Chapter 131

So many thoughts and emotions were swirling through Lucien during dinner that he could hardly make sense of any of them. His own were confusing and many, but Elain's were clear enough. His mate was so unbelievably happy, that he didn't even need to be touching her to feel it as clearly as if the emotions were his own. Unable to wipe the smile off of his face, Lucien watched Elain talking animatedly to her sisters across the table and Viviane beside her. Every so often, she would look at him, a smile of her own lighting her face up as brightly as the sun. Warmth flushed through Lucien when Elain's hand wrapped around his under the table and she rested her own hand in his in his lap.

Realising that, even though she was so very happy and excited to be with her sisters again, she still wanted contact with him, Lucien's heart just about ached. He ran his thumb gently back and forth across the back of her hand as he smiled at her and then turned his attention back to Helion who was saying something to Rhys about tomorrow morning. The conversation carried on in a light manner, with nothing too important being discussed as not every High Lord was within earshot, and then the discussion moved on to the food.

The chatter in the room continued on throughout the banquet, and Lucien liked how easy everyone in the room appeared to be. He had never seen a banquet at which all of the High Lords were present go so smoothly, with such light-hearted conversation. Lucien had been to dozens of such events, and there had always been an undercurrent of mistrust and tension. Beron, though, had always been at the centre of it all. His eyes sliding toward Eris, he observed his brother silently. He could tell that Eris wasn't entirely comfortable. Over the last few days his brother had been comfortable, Lucien had noticed that. But now, he was a little on edge. Although he was receiving nothing but polite conversation, and was being included in all going on around him, it appeared as if Eris was expecting someone to try and take a piece out of him at any moment.

When the dinner was complete, Lucien was surprised at how quickly the table was cleared. Within several more minutes the table itself was disassembled and removed from the room to be replaced by smaller tables, to allow for smaller group conversations, and several comfortable couches. Those at the tables had broken into little groups, and Lucien scanned quickly for Elain, his eyes landing on her as she sat laughing on a couch with her sisters. He could feel her contentment across the room, and he decided to let her have some time with Nesta ad Feyre without him. Setting himself to that decision, Lucien turned away, his eyes continuing to scan the room.

Spotting Eris standing by himself by a window, Lucien let out a slow breath and headed toward him. Eris' eyes moved over him quickly before settling on his face. "Lucien."

"Eris." Lucien tilted his head, still able to tell just how carefully the older male was holding himself.

"You appear to be settling in here well."

"Do I?"

"You and Elain both." Eris leaned back against the wall, crossing one foot over the other almost casually. "The clothes…" he said pointedly, his amber eyes flicking up and down Lucien once more. Unable to help himself, Lucien ran a hand self-consciously over the smooth material, again wishing that the thing was longer. "It actually suits you." Eris added after a moment. "Lucky. Imagine if it didn't…"

Letting out a huff of a laugh, Lucien had to agree. It would be rather unfortunate if he did look terrible in the traditional clothing of his father's Court, especially as Helion intended to claim him publicly. "True…"

"What's true?" Tamlin's voice had Lucien turning to face his old friend as the High Lord of Spring approached. Lucien just shook his head, indicating that it didn't matter. "It's impressive that you got everyone here so quickly…" Tamlin said softly, and Lucien eyed him.

"I'm surprised that you came." He wasn't really, but he didn't know what else to say. The look that Tamlin gave him then told Lucien that his friend knew exactly what he had just thought.

"Elain seems happy…"

Blinking, Lucien glanced across the room to his mate and then back to Tamlin. "She hasn't seen her sisters in a while."

"Nesta scares me." Tamlin's voice was blunt and Eris choked back a laugh, raising a hand to cover his mouth politely.

"That's because you're not a complete imbecile, despite persistent rumour." Lucien replied, grinning when Tamlin frowned at him.

"She is rather impressive." Eris put in, his voice quieter than usual. Lucien just nodded, his gaze shifting to his brother. "I don't know if I pity or envy the male who ends up with her…"

Lucien thought of Cassian and grinned. "He deserves it."

Elain's face hurt from smiling so much. She made a face, trying to adjust her expression, opening her eyes when Nesta stopped mid-sentence. "What are you doing?" her older sister asked, an odd expression on her own beautiful face.

"Nothing." Elain tried to surreptitiously massage her face. "What were you saying?"

"I was saying, that I was quite surprised when I saw you… in… that…" Nesta reached a delicate hand out to touch the lilac dress Elain wore.

"Me too." Feyre put in, a smirk twisting her lips.

"Why?" Elain asked, "This is what is worn here…"

"Yes, but remember how you wouldn't even wear the Illyrian leathers and Viviane had to give you something from the Winter Court even though it was far too hot…?" the words practically bubbled out of Feyre and Elain crossed her arms.

"What are you saying?"

Feyre shrugged, but the look in her eyes told Elain exactly what she was saying or, rather, what she was thinking. Elain blushed. She knew that she was scarlet because her face was utterly burning.

"Uh…" Nesta made an odd sound and Elain slanted a glance at her. Her sister was looking at her with an expression that Elain couldn't decipher and, before she could ask her what she was thinking, Helion's loud voice echoed throughout the room and everyone fell silent.

Twisting on the couch, Elain sat a little higher to watch across the room as Helion moved to stand where everyone could see him. Faeries around the hall shifted and a soft murmur lifted when Ashk moved to stand near to the High Lord of the Day Court. Elain saw him smile gently at her and then she scanned the room for Lucien, figuring that she knew what was about to happen.

"I thought they were going to begin their meeting in the morning?" Nesta half whispered to Feyre who nodded.

"That is what we were told." Feyre replied, "He told us we would begin after breakfast…"

"Shh…" Elain smiled at them. "Just watch…" she couldn't wipe the grin off of her face as she turned back to the rest of the room, still looking for Lucien. When she found him standing near the wall with Eris and Tamlin, she noticed the nervousness she could feel coming from him. He was standing straight, a hand lifted and rubbing the back of his neck while his eyes, both russet and gold, were focused on his father. His heart was thundering loudly in her head and she couldn't help holding her own breath as Helion called for everyone to listen closely.

He had only just reached his brother when Tamlin approached them both.