Chapter 574

Elain held Lucien's hand as they headed for the dining room. She was practically skipping, pulling him along as they went and she could hear the amusement in his voice, as well as feel it down the bond, when he squeezed her hand and called her back to him.

"Slow down, Petal." He said, and Elain looked over at her shoulder to smile at him, "There will still be plenty of pastries for you to choose from when we get there."

"It's not the pastry I am excited about." She told him.

"That's new." Lucien remarked and Elain made a face at him in response. She did love pastries.

"I want to ask Helion about a spell for my hair."

"I know." Lucien was smiling at her when she fell into step beside him again and, a moment later, they approached the doors. Trying to school her face into something appropriate for the Court, Elain only bounced on the balls of her feet as they strode into the room.

They were a little later then most, so many pairs of eyes turned their way as they headed across the room toward the table and what had become their usual chairs. From the corner of her eye, Elain spotted Vassa, once again dress elegantly, and she tried not to let the mortal queen dampen her mood.

"We were beginning to wonder if you would be joining us." Helion said, smiling broadly at them.

"Of course we would be." Lucien answered easily, and Elain sent a silent thought of thanks his way as her mate lifted a plate of pastries from the centre of the table and passed them to her. "Why would be not be?"

"Oh, I'm sure everyone could come up with a reason as to why a mated couple might not make it to breakfast…" Helion chuckled, and Elain knew that her face had flushed a dark scarlet colour when she realised that everyone in the room would have heard what the High Lord had said. Keeping her eyes on the pastry she had just claimed from the plate, Elain pretended that she was too focused upon her food to have reacted. Lucien, too, remained silent beside her.

"Helion…" Ashk's voice was soft, "Let them have their breakfast…"

"Of Course." The High Lord laughed again, "Let us discuss other things…" Elain looked up at that and Helion smiled at her, having noticed her shift in attention. "What would you like to discuss, Elain?"

Pulling pieces of the pastry apart in her hands, Elain tilted her head. "Lucien said that you might know some kind of magic or spell…" she began softly, "to change one's hair colour…" She could see the surprise on the High Lords face before he blinked and nodded thoughtfully.

"Shifting one's appearance is something the Fae can become quite adept at." He replied, "Is this something you are curious about for yourself?"

"Yes." She replied, "I rather envy my mate's vibrant hair…" She watched as the High Lord's amber eyes shifted from her to his son and then back again.

"I see…" Helion lifted a hand and Elain tried to follow the brief gesture he made before he lowered it. "Is this better?" he asked, and it took her a moment to gather his meaning. Lucien was looking at her with an odd expression and she reached up to undo the braid she had put into her hair not half an hour before. Excitement moved through her when the hair that fell about her face was fiery and bright. Unbidden, a laugh erupted from her and she looked back to Helion, unable to think of what to say. "I can teach you the spell if you wish…"

"Yes." Elain nodded, still smiling brightly, "I would very much like that." She ran her fingers through her hair, looking at it as if unable to quite believe it was her own.

"It is only temporary." Helion told her, "It will not last more than a day. You will need to repeat the spell if you wish to keep it."

"Thank you."