Unmasking the Fairy
Lott settled comfortably, propping up his legs in a relaxed pose. "Look at you. Please be honest with me," he teased.
Morgan playfully patted his thigh. "Hey—"
Lott quickly adjusted his posture, a sheepish grin on his face.
With a gentle touch, Morgan began to massage Lott, her fingers working skillfully. After a while, she brought out ear-cleaning tools, meticulously attending to him. Once she finished, she softly blew warm air into his ears, a gesture both intimate and playful, before mischievously nibbling on his earlobe. Morgan had learned this technique well, having picked up knowledge from various sources.
Feeling relaxed and cherished, Lott lay on Morgan's lap, content. "You know, if we could do this every day, life would be perfect. But alas, we still have so much to handle."
He craned his neck to meet her gaze, though his view was partially blocked. "What are you looking at?"
"Where are you looking!" Morgan playfully scolded, a smile tugging at her lips.
Lott chuckled, and after a moment of playful banter, Morgan turned serious. "After all this, I'll make sure to give you ear massages like this every day."
"Okay," he agreed, nodding enthusiastically.
Morgan's mind began to wander. "Once the dust settles, we can hand over the throne to our children and enjoy retirement."
Lott considered her words. "What title should we take then?"
"Let's just call ourselves the emperor and empress," he suggested without hesitation, invoking his lineage. His father, Liu Bang, had been the first emperor, and Lott felt a certain pride in that heritage.
"Emperor, huh? That's quite a title," Morgan mused. "But since you enjoy having fun, it seems fitting."
The conversation continued, light and filled with dreams of the future, until Lott's exhaustion took over, and he drifted off to sleep. Morgan watched him peacefully, her fingers stroking his hair as she hummed a Celtic lullaby.
As Lott slept, Morgan's attention turned to Baobhan Sith. The fairy was isolated, with no companions nearby. Curiosity piqued, Morgan began to weave a spell to eavesdrop on the conversations of the other fairies.
"Can you believe it? That fierce woman has been caught!" one fairy exclaimed.
"Right? The strength of those human kings is terrifying!" another chimed in.
"Why are you all so afraid of her? She seems like just another fairy with a unique outfit," a newcomer argued.
"You little ones have no idea," came a wise fairy's voice. "Among us, Baobhan Sith is a rare breed of villain."
Morgan listened intently as the fairies continued to gossip, revealing a litany of rumours about Baobhan Sith's dark reputation. They spoke of her thirst for human blood and her cruelty towards other fairies. It was said she bullied her peers mercilessly, striking those who dared to look at her too long. The tales painted her as a fearsome figure, one even Morgan found hard to believe at first.
As she absorbed the information, Morgan found herself amused. Compared to these fairies, Baobhan Sith seemed much more manageable. Why would I want to kill her?
Yet, the contradictions nagged at her. If Baobhan Sith was indeed as wicked as they claimed, then why wouldn't she align with Morgan? If she lacked the character or determination, she'd remain a mere captive.
The following morning, after Lott had returned to slumber, Morgan decided to investigate further. She and Gawain sought out the refugees who had accompanied Baobhan Sith, hoping to glean more about her true nature.
To Morgan's surprise, none of the villagers viewed Baobhan Sith as evil. Some children even defended her. "Your Majesty Morgan, that hooded lady may speak harshly, but she's a good person!" one child insisted.
After prolonged questioning, Morgan reached a bewildering conclusion: those who feared Baobhan Sith were either misinformed or had personal vendettas against her. Meanwhile, those less acquainted with her reputation saw her as a misunderstood figure.
Puzzled by this disparity, Morgan reflected. Could it be that Baobhan Sith was deliberately crafting her notorious image? What is she thinking?
Morgan chuckled at the irony. "What a curious character—playing the villain while secretly wanting to be seen as a good person."
Deciding to confront Baobhan Sith directly, Morgan turned to Gawain. "Bring her here."
Gawain hesitated. "Mother, are we going to torture her again?"
Morgan rolled her eyes. "What torture? I just want to talk."
"Okay," Gawain replied, eager to comply.
When Baobhan Sith was brought before Morgan, she strutted in defiantly, maintaining an air of arrogance. "What do you want?" she snapped.
Morgan smiled, suppressing her amusement. "So, the infamous Baobhan Sith—the fairy known across the realms for your... exploits."
Baobhan Sith perked up at the acknowledgement. "Yes, that's me. Surprised you know who I am. Are you scared?"
"Terrified," Morgan deadpanned, then continued, "But really, I wonder—how does it feel to be a 'good person' pretending to be a 'bad guy'? Isn't that exhausting?"
Baobhan Sith's defiance faltered. "What do you mean, pretending? I'm not pretending!"
Morgan raised an eyebrow, her smile playful yet probing. "Come now, it's obvious. You act tough, but deep down, you must be weary of it."
Baobhan Sith crossed her arms, fuming. "I'm no coward! I am who I am!"
"Indeed, but I can see there's more to you," Morgan said, her tone light. "It's a curious contradiction, don't you think?"
The fairy glared back, her façade cracking as curiosity flickered in her eyes.