Preface
King Driskol looked down from his vantage point above the expansive plain to where his soldiers were assembling in preparation for the battle soon to come. He had only been king a mere ten days when the neighboring kingdom of Verrland had declared war against his. He blamed the conflict on the meddling Fairy Queen, but deep down he knew that war was a result of his own mistake. He should have put a sword through the fae, instead of saving her. He had meant to, but when he looked down at her still figure, he couldn’t do it. She was the most amazingly beautiful creature that he had ever beheld and he had been mesmerized by her. Her long silvery hair, those elegant pointed ears, her pale almost white skin, and those icy blue eyes, had all tempted him. He had convinced her that he loved her, and in truth, maybe part of him had, but he could never put such a creature on the throne beside him. She was not human.
“We’re almost ready Your Majesty.” A voice distracted him from his thoughts.
“Go down. I’ll follow shortly,” King Driskol replied without diverting his gaze from the scene below.
Driskol’s father, like the other rulers, believed that the fairies were good and that everything they did was for the well-being of all the kingdoms. Driskol, on the other hand, believed that the fairies had too much power. He found them strange and mysterious. They kept too much to themselves for his liking and he absolutely did not like them using their magic to influence the human kingdoms. He wanted his destiny in his own hands. His father refused to listen to Driskol’s arguments, telling him that the kingdoms had always enjoyed peace and prosperity under the fairy’s guidance. Driskol did not see why they had to settle for whatever the fairies decided was good for them. He would be ruler of all the kingdoms, including the kingdom of the fairies.
Driskol knew, like everyone, that the origin of all magic was the Great Tree in the center of the fairy kingdom. Stories told of an eye high up in the tree that granted one wish every hundred years. If he could get this eye for himself, he could become king and break the fairy’s power. Driskol told his father that perhaps his father was correct about the fairies. He asked if there was any way that he could visit the fairy kingdom to learn about them so that he could become a more informed ruler someday. Driskol’s father was pleased with his son’s change of heart and wrote to the Fairy Queen asking if Driskol might visit. The Fairy Queen agreed and Driskol was sent to the fairy kingdom.
The Fairy Kingdom lay in the center of the five kingdoms with the four human kingdoms forming a circle, enclosing the land of the fairies. In the center of the fairy kingdom was the Great Tree. Some believed the Great Tree to be the first tree, with all other trees descending from it. The Great Tree could be seen from all the kingdoms, but few outside of the fairies had ever seen it up close. Many believed that the Great Tree was the source of the fairy’s magic and that was why they guarded it so closely.
Driskol and his party was met at the border between the kingdoms by Lord Carrick, the queen’s son.
“Only Prince Driskol may cross the border,” Lord Carrick announced from atop his mount, a fine looking dapple-grey horse.
Driskol’s body guard was about to protest, but Driskol raised his hand to stop him, not wishing some minor conflict to interfere with his plan.
“Be assured that we will keep Prince Driskol safe and provide him with staff to see to his comfort,” Lord Carrick smiled. He was exceedingly handsome with high cheek bones and striking blue eyes.
“My father would not have let me come if he thought harm might befall me,” Driskol told his companions, sending them back to report to his father while he continued into the realm of the fairies.
Driskol wasn’t sure what he expected to find in the fairy kingdom, but it wasn’t the mystical, foreign land that he had envisioned. On the contrary, it was much like his own kingdom. As they rode through a village, there were fairies moving about, working as they did in human kingdoms. The only difference was the houses and other structures in the village had a more elegant look, reflecting the elegance of the fairies themselves.
As they approached the castle which was the royal residence, Driskol was impressed by the beautiful architecture. This was not a castle designed as a fortress, but one designed to reflect the ethereal quality of its inhabitants.
Lord Carrick escorted Driskol into the castle to a chamber where the queen was awaiting his arrival with her two daughters. Driskol almost gasped when he saw them. They were the most beautiful females that he had ever seen, especially one of the queen’s daughters who Driskol had to fight with himself not to stare at.
“May I present Prince Driskol of the Kingdom of Norland,” Lord Carrick indicated Driskol and then stepped aside.
Driskol stepped forward, still thrown off by the incredible beauty in front of him. “Your Majesty,” he managed to get out as he bowed. “Thank you for inviting me to your kingdom.”
“It is our pleasure to have you,” the queen smiled. “Let me introduce my daughters.”
Driskol’s attention turned back to the pair standing next to the queen. Both were tall and slender with elegant features and long pointed ears. One had long dark hair that contrasted her pale skin, her eyes a bright blue like her brother. The other, the one that Driskol couldn’t keep from looking at, was even more lovely, if that was possible. She was unlike anything that Driskol could have imagined in his wildest of dreams. Her skin was so pale it was almost white and her long hair was a silvery color. Her eyes were a pale, blue that looked like ice, except that they were staring at him with such warmth.
“This is my eldest daughter, Princess Ardra.” The queen indicated the dark-haired female. “And this is my youngest daughter, Lady Casilla.” The queen smiled at Driskol’s reaction. “Lady Casilla is a fae.”
Driskol tried to think quickly what to say.
“Wake up…”
“Ivy! Wake…up!”
Ivy suddenly sat up, brushing red curls out of her face as she opened her eyes, feeling a bit disoriented. “Where am I?”
“You’re in our chambers at Dragon Castle,” Willow reminded her chamber mate as she knelt in her bed clothes next to Ivy’s bed.
Back at Knight’s Hall they had their own private chambers, but with everyone visiting Dragon Castle for the festival and Transformation Ceremony, the trainees from Knight’s Hall had agreed to share chambers.
“Is it time to get up?” Ivy decided that must be the reason for Willow waking her.
“It’s still night,” Willow informed her. “You were tossing about and making loud noises so I decided that you must be having a bad dream.”
“I don’t remember.” Ivy shook her head. Whatever she was dreaming was gone now.
“Probably for the best.” Willow jumped back onto her bed a few feet from Ivy’s and slipped under the covers. “Let’s get back to sleep. Morning will come soon enough.”
Ivy laid back down and closed her eyes. She had this nagging feeling that the dream had been important, but she just couldn’t remember. She kept trying to remember until sleep overtook her.