A COURT OF PAIN AND SORROW (ACOTAR FANFIC)

The small library

Verna had learned by Feyre that they were currently in the House of Wind. Mostly used for formal purposes and owned my Nesta, Feyre's older sister. And Verna had also learned that they had only been given two hours to look around the house. Verna had found herself a small library in the west wing of the house. From the right the roof, the floor held windows and on the left and front walls were books. Lots and lots of books. Her heart nearly skipped a beat as she saw it. She wanted nothing more then to take them all and winnow back to the Spring Court. And then. . .and then she saw it.

The painting.

It sat above the fire lit place. That was in front of two large sofas that seemed older then Verna. The painting was of the Artemis family, all of them. In the middle was High Lord and Lady on his right. Sat on a throne of darkness. Behide Rhys was his parents, shown by the males violet eyes and the females large wings. Richard and Bo Artemis. On Rhysands left must have been his sister. She was beautiful. Her dark brown eyes seemed to look into Verna's soul. Her hair was as dark as Rhys. Behide Feyre, was her own parents. Edvard and Lilibet Acheron. Though their father seemed kind in his eyes their mothers face was cold and cruel. Beside Feyre where her own sisters. Beside Nesta was Cassian and on the same level as Nyx and Lilith —who was sat before their parents feet— was their son, Solis.

A true and full family portrait of the family.

Verna had never before had seen something like this. Even in her own home. . .the only family member who had their portrait up was that of Verna's grandmother, Yasmine Tansmia. The beautiful woman with the different coloured eyes.

"My mother made it, about hundred years ago." Someone said. "Out of all her works, it remained my favorite."

"Heiress." Verna said as the heiress of the Night Court stood next to her. "It's very beautiful. It's like looking at a photograph."

"Indeed. Though photos cameras are a new mortal invention." Lilith adds. "I have seen one, Erica showed me. Though, I must confess it did not show the same outcome as a painting."

"Julian has one." Verna whispered. "There is a photograph of me and Vassa on his walls. Though of course, Vassa was nearly on her deathbed then."

"Perhaps if the mortal mind changed as quick as the fae, we would of gotten photo cameras much faster. Even if our fae brothers and sisters hate the idea of shearing mortal ideas." Lilith smiled. "I-I'm named after her, you know."

"Who?" Verna said herself saying.

"My aunt. Velaris." She whispered. "The same as the city around us. . .it had once gone by a different name. In its long history it has had three names, the first had been lost to time itself though. The second, was Alexandria though after my aunts. . .my aunts death. . .my father changed it. He thought that there should be something left behind that remembers his sister. So, as the people agreed of course, he changed the name to Velaris."

"It is a lovely but sad story." Verna whispered.

"Hers is a lovely but sad story." Lilith whispered back. "My name has three meanings." She went on. "Lilith was said to be the first mortal woman, and my mother wanted me to honor that. To honor the human she once was. And the second. . .as you probably know her own mother was called Lilibet, she wanted me to share something with the woman. So both of our nicknames are Lily. And then my middle name, of course is Velaris."

"Why are you telling me this?" Verna asked confused. "I—should you not be with Heiress Erica?"

"Erica, ah yes, lovely Erica." Lilith laughs. "I'm here because you seemed lonely. I saw you walk this way with a tear in your eye, I wanted to make sure you were okay."

"That is very sweet." Verna whispered. "What about Nyx?"

"What about him?" Lilith snapped.

"I heard that the two of you have meanings behind your names. You told me yours, what off Nyx?"

"Ah." Lilith laughed. "Nyx has a girls name, you know? He was named after a Goddess of Old. She was said to be the mistress of Night itself."

"And me?" Verna found herself saying.

"Verna means spring green or springtime." Lilith went on. "And before you ask, Circe means bird or hawk. And the dragons name, Freya means mistress."

"How do you know all this stuff?" Verna found herself asking. "And why are you being nice to me?"

"Your not the only heiress who is lonely." Lilith said.

"Your not—"

"But I am." Lilith whispered. "I might seem happy on the outside but in the inside I'm screaming. If people knew the truth. . .i would be killed. This world is not kind to woman in power. My cousin Keir once said 'a woman in power goes against nature itself.' I'm just starting to think that perhaps it might be time to find ourselves powerful female friends who have our back when we call."

"Friends?" Verna found herself asking. She almost smiled at the world.

"Perhaps." Lilith said. "Plus, it just means I won't but a knife in your back. Oh, and by the way, Nyx is looking for you."

"How do you know?"

"The lights." Was all she said as she walked away.

Verna found herself smiling as she looked up again at the painting, that's when she felt him. She let out a sigh.

"What's as Tansmia to do?" She hissed. "I just got ride of one Artemis and now I'm stuck with another?" She raised an eyebrow.

"My bad." Nyx said from the shadows. "I need to talk to you."