A Fairy-Tail Marriage

Tristan decided this was the moment to step in. “Althea!” he hissed, hoping the guests’ attention would be drawn back to the entertainers. “You are causing a scene. You are not a stupid girl! Common sense should have indicated you’d be moving to the werewolf castle. Now stop this nonsense.”

Althea stared at her father, then looked back at Braxton. His face was just a little too smug, and her fury reached full potential. She rose to her feet and walked out without speaking to anyone. All eyes followed her, and a lull in the conversations around them told them everyone had heard at least the end of the altercation.

Cala leapt up from her seat to follow Althea. “I’ll speak to her, calm her down. Maybe I can help her see reason.” She rushed away on her last words.

Tristan shook his head and looked at Braxton, whose eyes had followed his new bride as she stalked out. “Braxton, I am sorry for my daughter’s behavior. She has always been headstrong.”

“I just assumed she knew she’d be moving away,” Mariah murmured. “I never once thought there was a need to mention it to her.”

Braxton nodded. “Honestly, I don’t blame her for being angry. This marriage was difficult for me to swallow, sure. But I get to go home tomorrow. She doesn’t.”

Tristan and Mariah exchanged a glance. They were thinking the same thing: this man’s patience was exactly what their daughter required. The two of them would balance each other, if Althea would allow it. The king and queen clasped hands and hoped for the best.

*****

Cala barged into the room without knocking and stood with her hands on her hips, staring at Althea, who was seething and breathing so hard Cala worried she might have a seizure.

Althea, expecting sympathy, exploded. “Can you believe this? Why in the underworld would I have to move? He can move as easily as I can!”

Cala only stared at her. Her lips were pressed together, which meant she was either angry, disappointed, or both. She waited for her best friend to say something, but she didn’t. Althea also slipped into silence, reflecting on what had transpired. When another few minutes passed in silence, Althea lost her cool.

“Dammit, Cala, why aren’t you saying anything?”

“Althea, have you lost your mind?”

“I have the right to be angry about this, Cala! Why does my life have to be completely uprooted? I didn’t even want this marriage!”

Cala shook her head, amazed. “Althea, what did you think would happen? You’re not stupid.”

“I’m not stupid. What I am is furious! I didn’t want this marriage! I was forced into it and now I have to leave my home? Live among strangers who are nothing like me?” Her voice hitched and a tear slipped out of one eye. “Cala, I don’t want to leave my home. I’ve never lived anywhere else.”

As she had expected, Althea’s outburst was due to fear, not stubbornness or the fit of a spoiled child. But she was afraid Braxton probably thought one of the last two. As Althea succumbed to her sobs, she sank to the floor. Cala moved to her and lowered her body to the floor.

“Althea, I know this isn’t how you pictured your life, but this has the potential to be wonderful. If you’ll let it.” Cala paused. She ran her hand over Althea’s hair, petting her, soothing her. “What did you think? That Braxton would shrink down to fairy size? He doesn’t have that power.”

“But I do. I would have taken care of him, made sure he was comfortable in his new size,” Althea claimed.

Cala sighed. “Instead, he’ll take care of you in your new size. And Braxton has invited me to live there as well, so you won’t be alone there.”

Althea was thoughtful, sniffling a little as she calmed and let rational thought take over. She was being obstinate, ridiculous, but he had handled it badly as well. It made sense that she would move there, of course, but she just hadn’t thought about it.

She looked at Cala. “I just want to go home, curl up in my bed, and sleep until this isn’t my reality anymore.”

“You can’t, though. But truthfully, Althea, I think your life is going to be better than you think. But you’re going to have to do something else you don’t want to do.”

“What’s that?”

“You have to apologize to Braxton.”

Althea threw her head back and groaned. “Noooooo! Can’t I just fly out the window and never come back?”

“You wouldn’t do well as a gypsy, Althea. Too much hard work,” Cala teased, pulling a giggle out of Althea, who stood and walked to the mirror.

“Well, this isn’t pretty,” she murmured as she began repairing the damage crying had done to her face. Her eyes were swollen, her makeup ruined, and she still looked pale. “I guess now is as good a time as any. Do you think he’s still downstairs?”

“Actually, he was leaving as I was. I assume he went to his room.”

Althea nodded, gathered her strength, and said, “Wish me luck.”

“Good luck.”

Althea left the room and made the short trip down the hall to Braxton’s room. When she reached it, she heard voices, Braxton’s and Blake’s, behind the door. Steeling herself for the humbling she was about to endure, she knocked on the door.

Blake answered. He smiled at her. “Hello, Althea.”

“Um, hi. May I speak to Braxton alone, please?”

“Of course,” he answered. He stepped past her into the hallway and leaned over to whisper, “He’s angry, but he’s forgiving. And he also knows he handled it badly. I hope the two of you go easy on each other.”

Althea smiled at him and watched him walk away. She stepped into the room and closed the door behind her. The room was similar to hers, not elegant but comfortable. Braxton stood in front of the fire place, watching her as she walked in.

Althea moved to the middle of the room and halted. She looked at the floor, then forced herself to make eye contact. “I’m sorry for my behavior. I hadn’t thought past this day. The fact that I have to leave my home, my family and all my friends weighs heavily on me.” Again her voice hitched, and she paused to collect herself. “I should not have made a scene, and I’m sorry.”

Braxton’s respect for his wife grew. However, she had to learn a lesson today, or this kind of behavior would continue. “Thank you for your apology.”

His answer was cold. Althea pressed her lips together to refrain from making a comment that would have started a fight. “You’re welcome.” The submissive behavior went against everything in her nature, but she had been in the wrong and knew it. “I’ll leave you then.”

“Be ready to leave by sunrise,” Braxton commanded. He watched as she froze and turned slowly to look at him.

“Tomorrow?” He nodded. “How am I supposed to get the rest of my things?”

“Your mother and I have already handled the delivery of your things. Everything will be there a couple of days after we arrive,” Braxton told her.

Her spine straightened and anger flashed in her eyes again. “I do not like things being handled for me.”

“You’re the queen now. Small things like your luggage will always be handled for you.”

“Small things?” she screeched. “You’re talking about packing my whole life!”

Braxton’s hard look wavered briefly. He was being cruel when there was no need. “Althea, your mother loves you and will do a good job with your things. You know that.”

His softer tone brought the tears back to her eyes. “Yes, you’re right. Good night.” She turned before he saw the tears.

Braxton watched as she left, her back straight, her head high. She would cry herself to sleep, he was sure of it. And the guilt plagued him. He thought about chasing her but let her go. He would make it up to her when he had the opportunity.