A court of Unshed tears

Chapter #8

Tamlin winced at the weight of the golden tiara cutting into his skull.
Why was it so fucking heavy!
"You look lovely dear," his mother smiled and patted his cheek.
"Thank you mother," he leaned into her touch.
He was wearing a white tunic with a green and gold vest that brought out his eyes. Though, they didn't need Much bringing out. They were the first thing everyone usually noticed about him. They showed exactly who he was.
His eyes were always much greener than his brothers. They were exactly like his fathers, none of his mothers pale blue shown through the green.
However He did inherit his mother's hair, as golden as the sun.
"We need to get going," Tamlin's father strode in wearing his classic green jacket embroidered with gold over his white tunic, a pair of well fitted, refined beige pants, and of course a golden crown shaped like twisted branches sat upon his golden brown hair.
Tamlin's mother wore a beautiful green dress to go with his fathers. Along with beautiful gold jewelry around her ears, fingers, wrists, and neck.
If Tamlin didn't know better it might have looked like shackles.
she wore no crown. Tamlin never understood that. She was the lady of spring. She has more power than him, she should be the one wearing the crown.
Still, her smile never faltered once, like her face was just molded that way. Somehow it always looked genuine too.
Tamlin never understood how she could be so happy with Tamlin's father, but she was nonetheless.
She loved him, and Tamlin saw it, but for some reason it seemed wrong. His mother and father were mates, equals.
His mother had the gifts of a high fae from spring and summer. She was able to shapeshift and manipulate water.
Tamlin loved when she would make it rain.
"Ready father," Tamlin's oldest brother Basil walked in alongside his second oldest, Asher.
They both were dressed similarly to him, but donned jackets instead of vests like his father.
Tamlin didn't quite like the restrictions of a jacket.
They also both had tiaras that matched Tamlin's, leaves of gold.
Basil had hazel eyes and his fathers golden brown hair, while Asher's features consisted of deep blue eyes and dark brown curls.
Tamlin always liked Asher more out of his brothers.
Still, he didn't like either of his brothers much but Asher was... tolerable.
Asher was quiet most of the time and often had his nose buried in a book while Basil sucked all of the attention out of the room.
Though he was scared of both of his brothers, while Basil could have unbridled rage, Asher had more of a lethal rage that was somehow scarier.
But they were always a team, and always ganging up on Tamlin ever since they were little he was on his own.
"I am so sorry for the delay," a honeyed voice came from the doorway.
Amrenthana.
She had been staying with them for the past week.
Spring was hyburns ally, so they were hosting one of its esteemed generals for the moment being.
Tamlin didn't like her much.
She was very handsy and Tamlin was not a fan of being touched... by her at least.
Though she was the closest thing to a friend he had ever had.
But she tried to get his attention constantly for some reason.
If she wanted a lover she should just ask Asher, he has been pining after her this past week.
Plus he has far more experience than Tamlin.
She strode over to Tamlin's side, "you look handsome," her voice felt like nails racking down his skin.
"Thank you," he bit out, "you look lovely as well."
She smiled up at him and he wished she could feel his disgust.
Tamlin quickly turned to his father and nodded in signal that he was ready and they winnowed to Autumn.
—-
Music was the first thing Tamlin heard.
Full beautiful notes that held all the joy in the world.
He wished desperately that he could create that joy, and beauty, but his father hadn't found an importance in music.
Tamlin stood behind his two brothers as they greeted the high lord of autumn, Breron.
Amrenthana strode away from Tamlin to greet the high lord with a curtsy.
Good, she was distracted, and not a leech on Tamlin's side for a whole minute.
Tamlin turned to find Eris.
He tried desperately to stop the smile that was tipping up his lips.
He missed Eris.
Eris might be his only friend.
Correction. Eris is his only friend. Well if you could call whatever they were, friends.
Every time they were at a gathering together the would cause havoc.
It started out when they were children. The first time Tamlin transformed him and Eris into bees and they stung all the party guests.
Had either of their fathers found out they surely would have had them strung up.
The next year consisted of Eris boiling everyone's wine.
And as the years went on their ideas become more stupid, but their parents never found out.
Tamlin liked Eris.
He was wild but he had this weird sense of peace and calm about him.
Usually at the end of the night of causing Mayhem, they would sneak outside and stare at the night sky together.
They were looking at the same world, seeing it in all its beauty and wreckage.
