delicious.”
“He's wonderful. I've no doubt about Tynan. He's my life-mate.”
“Well, why don't you go after him?”
Onora shrugged. “I'm here to serve you. I cannot settle down yet. I'm too young.”
“How old are you?”
“Three hundred and twenty-four.”
Rhiannon blinked. “What?”
Onora covered her mouth and giggled. “Councilwoman Windsong told me that humans age eighteen times faster than faeries. I would be eighteen in human years.”
“How old am I?”
Onora tapped her finger on her chin in thought. “Four hundred and fifty.”
“Ouch! That makes me sound older than dirt.”
“You’re still young by faerie standards. Queen Titania did not join with King Oberon until she was thirty-two in human years.”
So humans weren’t the only ones waiting to get hitched? How fascinating! “How come they only had one child?”
“The Queen can only mate every five hundred human years. You were born twenty-five years ago. The Queen is too frail to wait another four hundred and seventy-five years.” Onora blushed. “But this is really something the elders need to discuss with you. I'm only a faerie-in-waiting.”
Onora, despite her age, had an air of intelligence about her. “I think you'll make an excellent elder one of these days.”
“You think so?”
“Of course.” Rhiannon patted Onora's hand. “You're an extremely smart woman.”
“Oh thank you, Your Highness! You’re too kind.”
Rhiannon grinned. “Only to those people I like.”
Onora twirled a finger in her hair. “I'll remember to stay on your good side, Your Highness.” This ‘Your Highness’ business had to go. “I think of you as a friend, Onora. You may call me Rhiannon in private.”
“Are you sure? I don't want to cause any disturbance.”
“I'm certain.” Rhiannon took the girl in her arms in a friendly hug. “Matter of fact, I'll be even more upset if you don't.”
“As you wish, Rhiannon.” Onora beamed. “Would you like to visit the gardens?”
“I've heard a lot about the palace gardens. They sound magnificent.”
“I need to gather some lichen for the Queen anyway. It will be a most pleasant retreat. I'll show you all the magical herbs and tell you about their uses.”
Rhiannon raised an eyebrow. “Magical herbs?” She'd only tried one supposed magical herb in her life, but the effects were less than magical. Stupid high school peer pressure.
“Yes, I love mixing herbs. I would love to show you sometime.” Not only was Onora smart, she was an herbalist too. These faeries fascinated her even more as the day went on. “I've always been interested in natural remedies.” Rhiannon climbed out of the bed and stretched her legs. She turned to Onora and gave her a huge grin. “Okay. Time to get dressed.”
“What color gown does the princess—” Onora blushed, “—Rhiannon wish?” Onora giggled and stood. “Please don't say brown.”
“Forest green.” Rhiannon raised her arms, allowing Onora to lift the dress up and over her body.
Onora padded to the large wardrobe and flung the doors open, revealing a rainbow of silks, gossamers, crepes and gauzes. Never had Rhiannon seen so many colors in one single closet.
“Holy smokes! That's a lot of clothing.”
Onora grinned, producing a beautiful forest-green velvet gown trimmed with a gold emerald-encrusted belt. The costume looked like something Rhiannon would've seen at a Renaissance faire—and absolutely gorgeous.
“Here you are.” Onora placed the gown in Rhiannon's hands. Despite the thick velvet, this gown was as feather light as the one she'd just removed.
“How come these gowns are so light? On Earth this would weigh a ton. Are we on the moon or something?”
“The fabric is woven with enchanted threads. The palace wizard blesses every yarn, string, and thread used for each garment. He also blesses the mushrooms used for the men's breeches.”
“Mushrooms?” Rhiannon, again, refused to comment. Mushrooms and magic
“He's wonderful. I've no doubt about Tynan. He's my life-mate.”
“Well, why don't you go after him?”
Onora shrugged. “I'm here to serve you. I cannot settle down yet. I'm too young.”
“How old are you?”
“Three hundred and twenty-four.”
Rhiannon blinked. “What?”
Onora covered her mouth and giggled. “Councilwoman Windsong told me that humans age eighteen times faster than faeries. I would be eighteen in human years.”
“How old am I?”
Onora tapped her finger on her chin in thought. “Four hundred and fifty.”
“Ouch! That makes me sound older than dirt.”
“You’re still young by faerie standards. Queen Titania did not join with King Oberon until she was thirty-two in human years.”
So humans weren’t the only ones waiting to get hitched? How fascinating! “How come they only had one child?”
“The Queen can only mate every five hundred human years. You were born twenty-five years ago. The Queen is too frail to wait another four hundred and seventy-five years.” Onora blushed. “But this is really something the elders need to discuss with you. I'm only a faerie-in-waiting.”
Onora, despite her age, had an air of intelligence about her. “I think you'll make an excellent elder one of these days.”
“You think so?”
“Of course.” Rhiannon patted Onora's hand. “You're an extremely smart woman.”
“Oh thank you, Your Highness! You’re too kind.”
Rhiannon grinned. “Only to those people I like.”
Onora twirled a finger in her hair. “I'll remember to stay on your good side, Your Highness.” This ‘Your Highness’ business had to go. “I think of you as a friend, Onora. You may call me Rhiannon in private.”
“Are you sure? I don't want to cause any disturbance.”
“I'm certain.” Rhiannon took the girl in her arms in a friendly hug. “Matter of fact, I'll be even more upset if you don't.”
“As you wish, Rhiannon.” Onora beamed. “Would you like to visit the gardens?”
“I've heard a lot about the palace gardens. They sound magnificent.”
“I need to gather some lichen for the Queen anyway. It will be a most pleasant retreat. I'll show you all the magical herbs and tell you about their uses.”
Rhiannon raised an eyebrow. “Magical herbs?” She'd only tried one supposed magical herb in her life, but the effects were less than magical. Stupid high school peer pressure.
“Yes, I love mixing herbs. I would love to show you sometime.” Not only was Onora smart, she was an herbalist too. These faeries fascinated her even more as the day went on. “I've always been interested in natural remedies.” Rhiannon climbed out of the bed and stretched her legs. She turned to Onora and gave her a huge grin. “Okay. Time to get dressed.”
“What color gown does the princess—” Onora blushed, “—Rhiannon wish?” Onora giggled and stood. “Please don't say brown.”
“Forest green.” Rhiannon raised her arms, allowing Onora to lift the dress up and over her body.
Onora padded to the large wardrobe and flung the doors open, revealing a rainbow of silks, gossamers, crepes and gauzes. Never had Rhiannon seen so many colors in one single closet.
“Holy smokes! That's a lot of clothing.”
Onora grinned, producing a beautiful forest-green velvet gown trimmed with a gold emerald-encrusted belt. The costume looked like something Rhiannon would've seen at a Renaissance faire—and absolutely gorgeous.
“Here you are.” Onora placed the gown in Rhiannon's hands. Despite the thick velvet, this gown was as feather light as the one she'd just removed.
“How come these gowns are so light? On Earth this would weigh a ton. Are we on the moon or something?”
“The fabric is woven with enchanted threads. The palace wizard blesses every yarn, string, and thread used for each garment. He also blesses the mushrooms used for the men's breeches.”
“Mushrooms?” Rhiannon, again, refused to comment. Mushrooms and magic
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