p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Mira had become too complacent under the mountain. Though the threat of Amarantha marrying her off, torturing her, or simply ending her life were still present, Mira had found herself adapting to her new routine: wake, be escorted to court, listen as Amarantha taunted her or others, endure the whip if she was unlucky, return to her room, steal a book and flower from the Vanserra suite, read, sleep, and repeat. The routine was becoming easy. It was in this routine that she found some semblance of comfort. While she was not free from Amarantha's wrath, at least life was becoming predictable. Until the Spring court broke the curse, she could continue with the new routine and continue to bide her time./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"She was currently at the end of her daily routine, sneaking through the chambers of the Vanserra suite and back through the darkened halls to her room. She had been successful in the passing days – eight if she were counting- and continued to take a book and flower as her proof of this success. Today her prizes consisted of a red leather bound book depicting the flora and fauna of the courts above the mountain, a brown tomb that contained the retellings of myths and creation, and a single blue flower./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Mira had come to find the vase of flowers seemed to be replaced daily, so she was not hesitant to take one on each visit. Careful to dispose of the withered flower into the fire, the new flower would take its place inside her pillow. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Mira carefully closed the wooden door as she returned to her chambers. Looking around the candle lit space, she noticed that Aurora was not in the room. While unusual for the first forty-something years of her life, the past few weeks this was becoming a common occurrence. Just as Amarantha had deemed Mira the marriage token of the two twins, she had appointed Aurora the "true heir to Dawn." Being the oldest, it was likely that Aurora would be the heir to the Dawn court power. However, this meant that Aurora was not in attendance to the exclusive high-lord meetings. Mira could not say that she was jealous, as her father had extended the invitation to herself, but did miss the normalcy of returning to her room with her sister in the evenings. She found herself adapting to her new routines, but was more isolated than she had ever been in her life./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Seeing the empty room, Mira allowed herself a moment of relaxation and decided to read the tomb that she had procured. She placed herself on the bed, quickly putting the flower in its usual spot, before opening up the tomb. She felt the small smile cross her face as the brown leather gave a sound of protest, having aged since its last use. The pages were brittle, but the smell of the rich ink filled the space as if it were freshly printed. 'emThe Ancient Ones'/em, Mira read the title and found herself quickly engrossed in myths about how Prythian was made. So engrossed in her reading, Mira neglected to notice the wooden door opening to her room. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""So, the half-blood whore is also a thief."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Mira startled as the deep voice echoed off the barren walls. Reflexively, she slammed the tomb shut as her eyes snapped to the figure that stood just inside her doorway. Leaned against the wall in practiced nonchalance, Mira found her heart racing at the figure./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""I'm not a whore, nor a thief."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Her response, though trying to sound brave, came out strained. She hated herself for showing weakness to the shadow covered male, and knew better than to think lying to him would have a positive outcome. Even in the shadows, the male's presence was obvious to her. She would recognize the tall frame and broad shoulders from across any room, as she had been hyper aware of his presence since her first trip into his family's suite. Even if she did not recognize the frame, the candle light flickering light onto the fire-touched hair would leave little room for guessing at his lineage./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"The male stepped closer to the bed, his nonchalance replaced with tense shoulders and brows drawn down over his amber eyes. It took all her restraint for Mira not to gasp when the male stepped closer, the light highlighting his fury, as he invaded her personal space. Her face, a practiced mask, as she began to think of a way out of her current situation./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Your twin is better at lying than you, Mira."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"The words slipped past his teeth in a growl, as Mira straightened on the bed. She could feel her wings sharpen, preparing for danger. With a final step, he was wholly revealed by the light. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Mira had felt fear many times before. When she watched the Attor scar her sister, when Amarantha first kissed her with her whip, when the twins were moved into a different living hall than their father, when a beast first raked their claws across her clothed form, but never from a fellow fae. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"As she looked up at the amber eyes blazing down at her, she felt an inkling of fear at what the Autumn court heir could do to her./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""You should not be here, Eris."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Her voice did not betray her, again. Firm in her response, and with the narrowing of her own eyes, she returned his fury./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Eris let out a scoff, grasping her hands and pulling them closer to him./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanMira let out a sound of surprise as she was pulled onto her knees at the edge of the bed. Her hands, trapped in his grasp, and forcing her body to come within inches of him. Though he did not retain much of his powers, Mira could feel the heat that he possessed as she was forced chest to chest with the male. Looking at him with her own scowl, Mira found his eyes firmly fixed on her hands./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""What do you think you are doing?! Let me go." Mira punctuated her statement with a tug to her hands, but the Autumn court heir held firm./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""You know what is special about blue hyacinths from the Dawn court?" Eris seethed as his voice passed his lips so quietly that Mira almost did not hear. However, at the name of the plant she felt her heartbeat increase, so loud that she was sure that with their proximity he must have heard it too. "After repeated exposure to the petals, their pigmentation stains the skin."