Chapter 315

On her way through the garden, Elain watched those around her. For the most part, it seemed that everyone was having a lovely evening, enjoying the garden, the food, and the company around them. There were several Courtiers she hadn't met sitting on a blanket nearby, and she noticed their eyes following her as she moved past. Remembering what the others had said about wanting to know her, Elain tried to look as friendly as she could. She smiled widely at them as she passed, before letting her eyes sweep the garden again for Sheera.

Catching a flash of familiar dark hair by the edge of the garden, Elain went that way. She found her friend kneeling in the garden bed despite the formal gown Elain had lent her. Sheera had pulled the skirts of the dress up past her knees so that she would not kneel on it in the dirt, and Elain resisted a laugh. She suspected that this was how she had always looked to her sisters and others when she had insisted on doing her gardening despite whatever else had been going on around them. "Is something the matter?" She asked, and Sheera jumped a little in surprise, turning to look up at her.

"Oh, I noticed that this little guy wasn't doing so well… so I just…"

"Oh." Elain looked at the slightly wilted plant Sheera was kneeling in front of. She could see where her friend had been working at the soil and she tilted her head as she looked at her friend once more. "Will it be okay?"

"I think so now."

Sheera got to her feet, smoothing the amber coloured dress down over herself as she stepped out of the garden, dusting herself off. Elain watched her, marvelling at the fact that the dress, which looked do very different when she wore it, could look so wonderful on her friend. "Would you like to get something to drink?" Elain asked, "Since you have continued to work so hard…"

"I would." Sheera admitted, smiling a little in what appeared an embarrassed manner.

"I'm sure Helion would appreciate the attention you are giving his gardens."

"Yes." Sheera agreed. "He wants this one to resemble the Autumn Court." Her friend gave her a little grin, "On a permanent basis."

"And he wishes for you to achieve this?" Elain tried so very hard to keep the enormous smile off of her face.

"Well, I did tell him that I have never seen the Autumn Court."

"True…" Elain mused.

"He told me that his descriptions would suffice for now." Sheera smiled, "But that he would just have to send me to see for myself eventually…so that my work here would be authentic."

"Ohhhh…" Elain turned to her friend as they reached a table laden with drinks under one of the large trees. "That would be wonderful for you! You wanted to see the gardens in the other courts."

"Indeed." Sheera smiled happily as she picked up a small glass filled with a bubbling liquid. Elain watched her, pleased that her friend was so happy, and that Helion would actually be kind enough to let her see the other Courts, for she knew that his offer had been entirely for Sheera's benefit as she could, no doubt, create the aesthetic he was after from pictures and illustrations of the Autumn Court. Sheera lifted the glass and took a small sip, an appreciative expression crossing her face at the taste of the drink, and Elain turned a little when a female voice she recognised was heard from nearby.

It was Kera speaking, Elain realised, tilting her head to try and locate the Courtier. Then, realising that Kera was on the other side of the tree, Elain flicked a glance at Sheera to see if her friend had noticed. The way that Sheera was holding herself still as they listened let Elain know that she had indeed noticed.

"This doesn't even look like home anymore." Kera was saying, the pout clear in her voice without Elain having to see her face. "It's all changing. They're changing it, and the High Lord is too distracted and smitten with that…" She broke off and Elain didn't hear the muttered word. "He hasn't even noticed what they are doing to the Court." Elain met Sheera's eyes as a male voice answered Kera, before she continued. "Look at this place! He's changing everything just to please her."

"Do you think she intends to stay?" The male voice asked and Kera made a scoffing sound.

"Why wouldn't she?" she asked, "That's her only way back into any kind of power. Her son rules now in Autumn, so she needs Helion to climb back to the top. She will be trying to change everything here; turn it into the savage place the Autumn Court is. Then when they've gotten rid of Helion, her other son will be High Lord."

"I see…" the male voice sounded thoughtful.

"Nobody else does!" Kera sounded frustrated, "This is an attack on the Day Court!"

"Do you think so?"

"Look around!" Kera snapped, "Beyond the actual garden. Look at the kinds of fae who would have never been here before this happened. That little piece Helion has digging in his gardens. She would never have been invited to eat with us. The Heir's mate? Wasn't even born fae. She was human."

"I had heard that."

"If these things keep being accepted, once they get in here, where will it end?" Kera asked, "I don't want to see the Day Court ruined."

Sheera had grasped Elain's wrist by this point and pulled her away from the tree. Elain glanced behind her, trying to get a glimpse around the tree at Kera. She saw the blonde standing with a tall male. Kera smiled at him and then turned away, empty drink in hand. As Elain watched, the male reached out and gave Kera a playful smack on the rear as she strode for the nearby table of drinks. "That's enough of that." Sheera muttered, and Elain looked back around at her friend. "She's clearly unhinged."

"You think so?" Elain asked, trying to process everything she had just heard.

"She thinks everyone is out to attack the Court?" Sheera's wide eyes told Elain that her friend thought Kera was out of her mind.

"My concern," Elain murmured, "is what she plans to do about it."