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THEY LED TEAGAN AWAY, down the corridor to another fancy chamber. Once there, Teagan was immediately surrounded by a dozen fluttering Fae women. The women forced a flustered Aidan back outside the doors of the chamber and pounced on her babbling cheerfully as they worked. Before she knew what was going on, Teagan was completely stripped and soaking in a deliciously warm bath which smelled sweetly of lavender and vanilla.
After what seemed like too small an amount of time, Teagan was gently prodded out of the tub, toweled dry with the softest cloth she had ever felt, and swabbed from head to toe with oil that smelled of lavender and vanilla. Feeling deliriously relaxed, she raised her arms above her head as the women fitted her with a sheer dress that glittered with tiny silver and blue gems. Teagan was amazed at how perfectly the dress fit her as it slid neatly into place down the length of her body. When she glanced down to exam the beautiful dress, Teagan became slightly embarrassed at the immodesty of it. The dress was almost completely see-through except for in the most private areas, which were only covered by thin blue bands of material.
“Beautiful.” One of the Fae women murmured as she clapped her hands together gleefully.
“Exquisite.” Teagan heard another say with a curt nod of approval.
“Fit for a Queen,” said yet another.
Teagan blushed at the Fae women’s compliments. She did feel rather pretty, and she felt more appropriately dressed then the ragged jeans and skimpy tank she had been wearing when she first arrived. The women set to work brushing out her long hair and several pairs of hands adeptly braided small sections of it, leaving most of it free. When they were finished braiding it, they added hundreds of tiny silver and blue gems to the braids. When they were done, Teagan twirled happily in front of the mirror. She looked like a shimmering diamond, and Teagan was amazed when she realized she could see her own aura. It danced around her in exotic swirls making the gems in her hair and on her gown gleam brilliantly. Teagan squeezed her hands together and giggled with girlish delight. She felt like a princess.
After what seemed like hours of preparation, the women guided Teagan, a finished masterpiece, out into the hall. Inside the room, she had voiced her concern about taking so long to get ready. Teagan was afraid the queen would be angered because she was making her wait. To Teagan’s dismay, the women fluttered and clucked and assured her that the queen would not be anger. The Fae women also assured me that, here in Tir na nÓg, time moves more slowly then what she was used to in the human realm, and that Teagan should not agitate herself with a matter as trivial as time restraints. Good things take time to accomplish.
Once in the hall, Teagan was met again by Árdghal. He bowed to her and then gave her a questioning glance. He looked resigned and uncomfortable.
“What is it Árdghal, is everything all right?” Teagan asked wondering if there was something wrong with the way she was dressed.
He cleared his throat.
“Ah, I merely wondered if you wish to hug me again, You’re Majesty?” He asked unenthusiastically obviously trying to accommodate her.
Unable to control herself, Teagan burst out into peals of laughter. She was laughing so hard she doubled over holding her stomach and had to take deep breaths to calm down. During her fit of delight, Árdghal stepped back from her as if laughing was some sort of contagion and eyed Teagan wearily. She laughed so hard a tear, escaping one eye and dripping off her cheek, landed squarely on the floor. As it hit the marble floor, the laughter subsided instantly as she stared in amazement. Where the tear had fallen, a tiny little green vine began to poke through a crack in the floor which had just appeared. Teagan watched, utterly spellbound, as the tiny vine grew a good two inches in a matter of seconds.
“Amazing,” Teagan murmured in a hushed tone. When she looked up and realized Árdghal still looked doubtful, she hastened to reassure him.
“It’s okay Árdghal, you don’t have to hug me, and I’ll try to control myself, I promise.” Teagan saw him relax instantly. It was fortunate that she was able to control the laughter that threatened again because her uncle looked ready to bolt due to the first outburst and she wasn’t sure he could last through another.
“Whatever her Majesty desires,” Árdghal said formally dismissing the matter and offered his arm in escort.
“Oh, you can just call me Teagan.” She told him cheerfully while lacing her arm through his.
“Yes, your Majesty Teagan.” Árdghal replied formally again.
Teagan rolled her eyes at him and laughed silently to herself. She was starting to figure out that she wasn’t going to fit in very well here. Everyone was so stuffy and proper. She wasn’t a proper kind of girl. She was more like one of those say what you think, loves a good laugh, kind of girls. “Boy, were these Fae in for a surprise if she stuck around for a while. Who could live in a world with no hugs? Did they ever show affection? Her grandmother, Nuala, had shown emotion when she had hugged her earlier. Perhaps it was only the Fae warriors that didn’t show affection.” Teagan thought.
As they walked farther away from the chamber, down the hall, Teagan started to get nervous. She kept wondering where Aidan was. They were supposed to stay together. Teagan didn’t want to get thrown to the wolves without him there for support and she was worried about something bad happening without him close. She felt Árdghal as he tensed under her arm and he stopped swiftly, sending Teagan to an abrupt halt beside him.
Suddenly, a door off the side corridor opened and Colin stepped through it. As Colin turned and looked at her, Teagan’s face turned crimson from the intensity of his stare. His smoldering gaze traveled down the length of her. The heated look Colin gave her had her feeling like a million bucks, but it also made her uncomfortable. Teagan still had love for him, but that love was more of a sisterly kind of love. Aidan was the only man she had room for in her life now. She hoped that Colin could accept the fact that they were not meant to be together, but he would always be her family, and they apparently would always share a bond due to the contract.
Approaching her, Colin bowed his head, “You’re Majesty,” he said cockily, and he raised one eyebrow at her. His voice was way too sexy, and Teagan blushed again feeling awkward and very uncomfortable with his closeness.
When she didn’t respond, Colin nodded once, as if he had it all figured out in his mind and turned to address her uncle.
“Árdghal,” Colin said in greeting to her uncle.
Árdghal’s only response to him was a curt nod of his head acknowledging that he had indeed heard Colin. Árdghal patted Teagan’s hand reassuringly and she almost jumped in astonishment at the warm gesture. As Árdghal and Teagan continued walking down the corridor, Colin silently fell into step beside them.
“Aidan will meet us at the throne room.” Colin’s explanation was short, and it was obvious that he wasn’t going to elaborate any further.
Teagan shrugged her shoulders at him and nodded shortly. She felt minutely safer with Colin by her side knowing he could defend her if need be. Having someone near her that she knew was a nice change.