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Mira held her breath has Eris took her hands and turned the flat palms to face the ceiling. Her heart beat faster as Eris removed his grasp on one hand, to trace the fingertips of her other. She watched has his fingers touched the slight blue color that stained the skin on her index finger, her eyes flicking to his at the realization. When she looked at him, she found his gaze already on hers./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Tell me again how you are not a thief, little dove."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Mira, realizing the severity of her situation, tugged at her hand to try and put space between the two. Eris must have been expecting her to try and flee, as he quickly grasped the forearm of her once free hand and pulled it tight to his chest. The little space that was once between the two gone, as he looked down at wide blue-gray eyes. Mira punched at his chest with her balled fist, but with her forearm in his grasp she could not get the momentum to do any damage. She stilled as Eris gave a sharp tug, placing her other arm in a similar position. Forced against him, knees still beneath herself on the bed, Mira's only choice was to stare at his chest or turn her head back up to face him. With a huff, Mira returned the Autumn heir's gaze./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""What? No denial?" Eris' grin was anything but friendly as he waited for Mira to defend herself. They both knew she had no defense. She was caught reading one of the tombs in bed, the other red leather book standing out against the barren room, and her fingertips were stained a light blue from repeatedly rubbing the petals between her index finger and thumb. No, Mira could not deny what he claimed. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Will you turn me into her?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"While her gaze remained fierce, the Autumn heir saw the flash of fear in her eyes as she referred to the red witch. Eris found himself unable to linger on the look, and his eyes raked the room as he thought over the question. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"If he were being honest with himself, he had no intention of confronting the female before him when he followed her this evening. He had noticed the golden hair turning the corner nights before, and only then realized that the dust was unsettled near some of the shelves. Once he noticed, it became easy to discern when she had returned. Books were moved slightly, the flowers rearranged, and the slight scent of vanilla would linger in the normally smoke and spice filled space. His curiosity won, as he was determined to see which sister was the thief. Standing before her, forcing her into his grasp, Eris did not have an answer to her question. He, just like all the court trapped beneath the mountain, felt some semblance of protectiveness over the twins. As he looked around their small room, the protectiveness turned to empathy. So instead of answering her question, he asked his own./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Where are the Dawn Court quarters?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Not here." Her reply was curt, and he could feel the resentment as she continued. "These were my father's chambers during the… rebellion efforts. My father and his court were moved closer to the other high lords in the East wing of the mountain about twenty years ago."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"His gaze returned to Mira, the fury vanishing from his gaze and replaced with inquiry./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""But not you?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Mira suppressed the urge to roll her eyes at the obvious answer./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""My sister and I were emallowed/em to stay in our childhood room." Her tone betraying how she really felt about the situation Amarantha had put them in. The sisters were "allowed" to stay in practically servants' chambers, where their mother died and their father was tortured, as just another part of Amarantha's punishments for their existence./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Eris grip on her arms slackened, if only slightly. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""and your things?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Mira huffed. "Pets don't need possessions."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Eris felt his eyes flicker to the two books that were laid on her bed. He could not recall the titles based off the binding, and doubted that the books had been touched in decades. No one in the Vanserra chambers would notice that they were missing from the collection./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""I won't tell her." Mira was about to thank the heir, before he continued. "But you owe me a debt and are now in my service."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Excuse me?" The relief was gone as quick as it came and was replaced by incredulity. Eris looked at her with a smirk on his lips. If she was not trapped against him, about to be coerced, Mira might have acknowledged that the heir of Autumn was handsome when not expressionless. However, that was not her current situation, and she found herself in disbelief to his ever-changing moods./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"You are a good thief, little dove… I want to put those skills to use."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Mira blanched at the statement. "And how do you plan on doing that?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Eris smirk turned wicked as he responded. "You'll be one of my… eminformants/em for the Dawn court. Granted, you will need some training to be more successful, but I think we can find the time."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Mira was not foolish; she knew what he was propositioning. Become a glorified spy for Autumn, against her own father./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""If I refuse?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""That wasn't an option." Eris gave Mira one last heated look before shoving her arms away from him. The momentum causing her to fall back onto the bed. She sat up quickly, ready to give him a piece of her mind for his actions, but he was already at the door by the time she collected herself./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""I will see you in my chambers at your usual time, mine is the…"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Second door on the right, I know." