The Dark Fairy King
Chapter 69: New Beginnings

Chapter 69: New Beginnings

Soon, we were back at the palace.

Lumera was already removing the broken wand tattoos from what remained of the Anti-Magic Mages, firing laser-like beams with focused precision.

Devran was lining them up like a military officer with a personal vendetta.

As the doors swung open, the shadows I once used to guard the palace slithered back into their corners.

The palace workers bowed in unison.

"Greetings, Your Majesties," they chorused. "Thank you for your grace."

I nodded, though my gaze drifted to the courtroom—scorched ceiling, broken artwork, a missing chair.

It looked like a dragon had hosted a dinner party in here.

I smirked.

"Yeah... we should look into that," Scarlette said beside me, grinning.

"And we should also build a space for training," I added.

"And how do you propose we do that?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

But I was already on it.

Darkness surged from the edges of the room, rippling like liquid smoke.

The palace workers froze—half horrified, half awestruck.

Devran watched warily.

And Lumera—of course—wandered too close, curiosity outweighing caution.

The shadows spread like ink, filling every crack, burn, and hole—until the courtroom looked untouched, like the battle had never happened.

Then—

three thunderous bursts echoed from outside the palace.

"All done," I said simply.

Scarlette turned to me, eyes wide—almost proud.

"You could’ve done this all this time?"

I smirked. "Apparently."

"Look!" Lumera cried, pointing out the window. "One black building, one red, and one yellow! They just—appeared!"

"One for each faction," I explained. "Governed by each elder."

"I get one of these?" Lumera beamed.

"Yes," I replied, still grinning. "The yellow building with archives of all Light Fairy powers used by every generation."

"And the black one’s for me?" Devran asked, trying—and failing—to act casual.

"Including the basement filled with royal weapons," I said smoothly. "You can use them all."

Devran’s jaw dropped.

The two of them bolted like kids racing to unwrap gifts on Fairy Christmas morning.

"Hey! Council meeting tomorrow morning—as usual!" I called after them.

Scarlette looked at me with amused admiration.

"You’re spoiling them," she teased. "Most kings don’t let their council run wild. Let alone gift buildings."

"Ah, but I’ve never been most kings," I said with a sly grin. "Besides—it might seem like generosity, but in truth, I’m anchoring them to this palace and council by handing over their desires on a silver platter. Nothing’s ever free. And tomorrow? That’s when I collect what’s owed."

"Oh, I know you will. That’s very Veravos," Scarlette giggled. "But you know what I need now?"

"Sleep?" I guessed.

"Exactly," she yawned.

I exhaled.

Scarlette was already thinking of rest. I, on the other hand, was still weighed down.

The prison orb that held Judorah—still humming with dark power in my mind.

The hidden Midnight Orchids Devran guarded, fragile yet deadly.

The Mirror Realm, a gateway Judorah had slipped through as if it were mere glass.

The breach in our defenses—the Mages who shattered the sanctity of the United Fairy Kingdom.

And the empty seat in our council, a gaping reminder of what we lost.

Faragonda’s betrayal and absence weighed heavier than words. Her silence echoed through the halls, a ghost haunting every decision.

The kingdom had survived the storm, but the scars beneath ran deep.

They say ruling a kingdom is never easy. Now I understood why.

But tomorrow would bring a speech to the kingdom.

And a council meeting.

New beginnings are rarely simple.

But they are... beginnings.

"You’re still standing there?" Scarlette called from the hallway.

"Oh, right," I said, snapping out of it.

"You always do this," she teased. "There’s tomorrow, silly Dark Fairy King."

She pulled me back toward our chambers. Guards resumed their patrols, nodding as we passed.

"Where’s Juniper?" I asked.

And there she was—my Kitsune.

Perched smugly on the window ledge. Sitting on the speech I had written for my people... moons ago.

"Juni... why are you sitting on this?" I asked, rubbing her furry head.

"Good Juni. Keep him away from work," Scarlette laughed.

"Or she’s telling me to revise it," I muttered.

Juniper stretched lazily, tail flicking with disdain. She had that look—like she knew the entire script and refused to share the next line.

"You can’t use that speech anyway," Scarlette warned, laughing. "’Dear peasants, sit down and listen’ is not exactly the tone we’re going for. Not after a national crisis."

"But it’s tempting..." I sighed.

Juniper used her tail to cover the script.

Then—ate it.

"Juni... not cool," I groaned.

"Oh, excellent, Juni," Scarlette laughed even harder.

Juniper purred and looked at me with complete innocence, like she hadn’t just devoured royal policy.

I gave up. She licked my face again.

Silly Kitsune.

