Chapter 122

"I am sure you will let the High Lord of the Night Court know…" Eris' amber eyes were on Lucien.

"Of course." Lucien made a mental note to add to the letter he would send Rhys before he went to bed. He leaned back in his chair as Eris and Helion did the same thing.

"It's a lot to think about…" Eris sat forward again and got to his feet, moving toward the fire again and running a hand through his red hair. Lucien watched him. He had wondered how Eris would handle being the High Lord of the Autumn Court. It wasn't as if his brother didn't know how things worked, he had been running things in Beron's stead for decades, but now the responsibility of the decisions he was making would fall to him, and that was a different type of stress altogether. Watching his brother's face, Lucien decided that Eris didn't look stressed; he looked thoughtful. Eris would, Lucien figured, make a good High Lord.

When Helion got to his feet and moved past Lucien, the older male lay a gentle hand on Lucien's shoulder as he passed, and Lucien couldn't help but smile softly, turning his head to watch as Helion headed to a small group of faeries by the far wall. He had only just turned back around when the priestess who had been looking at him earlier sank down in the seat beside him.

"Lucien."

"Hello…" He thought quickly, trying to find a name to go with the face. She seemed familiar, but he didn't think that he had ever actually met her before.

"Sorcha." She supplied, a hand sweeping her golden hair back over her shoulder, and Lucien nodded.

"Forgive me," he said, "I don't think we've met."

"We have not." She confirmed, "Well… I suppose now we have."

"True." He glanced around the room, "… are you from the Day Court?"

"Yes." She smiled brightly. "I grew up here, in the Court. I did my training away, but I came back not that long ago. It's so nice to be home again."

Lucien smiled at her. It must certainly be nice to feel as if you had a welcoming home. "I can imagine."

"Kind of like you." She said, "Coming home and having the High Lord tell everyone that you are his son." Her sky blue eyes looked him over, "When everyone thought you were Beron's son…"

Twisting his hands together in his lap, Lucien gave a slow nod. "A lot has changed."

"It was so very interesting to hear that you publicly supported Eris becoming the new High Lord of Autumn."

"He was the logical choice."

"I am sure you would have had support if you had wanted it." She said, "It was interesting that you would just hand it over… but now that you are here and we know that you are Helion's son, it makes sense…"

Lucien watched her, wondering what she was getting at. He wasn't particularly fond of the apparent fixation she had on his claim to power. A High Lord like Helion without heirs suddenly announcing he had a son, however, was extremely big news so he knew that it would be a major topic of conversation across Prythian for a time to come. He figured he would be having many of these conversations with faeries he didn't know in the coming weeks.

"You do look like him…" Sorcha's hand was suddenly on his arm, and Lucien stared down at her hand, trying to work out a courtly diplomatic way to get her to remove it without jerking his arm away. "Are you like him in other ways?"

"I… what ways do you mean?" He glanced at her face to see her blue eyes flick over him again, and he wished that he was wearing his usual attire. "Well, I can see…" she lifted a slender hand and leaned forward to brush her long fingers against his shoulder, and the bitemark Elain had left on his skin, "You do like to play…"

Lucien sat back in his seat. "With my mate." He said stiffly.

Leaning her back against the warm stone, Elain rested her little book against her raised knees as she sketched. Ashk stood nearby, taking softly about the little golden flowers she had lead Elain to, and Elain listened as she worked. She was struggling to get the shape of the petals correct but, listening to the Lady of the Autumn Court speak, she didn't mind so much. Trying again, Elain was more pleased with her second attempt, and she smiled as she moved on to the leaves.

"Helion brought me a bunch of these…"

"Oh?" Elain glanced up at Ashk, waiting for her to go on.

"After he had saved me from Hybern… I was… I had just lost my family… my sisters…" Her face darkened for a moment, "It was a horrible time… and when he came to see how I was… he brought some of these to lift my spirits I suppose…"

"And did they?"

"Yes… although, not quite so much as he did."

Her pencil stilling on her paper, Elain glanced up again. She didn't think she had heard Ashk speak so openly about anyone, except perhaps Lucien. "Were you in love with him then?"

"I suppose I was."

"Were you in love with him when you had Lucien?"

"Yes…" Ashk's voice had quietened and she smiled gently at Elain. "I believe that is why he is the kindest of my sons… He comes from love. There was no way he could be anything but what he is."

Elain smiled at that. "I like that." She replied, then paused for a moment. "Are… you… still in love with Helion?"

Ashk's expression turned reflective and she tilted her head, her red hair cascading over her shoulder, as she lifted both hands to her own face, her eyes distant. "I do not know." She replied eventually. "It has been so long since I allowed myself to consider… since Beron found out and I couldn't see him… Lucien's entire life."

"But you're here now."

"Yes…" Ashk smiled at her. "It is nice to see him again… to see him want to talk to Lucien… to see him pleased that he has a son…"

"To see him pleased to see you…" Elain added, smiling again at Ashk who blushed just a little.

"Yes." Russet eyes moved over Elain and down to her book. "Have you finished your illustration?"

"I think so. I'll do the colour tomorrow. Do you think we should return to the sitting room?"

"If you like." Ashk stepped back as Elain got to her feet. "I think Lucien needed a few moments to establish himself among the Court and Helion's closest courtiers. They will see him as the heir now, and he needs to show them who he is." Elain glanced at her as they began walking up the hallway together. Remembering that the Lady of the Autumn Court had been playing these Court games for centuries, she nodded, making note of what she was being told. "It was a good move to allow Helion to give him the clothing of the Day Court… a visual cue, a reminder, of who he is… and that he can belong here."

"Do you think he's in danger?" Elain asked softly, "From anyone who wants that position for themselves…" Elain nearly added comment about what Lucien's brothers had done, but stopped herself, remembering that the Lady was probably still suffering from the loss of her other sons.

"This is not the Autumn Court." Ashk said softly. "They play a different kind of game here."

Part of Elain relaxed, but another part tightened in apprehension. She wasn't used to these kinds of games, and she was afraid she wouldn't know what to do to help Lucien. Ashk just smiled and linked their arms together as they approached the sitting room. "Have you thought about accepting the bond any more since we last spoke?"

"I have." Elain murmured. "I want to do it, and I don't want to wait until we return to the Night Court." She paused for a moment, "That would mean doing it here… but… do you think that would be rude?"

"Not at all."

"It seems like an imposition. I mean, I have heard of incidents where people have been interrupted and there have been fights and deaths… and… Do you think Helion would appreciate having that happen in his palace…?"

"I don't think Helion would mind you doing it here." Ashk said softly, "Precautions can be taken so that everything goes smoothly…"

Elain nodded, chewing on her lower lip as she considered.

"It will all be lovely, don't worry Elain."