Elain woke up in an unfamiliar room that seemed to be made exclusively out of golds and greens, lit from within by a blazing fireplace. The display of wealth was above that of any human she'd ever met. Though the décor was without a doubt breath-taking, it was something within her that took her breath away as if hit in the stomach. She crawled to the edge of the bed and vomited like she had never before.
Two fiery hot hands held her hair away from her face.
'Easy there, flower picker.'

He offered her a glass of water after she was done.
'I can't drink that. I'm not as stupid as to ignore advise about your kind twice.'
'Just drink it. You're stuck here anyway. You signed the contract, remember?'
'What did you do to me?' she asked meekly while staring at the ice cubes inside of her glass. So she had indeed been kidnapped from her home. The inevitability of her situation hit her hard yet a sad resignation pooled in her stomach. Without remembering the road there was no way to get back. What did it matter if she got to lay between soft silken sheets, or that she was drinking from a cup with a golden stem? She had no one to share these luxuries with. All she wanted was to see her sisters again, or at least have a proper goodbye.
While staring at her glass she suddenly noticed something had gone missing; her bracelet.
'Yeah, I got rid of that', he clarified after noticing her glance. ' I'm already lacking in the ethereal beauty department, so I wouldn't want to make it worse by having you accidentally burn my skin. I gave you some foxglove to spare you the boring journey. That's all. These are just the after effects.'

'Why didn't you kill me?'
'That would be just a wee bit boring. I've lived with Andras and Tamlin for centuries and believe me, we've covered everything between the three of us. I could do with someone new to amuse me with insights and opinions.'
'How old are you?'
He smirked. 'Old. Rest. You'll remain in my room tonight so I can watch over you.'
She glanced around the room again. It wasn't exactly the spitting image of the gloomy lair of legends.

'If you want a dark scary hole underneath a tree where all kinds of fairies dwell in dark hallways illuminated by fairylights, you should go to the Autumn or Night court.'
'Where are we then?'
'We're in the Spring Court. Of course, should you like to have the ultimate fairy tale experience, those courts would be more than happy to provide it.'
Elain shivered.
'You would let me go there?'
The ginger looked at her with his piercing odd pair of eyes. She wondered if his golden eye held some magic to it. She felt completely exposed under his gaze. 'Should you wish. I have no particular need of you so it would be useless to force you to hang around here unwillingly. You're only forbidden to go back to the human realm.'

Though the fire was gently crackling Elain felt the need to cover herself. 'If I am to remain here, could I at least know your name?'
'I am Lucien.'
'And? No surname?'
'Not one that I wish to go by.' He really wasn't forthcoming with information.
'I'm Elain.'

Lucien left one candle burning so he could sort through his papers on the other side of the room. As much as she wished to remain awake and alert, the warmth of the fire and the gentle sound of his scribbling lulled her to sleep.
She came out of her slumber when the room was entirely dark. Without moving she tried to look for signs of the red haired fae. He was standing in front of a large window not too far from the bed. He'd already discarded his jacket and was currently undoing his trousers. Without the fear or nausea clouding her mind she could recognise that he was quite handsome. Lucien was a tall man of slender built but with broad shoulders. Her attention travelled downwards. It would be a great deal easier to hate him if he didn't look half as good As he bent over, his shirt slipped over his hip and she couldn't help but notice a tattoo in an unknown handwriting.

'I can hear your breathing, you know? It's irregular.'
'Everyone's breathing would be quick if their abductor started undressing', she quickly quipped before her shyness and anxiety got the better of her. She might not be able to defy him in the physical sense of the word for she was neither strong nor smart enough to piece together a plan to escape like her sister Feyre would but these small sharp signs of resistance, for Elain, were enough.
Lucien chuckled. 'Leather pants may make my arse look great but they're not comfortable for sleeping.'
'Am I to-'
'Not tonight. You are too weak to be able to fully appreciate it. Now scoot. It's still my bed.'

A faerie with tree bark skin woke her up the next day and ushered her into a new outfit. She'd tried washing the previous one but it had torn at the seams, she said. As she was guided around the mansion she was stopped by a tall brown haired High Fae.
'Hey, you're the human girl, right?'
'I guess, unless abducting humans is a regular occurrence at this court?'
He grinned and kissed her hand. 'I'm Andras, the official scout of the Spring Court.' The fae was wearing a mask like every other being in this mansion. It had to be some weird fashion. 'Elain.'
'Andras, who are you talking to?'
A blond haired man came from the same room as Andras. 'Elain, meet Tamlin. Tamlin, Elain.'
There could be no mistake in who was the leader of the three. Despite his casual clothes he wore, the set of his jaw and towering posture gave him an air of authority the others didn't possess in the slightest.
'Now we don't wish to disturb you any longer dears, come on Elain.'

