Reardon
Reardon felt the way Jack tensed at the arrival of the Fairy Queen— Mavis —in the center of the battlefield, or rather, what had been a battlefield, but that Jack had diffused into a peaceful standoff.
None of the Emerald soldiers looked likely to take up arms again, though a good many looked nervous or at least in wonder at the great queen of elves proven as real as the Ice King in their midst.
What exactly had transpired, Reardon couldn’t say. He’d known only what he had to do and had kissed Jack boldly in goodbye upon his icy lips, but what he’d expected to be as excruciating as the dagger once pierced into his chest had proven to be a peaceful chill that overtook him like falling into a deep sleep.
Then, in what had seemed like moments, he woke again, the cold turned to soothing warmth like that of a summer sun. The dagger was gone, and the pain with it, which meant, especially with Mavis’s arrival, that Lombard must be gone too. Reardon would mourn him eventually, but for now, all he could feel was joy to have the curse lifted and the battle ended without further bloodshed.
Even if Jack was stark nude in the middle of it all beneath Reardon’s borrowed cloak.
“You dare show yourself the moment we earn freedom!” Jack roared. He wasn’t in as delighted a mood and pulled Reardon behind him as if to shield him from her power.
“Jack—”
“I won’t let you touch him or any of my people again!”
Mavis clucked her tongue, walking toward them with her indigo gown fluttering elegantly as she moved and everyone in her path giving a wide berth. “Such a temper—for a barefoot man in the snow.”
Reardon couldn’t help but notice that she was barefoot again too.
“You did this,” Jack seethed.
“I did some of this, and for the part I played in a too long and lasting torture, I beg forgiveness.” She bowed, and whatever smugness had donned her face fell away .
Jack didn’t seem to know how to respond.
“My love,” Reardon tried again, moving to stand beside Jack and taking hold of his hand, “her curse may have been cruel, but she has not been idle watching, laughing at your struggles. She couldn’t do more than watch because of Lombard. She didn’t close off her lands, hidden in the Mystic Valley to mock you. She was a prisoner just as you were.
“And… well….” Reardon glanced down, marveling at their connected skin in the sunlight, though that paled in comparison to being able to look up and see Jack’s face in the day. “Are you really angry to be here now with subjects and friends who are more like family? Are you angry over the lessons you’ve learned and all you have gained?” Like me , he thought, though he already knew that answer.
Jack’s human face, however scarred, his white hair falling in windblown strands across his forehead, was so beautiful to Reardon with sweet resignation and fondness upon it.
“I won’t take back what I did or why.” Mavis drew their attention back to her. “But I swear I would have been kinder had I the chance.” She took another step closer and extended an arm to Jack. “Can you forgive me, Sapphire King?”
Even with so large an audience, all the air seemed to escape Jack in one great sigh for how everything had led to this one exchange between monarchs.
“If it hadn’t been for our curse, my fellows and I wouldn’t have all we do.” Jack looked to Reardon first, tightened his hold on Reardon’s hand, and then returned to the queen. “What say we forgive each other?” he said and reached his free hand to clasp her forearm.
Reardon expected a cheer, but all went silent, because Jack began to glow.
The light lasted only a moment, but when it faded, Mavis pulled her hand away, and Jack stood there, free of all his scars. He noticed immediately, because his outstretched arm was bare outside the cloak.
“You didn’t need to do that,” Jack said, turning his hand in the sunlight. “I—”
“ You don’t have to play martyr,” Mavis said. “We all carry enough scars. Accept the gift. And try not to flirt with my husband this time.”
Reardon laughed, and as he turned to look where the queen inclined her head, he could see them. A caravan approached from the Mystic Valley, and at its head was her handsome human Prince Consort .
“I’ll try my best,” Jack joked, and then cleared his throat as if to shake away whatever sentiment was cloying there too tightly. “Come! All are welcome here. Let us get inside to be warm and clean and freshly fed. I am sure we all have much to tell each other.”
