Page 5 of Fae Tithe (The Cursed Courts #1)

W ithin a week, Eleanor and Marina fell into an easy routine at Portson Finishing School for Girls.

Eleanor found the other girl warm and could not help being drawn to her effervescent nature.

The teenage girls bonded over a shared love of books and eagerness to travel.

Each morning, they would flip a Sel to see who got to use the bathroom and mirror first before walking with linked elbows to their meals and classes.

At the end of the first fortnight, Marina gushed about her fathers in their room, legs dangling off the edge of her bed.

“They’re merchants, trading mostly in pearls and gems,” she explained with a grin. “They said I could visit home for a weekend after they’re done with work at the Spring Equinox Festival. They said I could bring a friend if I wanted. Would you like to go?”

Eleanor straightened at her desk, jolted by surprise. She abandoned the letter she was writing to her mother and laid down her fountain pen. Tears pricked her eyes, suddenly overcome that someone besides her family wanted to spend more time with her. She blinked them away and turned to face Marina.

She swallowed down her nerves before answering, a wide grin of joy spreading across her face. “I would love to.”

The day following the invite to Marina’s home, Eleanor had gotten permission for them to head to the farmer’s market, which made its permanent home a few lanes away.

The vendors there sold a wide range of fruits, vegetables, treats, and pantry staples.

Eleanor always had a sweet tooth and was craving a dessert.

I usually do this alone. No one had ever wanted to come with me before.

Eleanor and Marina meandered through the vibrant streets together, linked arm in arm, deep in discussion about an essay assigned to them by Miss Taylor.

“Which one do you think you will write about?” Marina asked.

Their assignment required them to choose a Seelie King to research and write a report on. The girls rounded a corner on the path as Eleanor considered for a moment, carefully avoiding other pedestrians.

“Maybe the first? King Theo, he seems the most interesting,” she replied.

“Hmm… Why’s that?” Marina asked. “I plan on doing King Rian. Mainly because most of the information about him is very detailed, and I want to make sure I capture everything as accurately as possible.”

“Yeah, that’s true.” Eleanor could see her point, but she knew she would have to be actually interested in her subject to write the essay well.

“I just find King Theo really fascinating, you know? The Last Dragon respected him so much he gave him the Dragon Flame magic. He then used it to make the wall at the border. I mean, he basically founded Seelieland. Let’s not forget that he also put in the court systems as well. ”

“Hmmm…” Marina looked thoughtful as she pursed her lips.

“I see why you think that, but I have to disagree. I think King Rian is more interesting. There is so much more information available about him and because it is newer, it’s more accurate.

The stories from those times are so old they almost seem like make-believe, you know?

It’s not like anyone alive has ever seen a Dragon. ”

“Wash your mouth out,” Eleanor sputtered. “Of course they were Faedamn real! That’s why the Dragon from Theo’s time is called the Last Dragon.”

“Believe what you want to believe, but c’mon. A creature that is supposedly bigger than a mountain that can fly and breathe fire?” Marina snorted, shaking her head dismissively.

“Well…” She looked down at her friend, linked to her arm. “Let’s see, shall we? I bet an essay with a Dragon in it will get a better grade then one without.”

Marina laughed aloud at Eleanor’s playful jab and nudged her elbow into her side. “I’ll take that bet.”

They continued their walk to the markets.

Eleanor loved the bustling sandstone streets of Portson.

The lanes and alleyways were alive with bright colours and a diversity of faeries and humans strode throughout the streets with purpose.

The pair wandered into the market, which was sheltered beneath interwoven canvas shade sails.

They were hand-painted with bright shapes and patterns, sheltering the patrons and vendors from the strong Seelieland sun.

Eleanor grabbed Marina’s hand and bee-lined for a fruit stall.

The vendor was beautifully striking. The Dryad – a type of woodland faerie – stepped forward to serve the girls.

She had bark-like skin and long green hair, braided with an assortment of flowers and leaves.

A deliciously scented pink flower crown kissed the top of her viridian head.

The Dryad’s smile lit up as Eleanor and Marina dashed over.

Her glassy insect eyes, luminous and round, shone with enthusiasm at her customers.

