Chapter 21

Lucien could not make himself stop shaking. He didn't know what was even causing it. Was it the rage that was coursing through him, the loathing, or the fear that he had just made a terrible mistake by coming here? Was it simply a product of his struggle to suppress everything swirling around inside him as he tried to remain still, meeting his father's cold gaze? It was probably all of it, he figured. Trying to steady himself, Lucien glanced around the room. His mother was sitting beside Beron in a chair of her own, far less ornate and grand than Beron's but ceremonial nonetheless. When his eyes met hers, she gave him the tiniest of smiles, and his heart ached. An instant later he noticed Eris come to stand nearby, and Lucien tried to lock his expressions down again. His eldest brother was surveying the room with apparent boredom, and Lucien forced himself to look back to his father who was clearly eyeing his youngest son with distaste. When Beron's brown eyes slid from him to Elain, Lucien bit back a snarl, his blood boiling in his veins.

Beron's eyes returned to Lucien, apparently having noticed his reaction, and his father raised an eyebrow. Lucien pushed his shoulders back, meeting that look as best he could. Behind him, he felt his brothers approach, and he readied himself in case they came too much closer. He still couldn't stop that shaking, however. When Elain shifted toward him, her hand sliding into his and holding firmly, his breath caught in surprise. A sneer worked its way onto Beron's face and Lucien clenched his teeth.

"This is the Mate we've heard about is it?" the High Lord asked.

"This is Elain Archeron." Lucien tried to keep his voice easy, but he wasn't sure how well he had managed that. "Sister to the High Lady of the Night Court. And, yes. My Mate." He kept his firm grip on Elain's hand, noticing that he had stopped shaking at last.

"Cauldron-Made, isn't it?" Beron asked, his eyes barely flicking in Elain's direction before returning to Lucien. "Not even a true High Fae Female?" Lucien stiffened at his words, and another rush of anger flushed through him. "Clearly your taste in lovers has not improved over the years…"

Only Elain's hand in his stopped Lucien from launching himself at Beron. Eris was running his hand over his face in irritation and Lucien forced himself to clench his teeth rather than respond to his father. Instead he just stared at him. His heart was thundering almost painfully in his chest, raging at the fact that Beron had forced him to stand beside Elain in the very spot that Jesminda had been executed, where he'd been forced to watch helplessly, unable to do anything about it. And now, he was being forced to stand helplessly and listen to him insult his Mate while he was unable to do anything about it either. Shifting his attention to his mother, he met her sad gaze.

Swallowing, Lucien looked back to Beron. "The High Lord of the Night Court requests that you update-"

"Yes," Beron waved his hand, "Eris will deal with it."

Lucien looked to his eldest brother who gave him a single nod. "Okay," he looked back to Beron, "He also requests that Elain be given the freedom to move around the court of her own volition in order to gather what she needs for her book."

"Yes…" Beron's brown eyes went to Elain. Lucien felt her straighten beside him. "I wouldn't have it said that the Autumn Court isn't more beautiful than any of the others. This is an opportunity to prove it. You may roam as you please."

"Thank you." Elain said, giving a slight bob of her head. The contempt that crossed his father's face sent a new hot wave of anger through Lucien and he squeezed Elain's hand gently.

Every time Beron spoke, Elain heard Lucien's heart react. She could feel the heat of suppressed anger burning out of him, and she thought it was actually rather impressive that he hadn't exploded. She hadn't cared at all about anything the High Lord had said about her, and she knew that every word of it had been directed at Lucien and designed to wound him. She doubted at all that Beron cared enough about her to even try to insult her directly. It had all been for Lucien's benefit.

The only thing she had cared about was that she had been given the freedom to move around the court as she liked. She wanted to go and find that courtyard she had seen earlier, and get started on her search for the flowers she would include in her book. The sooner they completed what they had come for, the sooner they could leave. Getting Lucien out of here as quickly as possible seemed like a good idea to Elain. She glanced around the room. It was grand, but rather cold and foreboding. Just like Beron. When they noticed her looking their way, Lucien's brothers smiled at her, their expressions nothing short of vulpine as their eyes moved over her. She tried not to shudder.

