One Night of Sin

One Night of Sin

         She was only a girl when she first visited the fairy palace.  The walls seemed to glitter in the sunlight.  It was called the alabaster palace because of the white alabaster walls and pink marble floors.  The castle was a true sight to behold.  Her father was a well respected dignitary that helped bridged the gaps between the fae and the rest of the magical community.  He started taking her with him to the palace as soon as she could walk it seemed.  She grew up playing with not only the servant children but the crown prince as well.  He was always a bit precocious, but it wasn’t until he became a teenager that he became dangerous to the female species.  His temper was also legendary.  When he was 13 he had one of the stables prized stallions put down because he accidently stepped on the prince’s foot when a cat startled him.

         It was nearing her 15th birthday when while visiting the castle she was sent out to the gardens while her father conducted business.  Her parents called her a dreamer, but what girl her age didn’t dream about things?  As she meandered down a winding path through a more over grown part of the gardens she allowed her mind to wander.  Even though she played at disliking the prince, she secretly loved him.  He was tall and well built for a lad of 18, with stormy grey eyes and hair the color of sand.  She could just picture the children they would have together.  They would be so beautiful and she didn’t even care if they were boys or girls!

         While she was daydreaming she neglected to notice a group of three boys trailing her behind the shrubs.  She had just entered the forest park when they surrounded her.

“Well now, what have we here?” A boy with dark eyes and hair said.  She thought she recognized him as a school chum of the prince’s.

“Looks to be a pretty lass out on her own.”  Another boy with russet cheeks and a portly frame said.

“Now lads, you know who this is.  This is the lady Narwen.”  The prince said as he leaned against a tree.  He looked so handsome with the dappled sunlight turning his hair into spun gold.

“Your Highness.”  She murmured somewhat coldly as she curtsied.

         The boys being boys began to tease her.  They tugged her hair, flipped the hem of her skirt up to reveal her ankles, that sort of thing.  The more they did that the angrier she became.  Just as she was about to call on her fairy magic the boys captured her holding her against a large tree.  The crown prince sauntered closer until he stood mere inches away from her.  Her blue eyes flashing her anger as she lifted them to meet his amused ones.  Without so much as a by your leave he leaned in and kissed her, using her gasp of shock to plunge his tongue deep into her mouth.  His hands began to roam over her body, caressing parts of her person that no man has ever touched before.  She was so shocked she couldn’t move, but then her senses came back to her and she rammed her knee into his privates.  As he lay on the ground howling in pain the other two boys let her go to tend to their fallen comrade.  Taking the opportunity she fled back through the gardens toward the house.

         Narwen slipped into the house by a side door.  She slipped up the back stairs to the family parlor where she hoped to find the prince’s younger sister, Amber.

“Oh my Goddess, what’s happened to you?”  Amber asked as she saw the state of Narwen’s clothing and her tear streaked face.

“I...was walking in the garden and…had a bit of a spill.”  She didn’t like lying to Amber, but she didn’t want anyone to know what had happened.  He was the crown prince and she was the daughter of a mere lord, who were they likely to believe?

“Oh dear.  Well let’s get you cleaned up then.”  Amber clucked as she ushered her down the hall to her own bed chamber.  The look on her face clearly said that she didn’t believe her story, but she wasn’t going to dig further.

         As the years went by, Narwen found herself confiding in Amber more and more about the rotten things her brother would do.  The prince, Karac, was no prince.  He took great pleasure in cornering her and trying to take liberties.  He raped several of the maids at the palace as well as in the human world.  Narwen quickly became disgusted by him, so she was horrified when one night her father called her into his office to announce that she was now betrothed to the prince.

“Father please?!  I do not love him, nor him me.”  She pleaded, but to no avail.  Her father’s word was law in their home.  He said the match would be a good one.  I think he was more interested in the political aspects.

So, a whirl wind of activity became her life.  There were dinners with the royal family, balls, outings, dress fittings, and the never ending congratulatory notes from courtiers that she didn’t know.  Six months later she found herself standing in a room alone, dressed in white silk waiting for her cue.

