Xaria:

The duchess had made it very clear that I needed to train. My aunt did not agree with my plans for Hybern, but she did not want me dead. Well maybe she did, seeing as though this warning came only three days before the task. Auntie was the last of my family, if I were to die she would be able to claim the throne. It was unlikely she would, seeing as though she would still have to do the trials.

I had no intention of letting the entire world watch me die. I stopped by Tam's manor, only leaving after he promised to come tomorrow. Then I winnowed to Night Court. I didn't like most of them, but Rhysand was overseeing the post-war transition and if I died, well they would have to intervene in Hybern to avoid another war. As much as I hated to see my people suffer, it would have been better if we hurt a bit more from the end of the war. My people were still blood thirsty and carried too many ill feelings to be called peaceful.

"Princess Xaria to see you, Ma'am." A butler opened the door Feyre's new office in her river manor. A butler, really?

"Xaria, what can I do for you?" Feyre asked from behind a mountain of paperwork. Even I didn't have to do that much.

"The second trial is tomorrow. I thought I would invite Night Court."

"Yes, of course." She said absent mindedly.

"My aunt warned me of how particularly deadly this trial will be. If I die, someone will need to influence Hybern correctly." I pushed.

"And you want it to be us?" She asked, not looking up.

"There is no one else."

"Very well, someone will come to your trial, should you fail we will handle it." She said setting down her pen. "Is there anything else I can do for you?"

"I was wondering if Cassian or Azriel were available to run some drills with." The words surprised even me. Feyre smiled down at the paper. I had to the urge to ask if she was amused at my asking for help. I bit my tongue. She gestured for the butler to lead me somewhere else in this giant house and indecently turned back to her writings.

They were shirtless and sweaty, already. Elain was watching from her garden, but I didn't think either Illyrian noticed. Or where trying not to notice.

"Princess," Cassian called, bringing a halt to their spar, "what are you doing here?"

"I need a little practice before my trial." I unclipped my cloak and the butler took it. I was wearing loose clothes, training clothes anywhere but here.

"What kind?" Azriel asked quietly.

"A little bit of everything. My trial is soon so not too much that I'm sore or broken."

"Ah, I think that depends on your skill level," Cassian threw me a wooden stick. "Though I wonder why you aren't training with Eris."

"He has his skills, and his uses, but for what I need at the moment you two are better suited for the task. He is also off with a business partner today." I smiled pointedly at Azriel, who nodded. Spymaster indeed.

"My skill level only matters if you are better than Eris," Cassian smiled and we began circling.

"Why would you ever think I wasn't?" I shot back.

"Because, princess, I think of ill of people who hurt my high lady."

"I think ill of people who insult my brother minutes after I found out he was dead."

"Feyre was defending Mor," Cassain said then struck. He was extremely fast. I could not land my own blows, but not one of his hit me.

"I was defending my brother," I gritted back.

"With physical force." Cassian responded, smiling.

"No, what she said was challenge and it had to be answered. That's why she let me in today, that's why we still have some form of civility. She knows she was in the wrong." I swiped at his feet and he tripped over them, but didn't fall. In that moment he also came dangerously close to whacking me on the head.

We continued on until I did hit Cassian directly in the chest. Azriel joined him then. I had to use my arm to block a few of the hits. Under different circumstances I would have lost my arm many times over. We moved on to a balance course. The first time I had to just stand and not fall, but then Cassian and Azriel would chuck balls or glowing bits of their destructive power at me, and they would call out how to block. I was much better at that they expected, and the difficulty quickly increased.

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