'I gotta say I understand him now', Tamlin exclaimed after she and Alice walked away. Elain strained her ears to hear more. 'Do you believe she might be the one?'
Perhaps there was a purpose to her being here after all.

The three men turned out to be easy company and had indeed been very wanting of someone new to talk to. Tamlin was hot headed and tense but he always tried to make her comfortable. Yet his temper and unwavering determination were off-putting.
If Feyre ever were to meet him, the two of them would burn down the house. She would never bend to his opinions and commands just because he said so. And Nesta would definitely kill him.
Andras was dutiful but pleasant and the absolute worst to play board games with. But he insisted time and time again they played.
Lucien was… Harder to grasp. Sometimes he could be as broody as Tamlin. And on other instances he was the life of the party. His witty responds could easily break down Tamlin's arguments and snide remarks were given freely whenever someone spoke, except Elain. Somehow he understand that his quick tongue wouldn't be taken well by Elain's gentle nature.
It had been hard first. How was she to participate in a conversation with three strong minded ancient beings? But they urged her on continuously. Her words couldn't cause offence with them nor did they belittle her opinion because of her lack in age and experience. They talked about politics, despite all of them having been involved in the court for over a century and her having only lead a secluded life. Yet she knew about some of the methods and ways from her village and recognised some of the things they talked about in the former business relations and structures from her father's previous work. She was allowed to interrupt and disagree and they, slowly but surely, coaxed her out of tendency to disappear into the background as she had done whenever Feyre or Nesta fought.

Despite that they sometimes didn't speak in private for a whole week, Lucien occasionally came to her when she had nothing to do. He would bring her to a room filled with dresses and shoes just so she could expand her wardrobe. Sometimes they talked about their worlds or discussed a book, she had finished reading. She did like his taste in poetry and literature. But most precious to her were the times he took her riding to show her the kingdom or whenever he opened up to her.

'I do miss having a hobby. Sometimes I feel like I need something more than just the occasional book to take my mind off of things. Did you used to have a hobby? I realise you have awfully little to keep yourself occupied. I want to make it a comfortable stay for you, Elain.'

'I used to have a garden. A big one at our old home. My mother had started it. She liked walking through it and smelling the flowers. She didn't garden herself though. But I did after she died. At our next home my garden was small and a bit more practical with the occasional pumpkin and zucchini plant. We couldn't afford more than that but I liked it. It took my mind off of our problems and gave me a way to feel useful. I planted everything myself. Everyone always thinks they are just pretty useless things. But they are the epitome of hope and humanity. They bud and struggle to survive only to die nevertheless. But they come back. Flowers always come back and during their lifetime bring smiles to the face of everyone who appreciates the beauty and the preciousness of short lived things.'

He understood. He perfectly understood. Whenever she talked about her family it became obvious that she felt overlooked by her sisters. He doubted that being the only mortal in Prythian made her feel any better about her own significance. Her life and light had become precious to him against his better judgement. But he wouldn't pluck her innocence. Getting any closer to her would taint her and his relationship with Tamlin.

The next day she discovered that a very large patch of grass had been removed underneath her window. Instead, there stood a fountain in the midst of fertile patches of dark soil to plant flowers on. On the edge of the fountain stood fifty boxes. She quickly dressed and went out to discover he'd collected one hundred seeds of one hundred different plants and flowers. Most she'd never seen before but he'd inserted pictures of them in the boxes. Perhaps, Elain fell a little bit in love with him that day.

That night Elain woke up from an earthquake. Unable to return to bed, she went to her orangery to tend to her fruits and the more exotic flowers.
'Unable to sleep?'
'I thought I felt an earthquake. I was too distraught to immediately go back to bed.'
'Tamlin lost his temper', Lucien quietly admitted.
'About what?'
'Doesn't matter. Elain, are you happy here?' he asked while stroking the leaf of a hibiscus flower.
'As happy as one can be without family.'
With his hair loose and his shoulders slumping he looked more vulnerable and honest than he'd ever been.
'Are you?' she asked in return.
'As happy as one can be with the current state of affairs.'
'How can they be solved? How can it become better?'
'It can't. Life has taught me there are always other things to block the way to happiness'
He sighed and turned to her. 'I'm glad we could provide at least some comfort to you, Elain. Sometimes I wonder if it was the right thing to follow the rules back when you plucked those flowers.'
Elain couldn't say for sure either.
'Lucien,' She called as he turned to leave, 'you can share your thoughts. Just so you know, I don't want you to think of yourself as only being a provider of my comfort and me as only a taker. I may not have material goods, but I have a heart and ear I'm willing to share.'
'Thank you, Elain.'
Somehow it only made his expression worse.
He was gone come morning.

