Finnakynne flew to the pixie court once more. A ring of trees surrounded her mother’s throne with giggling pixies flying between the branches and boughs. Finnakynne was relieved Tarwantrad took Beely elsewhere, now, at least, she wouldn’t have to keep an eye on him.
Now there was nothing left but to face the pixie queen. She hardened her expression as best she could and flew between the trees. There, her queen mother sat upon her throne…and with a small smile on her face. Finnakynne halted her advanced and gaped for a moment.
“And so, our counterattack finally begins, after so long. He’s a sincere and earnest boy, that one, fulfilling our bargain right away. It is rare I am caught with my side of the deal unfulfilled, at least unintentionally so. I suppose it has been a while since I’ve dealt with humans, hasty as they can be.”
She then glanced out of the corner of her eye at Finnakynne and her expression returned to its usual neutral, slightly bored state.
“But I do not believe that is what you have come to discuss, is it, daughter?”
Finnakynne gathered herself once more and flew up to her mother, staring her right in the eyes.
“Mother, we need to talk.”
Queen Vanieskon just rested an elbow on the armrest of her throne, then propped up her cheek with her fist.
“I suppose we do, Finnakynne. I take it your first journey to the mortal realm did not go as you hoped?”
Queen Vanieskon raised an eyebrow and said nothing more, leaving it to her to continue. Finnakynne took a deep breath.
“Mother…you’ve experienced it, haven’t you? What happens to the mana when the mortals fight and kill each other?”
Queen Vanieskon kept her eyebrow raised.
“Yes, of course, Finnakynne. I told you that many times, as you are so fond of complaining about.”
Finnakynne narrowed her eyes.
“And…you manipulated the mortals into doing it more after that?”
Queen Vanieskon heaved a dramatic sigh.
“Is that what this is about? You saw your first battle with anything besides those empty shades and got squeamish, Finnakynne?”
Finnakynne allowed herself to frown.
“Mother…is that what trickery and mischief is about? Is that what you’ve been teaching me to do all this time?”
Queen Vanieskon narrowed her eyes.
“Really, Finnakynne? Truly, the Compact has been worse for your education than I could have imagined.”
She sighed once more and then leaned forward. She moved her hands back to the start of her armrests and pushed herself upwards, rising at measured pace until she stood at her full height. She waved her hand.
A cage of metal bars appeared around Finnakynne with a sudden clang. Finnakynne fell to the floor of the cage as the metal pulled the magic right out of her wings. The cage then began to fall and Finnakynne found herself floating in the air. Queen Vanieskon strode forward and snatched the cage before it clattered to the ground, causing Finnakynne to slam back into the cage’s floor. Queen Vanieskon marched over to a table set before her throne and smashed the cage down onto it, rattling Finnakynne once more. She then bent over to peer down at Finnakynne from the top of the cage.
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“What I have been trying to teach you, Finnakynne, is how the world works. How it truly works when it is not bound by some desperate bargain made by refugees with no other choice than to get along. I suppose, though, that it is impossible for you to understand, raised in the coddling and artificial peace of the Compact as you were.”
Queen Vanieskon brought her face right up to the edge of the cage.
“I had hoped you might understand after encountering the mortals. All that fear and death and suffering that has you so shaken? Have you not realized the mortals don’t hesitate at all to inflict it upon each other? Did even our supposedly nice and honest and earnest friend Belissar falter before he sent an entire band of spiderkin to their deaths? By all that is fair, he and his own people are at odds, committing vast efforts and resources and, indeed, their own lives solely to slay the other.”
Queen Vanieskon then flicked one of the bars of the cage, causing it to rattle.
“So, Finnakynne, try to think about it. What exactly do you think they would do to you, one of the fair folk, should they ever have you in their grasp? Do you think they will hesitate to use every advantage they can get to your detriment?”
Queen Vanieskon leaned back and shook her head.
“I will tell you. No. They will not. They will treat you as livestock to be exploited at best, or a monster to be put down at worst. What I have taught you is the bare minimum needed for a pixie to avoid that fate. It is what all who deal with mortals inevitably learn, save you, apparently. If you cannot find any enjoyment in those dealings, then all you can do is isolate yourself away. Stay here in the boring, static Compact, as you call it, for the rest of your life and pray that those of us with any wisdom manage to keep you safe.”
Finnakynne scowled and stirred up her mana…but the cage absorbed it once again. Finnakynne closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She had more than pixie magic flowing within her; now, drained of all other power, it was easy to feel the one laying deep within her, strengthened by her bond to her dungeon and the divine powers of its patron.
She pulled upon that power and her eyes shot open, glowing bright. A moment later, the cage exploded and Finnakynne immediately grew to match her mother in size.
“You’re wrong, mother. Belissar and his bees don’t act that way. They’re honest and earnest as you yourself said. And yet, it is they who have pushed back the Hunger, who have defeated the spiderkin and the humans you told all those stories about, and who have saved the Compact. Who saved my life when I tried all those methods you taught me.”
Queen Vanieskon didn’t flinch at the outburst and just shook her head.
“Be careful, Finnakynne. Humans may seem nice on the surface, but they only ever think about themselves. You will be hurt trusting in them. If you do not take control of the situations you find yourself in, others will, and it will be you on the receiving end of all this.”
Finnakynne’s eyes pulsed with light once more.
“You know what? I don’t believe that, mother. Weren’t you the one who always told me I’m supposed to be more than the average pixie? Wasn’t it you who constantly griped that I’m wasting my potential to do amazing things? So, maybe I will! Maybe I’ll find a way to deal with other people without your methods! Maybe I’ll refuse to learn this lesson! Maybe I’ll be something other than the trickster you want me to be, who can’t even speak to another person without hurting them!”
Finnakynne and Queen Vanieskon stared at each other for a few moments. Eventually, Queen Vanieskon scoffed and turned around. She walked back over to her throne and sat down with a sigh.
“I suppose you will try, Finnakynne. And you will learn every lesson I’ve attempted to spare you and then you will understand.”
Finnakynne narrowed her eyes.
“So, what? That’s it? You aren’t going to stop me?”
Queen Vanieskon rolled her eyes.
“What is the point? You refuse to learn from me no matter how much I instruct you. So, fine. Go. Do what you please, Finnakynne. If you will not learn from me, then you will learn from the consequences.”
Finnakynne glared at her for a minute more before turning and flying from the room. Well, that conversation hadn’t gone as she had expected…but so be it. For once, she would do as her mother said and do as she pleased…and she would show her mother who was right in the end.
Well, at least her dad was pleased, judging by the mission completion…
Queen Vanieskon sighed as she leaned against her hand once more. She sighed again as she heard giggling behind her.
“What is it, Henilett? I am not in the mood.”
Henilett crept out from behind the throne and giggled again.
“Nothing, Your Majesty. It’s just…this scene was very familiar to me.”
Queen Vanieskon rolled her eyes.
“Yes yes, we were defiant too in our first few centuries. Spare me the condescension, Henilett. We learned from that experience, and we went out into a far less dangerous mortal realm than she.”
Henilett just smirked.
“And are we not relying on a human to change that, just like you warned her not to?”
Queen Vanieskon just frowned and gave Henilett a look, but Henilett just returned it with a giggle. Queen Vanieskon sighed and held her head.
“…children. The second thing I cannot seem to manipulate. But I don’t expect you to understand that, Henilett, seeing as you have not raised one yourself after all this time.”
That failed to stop Henilett’s giggling, however. Queen Vanieskon would have to suffer a day of teasing at her hands. Something Henilett would soon pay for, with interest.