RHYS
Messages were sent out to the Dawn Court the following morning. During the night, I waited for Tamlin's message once more, hoping desperately for the cure. Nothing. There was once more the words 'Your request for a cure is difficult' and only very brief words on what the cure might be, in hopes that we could create one ourselves.
The following day was the same. And the results were the same. Another day passed and we gained the name of the ingredients for the cure. And one of those was rather… impossible.
"Bloody hell, whose blood? Repeat that again, I think I heard wrongly," Mor snapped.
I was retelling the letter I had recently gotten from Tamlin. Nesta, Cassian, Azriel and Mor were listening intently to every word that came out of my mouth. Lucien was staying at the cabin per Elain's hesitant invitation, which contributed to Nesta's fury and urge to storm back to the cabin and rip Elain away from him. The only thing keeping her from doing so was Cassian, which I thought was rather sweet.
"No, you didn't hear wrongly. We need the King's blood in the cure so the spell against her blood curing herself can be broken," I repeated.
"And how the hell are we going to do that?" Mor demanded.
"Language, darling," I reprimanded. "And it's not our problem. I've handed it to Tamlin to get the blood. The other ingredients will be simple, the pink-flowered weed she found for me that day in the forest, the oneirogen herb and the carnelian roots. Get a healer to spell it and make it into a medicine. If all goes well, we will get the blood by tomorrow night and hopefully, we can wake Feyre by then."
"You forgot about the side note, "Azriel murmured.
"Yes. And the mortal queens. The King has brought them to the mansion to presumably, keep an eye on them. Tamlin says they aren't themselves, more like… figments of what they used to be, unlike Nesta and Elain."
"Those bitches deserve whatever they got," Mor muttered.
I almost reprimanded her again but how could I when I agreed so much with her? Cassian said as much.
"I'll get the ingredients as I'm patrolling the grounds," Azriel volunteered.
I nodded my thanks at him. "Mor, you can find the healer if you seriously have nothing else to do."
She perked up at that, having been complaining to me and Feyre for the past few days about waiting for help from an insignificant tool and how me being the most powerful High Lord in Prythian was of no use at that moment.
After further discussion, we parted ways, each with our own missions. All I wanted to do was stay by Feyre's side but Azriel told me there was news and reports for me in my court. I left Nesta to look after Feyre and decided to go alone to the court this time, as each member of my inner circle had duties to do and Cassian going while his wings were still healing would bring looks and rumours about him spiralling around my court.
I listened to the reports Keir had for me half-heartedly and waved my hand at him after he was done, looking bored at what he had to offer. A while later, he returned and I almost snarled at him. What was he doing back?
"Milord," He started, eyes darting here and there as if afraid having denied my order at his dismissal, "I return to send you a message from the Dawn Court. High Lord Casimir has not confirmed his alliance with the night court but requests your presence for a meal with him at his court in two days, to discuss Hybern and your intentions for Prythian during the war."
I blinked once. Twice. The only emotion of surprise that was shown on my face to my court. "Very well. If that's all, take your leave. This time, don't return no matter what little shenanigans of messages you receive. HaHHandx them to someone else. Hand them to someone else instead. I tire of your face."
Keir nodded and hurriedly backed away into the throes of people below. Moments later, I took my leave with several orders imbedded in my court.
The night after, I received Hybern's blood from Tamlin and the herbs from Az. How Tamlin had gotten the blood intrigued me and I sent a message regarding my curiosity.
"I brought your healer," Mor announced and walked in the room with a fae by her side.
She was trembling a little with trepidation and her head was lowered to face the ground, not daring to look up. I strode over to her and cocked my head, lifting her hand up to face mines. She gulped, eyes daring to the sides to avoid my gaze.
"Look at me," I commanded.
She did, and I felt bad for having brought her into this. "What's your name?" I asked her.
"A-Aleris, milord," She stammered.
I let go of her chin and took a step back, my eyes still on her. "And how long have you been a healer?"
"Since I was a child, milord. My- my mother taught me all there was to know about healing. I… I always believed she was the best healer that had ever walked Prythian."
"Was?"
"She died during Amarantha's slaughter of the Night Court. My father too." She replied quietly.
My fists clenched at my sides. That- that had been my fault. "I'm sorry for your loss." I merely told her.
She nodded her head, acknowledging my condolence.
"Quit scaring the poor girl, Rhys. And stop doubting me, Aleris is one of the best healers I have seen around the court," Mor said.
Azriel flying in saved me from making a remark to Mor. He withdrew a pouch from his pocket and tossed it to me. I caught it, unzipped it and saw the ingredients needed inside. "Thanks Az. Aleris," I turned back to her, handing her the pouch and the vial of Hybern's blood from my pocket, "I need you to ground this finely and create a medicine out of it and spell it to make it drinkable and have quick healing processes. Can you do that?"