Tamlin organised a party in honour of the successful Tithe. Allis had done her best to dress Elain up. She'd been planning her outfit for days. Alis guaranteed her that her white gossamer dress with embroidered petals of a cherry tree was pretty enough to compete with those of the faerie folk.
'Human escorting service, present.' Andras smiled at her when she opened the door.
'Well?'
'Looks like our little flower bud has bloomed. You might need a chaperone, pretty one.'
'Why, I'm just a human? I doubt anyone would notice me.'
'We're immortal. Not blind.'
He'd been right about the attention she would draw. Dozens of creatures openly gaped at the exotic rarity of a human being in the Faerie realm and a rare few actually approached her, but they kept their eyes on the towering High Fae behind her back.
'All these faeries are so beautiful and different. Why are they interested in me?'
'Are any of them appealing to you in the way you would be drawn to a lover?'
'Maybe some.'
'They feel the exact way about you. You might consider some of them more beautiful than you, and they might consider your looks more appealing.'
'And you? Do the three of you have a preference?'
'Tamlin and I have only been with other High Fae, for me it's been a coincidence that all of my partners happened to have the same looks. Tamlin has a preference. Lucien has none.'
That made it even harder. Between all these finely dressed fairies with their long hair, big eyes, light bodies or elegant curves, with their glittering skin and exotic appearance, how could she compare? It didn't matter. Lucien had never alluded to sleeping together again after that first night. It had probably been his big mouth, trying to scare her while she had been unfamiliar with his japes.
Tamlin danced with her a couple of times. He'd always tried his hardest to spend time with her and find things to connect about where there were none. He could dance though, and Elain enjoyed that. She couldn't help but feel he was the oddest mix of Feyre's practicality and survival instinct, Nesta's bossiness and her own awkwardness, maybe if they had a brother he would be like Tamlin.

'May I?' Elain turned around. Lucien offered her his hand. His golden eye, mask and tunic glistened in the warm faerie light. She nodded as quickly as she could and practically leapt inside his arms.
'Where were you?' she asked as they fell into a comfortable rhythm. She could feel the warmth of his skin even through the satin fabric of his shirt. His face had a healthy bronze glow to it as if he'd been in the sun for a couple of weeks. His skin had already been a couple of shades warmer than that of his companions but now the change of his looks made Elain's stomach knot and coil.
'I had to leave, a mission.'
'I'm glad you're back.'
She had missed him dearly, he had been gone for an entire month.
'I had to claim my dance. After all, I have to keep an eye on my exotic flower.'
'I'm no flower.'
'To me you are.'
She remembered their talk about her garden. She remembered the distance he kept while the others constantly approached her and suddenly, she wondered, if it had been his choice to remain distant.
'I was just about to retire, actually. Could you bring me to my room?'
Just before she left the room she threw a quick glance at Tamlin to check. His claws were out as he watched them.

'What do those things on your hip mean?'
Lucien looked at his trousers, considering the habitual dagger at his hips pretty self-explanatory.
Elain bit her tongue.
Do the brave thing and bravery will follow.
She touched his hip. 'On your skin. I saw markings there.'
'So you were looking that day?'
She bit her lip.
'It's a reminder how I cost the woman I loved her life.'
Elain froze. 'My family killed her. I vowed to myself I would never let someone get between me and those I loved again. I put her name on my skin so they could never take her away from me again.'
'How awful. Has it been long?'
'Yes. But I like to keep her memory.'
Elain could barely hear his reply over the sound of her breaking heart. She'd been wrong. Lucien had chosen to keep his distance because he was faithful to his lost love and Tamlin was jealous because she gave attention to another. Whether or not that man was emotionally available or not.
'It doesn't look like Fae language.' 'It's the language of her kind, lesser faeries as my father would say.'
'Thanks for bringing me to my room, goodnight Lucien.'