Sometimes they talked and sometimes they just sat in silence.
"Hello Tamlin Aviva," Eris' voice sparked that smile on Tamlin's face to Alas, appear.
"Hello Eris Vanserra."
"Would you care to talk? I have important things I would like to bend your ear about."
Tamlin turned to his father who nodded in approval.
"Sure," Tamlin strode towards Eris and then walked to the banquet table as far away from Amrenthana as possible.
Tamlin quickly put up a barrier of wind so no one could hear them.
"You are a terrible Courtier," Tamlin laughed and Eris punched him in the arm.
"Hey I'm working on it. I will learn how to be impassive and intimidating soon enough."
"And come up with better lies?"
Eris elbowed him again.
"And come up with better lies," Eris repeated, narrowing his eyes.
Tamlin smiled looking into Eris Amber eyes currently alight with mischief.
Suddenly he felt a wave of power radiating through the room and Eris sighed annoyed.
"Do they have to be so dramatic," he rubbed at his temples.
Tamlin turned around quickly searching for her. The darkness and shadows cleared and Finally he saw her.
Luna.
She was even more beautiful than the last time he had seen her.
dressed in glittering night almost black, blue. Her lips are painted red and her eyes were dusted with glitter that mimicked stars. Her night black hair was pulled half up into a bun and then rest was draped over her shoulders in elegant waves, and atop her head sat a tiara that looked as though it had been crafted out of the night itself.
But again, so did she.
Eris coughed, pulling Tamlin's attention from the dazzling female.
"While you were gawking at the night court, I've come up with some ideas—
"I wasn't gawking, I was observing."
"Yeah, you were definitely gawking. Anyway , I was thinking we get shit drunk and go from there," Eris handed him a glass of whiskey.
"That sounds great, but since night court is here this year that means—-
"Tamlin," his father called him across the room and waved him over.
Tamlin sighed and downed the whisky feeling it burn the whole way down.
He turned back to Eris and handed him the empty glass and walked back towards his family.
"Good luck," Eris called from behind Tamlin who flipped him off, finally taking down the shield of wind.
Right as he stepped next to his brothers Amrenthana was on him, looping her arm through his.
He tried not to cringe and tear his arm away.
Be kind to her, his mother had told him. She is our ally.
But that didn't mean he wanted to be this close to her.
Tamlin turned to find Eris' shoulders shaking in sclient laughter.
Tamlin glared at him.
"Good to see that you came, Ciaran," my father greeted the high lord of night.
I was too busy looking over his shoulder at Luna to notice what his response was.
She was turned towards the musicians admiring the music.
She didn't look at Tamlin but he felt familiar claws caress his mind.
Hello Tamlin
He tried so hard to suppress the smile tugging at his lips
He wondered if he said something in his mind, would she be able to hear it?
Yes, I would. I feel like we have already had this conversation.
Tamlin rolled his eyes and said in his mind, forgive me if I don't understand the extent to your freaky mind reading abilities.
It was silent for a moment then—
Where are your tattoos, she asked and Tamlin looked up at her to find him staring at his fingers.
I glamored them, he said into his mind, my father would have skinned me alive had he seen I had been marked by night court.
Well, you should have thought of that before you made a deal with me, she shot back.
He watched as her eyes traveled up his arm to the person attached to it.
Amarantha.
Lover? She asked
Leech, he replied and Tamlin watched as her lips tugged up to a smile. And cauldron, that smile was going to be the death of him.
"You're looking lovely as always Luna," Basil said, looking her over in a way that made Tamlin want to tear his skin off.
"It's always good to see you, Basil," she smiled.
Would you care to ask me to dance before your brother asks me too?
Tamlin was startled by the question and asked, me?
O, no sorry I must have been talking into the wrong mind. Yes you, dumb ass.
Tamlin was grinning at this point but managed to untangle himself from Amrenthana and ask, ''Luna would you care to dance?"
This time he didn't look to his father for approval because he knew his father would never let him do this.
"I'd love to," she smiled, walking over to Tamlin and taking his hand.
Tamlin heard Amrenthana huff in annoyance as he turned and led Luna to the dance floor.
——
Our first dance...
I remember it like it was yesterday.
There were so many things to get lost in...
How close you held me, the light dancing in your eyes, and your smile.
God, I miss your smile.
I wish you'd remember how to smile.