Young Writers Society

no, you don't have to, it's fine. Yours was good, I'll just ignore mine.

Eirwen-
The servant cowered before her. "Prick me with a pin one more time, and you will be in complete and utter agony!" Eirwen hissed, striking the girl across her face. "Yes mi'lady. Sorry mi'lady." the girl whimpered. A light chuckle came from behind her. Eirwen turned, seeing the queen. "You really should try to be more patient with them Eiry." Ariana said, lounging back the in the white leather couch. "You Majesty." Eirwen said, bowing her head in acknowledgement. Ariana twiddle her fingers, acting bored. "Leave us." Eirwen ordered the servant girl.The girl ran out of the room, Eirwen's new gown in her hands. Eirwen walked over to the small table near the couch, and poured some wine out of a crystal decanter, into some matching goblets. "Majesty." she said, offering a goblet to Ariana, who took it. Sipping from her own goblet, Eirwen watched her queen. In all the centuries that she'd known her, Eirwen could tell when her sovereign and friend's thoughts were preoccupied. "What is it Ariana?" she asked, setting her goblet down on the table. Ariana always became moody before the Tithe, the excitement and expectation sending her into bouts of cruelty, melancholy, and happiness. "Talk to me."

Kester
He didn't find the queen in her quarters, but it was to be expected. At this time she got restless, and tracking her across the castle was just another test of his skills, almost a game. A canine's sense of smell came in handy then: he could have tracked her in the largest of crowds, so the nobles' quarters were easy to navigate.

A servant girl's terrified shuffling out of a room drew his eye, and he nodded to himself, trotting over there, only stopping a few steps away from the door to shift back to human form, always better when there was a possibility of conversation, or just to fade in the background if his participation wasn't required. Funny how people tended to have an easier overlooking a tall, darkly clothed man than a giant dog with glowing eyes.

Unthinkingly he tugged at the end of a sleeve, in a vain effort to smooth the creases in the dark blue fabric, then gave a brief knock on the door before slipping inside.

"Lady Eirwen," he nodded to her, then turned his eyes to his queen. "Your Majesty." Long acquaintance with both or not, it was hard to shake off a lifetime habit of formality, even if they were in private. He glanced between the two of them, the wine, the queen's expression.

"Should I leave you to talk in private?" It would rankle at him, but there was little doubting Eirwen's loyalty; his presence here was not absolutely necessary, and the queen's wishes took precedence over any of his feelings.

~Matthew~

I curl up on the windowsill, watching Felicity as she wanders around the room. I'm in cat form, of course, and she's gotten pretty used to my presence since my frequent visits started a few months ago. And, okay, I haven't quite figured out yet why I'm supposed to be her guardian, but that will come with time - All Fyglia have some kind of big event that they have to help each ward with, so I'm just waiting it out until this one comes.

I mewl at Felicity, giving her giant hungry kitty eyes, and she raises an eyebrow at me sceptically. "You can't be hungry," she says in mild disbelief. "I just fed you. And you're not even my cat!"

Hmm. Yes. Whilst technically true, I still feel that as my ward she should be at my complete command and feed me at every opportunity. Unfortunately, the expressions of a cat are not quite eloquent enough to convey this, so I settle with a slightly annoyed purr instead, before bounding off the windowsill to settle down on her bed.

Mackenzie

"Yes your majesty," I gave a small curtsy. Queen Ariana nodded, continuing to stare blankly at the wall. I scurried out of the court room. I could feel her eyes watching my every move.

Once I was outside, I heaved a sigh. Queen Ariana was demanding and cruel. She seemed innocent and fair when I met her, but inside she was a vicious dragon. She sickened me.

Her majesty wanted her best gown prepared tonight, something about an important meeting. I heard it was something about the Tithe. In my life in the castle, whispers of the Tithe was always around. Is the Tithe was a man or women, tall or short, or when they would come.

I've always wondered about the Tithe, who they said would help us or something like that. Will they help the Seelie or Unseelie? Anything could happen.

Luna
I watched in fascination as Nadare continued to prune her tree. "Nadare are you planning on seeing the queen at all today." I asked quietly. She looked at me mildly surprised. "I was thinking about it. Why?" She inquired. I sighed. "I need to talk to her about something." I replied. "What?" She asked still pruning. "The moon is dim. I don't like it." I said my voice barely above a whisper. She turned towards me shock evident on her face. "The Tithe is nearing." She whispered. In reply I looked up to the sky where the sun was high. "Who will be chosen? That is the question that rings through each land Seelie and Unseelie alike." I intoned mysteriously. I sat on the ground leaning against another tree. "Alright I'll think about seeing her." Nadare said turning back to her tree worry evident in her voice if not in her eyes. "Thank you my friend." I whispered.

Queen Ariana:

I gave Kester a steady but cold look. "No, stay." I turned my attention to the glass of wine in my hands, staring down into the red liquid with a frown. "There is nothing that Eirwen and I could discus that you do not already know, or presume to know. We're too close for such stupidity."

My two closest companions frowned at me. They seemed almost concerned. I ignored them. The Tithe was closing in-I could feel my moods shifting. Absentmindedly, I let a few shadows play out across my fingers.

"I..." I hesitated, my frown deepening. "I fear there may be some complications soon. The Tithe is drawing near." This last sentence was barely spoken above a whisper.

