Chapter 3

Nesta had returned early the following morning and went straight to her room, she had told Elain and their father she was tired from her travel and wanted some rest. Due to Nesta's unexpected arrival and the foul mood she appeared to be in Elain sent word to Graysen that she could not receive his visit this morning and asked if the following morning would be acceptable, she was slightly relieved that she would not have to play hostess after such a late evening but also didn't want to appear that she rejected Graysen so asking to reschedule seemed like an acceptable proposal. What Elain didn't expect was that Graysen was already on his way to call on her before she could get word to him, she sat on the sofa as she waited for the gentle to be greeted into the home, her father enthusiastically leading him to Elain. Elain let out a silent breath as the man sat opposite her in the adjacent sofa, her father sat in a chair in the room but far enough to leave the young couple to have space. He looked surprisingly refreshed considering he was one of the last guests to leave the ball last night and had danced with her multiple times, maybe attending balls was something he was accustomed to but from how he spoke to her about them last night he certainly didn't seem akin to them. A servant served them tea as the spoke about mundane topics like the weather and the tea, everything she would expect a gentleman to converse with her, wanting to find more about the gentleman Elain decided to ask what his hobbies where and this is where Elains boredom subsided, he informed her that he and his father felt the threat from the other side of the wall was immediate and were proud of the fortress they have made of their home, he insisted that the fae cannot be trusted and he and his father regularly train in combat to counter an attack. For some reason Elain believed every word he said, they all knew how dangerous the monsters on the other side of the wall were and that they had little protection from these beasts, if this man and his family truly knew how to battle fae maybe he could keep her family safe too.

What was to be an easy morning of relaxing turned into one of disaster, Tamlin sensed him before Lucien and was ordered to hide Feyra behind him against the wall, he did so almost crush the poor girl with his body, he tried to calm his heartbeat, they knew time was running out and now was not the time for this bastard to appear. He tried his best to appear casual as he could, he watched from the corner of his eye as the dark haired, violet eyed male sauntered in, Lucien felt hatred boil in his blood. Theres only one reason Rhysand would be here and that would be to taunt Tamlin, Lucien knew how deep the bad blood between these two males ran. Lucien let out a slight sigh as Rhysand began to walk away then he noticed Feyra's plate, Lucien cured himself and Tamlin for not thinking fast enough to get rid of it. Lucien withered in agony as Rhysand peer into his mind to find Feyra's true identity, it wasn't until he saw the dreams that Lucien had been having about her sister did, he pull away, there was a strange expression on his face, it was if he had realised something truly shocking. It wasn't until Rhysand left that the gravity of him discovering Feyra really sank in. As soon as Feyra left the two males alone he had to make sure Tamlin knew what this meant " it has to be tonight" he says as he watches his friend pace back and forth " I know" was all Tamlin replied, " maybe this will push her feelings further to the surface" Lucien's voice sounding more desperate, they were days away from the deadline and she needed to fall in love with Tamlin, he hated that they had to manipulate an innocent girl into falling in love with him, deep down he knew it's what needed to be done and he could tell Tamlin had grown attached to Feyra and he didn't doubt that in time Tamlin might even fall in love back even if she was a human, " ill fuck her" Tamlin spurts out and Lucien stares at him in disbelief, could be truly not understand females at all " if I sleep with her and show her my affections that way, the overwhelming emotions will make her tell her she loves me", Lucien closed him eyes and took a deep breath " you need to woo her Tam, be gentle, she is still human, we don't know how her body will react to" he motions with his hands at Tamlins body, " I won't be rough, ill treat it like it's her first time, ill bed her and tell her I love her, she had to say it back" Lucien let out a long sign " no Tam, you can't just bed her, you need to make love to her, she needs to feels your emotions, be passionate and make her feelings more important than your own" Lucien felt like he was talking to a adolescent male rather than a high lord, had Tam never truly pleasured a female? Tamlin nodded and Lucien was sure his words had hit home, and he felt rather confident in Tamlin's abilities as a lover, " good luck" he wished his friend as he left the room, everything was weighing on how this night would go.

