Chapter 298

The murmuring in the room was constant, and Lucien was only half listening to it. He'd been thinking about Sheera's reaction to Elain's casual suggestions of asking Rhys and Tamlin for favours, and it had made him revaluate so much that he'd taken for granted. He knew that his life had been privileged. That had never been something he had been blind to. The chances he'd been given in the Autumn Court, growing up as one of Beron's sons, had never been lost on him. He had been allowed to learn all that he'd wanted, he'd been trained in skills many had never had access to. He'd had all the food he could ever want or need. Lucien had always been aware of these things, and he'd only become more aware of them when he had met Jesminda and she had teased him for it.

He may have been aware that he'd had things others had not, but until he'd met her he had only really read about the experiences of others. His time with Jesminda, no matter how brief, had been life altering for Lucien. When he had lost her and fled to the Spring Court, that had been pushed aside however. The Spring Court had been opulent, and he'd been treated better there than he had been in the Autumn Court. Nobody had followed him, wanting to hurt him to amuse themselves. He'd been given a position of power, and he had been respected there in a way he'd hadn't been before. Lucien had liked that, it had felt safe.

He had known he had been privileged, but he hadn't really considered how bizarre it must have seemed to others that he moved in the circles he had. It had been such a shock to Sheera that Elain could just name the High Lords of several courts as friends, with enough familiarity to ask favours as if it were nothing. Elain had seen both sides of privilege; Lucien knew that too. She had been poor, and now she was in the position she currently was at quite the other end of the scale. She didn't act privileged, he knew that too. She had befriended Sheera and she didn't act superior to her friend, which he was certain Sheera was well aware. However, she thought nothing of asking for cuttings from the High Lord of the Night Court and Lucien was only now realising that something like that would have seemed unthinkable to anyone who wasn't well acquainted with said Lord. Most fae, he knew, had likely only seen their High Lord from a distance, or when paying a tithe, but he and Elain moved in those circles. With that thought, Lucien found his respect for Sheera's bravery growing. It had to be intimidating coming to a place like this as she had, and even more so to agree to come to dinner with those with whom she would likely have nothing in common. She must very much like Elain, he realised, and that made him like Sheera even more.

When Helion entered the room, the murmuring changed, and everyone began moving to the long tables to take up their seats as their High Lord did so. Lucien did the same, making sure to choose a spot with two vacant alongside himself for his mate and her friend. He blinked in surprise when Helion moved up the table and sank down into a chair opposite him.

"You…" Lucien's eyes flicked back up the table to where the High Lord usually sat.

"I can move if I wish," Helion smiled brilliantly, "Is it not my table, after all?"

"Indeed." Lucien agreed.

"So, are you prepared?" Elain asked, pausing before the doors to the dining room, and Sheera nodded.

"You've made sure I look quite the part." Her shoulders shifted, sitting back, and her pointy chin was raised. Elain grinned, watching her friend try to look more confident. "Nobody would guess that I am just…"

"Just nothing." Elain said, waving her hand dismissively, "You are our friend, and as such, you are always welcome." She pushed the door open and hooked her arm through one of Sheera's. She saw the smile her friend gave her, and then they were striding across the room.

Lucien's red hair was evident as soon as they'd entered the room, and that gave them a target to aim for. Nobody had said anything about the last time that Sheera had been in here and, if they had recognised her, they said nothing now. Elain saw several pairs of eyes turn their way, but that always happened when she walked into a room here now, so she was almost used to it. The way that Sheera stiffened a little, however, told her that her friend was not.

"It's like they know…" Sheera breathed, and Elain thought that her friend had pushed the words out from between clenched teeth.

"Not to speak highly of myself," Elain said, unable to help her wide grin, "but I'm kind of important here… and they're looking at me…"

She knew that, at least some of them, were looking at her. But she could also see that there were several interested pairs of eyes directed at Sheera and tracing her across the room. Sheera gave a soft laugh, and her grip on Elain's arm tightened. "Oh, of course. The mate of the future High Lord." Golden eyes looked at Elain, "Let's go with that idea…"

They had reached Lucien then and Elain felt her pulse quicken when her mate got to his feet to greet them. "Petal…" he said, his hand ghosting along her arm, before he pulled her seat out for her. She allowed her own hand to touch him before she took up that seat.

"Ever the gallant Courtier." She murmured, and he winked at her with his good eye.

"Lady Sheera," Lucien moved to pull out the next seat for Sheera whose eyes widened in surprise. Elain watched her friend blush, and it was evident despite her darker skin. Sheera appeared to pull herself together a moment later and she sank down into the chair before Lucien pushed it in for her. Elain took her mate's hand when he resumed his own place at the table and she met his eyes when he lifted her hand and pressed his lips to her sensitive skin. "I hope you're hungry." He told her softly, "I walked past the kitchens earlier, and it smells so very delicious."