I entered the room and the angry voices paused. I leaned against the doorway and impassively stared out of the large patio windows as my High Lord introduced me. Tuning him out, I lazily studied the landscape, searching for landmarks that would indicate where we were. Since I truly didn't give a damn, I watched the sun as it sank behind the mountains instead. Huh, mountains. Probably somewhere north then. Not Winter, maybe the Night Court? Not that it particularly mattered. I turned my gaze to the occupants of the room, and met the inquisitive looks of several extravagantly dressed fae, while the rest ignored my presence. I was startled to attention when a cold hand pressed against my elbow, and the High Lord of the Winter Court's annoyed voice pierced my brain, "Iris, greet the other High Lords properly." Well that's the answer to that question then. If it was a gathering of the high lords, we were definitely Under The Mountain. Considering the view, they must've built an addition on top of the section they were trapped in for 50 years. Understandable. I ignored the icy grip on my elbow, and the expectant stares and resumed staring out of the window. He should know better than to even ask such a thing of me. An irritated grunt followed the moment of silence, and I was left at my perch in the doorway as he went to get a seat. I leaned there, in a daze, while conversation and the flow of people continued around me. After an immeasurable amount of time I started to wander about the room. Fae from what I assumed were Autumn, Summer, Winter, Day, and the Night court by their appearances were all present. All but Spring, which was again understandable given the events that occurred in the past. I couldn't say how long ago, or even what all took place, but I could safely estimate that it was at least 3 winters ago. Maybe 30. I usually tried to sleep through the winter, and my most tolerable handmaiden was tasked with keeping me updated on the headlines of what was going on in the world I unfortunately was a part of. A war with another continent, civil wars between the courts, humans turning into Fae, the headlines were enough to tell me that I was lucky to be secluded away. Well, I felt that way for the most part anyway. Maybe. Pushing down the jolt of rage at that thought, I returned to my constant blankness and found a new pillar to lean on. A fiery pressure suddenly made me aware of how sore my feet were after standing however long in such flimsy useless shoes, so I pulled out the closest chair and took a seat. I found myself seated beside who I believed to be the High Lord of the Night Court. I really should've looked before sitting.
I looked across the table to meet the High Lord of Winter's icy glare, and tried to tune into the conversation as I watched his lips form his harsh sentence "I apologize for my daughter's rude absentmindedness. I believe she suffered some sort of brain injury as a child before our… Meeting. I've never heard her speak, and she hardly acknowledges her surroundings. Not a lot going on up there, if you know what I mean," he laughed as he made swirls with his fingers pointing at his temples. "Well I suppose she hasn't always been this bad. It's gotten worse with time…" he trailed off and gestured to a winter guard, waving in my direction, "bring her over here, will you?" As the lightly armoured soldier made his way around the oval table, the male beside me lifted a hand "She's fine where she is. It's no trouble. Cassian." He glanced at the male who had just entered the room and was hovering behind my chair, and he promptly sat himself in the empty one to my right. Oops. Guess I stole his seat. My face remained a pale slate as I felt the unfamiliar feelings of embarrassment and shame burn in my chest. "Why is she even here, exactly?" grumbled the fiery haired High Lord of Autumn, "You've never bothered to even introduce her before. Not even when we visit your court." The room filled with answering murmurs of agreement, and the cold empty feeling that constantly filled my chest swiftly took over the momentary burn of embarrassment. I had also briefly wondered that same thing as I was being swiftly dressed in the flimsy elegant get-up per the High Lord of Winter's orders, but the curiosity had quickly faded. Now, with the attention of all the courts, I found it easy to pay attention as we got an answer. "I have decided to give away my daughter's hand in marriage." was his easy response, a charismatic grin gracing his lips. Like a dam had opened, I was instantly drowning in feelings, fears, and thoughts that I had kept locked way, stuffed down, my whole life. With one single sentence, two centuries of keeping myself in a constant state of blank emptiness came undone. I felt an itch at the back of my throat as the urge to scream clawed its way up and rested on my tongue. I was so overwhelmed and trapped in my own head that it took me a minute to realize he had continued speaking. "… doesn't look like much, but she's extremely powerful. I would say even stronger than any of us seated at this table." He looked around the room as each court but the night court took their turns scoffing, rolling their eyes, and generally looking outright insulted. Autumn took it the hardest. "You're telling me, that numb bimbo is stronger than me, a high lord? Stronger than my sons?" he gestured to the gingers to his left and right, before continuing, "I don't sense any power from her. Any magical presence at all for that matter. My sons are the only bachelors left, so as this is obviously targeted towards me, I'd like some proof. Well, I suppose Tamlin is also available" he smirked, "but the High Lord of Spring hasn't bothered to join us today." At this point, my opposition to this happening was turning into a tangible, physical feeling, and my muscles locked as I fought the urge to just run, and never turn back. The other courts chimed in with arguments, and questions, and my eyes darted around the room searching for the best route to escape. I turned to my right to find… Cameron? Carter?... Cassian. Cassian was watching me. "Are you okay?" he murmured quietly. "Did you know about this?" My throat completely closed off at the concerned look in his eyes, and it took everything in me to not beg for help. As if I could trust him. My head whipped around at the sound of a chair scraping back, and I watched as my father rose and swept his arms dramatically. "Enough with this" he announced, "I'll let you see for yourselves. Roy, the cuffs." I felt my blood freeze at those words. The cuffs. He meant to take them off. I instantly longed for my days of feeling nothing, of caring for nothing, merely existing no matter how pointless that existence was. There was no going back to it now. All I knew was that if he got those cuffs, it was over for real. I would be thrust back into who I was 200 years ago, and that could not happen. As the burly second of the Winter court rounded the table, I stood. He paused. "Cuffs?" Autumn questioned. "You've heard of cage-cuffs I presume?" my father drawled, watching me inquisitively. He was intrigued that I appeared to be reacting. Probably doubting that I would fight, but at the same time waiting in eager anticipation that I would. "Those were all destroyed" the High Lord of Summer angrily said "we all deemed them far too cruel and dangerous, and I personally saw that each pair was destroyed." My father chuckled "Well I had to keep a pair as protection. You never know when you need to cut off someone from their magic. Good thing I did too, or I'd no doubt be dead by now." He winked at me, before waving at Roy to continue.
My heart clenched, and I opened my mouth to protest, but no sound came out. So I did the next best thing. I gave into my impulse, and I turned and ran. Surrounding the table were wide open doors that led to an enclosed balcony, and I sprinted to the one directly behind me. I'd rather be dead than be a pawn for my monster of a father. Rather be dead than have that uncontrollable power consume me again. Rather be dead than be given to a man with the sole purpose to produce offspring just like my mother had. So I ran. I didn't make it far. I felt an arm close around my waist as I was grabbed from behind just as the tips of my fingers grazed the railing.