At least some things don’t change in the chaos of seasons and reigns.

Maybe my pet is the only constant I need.

Morning arrived faster than I expected—too fast, really.

I’d knocked out hard, like a tranquilized horse, and now the bed beside me was cold and empty.

"Scar...? Juni?"

Only silence answered back.

A sinking feeling hit me. I was late. Late for my own council meeting.

Scrambling, I fixed my hair, adjusted my collar, and let the familiar dark tendrils wrap around me, pulling me through shadows to the council room.

But when I arrived—nothing. Empty. Silent.

That wasn’t right.

Weird.

I tried again—this time reappearing in the dining hall.

There they were.

Lumera picking the icing off cakes.

Devran slurping poison snakes like noodles.

Juniper perched on the windowsill, casually eating poison apples.

But Scarlette? Nowhere in sight.

"Hey, King Ver," Devran greeted.

"Hello, boss man," Lumera chimed.

"What happened to our meeting?" I asked.

"Oh, don’t we always have our meetings here?" Lumera said, blinking.

"Yup," Devran added. "Unless you’ve had a change of heart."

He was right.

With this council... we always met here.

"So... there’s still a seat empty," Devran noted, twirling a blade with a poison apple skewered on the end.

"Yeah," Lumera added. "Who’s going to represent the Love Fairies now?"

Of course. Faragonda’s seat still sat vacant.

"Can’t Queen Scarlette be the Love Fairy Elder?" Lumera asked innocently.

Devran snorted. "You’ve got the gall to ask the Queen of the whole realm to be your peer? Some nerve, Lums."

I grinned.

"Yeah, no," I said. "The Love Fairy Elder has to be the most senior Fairy out there—and it can’t be the Queen. The people must choose."

Right on cue, Scarlette entered—with someone new beside her.

A tanned Love Fairy stepped forward, wearing a surprisingly plain khaki tunic that contrasted sharply with the usual red robes. His brown hair was pulled back into a tidy man bun, and his warm hazel eyes scanned the room with a calm, steady kindness.

Juniper lifted her head from the windowsill, her tail flicking with a mixture of curiosity and cautious approval.

"Dearest council," Scarlette announced. "Meet Love Fairy Elder Warren."

Warren bowed. "Greetings, King Veravos. Senior Lumera. Devran. Thank you, Queen Scarlette, for your kind introduction."

"Senior Lumera?" Lumera frowned. "You just made me sound ancient."

Devran snorted. "More like dramatic and delusional."

Lumera scowled.

To our surprise, Juniper brushed against Warren’s tunic—approving.

"Hey! She growled at me when we first met!" Devran said indignantly.

"She sat on my head," Lumera grumbled.

Warren gave a sheepish smile.

"Why are you wearing khaki?" Lumera blurted. "I thought Love Fairies wore red?"

"Lums, you can’t just question someone’s outfit. You’re not the fashion police," Devran muttered.

"Oh—um, I’m from a special tribe of Love Fairies," Warren said. "We specialise in shield magic."

That caught my attention.

"Shield magic?" Lumera asked, intrigued.

"Yes. Love protects," he said. "Our shields draw from affection, devotion, even heartbreak. They’re forged from connection."

Without warning, Devran hurled a cup at him.

A glowing brown shield materialised, bouncing the cup back—spilling drink down Devran’s front.

Lumera doubled over laughing.

Scarlette sighed. "That is not how we welcome new council members."

"You’re being children," I said, exasperated.

"Devran..." I added. "Why?"

"Initiation," he shrugged. "But he’s not getting off easy."

"Be nice," Lumera nudged him.

Warren stood calmly, like we were the strangest fairy circus he’d ever seen.

Then Devran leaned forward.

"Prove it."

"What?" Warren blinked.

"Prove you’re a Love Fairy," Devran said. "Not just some khaki-wearing bard."

Scarlette groaned. "Seriously?"

Warren paused. Then, deadpanned:

"Roses are red.

Vodka is clear.

You threw me a cup—

So I flung it back, dear."

The room went dead silent.

"Warren... what was that?" Scarlette asked, blinking.

"Love poem," he replied. "Because I’m a Love Fairy."

And then—

the whole council burst into laughter.

Even Devran cracked a grin. "Unbelievable."

Yes.

I had a hunch he was going to fit in just fine.

Light Fairy who was once possessed by darkness, but now burns brighter than any other? Check.

Dark Fairy, once controlled as a puppet but now wields blades and secrets? Check.

Awkward Love Fairy who only uses protective spells and horrible love poems, check?

They keep getting worse.

But somehow... I’m exactly where I’m meant to be.