wicked and lovely. but cordelia had begun to falter at the idea of becoming one of them. once, she would have yearned for it. now ? it seemed like a cursed fate. forever must eventually turn boring, wouldn’t it ? she also had begun to see them in a new light, nothing more than monsters. she took the wine without falter, pulling the chalice to her lips and taking a sip. fae wine was both sweet and intoxicating, but it had been some time since she had felt its effects go to her head. still, she knew she’d have to pretend. “ if the time comes where i can provide aid, who would i be to say no ? to be a part of something so great is an opportunity that couldn’t be turned away. ” she nodded at the mention of their summer king. matteus was like any other fae, but she had never quite gotten a read on him.  “ i can only wish to be so lucky. it would be a blessing to become like you all, an eternity in fae in summer. ”

angles, we should say, are the chapter-turning of that which cannot be pinched between thumb and forefinger – such is the reason worrisome mothers and fathers instruct their offsprings to slow when rounding the corner, minding the bend lest they careen into a plot device not meant for their undertaking.

such are the things centuries-aged fae seem to forget.

anise, the girl says. you, anise thinks. it takes her a moment to recall the human’s name, though whether this was symptomatic of apathy or pride could not be said. 

“peckish?” the word is odd to her. the meaning is easily enough known, but anise knew nothing that wasn’t ravenous hunger or full-slake. the weight of the word friend won’t be discussed. “yes… i suppose.” she looks over cordelia’s shoulder in a sweeping glance, as if to find by casual means any better opportunity that may arrive at her feet in this moment. she turns, at once ceremoniously and with the great ritual of beauty, to the corridor that led to the court’s cookery. “are you most sure you wish to snack at this hour, dear?” anise’s gaze falls down the mortal. “would be a shame to bloat before the festivities.”

“ i’m entirely sure. ” she couldn’t help it when her chin raised, her brows following. “ but if that’s something you’re worried about, i’d understand. ”

after spending years within the world of the fae, she had found it in herself to turn the other cheek when it came to harsh words and insult. usually, there was little goal to hurt. it was just as the fae were, blunt and straightforward. there was a time where their words would have her reeling, leaving conversations abruptly so that she could take time to wipe away errant tears and compose herself once more. there were times where their words still manage to needle a prick of pain under her skin and into her heart, but she took pride that those moments were few and far between.

she took a step towards the kitchen, glancing backwards to see if anise were still following. “ are you eager to see the new queen crowned ?”

      it was that smile lighting up her face that nearly shattered cassian in place, leaving him feeling… jittery? An uneasiness holding hands with excitement crept down the general’s spine, his mind spiraling hundreds of miles per hour at the thought of being with her, learning her, alone. it was the same sensation he felt on the battlefield when the calm before the storm was settling in. a sensation that intoxicated him like no other. 

     “I suppose it is in your best interest to really not ask any questions regarding said treat,” cassian looked down at her with a smile hiding more than it was telling. “perhaps you will come across it along the way.” and with that, he turned on his heel and began walking forward along the stardust glowing pathway without checking if she was following him, clasping his hands into a fist behind his back. “have you learned anything about the high court in your time here? I suppose it is only right to give you a history lesson apart of your tour. in exchange for a history lesson of yourself.”

talking to him always left her feeling like she was on the edge of a dangerous precipice. she knew all too well when the fae smiled, their teeth were always sharp, ready to leave a mark on anyone who risked blinking. perhaps she had blinded herself to this when it came to cassian. how could she not ? like all fae, there was something intoxicating about him, but there was still something more. her head rushed around him and, for all she thought about her words and how she said them, sometimes she felt like she’d tell him a thousand secrets.

“ then i’ll forget you mentioned it. ”

she followed a few steps behind him, her voice even as she answered his question without reticence. with him, she rarely bit her tongue.“ i know some — but compared to the fae, or maybe even some of the humans who’ve been here for centuries, it may seem like i know nothing. ” that was something that always seemed to needle her and she wondered if he’d hear her annoyance in her voice. for as much as she believed she knew plenty about the fae, there was always more to find out. it wasn’t her fault, but more often than she liked, she found herself feeling like a child, being told things that seemed obvious in the scheme of it all. 