Reardon was glad to see that the Emerald soldiers didn’t hesitate, perhaps too weary or too stunned by all they had seen to imagine slinking away. It was an easy task to move for the Frozen—no, the Sapphire castle.
As they went in through the gates, and Reardon saw how spacious Jack’s garden looked with no ice sculptures to adorn it, he remembered where Lombard had been standing and wondered if that was where he had fallen, though there was no trace of him save the melted ice.
“What of Lombard?” Reardon asked, turning to Mavis, walking in step beside him and Jack. “He seemed a twisted and cruel man, but all he wanted was what you have.”
“Do you blame me for his corruption?” she asked.
“No, I… I just wonder if all this could have been avoided if he’d gotten what he wanted when he asked.”
“Or perhaps it would have been much worse. All I did was tell him no and look where it brought him.” She gestured to the same cold ground beneath their feet. “If people can take immortality with them, it changes them. Surely, the people here changed, but they could have left their immortality behind and travelled beyond these lands. Choice is key, Reardon. People choose whether they want to be better or worse versions of themselves every day.”
“With the curse gone,” Jack said, as though a sudden weight sunk within him, “this place will no longer keep everyone alive.”
“But children can flourish again,” Mavis said. “Or I could compromise the power here to allow children without anyone losing their immortality, like my own lands. Or, if you’d prefer this place stay untouched by such magic, yet some of your subjects aren’t ready to give immortality up, they are welcome in the Mystic Valley, same as before.”
Reardon saw how the unknown future ahead weighed on Jack, so he pulled in closer to his lover’s side, feeling the firm lines of him through the cloak and how he shivered in the snow.
“I will have to think on it and pose it to my people,” Jack said. “I have lived a long life, but I don’t know if I’m ready for it to be shortened.” He leaned against Reardon in reply. “Many of my subjects from the start of my reign are in your valley, aren’t they?”
“Some. Some moved on to live simpler lives before our lands were locked. Those who stayed might even want to return here.”
Barclay and the rest of the court were ahead of them but had slowed their gait upon nearing the castle doors. Reardon knew they had done so to listen in, because Zephyr would no longer have his ability to spy anywhere he pleased.
Since they had overheard, however, Liam rushed toward them at those words. “Do you know if….” He trailed off, his face pinched with uncertainty, yet still, he tried. “I… had a daughter.”
“Children age in the Mystic Valley until they are grown,” the queen said. “Her mother is gone, not one to live forever, but the girl chose to stay. Quite lovely now, isn’t she?”
Reardon watched Liam turn to look at the arriving caravan pouring into the courtyard, one young woman clearly catching his attention, though she must look so different from when he’d last seen her.
She was beautiful. A half-elf with dark hair and large almond eyes.
When Reardon looked back at Liam, Shayla had joined him, and she held his hand as he stared in awe until his eyes met those of his daughter. She must have recognized him, her expression placid at first, tense, but when she— Joslyn , Reardon remembered—smiled in hopeful encouragement, Liam and Shayla went to see her.
“Reardon?”
Reardon turned back, realizing he’d been left at the bottom of the steps, and hurried inside the castle after Jack, who was picking at the edges of the cloak. “Oh! Of course. You need to dress. I’ll run to my room as well and meet you in the hall?”
Jack nodded and drew Reardon in close to kiss him. Mavis was gazing at Reardon fondly when Jack headed away.
Everything was as it should be, Reardon’s friends all around him, embracing and talking happily, still waiting to pounce and embrace him once he ventured from the Fairy Queen’s side. They tried to pounce on Jack, but while he accepted a few half hugs on his way to his chambers, he begged to be allowed to get clothes on first.
Reardon smiled, but one question still plagued him before he could leave the queen. “Lands can be cursed with immortality. Could you give that to a person, but you simply refused Lombard? ”
“I could,” she said, taking him by the elbow and leading him away from the entrance that would soon be filled with others, “but nothing comes without a price.”
