Lucien grins as he and Tamlin take a walk through the Spring Court. "Look how it's coming along! There has been so much progress already."

Tamlin nods and looks around. He can't believe this is the same court as a month or two ago. Stretching his arms over his head, the sun hits his face and makes his shortened but still flowing golden locks shimmer in the light.

"How are you feeling lately?"

"Fine", he mumbles, shrugging. "As fine as I can be. I'm at my baseline which is good. Neutral is...good."

"Maybe one day you will be happy and not just baseline."

Tamlin's head bows a bit as he looks at the dirt pathway lined with fresh flowers. "I'm not going to hold my breath for it. I don't think I was bred for happiness, Lucien. Just for mediocrity."

"I don't believe that. As I've said before, I've seen the honorable male you can be. Hell, you are becoming that way again. Everyone deserves to know that there is someone on their side. And after everything you have been through since, fuck, the day you were born, you deserve a reprieve from that."

He sighs and shrugs. "A huge part of me will always tell myself I don't deserve it."

Lucien stays quiet for a moment. He knows that doubt all too well and that it can creep up on you hard and fast and when you least expect it to.

"I met Briar a couple of days ago. Winter Court is never pleasant, I cannot stand the cold. But Kallias and Viviane really care about her. She is like a part of their family. But she's a feisty one, very sweet too. Polite. Everything a Child of the Blessed would be to a fae, though I don't think it's an act, I think that she's just genuinely a good person."

"But she's human?"

"No."

"No?"

Lucien smirks slightly and glances over at his friend. "No. Maybe you weren't there the day she went into the Cauldron. She was the last one of them. The rest died. For some reason, the Cauldron deemed her worthy of becoming fae. It was...Hybern's way of making sure it would work for...for Elain and Nesta", he breathes out. "So she has been fae a little longer than them. She's different though. Different from Elain and Nesta, but also different from us. Her ears are pointed but only slightly. It's as if she kept most of her humanity but gained our lifespan. She radiates power though, something I'm not particularly interested in asking about or seeing. Hell, I've heard the stories of what Nesta went through and that was scary. I'm glad I wasn't there when that went down."

Tamlin swallows and nods slowly. "She sounds lovely."

"She was for the short time I spoke with her. I winnowed her to the Summer Court. Figured that would be a good place to start. From there we will go to Dawn, Day, then Night for Starfall. I explained Autumn is out of the question despite its natural beauty because of who rules there. Luckily, she understood. Spring will be last as we planned."

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"For being her guide. And I know I don't deserve it, especially coming from you, but before you bring her here, maybe you could...tell her some of the not-so-terrible things about me?"

Lucien huffs out a laugh and rolls his eyes. "Afraid of how your possible mate could perceive you, Tam?"

He growls annoyedly. "She may not be."

"But she may be."

"Why should that matter?"

"Because you can say it doesn't, but believe me, it does."

"Oh, you would know?"

"Yes. I just came from being with my mate", he grins wolfishly. "She accepted me."

Tamlin's brow raises. "Seriously?"

"Completely. She's...she's everything, Tamlin. It's the kind of connection I always craved. I hope you can experience that one day too. Maybe soon", he teases.

"Mhh", he shrugs.

As they walk down the road past the cottages, Lucien notices a woman plucking berries from a thorny bush. Her hands are all scarred from previous cuts—she must be a baker. They are adamant about growing their own fresh berries and picking them right from the vine for quality. He nudges Tamlin who looks over at her. She has a small child running around her, full of energy.

The babe skips around, not looking where she is going, and smacks into Tamlin's leg, falling down. She goes to cry but then gapes up at him wide-eyed. Lucien estimates she's about three years old. She has golden pigtails and big blue eyes.

Her mother glances over and a gasp escapes her as she sees who her daughter ran into. Tamlin crouches down and helps the child to her feet. "It's alright, little one. Tell me, what's your name?"

"Janie", she states proudly. Tamlin smiles softly.

"Well, it's good to meet you, Janie."

Her mother rushes over and scoops her up, putting her back on her hip, hands bloodied. "I—I am so sorry, High Lord", she stutters, bowing her head. "Please...she's just a child."