“ you want to know about me ? ” there was a pause before she said it, a thrill rushing through her. despite the allure of it, of him, she could feel a pit in her stomach. she felt unsure and uncertain around him, more than any other fae, and perhaps more than anyone. nothing about him made sense to her. she wasn’t sure if that was what was drawing her into him. “ i’m sure there are countless others here more interesting than i, you know. more talented, more worldly. someone who could weave a story of their life in a better way than i. ” 

“ but if you truly are curious, what do you want to know ?”  she folded her arms across her stomach, wondering what he’d say.

When Yuliya turned, she was half pleased to find herself faced with someone who wasn’t one of the other courts’ fae trying to cause a scene before the crown was even brought out. The girl wasn’t one of the worst humans that had ever been brought to Faerie. Not by a long shot. She let a soft, wane smile grow on her face. “Mm. Thank you,” she said, her voice chaste. Then, she tilted her head to the side some, her smile suddenly more playful and smug. “But it was only a natural progression- don’t you think?”

“ surely, ” she dipped her head in agreement, “ you are lucky to be viewed so highly by not only your court, but by all of them. many go overlooked. ” cordelia supposed it was like that in the mortal realm too, competition raging but only a certain few ever reaching fame and notoriety. somehow, it seemed all the more cutthroat in fae. they were much more fickle with their attention, it being fleeting, coming and going with merely a blink of an eye. “ have you something spectacular planned for the coronation ? “

In the sound of her name alone, there was a harbor beckoning her home. The familiarity in which Cordelia called her had Safie turning automatically, nearly lowering her guard. It was one of the Summer Court’s mortals, one she had come to know well enough. Safie quickly glanced around at an inhuman speed, making sure there were none of her kin around. She had separated from the vindictive for the moment, no longer playing the Winter regent’s shadow, but she still tread carefully while listening ears were around. Many of the fae, however, seemed to be caught up in the revelry, as was their nature.  Deeming it safe enough for a brief exchange, she gently pulled her arm away from her touch, not wanting to cause harm to Cordelia’s fingers. “I have yet to be shown where my quarters will be, do you know where yours are? I will seek you out there later.” Better for the Winter Child to go to the mortal rather than the other way around.

it could only be the truth for her to say that, of all the emotions she held towards safie, pity was the strongest. cordelia didn’t intend for it to be in a bad way, she did care for the fae, after all, but to be stuck with the winter’s cold ? it was a dreadful thing to imagine — and unlike the summer children, safie had been brave, willing to risk it all. she would never voice these thoughts aloud, though, for fear of offending a fae, but also for fear of rubbing salt in a would that surely was still raw and open. “ i’m near the insurgent’s quarters. they requested my presence. ” there came little elaboration. fae and human alike could assume what this meant. she was sure none would be right in the slightest. “ but i am still close to the summer court’s wing, i am their ward after all. should i plan to expect you when night falls ? ”

THE SOON-TO-BE HIGH QUEEN TURNED her brow raised curiously at the other. “Oh? Why is that?” She questioned, a dangerously sweet smile gracing the perfect curvature of her lips. She towered over the human girl— all the fae did as they were naturally taller than the mortals. She had seen the other around only a few times during her visits to the summer courts, though never enough to form a strong enough opinion on her; but she had certainly heard things about the aesthete. The mention of the crown made her stomach twist in anxiety, though she worked tirelessly to make sure her face didn’t betray a single emotion.

“I’ve seen it yes, as beautiful as ever— more beautiful up close of course.” She smiled again, thinking about it— it was truly beautiful, a thin golden crown, imbued with iron made from boiling hot stars— a black jewel placed in its center, worn like a circlet. The high fae crown was simple for a reason— it was meant to be used as one small piece of a much larger, personalizes, custom-made crown— every high monarch was made a custom larger crown piece by the royal blacksmith; and the high fae crown was then added to it. “So small yet I fear so heavy—but, enough of that, how are you?” She shot back, curious, gazing at her with golden questioning eyes. Seladon felt intrigued by the human girl, for some reason. Though from what she had heard; she wasn’t the only fae curious about her.

what was she to say to that ? it didn’t matter, so long as it flatted and couldn’t possibly offend. her smile grew wider. “ surely it’s an amazing thing to see any fae ascend to such an esteemed position “ this was the diplomatic answer. anyone who could overhear would have no reason to take offense. but despite this, another lie rolled off her tongues. “ i’ve heard rumor of your power and strength. with no reason to disbelieve them, shouldn’t i be please ? ” her head cocked to the side, her gaze steady. knowing fae, the woman in front of her would not disagree. perhaps she’d even preen under the compliment. 

