“Now, we wait here a bit” The Baron’s smile reminded Scagie of her brother’s smile right before he got one of his bigger brother’s in trouble. Her stomach was just about to decide if that was a good thing on a Baron of the Summer court when she heard her name.
“Scagie of the Bog, accompanied by Baron von Sequin” a louder than normal voice said. Before Scagie could do anything more the Baron, with her by the arm, threw open the curtains of the dais, and smiled out to the crowded Ball. Unlike coming up from the bathroom, here Scagie could see the people around the tables, on the dance floor, she could see where the minstrels played from, and to their left, the four thrones of the Kinds and Queens of Fairy. Frozen blood red roses around the Winter Queen’s throne, living red and green for the Summer Queen. Green thorns and gold framed where the Summer King sat, while the Winter King’s throne had icicles and silver. Roses wrapped their way up behind the thrones, and along the walls where the curtains, that she had been hiding behind, seemed to hang down from.
Taking this all in, Scagie felt like a human kid must on Christmas day. The Baron, took her gently down the stairs and as the music started again, onto the dance floor. He gave no one a chance to make a comment. Scagie forgot to mention that she didn’t know how to dance with polite people. Ma only taught her how to swing a table leg around, and where she was supposed to hit her brothers and sisters. The Baron seemed to think a little better of things though. After they got on the dance floor, he picked Scagie up like her Pa would, making her feel like she weighed no more than a pillow. Instead of whacking her around, he held her up, not quite at arms length, and with a big smile and twinkle in his eye, started to let her see how to dance. “Look down, see my feet, how they move.”
Scagie did, she saw how his shiny booted feet moved side to side and back and forth with the music. How when the trumpet rose high, he moved them father around a circle to the left. She was surprised how the vines, deep green with small hard numbs instead of thorns would move and twist on the floor to the music. Her partner, seemed to have no problem picking his feet up at the right time to not get whacked in the ankle. “Her partner” that thought gave Scagie an odd warm feeling, but she liked it. After a while she stopped looking at his feet to look around. It brought a smile and a giggle to her.
Many of the dancers were very very good. Like the Baron, the glided and danced with each other, between and with the vines to the music. Other’s though, found themselves tripping and stumbling into each other, their partners, or others. Young and old, in glittery finery and in simple Summertime clothing. The smallest fairies, like glowing globes of color seemed to have the best time dancing in and around, up and down as the vines bend and twisted in time to the music. If a dancer came close enough the tiny, mesmerizing laughter could be heard. Scagie let out a laugh as one couple lost their footing and crashed into another, and they, like dominoes crashed into another. The sights, the sound of the music and the laughter of the Fae would entrance a mortal, Scagie knew, but now, she felt it too.
Scagie didn’t know where to look, or what to listen to. One thing was certain though, when the Baron talked to her, Scagie paid attention. He was so good, and not like Paw, but he was good like family.
After a few more minutes, the Baron gently let her down, to dance on her own. By now, Scagie was able to dance on her own, she wasn’t light on her feet, but she was keeping up with the Baron, even if when it meant sometimes turning parts of the vine to pulp.
“You are picking it up really well. “The Baron said leaning over her to be hear above a loud group of fairy women, all dressed in peacock feathers.
“Thanks” was Scagie’s reply as her head swirled to the smell of fire roasted pig cutting through the aroma of rose. Her tummy said to go after the succulent meat, her head said she wanted to stay in the Baron’s arms, and her feet said she wanted to dance more. Never one to ignore her stomach, Scagie was very confused, and it showed.
“Perhaps, we should get a drink.” The Baron suggested in Scagie’s ear. As she nodded, he added with a tinkle in his eye “And let the rose vines regrow.” Scagie was very surprised when she looked down and saw her feet and legs greener than ever, and all around them the vines were smashed flat. As the pair walked to the tables, Scagie almost tripped several times as she couldn’t take her eyes off her legs. She couldn’t see any mud on them at all, in fact, she looked like one of the high ladies wearing green boots up to her knees.
