Sorry about the delay! I've been busy and as it is I wrote this while hungover so please excuse the writing haha. Thanks for the reviews, some of them genuinely made me laugh. wavingthroughawindow I actual love the name avocadogoddess though so it's fine haha. seaweedandwise sorry! Had to be done :) And to those saying they were crying, I did warn it was going to be more angsty than my last stuff (I also didn't think my writing was good enough to warrant tears so just went for it with the depressing stuff). xx
Feyre's hand dropped limply from Rhys' face, landing hard across her chest.
To say that Rhysand lost all semblance of self control would be an understatement.
Before his friends even had a chance to come forward, Rhys unleashed an unearthly roar. The group had to rush to cover their ears as the force of it shook the very ground. Nesta held the infant to her chest and did her best to shield him from hearing or seeing the scene before them.
Darkness was rippling out from Rhys in giant, pouring waves. While it wouldn't hurt them if someone managed to put a foot in it, it was cold like having a bucket of water dumped over your head. And unfeeling.
"Rhys." Mor crooned, trying to get him to look up from where his head was buried in Feyre's neck. "We need to think about the baby now, get him to safe-"
"She's not dead." Rhys interrupted darkly, lifting his normally light purple eyes to hers. What Mor saw in his eyes now was closer to pure black. "She's still breathing. And her heart still beats."
Mor nodded slowly at him. "We need to find help."
"I think I have enough power now to winnow, it won't be very far but it will have to be enough." Said Rhys.
"Can you take two?" Nesta asked carefully, still holding the baby to her chest. "He's awfully small for a newborn isn't he?"
Rhys snapped his head to look at her, like he had almost forgotten the baby was there. The anguished look on his face told her enough.
"He's premature, he needs to be looked at by someone a lot more skilled than me." Mor said sadly.
"Feyre needs to be taken to a healer. Right now." Amren cut in.
"But it isn't safe to leave the baby out here either. Who knows where that monster is now." Cassian added.
"We can't make him choose between them!" Mor said in desperation.
Rhys didn't try to stop or hide the tears rolling down his face as he looked down at Feyre's pale body. His face crumpling as he looked at his dying mate.
A sharp cry from the baby had him snapping back up, eyes fixing on his son, unable to see any part of him because of how well Mor had wrapped him in the blanket, apart from one small pudgy hand, which had managed to escape its blanketed constraints.
A low moan sounded from Feyre as a shudder overtook her. Rhys pulled her closer, not leaving an inch of space between them, breathing in her scent. It was then that he knew he couldn't make this decision.
"I'll have to try taking them both." He said resolutely.
"Take them both where?"
Rhys turned his head so sharply he narrowly missed injuring himself. Because standing in the doorway of the cave was Azriel.
Azriel stood grim faced as he took in the scene. Tendrils of Rhys' darkness still swirled at ankle height on the cave floor. Most of his friends stood opposite his high lord and lady, a mess of blood separating them. And at the start of the blood trail was Feyre, crumpled up and for all the world looking as lifeless as a corpse.
Azriel's face contorted with horror. "Am I too late?" He whispered.
"She's not dead." Rhys said softly. "But she needs a healer."
Azriel exhaled loudly, his face had gone deathly pale. "Well it's a good thing I brought one then."
Azriel stepped aside and a small woman dressed in Dawn Court attire passed through, brushing past Azriel quickly. Without having to be told a word she analysed the scene and instantly set up a small bag of medical supplies next to Feyre.
"Dawn court?" Mor asked Azriel as he moved further in.
"…Not just Dawn." He responded, indicating warriors who had filtered in from outside, clearly in the Winter, Day, and Summer Court colours.
"We heard there was trouble and I immediately sent word out to the other courts." Tarquin said as he stepped into the cave, wearing full fighting gear.
"We're glad you're here." Mor said, coming forward to grasp Tarquin's hand, and then Kallias' who was right behind Tarquin.
"But what's happened here?" Kallias asked, looking to Rhys who still remained huddled over Feyre, his face was tinged with sorrow.
"We had to run, there was no other option. But then Feyre went into labour." Cassian said, also coming to greet the high lords.
"What?" Azriel hissed. "The baby?" He asked, his eyes fixed on Feyre's now slightly smaller stomach.
