Chapter 190

Following Helion into a secluded corner of the dining room, Lucien found himself focusing on random details of the room that he had previously not noticed. The floor was very nice, he had decided. The polished stone all but reflected the flickering firelight from around the room, almost giving the impression that there was twice as much light in the room as there actually was. When he looked up, his father was standing by a window, and Lucien let his eyes move over it. Soft crimson curtains hung before it, and he smiled as he looked at them. They kind of reminded him of the Autumn Court, and he wondered if his mother had noticed them at all. If she had, no doubt they would have helped her feel a little more at home. Lucien wondered idly if Helion had considered that when choosing them.

"What was it that you wished to speak with me about?" The High Lord asked, turning his amber eyes on Lucien once more. Lucien twisted his hands together, meeting that intense look.

"A few things." He said, "First… I have spoken with Elain, and both of us do indeed wish to remain here…to make the Day Court our home."

"Ah." Helion's smile was a bright as the sun, "This does please me…"

"I'm glad." Lucien couldn't deny the warmth that spread deep within him at the way that Helion was looking at him, and that his father was happy he would stay. "I… think that we will be happy here. We will be. Elain saw… well, she saw some very…" he smiled, not knowing what words he should use for what Elain had shown him of her visions of their future. Helion smiled back at him, and Lucien knew that the High Lord had understood.

"Very well." Helion's eyes flicked across the room before returning to Lucien. "Would you like somewhere else to reside, or is the current suite to your liking?"

"Oh, I… I think we're fine where we are…" He blinked. He would check with Elain later, but he figured that they were both comfortable in the suite they now occupied. It did hold some rather delicious memories, after all. "Ah… also… my duties as your son and heir…?" He met Helion's eyes once again.

"Would you be able to outline them for me? I would like to know exactly what I should be doing…"

"Many of the things you would be used to doing as Emissary." Helion gave a bit of a shrug. "Things will change here and there…" The High Lord gave a smile, "We will adjust as necessary."

Lucien nodded, his eyes moving over the red curtains again. He lifted a hand to touch one, allowing the velvety fabric to run between his fingers. "Fair enough…"

"I will have a comprehensive list drawn up and sent to you by morning."

"I would appreciate that." He continued to stroke the curtain until Helion cleared his throat a little, and Lucien flicked his gaze to his father.

"Was there anything else weighing on your mind?" Helion asked, "I assume that you managed to tether yourself to Elain to help her with her Seer issues?"

"I did." Lucien nodded, "Well, I think I did."

"I believe you would be aware if you had not."

"I…" Lucien bit his lip, glancing from his father to the curtain and then back again, "these remind me of the Autumn Court."

Helion's eyes flicked just a little too quickly to the curtain in Lucien's hand and then across the room and then back to the curtain before he met Lucien's eyes once more. "Do they?" he asked, not quite managing to sound unconcerned. Lucien grinned.

"Yes." He replied, "I believe I've seen some like this in my mother's bedchamber…"

"What a coincidence." Helion lifted his chin and Lucien only barely resisted rolling his eyes.

"You are aware that she is returning to the Autumn Court?"

"I would assume that was her plan, yes." His reply was emotionless, and Lucien just looked at him, "She wished to remain until after your mating frenzy had completed. She wished to check on you… and on Elain…"

"She has done so…"

"Yes. Hence I would have figured she would be leaving shortly."

Lucien shook his head, unable to help running a hand through his red hair in frustration. "She doesn't have to."

"That is her choice." Helion replied, his tone flat. "She can make her own choices now that Beron is gone."

"She can."

"Eris does not hold her on the same leash…"

"No," Lucien agreed, "He would allow her to choose whatever makes her happy."

"Indeed."

Lucien dropped the curtain and just looked at the High Lord. After a moment, he shook his head once more. "If you asked her to stay…" he began and Helion took a step back. Lucien paused for only a second but went on. "She told me that you have not…"

"I…" Helion looked away. "She once told me that the Autumn Court is in her blood. That she belongs there."

"She once told me the same thing." Lucien agreed.

Nodding, Helion lifted a hand to his own black hair. "She is free to choose what she wants. I will not attempt to sway her choice."

"I… I don't believe that letting her know that she would be welcome to stay is swaying her choice… but rather letting her know that she has a choice." Lucien looked at the older male, "Right now I think she believes that her only option is to go back…"

Helion looked across the room again, and Lucien felt his heart sink when the High Lord set his jaw and his expression seemed to shut down. "She must make her own choice."

"Uh…" Lucien did not know what to say, and ran a hand over his face, trying to bite back something sharp that would no doubt get him in trouble.

"I believe I will retire for the night." Helion was moving away from Lucien before he could say anything further. "I will have that list delivered to you by morning. Good night."

Lucien just watched him go before he headed back across the room to find Elain. She was sitting with Nesta, and the two of them were pouring over some book held in their laps and between them. Glancing at Cassian who sat nearby, Lucien raised an eyebrow in question.

"It's some kind of smut." Cassian informed him and Lucien raised both eyebrows, glancing at Elain and her sister.

"You wish." Nesta muttered, her steely eyes flicking up from the book to pierce the Illyrian before looking back down to something Elain had pointed at. Lucien just grinned as he sank into a chair, watching the scene play out before him. He knew that Nesta and Cassian would likely be leaving in the morning, just as his mother was, and he knew that Elain would want to spend as much time with her sister as she could. He had no intention of pulling her away and depriving her of every minute she got to spend with Nesta.

Glancing around the room, Lucien noticed then that his mother had also disappeared for the night, and he wondered if she had gone to pack, or if she had gone looking for Helion. He didn't suppose he would find out until morning.