“But you are immortal no matter where you tread?”
“Yes.” She smiled cryptically.
“Other elves only live forever if they are on your lands. What makes you different? Just your type of magic?”
“I’ll tell you a secret, Reardon.” She leaned in especially close to whisper, “I’m not an elf.”
Reardon jerked back. “You are a fairy!”
“No.” She laughed. “There are other things in this world—and outside of it. Does it matter what I am if this is who I want you to see?”
She clearly had no intention of divulging what she truly was, but Reardon couldn’t help a wave of curiosity. Maybe someday he would learn the truth, but regardless, with the promise of all he had ahead of him, he bowed and answered plainly, “It doesn’t matter what anyone is, only who they choose to be.”
Jack
Jack took longer than he should have getting ready, dirty from being outside naked in the snow and wanting the warmth of a hot bath before he changed. It was surreal, knowing the sun shone outside.
For once, he wished his private chambers had windows.
Part of him kept waiting to wake from a long dream, and it would be that morning all over again, only Reardon wouldn’t heroically come to his rescue and change everything with a kiss.
But Jack never startled awake. Reardon had changed everything and ended the curse with the simple press of sweet lips and a love he had chosen to embrace against all odds.
Jack dressed in the blue-and-silver doublet Reardon had made for him, donning his crown and heading through the secret tunnels at last, where he could hear much merriment the closer he drew to the hall. He was last to arrive at the head table. Additional chairs had been added to accommodate every court member and their consort, including a seat beside Jack’s for his prince.
“You found it,” Jack said, taking in what Reardon wore. He had almost forgotten he left the green-and-gold doublet in Reardon’s wardrobe .
Reardon flew into his arms as wholeheartedly as he had when they were first reunited.
Then everyone else did too.
“Oh Jack!” Josie embraced him next, as radiant as ever in a golden gown.
Barclay was dressed rather princely himself, in clothing that bore more of Josie’s previously spun gold thread, but he was more reserved toward his king and merely clasped Jack’s forearm.
Liam and Zephyr held no such reservations and clobbered Jack from either side. Zephyr looked like a true courtier again, prim and stately, and Liam wore robes of opulent purple.
Shayla was there then to bow and kiss Jack’s cheek, in matching purple to Liam’s, though she remained in trousers instead of a skirt. Nigel didn’t bother with a bow or curtsy, wearing even more varied colors for his mismatched clothing than usual, but he kissed Jack’s cheek all the same, to which Jack laughed.
He expected Branwen to do no more than pat his shoulder, but his master of arms drew him in for a crushing hug, pulling Caitlin along with him to crush Jack further. They were dressed grandly too, taking this as the celebration it was, with Caitlin’s brunette hair done up in pinned curls.
Reardon returned to Jack’s side after he had been thoroughly accosted by everyone else. Jack took his seat and tugged Reardon onto his lap.
“Jack!” Reardon said with a blush, but Jack kissed him—his cheek, the side of his mouth, his lips directly, and willed Reardon’s embarrassment away.
“My prince may do as he pleases, but his king would like him to stay right here.”
A smile from Reardon still lit up the hall like no candlelight ever could.
The others took their seats. There was an extra -extra chair beside Liam.
For his daughter.
The lovely half-elf looked overwhelmed to have been invited to join them, but then, Liam looked overwhelmed as well and happy for it.
Jack realized that who he had expected to be at the table was not.
“What of the Fairy—” he began, but as soon as he looked out at the hall, he saw her .
Moving through their great gathered masses, she floated like her namesake, creating extra tables and chairs with mere waves of her hands, until the room was near bursting with people from all three kingdoms, yet there was room enough for everyone.
Her consort sat amongst the people, not at all put out that there wasn’t room at the head table. There was feasting and drinking as grandly as if it were evening, though it was barely midday.
Reardon wriggled to get out of Jack’s hold when food was served, but Jack clung to him stubbornly.
