The chosen are walked to the south wing of the palace where small bonfires have been lit. Streamers in all different colours are hung up everywhere, garlands of flowers wrapped around every pole and light.

Fae are dressed differently, not wearing their fine fitted suits, but loose dresses and shirts and trousers.

They all wander around the bonfires, smiling and drinking.

The King's podium stands. He walks with Queen Marlia following him, flowers threaded through her long white blonde hair. The Princes follow their mother, each wearing trousers and loose shirts. Aeris leans over to speak into Alvaryn's ear and he smiles in return.

"Welcome my friends to the Summer Solstice celebration." King Harwyn speaks, his voice loud and clear as everyone stops and turns to face him. "As we gather and watch the sun set may we all be embraced by its light and warmth as it watches over us, giving us its strength and power." Everyone breaks out in applause and cheers, whistles and happy cries. I feel like I am in a different kingdom. Where are all the high lords and ladies and their usual false smiles and quite words.

Music begins to play and it is so unlike the music they usually play. I watch as the fae males and females start dancing around the fires, their movements somewhat wild and carefree compared to the usual orchestrated dances.

I can't help but be reminded of the dancing back at home, our feet stomping and stepping with the beat of the music, smiles on our flushed faces and fire lighting up the night sky.

Rue smiles at me brightly, a ring of flowers on her head. She holds out her hands to me. "Dance with me." She insists, pulling me towards the bonfire. She is laughing and happier than I have ever seen her.

We spin and leap around the bonfire, Fae voices sing in harmony, words I don't understand but sound beautiful. Rue spins, clapping her hands with the others.

I try my best to follow along, drawn into the others, spinning and dancing and quickly finds myself out of breath, when one of the males reaches for Rue and she takes his hands I step away.

I wander around the groups of fae laughing and conversing before finding another bonfire and see shapes in it, deer made of fire dance around the flames. I have never seen anything like it, then I see Aeris, his eyes concentrating on the flames.

Magic.

I watch as the deer change into birds, swooping in and out of the flames as fae dance around.

"It's beautiful." I say coming to stand beside Aeris.

"As are you," He smiles at me, looking me up and down. "Enjoying the Solstice dearest?" He asks, eyes returning to the fire as the birds change into small fae dancing around with linked hands.

"Yes, only, it reminds me of home." I admit, eyes transfixed by the dancing flames.

He scoffs. "Fae in their true form remind you of your human home?"

"This is your true form?"

"We weren't born to live in palaces and wear suits, talking politics while servants follow us everywhere." He smiles. "We were born living among the woods with the other fae folk and creatures, living in trees and sharing the land."

"They haven't told us that in fae history."

"No, they wouldn't. It isn't a history that many like to remember. They have become too used to their finery and wealth that the idea of actually working and living with the land is too horrific for most." He replies.

"What about you?"

"I think I would rather enjoy living in my true form, I don't particularly enjoy all of the court nonsense as it is, so a life where there was even less sounds good to me."

"Do you think they would still have the offering?"

He glances at me before returning to focus on the flames, the tiny fire fae turn into trees, growing around the bonfire, leaves falling around them, the fae dancing around the falling sparks of flame with hands above their heads.

"No. Before everything changed, Fae and Humans lived in unity. There was no barrier stopping the humans from coming into our lands. Fae and Humans were known to co-exist in peace. Of course this was centuries ago. The thought of it ever being that way again is an impossible one."

I nod, still watching the fire trees swaying and moving with the breeze.

"How are you able to talk with me and still create all of this?" I ask in awe, watching as the leaves on the fire trees change into butterflies as they float and flitter over the fire, the fae dancing around cheering at the change.

"Well I would like to be able to say it is just natural ability and talent, but in truth it is a lot of practice and many years of training. Fire doesn't naturally want to conform, its true desire is to be free and wild," I can feel him watching me and I turn, finding his dark eyes studying me, his words filling my mind. "But, with the right techniques, fire can be shaped, never controlled, but guided to move and bend."

What had he called my temper, a little fire, a spark?

Is that how he saw me? Like a flame, wanting to be free, wild, unwilling to conform.

