Scene 1: "Well does he leave a little note to tell you, you are on his mind?"

Lucien fixed his Day Court robe as he left his room. It was fairly comfortable, especially compared to his usual garb from either the Autumn or Spring courts. He was still getting the used to the draping of it, though, making sure it hung just right. He was on day three of meeting with various counselors and minor officials with Helion – with his father – and he needed to look the part of Day Court prince.

After his mother's funeral in the Autumn Court, Lucien and Elain had returned to the Day Court at Helion's request. To be honest, it hadn't taken much cajoling. When he ran away from the Spring Court with Feyre to find Elain, he'd effectively given up his residency with Tamlin. The High Lord had made that abundantly clear and he couldn't care less why Lucien had done it. It was a betrayal to Tamlin and nothing Lucien's usually silver-laced tongue could say would change his mind. So going to the Spring Court wasn't an option, and if he was honest with himself, he wasn't all that fond of Tamlin after how the High Lord of the Spring Court had treated Feyre.

He didn't want to take up residence with Vassa and Jurian now that he had Elain's affections. Taking her back to the mortal lands was libel to backfire, and make her long for her mortal life again. Despite his relationship with Feyre, the Night Court never really felt like home either. It had been a reasonable place to land during the war, but it was more a symbol of his time away from Elain than with her.

Then there was the Autumn Court. Eris had graciously offered Lucien a position in his court. They did share a mother after all. Out of necessity and security Eris was cleaning house when it came to the Autumn Court courtiers. If their allegiance was remotely questionable, Eris dismissed them from the Forest House. So that meant there was plenty of vacancy and plenty of jobs available. Lucien could have had his pick. He still had a responsibility to Helion and the Day Court, though. Azriel might be flitting between courts to serve both his High Lord and Eris, but Lucien couldn't maintain that for very long.

Truthfully, he wanted to settle somewhere. He wanted Elain to feel settled somewhere. Plus Helion seemed almost desperate to declare Lucien his heir. Why not give him that and enjoy what it's like to be truly wanted for once? So, he and Elain jointly decided to stay in the Day Court for the foreseeable future. The only downside to that decision was how busy Lucien found himself. He'd had almost no alone time with Elain, only catching her at dinner, before being consumed by another crash course in Day Court governance.

"Good morning, My Lord," Vea, Elain's lady's maid said with a nod of her head as she left Elain's room opposite him.

"Is she up yet?" Lucien asked hopefully.

Vea shook her head. "I believe she was up late reading. She's trying to learn Fae history, in particular Day Court history, to aid you."

Lucien smiled and a little ball of warmth took hold of his insides at the thought of his mate working hard to be helpful. "Of course she is," he replied, not surprised in the slightest.

"Can I give her a message?" Vea offered.

Lucien pulled a folded paper heart from the pocket of his robe, thank goodness it had pockets, and held it out to Vea. "It isn't urgent but . . ." and he trailed off, a little uncomfortable displaying his more vulnerable side with someone he didn't know well yet.

Vea smiled and nodded. "Understood," she promised. "I'll make sure she gets it with her breakfast tray."

"Thank you," Lucien replied with relief and a grateful smile. With that, he straightened his posture and headed down the hall to his father's office.

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Elain felt the sun on her face and eyelids before she actually opened her eyes. Clearly Vea had already visited that morning and drawn the curtains open. Elain didn't smell her breakfast tray, though, so it couldn't be that early. Stretching like a satisfied cat in the large plushy bed, she opened her eyes to see a beautiful day waiting outside her window. Given that nights were particularly spectacular in the Night Court and that all the days she'd seen at the Day Court were similarly breath-taking, she wondered if there were anything but beautiful days in her future. That wouldn't be so bad, really.

She sat up and took in her room, a large space with gently arched nooks spaced evenly around the room. Some contained bookshelves, three made up the largest wardrobe Elain could remember seeing, two contained light oaken chests for more delicate items and things that didn't need hanging, and one was a beautiful vanity with three lights down each side. The sconce around each light was of course a sun, but the light wasn't overly dazzling. It was just enough to provide the balanced light one needed for hair styling and cosmetic application.

"Good morning," Vea said softly as she entered with Elain's breakfast tray. Vea always spoke softly, gently. In the Day Court, High Fae females took breakfast in their room while the males generally broke their fasts in dining rooms. In Helion and Lucien's case, they'd taken to eating breakfast in Helion's private office.

"What have we today?" Elain asked as she met Vea at a small table near the picture window looking out on one of Helion's many gardens. This one was a flower garden with a few autumn varieties still hanging on before winter's first freeze arrived.

"Haze thought you might like his signature crepes this morning," Vea explained.

Elain smiled down at her breakfast plate where two perfectly cooked crepes laid on her plate, berries peeking from beneath the folds. "Ooh, berry crepes," she breathed happily.

"You approve?" Vea asked as she began making Elain's bed.

Elain nodded with a smile. "Berries are such a treat. They make breakfast almost feel like dessert!" She noticed next to her juice glass that there was a red piece of paper, folded into the shape of a heart. She picked it up curiously. "What's this?"

Vea looked over her shoulder. "A message from Lord Lucien," she said simply.

Elain could feel the grin on her face spread clear to her ears as she carefully unfolded the note. She would have never thought to fold it so intricately. Thought if she were honest with herself she might spray it with her perfume to entice him to read, and keep, a letter. She wondered where Lucien had picked up this particular talent and if he could make anything else.

My Dearest Elain,

My chest aches to be so close to you yet feel as though we are miles apart. To have our mating bond confirmed and yet find ourselves unable to spend time together is almost as bad as being trapped beneath the mountain with Amarantha. I hope you have been enjoying our first few days here in the Day Court. I want to hear about everything that you're doing and the fae that you are meeting. Please know that you are always on my mind. Father has good-naturedly chastised me a few times for being with you mentally instead of present in my new duties. He promises that once I've met everyone, things can slow down a bit so you and I can spend more time together. I feel utterly at a loss of what to tell you except that your kindness, cleverness, and loveliness fill my mind so much that I think I might explode if I cannot be with you soon. Please make a list of things you'd like for us to do together as you explore. I am eager to experience the Day Court's pleasures with you.

With all my love,

Lucien

Elain's smile spread wider and wider as she read the note a second and third time.

"I take it he says the right things?" Vea asked, fluffing one of Elain's pillows.

Elain nodded as she tried to refold the paper into a heart. "He doesn't even say that much," she admitted. "But what he says is very right."

"Lord Lucien is short on words?" Vea asked, clearly surprised.

"It seems so." Elain reflected that Lucien's usual reputation often didn't coincide with her experience of him. He was gentle and courtly, of course, but she didn't find him especially swaggering or overly confident. He still hadn't displayed a lot of the humor Feyre insisted he possessed to her, but she expected they were still getting used to each other. Maybe he wasn't sure how she would take his humor. Time would fix all of that, Elain had no doubt.