"He's here." Nesta said cautiously, eyeing all the different warriors who were watching the scene with interest.
A low snarl echoed across the room, the darkness ebbing across the floor retreating back to its source to pool dangerously behind Rhys as he glared at the healer.
"I need to perform some very complex magic or the high lady will die. If you don't back off I will walk away right now." The healer warned Rhys.
Cassian and Azriel exchanged a look before lunging for one of Rhys' arms each. But Rhys didn't put up a fight as he allowed his brothers to pull him away, arms locked behind his back.
"Perhaps we should have everyone else wait outside?" Tarquin suggested, indicating the various soldiers that surrounded them.
Wordlessly the cave was emptied of everyone who wasn't Night Court, High Lord, or healer.
Nesta let out a gasp as the air surrounding the healer began to glow red, a thin line stretching out from her to Feyre. "What are you doing?" She asked quietly.
"She's lost too much blood. If I don't replace it her body won't function" The healer replied, clearly annoyed that she wasn't being left alone to work.
"By using your own blood?" Mor asked, morbidly curious.
The healer barely nodded, "I am one of Thesan's best healers. This sort of magic cannot be attempted by a novice."
"Will she be okay?" Rhys managed to croak.
A heartbeat of silence. "I'll do what I can."
Minutes passed while the healer worked. Mor and Nesta did their best to inform Tarquin and Kallias about the attack and the evacuation of Velaris. Kallias in turn, told them that Helion was out there now, cleaning up the mess from when they had successfully cornered the monster and it had simply disappeared. Leaving a trailing wreck of destruction.
"No help from Beron then?" Mor scoffed.
"No, not Beron… But-" Tarquin began but was cut off by a sudden outburst from Rhys.
"Whatever you're doing, stop! The bond's going weak." He growled, struggling to free his arms from Cassian and Azriel.
Mor rushed over to her cousin, holding his face in her hands, her eyes shining. "Rhysand. You have to let the healer work. All the time we've wasted is why it's going weak. Feyre can't hold on for much longer."
Rhys tried to shake his head, to look beyond Mor to see his mate but Mor kept his gaze fixed on her.
At a loss for what to do she asked Nesta to bring the baby forward. "Do you want to hold him?" Mor asked Rhys quietly.
Rhys instantly stopped struggling as he peered into the bundle in Nesta's arms. The baby's eyes were closed, but Rhys could see a small patch of dark hair covering their head, and long lashes framing his eyes. His son's skin was paler than his, but with a tone that suggested a few years in the sun could bring it closer to his own colour.
But the baby's nose was entirely Feyre's. The way it curved slightly at the tip. How long and narrow it was. The sight alone was enough to make Rhys' knees crumple, Cassian and Azriel having to support him to keep him upright.
Nesta held the baby forward but Rhys shook his head vigorously. "Feyre should get to hold him first."
Mor looked on the verge of tears as she nodded at Nesta to take the baby away.
"Is there anything for us to do?" Kallias asked the healer awkwardly, as he and Tarquin looked like they wanted to comfort Rhys, but weren't sure how he would respond.
Leaning back on her heels, the healer wiped away a small bead of sweat. "I've done everything I can. The damage is repaired, the bleeding's stopped. Now we wait to see if she has the strength to wake up."
"She will." Rhys said, defiance in his eyes as if he were begging fate itself to tell him otherwise.
"Shall I look over the child?" The healer asked, ignoring Rhys' comment altogether.
Nesta and the healer sat down together so she could do proper checks while Nesta held him, crooning to him when he started to squirm. It wasn't long before the baby grew impatient and began to cry. Loudly.
Nesta tried her best to get him to stop but one thing was clear. He wanted his mother.
Suddenly, Rhys ripped free from Cassian and Azriel, who had been watching the baby with concern. He threw himself down beside Feyre, tenderly reaching for one of her hands.
"Did you see that?" Rhys asked to no one in particular.
Mor came forward, a hopeful look on her face. "What did you see?"
"Her hand twitched." Rhys said, rubbing a thumb across the back of Feyre's hand. "Feyre?" He whispered to her. "I can feel her through the bond." Rhys said turning to Mor, as if he were trying to convince her he wasn't crazy.
