Fae Dominance (13 page)

The king stood and commanded us. “Until I am strong enough to defend myself, I charge you, Robin Goodfellow, The Puck of Oberon, and his mate, the Wolf King, Kale Jameson, to guard me and seek out those who would commit treason against their king and throne and execute them. Do you understand and accept your duties?”

Robin dropped to one knee without hesitation, I looked Oberon in the eye and saw the bitter truth in his eyes, he hated what must be done, but it was for the greater good. I had done the same as a boy—I could do no less as a man.

I dropped to my knee beside my mate and swore an Oath to the king of the Fae. Our voices rang in unison as we swore and oath of fealty to the king.

“We will serve you, Oberon, we will guard and fight by your side until the time that those who commit treachery against you are caught and punished. Also, we will stand and support you until the time that you are strong enough to stand on your own. We give you our word and promise, my liege.”

A warm hand landed on our shoulders and pulled us up. Oberon pulled us both close into a hug. “I would offer…” He began to thank us but Robin shook his head quickly.

“There is no need, Oberon. I am your Puck, and Kale is my wolf. As long as it does not endanger our female, we are happy to help, besides, I have grown used to you. If you were killed now, I would have to go through the bother of missing you, and that is just a pussy thing to do,” he smirked.

“My Puck,” Oberon smiled. “What would I do without you?”

“You would be very bored, my King, very very bored.”

Oberon laughed and proceeded to take over the bed and pass out.

“Is he okay,” I frowned.

“No,” Robin seethed angrily. “But he will be.”

Chapter Thirteen

Robin…

Anger tore at me. The absolute rage that I felt was like acid devouring me from the inside. How dare that worthless little bastard turn on his father this way? I was not surprised, yet the hatred and thirst for vengeance that it brought almost frightened me.

I would have given almost anything to be in that ungrateful brat’s shoes. To be able to openly call Oberon father? That would have been beyond any dreams I had ever had.

As we age, our memories tend to become blunted and hazy. All but the most important and valued of thoughts lost to the mists of time. We live so long that we forget in an effort to keep our sanity.

I cannot even remember my true beginnings but my first remaining memory was as strong as if it had happened only yesterday. Even though it was more than ten thousand years ago. I was young, too young to have been on my own in this cruel world that we live in. That far back in our history it was even more violent than now but there I was, a feral child. I could not even be called a man by human standards. I was so young, no more than ten in mortal years but my power was strong and uncontrollable. The wild magic had me in its grips and I would have been lost if not for Oberon.

The people were afraid, when they felt my presence they hid. Even the most powerful amongst them hid and cowered from a half-starved feral child. I would ransack both the human and Fae villages. In those times, we coexisted on the same plane. It was a time even before the move into Faery, before that dark time when we were forced to retreat from the world of man or face extinction.

I had no name and no home. I slept in caves and drank from the rivers. I can remember bits and pieces of those times. The loneliness stands out as well as the hunger. I was always so very cold. More often than not, I ran naked through those forests.

I think there were times in colder weather I stole furs to keep me warm. Whether that is a true memory or not I do not know, what I do know for fact is the day Oberon rode into the land of the Fae in what is now known as Cramond near Edinburgh. It was costal and sat on the mouth of the River Almond.

There was a series of islands that lay in the Fjord. Today they are known as the Firth of Forth. The Fae inhabited an island that was only accessible by the will of the tides. Low tide brought a land bridge that one could walk across to reach the island. It was as I recall heavily guarded.

The humans were nomadic and stayed mostly to the main land. They had encampments on the shore and followed where the food went. They did not hold my interest often or if they did, I could not recall.

Once though, I sat in the branched of the trees and watched a mother with her children. Even the very young worked. It was not an easy life, but this day I took notice. A small child barely large enough to walk on its own tiny legs gathered small twigs and toddled to its mother. It held the small offering up as if it held the wealth of the world in its small hands.

