Passing

I sat looking down into Kit’s sleeping face. How many times over the years since that fateful trip had I seen this face in my dreams? Even as I had found love and a family in another’s arms, this face had always held a small place in the back of my mind. A place filled with regret for what had not been. And now here he was again and that small part of me awakened again and cried out to set right all those regrets.

He looks so sweet and innocent laying there, the same child whom I had fallen in love with so many years ago. And there lay my dilemma. I glanced up from his youthful face to see my own in the mirror across the room. The hair already streaked with silver strands, the little wrinkles around the eyes. Deana had warned me that while the rejuvenating effects of the spring would give me more energy and health, my physical appearance would return to normal a few hours after coming back into the ‘World Above’, as the Sidhe called it.

I touched the small bandage hidden under my blouse, the bite wound that was the only evidence left of my visit to that magical spring. Deana had bandaged it carefully without saying a word; for which I was grateful.

A small sound at the door broke me out of my thoughts. Beth stood there in all her glory, no magical glamour to hide what she was a Noblewoman of the Sidhe; ageless and beautiful.
“How is Kit?” Beth asked.
“He is doing well. Deana says this deep sleep is just his body’s way of healing itself. She claims in three days there won’t even be scars to show he was injured.”
“Yes,” she said smiling. “Wild Fae like Kit are living examples of that Human phrase, what does not kill you makes you stronger. And your children are all right?”
“Yes, scared but unharmed thanks to Kit.”
“Yes, he is a brave little Wildling, an honor to our Elfhame.” She said with a smile.

“What were those things that attacked them and who was that -- man (I said for lack of a better word) with them?”
“They were hunting hounds of the Wild Hunt and their Sidhe master.”
“But I thought you were the Sidhe?”

Beth motioned me to follow her back into main room of the cabin, closing the door to Kit’s bedroom behind her. She crossed over to the little kitchen and taking a steaming kettle from the stove proceeded to make two cups of tea which she brought over to the sit at the table.
“Come my dear and sit. There is much we need to discuss.”
I sat down taking the offered tea cup.

“Deana has told me your son is not sleeping well,” she said sipping from her cup.
“Yes he woke up screaming a couple of times during the night.”
Beth nodded.
“Melody, there is nothing more precious to my people than children. We have so few ourselves you see. No Sidhe of Spirit Peak would allow a child to come to harm if we can prevent it.”

I frowned. “But you said it was a Sidhe that tried to kill my children.”
“Yes but he was not from here. We…” she said indicating herself, “…the Sidhe who live here are what your people called the Seelie. The Sidhe who attacked Kit and your children was Unseelie. We are enemies of a sort. The Seelie believe among other things that we must coexist with man. The Unseelie think otherwise.”

I thought about this a moment.
“So they are like evil elves?”
“Well your concepts of good and evil don’t really fit but it will do for now. As far as humans are concerned, the Unseelie fit the bill well enough.”
“So this bad elf is gone then?”
“He fled the Elfhame and we have placed a guard where he crossed into our domain but the wards are still down and there may be others or worse. This is what we feared when the wards around our territory were damaged. It’s why we hid the resort from the mortal world until it can be repaired.”
“I see.”

Beth leaned forward and I did too, sensing she was coming to a point.
“Melody, your children have come to great harm, mind and soul. Harm that we failed to prevent in our own demesnes. If I had followed my heart in this matter they would not have come here at this time but Kit wished otherwise. I regret now that I gave in to his desire.”
“If I had known what I do now, I probably would have left the children when I came,” I said smiling. “But, that is water under the bridge now.”

Beth frowned. “I’m afraid it is not that simple. Prince Terendil, our leader, has directed that harm be undone and you and your family removed.”
“Removed? But I can’t leave not until I know Kit is alright.”
“You have no choice. Right now the Court Bard is singing your children to sleep with a song of forgetfulness. He will come for you next. You will all awake in your hotel tomorrow with all that has happened here forgotten.”

“No!” I started to jump up but Beth waved her hand and suddenly my legs would no longer function. I fell back into the chair as a room grew hazy.
“I am sorry Melody. I truly am but this is the way it must be.” I heard Beth said and then the room went dark.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Author’s note: Sorry for a short chapter, it’s been harder to get back in the writing saddle than I thought and I had been hung up on how to manage this chapter. I know I’m going to get boos and hisses again over it but the story is not yet ended.