The room fell into silence and with a sigh, I put my drink down. There was a curious air to the room. Someone was listening in to our conversation.

"Kester," I said, flicking my gaze towards the door. Anger surged through me and I snatched up the glass, tossing it against the wall. "I need a distraction," I muttered. "This bores me, sitting around. Waiting."

No one uttered a word for several minutes.

Kester
He nodded in response to Ariana's injection, stepping deeper into the room and away from the doorway, stance losing a bit of its tension. Safe, his instincts murmured, as they tended to when it was just the two - or three - of them together.

The shadows that danced between her fingers helped in that, reminded him she has her own means of defending herself. Still his eyes snapped up to her face when she spoke, a vague sense of concern rising at her initial hesitation and her admission of worry.

It was no conscious reflex that brought Kester forward, just an instinctive desire to offer a gesture of reassurance or comfort, however badly she might react to it. He froze when she said his name though, followed her gaze to the door and then he was feeling it too, that little pinprick at the back of his neck that came with being observed. He whirled on his heel, a few long strides bringing him to the door. He opened it without warning in the same time as the glass came crashing against the wall, eyes narrowed and muscles coiled, ready to pounce on anyone that would have been idiotic enough to spy on them so artlessly.

It was almost a relief when there turned to be no one there; either there had been no one, or, just as likely, the person who'd been there had enough of a brain to not stick around too long. Or perhaps had used more roundabout ways to eavesdrop or peer into the room - with magic, with anything really.

He considered looking into it some more, but he didn't want to leave his queen alone right now. Later, he promised himself, and shut the door again. Wine was seeping from broken glass into the floor, and Ariana's expression was not one he liked. Eirwen seemed to be searching for words, and he himself at first only leaned back against the wall, contemplative.

"If it is the Tithe that bothers you so..." he started, then stopped. Hesitated. Continued: "...and if it is the inaction that grates, then perhaps - you could accompany me in retrieving her?" He made sure to glance at Eirwen, including her in that invitation. He did not believe this had ever been done, and there were definite dangers to taking the queen away from the court and her kingdom, but Kester suspected little in the castle would hold her fancy enough to satisfy that boredom.

Eirwen-
She watched, masking her shock at Kester's proposal, for Ariana's reaction. The shadows danced with more energy, showing that the queen was pleased by this idea. "Majesty, do you really want to even consider this?" Eirwen asked, alarmed. She turned to glare at Kester. "You do realize this risks of this, do you not?" she snapped. "If the Seelie court ever got wind of this-" "There would be a war." Kester interrupted her. "There are considerable risks, yes, but, with the both of us, who among the Seelie fey would dare to provoke us?" Eirwen looked at Ariana. The queen regarded her with a coy smile. "It would be amusing for me. I tire of the stiffness of tradition anyway. It chafes like a dry wind." she said. Kester looked at her. "I'll even allow you to lure the Tithe, Lady Eirwen." he said, "It has been a long time since the mortals have heard a banshee's croon." He had her there. As much as she hated to admit it, the less that the mortals believed in fey like her, the less powerful her folk became. It would be good to add to her own strength with the capture, as well as with the Tithe itself. "I'm in." she replied. Clapping her hands together, Ariana stood. "Excelent. Now, tell me, when do we leave?"

Queen Brystianne

There was so much to do today. She could almost feel the Unseelie queen's restlessness. That wasn't a good thing. She would be picking her next victim soon. The Tithe, as that poor soul was called. That was never a good thing. Everytime it happened, Brystianne felt it's heavy blow across her chest for months, never forgetting.

And Bree had known too many losses to give in easily to another. This year she would fight to make sure there would be no death. The tithe wouldn't be sacrificed to the Unseelie queen's insatiable thirst for blood.

"Ariana," the poisonous name didn't belong of the queen's delicate mouth. No, no, Ariana was her worst enemy. An evil beyond the understanding of her mind.

Brystianne paced across the throne room, strands of her flame red hair coming loose of the bun she kept on top of her head. Today she had paced so much, worring so much, that most of her hair had fallen loose, trailing down her body all the way to her hips.

"Oh, Ariana, I feel that we need to talk. And very soon," the beautiful queen sighed, a humorless smile making her face seem scary and untouchable.

The sun set, casting an orange-pink glow over her lands. The funniest thought crossed Bree's mind before she left to eat a very late dinner.

The Unseelie queen, Ariana, looked out at the same sunset. The sunset that meant only one thing to the both of them. That was the end of another day, bringing them both closer to the time of the Tithe's death.

**Please no dying! I'll post more! **

Please no dying This has promise!
Dreamy, I think we should have a friendly reminder to those in this!

Luna
I looked up at the sky and with a jolt realizing that the sun was setting. "Bye Nadare." I said quickly. She looked up at the sky smiled at me and nodded goodbye. I ran to my house and saw that a small line was already forming. I slipped in through the back and lit a few lanterns I heard a few mutters from outside. I called outside "The sun has not set." The muttering subsided and I smiled. I stoked my fire humming under my breath. I heard someone knock at the door and I groaned and opened the door. "I SAID..." I stopped when I realized it was a guard. "May I help you?" I asked quietly. "The queen is wondering if you would reconsider her offer." He replied. "Give me until tomorrow you will have my answer then." I said quietly bowing slightly.
*I tried to move it along if someone in Brystiannes court wants to stop by I don't know*