The Spring Court was everything Rhys had told me about: Beautiful and stagnant. Coming from a solar court, knowing this court never really experienced seasons was a hard concept to grasp. I shook the disquieting thoughts and realizations from my head and headed toward the High Lord of Spring's manor.
Rhys and Cassian had winnowed me in at the border of the Summer and Spring courts. We all knew that Tamlin would send someone to check out the disturbance or even come himself to check, but that seemed unlikely. To further our plan, it wouldn't do for me to be seen with either or them or look as fresh as if I had just been winnowed in.
Once Rhys and Cassian had left, I started my trek toward the heart of the enemy. I hadn't gotten far before I was intercepted by what appeared to be Spring Court sentinels. Four males flanked a fifth. The fifth had me intrigued.
He had red hair uncommon to this particular court and looked to be the leader of this band. His eyes swept over me, looking for signs of a threat. I made myself appear as unthreatening as possible.
In my effort to appear like a helpless female, I took a shaky step back, keeping a respectable distance between the five males and myself. I held my hands in a peaceful manner and hailed the five males.
"Greetings, friends." I ignored the sudden stiffening and continued on. "I bear no ill will to anyone. I am merely here to request a humble audience with the High Lord of the Spring Court, but I fear I have lost my way." My carefully constructed façade was in firmly in place and I was determined to keep it flawlessly. I was the damsel in distress even though I knew I could wreck them in a single blow.
The red headed male studied me closer, taking in my wings, and the flimsy gown I had donned from Rhys moments ago. "You are a long way from his manor, and no one was certainly expecting you. What is your business with Tamlin?" The suspiciousness in the male's voice had me applauding his instincts.
'Mistrust me all you want, little man. Your instincts will serve you well.' I kept my face blank as I let him reappraise me.
"That is for us to discuss, sir." I said with a bow of my head. "If you must know, I bring grave news from the Night Court."
The look of alarm on all the male's faces was exactly what I had planned on. The Spring Court's general hatred and mistrust of my Court was easy to manipulate and I intended to exploit every facet of it, to save Feyre.
"Well, then I must insist you accompany us immediately. Tamlin will want to hear this directly from you." He gestured toward his companions and they quickly herded me into their formation and we headed off in the correct direction.
As we walked, I examined each adversary. While they were all warriors, I was confident that I would win should we ended up on opposite sides. No one trained their warriors like Illyrians and I had trained myself harder than the males. I could count on one hand the number of people who could beat me and none of them resided in this court.
"I must thank you, sirs, for it was a long flight and I feared I would never reach your High Lord in time." The fear and nervousness hung in the air. Yes. All was going according to plan as I let my body speak of the exhaustion I didn't feel. "It was just a long flight and I feared the worst." I sighed and slumped my shoulders. "It took my many long days to get here."
The leader reevaluated me again in stunned surprise. "Flew?! From the Night Court? But that's…"
"On the opposite side of Prythian." I smoothly interjected. "I know," I suppressed a shudder at the thought of the very real idea of having to fly that distance in the very near future. "But I was trained to fly for a week if it meant safety." While that was true, I knew I could fly for much longer than that should the situation call for it.
The sentinels eyed me more warily, finally seeing me for the potential threat I could pose to them. Their eyes racked over me, trying to glean my secrets.
'Keep looking, boys. You'll find nothing but the passive female who can fly a long way.'
"But why would you need to?"
The question pulled me from my thoughts. "Why indeed sir. Why indeed." No one had to know that I fought for the right to train beside my male counterparts and refused to be cowed by them.
My answer left the males uneasy and burning with curiosity. It even caused everyone to quicken the pace. "Last I heard, the Night Court was peaceful within itself and no real threat of war threatens our lands. So what train so much?"
A sigh ripped itself from my lungs and I decided to reveal apart of me that few knew; all to quench their thirst. "Because being a fighting Illyrian female meant I had to train in impossible conditions for impossible circumstances." A shudder wracked my body in remembrance of my earliest training days. "I had to prove I was worthy of my family's name and these wings. Sadly, I have let my family down." I let sorrow creep into my voice. "I had a week to prove to my people before they clipped my wings and today was my last day." My eyes were downcast, trying to downplay my abilities. "I was never good enough."
The pity surrounding me threatened to drown me as we stopped. "I apologize if I brought up painful memories. "A hand lifted my chin up the singular eye. "I understand need to prove yourself." Yes. Yes you do, Lucien of the Autumn Court and you still haven't accomplished it, have you?
Lucien's story was well known. Even Feyre felt sorry for him, but me? No. I couldn't be sorry for him. He have never known what it was like to go against traditions and fight for what you wanted, needed. No. I despised his easy life and how I could kill him in an instant.
My wings fluttered in anger, as if trying to get me to let go of this charade and unleash my true self, but I couldn't. My struggle was visible to the males, but as I contained myself, they gradually relaxed. "Shall we continue on? I must confess that I haven't eaten since yesterday."
My words had the effect I wanted and we developed a ground eating, but relaxed pace. "My name is Lucien by the way." I snapped my eyes to him and cocked an eyebrow at him. Lucien had the grace to blush. "I just realized that I didn't know your name and that we skipped introductions."
The chuckle that escaped me caused the others to smile. "Stellar. It's nice to meet you Lucien."