As Graysen said his good byes he asked Elain if she and her sister and father would like to visit their home sometime and Elain couldn't wait to see this fortress he had spoken about so she agreed, however her father informed her that he will be leaving seen to the continent so he will be unable to attend, something seemed to enlighten within him as he heard Graysen speak about the fae, something Elain couldn't understand. After he had left Elain decided she would check on Nesta as she hadn't ventured out of her room since she arrived that morning, Elain gathered she must have been so tired. She gently knocked on their door and softly called her sisters name but there was no reply, Elain decided to leave her sister to sleep for a little while longer.

Lucien waited anxiously in the early hours of the following morning, he could smell Feyra and Tamlins arousal and the mixing of their sexes, so he knew they had had sex but was it love? Had Tamlin been loving enough for the human girl to fall in love with him. As he waited he kept going over something Rhysand had mentioned about being betrothed to Human and had Lucien thinking about Feyra's sister, what if it was her who was destined to end Amarantha and what if Lucien was the one she was to fall in love with, for some reason Lucien couldn't understand this thought did not make him feel anxious or uncomfortable, in fact I was rather comforting to think of the pretty human as his wife, Lucien quickly shook his head in disbelief, had spending time with Feyra really changed his heart to humans? He laughed at the stupid thought as was brought from his thought by Tamlin entering the room, Lucien quickly stood to look at the male and from Tamlin's expression he knew the answer to the question he needed to ask " she didn't say it" Tamlin sighs sitting into his seat looking utterly defeated, " did you tell her how you felt?" Lucien tried to make his voice as soft as he could as he approached his friend " of course I did!" Tamlin snapped, " I did everything right" Lucien ran a hand through his hair and let out a breath " there is still time, wait a few more days before sending her away, stay with her longer to show her more how you feel" Lucien was sounding hopeful but by the look Tamlin gave him he knew he had given up, that was it Tamlin was prepared to end it all, he would doom the spring court to under the mountain, they had failed.

Elain watched out the window as a golden carriage pulled onto their estate, she had never seen something so extravagant, the carage positively shined in the morning sun, the horses pulling it where a brilliant white and Elain sighed at the sight, how beautiful and unusual she thought, then she was curious as to who was visiting them. She practically screamed when she saw Feyra step out of the carriage "she's home! Feyra is home" she heard Nesta run out of her bedroom and ran down the corridor and beat her to the front door, Nesta's face was full of disbelieve as she saw Feyra it was like she was never going to see her again or something the way she was looking at her. It wasn't until a week later that Feyra sat both of her sisters down and told them the truth of what happened and Nesta informing them that she knew, Elain sat in utter shock, the nightmares she had been having where in fact a memory and it all came back to her, she had a very good valid reason to be afraid of the fae. She was certain something must of happened to Feyra's mind for her to be acting in kind to the monster who had taken her, they were far more dangerous than they first thought, Elain kept a tight lid on how she was feeling, not wanting to scare Feyra away or anything. Feyra seemed like a different person and Elain could tell she was aching to go back across the wall to be with the fae once again.

Lucien and Tamlin both waited for the inevitable to happen, as Rhysand and the dark fae he brought with him entered the home. Lucien had his sword drawn fully prepared to resist, his teeth bared into a snarl, Tamlin just stood there and allowed himself to be taken away, Lucien stroke his sword down on the enemy in front of him as it tried to haul him away, he knew he couldn't fight them all off but he would be damned if he wouldn't put up a fight, it was Rhysand who brough him down, his power strangled his mind bringing him to his knees " a valiant effort Lucien" he mocked him as pulled him to his feet and threw him to the other dark fae, his hands were bound and he thrashed as much as he could as he was pulled away to under the mountain, Tamlin willingly going, Lucien was astonished how easily Tamlin had given up, it made him sick to his stomach, they may be bound for under the mountain but that didn't mean they should go willingly, if Tamlin didn't have any fight left them Lucien would fight for both of them. It felt like weeks before they arrived at there destination, no food or water was given to either male, Lucien knew this was a tactic to break them, the fae with Rhysand would beat Lucien as Tamlin watched and each time Lucien took the beatings without breaking, his hatred for Rhysand growing ever deeper as the male watched and mocked him. Lucien knew Rhysand was using him as a way to punish Tamlin, though from Tamlins vacant expression Lucien could not tell if his friend was even inside the shell that was his body, no emotion betrayed him for each strike Lucien took, at times they would beat him until the brink of unconsciousness and each time before his eyes were about to fog over he would see her, the woman who haunted his dreams, he'd see her face smiling at him, not in a mocking way but a comforting way, if he could still see her than maybe things would be alright, she was his salvation, the human he only knew in his dreams, this little human would save his life.