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Eris looked at the female that was sprawled on her bed with a satisfied smirk at her knowledge, and he couldn't help the flame that was building in his stomach at the sight./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""See you tomorrow for training, little dove."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"She was currently at the end of her daily routine, sneaking through the chambers of the Vanserra suite and back through the darkened halls to her room. She had been successful in the passing days – eight if she were counting- and continued to take a book and flower as her proof of this success. Today her prizes consisted of a red leather bound book depicting the flora and fauna of the courts above the mountain, a brown tomb that contained the retellings of myths and creation, and a single blue flower./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Mira had come to find the vase of flowers seemed to be replaced daily, so she was not hesitant to take one on each visit. Careful to dispose of the withered flower into the fire, the new flower would take its place inside her pillow. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Mira carefully closed the wooden door as she returned to her chambers. Looking around the candle lit space, she noticed that Aurora was not in the room. While unusual for the first forty-something years of her life, the past few weeks this was becoming a common occurrence. Just as Amarantha had deemed Mira the marriage token of the two twins, she had appointed Aurora the "true heir to Dawn." Being the oldest, it was likely that Aurora would be the heir to the Dawn court power. However, this meant that Aurora was not in attendance to the exclusive high-lord meetings. Mira could not say that she was jealous, as her father had extended the invitation to herself, but did miss the normalcy of returning to her room with her sister in the evenings. She found herself adapting to her new routines, but was more isolated than she had ever been in her life./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Seeing the empty room, Mira allowed herself a moment of relaxation and decided to read the tomb that she had procured. She placed herself on the bed, quickly putting the flower in its usual spot, before opening up the tomb. She felt the small smile cross her face as the brown leather gave a sound of protest, having aged since its last use. The pages were brittle, but the smell of the rich ink filled the space as if it were freshly printed. 'emThe Ancient Ones'/em, Mira read the title and found herself quickly engrossed in myths about how Prythian was made. So engrossed in her reading, Mira neglected to notice the wooden door opening to her room. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""So, the half-blood whore is also a thief."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Mira startled as the deep voice echoed off the barren walls. Reflexively, she slammed the tomb shut as her eyes snapped to the figure that stood just inside her doorway. Leaned against the wall in practiced nonchalance, Mira found her heart racing at the figure./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""I'm not a whore, nor a thief."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Her response, though trying to sound brave, came out strained. She hated herself for showing weakness to the shadow covered male, and knew better than to think lying to him would have a positive outcome. Even in the shadows, the male's presence was obvious to her. She would recognize the tall frame and broad shoulders from across any room, as she had been hyper aware of his presence since her first trip into his family's suite. Even if she did not recognize the frame, the candle light flickering light onto the fire-touched hair would leave little room for guessing at his lineage./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"The male stepped closer to the bed, his nonchalance replaced with tense shoulders and brows drawn down over his amber eyes. It took all her restraint for Mira not to gasp when the male stepped closer, the light highlighting his fury, as he invaded her personal space. Her face, a practiced mask, as she began to think of a way out of her current situation./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Your twin is better at lying than you, Mira."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"The words slipped past his teeth in a growl, as Mira straightened on the bed. She could feel her wings sharpen, preparing for danger. With a final step, he was wholly revealed by the light. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Mira had felt fear many times before. When she watched the Attor scar her sister, when Amarantha first kissed her with her whip, when the twins were moved into a different living hall than their father, when a beast first raked their claws across her clothed form, but never from a fellow fae. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"As she looked up at the amber eyes blazing down at her, she felt an inkling of fear at what the Autumn court heir could do to her./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""You should not be here, Eris."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Her voice did not betray her, again. Firm in her response, and with the narrowing of her own eyes, she returned his fury./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Eris let out a scoff, grasping her hands and pulling them closer to him./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanMira let out a sound of surprise as she was pulled onto her knees at the edge of the bed. Her hands, trapped in his grasp, and forcing her body to come within inches of him. Though he did not retain much of his powers, Mira could feel the heat that he possessed as she was forced chest to chest with the male. Looking at him with her own scowl, Mira found his eyes firmly fixed on her hands./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""What do you think you are doing?! Let me go." Mira punctuated her statement with a tug to her hands, but the Autumn court heir held firm./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""You know what is special about blue hyacinths from the Dawn court?" Eris seethed as his voice passed his lips so quietly that Mira almost did not hear. However, at the name of the plant she felt her heartbeat increase, so loud that she was sure that with their proximity he must have heard it too. "After repeated exposure to the petals, their pigmentation stains the skin."