Tamlin's face falls slightly before he replaces it with a mask of coolness. "It's no worry. She is just a child, there is nothing wrong with her being energetic. I was just on my way to check to see how the rebuild is coming. Is there any way I or my emissary can assist you today?"

"Y-You want to help me?"

"Any way we can."

"Oh, no I'm all set. I'm alright", she blushes.

Tamlin nods politely.

Lucien motions to her hands. "Your hands. They are bleeding. Allow me to heal them?"

She blushes deeply. "Heal?"

"Yes. I have unique powers. Sometimes I don't even understand them", he chuckles. "I am a male of many Courts. So...may I?"

Flustered, she bites her lip and nods. "You may if you're sure."

"Absolutely." Lucien gently heals her hands and smiles. "We are happy to help."

"That we are", Tamlin affirms, walking over to her berry bushes and moves his hands over the bushes, using his powers to clear the thorns from them, the heat of his power also plumping up the berries.

The woman gapes before a big smile breaks out on her face. "Wow...", she kneels and bows to him. "You have my gratefulness, High Lord."

Tamlin smiles a bit and leans down. "Please, there is no need to kneel. Aside from official business, I don't enjoy enforcing rank, and I especially don't enjoy the notion of needing my people to kneel before me. Please, stand?"

He reaches his hand out and she places hers in his, her face flushing deeply as she stands, her daughter clinging to her still as well.

"There we are", Tamlin muses, grinning. "I must say, your pies are delicious. I've had one from time to time as a bit of a treat. Some of the best in the Spring Court. May I ask your name?"

"Stella. Stella Knox. M-My mate is Jaxon. He is one of the builders working on your Manor."

"Jaxon Knox, yes. He's very skilled, isn't he?"

She nods and kisses her daughter's cheek.

"I was thinking of having a Court-wide celebration when all of the rebuilds are finished. How would you like to cater the desserts? You would get a very gracious stipend on top of your original baker's fees. I can let you know the dates as soon as we know anything. And I can assure you all of the workers are getting good stipends as well. I hope you will be able to enjoy the celebration with your family."

Her eyes sparkle and her light brunette hair shines in the sun. "We would love that, High Lord."

"Tamlin, please."

She inclines her head politely. "It is polite to use title where it is earned, High Lord Tamlin."

"I don't know if I have earned that privilege yet. I let many of you down in the past, but I am doing my best o make amends. I am hoping I can. I know not everyone will forgive or forget, but all I can do is my best to fix relations between the High Court and the people. Please, tell your friends if they need anything, I will hear them. I will be amending as much as I can in how this Court is run. I do not want to be like my father in any way. I can't get rid of everything, such as the tithe, because I do plan to use those payments to upkeep the entire court and to pay my staff...when I hire new staff. But anyway, hopefully I can make some new clauses to the tithe law to make it a bit easier to make payments when the time comes."

The woman smiles and places a gentle hand over his. "All you can do is try your best. Nobody is perfect. Not even leaders are perfect. Bad things happen sometimes, I know that all too well, just as most everybody in every Court does. All you and anybody else can do is your best. You are a young High Lord, you have plenty of time to turn the Court into the best it can be. I have every faith in you to do so."

He swallows hard and nods politely. "Thank you Mrs. Knox. It means a lot to me."

"I look forward to catering the celebration", she grins. "I will get busy growing many different fruits for pies and cakes."

Lucien chuckles. "I can't wait to eat them. Be wary of the thorns though, lady."

"I will try. Thank you again Mr. Vanserra, for taking the pain away."

"You're very welcome. Might I suggest getting some gardening gloves? My mate loves gardening as well and her hands get pricked nearly as much as yours. She hates the restriction of the gloves, but they do protect your hands."

Her face lights up. "You found your mate? Oh, congratulations!"

He blushes. "Thank you."

"I will consider gloves. My husband bugs me about that too", she giggles.

Lucien smiles. "Neither of us particularly enjoy thinking about our mate in pain, I think. That's why we are so adamant. I'll make sure your husband knows just how appreciated his time is. I know it must not be easy being away from his mate and baby girl for so long each day."