Elain had terrible dreams of violence, each time she awoke she was caked in a cold sweat, the male from her dreams being beaten to a pulp and a demon looking over him with violet eyes and a sinister grin, she could feel the pain he was inflicting on him as if it was her own body, she ran to the bathroom and hurled but nothing came up, she had eaten at dinner but her stomach was leaden, when she had dreamt of her dream visitor it was always rather pleasant, he would be in a field or rising a horse nothing like this and the dreams would usually be on her birthday which today certainly was not, she didn't know how she knew but he was in danger. Was her dream visitor warning her? She was exhausted and fell back asleep once she ley back in her bed, this time she dreamt of Feyra in a manner that was destroyed, she could feel her sisters anxiety and worry, she was talking to a strange looking fae as if she was friends with it, the next thing she knew Feyra was running towards a eery looking mountain and every cell in Elains body screamed for her sister to turn back, she awoke screaming Feyra's name, she jumped out of bed and ran out of her room, not caring that she was just in her night gown, she pushed Feyra's bedroom door open and it was empty, the bed made as if it hadn't been slept in, she ran down the stairs and Nesta was sat in the dark " she's gone" her voice was quiet and Elain turned to face her elder sister " where?!" Elain demanded, she had never spoken to Nesta like this before, her tone didn't even raise a reaction from Nesta " back to her high lord" Nesta sounded as if she understood Feyra, that was something Elain couldn't do, was Nesta some how under the faes spell as well? " You let her leave to go back to that place?" Elain accused and her sister scoffed " like I could stop her" Nesta snapped, and Elain knew than that Nesta was on her side, she hated this just as much as she did. " We need to do something" Elain pleaded, and Nesta stood and walked over to her and placed her hands on her shoulders " Feyra made her choice, we will do what we always do and keep you safe" Elains heart sank, they were to forget Feyra and just move on? She couldn't do that, not again, for too long Elain felt like she was weak and could do nothing to protect her family, she gently removed Nesta's hands from her shoulders and moved away from her sister, she walked back to her room defeated and sat on her bed. She knew what she could do, she would marry Graysen, he would keep her family safe, with his help they could rescue Feyra, there was one way she would be certain he would marry her, she would give him her maiden hood and because he's a gentleman he would have to marry her, she felt sick and wicked for even thinking of such an shameless plan, Graysen was a kind man and doesn't deserve her to use him in such a way but she was desperate and he already seemed interested in her hand. She would tie herself to this man for her family's sake, love didn't have to be a reason and maybe in time she could love him and be content with her life with him, what choice did she truly have? Feyra had saved them over and over and Elain could do this in return.