Faeries appeared to have an awful lot of holidays. Either that or they just used every excuse for a party. Before she knew it the mansion was bustling with preparations for Calanmai. A party, Tamlin and Lucien decided, she had no part in.
'Why can't I go?'
'It's too dangerous. I would be reckless. It's ancient magic. Dangerous and unpredictable. It calls to the most vile parts of our being.'
'Can't you protect me?'
'Guys, it would be perfectly safe if we escorted her. I'll take her myself. You guys trust me, don't you?'
Lucien cocked his head towards Andras. 'Fine.'
Elain gave Andras a sweet peck on the cheek after she finished dinner and disappeared. The three fae remind behind to go over their to-do list. No one noticed the bent cutlery Lucien left behind once they left the room.

The day of the festivities was soon upon them. Elain could barely contain her excitement. Right before Twilight she left the grounds with Andras. Faeries of all kinds were drinking and dancing to the beat of drums. The sounds reverberated through the hills and seemed to come from everywhere. She took a cup of wine that was offered to her. 'What's that over there?' 'That's the cave where the ritual will take place.'
'Can I see?' She hoped that remaining polite would encourage him to allow her more liberties and answers.
'No, if you venture any closer Tamlin will be able to smell your scent too much.'
'Why are all of you so worried about that?' 'I can't tell. I'm sorry.' Elain pouted but Andras was called away by a kitchen servant.
'Don't go too far, please', he begged as he walked away. Elain downed her cup and went to the closest bonfire. A small band of musician was playing, their song fitting in with the hypnotic drums. Elain recognised the harp, whistles, and zither but the other two instruments were things she had never seen before. The fairies around the fire offered her some more wine which she quickly accepted. The wine at the manor had baffled her with its richness but this was the drink of gods. She felt warm and fuzzy and good. Really good. So when they offered her to join them in their dancing Elain didn't hesitate.
Here she was, in the faerie realm, dancing to the beat of the drums alongside the stuff of human nightmares. But she couldn't be bothered. She felt happy and for once, all worries evaporated from her mind.

'Elain!'
She turned around and swallowed. His hair was loose with small braids woven into it and a crown of leaves adorned the top of his head. He was every inch the mystical creature of legends.
'Lucien! What are you doing here?' She skipped to him.
'It's time for you to leave. It is way too close to the ceremony.'
'I was just waiting for Andras to return, don't be mad at me please.'
He looked over his shoulder. Andras was, indeed, standing within eyesight.
'I'll take you, come on.'

'So how is this ritual going to unfold?'
'Elain…'
' I just want to know because I want to understand why you are concerned.'
'Tamlin is going to perform a ritual in a cave not too far away from here. After the ritual the ancient magic of spring will take possession of his body. He becomes the embodiment of The Hunter and shall look for someone to complete the ritual with. The chance is small but we wouldn't want it to be you. First of all because we assumed you'd be unwilling. Secondly because you're a human and as such very fragile. Tamlin won't be himself so he can't guarantee to be careful.'
'How?'
'He'll look for someone to sleep with. After that, the magic will be released into the world.'
'And as for the celebration? What do you and the others do?' Elain asked as they climbed the stairs.
'We… We do exactly the same as Tamlin after he has made his pick. Our own dalliances help the land as well.'
'So I'm basically excluded from the biggest orgy of the year?'
'Did you want to participate?' He raised an eyebrow.
'Do you?' She was playing with fire but she didn't care.

'Why do you want to know?' He cocked his head and approached her once more.
She wouldn't be able to go back on her answer if she did. And doing so would confront her with the inevitable truth. That she was a human and Lucien a High Fae and that no immortal being could ever love a mortal. Her heart was breaking all over again. He was so close now and so awfully beautiful. Just out of her reach, and so he would forever be.

She didn't have to. He was pressed against her before she knew it. She felt the warmth of his hands through the thin fabric of her dress. But she was the one to cross the final space between their faces as her lips found his. He fumbled behind her to open the door.
'I'm going to take my sweet time with you. We still have some hours to kill before Tamlin is done.'
Elain had meant to participate, honestly she did. But after she made three unsuccessful attempts to take off his trousers she just surrendered to the pleasure he gave her. She certainly remembered the first time. It didn't take long for him to figure out the anatomy Elain had never bothered to discover on her own. Her memory became a bit blurred after the third orgasm. She didn't know how much time had passed until Lucien commented that only an hour had gone by. He went to lay beside her breathless form and Elain quickly entwined herself with him.