The woman stopped in her work for a moment and kindly smiled down at the small one. She rubbed a smudge off the child’s face and kissed it before accepting the twigs with profound thanks.

Why did she do that, I wondered. It was just a handful of twigs. Would she praise me the same? I tore through the wood calling the winds to me to help in my task. The skies darkened and trees bowed nearly to the ground. I would have a mountain of wood for the mother and she would praise me and love me as she did the smallest of her brood.

Instead, when she saw the work I preformed her face greyed with horror and she cried out in fear. The mother's face twisted and she screamed for help and begged the gods to save them. The smallest one was blown into the river and swept away. The female screamed and wailed for the child so I thought to retrieve it.

When I flew down over the waters and snatched it out, it lay limp in my arms. Why was it not crying or moving?

I poked at the child but it just lay there slightly blue and refusing to breathe. The mother ran to us and began to weep over her child. She did not like that it was so still. I only wanted to help her, so I pushed her away, tapped on its face, and told it to wake up. I gathered a bit of the magic of the world in me and sent it into the child. What beautiful light it was. Light green eyes opened and stared at me for a moment before it began to sputter and spew up the river water it had swallowed.

The mother shoved me away grabbed her babe and ran screaming for the others to follow. I could hear her cries long after she was gone and the words she shouted, 'demon, evil spirit, monster', and worse rung the air.

I sat there on the riverbank, my feet trailing in the water. My heart lay shattered in pieces about me and I cried. Why could no one love me?

Why did I not have a mother or a father? Even those most like me did not want me. I sat there for hours, trying to understand what was wrong with me. Why was I broken?

The sun had just set in the west when footsteps carefully treaded behind me. I did not care to look up. If it was an angry villager to kill the monster, perhaps I should let them. What worth was a creature such as me? Without looking up, I spoke. It was the first time I remember speaking but I knew the words.

My voice was that of a child, and it sounded odd in my ears as I spoke in a strangled whisper to the stranger.

“If you plan to destroy me, I will not offer up a fight.”

The footsteps paused before they came closer. From the corner of my eye, I could see the leg of a male before he squatted down beside me. He let his hands dangle between his knees and he sat their quietly watching the water flow by.

After a while the male spoke, “Why do you expect me to destroy you, boy?”

My head tilted and I caught a glimpse of his profile. He was golden haired and almost glowed in the moons light. If a male could be beautiful, this one would be. I thought about his question before answering.

“It is what everyone else wants to do with me. I am of no use and they curse me when I come near. I am blamed for everything from the milk curdling to the crops of the Fae failing. They are afraid of my nature and seek to destroy that which is not like them.”

The male looked at me then and his eyes glittered like the blue stones I found in the deepest parts of the mountains. “You are very insightful child. What you say is true. In fact, my people have cried out for help against the wild magic that threatens the land. Yet here I find a young child half-starved and naked. You do not seem much of a threat to me. Where are your parents, boy?”

“What are parents,” I scoffed. “I was hatched from an egg,” I smirked. “One day I awoke and the earth was my mother and the sky my father. Look around you and see my brothers and sisters. For I am of the earth and heavens, in essence I am what you see, no more or less.”

The golden male shook his head and laughed at my antics. “You have a glib tongue I will give you that. If the Earth is your mother and the Heavens your father, then by what name did they call you?”

I looked at him bemused then, because I was genuinely confused. “What is a name,” I asked?

“Enough nonsense, boy, by what are you called?” He looked as if he were beginning to lose his patience.

“I know this!” I jumped up. “They call me beast, demon, devil, or monster, Lord. Take your pick. I will answer to any.” I was proud that I had remembered all the names the Fae and humans had called me.

“Who calls you that? What is your true name? Do you not have one?” The male looked taken aback at the thought.

“That is the only names I have ever been called, and I was not in jest when I said I woke one day whole as I am now. I am as you see me. Nameless and useless, unwanted and loathed. What else would you have of me, my Lord?”

The beautiful male stood to his full height, which were miles above my own. His hand landed on my shoulder and his blue gem eyes met my own.

