Chapter 22

Lucien's brothers were prowling around behind them as Elain resumed her spot beside Lucien. Beron was telling them where they would be staying. A room in the guest wing. Not, Elain supposed, Lucien's old room. Also, she noted, a singular room. Glancing at Lucien out of the corner of her eye, she wondered if he would request another as he had from Tamlin. He did not.

Blinking rapidly, she looked toward the dais where Beron was still monologuing. The disdain she could see in his eyes as he looked at his youngest son was shocking to Elain. She had known that they hadn't been on good terms, but there was absolutely no trace of affection in the High Lord's countenance. Elain wondered if it had always been this way, or if things had soured after Jesminda.

When Beron made a comment about Lucien's ability to find the room on his own thanks to his fancy artificial eye, Elain heard a soft gasp from Ashk. "Oh, come now." Beron said, turning toward his wife and reaching a hand out to pat her arm. "Who could say they were surprised? He never did learn to keep his mouth shut, no matter how many times we tried to teach him that lesson." Those hard brown eyes went back to Lucien, "He never wanted to act like a High Lord's son, did you Lucien? Always more interested in … the lesser element. Now you look like one."

Elain felt Lucien shrink beside her and, seeking to comfort him, she reached a hand out, laying it gently on his arm. Instantly, her ears began to ring and her vision shifted.

Lucien stood before the throne upon which Amarantha was lounging casually. Elain noticed again that he appeared younger and, she noted, still had both of his eyes. He also looked thoroughly pissed off.

"And Tamlin couldn't come himself?" The female sneered, leaning forward to stare at Lucien who shook his head.

"I am his Emissary."

"Yes, but I don't give a shit about you."

Lucien bit back a clear sigh. "Tamlin has given me the authority to speak for him in this matter. He wishes to discuss how he might keep peace despite his … ah…declination… of your offer."

Amarantha's face twisted. Elain watched with apprehension as the guards who had been by the door drifted closer, apparently sensing their mistress' disapproval. Lucien was watching Amarantha for her response.

"There will be no peace!" She snapped, getting to her feet and glaring at him. "There will be no peace as long as he keeps rejecting me!"

Temper flashed across Lucien's face. "How can you be so selfish!" He retorted, "You would send us to war because Tamlin won't fuck you? Do us all a favour and go back to the shit-hole that you crawled out of!"

Before Elain could so much as gasp, the guards had seized Lucien as Amarantha let out a scream of rage and flew at him, slapping him hard across the face. "How dare you speak to me like that?" She shrieked.

Lucien appeared to have realised his error, and Elain could see real fear in his eyes as he was forced to his knees before Amarantha. "I…" whatever he had been about to say was cut off when one of the guards grabbed a handful of his vibrant ruby hair and yanked his head back, holding him in place.

"You need to be taught a lesson." Amarantha growled, standing over him. "Didn't they teach you to watch your mouth in The Autumn Court? Surely your mother has better manners than that…"

Lucien struggled, but Elain could see that he wasn't going to get out of the hold of those guards whose own eyes were firmly on the female before them. Amarantha lifted a hand and Elain took several hasty steps forward in horror when she saw that the faerie's fingers now ended in sharp pointed nails that resembled claws, and that she knew exactly what the horrid female was about to do with them.

"No…" Elain breathed, putting a hand out, but Amarantha moved right through her.

"No!" Lucien's panicked cry rang out through the chamber and Elain watched with horror as he tried again to get free. The guard with a hold of his hair yanked hard enough to bring tears to those russet eyes, but Lucien still didn't stop trying to get away. "No, please…!"

Amarantha just laughed, the sound manic and Elain lifted a hand to cover her mouth, wanting to look away but somehow unable to. "Next time you'll think twice about opening your mouth to disrespect me." The cold seething anger slithered around the chamber as her words echoed and then, as quick as lightening, Amarantha had raked her nails down the left side of Lucien's face and Elain was finally able to turn away as he screamed.

She had expected the vision to stop, to have been released, but nothing had changed. She could still hear Lucien's screaming, unending and unchecked. Amarantha's laugh again echoed around them, and Elain looked back to see that the guards had dropped Lucien who was now leaning forward on one hand on the ground, the other clutched to his face. Blood was splattered across the stone floor around him, and a small pool was forming where he had fallen. Amarantha was still laughing and Elain flicked a glance her way, her breath catching in her throat in absolute horror when she saw the faerie laughing at something she held in her clawed and bloody hand. A single russet eye.