She tears up and cuddles Janie. "That means so much to me. Thank you."

"Of course."

"Maybe you'll have one of these to pine over soon as well", she teases.

Lucien's face turns nearly as red as his hair. "Oh, I don't know about that, but hopefully one day."

Stella grins and Janie holds her hands out to him. "It seems she would like to show you something. She has a very unique power as well."

Lucien swallows hard and hesitantly takes the child awkwardly. Being the youngest, he is not very well versed in how to handle children. However, he does his best and holds her on his hip the way her mother did.

Janie giggles and wraps her arms around Lucien's neck. He plasters on an awkward smile as Tamlin laughs at him a bit. "Oh, c'mon Luc, it's just a child, hopefully, she won't bite."

"Oh, gosh no, she won't do that", her mother replies.

Suddenly Janie places a tiny palm on Lucien's cheek and his remaining russet eye glazes over with a golden hue. Tamlin moves forward but stops himself. "What is she doing to him?"

"Just showing him something that his heart needs to know. Her power is drawn to inner desires and can show you the result of that desire, good or bad."

Tamlin raises an eyebrow in disbelief. "Like a seer?"

"In a way. More like...she can answer questions with a vision when she can connect to you. She doesn't just have them at random like a seer."

"Ah...", he nods, watching Lucien in concern.

Lucien is thrust into a vision as if he is an invisible bystander.

"Daddy!", a little girl squeals, rushing over to vision-Lucien. She has strawberry blonde hair, but her back is to him as he watches.

"Sweetie", he grins, scooping her up and spinning her around lovingly. "I missed you, my little love."

"I missed you too Daddy. Mummy did too!"

Vision-Lucien turns so that the little girl is in his arms but now facing him. She has one russet eye like him, and one blue-gray eye like Elain. Heterochromia. Her eyes are different the way his are.

"Lucia, where is Mommy?"

"She's in the garden with Ayla and Lux."

"I hope your sisters have been behaving while I was on business?"

"They were okay", he giggles. "Luxy kept trying to pull at the roses and she got pricked by one of the thorns and cried yesterday."

"Poor baby." Vision-Lucien frowns. "I'll have to heal her finger."

"And Ayla made us swings on the big oak tree with her vines and pieces of wood!"

"That was clever."

"It's so much fun! You should swing with us, daddy."

"Okay, sweetheart."

His daughter leads vision-Lucien back to the garden of their home, which is drenched in sunlight. He seems to follow as an invisible soul.

Elain looks up and grins brightly. "Lucien!", she gets up from the soil with a bit of trouble, her stomach swelling with child. Their fourth, apparently. Lucia's twin sister Ayla is on a swing, the same strawberry blonde hair and heterochromatic eyes, though reversed. Their other daughter Lux is playing in a sandbox, her radiant ruby hair, the same as Lucien's, glowing in the sun like a gem, her eyes curious and wide, the same blue-gray as her mother's.

"Elain", Vision-Lucien breathes out, hugging her as close s possible before pulling her in for a loving kiss. "My love", he murmurs on her lips. "How are you doing?"

"Managing", she chuckles. "I'm better now that you're home. Our girls keep me on my toes. Actually, our boy does too", she grins, rubbing her belly.

Vision-Lucien gasps and tears up, cupping her face. "It's a boy?"

She nods and giggles, tearing up as well. "A boy. It's a boy, Lucien. We are having a son."

Suddenly, he is thrust out of the vision and gasps, his eye returning to normal as he blinks and takes in Tamlin and Stella. He chokes back the sob in his throat and blinks a few times to rid himself of tears that threaten to spill.

Stella takes Janie back and nuzzles her cheek. Tamlin squeezes Lucien's shoulder. "What was that? What happened?"

Lucien takes a breath. "Nothing it...it was good. Really good." He turns his attention to Stella and Janie. "Thank you."

Stella grins and nods. "I'm glad there is a good outcome. Whatever your heart was asking."

"Me too. Have a good day."

