A Court Of Truths And Trials

Chapter 10

Together, we were sitting in the exquisite dining hall of the spring mansion that was clearly not made for four people. The room was huge, and the awkward silence was killing me all that could be heard was the sound of metal against crockery as every ate their meals of sweet roasted pork, baked potatoes, caramelised onions, rich gravy and steamed vegetables. It was the type of food I could have only dreamed of tasting, like what we would have had before the Archeron's lost theirs and my mother's fortune but ten times more amazing. I'm not sure if that is because of my enhanced senses or because food is different in Prythian.

Feyre and I sat at one end of the table, while Tamlin and Lucien sat at the other. I couldn't handle the silence. Beside me I could see Feyre stuck inside her mind from fear, thinking calculating, planning. At the beginning of the meal, we engaged in some conversation but as we did so I could feel both Tamlin and Lucien watching us, listening to our conversations which made both myself and Feyre uncomfortable. I felt bad for Feyre, I had found it quite easy to adjust to this new life we had been pushed into but only because I am half Fae myself but Feyre killed their friend and is human surrounded by Fae. I know the guilt of knowing she killed Andras is tormenting her almost as much as the fear of not knowing what they may do next, whether Tamlin will go back on his word that she wouldn't be harmed and her family I can tell she is worried about them, I am too. Feyre was their main source of support hunting for our meals, I would occasionally join her in the woods but I didn't have the same skills she did and would always help around the house whenever I could but Nesta and Elain didn't have a clue and with Mr Archeron unable to do anything due to his injury I truly don't know how they will support themselves. Maybe I was selfish to leave with Feyre. Maybe I should have stayed. What if they die and it is all my fault! All my fault.

"Ary? Arya?" Feyre snapped me from my thoughts causing me to drop my fork in shock. Feyre herself looked shocked at my reaction too again her gaze drifted briefly to the points of my ears. "Sorry, yes?" I asked slipping a smile onto my face. She grasped my hand a concerned shimmer in her eyes. "Are you ok?" Not really, no. "Yes of course, don't worry." Feyre nodded. "What was it you were saying?" I asked her. "I was merely asking what you did in your training?" I laughed. "Well I played and seek with Luci of course." She looked at me in complete confusion and I could tell she was trying to figure out whether I was joking or not. "I'm dead serious Fey. Lucien made me keep my eyes closed and I was supposed to use my other senses to find him." I explained and she smiled. "Sounds like fun." I rolled my eyes as she teased me. "It really wasn't. I had my eyes closed for over five hours while I wandered around like an idiot!" I waved my hands around to exaggerate my point. "So nothing different to the usual." My supposed best friend responded.

"You know supposed best friend, you really could be a lot nicer to me" I told her pointing my fork at her. "Oh I should, should I?" She asked a smile on her face as she raised an eyebrow. "Yes you should" I crossed my arms. "Well then I shall have to work on that. But you must be nicer to me as well." Feyre added and I pretended to be shocked holding a hand to my heart. "Excuse you! How could you even say such a thing? I am the most wonderful and kind person you know!" I explained "Are you though?" A wry smile formed on her face. "Yes! At least I try to be!" Feyre pretended to be in thought for a moment. "Well you did trip me over a while ago..." I gave her an astounded look "That was weeks ago and a joke! A joke Feyre! You said you forgave me! Did you lie? Friends don't lie!" I was trying so hard not to laugh and I could tell so was Feyre. She broke first. "Ok, ok you're right you are one of the most wonderful and kind people I know and I did forgive you Ara." I huffed proudly "Of course I am – wait... you said one of the most wonderful and kind people you knew...?" I accused pulling a betrayed face that probably looked like I had just eaten a lemon. "Oh my, how could I make such a mistake! You are THE most wonderful and kind person I know in this entire world, and no one will ever replace you!" She told me smiling widely "Aww no one could replace you either Fey! We're stuck together for life!"

"But I think you might have to watch out for Luci over there... I think he's trying to replace you" I told her whispering at the end sending a glare at Lucien from across the table. He looked completely bewildered. "Why on earth would I do that?" He asked me, I shrugged "I don't know? Maybe because I'm amazing. I could see it in your eyes Luci, I knew your plan all along!" I told him pointing a finger at him accusingly. "Hmm, I'm sure that's the truth Arya." He told me before his gaze drifted towards Feyre who had become quiet.

"Were you admiring my sword, or contemplating killing me Feyre?" He asked a lazy yet vicious smirk taking place upon his face. "of course not." She replied in a soft tone and I noticed her glance at Tamlin.

I would have expected Feyre to have snapped at Lucien's accusation, but I suppose she is trying to be on good terms with them now, I'm proud of her. "Feyre likes to hunt." Tamlin told Lucien. I glanced at the golden-haired Fae. "I don't like to hunt." She told Tamlin bitterly. "I hunted out of necessity. And how did you know that?" Feyre once tried to teach me how to hunt, it failed miserably. Turns out she doesn't have to patience to teach nor do I have the patience to learn especially when we end up laughing at useless things every five minutes instead. But though I couldn't use a bow and arrow, I was able to set up snares and traps for smaller animals and knew how to skin the animals Feyre would hunt, a disgusting but important task. "You had a bow and arrows in your ..." I narrowed my eyes at Tamlin almost daring him to call our home a hovel again. "House. When I saw you fathers' hands it was obvious, he wasn't the one using them." Tamlin explained gesturing to Feyre's calloused hands, mine too were once calloused though not as much as Feyre's but since I transformed into Fae form my hands had become clear and clean. I wonder whether they will reappear when or if I figure out how to turn back into my human form. "You told him about the rations and money from the pelts." Tamlin continued to clarify. "Faeries might be many things but, we are not stupid. Unless one of your ridiculous legends claims us to be." Feyre merely glanced down at her plate, smeared with left over gravy and crumbs from her meal. If we had been at home our plates would be clean of everything, no nutrition would have been left to waste.

"How old are you both anyway?" Lucien asked us, I was the first to respond. "I'm eighteen." "Nineteen." Feyre spoke plainly and Lucien tsked. "So young and so grave. And already a skilled killer." I noticed Feyre clench her fists, and I glared at Lucien my hold on my fork tightening. "You know Lucien! You have no right to judge, you ass." I stood up from the table and left leaving a crumpled-up piece of metal that was once my fork discarded on the table.