"True fire can never be controlled, that was the first thing I needed to learn when I developed my magic." He says, turning back to the bonfire.

The butterflies blend into the flames, one single butterfly flutters away, wings flapping in the darkness as it nears us, its body and wings bright orange and red, it is beautiful, I watch as it floats towards me.

Aeris faces me, he holds out his hand and the butterfly lands on it, wings folding back.

I want to touch it, to feel it. I reach my finger out towards the delicate creature.

But Aeris takes my hand.

"It's fire dearest, it might look beautiful but it still burns."

I look up at him and find him smiling down at me, amusement on his expression.

"It doesn't burn you." I say softly.

He shakes his head. "My magic can't harm me." I watch utterly transfixed as the butterfly lifts up, wings flapping as it floats and flutters in the air between us before returning to the bonfire joining the flames.

I find myself smiling and look up at Aeris. "Thank you, I've never seen anything so wonderful in all my life, I doubt I will ever again."

"You're very welcome dearest, now as much as I would like to keep you to myself for the rest of the night, why don't you go and enjoy the rest of the festival. I'll be at the main bonfire for a while longer and I'm sure Alvy is wondering around looking for you."

"Do you need a drink or something? You're starting to sound considerate." I tease.

He grins. "No, I'm on my best behaviour tonight until my duties are done. Excessive amounts of alcohol and magic don't mix well."

"Daella!" I hear someone call out my name and turn to find Elsie and Layla, their identical faces smiling with wide excited grins, flower garlands on their bright copper hair and one in Elsie's hands.

"Happy Solstice." Layla smiles as she takes the garland and sets it on my head.

"There, now you are properly dressed." Elsie laughs. "Come dance with us." She smiles taking my hand and pulling me after her while Layla takes my other hand.

I look over my shoulder to see Aeris, he only winks at me with a smirk before turning back to the bonfire.

I dance with Elsie and Layla, we twist and turn between other fae, males and females all smiling.

"I'm thirsty!" I call out to Elsie over the music, she nods and then she is taking my hand and Layla is following us.

We reach a table full of foods and drinks and the girls reach for glasses of wine.

"Its fae wine, it's so delicious." Layla smiles, drinking it down.

Elsie hands me a glass and I drink quickly, it is sweet.

"Oh look, there's Millie and Isbeth!" Elsie points at the girls as they move towards us, smiling and breathing heavily, flowers on their heads.

"Happy Solstice" Isbeth smiles. "Isn't this just so beautiful, we never had anything like this in the human world."

"I love Summer Solstice, there is a winter solstice as well, I wonder what it will be like." Millie grins excitedly.

They look at me smiling with wide eyes, pupils full and black.

"Here, have some more of this." Layla smiles, holding another glass of wine up to me. I drink it down quickly.

"It's the wine you know." I turn to see Fynley smiling with a wine glass in her hand.

"What?"

"Why they are so happy, it's the fae wine, I don't think it's made for humans." She smiles.

"But I've already had some, and you're drinking it." I say looking at the empty glass worried I should be throwing it up.

"It won't do anything bad, just puts you in more of the solstice spirit." She smiles, lifting her glass to me and drinking the wine.

"We should go back and dance some more." Isbeth says, cheeks flushed.

"Oh yes!" Millie claps her hands.

I set down the empty cup not sure what to do, then Layla takes my hand pulling me along.

The music sounds different, like I can hear it better. I move closer to the flames, their bright glow warm and inviting. I can feel my body respond to the music, following the other girls around the bonfire, I twist and turn.

Someone takes my hand and twirls me around and I feel myself smiling.

"Happy Solstice." Alvaryn smiles down at me, holding my hand and joining in with the dance. He wraps me back around until I am pressed against his body.

"Happy Solstice!" I smile back. "Have you seen the fire magic? Isn't it just the most beautiful thing you have ever seen?"

He smiles down at me. "It is very beautiful, Aeris is very talented. Are you having fun?" He asks, spinning me around as I step around him, the light from the fire making wild shadows around me. I lift up my free hand, holding it above my head, I move around Alvaryn until he is holding me again and I smile.

"Yes, are you having fun?"