“Jack!” Reardon protested again with a giggle. “This is very sweet, but I can’t eat here, and I’m starved. I’ll have you know that dying is very hunger-inducing.”
That shouldn’t have been funny, but Jack laughed and let Reardon go. “Fair enough.” It still warmed him and his melted heart whenever Reardon cast him a loving gaze.
As they were settled now, Barclay reached over to pat Reardon’s shoulder—and immediately let out a gasp. Anxiety cloyed at Jack’s chest where his thawed heart was far too tender to take bad news.
“Anything I should know about?” Reardon asked, the twitch of his smile betraying that he was wary too.
“Yes,” Barclay said, smiling without guile. “You are going to be a great king. Your father awaits you back home for coronation.”
Reardon’s face lit up even more brightly, learning truly that his father was well despite Lombard’s scheming. Then his expression dropped. “I’ll have to leave… won’t I?”
“True,” Josie interjected, “but kingdoms join forces through marriage all the time. A few days travel isn’t too far between homes.”
“I think that means we have ourselves an engagement celebration!” the Fairy Queen declared.
She had finished making room for everyone in the hall and approached Jack and his court as though gliding on air.
“Perhaps for more than one wedding.” She cast her conniving gaze down the full length of the head table, until she caught the eye of a madly grinning Nigel. “Bard! Let me teach you something new for the occasion.” After striding closer to where he sat, she leaned over the table and tapped him on the nose, causing his eyes to light up as if he had been given a great gift .
Nigel jumped to his feet and leapt right up onto the table. “Shall we hear of immortal love between two unlikely souls?”
The room hushed abruptly, and then someone cheered, and an echo of encouragement followed from the Sapphire subjects, who knew Nigel’s talents well. Zephyr, beside him, looked equally exasperated and admiring.
Nigel began a steady beat upon the tabletop, and others stomped or pounded their tables in kind to lead him into his verse.
“Our tale begins, alas, with strength, which many seek to gain, but sometimes power births its spawn before it’s split in twain.
“A creature born of magic wild may seem corrupt et al, but aren’t we all wild magic born when set upon our call?
“Our hero, almost villain told, fell madly into love. Not once did this wild creature think of happiness thereof.
“Tragedy did follow thus, love’s road is tough for all, but a hero knows no right or left, only forward toward their fall .
“Into love, into tragedy, but all we ever need.
“The hero called defeat and vowed to make a great amends, assuming love would never rise to mend their heart again.
“Yet oh, the fates have other plans for those who beat the odds, and love will find its way again when power finds a cause.
“This power might have culled the lands but chose to be a balm, and in their worthy sacrifice, they found a brighter song.
“In their love, in their destiny, who finally came to be.
“So, heed this tale for where you fall may not be all they sing.”
Nigel ended with the usual flourish and deep bow, sending the room into uproarious applause. Once he jumped back down from the table, he blinked as if he had been in a sort of trance but smiled and took his seat to a sweet kiss on the cheek from his love.
“Was that your story?” Reardon asked the Fairy Queen, who remained standing in front of their table. Reardon had seemed enamored but also clearly affected by the depressing nature of the tale that eventually led to a happy end for a creature not quite human—or elf or otherwise.
“Perhaps,” she said, “but the best fairy tales are not told merely once.” She bowed, and then turned to descend back to the people, taking a seat beside her prince.
She was certainly enigmatic, but what mattered to Jack was his own happy end seated beside him.
They feasted and enjoyed themselves, seeing so much warmth and comradery between everyone. The harpsichord was still against the wall, and before long, music filled the hall as well. When the food was gone and only wine and ale poured, the tables were pushed aside to make room for dancing. Eventually, even the members of the court went down to dance with the others.
Jack hesitated, not because he would ever deny himself the opportunity to hold Reardon close, but because he wanted to look upon his people, mingled with others he never thought he would see here .
When Reardon pulled him from the head table, Jack went with him but sat them down at the edge of the elevated stage to survey the merrymaking.