She nodded and opened her mouth to say something. And hesitated, closing it. "What else do you need?" I asked her.
"A- a room and proper supplies to create the cure, milord."
"I'll bring you," Mor told her and gestured for her to follow.
Aleris and Mor disappeared down a right hallway, leaving me and Azriel.
"Go to Feyre," He said. "I'll follow Mor and Aleris. Or would you rather I follow you?"
"No. Go to Mor. Aleris will most probably be drained from creating the cure, so one of you can accompany her back to her quarters."
He nodded and strode after Mor and Aleris, and I walked in the other direction to Feyre's room.
xXx
FEYRE
The next morning, I was awake. Hugs had been exchanged when I had woken up at midnight, together with death threats to Hybern and his lot which the Inner Circle had agreed on, other than Amren, of course. Even Lucien and Elain had come down from the cabin and joined us. I almost giggled at the glares Nesta sent Lucien's way and how he paled and slowly edged himself a further distance away from Elain.
"I'm following you to the Dawn Court," I announced in the midst of teasing Rhys and straddling him on his lap.
He sighed and he tugged on my earlobe. "I can't change your mind, I suppose?"
"No. And you would have brought me with you anyway," I said, grinning.
"I would rather you be by my side than anywhere else so I suppose I agree with you."
I smirked. "Are you actually admitting that I'm right?"
"Don't get used to it," Rhys purred.
"Wouldn't dream of it," I purred back and laughed when he grabbed my wrists, pulling me in for a kiss.
xXx
We had spent the previous day teasing and taunting each other, making up for our lost time. The dress I was adorned in for our breakfast with the Dawn Court was glamorous. Tiny jewels and gems sewn into the silk caught the light as I walked and the hemline of the gown dropped to show the curve of my breasts. The sleeves billowed around my wrists in the Night Court fashion and the skirt of my gown had tendrils of darkness, or vines, spiralling upwards, depending on your perspective.
I stepped outside of our house in Velaris. The wording still got me, our court. Our house. Our inner circle. Rhys was already standing there, waiting for me and his face brightened up when he saw me. I smiled back at him and took his outstretched hand.
"You look exquisite, Feyre darling."
"You don't look too bad yourself," I smirked.
A lie. And both of us knew that. Rhys was dressed in another version of the black formal suit he had worn when he had the mask of the High Lord on. This one had sparkling silver on the cuffs of his wrists and it was midnight blue instead of black, without a speck of dust on them, of course. He looked ravishing.
Mor and the others weren't there to see us off, they had other business to do. I gripped his hand tightly and he winnowed us to the Dawn Court.
It was similar to the Summer Court in terms of lightness. The Dawn Court was one of the lunar courts, so therefore the scenery was even more exquisite than in the Summer Court. But of course it wasn't much more beautiful than the Night Court. Rhys had winnowed us in front of the gates of a palace. I could see fountains which formed rainbows in the mist and a lush green maze beyond the gates.
When I turned, I saw the sun's upcoming light, striking the walls of the houses which extended as far as the eye could see. They started from small palaces and transitioned slowly to mansions, normal houses and cottages as they went further down the road.
"The dawn is beautiful, isn't it? Such wonderful symbolism for the start of a new day," A voice rang out behind me.
I whirled back around, my eyes first taking note of the guards with their navy uniforms, then of a woman with golden hair and the handmaid standing beside her and lastly on a man who was clothed in gold and ruby, his hair a gorgeous colour of platinum blond.
"High Lord Casimir," Rhys greeted.
"High Lord Rhysand," Casimir said in return and turned to me. "And your mate. I don't believe we've been properly introduced."
I stood up straighter, needing to sound and look commanding. "I am the mate and wife of the High Lord of the Night Court and the High Lady of the Night Court, Feyre Archeron."
There was shifting and murmurs in the guards Casimir had brought and the woman's eyes widened and she whispered something into her handmaiden's ear. I was much too polite to eavesdrop but it seems that Casimir had and he frowned at her. "Castalia, please. Be nice."
She lowered her eyes and apologised softly. Did Casimir command females around this casually? He noticed my gaze and softened. "I apologise for my harshness, High Lady Feyre, but you are an honoured guest here. I will not have you insulted or doubted."
He paused for a moment and Castalia's eyes darted upwards again. A look passed between them and she turned her eyes to me.
"I am terribly sorry, Lady Feyre. I hadn't meant to doubt you in any way. My name is Castalia, the mate of High Lord Casimir and the Lady of the Dawn Court."
"It's alright, Lady Castalia," I replied, noting the words she used, which had been Lady and not High Lady. "I am pleased to meet you."
