Chapter 12

Shouldering Elain's bag over his own, Lucien eyed the path that would take them to Tamlin's Estate. Rhys had left them just over the border, and Lucien had shown Elain the direction in which they had to walk.

"It isn't too far." He said, and she just smiled at him. "Let's go…"

"I can carry my own bag…"

"I know." He replied, "But it makes me feel useful." Lucien gave her a grin and Elain actually rolled her eyes.

"Yes, you have no other purpose, Emissary." The laughter in her voice made his heart dance around his chest, and it took Lucien longer than he would have liked to notice that Tamlin didn't have sentries where he once had.

Stepping closer to Elain, Lucien made sure to keep his gaze searching around them for any hint of a threat as they walked. "Thank you for allowing me to contribute." He smiled when Elain noticed the change in the land around them. As the plants and trees grew more lush, her eyes began to dart around them more frequently and she appeared to grow more and more excited.

Before long, they were approaching the house and the grand gardens came into view. "Elain, Petal…" Lucien began, slowing his pace a little. Elain dropped to walk with him, her head tilted to listen to him, though her eyes were taking everything in and a wide smile had worked its way on to her face. "When we find Tamlin," he went on, "until it's clear what mood he is in… stay behind me."

Her brown eyes darted up to his face for a second and Lucien gave her a reassuring smile. Her smile faded and a light frown appeared between her eyes. "Do you think he will try to hurt you?"

"I'm not sure." He said softly, sensing a slight panicked feeling coming from her. "He wont hurt you, though." He told her, wishing he could wrap an arm around her shoulders or touch her in some way. "He's not like that…"

He saw the doubt in Elain's eyes and he wondered what Feyre had told her about Tamlin.

As they walked through the gardens toward the front of the house, Elain's worry seemed to war with her amazement, and more than once she had paused for a moment just to look at a flower here and there. Lucien had stopped by her side, taking in the empty grounds, and wondering what else Tamlin had done to push the rest of his court away. "Come on, Petal." He said, smiling at Elain, "You will have plenty of time to marvel over the beauty of this place once we find the High Lord."

She made a small sound of protest that sent a flush of heat through Lucien but she followed him toward the steps into the house. "Lucien…"

His name on her lips had Lucien stopping and turning to look at her. Elain stood on the step below him, her eyes still out roving over the gardens of the Spring Court. "Yes, Petal?" He lifted a hand, wanting to touch her.

"You were right…" she breathed, still looking at the gardens, "If I could have created my perfect world… it would look like this." Affection flooded Lucien as he looked at Elain, and he allowed himself to gently lay his hand on her shoulder. She looked around at him, and colour filled her cheeks before she lowered her gaze. "Sorry…" she murmured, her eyes moving to the doors.

"No…" he replied, "I'm glad…" She stepped up beside him and they headed inside.

Tamlin was where Lucien had imagined he would be. Trying to keep his face neutral, he approached his old friend, making sure he remained in front of Elain as he did so, trying to gauge the blond's reaction as he drew closer.

"Lucien…" Tamlin's voice held a sneer.

Lucien stopped a respectable distance away, feeling Elain come to a stop one step back and just to his right. "I assume you know why we are here…?" Lucien asked, "The High Lord of the Night Court requests that-"

"Yes, I can read." Tamlin retorted, "I read Rhys' letter…" Lucien stiffened when Tamlin's green eyes went to Elain and stayed there. "Hm…" the older male mused, "It's a pity you never fucked the oldest sister, Lucien. You could have had the whole set."

Lucien felt Elain's shock and out of the corner of his eye he could see her staring at him. "I never touched Feyre." He told Tamlin flatly.

"How could I tell?" Tamlin snarled, "You betrayed me in so many ways…"

Swallowing his rising anger, Lucien schooled his face into his courtly mask. "We request that you allow us to update the other courts on the progress of the Spring court, as outlined in the letter you received." He paused, "And that you allow Elain to roam freely on the grounds in pursuit of the composition of her book on flowers across Prythian."

Annoyance flashed in Tamlin's green eyes as he looked Lucien over, and Lucien braced himself against the bitterness he felt. "Fine." Those eyes went back to Elain, "You may have access to whatever you require."

"…Thank you." Elain's voice sounded steadier than Lucien suspected his did.

"Well," Tamlin looked back to Lucien, "you've arrived too late to get anything done today. I take it you remember when dinner is?"

"Yes."

"Good." Tamlin got to his feet. "I have a patrol to check. You will be given a room."

"… two, if you don't mind." Lucien said, knowing that Tamlin would be able to understand what that meant instantly. The blond gave him an amused smirk.

"Oh?" Tamlin asked, "So much pining for your mate… and she hasn't even taken you?" Clenching his jaw, Lucien just met Tamlin's eyes. Loathing. Loathing and disgust swirled in that green.

Before Lucien could make any kind of reply, Tamlin had walked away, leaving him and Elain both standing in the hall.

Even the walls were pretty. Elain sat on the bed in the room she had been given, and let her eyes move over the walls, taking in the prettily painted roses and tangled vines covering what appeared to be every inch of free space. The whole place was lovely, and she found it strange as it was in such contrast to the High Lord who ruled over it. Tamlin had not returned by dinner, so she and Lucien had eaten together in the dining room, and then returned upstairs for the evening. She was glad to know that he was just across the hallway, but was also glad for her own space.

After she had felt all kinds of emotions coming off of Lucien earlier, Elain suspected that he was probably thankful for his privacy as well. She had been able to see, even without the bond, that he had struggled to maintain his composure the moment Tamlin had begun to speak. Feyre had been right, they needed to repair whatever relationship was left between them, Elain she didn't know how that might come about. It was clear that Tamlin was still quite angry and, even now, across the hall, Elain could feel Lucien's sorrow. Evidently, he had been hoping that Tamlin might have been even somewhat glad to see him. She had felt Lucien's devastation when his old friend had looked at him with what came close to hate.

Hearing his heartbeat approach, Elain was already getting to her feet before she heard his knock at her door. Opening it, she stepped back to let him in and went back to sitting on the edge of the bed to look at him. "Are you alright?" She asked, watching him.

"Yes," Lucien turned to her and went down on his knees before her, taking her hands in his as he looked up at her. Elain blinked in shock. "What he said," he breathed, russet eye bright, "about Feyre. It wasn't true."

"Okay…" Elain murmured,

"It's not true." Lucien repeated, "Feyre and I never had that kind of relationship. Never." He released a shaky breath, his eyes never leaving her face, "I swear it." Desperation for her to believe him washed down the bond, and he squeezed her hands. "Please, Elain… You have to know that. Please believe me."

Elain believed him, she could feel the truth of it through the bond. "… why does he think you did?"

"She… Feyre tried to make it seem that way. When she was spying for Rhys."

"What if Tamlin had have killed you?"

Lucien looked away then. "Guess that part of her plan would have sucked for me." Elain felt the hurt coming from him; hurt that Feyre hadn't seemed to have considered the risk to him. Gently, Elain pulled one of her hands from his, noting the regretful expression on his face as she did so, before lifting her hand to brush some of Lucien's red hair back from his shoulder. His eyes met hers again and she allowed her hand to rest on his shoulder as he watched her.

"You will never be overlooked like that again." She promised him.

A funny expression worked its way onto Lucien's face, before doubt replaced it. "That's nice of you to say, Petal." He replied, "But experience tells me you can't promise something like that…"

"I can." Elain said simply.

Author's Note:

Let me know what you think?