Eleanor perused the Dryad’s wares. She added some apricots to the basket she carried to take back to the school and then ordered two of the stall’s specialities.

The Dryad buzzed happily. She took two long wooden skewers in her branch-like fingers. With her free hand, she threaded alternating delicacies onto each stick: sweet rice balls, strawberries, melon chunks, and apricot wedges.

“I love these!” Eleanor beamed at the faerie, who she swore blushed in response.

The Dryad’s slender fingers moved with precision, wrapping a cone of thin, papery bark around the base of each skewer.

Eleanor watched, her mouth watering, as the vendor drizzled thick golden honey over the fresh fruits, its floral scent curling through the warm air under the canvas shade sails.

The honey pooled briefly before slipping down in slow, glistening ribbons, sinking into the bark’s folded creases.

Holding the skewers upright, the Dryad extended them towards Eleanor and Marina, sticky droplets falling into the makeshift cones with soft plops.

Eleanor fished the Sels from the pouch at her hip and placed them into the stall’s shallow tray with a quiet clink. The Dryad emitted a low, resonant hum, a sound like wind through hollow wood, before inclining her head in acknowledgement.

“Let’s look around?” Marina asked before taking a bite into a honey smattered strawberry. She chewed and swallowed, smacking her lips. “Mmm… so good! Thanks, El. I’ll get the next one.”

Eleanor bit into her own dessert, her eyes rolling back into her head as the sweetness spread over her tongue. “Sure,” she said around her mouthful. “Let’s go.”

As they meandered through the market, Eleanor’s eyes narrowed as she realised the stalls were closing. What in Seelieland is going on? She looked from left to right as vendors covered their produce with canvas and packed away their wares.

“What’s happening?” Marina asked a pale vendor with scaly cheekbones.

“We have received orders from the Portson Guard to close and not open again until two days from now,” he answered irritably, his voice accented and gravelly.

“Why?” Eleanor asked, tilting her head.

“We don’t question the Portson Guard why, we just do,” he replied firmly. “Shoo now, we must close.”

“Okay, okay,” Eleanor relented.

Her mind whirled as the pair made their way out of the farmer’s market and back into the streets, Marina chatting into her ear.

I don’t think I’ve heard of the market closing before.

Isn’t it normally open all the time? She took another bite, swallowing the honey stuck on her tongue.

First day back, I had a weird lesson about the Tithe, and now this—

“Hello, Seelieland to El!” Marina nudged her elbow into Eleanor’s side, snapping her back to their conversation. “I asked you a question.”

Eleanor gave her head a little shake, trying to clear her thoughts. “I’m sorry, I… what were you asking me?”

“What are the libraries like out in the Clusters?” Marina asked raising an eyebrow at her.

“Oh, well… I haven’t been to all of them,” she said with a chuckle, “but the one closest to where I live is pretty pathetic. They don’t have a lot, but sometimes they get donations.

And if I ask, they will see if they can order things in for me.

That can take months though. Do you like the Portson library?

I’ve been a few times and it’s amazing compared to the one I go to on the island. ”

Marina clicked her tongue against her teeth.

“Unlucky about the library in your village, but I do love the one here. My dad used to take me there a lot for lessons when we were looking into the questions I used to ask him. I have to admit, though…” she lowered her voice, a note of conspiracy in her tone, “…the fiction section is my favourite, particularly the books with faerie pirates and mermaids.” She waggled her eyebrows suggestively.

“Marina!” Eleanor gasped. They giggled gleefully together as they passed through the school gates, Eleanor’s eyes never leaving the guffawing girl linked to her arm.

She practically collided with Jessia as she turned her gaze forward again.

“What’s so funny?” she grilled, her eyebrows raised at Eleanor.

She crinkled her nose in irritation at the teenager she had once thought was her friend. Eleanor opened her mouth to retort, but Marina beat her to it.

“That’s none of your Faedamn business,” she bit, eyes narrowed at Jessia.

Eleanor stood, dumbstruck. She just stuck up for me. She blinked as she processed what just happened.

“I wasn’t asking you ,” Jessia snapped.

She found her tongue. “Like Marina said, it’s none of your Faedamn business.” Eleanor scowled at the girl, who took a step back, nearly treading onto another student’s shoes. “We’re busy, Jessia. Find someone else to bother.”