"Yes, much more now that I have found you. Have you been drinking wine by chance?" He asks, hand guiding me back and forward as we dance with the beating drums, they pound in rhythm, I can feel it in my bones, as the melody wraps around me, voices singing high and low are dancing in my veins.

"Elsie and Layla gave me some."

"Maybe we should find you some water." He smiles, hands at my waist as he lifts me in the air and sets me down again.

"I am feeling thirsty again." I smile. He takes my hand pulling me away from the fire and towards the tables where other fae linger.

He puts a cup in my hands and I drink it greedily.

My body feels like it is melting with the music and the flames, the song winding its way through me and I want to keep dancing.

"Will you dance with me?" I ask, setting down the empty cup.

"Of course, but maybe away from the others, we can dance over here." He says taking my hand and leading me on a path of glowing lights. Other fae are talking and smiling, glasses in their hands, lanterns and streamers overhead.

"Here." Alvaryn stops, he turns me, and I look overhead, the lanterns look like tiny suns glowing over our heads. We move and step with the music, the pull still there but not as over powering. I breathe in the cool night air and look up at him, eyes bright and silver.

"You have beautiful eyes, like molten silver, only sometimes they are more like two storm clouds, dark and foreboding, but not tonight." I smile.

"Thank you," He smiles, hands at my waist, lifting me and setting me back down. "You have beautiful eyes as well. I don't think I have ever met anyone with the same colour."

"They are the same as my mothers." I smile. "She is much nicer than me though."

"You must miss her."

"Yes," I sigh. "Very much. I wonder if she would come live in the woods with us, maybe the others could live there as well." I say excitedly.

"Are we moving into the woods?" he asks, hand at my waist moving me side to side.

"If fae return to their true forms, we would live in the woods, with all the other fae and humans, there would be no more barrier. Then I wouldn't have to feel like this."

"Feel like what?"

"Guilty, guilty because I would miss you, and Aeris, but I can't go home, there is no going home, I would just disappear and no one would miss me. And I shouldn't think about them but if I stop then I feel like I am betraying them. But this way, this way we could all live together." I smile taking his face in my hands and smiling up at him.

I can feel his hands on my waist.

"That is a lot to take in all at once Dae, you aren't betraying your family by creating new relationships here. They would want you to be happy." His face soft, my thumbs graze his cheekbones. How could someone be so beautiful? But in a masculine way, the way his body moved when we danced. I imagine it is similar to how a warrior moved in the stories I read, strong and sure, each move and step confident but graceful. I am jealous. Wait, did I just say that out loud?

"Yes you did say all of that out loud Dae. But what do you mean, you would disappear and no one would miss you?" He asks looking concerned.

"If I don't do what they want me to do of course, they both warned me. I am trying, trying harder, will you tell them that I have been trying?" I ask softly, he would tell them, we were friends.

"Tell who?" He asks, placing a hand on one of my wrists. I look at it.

"The Advisor and Mistress." I answer. "I don't want to die Alvaryn, I get so angry sometimes, I know, and I try to be better, but sometimes it's so hard, and they are always watching. Except when I'm with you," I smile up at him. "And Aeris, then I don't have to pretend."

"Did the Advisor tell you that? That he would kill you?" He asks, his voice changing, his eyes growing darker.

"Storm clouds." I whisper.

"Dae, I need you to focus," He says, his hands holding my face still and I smile at the touch. "Did Varis tell you he would kill you if you didn't do what he wants?" He asks, two dark storm clouds framed by thick dark lashes staring down at me and I nod.

He blinks, before letting me go and stepping back from me. He looks angry.

"Did I say something wrong? I'm sorry." I say quickly. He looks at me quickly, anger disappearing.

"No, no you haven't done anything wrong Dae. Honestly everything makes so much more sense now, you've just solved this annoying puzzle in my head that I was beginning to think was unsolvable." He says holding my shoulders. "Now, we are going to go back to the bonfires and find Aeris, though I'm not sure if it would be a good idea to tell him this close to open flames."

"Can we go back and dance?" I ask holding my skirts around me and spinning on the soft grass.

"Yes, we will go back and dance," He smilestaking my hand. "Come on, let's go and find my brother."