Chapter 210

After breakfast, Elain decided to take a walk with Lucien. There was still much of the Autumn Court that she hadn't seen, and the room they were staying in was not part of it. As they had several hours until the afternoon when Eris was holding Court in a more formal setting, they had time to do as they wished. It would be during the afternoon that Elain would present him with his personal copy of her book, and she had brought one for Ashk, as well as several copies to be distributed around the Autumn Court as the High Lord saw fit.

As Elain and Lucien came to a stop in one of the little courtyards, Elain turned her head to look around the place, a smile forming on her lips as she heard light birdsong among the gentle bell-like tinkle of the falling leaves. "This is beautiful." She said, and one of Lucien's hands slid around her waist as he drew her against his side.

"It is." He agreed, "I used to come out here quiet a bit as a youngling."

"Did you?" she looked up at him, "Where was your favourite place?"

"In this courtyard?" he asked, and she heard his metallic eye click and whir as he looked around. He took her hand then, and Elain smiled again as she allowed him to lead her over to the base of several brightly coloured trees. "Here…" he began sinking down to sit on a small circle of grass and Elain went with him.

"This is lovely…" she lifted her gaze to the trees above them, her eyes moving over their trunks so dark they appeared nearly black while their leaves were so brightly orange they almost looked to be flames. "I would bet Feyre would love to paint this."

"Ah…" Lucien pressed his lips to Elain's temple, "maybe it could feature in your next book…"

"I was going to write something different, remember…?"

"Yes." His voice was soft, and Elain couldn't help but lean into his warmth. "A place like this might still appear in your story, however."

"I see." She nodded, thinking about that. Smiling, Elain settled against him. That was something she hadn't considered. All of the beautiful flowers and landscapes and gorgeous parts of Prythian she had seen while travelling with Lucien might all make it into anything she wrote. It didn't have to be some kind of encyclopaedia or list. "I like that…"

"What might happen in a place like this?" Lucien asked her, one of his arms securely around Elain's waist, holding her to himself. "In your stories?"

Resting her head back against her mate's shoulder, Elain looked up at the beautiful trees again. "A quiet little courtyard like this…" she mused, "would have to be somewhere one of the main characters came for solace…" She turned her head to look at his face and she smiled, "Perhaps as a youngling… bringing books out to sit beneath these trees to hide from anyone who might disturb them."

Lucien's eyes, both russet and gold, looked down to meet her gaze then. "Seems familiar." He murmured, and Elain leaned more heavily into him when his hand came up to trace gently over the garnet necklace he had given her which she still wore around her neck.

"Hiding out here among the trees…" she went on slowly, "Learning from his books… and dreaming of the future…"

"Yes." He pressed another kiss to her temple, and Elain could feel him down the bond. There was a little nostalgia and hurt from the past, but also pleasure and gratitude for what he had now, as well as relief at finally being able to have it.

"He will be a wonderful character." She told him, trying to hide her smile, "Kind and clever…"

"Oh?" the smile in Lucien's voice was evident, and Elain didn't have to look up to know that he was grinning widely, "And wildly handsome, I'll bet…"

"Hmm…" She pretended to think about that, "Would that detract from his character?" she asked, "Perhaps I should make him a hideous sight to behold…?"

"Perhaps to some he is."

She looked up at him then and shook her head, lifting herself and turning so that she could sling a leg across him and pull herself into his lap. "No." she said, bringing both hands up to his face. "He is…" Elain traced her fingertips gently down Lucien's scar from brow to jaw, "utterly magnificent…"

"Well…" Both of Lucien's warm hands settled at Elain's waist, "he is certainly glad that his mate thinks so."

"I am very certain that it's more than just his mate."

"She is the only one whose opinion matters, though." His eyes were moving back and forth across Elain's face quickly, and she felt heat flood her, "He's waited a long time for her."

"And was always destined to find her."

One of Lucien's hands came up to the garnet at her throat again. "He did dream of her…"

"And she of him." Elain thought of her old dreams about that glade in the Spring Court, and how that place had seemed to call to the both of them, promising that one day they would have what they had desired.

"This does sound like a rather charming story." Lucien's eyes were on Elain's again and she held his gaze as warmth continued to spread through her. Leaning forward, she brought her lips to his, groaning softly when he sought to deepen the kiss almost immediately. Elain wrapped one of her arms around the back of his neck as she responded to the depth of that kiss. Eventually, when she lifted her head, trying to draw a breath, she smiled at him and the look of adoration on his handsome face.

"I think it could be the best story ever told." She murmured, and he nodded.

"Certainly the sexiest." His lazy arrogant smirk made Elain giggle a little and she pressed a kiss to the tip of his nose.

"I think it will have rather more than smutty scenes…"

"Oh, I know… but … I am certain there will be time for those as well…"

"Maybe…"

"They would give you plenty of opportunity to write about all those beautiful flowers and trees that you wanted to include… providing these characters enjoy outdoor activities…"

Leaning into him once again, Elain rested her forehead against Lucien's as she looked at him. "Something tells me that they do." She breathed and he gave a low laugh.

"I had that feeling."

Elain's eyes closed when his warm hand moved up her back while the other continued to stroke the garnet at her throat. "Perhaps…" she murmured, "We should continue to walk…?"

"Are you done here?" he asked, and Elain wanted to shake her head and tell him that she wasn't. She wanted to stay right here and do exactly this, but she rather suspected that if they did not get up and continue their walk they risked doing something that could be embarrassing if discovered by anyone walking past. It wasn't dark, and it wasn't Mabon. Elain did not want to stir any more talk than they already did.

"We have several hours to fill." She breathed, "And you promised to show me many more places…"

"It's true." He agreed, his hands sliding back down to her waist, "I did promise…"