The baby cried again loudly in the background and ever so slightly, Mor saw Feyre's other hand twitch.
"There!" She cried out.
Suddenly, Cassian, Azriel, Amren, Kallias, and Tarquin were all gathered around them.
Very slowly, Feyre's lips parted. Rhys placed a few drops of water on them for her, allowing her to croak out quietly, "Ellias?"
"Not what I was expecting." Cassian joked, but his eyes were suspiciously shiny as Rhys choked out a laugh of relief.
"It's what we agreed to name the baby if we had a boy."
Feyre's eyes fluttered open blearily, taking in all the people surrounding her, but her eyes landed on Rhys and rested there. She tried to smile but it looked more like a grimace.
Rhys leaned forward to brush lightly against her lips, ever gentle and careful not to hurt her.
"I didn't die again did I?" Feyre asked lightly when she noticed Tarquin and Kallias.
Rhys was caught by surprise as he let out laugh. "You gave it your best shot, but not this time."
But Feyre wasn't really listening. She was already looking around worriedly.
Rhys without having to read her mind immediately called out for Nesta. But it was the healer who brought over their son, wrapped up once more in his bundle of rags.
"I've already done a few checks on him, but right now the best thing for him is his mother." She said smiling for the first time since she had entered the cave.
Feyre held out her arms, but she was still too weak to hold any weight, so the healer instead placed the baby on her chest and pulled Rhys' hands up to hold the baby in place.
A single tear ran down Feyre's face as she gazed at her newborn son. Sensing a new person holding them, the baby squirmed, opening his eyes to inspect her. Feyre's breath hitched as she stared into her son's eyes, the same grey as her own.
Rhys slid his other arm around Feyre, holding them together as they could only stare speechlessly at their son.
"He's beautiful." Mor said, coming closer to gaze at him.
"He is." Feyre whispered in agreement.
"So… Ellias huh?" Cassian asked.
"We picked it out only last week." Rhys said almost challengingly.
"It's a fine name." Azriel quickly added.
"So the Night Court finally has a new heir." Kallias said grinning, before congratulating Rhys on the shoulder and smiling warmly at Feyre, unwilling to go anywhere near another male's mate at a time like this.
"How long have you been around for Rhys? About time for a change of leadership." Tarquin said jokingly.
Feyre smiled warmly at them, offering her thanks for their help. "We didn't know if you would make it in time."
"We nearly didn't." Tarquin said sheepishly.
"Your shadowsinger here was a great help." Kallias said, indicating Azriel.
Rhys looked up at Az, a serious look on his face as he thanked him which Azriel tried to brush off.
"Helion helped too." Tarquin quickly told them before looking uneasy.
"What is it?" Rhys asked.
Tarquin was just about to continue when a soldier entered the cave. Rhys stiffened as he saw the Spring Court colours etched onto his shirt.
"We've finished rounding up all the Velaris citizens and are bringing them to safety now." The soldier said to Kallias who seemed to have taken responsibility for him.
"Get. Out." Rhys growled, wings snapping open, before Kallias had even had a chance to respond.
The soldier's face blanched but he hurriedly retreated from the room.
"Why is Tamlin here?" Rhys growled.
"Tamlin himself is not." Tarquin said, hands up. "He… seemed worried about Feyre having to flee in her condition and offered up some of his own men to help."
"I want them out of my court. Now." Rhys ground out.
"Before you do anything brash Rhysand, they've been valuable in our efforts to regroup the refugees." Kallias said quickly, but Rhys only let out a feral growl.
"This would not be the first time Tamlin has resorted to killing a child from my family." He snarled.
Feyre gripped his arm in warning. "I agree that they should go. The risk is just too great and I won't gamble our son's life. But I would like to personally thank them, and have them give my thanks to Tamlin before they leave."
Rhys seemed to deflate a little at this. Glad to be rid of them soon, but not glad to hear that Feyre would have to interact with them.
"I'll have them gone before tonight. You have my word." Tarquin promised.
Rhys nodded in agreement. "Everyone else is welcome to stay, there will be enough space in Velaris to house them. The rest of us can stay in the House of Wind."
Kallias and Tarquin gave their thanks, before Amren interrupted them coolly, unamused that Tarquin had not brought Varian this time.
"Now that that's done, can we get out of this cave now?"