Eleanor’s eyes raked across the garden, wanting to get away.

She spotted Miss Taylor across the schoolyard and tugged Marina after her.

The young teacher sat at a wrought iron table with a tea set and a stack of papers.

The pretty, young teacher was doggedly working her way through her student’s assignments with a red inked fountain pen.

“Hello girls!” Miss Taylor greeted them brightly. “Curfew was sunset… you’re back very early. I hope no one gave you any trouble?”

“No trouble.” Marina shrugged. “But the market closed, so we just decided to come back.”

“Closed? Why?” The teacher wore a confused look. “I haven’t heard of that happening before.”

“The stalls just started closing,” Eleanor answered. “We even asked one of the vendors. He said they’d just been told to shut, and he didn’t even know why.”

“Who told them to close?” Miss Taylor asked, lines appearing between her eyebrows as she creased them.

“The Portson Guard,” Eleanor replied, eyeing her facial expression. She seems worried… why?

The teacher frowned further, concern etching her face. “Very unusual. I will let the Headmistress know to keep the students away from the market for the time being.” Miss Taylor stood, gathering the stack of papers from the table. “El, would you mind taking my teapot and cup back to the kitchen?”

“Sure thing, Miss.” Eleanor watched the teacher depart, waiting a few minutes before snapping her head to Marina. “I want to find out what’s going on.”

“What are you—”

“C’mon!” Eleanor nodded her head to the school entryway and took off in that direction. She sprung up the steps before turning back and nodding towards the tea set. “Bring that, too!”

The pair made their way swiftly down the hallway that led to Headmistress’ office. Eleanor grinned, excitement skittering up her spine when she noticed the door was open a just a crack. She looked down at Marina, who was crouched beside her, and pressed a finger to her closed lips.

Marina pursed her lips and nodded in understanding, placing a hand over the tea set she carried to stop it from clinking.

Eleanor snuck up to the ornate wooden door, catching a brief glimpse of her reflection in the highly polished doorknob before she tried to listen to the muffled voices within, ear as close as she dared.

“…if you value your job…”

Headmistress Fallon? What is she talking about?

“You can’t possibly allow…”

That’s Miss Taylor. What can’t be allowed?

“… we all answer to the Seelie Court.”

What do we answer to the Seelie Court for?

Panic seized Eleanor as light footfalls tapped across the floor, the sound getting closer and closer to the door she stood behind.

Her wide-eyed gaze met Marina’s, who bit her lip.

Eleanor waved her over, heart hammering, and grabbed her friend’s shaking hand.

Together, they dashed down the hall. The sound of a creaking door met their backs as they rounded the corner.

Eleanor let out a long exhale, heart rate slowing, as she watched Marina hand off the tea set to the busy cook.

She was hustling to prepare dinner for the staff and students alike.

Eleanor liked the food well enough. She found the meals bland but filling, and they certainly did not have anything on her Aunty Rose’s well-spiced, flavourful offerings.

The Tithe lesson, the market closing, and answering to the Seelie Court. The Tithe lesson, the market closing, and answering to the Seelie Court. What does it all mean? Are they related? Eleanor blinked as she tried to link the three.

Eleanor worried her bottom lip before filling Marina in on what she heard through the door, still unsure what it meant.

So, she took a leap and spoke her theory aloud.

“I think…” she speculated, tapping her finger to her chin, “…it might be because of the Tithe, you know? Why they made them close the market?” Her stomach clenched at the thought, making her feel sick.

She swallowed down the taste of bile. It would be awful. Why would they do that?

“Hmmm…” A line appeared between Marina’s eyebrows. “You reckon? I’m not so sure about that, El. It seems a bit of a stretch. Why would they need to close everything for that?”

“I think maybe they made them close because it would mean more people would be inside their houses. It would be easier to collect girls if the streets were clearer and the daughters were at their homes, right?” Eleanor theorised, her mind turning like carriage wheels pulled by the fastest horses.

Marina kicked off her buckled uniform shoes and leant back on her bed. “I don’t know, I think you’ve just got it stuck in your mind. Try not to worry about it so much. After all, we’ve got essays to work on.”