She looked up, just in time to take the drink the Baron was offering. It smelled delicious, her nose and tummy agreed. It was warm, with apples and cinnamon, and other things in it. Going down, her insides agreed, best drink ever. The the Baron walked over from a serving girl with two plates, one with growing things on it, and the other with hot, juicy meat, mostly the roast pig that had Scagie’s tummy doing jumps for joy. Not like the cauliflower and ice apples during the Fall Ball, Scagie said as much. The Baron just laughed in a way that Scagie knew he wasn’t laughing at her. She started to stuff the meat into her mouth, enough talking her tummy was demanding. For the most part, she and the Baron ate, drank, and relaxed off their feet in silence. Scagie still couldn’t help her self though, everyone once in a while a new smell, or sight, or person made her attention snap to them. Her head swam with all the new sights, new sounds, new feelings that this night was filled with. Pointing at this and that, snapping her head to that sight, or to take in another new shiny, Scagie brought many chuckles and laughter to the Baron. He added to it, pointing out this present for her eyes, or this detail for her amusement, which had her oooing and ahhing over everything.
After Scagie’s tummy stopped growling at the sight and smell of the plateful of meats. The Baron refilled their mugs and motioned for her to stay seated. “Do you know what happens at midnight?”
Scagie nodded, “A long line forms and says Hi to the King and Queen.”
“Something like that” The Baron nodded, “but it’s so much more. At midnight, one side will step down and the other will step up. Winter and Summer need to always be equal, so they share much of the power of Nature together. While the King and Queen have the biggest shares, and yet they don’t give up much of their own powers, many of the lesser Sidhe do.”
“The who?”
“Sidhe, Fairies that are royalty. Like me, Like who your Pa pays taxes to. We all have to give up a part of who we are to those who replace us. It’s keeping the balance between Night and Day, Summer and Winter.”
“Is that important?” Scagie asked. As far as she was concerned if it was always night, it wouldn’t be a bad thing. Always day wouldn’t be too bad either, she thought she could get used to sleeping in the sun.
“As important to keep the human world and ours running. As important as our oaths to each other. Important to keep the world going round and running, growing, and dying as is needed. We do it, so you and everyone else can keep eating, can keep scaring people who need it, and more.”
Scagie sipped her drink, even cooling down it was good. She thought about all that, it was too big for her. She was used to finding simple tricks, scaring little human kids, eating what should. “If it’s ok with you, I don’t think I can give up anything”
Baron chuckled, “You stay being who you are. That’s what your supposed to do.”
Scagie nodded, in what she hoped was sage like “I thought” she finished her drink, “Tonight we were supposed to dance.”
Standing, the Baron bowed, “Then milady, do you mind accompanying to the dance floor? And maybe then staying with me through the lines?”
With a giggle, Scagie pushed her chair back. “Of course Sir Baron.”
“Scagie of the Bog, accompanied by Baron von Sequin” a louder than normal voice said. Before Scagie could do anything more the Baron, with her by the arm, threw open the curtains of the dais, and smiled out to the crowded Ball. Unlike coming up from the bathroom, here Scagie could see the people around the tables, on the dance floor, she could see where the minstrels played from, and to their left, the four thrones of the Kinds and Queens of Fairy. Frozen blood red roses around the Winter Queen’s throne, living red and green for the Summer Queen. Green thorns and gold framed where the Summer King sat, while the Winter King’s throne had icicles and silver. Roses wrapped their way up behind the thrones, and along the walls where the curtains, that she had been hiding behind, seemed to hang down from.
Taking this all in, Scagie felt like a human kid must on Christmas day. The Baron, took her gently down the stairs and as the music started again, onto the dance floor. He gave no one a chance to make a comment. Scagie forgot to mention that she didn’t know how to dance with polite people. Ma only taught her how to swing a table leg around, and where she was supposed to hit her brothers and sisters. The Baron seemed to think a little better of things though. After they got on the dance floor, he picked Scagie up like her Pa would, making her feel like she weighed no more than a pillow. Instead of whacking her around, he held her up, not quite at arms length, and with a big smile and twinkle in his eye, started to let her see how to dance. “Look down, see my feet, how they move.”
Scagie did, she saw how his shiny booted feet moved side to side and back and forth with the music. How when the trumpet rose high, he moved them father around a circle to the left. She was surprised how the vines, deep green with small hard numbs instead of thorns would move and twist on the floor to the music. Her partner, seemed to have no problem picking his feet up at the right time to not get whacked in the ankle. “Her partner” that thought gave Scagie an odd warm feeling, but she liked it. After a while she stopped looking at his feet to look around. It brought a smile and a giggle to her.
