The sun’s rays pierced through the balcony window of Sol’s bedchamber and bounced off a crystal chandelier, casting fractal rainbows over Sol while he slept. He squirmed as the light passed over his eyes and he slowly began to awaken. Opening his eyes his gaze lingered on the vibrant blue sky.


    After a moment, he glanced at the clock hanging on the wall between his window and balcony and his eyes shot open. It was nine in the morning. Sol jolted upright, startling his colorful rainbow feydragon, Arcoíris, who until that moment had been peacefully sleeping beside him. She let out a hiss akin to that of an angry cat.


    “Oops! Sorry Arcoíris,” he said as he quickly threw his blankets off of him. “I don’t want to be late!”


    Sol rushed into his golden sun decorated bathroom, pulling his pajama top off and bumped into the sink in the process. After turning on the faucet, he tore off his pajama pants and tossed both articles of clothing into the hamper. Returning to the sink he hastily grabbed his toothbrush and began brushing his teeth. As the sounds of the rushing water from the faucet filled the room, he felt a powerful sensation send tingles through his body. Sol glanced at the toilet and as he did, the feeling surged and he knew he couldn’t hold it for long.


    “AGH! Alright, fine body but be quick!” He  stepped before the toilet and allowed his body to do its thing while finishing up with his teeth. Relieved, he looked about and found a new set of clothes hanging by the towel rack. Flushing the toilet, and a quick rinse and spit into the sink, he then went about dressing himself for the day.


    He pulled on the yellow tunic and as it slid over his back, Sol let out a groan. “Oh come on, how can I fly if there’s no opening for my wings?” He then blinked at the ceiling. “Oh that’s right, I can’t even fly yet, but today could’ve been the day and now I’ll never know.” He said with a giggle.


    Being a fae, Sol could summon forth wings from within his back at will. Most fae were unable to fly until they entered puberty and while Sol was only ten years old, he’s been practicing and hoped to get off the ground by the end of the week.


    He put on the remainder of his new clothes and then noticed a pair of matching yellow flats sat right up against the wall. “Perfect!” Thankful that he didn’t need to go searching through his walk-in closet, he grabbed the shoes and while hopping back into his white and yellow bedroom, slipped them on.


    Just as Sol managed to get his feet into the footwear, he ran to the doorway and jumped as a shadowy figure greeted him. “AILíN!” Sol exclaimed with a startle.


    Ailín was Sol’s Gentleman of the Bedchamber. A Gentleman’s duty was to tend to male royals and he had always done his job rather well. Female royals had Ladies in Waiting, or Handmaidens. Being a Prince, he was privileged with having a personal servant who tended to his needs or, as Sol saw it, an overprotective babysitter.


    “In a hurry to be somewhere, your Highness?” Ailín asked. His words were heavily accented, even for a moon fae. Sol was a sun fae, like his mami used to be before becoming a light fae, but thanks to Sol’s athair* being a moon fae, it was easy for him to understand the moon fae’s dialect. Ailín’s arms were crossed over his chest and his eyes narrowed. The violet hues of his irises just barely peered from beneath his eyelids.


    Sol swallowed, looking up at Ailín quietly for what felt like a full minute. Realizing he had been staring, he straightened his clothing and posture, then answered, “Uh yeah. Just, well, uh, ” he stalled while trying to squeeze past the fae, avoiding contact as if touching Ailín’s glittering deep violet robes would ensnare him, “heading to the docks.”


    Just as the final word left his lips, Ailín grabbed him by the scruff of his tunic and pulled him back to face him. “I don’t think so.”


    “Aww come on, Ailín! I’m just meeting up with Skíd. He said he had something to show me. I wasn’t going to be gone for long,” Sol responded with slumped shoulders.


    Ailín raised a skeptical brow at him. “Skíd? What’s a Lord’s son doing on the docks of Draíocht when he should be at the academy with the other students?” He crossed his arms again, probably assuming Sol’s winter fae friend Skíd was playing hooky again.


    Sol raised his hands in defense of his friend. “Before you start, it’s not what you think. He had an accident at school and broke his arm. I think he said it happened during his flying training or something,” Sol answered while tapping a finger to his chin. “Anyway, he’s on leave from school until his arm is healed. Since it was more than a sprain there was only so much the healers could do for him.” Sol shrugged.


    “Oh.” Ailín sighed while rubbing his forehead. “If that’s the case then why are you trying to sneak out like a thief in the night?”


