Chapter 13

Nimwe could still remember the first time she had ever laid eyes on Nesta Acheron. It had been decades ago, back when Nesta was still mated to the general of the Night Court. She had come to visit her sister, and was awake early, exercising out near Nimwe's lake. In the early morning sun, the she had glistened with sweat and wore such a look of fierce determination on her face as she battled her visible enemies, Nimwe had felt her heart slip away that very second.

But at the time, she had thought it was never meant to be. Nesta had a mate, and there was no point letting the little crush develop any further. But then, Nest and Cassian had broken up. When word had spread to the other courts, Nimwe allowed herself to fantasize that one day perhaps she might be able to be the one to truly win Nesta's heart. It was a childish dream, however, one that Nimwe let go of when she saw Nesta again.

Her fierce, strong warrior goddess had looked so broken, so empty, Nimwe knew her dreams had been shallow and self-centered. This female didn't need someone pawing after her the second she had become single, she needed a chance to heal and move on. So Nimwe waited patiently, focusing on helping her family rebuild after the near-total destruction the Spring Court had endured at the end of Tamlin's rule.

Growing up in the Spring Court had been brutal. Even before Amaranthra's curse, Tamlin had been a distant and uninterested ruler, not particularly caring about the plight of the average fae. Many working families had struggled, and Nimwe knew the pain of poverty well as most of their earnings had gone to Tamlin's cruel tithes.

But Nimwe had endured, safe within the strong bonds of her family, working hard and never losing faith that things would get better. Then, when she was around 40 years old, still very young for a fae, Amanthra had come, and everything had gotten so, so much worse. The only thing Nimwe and her family could do to survive was keep their heads low and keep to themselves. When the curse had been broken, and Amarantha defeated, Nimwe had thought that Feyre Acheron would be the Spring Court's salvation. She had been wrong. Feyre had only ended up being another one of Tamlin's victims. Nimwe had never faulted the female for fleeing and leaving them all behind. Nimwe had dreamed she could do the same many times before. And if she was being honest, she had never seen how they were a good match to begin. Feyre, from what Nimwe had heard, was compassionate and nurturing, which was the exact opposite of what the fae of the Spring Court had experienced from Tamlin over the years.

Then the war came, and the Spring Court was ruined. Nimwe had lost friends, family, and nearly her hope altogether. After, Tamlin was completely useless, and Nimwe thought for sure that it was the end of the Spring Court. Her heart was broken at the thought, and despair had taken over her mind. Those was Nimwe's darkest days, where she could see no end in sight to her suffering.

But then the second war came, and Tamlin abdicated to Feyre's older sister of all people, and the sanity was finally restored to the Spring Court. Nimwe would always be thankful to Elain, and Feyre, who never forgot about the lower fae even when she became queen.

When Nesta had finally healed had coincided with when the Spring Court had truly recovered from the devastation it had face. When she saw Nesta again for a second time that day at the lake, Nimwe had foolishly fallen over herself at how beautiful Nesta had looked. Luckily, her clumsiness had attracted the female's attention, and the rest had just happened.

Nesta was so much more than Nimwe had ever dreamed of. She wasn't just the fantasy that Nimwe had in her head for all those years, she was a complicated person with a complicated past, but Nimwe didn't care. She loved every part of her, even the parts that were difficult.

In the end, Nimwe and Nesta were married in the Spring Court, both their families in attendance. Although they had set out for a simple even, the sheer amount of fae coming resulted in it becoming a huge party. Nesta's nieces and nephews were particularly rowdy, and Nimwe had enjoyed every second of them. Nesta and Nimwe agreed they didn't want children and were happy just the two of them.

They split their time between the Night and Spring Courts, growing in love together as the years slipped by. It was the true happy ending Nesta had always hoped for, but never really believed she would find. They supported and loved each other, becoming a pair known throughout the fae world for their grace and love. Although they sometimes fought, they never gave up on their relationship and found a peace and stability that both had been lacking in their lives before they had met.

Cassian and Eleanor went on to have the large and loving family they wanted, raising their children with the compassion and care Cassian had never know himself growing up. Although only a few followed Cassian's footsteps into joining him in the military, they all loved and adored their father, and he could not be prouder of them all. He spoiled his wife rotten, together they shared adventures, love, and laughter for the rest of their days.

And one of the most miraculous parts of all? The mating bond slipped away to practically nothing, to the point where neither Cassian or Nesta ever felt it harassing them again. The mating bond had been a curse on them, binding Nesta and Cassian together against their wills, and tricking them into thinking they were in love. Nesta hadn't been ready for a relationship of that magnitude. She had been too young, too traumatized, and needed the space to grow up and really find out who she really was. Cassian had been swept up in the romance of Rhys and Feyre, desperate to experience that for himself, and hadn't really considered what he wanted from a relationship. He had been willing to sacrifice every bit of who he was to make things work with Nesta, and in the end it nearly destroyed him.

Because they were never right for each other, never meant to make it. Now, separated, they found the partners that truly made them happy, and found the peace and love they had really needed.