Mab

 

"No one wants rain," said Mab. For herself, she wanted sleet and ice, howling winds, thunder to shake the very stones of the keep. She wanted a storm to match her rage. This is wrong, she thought. It is too soon. A year, two years, that would have been time enough.

 

"Your Grace?" said a voice behind her. "Do I intrude?"

 

Mab did not turn around. Her voice was cold and hard as she said, "Lord Halewyn, I have enough people in my ear just now. I have neither the time nor the patience to insure your comfort."

 

"I am sorry to hear that," he said. "Do you wish to send me back to my room?"

 

"Yes, I do," Mab said, still not turning around. "If you wish to avoid that, then tell me what you want, and leave me alone. I have no time for your dance steps, Halewyn. Say your piece and go."

 

Halewyn came closer. Mab could feel the warmth coming from his skin, and she fought down her ire at the contact. He came and stood next to her, his body almost, but not quite touching hers.

 

Mab was not surprised. She had seen this before, and she guessed at his next move. Halewyn raised his hand, and placed it on her shoulder. It was a bold move, and a dangerous one. Mab was not inclined to be gentle when she was angry, and Halewyn was in a very vulnerable position to her.

 

And yet he did not draw away. His hand remained on her shoulder, the warmth of his skin penetrating her own. She fought down the anger, and said coldly, "What do you want?"

 

Instead of answering her, she felt his hand moving around her neck, to the back of her head. His fingers moved through her hair. She fought down the desire to bite them off as he gently touched her.

 

"Are you angry?" he asked, his mouth close to her ear.

 

"I came to apologize," said Halewyn. "I used you. I won't pretend it's not true. I used you to create an advantage for myself, and I did it knowing you would find it distasteful. I used you knowing you could not refuse me."

 

Mab knew that the game had changed. She had begun it with only two players, herself and the twit she had chosen to seduce. He had moved quickly, but within the game she had set for them. Now she found herself with another player, a far more dangerous player.

 

"I want us to be friends," said Halewyn. "I believe we can be, at least until the end of the game."

 

"The game," Mab said. "What game is this?"

 

"The game to get us both the power we need," said Halewyn. He reached out, and touched her hair gently. "And I'm not sorry for that. We're both playing to win."

 

"And what of Lamia?" Queen Mab knew the question would sting.

 

It did. It stung Halewyn enough that he drew back from her, his hand falling from her shoulder. Even on another's shoulder, it would have been warm; on her shoulder, it had been hot. 

 

"She has her role in the game too," said Halewyn, his voice becoming flat and cold. "And she knows it. Right now, she is playing it."

 

"I did not hear you say you loved her," Mab said.

 

"What does love have to do with anything?" said Halewyn, his hand dropping from her head, and his body moving away from her. "I wouldn't take her love for granted if I were you. She is a player, too."

 

"I already knew that," said Mab.

 

"I'm sure you did," Lord Halewyn paced away from her and she watched as the shadows in her chamber danced across his features in the firelight.

 

She glanced at the tall, ornate tapestries that hung from the wall in alternating bands of purple and white and gold. Her eyes followed the bold patterns as she padded softly across the stone, barely feeling its cold under her feet and poured a glass of deep red wine.

 

She turned back, and handed him the glass. 

 

"Why?"

 

"I bear no grudge against you," she said. "I just don't understand your moves."

 

"Fair enough," said Halewyn. "And I hope you will forgive this move as well." He sipped and set the glass down, then reached out for her again, his hands moving up to touch her bare shoulders. "But I'd be remiss if I didn't take advantage of... circumstances."

 

He stepped closer, and she could feel the heat emanating from his body. In spite of herself, she could feel her body responding, feel desire growing. She let him lean in, and she kissed him, feeling stubble graze her face, then she pulled away, smiling.

 

"Sit," she said, even as she herself sat on the edge of her bed.

 

Mab felt the down sink as he sat on the bed next to her and she could see what would happen next. She watched it unfold before her like a scene from a play. She watched him as the shadows flickered across his face, and his eyes shone with a mixture of silver and gold light, not all of it reflected from the firelight in the room.

 

His hands were on her shoulders, then her arms, and they moved down to her waist. Her own hands were on his shoulders, but they couldn’t feel anything through his thick fur cloak.

 

"What do you want?" she asked him again.

 

"The same thing you do," he said. "Everything."

 

"Power," she said, and her voice was a whisper.

 

"What else?" he said.

 

"Everything," she repeated, and there was a smile on her lips.

 

"Everything," he said, as her hands pulled up his tunic, and she kissed him again, and this time their kiss was deep and hungry.

 

She could feel his heart beating beside her in anticipation and passion. He moaned in pleasure, and pressed against her. Halewyn's hands were on her waist now, then he moved them down to her hips, then to her bosom.

 

"I want to know..." she said, and the buckle fell to the ground. She then moved her hands to his pants, and he moaned.

 

"What do you want to know?" he asked.

 

"What Robin promised you."

 

Lord Halewyn froze, his silver eyes started flashing.

 

"I know," said Mab. "I have my spies, too."

 

"You knew it all along, didn't you?" he said, his voice soft and dangerous.

 

"I suspected it," she said, and she leaned into him, pressing her breasts against his chest. She felt his manhood hard against her, pressing into her stomach. "Do you really want to know?"

 

"That's what I came for," said Halewyn, his voice soft and dangerous.

 

"You're not the only one playing to win," said Queen Mab. "I know what you want and I can give it to you."

 

"You can't," said Halewyn.

 

"I can. I can give you something no one else can give you."

 

Mab pulled away from Lord Halewyn, and stepped away from the bed. He moved with her, but she stepped away again.

 

"What are you doing?" he asked.

 

"I'm going to give you what you want." She looked down at the ground, and began to straighten up, as she rose to her full height.

 

"But..."

 

"You want to really know about Robin," she said. "I'll tell you about Robin."

 

"I think..."

 

"I'll tell you about Robin," she said, moving back from him, her finger pointing at him. "And I'll show you."

 

"What are you..." Halewyn started, but then stopped, his mouth opening and closing.

 

Her eyes were shining with a hard, cold light, blue tinged with frost as crystal began to form at the edges of the room. Her body seemed to grow taller and taller, rising up until she towered over him, until she loomed over him taller than any mortal man.

 

"And then," the Queen of the Fae said, her voice deep and resonant. "Then I'll tell you all about tomorrow."

 

"But..." Halewyn started, but Mab had already turned away. She threw her head back, and her long, white-blonde hair cascaded down her back. Her bright eyes flashed, and she laughed bitterly, throwing her head back.

 

Lord Halewyn watched her for a moment, and then, finally, a smile spread across his face as well, and he bowed. "As you wish," he said as he backed toward the oaken door.

 

"Halewyn," she called to him as he turned. "If you ever use me that way again, I will kill you."

 

"I believe you will," he called back. "Good night, my queen."