Many of the dancers were very very good. Like the Baron, the glided and danced with each other, between and with the vines to the music. Other’s though, found themselves tripping and stumbling into each other, their partners, or others. Young and old, in glittery finery and in simple Summertime clothing. The smallest fairies, like glowing globes of color seemed to have the best time dancing in and around, up and down as the vines bend and twisted in time to the music. If a dancer came close enough the tiny, mesmerizing laughter could be heard. Scagie let out a laugh as one couple lost their footing and crashed into another, and they, like dominoes crashed into another. The sights, the sound of the music and the laughter of the Fae would entrance a mortal, Scagie knew, but now, she felt it too.
Scagie didn’t know where to look, or what to listen to. One thing was certain though, when the Baron talked to her, Scagie paid attention. He was so good, and not like Paw, but he was good like family.
After a few more minutes, the Baron gently let her down, to dance on her own. By now, Scagie was able to dance on her own, she wasn’t light on her feet, but she was keeping up with the Baron, even if when it meant sometimes turning parts of the vine to pulp.
“You are picking it up really well. “The Baron said leaning over her to be hear above a loud group of fairy women, all dressed in peacock feathers.
“Thanks” was Scagie’s reply as her head swirled to the smell of fire roasted pig cutting through the aroma of rose. Her tummy said to go after the succulent meat, her head said she wanted to stay in the Baron’s arms, and her feet said she wanted to dance more. Never one to ignore her stomach, Scagie was very confused, and it showed.
“Perhaps, we should get a drink.” The Baron suggested in Scagie’s ear. As she nodded, he added with a tinkle in his eye “And let the rose vines regrow.” Scagie was very surprised when she looked down and saw her feet and legs greener than ever, and all around them the vines were smashed flat. As the pair walked to the tables, Scagie almost tripped several times as she couldn’t take her eyes off her legs. She couldn’t see any mud on them at all, in fact, she looked like one of the high ladies wearing green boots up to her knees.
She looked up, just in time to take the drink the Baron was offering. It smelled delicious, her nose and tummy agreed. It was warm, with apples and cinnamon, and other things in it. Going down, her insides agreed, best drink ever. The the Baron walked over from a serving girl with two plates, one with growing things on it, and the other with hot, juicy meat, mostly the roast pig that had Scagie’s tummy doing jumps for joy. Not like the cauliflower and ice apples during the Fall Ball, Scagie said as much. The Baron just laughed in a way that Scagie knew he wasn’t laughing at her. She started to stuff the meat into her mouth, enough talking her tummy was demanding. For the most part, she and the Baron ate, drank, and relaxed off their feet in silence. Scagie still couldn’t help her self though, everyone once in a while a new smell, or sight, or person made her attention snap to them. Her head swam with all the new sights, new sounds, new feelings that this night was filled with. Pointing at this and that, snapping her head to that sight, or to take in another new shiny, Scagie brought many chuckles and laughter to the Baron. He added to it, pointing out this present for her eyes, or this detail for her amusement, which had her oooing and ahhing over everything.
After Scagie’s tummy stopped growling at the sight and smell of the plateful of meats. The Baron refilled their mugs and motioned for her to stay seated. “Do you know what happens at midnight?”
Scagie nodded, “A long line forms and says Hi to the King and Queen.”
“Something like that” The Baron nodded, “but it’s so much more. At midnight, one side will step down and the other will step up. Winter and Summer need to always be equal, so they share much of the power of Nature together. While the King and Queen have the biggest shares, and yet they don’t give up much of their own powers, many of the lesser Sidhe do.”
“The who?”
“Sidhe, Fairies that are royalty. Like me, Like who your Pa pays taxes to. We all have to give up a part of who we are to those who replace us. It’s keeping the balance between Night and Day, Summer and Winter.”
“Is that important?” Scagie asked. As far as she was concerned if it was always night, it wouldn’t be a bad thing. Always day wouldn’t be too bad either, she thought she could get used to sleeping in the sun.
“As important to keep the human world and ours running. As important as our oaths to each other. Important to keep the world going round and running, growing, and dying as is needed. We do it, so you and everyone else can keep eating, can keep scaring people who need it, and more.”
Scagie sipped her drink, even cooling down it was good. She thought about all that, it was too big for her. She was used to finding simple tricks, scaring little human kids, eating what should. “If it’s ok with you, I don’t think I can give up anything”
Baron chuckled, “You stay being who you are. That’s what your supposed to do.”
Scagie nodded, in what she hoped was sage like “I thought” she finished her drink, “Tonight we were supposed to dance.”
Standing, the Baron bowed, “Then milady, do you mind accompanying to the dance floor? And maybe then staying with me through the lines?”
With a giggle, Scagie pushed her chair back. “Of course Sir Baron.”
yaaaay, very entertaining.......
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