         It would have been a lovely ceremony if it wasn’t for the fact that she was being forced to marry a womanizer.  The palace was decorated with ribbons and apple blossoms.  Rose petals were scattered along the long corridor leading to the throne room where the ceremony was to be held.  Everyone was dressed in their finest, including the servants.  It was a joyous occasion for everyone but Narwen.  She was both depressed and scared to death.  What would happen after the ceremony?  Would he be his typical brute of a self or would he actually be gentle?  How could this be happening? She thought as she stared unseeingly out the window facing the gardens.



To my darling daughters,

         I put pen to paper to tell you the tale surrounding your birth and the events leading up to it.  I love you both very much and it breaks my heart that I must let you go, but it is for your own safety.  Please try to understand and forgive me…

“My lady the carriage is ready.”  The maid murmured from the doorway.

“Thank you, Gwen.”  I said as I stood looking out at the dark night.  Sighing I picked up my fur lined cloak and headed for the stairs and the waiting carriage.

My most trusted ladies in waiting were already inside sitting quietly as I climbed inside.  As the carriage began the journey I rested my hands upon my rapidly growing belly and let my thoughts wander back to the beginning of this fiasco.

         It was no secret that my husband’s potency had been in question for many years now.  He vehemently denied this, even publically suggesting that it was my fault we had not conceived.  Normally, while being a sad thing, this wasn’t a big deal.  However, my husband was the ruling fairy King and without an heir there were courtiers plotting to seize the throne.

         Fearing for my life, I took to spending a great deal of time within the human realm to avoid the courtiers.  That became my downfall.  I was seduced by a handsome face and strong physique.  My affair lasted only a few human months, but the Seelie view affairs as punishable by death.  In my defense, though, my husband is a cold, harsh man.  I had no choice in the match as it was arranged by my parents.  Over the years I had learned to endure the brief encounters we had and go on about my life.

         By the grace of the Goddess, the King never found out about the affair.  Then I found out I was with child.  Somehow I managed to make him believe it was his.  That should tell you just how deep his denial was.  As my belly grew I began to fear someone would guess the child was not the King’s.  My fears were well founded.  Word came by anonymous note telling of a plot to murder the unborn child and me.  That is how I found myself in a carriage with three of my most trusted ladies, fleeing in the dead of night.

         The King, so deep in his cups from celebrating, had no idea of the threat or my departure.  I knew he would be furious when he found out, so we planned to travel as far and as fast as possible.  We had passage booked on a human sailing ship heading for the new world, but we would never make it.  The labor pains began in the wee hours of the morning our third day on the road.

         “Breathe my lady.”  Bridget spoke softly as the contraction gripped me.  The carriage was moving fast, the horses running at break neck speeds.  An outrider was sent ahead to try and locate a safe haven where I could rest.  That was before the pains began.  He returned with news of a cottage not far ahead only to be shocked at the site of his Queen breathing hard and sweating like a farmer’s wife.

         “Almost there, my lady.  Hang on.”  Bridget’s voice was shaking with fear as the pains began coming faster and harder.  My poor ladies, virgins all of them, though Bridget had been with her mother during her last labor.

         As I stumbled from the carriage my water broke and my skirts were soaked.  Gasping in surprise I lifted my eyes to Bridget silently asking if this was normal.  She smiled and nodded as she helped me across the dooryard and into the one room cottage.  The old woman who resided there directed us to the small bed tucked under the far window.  She took control telling my ladies what needed doing.  Water was boiled, clean linen sheets were set aside, and I was helped out of my dress and into a clean nightgown.  The labor seemed to last for days, though it was really only a matter of hours.  Screaming in pain I pushed a silent child into the world.  Holding my breath I waited for the old woman to deliver the bad news, then the child began to squall loud and long.

“Ye have a lovely girl child, milady.”  She beamed down a tooth-free smile at me, but I had little time to rejoice or grieve.  A gut-searing pain ripped through me as another contraction took hold.  “Oh my, seems there be another one!”  The old woman said just as a second child slid from my weak body.  This child came into the world screaming and fighting.

         “Oh, my lady, another girl!”  Bridget announced beaming.