    “I uh . . .” Sol tried to think of something, any excuse to convince Ailín to let him leave, but nothing came to mind. With a heavy sigh, he answered honestly, “Lucera is smothering me lately and I thought Mami might overreact and make up a reason to not let me go on my own. Please, Ailín, it’s just the docks. I can take a carriage there and be back before my lessons today with Master Sonlig.”


    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    Sol placed his hands on his hips, exuding as much confidence as he could muster. He loved his mami, but every time Sol wanted to go anywhere or do anything, he had to do so in the presence of far more guards than he thought he needed. It always made Sol stand out. As for his prima* Lucera, she always clung to him as if something was going to happen. It always made Sol feel nervous. Compared to the two, Ailín had always been a bit more relaxed.


    “Well,” Ailín looked away and rubbed the back of his neck. His deep violet hair swayed lightly left and right.


    “Pleeeeease.” Sol pleaded, giving Ailín the biggest puppy dog eyes he could. Based on Ailín’s unamused expression, Sol didn’t have high hopes for success.


    “Sol, your mother wants to eat breakfast with you.” His voice was sterner now. That typically meant the answer was a big old no and what hope had been there in the back of Sol’s mind was now extinguished.


    “Oh,” Sol sighed in defeat, “okay then.”


    “But,” Ailín added, “I hear your cousin has overslept this morning so I guess, as long as the Queen permits it, I could go with you.”


    “Really?” Sol exclaimed. He instantly grabbed the moon fae’s hand. “Well come on, what are we waiting for!”


    “Sol wait—” Ailín shrieked, but it was too late. Sol was already pulling him through the halls of the Crystal Palace.


    The Castle was enormous, especially through the eyes of a ten year old fae. Thankfully they didn’t have to travel far. There was a dining room situated near Sol’s parents’ room, which was only one hall over.


    He skidded to a stop with Ailín in tow. The room was circularly shaped and coated with green vines and colorful flowers from all the corners of Sióg. Sol’s mami, and Queen of the faedom, was sitting at a round, white wooden table. Its surface was covered with many carved statues representing faes from the six courts, each with a chair to match. His mami was sitting at the sun fae chair.


    Seeing that the moon fae chair beside her was empty, Sol plopped himself down right next to her and, as if on cue, she kissed the top of his head and brushed his golden blonde hair behind his pointed ears. His mami was tall, six feet to be exact, with white hair neatly tied back in a braided bun. Her golden eyes sparkled with affection as she looked down at him. Her brown skin was free of the makeup she usually wore throughout the day and she was still wearing a fitted, white silk nightgown. He assumed she was likely in no rush to start the day.


    “Oh, and what’s gotten you all ready for the day? Your lessons aren’t for a few hours still and you usually wait till the last minute to change out of your pajamas,” she said sweetly.


    On that note, Ailín nudged Sol with an elbow. Sol tried to give him an annoyed glare, but Ailín looked away, unfazed by it as he accepted a plate of strawberry pancakes and orange juice from a passing servant.


    “Sol?” His mami called while tilting her head toward him.


    Sol cleared his throat, trying to push down his nerves as best he could, and finally asked, “Um, Skíd wanted to show me something at the docks. I was hoping I could go and meet with him.” Sol smiled at his mami as widely as he could, and watched as concern etched onto her brow.


    “The docks? With Skíd? I-I don’t know, Sol—”


    “No, that’s okay! Ailín offered to go with me, and I promise to make it back before my lessons today. Por favor?” Sol leaned on the arm of his chair, pleading with his orange eyes.


    His mami stared at him for what felt like forever. Eventually her golden eyes glanced up to Ailín and then back to Sol. As she opened her mouth to answer, he was sure she was going to say no, so Sol tried interrupting with one last plea. “Por favor, Mami? I''ll be on my best behavior!”


    “Alright alright! Let me think.” She pinched the bridge of her nose and took several deep breaths. Sol wondered if he had irritated her and prepared for the no he had been expecting all morning. His smile began to fade. Sol’s mami then released a long sigh. “If I let you go will you promise to do as Ailín says?”


    “Yes!” Sol answered quickly.


    “And you promise to keep in his line of sight at all times?” She asked, more a command than a question.


    “Yes.”


    “Sol?”


    “Prometo!” Sol slammed his hands down on the arm of his chair with a wide grin, excited to go with such a small escort for once.


    His mami sighed again. “Alright then.”


    “Yes!” Sol shot his arms triumphantly in the air, ignoring Ailín’s eye roll while mami giggled at his reaction.


    “You can leave after breakfast. Oh, and Ailín?”


    Ailín startled just as he was about to stuff a large fork full of pancakes in his mouth and looked at her nervously. “Yes, your Majesty?”


    “Please take your griffin.”