'This should be illegal. I'm dead', she panted.
He chuckled while massaging her scalp.
'You understand why you wouldn't have been able to do this the first night?'
'Mhm. But what stopped you all the other nights?'
Lucien didn't deign that question worth an answer.
By the time the drums picked up speed the itch to be touched had returned to her nether regions and she again set about to undo his pants. This time, he didn't object. Elain had never seen a man without clothes. However she believed herself to be able to handle the discovery without too much surprise. She didn't want Lucien to stop because of her lack of experience, let alone a complete lack of knowledge about the male anatomy. She couldn't guarantee herself to behave in that way so she turned her back to Lucien as she pushed his pants down and did the best thing she could come up with; she closed her eyes and pushed. A soft warm thing slapped in her face. She continued pulling the pants down however and quickly returned to kissing Lucien. He crawled on top of her. The unfamiliar part of his anatomy now pushing against her lower belly. Her body, however, appeared to know exactly how to respond to it as her hips jerked involuntarily.
And just like that, the drums stopped.
'Elain, look me in the eyes.'
'We can just continue with our previous activities if you wish?'
She shook her head. 'I don't know the conventions in the human realm but I know there are some girls here who wish to preserve-'
'Please continue'
Buried within her, he was completely hers. She could wrap her arms and legs around him, was allowed to kiss him as much as she pleased and could leave her marks all over him. For a limited amount of time she could pretend he was hers. She scratched at his skin and bit his neck like a wild cat and cherished the sight of his marked skin when she got a chance to look at what had inflicted. But she knew that with the speed of his healing, he would look as unmarred as ever in a couple of hours. But for now she let herself dream as he covered her with the most ardent of kisses and most passionate of touches.
And when a light erupted from them and sparkles floated to the ceiling, she liked to imagine it wasn't just a part of the ancient magic but a genuine spark between the two of them. And afterwards, when he held her, she allowed herself to imagine every day being like this before she gave herself a reality check.

'Do- do you love her still?' she asked while playing with his hair.
'Not in the way I used to', he replied, immediately catching on to her meaning.
'Why?'
'Because I found my mate.'
'Whatever that means.'
'She's the one the Mother destined me to be with.'
Just when she didn't think he could break her heart any farther, he did. He had a mate. A destined love. No wonder he took no interest in her. She couldn't resent him though. He'd given her the honesty she wanted. He'd opened up his heart to her and if she answered it with bitterness she had no doubt he would close it again.
'Oh.'
'I'm a bit wary about it. The things I love have a tendency to be taken from me.'
'Don't be afraid to love, a life without love is empty. Even if it isn't everlasting and you end up losing her again, some things are worth the heartache.'
Like losing your family to gain another.
Lucien was gone come morning.

To say lunch was awkward the next day was an understatement. She felt as though everyone who looked at her knew what had transpired. Tamlin was in a particularly bad mood and oozed with magic. The iron stench of it almost made it impossible for Elain to swallow her food.
'Lucien, I want you to travel to the Summer Court. The Summer Solstice is only a couple of months away and I want to know the practicalities.'
'It'll take me weeks to get there and back again. You're able to do it in a day.'
There was no arguing with Tamlin however.
Elain tried approaching Lucien in the hallways but he rebuked her.
'I thought-'
'Elain. I need to prepare for the journey.'
'But-'
He turned away.
'I enjoyed last night', she admitted as she pressed her lips against his neck.
'Elain, I can't do this.'
A can't was infinitely better than a won't, so Elain took it. Despite the fact that it still confused Elain that Lucien wanted to do certain things with her while the name of his ex was carved onto his skin and a soulmate was out there somewhere.

When Elain was tending to her roses that evening, Tamlin came to her. He sat down on the fountain and patted on the space next to him. He'd switched back from alpha male to awkward boy.
'Elain, the past couple of months all of us have tried making you as comfortable as possible. However I believe it can't have slipped your notion that I have given you an exceptional amount of attention. If that has made you feel awkward, please say so. I know I'm not the most observant person but sometimes I feel as though things are awkward between us. I'm sorry, I don't really get hints so I have to ask bluntly.'
'It has made me feel awkward but only because you try to make our relationship something it isn't. I like you Tamlin, as one might a brother or a friend. Your hints and intentions were clear but I have never had those kinds of feelings for you and we would be lying to ourselves if we didn't acknowledge how different we are. It doesn't feel natural to me to see you as a suitor.'