cordelia nodded, her expression twisting at further mention of the crown. her voice was wistful when she said, “ i’d love to see something like it up close one day. ” her expression was earnest and eager, her eyes wide with childlike want. it was an act, though. an act to perhaps convince seladon to show it to her. she could only imagine the weight of it in her hands. “ how am i ? ” she couldn’t help but be surprised at the fae directing the conversation towards herself, but she didn’t take chance to defer or change it. “ i am fine as ever, surely. eager to see such a historic fae event. i’m sure most humans don’t recognize the privilege of such a thing. ”

     “shouldn’t you be with our king?” echoed behind cassian, the voice all too heartbreakingly familiar. it took everything in the war general to not continue walking, leaving the human behind. she’s a human; irrelevant in every sense of the word, afterall. and yet, there was an incessant tugging at the strings of his heart. an overwhelmingly, uncontrollable need to stop in his tracks and… submit?  cordelia wasn’t wrong. he should have been at the side of mattaeus, like he was when they first arrived together. he should have been preparing for his reunion with seladon. he should have been anywhere except in the presence of the summer child. and yet… 

     he was caught redhanded - previously on his way to meet up with isaliendrin to gather the humans for their special event. hands tied, he swirled on the heel of his feet to face the blonde before him, staring down at her with a smile pulling at the corners of his lips. “humans, so… curious. I believe there’s a phrase in your realm… ‘curiosity killed the cat’, hm?” his eyes narrowed for a second, observing her in a new way entirely. her outfit, her makeup, the aura around her… all fae. “i’m preparing a treat for miss larkspur, would you like to accompany me? give you a tour of the high court?”

fae will perish by your hand. the idea of it had sounded ludicrous when the insurgent first spoke it to her, but the more they trained, the more she learned, she had begun to think it possible. never had she been so delicate to have cringed at the thought, but she’d never had such confidence instilled in her below. still, she looked at cassian right then, and the idea of piercing his flesh with a dagger caused her heart to ache. despite herself, how she considered herself knowledgeable and smart, too familiar with herself, there was no way for her to explain it. 

then, he smiled at her ; she couldn’t help but return it with one of her own. 

“ so there is. it’s an english turn of phrase, but i’m familiar with it. you should know, however, it doesn’t end there. curiosity killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back. ” her grin grew wider, she was slightly pleased with herself at not letting his comment leave her chastised. “ a treat ? ” she echoed, her brows raising towards her hairline. “ i find myself wanting to ask exactly what you had in mind as a treat, but i fear it could only lead to trouble. but i would enjoy a tour. ” she sniffed before shrugging her shoulders lightly. “ this palace is a maze. i could take a wrong turn and end up lost for a millennia. ”

“is the sky blue? nonetheless, it’s a treat to see the fabled palace of the high fae after hearing so much about it from seladon,” she noted evenly before focusing her attention on the human. if she had any common sense, it was clear which court reigned supreme of the ones gathered here tonight. there was a reason fae came to the summer court over the other courts. though she could recognize the gutsy display from cordelia, considering the likelihood of fae from other courts eavesdropping on them. “it was a shame i wasn’t able to plan the summer coronation. maybe, i’ll recruit your assistance with the next one. i heard you were an artist in your past life,” she asked, unsure of what the human was playing at. flattery was the key to a fae’s heart. well, the ones who didn’t lock their hearts away in ironclad boxes and tossed the keys away. 

“ i’d never have thought i’d get the chance to see it. it’s truly remarkable. ” she hummed as the other spoke, nodding her head along in acknowledgement. “ artist is a strong word for it. i never quite made a career out of anything i tried my hand at. ” others might have been upset to admit that, but cordelia couldn’t help but seem blasé. when her life had just started to become troublesome, she had been whisked to faerie and gone were her cares. “ perhaps i could lend a hand, if that is what you wished. though, i do suppose by the time another coronation comes around, it is possible i will have already expired. ” she gave a delicate shrug of her shoulders. there was never a guarantee a mortal would become fae, and cordelia couldn’t help but think she would find her end sooner rather than later. what a morbid thought that was. “ however, if i am still around, and you took care to remember, i would find myself flattered. perhaps it would be cause of me to owe you a favor of some sort. ”

she reached out a gentle hand, her thumb reaching out to swipe away a rogue tear that still lay on florence’s cheek. “ our secret, ” she hummed, nodding her head in agreement. “ should anyone ask, you were not crying at all. you were as strong as the marble we stand on. ” the smile on her mouth is genuine, as most all human in faerie earn from her.