"You as well, Mr. Vanserra. And you too, High Lord Tamlin."

"Thank you, Stella." He smiles and nods politely as he and Lucien head towards the new Manor again.

"Want to tell me what that was all about?", Tamlin presses.

"I'd rather keep it to myself so that I don't change the outcome. It's too good to risk. Please understand that."

"Okay, okay. I understand. I hope whatever it was comes true for you too. You deserve good things, Lucien."

"Thanks, Tam. So do you."

.

.

.

Emerie closes the shop early and locks up the register. Going upstairs to her little home, she changes into comfortable leggings and a snug blush-colored shirt that won't billow during flying. Her nerves are jittery and she sits at her vanity re-braiding her long dark hair. She puts on some light eye makeup and a dab of lip-gloss, taking a deep breath.

"I can do this. I can do this. I've got this. It's just a date. One date. Nothing major...okay...I got this. I am the rock on which the surf crashes", she murmurs, reminding herself of what her and her friend had gone through. That she is strong enough to handle one date.

Moments later there is a knock at her second-floor door. One that hasn't been used in forever, since she would have to fly down to use it and...that was taken from her ages ago.

Opening her door, she comes face to face with Balthazar, wings tucking behind his back.

"Emerie", he smiles handsomely. "Hello."

"Hi", she breathes, taking in how good he looks in casual clothes.

"You look great", he says, smiling.

"So do you."

"Thank you. So are you ready to go, or did you want to go for a coffee or something first?"

Emerie blushes softly. "Maybe fly first. It's been so so long and I don't know how I'll handle it.'

"Understood", he says softly. "I-I wish I could've been there to stop him...I wish it would stop. Those pricks need to be dealt with the same damn way. I hate them. I hate anyone who could do that to an innocent girl and have no remorse."

"It's not your fault, Bal."

"Bal?", he smirks softly, raising an eyebrow.

She turns red. "Balthazar. Apologies. I'm used to giving my friends nicknames, bad habit. I should've asked."

"No, no. I like it. It's new."

"Really?"

"Really", he smiles boyishly but gorgeously.

She bites her lip cutely and nods. "Okay then. Ready to go?"

"I am when you are. Whenever you're comfortable."

"I trust you", she affirms, looking into his eyes.

He nods and holds out his hand. "I'll have to hold you remember."

"I know", she replies, blushing a bit.

Emerie steps closer and hugs him. "Thank you for caring. For being a kind, moral, and decent male. There aren't too many, especially in Illyria. You're very special, Bal."

He hugs her close and gently rubs the place between her wings gently, feeling the tightness there from atrophy.

"Does it hurt you?", he whispers.

"The muscles connected to my wings...yes. More often than not. But there is medicine I take that eases it. I'm supposed to do stretches a couple of times a day to help it even slightly, but i-it hurts so much."

"I'm so sorry, Em."

"Me too", she sighs, breathing in his sweet but earthy scent.

He pulls her a bit closer and sways gently. "I can't help but care for you. Even back at the Rite. I saw her pulling you from the stream and I couldn't help a feeling of dread when I thought you were dead. Thank the Cauldron you weren't. But I felt the need to help you both."

"I'm not so secretly glad for that", she smiles, pulling away to look into his eyes.

He grins cutely gently placing his forehead against hers. Are you trying to make me fall into the warm chocolate of your eyes? Because it's working."

She blushes and smiles. "I think you're doing that of your own accord, however, it's mutual. Your eyes are just as warm you know."

"Are they?"

"Mhm."

"Hmm, good to know."

Emerie pulls away quickly when the urge to kiss him threatens to overwhelm her. She is absolutely not ready for that, and even if he is, he should get to know her more first. "Let's fly."

"You're sure you're ready?"

"Yes, I'm ready. I promise."

"Alright then", he smiles and tucks a hand under the base of her wings and sweeps her up into his arms.

Emerie smiles and blushes, wrapping her arms around his neck. He steps up onto the ledge of her balcony. Her hold tightens a little but she looks up, determined.