“Would you have more, my boy? Would you like to have all that other children have? A home, a father, and a purpose?”

How was I to answer that? I would be a fool to deny it, and my nature would not let me lie. In the end I told him the truth as I knew it.

“How can I want what I have never known? I have dreamed of what it would be liked to have a mother look at me with love. To know the gentle touch of a kind hand, but I doubt it is to be my lot. If I could have it, then aye, my Lord, I would take it.” I shrugged and twisted my lips is disdain. I could not see it happening but to dream, it was still in my abilities.

“Then you will come with me, boy, and I will keep you as my own. I will not be able to claim you outright as my son, as I am king. But in all ways, bar name, you will be mine.” He knelt down before me and cupped my cheeks in his palms.

“Do you know what the first thing a father does with his son, boy? He names him. I will call you, my Puck. You are a tiny wild Fae and full of the essence of life and mischief. I have a feeling you will keep me on my toes as the years go by. Let us see if I am able to keep up with you. Rise now, Puck of Oberon, and I will show you our world.”

Oberon took my hand and led me into the night. He saved me that eve, and if I had to lay down my life, I would repay that kindness. No one threatened the life of my father and survived. No one, my eyes narrowed. Not even my own brother.

My wolf drew me back into the present with his hand upon my shoulder. With a deep breath, I let go of the past and turned to my mate.

“Are you alright, Robin?” Kale asked me softly. “What’s been asked of us is going to be hard.” He looked to the sleeping king on my bed before continuing, “At the end of the day, we have been charged with not only keeping Oberon alive but killing his son, whom he obviously cares for.”

“He does not care for him, Kale. Oberon loves Blayre more than he does any other being alive. This act of betrayal will tear him apart in more ways than you can imagine. Even knowing that this day would come,” I shuddered. “Even knowing, it is still impossible to take in. When he came to us as a squalling babe, Blayre filled us with hope and joy. He called me brother from the moment he could speak. A moment, my Kale, I wish to show you what we are up against.”

I turned to the bed and did something that I thought I would never do. I enchanted my king. I cast a sleeping spell upon him so he would not wake or hear what I was about to show my wolf. It would only cause him so much more pain.

Once the deed was done, I turned back to Kale who watched me patiently but curiously. “What did you do,” he asked.

“I made sure Oberon would not wake for what I am about to show you. I suggest that it is never mentioned. He will not take kindly to knowing what I have done or what I am about to show you.”

Kale nodded and sat down on the thick white rug carpeting the floor. He patted the ground beside him and held up a hand. “Sit down, Robin; it will be easier telling me if we are comfortable.”

A slight smile lifted my lips and my hand clasped his, letting him pull me down. “It’s not what I’m going to tell you but show you,” I told him.

“Watch, my wolf, and see my past with Oberon and Blayre,” I whispered.

I raised my hands in the air and let the memories of my small family flow forth. The room darkened to the hue of the night sky and images began to form. Kale startled when he heard Oberon’s voice, but settled when he realized it was only past ghosts replaying before us.

“What am I to do, my Puck? That crazy harridan has impregnated herself with my seed.”

My past self calmly watched his king as he ranted in the privacy of these very rooms.

“My people will not forgive this. It is wrong, an abomination. I will be both father and brother to this babe. It will not be accepted! I should kill her now before this goes further.” Oberon tore at his golden hair before throwing himself onto a chair.

“Danu damn it, Puck. What am I to do?” he raged.

“Father,” my past self said quietly. It was only on rare occasions the endearment slipped out and it never failed to garner his attention.

“I agree that Mab is insane and needs to be dealt with. However, we speak of an innocent babe. Its parentage is not its fault. You are a wonderful parent and this babe will be blessed to have you. Your people will forgive its birth. Once the babe is here, there will be rejoicing and you, my Lord, will have an heir. Does it really matter from whence it came? This new life will be blood of your blood and able to stand by your side and grow into a future ruler.”