         I barely got a glimpse of my lovely children before darkness took me.  The exhaustion of the births taking a toll on my body, I slept for nearly a full day and night.

         Sometime in the wee hours of the morning I awoke to soft whimpering.  The ache in my breasts told me it was time to feed my beautiful daughters.  As I sat there feeding and eventually watching them sleep again, I realized that to save their lives I must give them up.  My life was over; it was a matter of time before someone killed me.  My Lord husband when he learned what I had done, or the courtiers.  Either way I was sentenced to death.

         Just as the sun was rising a pounding sounded at the door.  The old woman, I found out later her name was Magda, answered it.  It turned out to be one of my personal guards.

         “My lady, you must leave!  Word has come that the King is on his way.”

         I thanked him softly.  As he left the room erupted in chaos, everyone began running around gathering our things preparing to flee.  I called to one of my ladies asking them to go ask the captain of my guard to come inside.

“My lady?”  He asked as he knelt before me.

         “Kaion, I must ask a huge favor of you.”

         “Anything, my lady.”

         “You must choose the most reliable of my guard.  The one that can be trusted most.  I have something precious to entrust to him.”  My voice sounded strained to even me.

         “Of course, my lady.”  He nodded once then rose and left.

         While the room was a whirl of activity, I felt as if I was disconnected from it.  My daughters and I just stared at each other as if they knew their fate and forgave me.  I said my tearful goodbye, giving them each the only things I could.  Their names as well as the letters explaining the circumstances.

         A soft knock at the door let us know the guard had arrived.  He was tall and rather unremarkable.  Kaion had chosen well.

         “The captain said you wished to see me, my lady?”  He knelt beside the bed.

         “What is your name?”  I asked.

         “It’s Elion, my lady.”

         “Elion, I have a very important task for you.  You must swear to me that even under the threat of death you will never reveal anything that happened in the last four days, including the task I give you.”

         He nodded and swore to keep the secrets I asked him to keep.  A deep understanding and sadness filled his eyes.  He knew what I was to ask of him and that he could never come back to the guard.  “I am honored to be chosen for this task, my lady.  Please know that my life is yours if it comes to that.”

         “Thank you Elion.  I am entrusting you with my most precious jewels, my daughters.  You must take them as far away as fast as you can.  Find good homes for them.  I have written letters for each of them to be read when they become of age.”

         “Yes, my lady.  We will leave within the hour.”  He stood and left to ready the horse.

         Bridget stood silently watching, a deep sadness filling her eyes.  I knew her heart was breaking.  We had been together far too long, I knew she understood.

         Be well my darlings and may the Goddess and Consort keep you both safe!

With great love,

         Your Mother, Queen Narwen



         The Queen tucked the thick folded vellum into the blanket, her fingers gently brushing the copper curls of her fiery daughter Eirene.  How she wished she could see her grow into her womanhood!  With tears in her eyes she quickly handed the squirming child to Bridget before turning her attention to Aisling, the child’s eyes seeming to belong to a much older, wiser being.  Stroking a finger along the curve of her cheek, her mother tucked another letter into her blanket as well.

         “My lady, it’s time.”  Bridget murmured as she leaned down to take the child from my arms.  Both girls were bundled tightly within the softest furs and richest fabrics before they were handed to the guard Elion.



         It was a day later when the King found her.  He was told the child was stillborn.  He was furious with her, blaming her stupidity for their death.  Not long after arriving back at the palace, the queen was betrayed by one of her own ladies in waiting and that night she was brutally killed by the King in a drunken rage.

         Elion road hard and fast, taking the children many miles away.  He chose to separate them, taking Eirene to a wise woman deep within a forest.  He swore that the Goddess Danu told him that is where the child would grow into her powers.  The guard was to take Aisling to the village in the east, but one look in her solemn eyes and he knew he couldn’t.  Making the long hard journey into the high snow capped mountains; he took her to his home where he begged his half sister, Julia, to help him raise her, claiming she was an orphan.

         The children would grow and thrive, only knowing about each other and their legacy once they became of age.  Only time would tell if they would ever return to the Seelie court to claim their rightful places.