When the Lady of the Autumn Court got to her feet, Elain watched her carefully. "I was going to go for a walk. Elain, would you care to join me?" Lucien's mother asked her, voice sweet and inviting. When Lucien slipped his hand out of her grip, Elain glanced around at him. His hand moved to her lower back again and he began pressing her in the direction of his mother. He wanted her to go, she realised, and nodded.

"Yes, that would be lovely." Elain said, turning back to the only faerie in the room smiling at her. Hesitantly, she took several steps toward Lucien's mother, glancing back over her shoulder at him. He gave her an encouraging nod, before turning his attention back to his father on the dais. Elain allowed the Lady of the Autumn Court to link their arms together, and then let herself be led outside.

"I am quite pleased to meet you, Elain."

"I am pleased to meet you as well, Lady." Elain said gently.

"You may call me Ashk."

Elain glanced up at her and gave a small smile. "As you wish."

The smile that Ashk gave her was warm, and Elain couldn't look away from her for several moments. There was interest in the Lady's russet eyes as she met Elain's own gaze, and as Elain looked her over, she realised that Lucien had inherited the majority of his features from his beautiful mother. "You think he looks like me…?" Ashk appeared to have read Elain's thoughts, and Elain felt herself blush.

"Yes…"

"I have often thought the same." There was clear pride in Ashk's voice. "Not everything. His nose… is clearly his father's." Another smile at Elain, "But enough…" Elain nodded silently, turning her eyes on the garden they were passing through. "I asked you to come with me," Ashk went on, "to ease Lucien's mind. He no doubt would be worried that you were wandering around on your own…" Elain looked up at her again.

"I think you're likely right."

Ashk bit her lip. "Yes. I imagine he thinks anything could happen to you." Those russet eyes that Lucien had inherited flicked around them. "A legitimate concern, I'm afraid…" Elain tilted her head.

"Then I am glad you are with me."

Ashk's bright smile was back, and Elain was certain that she would have been devastatingly beautiful before whatever had happened to her to create that innate sense of sadness that seemed to settle over her. "I am truly pleased to meet you." Ashk's arm tightened around Elain's, "I have always hoped that Lucien would find his Mate, and I have only ever dreamed that she would be kind-hearted and gentle… that is what he needs to heal…"

Elain didn't know what to say to that. She nodded. Ashk stopped walking and Elain glanced up in confusion for a second to meet her eyes.

"You haven't accepted the bond yet, though…"

Feeling herself blush again, Elain shook her head. "No…"

"Why?" Ashk asked, and Elain was sure she heard a little defensiveness in the Lady's tone.

"I…" Elain swallowed thickly, "It happened the moment we looked each other in the eyes for the first time… we didn't know one another… I… would like to know him better first."

Ashk nodded and gave her a small smile. "Lucien is kind-hearted." She told Elain softly, and Elain nodded. "He has been since he was a child. It made growing up here… difficult… for him." Elain suspected she had some insight into Ashk's own sadness.

"I think I see where he got his kindness from." Elain said gently, watching as a pleased look washed across the Lady's beautiful face. Ashk took her arm again and they resumed their walk.

"Don't tell anyone that the bond has not been accepted." Ashk's words were so soft Elain barely heard them. "Not while you are here." Elain nodded slowly.

"Okay."

"And please don't take anything my husband says to heart."

"No, I… didn't."

"I didn't think you did…" Ashk sounded thoughtful, "You barely looked at him." Elain blinked. It was true. She had been watching Lucien most of the time, trying to gauge his reactions and wanting to be ready if he lost his control. "You were far more interested in my son…" Elain had lost count of how many times he had blushed during this conversation alone, "That's good…" Ashk looked at her approvingly.

They had come around the garden and were heading for the doors inside again, and Elain began to wonder what had happened while she and Ashk had been gone. She hoped that nothing awful had taken place, and was relieved to see that nobody appeared injured as she came back through the doors. She felt Lucien's relief the instant he saw her, and a rush of affection as his eyes slid to his mother. Ashk released Elain's arm, and she strode back across the hall to resume her position by Lucien's side.

Author's Note:

I gave the Lady of the Autumn Court a name...

She deserves one.