Balthazar squats down before launching himself into the air, his wings spreading fully and impressively, catching the wind at the perfect moment, allowing them to soar over Velaris slowly, the wind whistling past them.

"Let me know if you're ever uncomfortable and I can land, okay?"

"Okay. But I'm fine. Seeing the city like this again...and at dusk...it's gorgeous."

"That it is. My favorite view."

They soar around the city for an hour or so, making light conversation about their favorite places and favorite memories in those places.

Emeries points out a small café near the river in the rainbow district. "My mother used to take me there as a girl sometimes. They have incredible fish and chips. Good desserts too."

"Is that so? I don't know if I've ever been there. I'll have to try it sometime. Hopefully with you, if you want."

Emerie pecks his cheek shyly. "I'd like that."

He grins. "Awesome."

"The cool air feels really good. Thank you for flying me."

"Any time you need, Em. I mean it."

"Can we fly above Ramiel maybe? I know it may be a bit chilly but...I haven't been around there since the Rite and I know the stars are particularly bright above the peaks."

"Anything you wish. You've had enough taken from you and too many people putting you down. You deserve the opposite for a while. So, anywhere you want to go, I will be your personal tour guide."

Emerie blushes and tears up. "You're an amazing male, Balthazar. I am lucky to have you around."

"I am lucky to have you around too. You're like a breath of fresh air. Especially having to train around all the other Illyrians day by day...their societal views are disgusting to me. I find myself wanting to simply be around you more. Someone who understands that personally. I feel like I don't truly belong in Illyria. Honestly, I don't enjoy that my mother is still there either. But I'd protect her with everything I am. I was lucky I grew up with a father who was different too. Who understood and respected females. I'm so grateful I was dealt the hand I was. I want to use my chance for good. To do as much as I can, which isn't a lot, to help Illyrian females. My father used to run a shelter for them on the Southernmost side. Wives, mothers, and even single girls who were escaping their male counterparts whether it be spouses or fathers. It was...ravaged during the war. Most of the females there died. My father died too", he says weakly. "I wanted to start another one, but I don't want the same fate to come to them...escaping their abusers only to end tragically despite that."

Emerie leans her head on his shoulder. "I think that those females most likely had a very good life for the time they were there. And I think they most likely died much happier and in much less pain than they would have. And I...I know it's a huge risk to your standing if you create another. But you would be doing a huge service to the ones still suffering. I-I'm friends with Nesta, who is sister to the High Lady. There must be something we can all do to help women who are like I was. Illyria is in need of severe reform, and those abusers need to be punished. The law was changed decades ago and it's still going on unpunished. That needs to change. I think we could both help protect these females. We could do this together...we could petition the High Lord. I won the Rite with my friend despite my physical deformities and through my pain, I got away alive after my father's years of abuse on the cusp of death, I owned my shop despite my cousin's harassment and I won't stand down to another challenge. I can do this, we can do this. If you're willing to risk it."

Emerie gasps as he circles the highest peak of Ramiel, the brightest stars glimmering above them, taking her breath away along with the cold air and the sudden dip in trajectory.

"There is nothing I wouldn't risk to make Illyria a safer place for females like you, Emerie. I want generations from now to grow up there and feel at home. Not feel terrified and hurt and broken or living in fear of the day they will be mutilated." He cups her cheek gently. "I don't want the next generation of girls to go through the pain of what you went through and are still going through. I'd be honored to do my best to change that, alongside you. So yes, I am more than willing to risk my standing in the Illyrian guard because I'm hoping the High Lord will realize that this isn't something to overlook the way it has been. We need to make him see that this is urgent and not something that can be waited out. We need action now."

Emerie can't help tears from falling from her eyes as Balthazar lands near the top of Ramiel, setting her down for a moment. "I couldn't agree more. You are a pretty perfect male, Bal."

He blushes deeply and looks up, gazing at the stars. "I'm not perfect, I'm decent."

"No", she whispers, cupping his cheek and dragging his gaze to hers. "I meant what I said", she whispers, moving onto her toes to softly press her lips against his. That's when she feels a large tug in the center of her chest, eliciting a sharp gasp from her lips at the same time as Balthazar.