Branwen, who had once been thought too brutish to be a kingdom’s master of arms, was delicately twirling Caitlin, a woman who had been preceded by the title of “widow” for so long, Jack never would have thought he’d see her smile with the rosy glow of new beginnings in her cheeks.
Shayla was dancing with Liam’s daughter, though they snatched Liam by the wrists to force him to join them. He had a chance to make up for what he had once neglected, and Shayla, a starving thief, would never go hungry from lack of food or love again.
Zephyr was as drunk as Jack had ever seen him. Although once he’d been exiled by his parents simply for wanting the company of another man, now he was starting to untie Nigel’s shirt right there on the dance floor. And Nigel didn’t need to use his tricks or bardic tales against others, he needed only to make them smile.
Jack’s own sister, Josie, who had followed him in his selfish ways, now cared far more for her people and the man on her arm than she ever had for fancy dresses and jewels. Barclay would make a fine addition to their family, the seer who’d lost his own only to find another in his banishment. The pair was taking a break from dancing to talk with some of the Emerald soldiers.
Oliver had Amelia in his lap, both warmed by ale and telling some story or another to elves from the Mystic Valley. The fletcher hadn’t been the same spoiled rich boy who first darkened Jack’s doorstep in decades, but Jack could see the added ease in his expression at the thought of being able to visit his home city again someday.
It was as raucous as any party Jack and his court had thrown when they were squandering the kingdom’s wealth for their own pleasures, only this was how it should have been, for the people and earned.
Jack even spared a kind eye for Raphael, dancing with Wynn, who he’d snatched up as soon as Wynn took a break and let someone else play the harpsichord for a while.
The Fairy Queen and her prince were dancing too, as if they were the only ones out there—though when the prince caught Jack’s eye, Jack couldn’t help winking, and the handsome blond laughed and lost his footing.
To think, once Jack would have chased after a man like him, after any man who caught his eye without care or consequence, yet now he couldn’t bear the thought of being with anyone but the man beside him .
When Jack finally turned from the crowd, Reardon was gazing back at him. His sweet Emerald Prince reached a hand toward him to wipe away a tear that Jack hadn’t even realized had formed. It was a happy tear, because this was what his kingdom should have been from the beginning, but it had taken a long time for him to understand what being a good king meant.
“You are so beautiful,” Reardon said, “but I thought as much when the scars remained.”
“I know. It was a thoughtful gift.” Jack nodded at the Fairy Queen. “Since she caused more scars than she intended. But my hair is still white.”
“Perhaps that is a gift for me.” Reardon coiled a finger through a fallen strand. “It was the first thing I ever saw of you, just a glimpse over my shoulder when we were in the bath. Now I could look upon you forever.”
“That… is an option.”
“Well, the queen did call this an engagement party.”
“She did. And you, Reardon, would you be my king and I yours to unite our kingdoms? Do you think they could handle that?”
Reardon shifted to look out at the others. “If you’d asked me that before I spent those few days at home, I’d have said no, I don’t think my people are ready. But when I spoke the truth to them and begged their aid against Lombard, they answered my call. Not all of them, granted. There will be dissenters, but we have to start somewhere.”
With a gentle touch at Reardon’s cheek, Jack drew his attention back to him. “Then I’ll ask again: Would you be my king and I yours?”
“Yes.” Reardon’s smile brightened.
“And would you want forever, truly, as the Fairy Queen could offer it?”
“I… I think so, knowing that should we ever grow weary of this world, we could simply wander to new lands and begin a different adventure. What say you, then?”
“Yes,” Jack answered, “I would like nothing better.” He kissed Reardon, and the music and loud chatter dimmed like a distant background swell.
They kissed so long and deeper by the moment, that when they finally parted, Reardon was panting.
“Would you… care to dance, my king?”
“Yes, but elsewhere. ”
Jack didn’t give Reardon time to ask what he meant. He took Reardon’s hand and stood, and instead of dropping down to the main floor to join the others, he pulled him into the tunnels.