Chapter 500

"Do you want me to leave?"

Lucien blinked, watching Tamlin intently. He wasn't entirely sure of the answer to that question. He wanted to build his friendship with the other male up again. It would likely never be what it had once been, but he wanted to see how much better it could get. That would probably be easier if he got to see Tamlin more frequently, and while Tamlin was here in the Day Court, he would have a chance at that. So, he knew that part of him wanted Tamlin to stay a bit. However, there was the other side of him which struggled having the blonde around Elain. Lucien had not yet worked out how to read and judge these instincts, separating reality from illogical reactions and, until he worked that out, things would likely be easier without the other male around. Then, of course, there was also the trade routes to consider. It all swirled around and around in Lucien's mind, and he wasn't sure what would end up coming out of his mouth.

"Just… why are you still here?" He asked, hesitant.

"I wasn't aware that my welcome had expired." Tamlin sounded calm, but Lucien continued to watch him intently, wanting to be aware the instant that changed.

"It hasn't."

"That is not the impression I'm getting from you."

"I… just don't understand." Lucien said, moving to sit in a chair. He was careful to keep Tamlin in his line of sight, and careful to leave himself a direct line of escape to the door. "Is it because you don't want to go back to the Spring Court? Are things worse? Or… do you just want to stay here? What is it that you want to stay for?"

Tamlin didn't respond for a few moments, and Lucien was very aware that his old friend had gone very very still. Green eyes pierced him, and he found that he was unable to move. "It seems like you have an idea of why you think I want to stay."

"You…" Lucien was never good at not saying what he thought. "I know that you like Elain."

"I would think everybody likes Elain."

"Yes…" Lucien looked at him, "But I've seen you with others, and you don't treat anybody the way you treat her."

Tamlin got to his feet, and Lucien's pulse quickened. He stood swiftly, moving to make sure that he maintained distance between them. "Lucien, do you think that I am here to try and steal your mate?"

"Are you saying you haven't thought about it?"

Tamlin made a face that Lucien had a hard time trying to read. "I've known you a long time." Tamlin said, "And I've never known you to be stupid, Lucien."

Raising an eyebrow, Lucien blinked at him. "Is that a fact?"

"You were my emissary for a reason."

"Right. Well. You think I'm being stupid now?"

"You don't?"

Lucien thought about that. He wasn't entirely sure. "Look, I don't know…" he muttered, "It's not really a reaction I can control. You treat Elain nicer than I've seen you treat anyone…"

"One would think that would please you." Tamlin said, "Your mate being treated well…"

"Yeah, well…" Lucien sighed, "You don't know how it feels." He said, "And I don't say that to be nasty. But you don't. I didn't before, and I was expecting it, and still wasn't aware of how… intense… these reactions would be."

"So what do you want?" Tamlin asked, "Do you want me to treat Elain how you think I treat others?"

Lucien had a flash of Tamlin exploding, and a rush of anger moved through him at the thought of Elain anywhere near the blonde when that happened. "No." he all but growled. Tamlin just blinked at him.

"Then what will make it better?"

"I don't know." Lucien told him, "I don't know when it's going to happen or even what will spark it. But even the thought of you in the garden alone with Elain makes me want to tear your limbs off and beat you with them." He looked at the blonde, hoping that what he had just said wouldn't make his friend lose it. "Maybe… knowing why you actually are here would help."

"I came to help." Tamlin said simply. "When I heard what happened here."

"I never knew you cared that much about the Day Court."

"It was for you and Elain." Tamlin said, green eyes locking onto Lucien's gaze and holding it. Lucien wasn't sure that he had actually heard him correctly. "I do like Elain." The blonde said, "I wanted to make sure that she was okay here. You… have been my friend for a long time. You were my friend when I didn't have any others… I wanted to make sure that you were both alright."

This was not the response that Lucien had expected from his old friend, and he wasn't sure what to say in response to the declaration. "You… you… have seen that we are okay here?" he asked, "This is our home now."

"Yes." Tamlin nodded, "What you have always wanted."

"Yes." Lucien thought of his room in the Spring Court. He had made that into his home, he had considered it as such. He had felt like he belonged there. And then he hadn't.

"But you want to know why I am still here…"

"I do." Lucien focused again.

"I can be useful here." The words were soft, but Lucien felt them. "In the garden… they needed my help. They wanted it…" Tamlin's green gaze dropped, "It has been a while since anyone was glad for my presence. For something that I could do…"

"They have appreciated what you've done in the garden…" Lucien confirmed. Tamlin and his magic had made a difference, he knew that to be true. "Sheera couldn't get over what you did in her shop." Tamlin smiled at him then, and Lucien lifted an eyebrow.

"She asked me if the Spring Court could send stock to her shop when those trade routes are operational."

"Oh." Lucien nodded, "And what did you tell her?"

"That it was a good idea." The blonde sat down on the bed again. "She would have access to flowers nobody else in the Day Court sell."

"She's quite driven." Lucien said, "She has Elain making special bouquets and Elain said she had a dozen other ideas to expand her business…" Tamlin was nodding, and Lucien stopped talking. "So… the Spring Court and the trade routes…"

"It's being dealt with." Tamlin said, "I will send a report when I return and am updated."

"Alright." The fact that Tamlin seemed so unconcerned about the lack of progress in the Spring Court actually kind of reassured Lucien that things might not have been as worrying as he thought. "I… guess it's about time for the Midday Meal." He glanced at the door. "You want to head down?"

"Yeah." Tamlin adjusted his shirt, and smoothed his long hair back. "Let's do it."