Lucien was not thrown in the dungeon and forgotten about as he expected to be, no instead he became Amarantha's play thing, he became her tool to submit Tamlin to her will and yet Tamlin did nothing to stop her from publicly humiliating him or torturing him and Lucien swore each time she would not break him, even as his father and brothers laughed and mocked him as he was beaten, even when his mother looked away in pain at the sight, Lucien would take it, she might break his body but she will not break who he is. The worst was when a young human was dragged into the hall one day, Lucien was called forth as the human was brought to her bloody knees Infront of him " is this the human girl that you told Rhysand was you betroth?" Feyra had given Rhysand a false name and this must be the human whose name that belonged to. The girl looked nothing like Feyra yet Rhysand told Amarantha that it was the girl he saw in Tamlins home, maybe to Rhysand all human females looked the same, he could already tell this poor girl had had unspeakable things done to her, he knew she was not going to leave this place, she was doomed and she was going to die, if he said this was indeed her than maybe the search for Feyra would be over, after all Tamlin didn't tell Amarantha Feyra's name and somehow Rhysand wasn't saying otherwise, " yes, this is she" Lucien felt sick to his stomach, he wished he could do anything to stop the torture of this poor human, even if he disliked humans he'd never want to hurt one and what was going to happen to this poor girl he wouldn't wish on his worst enemy. The girl was stripped named and beaten, it was beyond him how she was not dead, she kept repeating she had never seen him or Tamlin and begged to be let go, Lucien just wished it would end, and that death would quickly take the poor girl. For days she was beaten and tortured and each day she was told to tell Tamlin she loved him and each day she swore she did not know him, this just fuelled Amarantha's rage, it took the girl almost a week for her heart to finally stop and that night Lucien wept in silence for her, he didn't know her but everyone could see and feel the pain that was inflicted upon her, she was an innocent but now she was dead it was finally over.

Elain had written to Graysen asking if she was able to visit him the following morning, she received a reply by lunch time of an invite for her and Nesta to visit, she told Nesta who didn't seem too pleased about it, apparently she had heard things about Graysen's father that didn't paint him in such a nice light, even with Elain reassuring her that Graysen is a gentleman and kind it didn't seem to stop Nesta from disliking the match. Elain had dressed in her prettiest blue dress, Graysen had confessed that blue was his favourite colour in their conversation and she needed to seal the match so wearing this dress as her first plan, she had seen other ladies try and seduce a husband at balls so she knew what she should to if she was to respectably get his attention, she sighed at the thought of using such tactics but she was desperate, she hoped Nesta wouldn't notice what she was doing, she met Nesta in the foyer, she was wearing an elegant gray dress, Nesta always seemed to don dull colours but still managed to look like a diamond none the less, an iron carriage pulled up outside and Elain almost laughed, of course a family missioned on fighting the fae would use iron for a carriage, at least they would be safe from an attack on the way to his estate, Nesta just scoffed at it as if it would save us. They pulled up to giant iron gates " this isn't a home, it's a prison Elain" Nesta sounded truly horrified, and Elain had to admit, the giant gate and walls surrounding the estate did not look welcoming at all, maybe the inside was different, she hoped. Alas it was not much different on the other side of the walls, ash trees were planted around the house, it looked like a miniature wood, there were men doing rounds of the estate, carrying bow and arrows, Elain gathered they must be ash arrows, each group had a dog that was trained to sniff out and catch fae, these dogs were not the usual type Elain had seen, these were made for one purpose and that wasn't to cuddle or sit on a knee. The carriage came to a holt and a servant opened the door for the sisters, he handed Elain his hand and helped her down, Graysen met her straight after, he positively boomed at her presence, he took her hand and placed a soft kiss upon it, Elain went to work on seducing him and forced herself to blush and look away shyly, as much as she wished Nesta wouldn't notice what she was doing she did and raised an eyebrow at her sister which made Elain feel embarrassed. He took Nesta's hand and softly kissed it too, Nesta just gave him an expressionless stair " it's a pleasure to make your acceptance Nesta" his voice charming, Nesta didn't smile " you might not think it so pleasurable by the end of our visit" she took her hand back from him soft grip and he looked as if her words were a slap across the face, Elain had always admired how Nesta could break a fully grown man with words alone but if Elain wanted Graysen to take her hand than she needed Nesta to behave. Elain tried to giggle it off " your grounds are very spacious" Elain managed to deescalate things and bring his attention back to her " would you like a tour of our grounds my lady" his eyes sparkled and Elain felt slightly light headed, he was strikingly handsome, maybe they would be a fine match " please" he held his arm out for her " would you like to join us lady Nesta?" she looked to Elain and Elain could tell if she was sizing him up or if she could trust him with her " no I think I'll pass" she simply stated " if you are tired from your journey I could have someone show you to your room if you would like a rest" he ushered for a servant to show Nesta her room, Elain pitted the poor woman.