(Sorry for delays to chapters recently all- I've been busy planning my own wedding, aha!)
It was early when I was woken up the next day by the curtains being drawn. The sky outside revealed sunrise, a beautiful reddish orange hue, and I let out a grumble as Rosia and Doja started moving around the bedroom. Rosia went to draw a bath and Doja was in my armoire.
"It's so early," I grumbled, sitting up in bed.
"Did you not like your nightgown we left out, miss?" Doja asked, signalling to where the satin piece lay unworn, on a cushioned bench by the bed.
I fiddled with the t-shirt I wore, "Sorry, I usually wear one of my mate's t-shirts to bed."
Doja gave me a small smile, "Do you miss him?"
"Every minute," I replied, my voice coming out barely above a whisper. "It's like a piece of me is missing."
"I've always thought the idea of mates is so romantic," Doja let out a sigh, "You're very lucky."
"I am," I agreed and Rosia walked back into the room.
"The High Lord is taking you hunting in the forest for training this morning," Rosia said as Doja laid a tunic, blouse, leggings and some boots on the edge of the bed. "And when you get back, you have a dancing lesson followed by a meeting with the florist and Miss Rhian this afternoon."
No time wasted then, it seemed.
"We'll let you have some privacy while you bathe," Doja said and they left me in the bathroom doorway.
The bath was bigger than the one at the House of Wind, but smaller than the Moonstone Palace. Nonetheless, it was deep and I was grateful for its warm and whatever potions that had been poured in- some kind of apple and cinnamon scent. I washed quickly and dried myself before dressing in the underwear that had been left out for me and wrapping myself in one of the satin robes hanging from the wall. When I left the bathroom, I could smell breakfast. I followed the scent to my living room and Rosia poured me a cup of coffee as Doja sat on a chair by the window, sewing.
"What are you making?" I asked her.
"Oh I'm just embroidering some detailing onto one of your dresses."
"Do you make your own clothes?"
"I don't get much time," She replied. "I'd like to."
"Perhaps you could make yourself something for the ball."
"Oh, we won't be invited to that," A soft laugh.
"But why?"
"It's above our station," Rosia said. She sat on the sofa across from me, her hands in her laps, "Servants don't get invited to the Balls."
But I'd seen some at Rhys' Starfall party…
"But you work just as hard, if not harder than anyone else," I paused with my food. "Have you had breakfast?"
"We have it in the kitchens before our day begins," Doja said.
"Tomorrow I'd like you to have breakfast with me," I told them.
"That's… not really proper, Miss."
I sighed, "We're going to be spending a lot of time together, I gather?" They each gave a nod. "Then we're going to be friends. And none of this proper business, I'd like to be called Gwyn." They exchanged a look but both nodded again as I finished my breakfast.
I insisted on not needing help getting changed and they left me to dress myself, only returning to braid my hair in a style that reminded me of the Valkyries, and then to pin an Autumn Court sigil to my tunic. They led me down the stairs and excused themselves when we reached Eris. He stood in similar attire to my own, a red tunic, the twin to my golden one, his vines a gold whereas mine were green. He looked at the dagger strapped to my thigh but said nothing as I folded my arms across my chest.
He threw a wooden longbow in my direction and I caught it before catching the quiver filled with arrows. He then grabbed his own bow and quiver from a nearby table.
Eris led me outside and down the stairs to the forest, two armed guards following us. As we reached the bottom of the stairs, I noticed what looked like some barracks. Soldiers moved in and out and they paused to bow their heads to us as we passed. Then two white hounds made their way over to us. I'd read in books that the Autumn Court bred hounds for hunting and even the dogs seemed to have stern facial expressions.
"What are their names?" I asked Eris as the hounds moved ahead of us.
"Orion and Tharon," He replied. "They're my best hounds. Excellent sense of smell. I'll be taking them to The Middle with us."
I watched the hounds do their work, "I've always wanted a pet."
Amusement crossed his face, "They're working dogs, I wouldn't call them a pet."
The forest seemed to glow in the early morning light, the sun radiating through the oranges and reds of the leaves.
"What are we hunting for?" I asked him.
A smirk crossed his face, "Dinner."
He led us through the forest and it seemed to get thicker the further we walked. The guards stayed well enough behind us that they weren't even visible but I knew they'd still be guarding us and I had no doubt that other guards were spread around the forest too.
Eris nocked an arrow and I did the same as we stepped carefully, scanning.
"How much archery experience have you had?" He asked as we moved through the undergrowth.
"I'm better with close-range," I admitted and he gave a nod.
"Sometimes the element of surprise is more useful," My grandfather said. His eyes roved the space in front of us, a hunter. "Close your eyes," He said and I did. "Now listen."
I could hear the birds chattering in the trees, different bird calls to what I was used to in the Night Court. I heard a tapping of a tree somewhere. A woodpecker? Then I heard the movement of leaves. I concentrated hard on the direction it was in and opened my eyes, turning on my heels slightly. A stag trotted out from behind the trees and it knocked the breath out of me. I'd never seen one before. Sure, I'd eaten venison at one of the nice restaurants in Velaris but I'd never seen an alive deer. My hesitation cost me and my arrow missed, enough to scare the stag away.
"Lesson one… do not let yourself get distracted under any circumstances." He turned quickly, firing an arrow and it sank into a doe behind us. "And never hesitate."
I prayed my dance lesson would go better. I'd been sent upstairs to change and had returned to the ground floor in another dress, this one a cream chiffon with gold detailing. Eris had changed into another tunic too and was already in the ballroom when I arrived.
"You're late," He said in greeting as I hurried in. He held out his hand, signalling for me to pause and gave an exaggerated bow.
"Er, yes, sorry," I murmured and curtsied.
"That's better than yesterday," He told me, "But there is still room for improvement."
Of course.
"Can you waltz?" He asked.
"A little," I replied and he held out a hand for me.
It seemed that I had heavily relied on Azriel sweeping me around the floor and even then, our dancing looked pathetic next to Eris. I wondered then how it had been to watch him and Nesta waltzing together those months ago. I stumbled a few times and he called out orders and comments about my posture as I tried to hold it. By the end of the lesson, I was exhausted and relieved it was over because I wasn't sure how much more my self-esteem could take.
"I'm sorry," I said to him as the lesson ended and I hurried upstairs before I could let anyone see my tears.
I sank down on the rug beside the bed, hugging my knees as the tears finally fell. I couldn't use a bow and arrow, I couldn't dance. I'd been right all along- I wasn't cut out for the Autumn Court.
No one came to get me that afternoon and I was grateful to be undisturbed. And when my handmaidens turned up to offer me dinner, I dismissed them, claiming I was unwell, and they didn't return.