When Elain went rigid and then swayed on her feet, Lucien slipped a hand under her arm. He knew she'd had another vision, he had felt it this time. He didn't know what it had been, but judging from the green colour she had turned, he suspected that it hadn't been pleasant. When he felt her tremble he moved closer, his other hand coming to her arm while the first wound around her waist. He needed to get her out.

"Ah," Lucien directed his attention to his father once more. "If we might retire for the afternoon," he began, "Elain is exhausted from our journey here."

Beron waved a hand of dismissal. "You are not required until dinner. It is at sunset, as I'm sure you well recall."

Turning, Lucien swept Elain from the hall, not observing any of the usual formalities. He didn't care.

"Are you okay?" He asked her quietly as they strode through the hallways of the Forest House. Elain took a handful of his jacket as she walked quietly beside him, and Lucien surveyed her out of the corner of his eye as she held tightly. "I know you saw something." He told her, "I felt it…" Elain's only response was to tighten her hold on his jacket, leaning into him a little.

He took her quickly up to the guest wing and, as they walked down the final hallway approaching the room they'd been given, Elain began to cry. Tightening his arm around her waist, Lucien stepped quickly to the door to their room, and opened it. He was under no doubt that the bond had seen fit to show her another horrific event from his life, and he had no idea when it would stop. There were so many to choose from.

The second Lucien had closed the door to their room behind them, Elain turned and threw her arms around his neck.

"What did you see?" he asked, as his warm hands came to her waist and Elain sobbed into his collar. "Whatever it was, I'm sorry…"

"Amarantha," she breathed, loosening her hold on him and sliding back down until her hands were pressed against his chest, "When she…" Elain lifted her gaze to his face, her eyes tracing the brutal scar from his brow to his jaw. "When she did that…" She was surprised when he flinched, turning his face away from her and dipping his head so that his hair fell across the scar, hiding it from view. "Don't…" Elain reached out to him again, her hand closing around a handful of his jacket and pulling him back around to face her. "Don't hide from me…"

Lucien met her eyes and she could see the wariness in him. She didn't release her hold on his jacket, meeting his gaze steadily. After a moment he turned back to her, lifting a hand to push his hair back, revealing his scar and golden eye once more. "I'm sorry you saw that." His words were soft and Elain tried to push away the image of Amarantha raking her clawed hand down his face.

"What your father said," she murmured, shaking her head, "Don't listen to him. It was untrue and it was only intended to put you off balance."

"I know what he was trying to do." Lucien replied gently, "That doesn't make what he said untrue…" Elain had been about to repeat that it was untrue when he went on. "Makes sense that is what you saw. It seems to be showing you events directly related to what is happening around you."

She had been thinking the same thing and nodded her agreement, her eyes moving over his face again. "I… can't believe that she just…" She lifted a hand to him, her fingers lightly touching his jaw. Lucien just stared at her, not moving or speaking at all. "…like it was nothing…" She shuddered in horror, remembering the way Amarantha had stood laughing while Lucien knelt screaming on the stone floor.

"I'm sorry." He murmured, bringing a warm hand to the back of Elain's neck and drawing her in. She felt him press his lips to her forehead and she released his jacket at last. "I'm sorry… for it all."

After a moment Elain looked up, realising that she could feel his self-doubt, and shame.. "Lucien," she said, "You can't let them get under your skin."

"I know." He replied, "But… It's as if nothing has changed. He made us stand where…" Shaking his head, he looked away again and Elain lay a hand on his arm.

"I did notice that…"

"I don't know what I ever did for him to hate me that much." Lucien said, "But he always has… I was never good enough for him."

"Do you remember when we were sitting under that tree in Rhys' garden and I was wondering if I should include a drawing of one of the flowers that fell on us even though it wasn't some fancy Night Court flower?" She waited for him to nod before continuing, "You told me that if I liked it, it was worthy…"

"Yes." He murmured, eyes moving back and forth across her face.

"I like you." She said simply.

Surprise flickered across Lucien's face at the same time she felt it move through him and down the bond. He tilted his head a moment later and a grin worked its way onto his face. "Is that so, Petal?"

Elain nodded, trying not to blush though she could feel her cheeks heat as he looked at her. "Yes." She said, pleased that she sounded more confident than she felt. "Despite the fact that you seem to think you're nothing particularly special, I like you. Therefore, by your own logic, you are worthy of everything."

He was looking at her strangely now, and Elain bit her lip as her gaze slid from him, unable to meet his eyes any longer. Her breath caught in her throat then when Lucien, without laying a hand on her or touching her in any other way, bent and pressed a gentle kiss to her cheek. Smiling, she twisted her hands together, noting the pleasant warmth that spread throughout her and wondering what exactly that meant.

Author's Note:

Still love to hear your thoughts...