Casimir and Castalia. How poetic.
Feyre and Rhysand. Does that not sound much better?
I wanted to bark out a laugh right then and there. Of course Rhys would say something like that. Soon, after our introductions, we were led into the gates and then into the palace. The palace was made up of somewhat glass or of a more powerful, transparent material.
"The walls are made of pureglass, our very own invention in the dawn court. It is spelled to allow the palace to be transparent during dawn, although private quarters are hidden by the other materials used for the houses outside the gates," Casimir explained as we walked down each hallway.
"This aurora palace is the most prestigious one in the court. There used be four aurora palaces in the Dawn Court, one in the north, south, east and west but the other three were destroyed during Amarantha's reign. We do have other houses in the city but we don't use them much and we now normally rent them out to other nobles."
Castalia's voice cut in. "This palace had been in the legacy of the High Lords ever since the beginning of time. Luckily, Amarantha left our best palace intact. The other palaces are still under construction but we're not sure how this war with Hybern will go. Are we going to have more of our land and buildings destroyed and all of our efforts going to waste?"
"So you do plan to fight in this war," I said slowly.
Castalia and Casimir exchanged a look again.
"Fighting is a… last resort for us, shall we say? Knowing that the wall our ancestors built for peace will be taken down doesn't sound right to us. However, as much as we do not agree with what Hybern is doing, his forces are powerful and the damage they could do would be worse than what one of his lackeys had done," Casimir said carefully.
"So you plan to be neutral," Rhys said flatly.
"We plan to bide our time from joining something that could potentially harm the people of my court," Casimir contradicted.
We were then silent, the only sound our footsteps. We neared a set of double doors and the guards pushed them open. The doors opened to reveal a spacious room with several tables lining the side, which the guards flocked to. There was a grand table in the middle with seven seats, two occupied, which became three as one guard broke off from the group and took a seat there. There was a large dome at the end of the room, transparent and allowing a view of the Dawn Court below.
"Is that also made of pureglass?" I asked, my voice ringing out and bouncing, echoing throughout the room.
"No," The female fae from the table said, "It is simply a one-way glass. We can see the people but they don't see us. All they see is a mirror reflecting the sun and their homes."
She stood up as we walked closer and bowed. "My name is Laylia, sister to Lady Castalia. This man here," She gestured to the fae on her right, to the guard who had sat there," is Valemon, head of the king's guard. And the other across from me is Herne, the trusted advisor of the High Lord and Lady."
I smiled at them all. "I am pleased and honoured to meet you all. I am-"
"We know who you are, Lady Feyre, Cursebreaker, mate of the High Lord of the Night Court and Lady of the Night Court," Herne interrupted.
Fury and irritation rose in me but I quenched it. "I'm afraid your facts are a little wrong there, Herne. I am not the Lady of the Night Court, I am the High Lady of the Night Court, like and unlike all. So, please, take your wordings carefully the next time you address me," I said, keeping the smile plastered on my face, feeling a sense of satisfaction and pure glee through the bond.
Rhys took the seat in between Herne and Valemon and I sat across from him, between Castalia and Laylia. Casimir sat at the head of the table, Herne and Castalia on the seats closest to him.
We began with questions about how I had become what I was, which soon drifted back to Hybern. In between courses, we argued in a polite manner on the matter of armies and whose side the Dawn Court was on and what our side truly meant. Laylia surprisingly took my side, something I hadn't expected from the sister of such a cold fae. I suppose it was just like Nesta and Elain, Nesta being the cold one and Elain being the bubbly, cheerful, surprising one.
We were nearing a somewhat agreed on alliance, where the Dawn Court would ally with the Night, although the armies they provided would only be on a last resort. We were struggling to fix that part, the part where we could have full access to each other's armies for protection, when a servant carrying a folded paper rushed into the room, panting for breath.
The guards all stood up, their meal forgotten and discarded, with hands on their swords.
"What is it?" Casimir asked, standing up and holding out a hand to stop the guards from apprehending the servant.
"A message- regarding the High Lord of the Spring Court," The servant panted.
I stilled and felt worry and disgust through the bond and also Castalia's eyes boring down me.
"What of him?" Casimir asked.
"Hybern has found him guilty of betraying him and due to a deal they made, Hybern is now the temporary ruler of the Spring Court and has stopped all shipments to courts not allied with him, including kicking out every non spring courtier."
AHH, so many new characters! Five in total And sorry for not updating as frequent as I did before, school has started for me and it's taking me a bit longer to think up and write the storyline. And for now, the point of view will be in Feyre's, unless anything else happens. May post several one shots regarding other ships and what they're going through, too! (We all need some Nessian and Elucien and Moriel)