she couldn’t be quite sure how she felt about florence, but all she knew now was that, in the moment, she wanted to protect the woman. she wanted to ensure that she suffer nothing at the hands of another fae again. it was not something she could promise so freely, not right now.

but she could mend a skirt.

cordelia peered at the dress, her fingers touching the fabric. “ it looks like it’s split right along the seam. it should be no problem to fix, and when it’s done, it’ll be as if it never tore at all. then, you can spend your day as you please, looking as pretty as a picture. ”

“ oh, safie, ” cordelia rushed over to the winter fae with gleaming smile, resting her fingers on the other’s arm gently. they weren’t friends, she didn’t think the other had friends, not really, but she couldn’t help but enjoy the other’s company. safie was different from the other fae, and she couldn’t help but find her more human-like than most. “ i wasn’t sure i would see you while we were both here. we must find time to chat. ” 

“ you look as lovely as ever, yuliya, ” cordelia looked towards the undersea fae with genuine admiration. the fae had a talent, that was apparent. she glanced down at her own black dress, her fingers brushing against the gauzy material, and she was suddenly feeling woefully underdressed. she supposed the fae had a talent for making her feel insignificant, it was just a part of their charm. “ i haven’t had the chance to offer you a congratulations on your new position. designer for the high court. how wonderful. ” 

" i was pleased to hear of your being awarded the throne. ” it was a funny thing. for humans being so weak, they had one advantage over the fae: they could lie. for so much of her time in fae, cordelia chose not to. was there a point to it ? she had thought not. now that she had a cause, one so much bigger than herself, she found lies slipping from her lips so easily. in truth, she cared not who rose to the throne. it was their misfortune to come to it. she smiled wildly, all teeth, her cheeks rose-red. “ have you seen your crown yet ? are you eager to wear it ? ”

“ perhaps that’s where we’re different then. ” 

she says it as if there aren’t a hundred things otherwise separating them. he is fae, she is not. his words hold favor with others, her do not. she is a flimsy speck of nothing in the timeline of fae. perhaps in a century, maybe not even fifty years, it is possible she will be forgotten, replaced with a new toy for the fae to want and play with.

fingers fool with the hems of her sleeve and she rocks backward onto the heels of her boots. it’s different from his motion. his is solid, confident. hers is anxious, nearly unsteady.

“ i should think i’m in the palm of magic’s hand already. ” she looks around, her lips pursing. she wonders, isn’t this — all of fae — simply magic ? “ i’m drenched in it and almost blind towards everything it doesn’t touch. ”

her head was rushing. the insurgent wanted her to destroy the crown. it was wild, it was impossible, it was — drastic. it’d leave a mark, fastening a lasting impression on all of fae. who would dare ? they would never think it cordelia, not pretty and prim cordelia who laughed boldly and spun in circles with just a sip of fae wine. that’s why she was perfect for it. she was headed towards her chambers when she caught sight of cassian. despite her focus on her task, despite wanting to plan, she found herself calling out to him. “ shouldn’t you be with our king ? ” she raised her chin and raised a brow. “ i should think a general such as yourself would be preparing — ” for what, she didn’t specify. all of the courts were on edge to be all in one place. the coronation was a historic moment, perhaps the biggest in this millennium aside from the former king dying. it was prime moment for something to happen, everyone knew this.

being in the high court was overwhelming, there was no denying it. around every corner was someone new, human or fae, it didn’t matter. they were all risks, they were all dangerous. cordelia’s head was pounding. she was meant to do something radical and, though her heart pounded with excitement, she couldn’t help the fear that had begun coursing through her veins. she rounded a corner, stopping when she was face to face with a member of the fae. “ anise, ” she breathed. the fae had something magical about her, and cordelia always found herself caught in her beauty, no matter how many times they’d met before. “ are you busy ? perhaps you could join me on my way to the kitchens. i was feeling peckish and — it surely would be better with a friend. ”