'Neither do I. I tried to love you and I really wanted things to work out between us. You're an attractive girl Elain, and you're great at tempering me with your kind words but we don't have anything in common.'
'I agree.'
A weight fell of his shoulders. She knew he wasn't telling her everything but it was enough for now.

Three weeks later, Lucien materialised beside her in her garden.
'Hey stranger.'
He looked tired. 'How have you been doing?'
'Good. Now come with me if you please, since you've been gone a new perch has flowered.'
She took his hand and lead him to a perch full of golden, orange and red flowers. It didn't slip his notion that she'd found flowers that perfectly matched his hair colour and the colour of his eyes, both the real and the fake one.
'Yet another gorgeous addition to the garden. I'll have to start making new perches if you continue in this fashion.'
Lucien bent down to look at them. They were Autumn Court flowers, perfectly arranged so the colours blended in the most gorgeous fashion.
'Lucien, did Tamlin ever tell you to stay away from me because he wanted to pursue me?'

He turned around. She looked so at home in the garden in her brightly coloured dress. Her smile was more enchanting than the glow of any High Fae he'd met before.
'How would you know about that?'
'Tamlin has given up on me, told me so himself.'
'Then you're allowed to go home.'
'What?'
'You piqued my attention when I met you. But I brought you here so that Tamlin could try to seduce you.'
'I don't understand.'
'Tamlin is cursed. He needs love to break the spell', Lucien blurted.
'But- the foxglove?'
Lucien snapped his fingers, making the contract appear between them.
'I can break the contract.'
The crown of foxglove Elain had braided while Lucien had been admiring the autumn flowers slipped through her fingers.
'Why are you telling me this?'
How could she not return to her sisters now that she knew it was possible? She had to.

'Because I want to give you the choice to be with the people you love- Elain, why are you crying? Don't cry, please. I'm sorry. I just wanted to give Tamlin a chance.'
'I- I-… This court is a mess. Tamlin tries to seduce me but isn't in love with me. You sleep with me but have a mate you're in love with and I- I-…. I finally thought I understood the workings of this court and had found my place within its dynamics with a certain amount of happiness but now I'm lost all over again.'
'I shouldn't have told you about the mating thing, that was unfair of me. You're free to go home Elain, I don't wish to hold you back. A mating bond doesn't have to mean anything. Especially since you can't feel it in the same way as a fae.'
Her head was spinning but all the pieces of the puzzle finally fell into place.

It was Lucien who had been drawn to her but had unwillingly given her up to present Tamlin a chance at breaking the curse.

It had been her Lucien had started to love.

It had been his unrelenting selflessness that had kept them apart and now he'd given all that power to her.

She could return to her family

or

she could remain here with Lucien, Andras and Tamlin and live the life she'd been building for herself.

He'd kept his distance to make the choice as easy on her as possible. He understood better than anyone else how hard it was for her. Her brain screamed for her to choose for her family. Her sense of duty and loyalty almost forced her to choose such.

But to do so would betray her heart, which begged for her to selfishly choose the broken fae in front of her.

She couldn't bring herself to say it though. She knelt at his feet.
'But if I want it too?'
Lucien bent over and gently picked up the garland.
'Then I would say that I would be honoured to have you as a permanent fixture at the mansion. And I am overjoyed I get to keep my life since breaking the contract on my side would result in my death', he laughed while he placed the crown of foxgloves on top of her head.

'Yet you would have broken it had I wished it so?'
'I've had hundreds of years to live, love and experience. I couldn't live with myself if I stole the life of someone I loved while they have never had that privilege.'

Though it remained a mystery to Elain and Lucien how a mating bond could happen between a human and a fae, the two lovers accepted that the Mother worked in mysterious ways. Lucien lived up to his promise to make her life as happy and pleasant as possible. No feelings were more similar, no two souls complemented each other better and after a courting period of six months the two accepted their bond. Tamlin was more than happy to send his emissary away until the freshness of the bond had carried off and was overjoyed that both of them had found happiness, despite the fact that the clock was ticking to free his lands of the blight.
Two years passed by in relative peace. Until one evening, in the heart of winter in the human lands, Tamlin dragged a lanky girl inside of the manor.

'Is she the one who killed Andras?'
Tamlin nodded just as Elain twirled downstairs for dinner.
'Cauldron boil me', Lucien mumbled as he recognised the blue eyed girl.
'Feyre! What are you doing here?'