Dilwyn had done many stupid things in his life, but this here was likely the most foolish thing he had ever done. Despite the fae girl's fragile appearance, Dilwyn knew that she could have powers that would lead to his destruction. But when he had heard her gut-wrenching sobs, and felt her great ocean of sadness, threatening to envelop her in its darkness something in him, a warm, fierce, and protective instinct had forced him to step out of the shadows and into the open.

Whether it was from shock, or because he had just told her that he had seen her, she let down her wings and broke whatever cloaking spell she was using. The first thing he noticed about her was that she was beautiful, and nothing at all like the tales all the elf children were told in Elverira about the evil golden fairies who captured naughty children and threw them into a lake of molten gold. There was a vulnerability to her, now, with her mouth open in shock and her defenses down. He wondered if she had ever seen an elf before, he certainly had never seen a golden fairy, except in books. He was sure she was wondering what kind of elf would speak to a fairy, let alone ask after her well-being. Just as well, because He was wondering what kind of fairy, could turn herself invisible on a whim, furthermore, he was wondering what kind of fairy would be in an old elvish enclosure late at night, by herself.

They stood there for an eternity, looking at one another. At least it felt that way to Dilwyn. To Melina, it was only a few seconds as she tried to digest the fact that an elf had spoken to her, an elf was on secret fairy property and an elf could look the way this elf looked... She quickly regained her composure and like a snail retreating into its shell, her true feelings were slowly concealed behind the mask of a steely exterior. She spread her wings, fully transfiguring into her golden form. Her eyes glowed, as though a fire were lit in the deep recesses of her soul. She was terrifying to behold, terrifying and ravishing. One could almost believe she was a golden statue floating a few inches above the ground made to look as life-like as possible. She was still looking at him, as though he was a worm or a spider, scurrying beneath her feet. This display of her bewitching transfigured form in the dark was likely meant to frighten Dilwyn, and he would have been absolutely petrified if he had not felt her fear beneath the hard exterior. It was, no doubt a dangerous fear, like that of a cornered animal, but it was fear all the same.

"I just wanted to know if you were okay," he said.

"And what does my welfare have to do with you, Elf?"

The way she said elf was with such disdain, she might as well have spit it out.

"Good point," he said, "Your welfare, doesn't really have anything to do with me, but you see when I see someone hurting. I want to help. That's just who I am. I've never seen a fae girl at the moon pool, or in general to be completely honest with you so I thought-"

"I am no 'fae' girl. I am the Golden Fairy Queen."

"Oh...wow... uh hello your... majesty. I suddenly feel a lot more unsafe," Dilwyn said, chuckling nervously.

"I could have you executed," she said.

"I realize that, but that won't be necessary-"

"For trespassing,"

"Now hold on a second, this is the Royal Elvish Moon Pool"

"This pool has been passed down in my family, from ruler to heir, for generations, elf; I think I know what I am talking about"

"You know what? I really don't like the way you say 'elf' and I have never ever seen a golden fairy here at night",

"Well, we are not supposed to come here at night".

"And we cannot enter this place during the day." Dilwyn countered

"You said this is the Royal Elvish Moon pool, are you a member of the elvish royal family?"

The elf's clothes were of excellent quality, but simple. Melina would have never thought him a prince.

"No I am a royal guard", he replied.

"If this, as you say, is a Royal Elvish Pool, then what are you doing here?"

"Life was getting a little boring, I thought I'd risk my life; see what all the fuss is about. Swim in the royal pool, subsequently get executed. I feel pretty ready to die."

She started at him dumbly.

"Obviously, your majesty I'm doing what a royal guard does, royally guarding", he said with a smirk, leaning against a tree with his dark hair tucked behind a pale pointy ear.

His stance was entirely too casual for Melina's comfort.

"Do not lean against the tree elf."

"My name is Dilwyn, your Majesty."

"I do not need to know your name, elf. This is not a conversation. This is not even an interaction."

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

"You could have fooled me, with all those questions," he retorted.

Melina at that moment decided that she would no longer tolerate the impertinent elf.

"If I see you here again, I will have your head", she said as she took off.

"As long as you come during the day, you won't have to!" he called after her.

.....

Kelliara was fuming. As the head of the royal guard, it was her job to make sure that the queen was protected at all times. It was one thing for her majesty to fly around the kingdom unaccompanied, but to leave the kingdom's boundaries and have the entire guard looking for her all night in every nook and cranny was something entirely different. So when Kelliara entered the new Queen's first council meeting, she had a bone to pick with her majesty.

"You cannot just leave your majesty!" Kelliara said after the usual pleasantries had been exchanged and the minor issues on the agenda had been addressed.

"I'm sorry, Kelliara, I understand your frustration but, with Father dying and the coronation-"

"I don't think you understand anything, your majesty, because if you did, there wouldn't be a 'but' in your sentence."

"May we remember that we are speaking to the Queen, and speak with all due respect", Rowena's soft voice interjected.

