Loud, laughing voices are heard crashing through the front doors of the Spring Court Manor, the slosh of rain on the newly cleaned tile. Tamlin had just sat down in his chair for a nice hot meal, prepared by his chefs. The perfect stew for a rainy and miserable day.

He outwardly groan and Lucien smirks, climbing over the bench to sit as well. "They'll learn. Ooma will go absolutely bonkers on them once she sees that mud on her clean floor."

"I've told him time and time again to use the mats and he never listens", he growls annoyedly.

Lucien scoffs and shovels a spoonful of stew into his mouth. "Mm, you must think, Tam. Did you use the mats when you were young?"

Tamlin throws him a glare and he barks out a laugh. "That's what I thought."

Just then they hear yelling scolds and a young male trying to defend himself.

"Ha, I told you", Lucien remarks, chuckling. "He wasn't going to get away with that."

"Good."

That's when the lad in question turns the corner, a defeated look on his face. Tamlin looks up from his bowl and raises an accusatory eyebrow.

"I know, I know", the male retorts. "I forgot, I'm sorry. She already yelled at me, I don't need another lecture, okay?"

Water drips down from his now flattened curls and Lucien turns away to bite back a laugh.

"You're still dripping, Andras", Tamlin growls. "Go get a towel and dry up, then I'll have Drange bring out your stew.

Andras looks at him sheepishly, green eyes meeting green eyes. "Fine", he sighs. In a split second he speeds out of the room using his powers.

Lucien scoffs and continues to eat his food, perpetually amused by his friend and their young protégé's back and forth.

"Don't you start."

"Hey, I'm not saying a word", he chuckles, holding his hands up in surrender.

"You don't have to, your face says it all. No defect in expression."

"How sweet", he retorts, smirking.

Tamlin huffs and goes quiet as he eats his stew, glancing at the door every so often.

"Do you want me to go check on him, because you're making me anxious. You've been irritable all day. What is it?"

"Nothing."

"It's never nothing. We are under a curse, monsters are everywhere, and money is dwindling. So which is it today?"

"Jacx never returned."

Lucien's face falls as he looks towards the foyer. "He was supposed to be back this evening", he murmurs out loud.

"Yes. And he's not", Tamlin says curtly.

"Is he...?"

"Yes."

Lucien glances down at his bowl and they sit in silence for a moment, seeming to mutually mourn the loss of yet another great friend and sentry, who volunteered to go over the border in beast form to find the human woman who would lift their curse. Except like all the others, it was not she who had killed him. But other human hunters. Things seem dire on their side of the wall as well, but one thing hasn't changed: how much they hate faeries.

Tamlin breaks the silence a moment later. "We can't keep doing this."

"We have no choice, Tam."

"Don't we? Don't I?"

A sad mask comes over Lucien's face and he swallows. "There is nothing else we can do. All we can do is keep trying."

"How many deaths is it going to take for us to give up? Maybe that's her plan. To have me get as many of my people killed under the guise of this curse that may not even be breakable. Who says a female woman like that even exists in this allotment of time? I-I can't do this anymore. I can't keep losing people, Luc."

"I'm sorry, but you're not doing this to hurt them or to help only yourself. We are all cursed to spend our miserable fate Under the Mountain if we don't find her. Not just you, all of us. You haven't forced anyone to go, they volunteered. For the good of Spring, and for all of the people who live here. Maybe if we can find her, and she can breaks the curse, we will have a chance of freeing the other Courts as well."

"And if not? Then nobody can say we didn't try."

Tamlin rubs his face. "I have to tell Andras."

Lucien sighs deeply and looks out the window. "I know. Fuck..."

Andras walks back into the dining area and sits down, a solemn look on his face, looking between them with a look of fear and brokenness. "Tell me what?" He looks around and goes rigid. "Where is he?"

Tamlin tenses and takes a breath. "An—"

"Where is he!?" Andras jumps out of his chair and slams his hands on the table, tears already stinging his eyes and threatening to fall down his freckled cheeks.

"I'm so sorry. Jacx...he didn't make it", Tamlin replies, doing his best to keep control of his gruff voice that threatens to waver.

"No." Andras shakes his head and stumbles back. "No. No! No! He was supposed to be back for dinner. He promised I—"

Lucien gets up and claps a hand on the young male's shoulder. "Andras..."

Tears fall down his face and he shrugs Lucien off. "He was my father. My mother is already gone wh-what...I-"

Lucien steps forward again, gripping his upper arm gently. "You're not alone."

"I know I'm grown but he's always been there", his voice cracks.

Tamlin swallows hard. "You have us. Lucien and I. I know we aren't your father, and we can't replace him. But you have us, nonetheless. You will be a great sentry one day, just as your father trained you. One of my best, I'm sure."

He shakes his head. "I don't care anymore. We're all gonna die anyway." He slumps down at the table, putting his head in his arms.

Lucien stays quiet and sits, passing a glance at Tamlin who looks down.

Andras's stew is brought out and he shoves it away.

"Eat", Tamlin mumbles. "I know you're grieving but you can't let it destroy you. You're only eighteen. None of us knows how this will play out. But right now we can only do what we can do. We can only live for as long as we have to live. I don't want you to miss out on things because of whatever fate lies ahead. You have friends, you have people who care for you. I've known you since you were born, Andras. You were your mother and father's pride. They would not want you to give up now."

He sniffs and wipes the tears from his face. "I need to get his body."

"No", Tamlin says sternly. "I can understand your pain and need for closure but absolutely not. If he can't handle those hunters, you can't. I won't let them kill you too."

"Tam!"

"I said no", he growls. "That's final, Andras."

Andras's lip curls and he balls his fists on the table.

"Now try to eat."

Lucien glances between them and slowly finishes his own food, his thoughts wandering to his mother.

The younger fae grabs his spoon and eats fast, then shoves the bowl away.

Tamlin waves his hand and the dishes disappear. "You don't need to go home unless you need to gather some items. You will have a room here. There are plenty. You can choose one."

Andras glances up at him brokenly. "I-I don't even know where to start with that."

"I'll help you", Lucien pipes up. "I'm no stranger to packing quickly. Plus, it will be good for you to choose some things of theirs that you'd like to remember them by. It might hurt but it will be nostalgic in the long run."

"Okay", he whispers. "It's just...we were going to have dinner here with you two and discuss what happened and then we would've gone home and now it just feels like I don't have a home anymore. I know that the Manor is like a second home but it's—"

"Not exactly the same", Lucien finishes. "I know. I'm sorry."

Tamlin stands up and squeezes Andras's shoulder. "I'll have the gray room prepared for you. I know you always liked that one."

He nods weakly and turns to Lucien. "Can we get it over with?"

"Sure." Lucien motions to the window. "It's stopped raining too."

"Maybe some of the crops will grow for those who need them", he says quietly.

"We can only hope", Tamlin responds.

"I'll check on them in the morning, see how people are doing."

Tamlin can't help but crack a smile. Andras is just as generous as his father was, and as kind as his mother. "I think that sounds like a good plan. It will take your mind off things, you should visit your special friend tomorrow too."

Andras groans. "You know you sound like an old male when you say that? Just because she's a female and my best friend does not make her a 'special friend', Tam."

"Whatever you say", Lucien interjects.

Andras groans and walks towards the foyer. "Let's just go and get this over with."

Lucien nods with a passing glance back at Tamlin, who sighs deeply, feeling sad and all too guilty as he watches them walk out the door to clear out the Floryn home.