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"It's time." The Dagda's voice was soft in the cavernous throne room.
"Time?" Midir glanced up at him from the book he was reading.
"The Sidhe need a leader, son. It always has been your destiny. It's time you took your place."
Midir pushed his fair hair out of his face.
"You cannot be serious, Father...They have you. You are our King."
"I can lead this family, Midir, but the time grows near when I will go into the West to sit with Danu again."
"What of Mother?"
"Your mother rules the tides of War, not the affairs of the Sidhe."
"Bridget?"
"The mortals look to her to guide their hearths and homes."
"What of...?"
"It's yours, son. Your place." The Dagda's voice had an air of finality to it, though his eyes were soft as they rested on his son.
Midir looked up at him, the bulwark of his childhood, the one who held them all together.
"It is yours. To rule the lesser houses. The other magical creatures. To keep their affairs in order and see they exist in peace with the mortals. King of the Sidhe. It is what you were born for."
"I don't...there's the music. And the poetry. Those things I was trained for, Father. But ruling them? When they look to this family, they are looking to you..."
"And now they will look to you. I must oversee the world, son. I cannot oversee the intricacies of a Court as well. You are my heir."
"I don't know how."
"Yes you do. You've known all your life. It's who you are. A leader. A ruler. A King."
I want to say that I've never doubted. That I go through my life, blithe and carefree. It's who I say I am. It's been part of the image for so long. No doubt allowed to be seen, no insecurity allowed to trickle through. To show it is to show weakness, which is never wise in a court.
But that day as I stood before my father's throne, I felt myself shake. When he stepped down from it, I longed to run back to my music hall, my painting, my poetry. To be the careless Prince I'd worked so hard to present to them all. What did I know about ruling a Court? The politics. The intricacies. Keeping the peace between the races and the families?
He stepped down. Moved to my side. Placed the scepter in my hand.
It was my destiny. It was who I was. I didn't trust myself in that, but I trusted him.
I took my place on the throne.
"Time?" Midir glanced up at him from the book he was reading.
"The Sidhe need a leader, son. It always has been your destiny. It's time you took your place."
Midir pushed his fair hair out of his face.
"You cannot be serious, Father...They have you. You are our King."
"I can lead this family, Midir, but the time grows near when I will go into the West to sit with Danu again."
"What of Mother?"
"Your mother rules the tides of War, not the affairs of the Sidhe."
"Bridget?"
"The mortals look to her to guide their hearths and homes."
"What of...?"
"It's yours, son. Your place." The Dagda's voice had an air of finality to it, though his eyes were soft as they rested on his son.
Midir looked up at him, the bulwark of his childhood, the one who held them all together.
"It is yours. To rule the lesser houses. The other magical creatures. To keep their affairs in order and see they exist in peace with the mortals. King of the Sidhe. It is what you were born for."
"I don't...there's the music. And the poetry. Those things I was trained for, Father. But ruling them? When they look to this family, they are looking to you..."
"And now they will look to you. I must oversee the world, son. I cannot oversee the intricacies of a Court as well. You are my heir."
"I don't know how."
"Yes you do. You've known all your life. It's who you are. A leader. A ruler. A King."
I want to say that I've never doubted. That I go through my life, blithe and carefree. It's who I say I am. It's been part of the image for so long. No doubt allowed to be seen, no insecurity allowed to trickle through. To show it is to show weakness, which is never wise in a court.
But that day as I stood before my father's throne, I felt myself shake. When he stepped down from it, I longed to run back to my music hall, my painting, my poetry. To be the careless Prince I'd worked so hard to present to them all. What did I know about ruling a Court? The politics. The intricacies. Keeping the peace between the races and the families?
He stepped down. Moved to my side. Placed the scepter in my hand.
It was my destiny. It was who I was. I didn't trust myself in that, but I trusted him.
I took my place on the throne.
