A COURT OF PAIN AND SORROW (ACOTAR FANFIC)

The High Pristess

The days blurred together and before Verna Tansmia knew it, it was Sunday. She woke just before dawn to hear soft female laughter coming from downstairs.

With a sigh, Verna turned on her hips and rang a bell that would summon May into her bedchamber. However, it was not May that turned up, or was Echo.

When Echo opened the door she seemed sad. Her black eyes were on the floor as she looked at her pale hands. Her black hair in a tight bun at the back of her head. While she looked high fae Echo was anything but. A monster was in her skin, a monster with fangs and claws. A monster that sang people to a watery grave.

"Echo," Verna whispered as the female helped her into her corset. "Is something wrong?"

"Wrong? No. Nothing can ever be wrong. Just. . . Upsetting." Echo said before running a hand threw Verna's long ginger-blonde hair. "It's just . . . Circe is back. Now that it's becoming colder, even in the Spring Court, She has fled back here."

"I really would not of said that she had fled in the first place." Verna laughed. "When did she arrive?"

"This morning. She's been talking with your Lord Father ever since." Verna could hear the anger in Echos voice without even seeing the female. "Talking of her travels, as if she did not leave your father alone in the spring time. Eight months of catching up."

"Your forget that Circe is not one of us, she is a half breed." Verna says looking at her friend and maid. "Born to a fae woman and a mortal male."

"Her aunt is also Amarantha."

"Her great-aunt." Verna added. "And yes, Circe has Bathory blood. The grand-daughter of Amarathas youngest sister, Margarita. But Father does not hold that—"

"Because her older sister pays him." Echo added. "We all know Lord Nicole does it, so don't even try and say that she does not."

"Lord Nicole is a half mortal. While she might be one of the richest and powerful females to live, her power is not as strong as she likes to think it is." Verna said. "Though, I have to laugh, Amarantha hated humans. Yet, her own niece, Katerina, married one."

"The Lords-Mother is a widow, she had to watch her husband die in front of her." Echo shock her head. "Poor female."

"As did her mother. The Countess Bathory, and the old Marchioness. The first woman in Hybern to own that title." Verna whispered. "I am starting to think that the Bathory curse is true."

"Indeed. The females watch their love die in front of them, and the males go crazy because of it." Echo laughed. "Anyway, Circe is asking for you. You don't want to keep the High Priestess waiting, do you?"

"Oh, but I do."

As Echo laughed, Verna slowly made her way down the grand staircase. She followed the smell of Lily's of the valley and white chocolate, until she got to the wooden door of the living room. Yesterday, both Verna and Echo, along with Aliza (the cooks wife) took all the spiders out and cleaned up all the webs. All ready the room looked much better but it still needed a new coat of paint and perhaps new furniture.

Which could take years to get and at that point the room would have fallen back into disrepair.

"Verna!" The small female yelled.

High Priestess Circe was beautiful, as all high fae were. And like all High Priestess she wore blue gowns and had the tattoo of the moons on her forehead.

She also had the blood red hair of house Willow. Willow red. It blew in the spring wind that was coming from the open window. Circe, in Vernas' eyes, was the most beautiful woman to have ever blessed the earth itself. She had large dove eyes that had a slight slit to them, the slit of her people. Of her fathers people. Of the people of the Re'en. Her eyes where as black as any soul from a witch. Circe's father had been a mortal lord of a village called Scalswind, of the eastern most island of the known world. Circes mother was a daughter of the Winter Court and Hybern. Her father had been Solis Elfinson, son of Sabrina Van Helga whom was the late aunt to the current high lord of the winter court. Her mother had been Margarita Bathroy, a willow by her mothers blood and an heiress to one of the richest lands in Hybern on her fathers.