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Mira held her breath has Eris took her hands and turned the flat palms to face the ceiling. Her heart beat faster as Eris removed his grasp on one hand, to trace the fingertips of her other. She watched has his fingers touched the slight blue color that stained the skin on her index finger, her eyes flicking to his at the realization. When she looked at him, she found his gaze already on hers./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Tell me again how you are not a thief, little dove."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Mira, realizing the severity of her situation, tugged at her hand to try and put space between the two. Eris must have been expecting her to try and flee, as he quickly grasped the forearm of her once free hand and pulled it tight to his chest. The little space that was once between the two gone, as he looked down at wide blue-gray eyes. Mira punched at his chest with her balled fist, but with her forearm in his grasp she could not get the momentum to do any damage. She stilled as Eris gave a sharp tug, placing her other arm in a similar position. Forced against him, knees still beneath herself on the bed, Mira's only choice was to stare at his chest or turn her head back up to face him. With a huff, Mira returned the Autumn heir's gaze./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""What? No denial?" Eris' grin was anything but friendly as he waited for Mira to defend herself. They both knew she had no defense. She was caught reading one of the tombs in bed, the other red leather book standing out against the barren room, and her fingertips were stained a light blue from repeatedly rubbing the petals between her index finger and thumb. No, Mira could not deny what he claimed. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Will you turn me into her?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"While her gaze remained fierce, the Autumn heir saw the flash of fear in her eyes as she referred to the red witch. Eris found himself unable to linger on the look, and his eyes raked the room as he thought over the question. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"If he were being honest with himself, he had no intention of confronting the female before him when he followed her this evening. He had noticed the golden hair turning the corner nights before, and only then realized that the dust was unsettled near some of the shelves. Once he noticed, it became easy to discern when she had returned. Books were moved slightly, the flowers rearranged, and the slight scent of vanilla would linger in the normally smoke and spice filled space. His curiosity won, as he was determined to see which sister was the thief. Standing before her, forcing her into his grasp, Eris did not have an answer to her question. He, just like all the court trapped beneath the mountain, felt some semblance of protectiveness over the twins. As he looked around their small room, the protectiveness turned to empathy. So instead of answering her question, he asked his own./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Where are the Dawn Court quarters?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Not here." Her reply was curt, and he could feel the resentment as she continued. "These were my father's chambers during the… rebellion efforts. My father and his court were moved closer to the other high lords in the East wing of the mountain about twenty years ago."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"His gaze returned to Mira, the fury vanishing from his gaze and replaced with inquiry./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""But not you?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Mira suppressed the urge to roll her eyes at the obvious answer./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""My sister and I were emallowed/em to stay in our childhood room." Her tone betraying how she really felt about the situation Amarantha had put them in. The sisters were "allowed" to stay in practically servants' chambers, where their mother died and their father was tortured, as just another part of Amarantha's punishments for their existence./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Eris grip on her arms slackened, if only slightly. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""and your things?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Mira huffed. "Pets don't need possessions."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Eris felt his eyes flicker to the two books that were laid on her bed. He could not recall the titles based off the binding, and doubted that the books had been touched in decades. No one in the Vanserra chambers would notice that they were missing from the collection./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""I won't tell her." Mira was about to thank the heir, before he continued. "But you owe me a debt and are now in my service."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Excuse me?" The relief was gone as quick as it came and was replaced by incredulity. Eris looked at her with a smirk on his lips. If she was not trapped against him, about to be coerced, Mira might have acknowledged that the heir of Autumn was handsome when not expressionless. However, that was not her current situation, and she found herself in disbelief to his ever-changing moods./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"You are a good thief, little dove… I want to put those skills to use."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Mira blanched at the statement. "And how do you plan on doing that?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Eris smirk turned wicked as he responded. "You'll be one of my… eminformants/em for the Dawn court. Granted, you will need some training to be more successful, but I think we can find the time."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Mira was not foolish; she knew what he was propositioning. Become a glorified spy for Autumn, against her own father./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""If I refuse?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""That wasn't an option." Eris gave Mira one last heated look before shoving her arms away from him. The momentum causing her to fall back onto the bed. She sat up quickly, ready to give him a piece of her mind for his actions, but he was already at the door by the time she collected herself./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""I will see you in my chambers at your usual time, mine is the…"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Second door on the right, I know." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Eris looked at the female that was sprawled on her bed with a satisfied smirk at her knowledge, and he couldn't help the flame that was building in his stomach at the sight./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""See you tomorrow for training, little dove."/span/p