"Shut up, Rowena," Kelliara retorted sharply. "You are a pixie; your high ground can easily be pulled out from under you"

Melina touched Kelliara's arm, hoping to restrain her.

"Kelliara, you must not speak to Rowena that way", but Kelliara only shook off Melina's hand.

"I am sure that if we all quiet down, we can find a way forward that leaves everyone satisfied," Cloris interjected.

Jonasi, Kelliara's second in command seemed taken aback by the mayhem. Esmerelda, sitting next to him almost as though she could see the look on his face gave him a pat on the back, and smiled at him serenely.

"Don't worry, young Jonasi, this is always how it is when there is a transition of power", she said in her reedy, shaky voice which betrayed her old age.

Suddenly, Melina stood up.

"Stop!" Melina yelled, silencing everyone with her outburst.

"Kelliara, I don't care how you believe a Queen should or shouldn't behave, this-" she said gesturing to herself "-is the Queen you get. I will tell you how much protection I need, when and where. You will follow my command".

"Is that so?" Kelliara countered under her breath.

"What was that?" Melina asked

"I said 'if you say so', your majesty."

The title sounded sarcastic and mocking coming from Kelliara.

"This meeting is adjourned, Please give my sister and I the room. I would like to speak with her...alone"

After the council members left, Melina sat down, exhausted, and looked at Kelliara, who sat sullenly with one leg crossed over the other and her hands folded over her chest.

"Kelli, you cannot speak to me like that, especially not in public. I'm not simply your sister anymore, I'm more than that. You know that."

"We are the same age, born on the same day. We are both our father's daughters, but you expect me to grovel-"

"Yes! Groveling is not exactly what I had in mind, but you know what? If it helps you get it through your thick skull that I outrank you now and always will then maybe you should grovel"

"I am five minutes older than you. I should be queen."

"But I am Queen."

"I should be queen."

"Well, I don't know what to tell you, Kelli! You can take that up with Father, he chose me."

"Mother says it should have been me, she knows that I am much stronger than you are"

Melina was speechless and hurt that Kelliara would bring up what she knew was a sore spot. But this was her twin sister, and Melina knew exactly how to hit Kelliara where it hurt too.

"Maybe father knew that you would never amount to anything more than a soldier," she retorted.

Kelliara looked at Melina as though she had just struck her. Melina looked back at her stubbornly, unwilling to give in to the guilt that threatened to engulf her when she saw Kelliara's wounded look. After all, she was the one who had brought up mother.

"You are not the only one who is hurting you know?" Kelliara whispered, "Father may have loved you more, but I loved him the most."

A long silence followed, and then Melina stood up.

"Do as I say or you will be reporting to Jonasi soon."

It was only midday, but Melina already felt like she needed a break from everyone. She hadn't even been able to tell Kelliara about the elf at the pool. The pool had been a place that only Melina and her father shared, but Melina had been ready to tell Kelli about it so that they could defend it against the intruder. She realized now that if she told her sister, she would just be proving Kelliara's point that she was putting herself in harm's way. She sighed. Ten minutes, she just needed ten minutes at her balcony, alone. To her immense exasperation, she found Cloris waiting for her near her chambers. He was untransfigured, but still, his light brown skin seemed to glow from within.

"Cloris, you can't just come in here, who let you in?" she asked.

"I can be persuasive," he said as a slow smile crept across his face.

She knew he had likely used the secret passageways she had shown him, once upon a time.

"I'm very busy Cloris," she said wearily, "Don't you have some foreign diplomatic business to attend to?"

"I'm still in love with you Mel", he said with that smile that could melt the heart of any girl in the golden kingdom. Melina looked into his amber eyes. They were soft and alluring. She was tempted to believe him, to forgive all his transgressions but she was unwilling to fall for his tricks anymore.

"It's too late", Melina said, trying to ignore her racing heart.

He took her hand and held it to his chest.

"I love you, Mel, I always will".

How she had wanted to hear him say those words, even once, but he had needed time. She saw it all flashing before her eyes, his unfaithfulness. The words that he had said to her, as sharp as daggers that she felt were still embedded in her heart. She remembered how he had called her cold, emotionless, and unfeeling. How he had blamed her for his own mistakes. At that moment she felt everything he had put her through, and a deep hot anger filled her veins.

"It's too late!" she yelled as she pushed him with all her might. He flew backwards and quickly spread his wings to steady himself in the air.

He cocked his head to the side and looked at her curiously.

"Kelliara is wrong about you. You are strong, but only when you are experiencing strong emotions."

"Oh you and Kelliara have been talking about me, have you?" she said, as she felt the rage build up to greater heights than she could have ever imagined.

"No, I-"

Just then, Kelliara burst into the hallway.

"We captured him, we captured the assassin. It's an elf."

Melina could feel the rage coursing through her veins and decided to redirect all of it towards the wretched creature that had made the misguided mistake of believing he could kill the King of Aureus and get away with it. Whatever that elf thought would be his punishment, was nothing compared to what was to come.