Helion Spellcleaver and the Lady of Autumn ; A new start

Part 4; After dinner with Helion and Aurelia

Is Starfall night

Stars rain on top of their heads as they turn towards the sky. After the dinner -which had included more talking, revelations and feelings than actual eating- they all headed outside, just in time to watch the shower of stars and little glittery travelling creatures. Hand in hand, Helion and Aurelia astonished at the beauty of the sky, pointing the shapes the sparkly stars formed. Slowly they move toward each other, leaning more and more closely, until Aurelia's hand rested on Helion's waist and his hand rested on her back. Across the balcony, in silence stood Lucien.

He was the only one alone, Feyre and Rhys, Nesta and Cassian, and even his mate had indulged into a conversation with the shadowsinger, but he didn't mind it. Not that it mattered to him, not right now at least, while he was trying to shove down those primal instincts that told him to go shove the shadowsinger off the balcony. Right now he needed to focus elsewhere, at his parents, now his mother's head rested on his father's shoulder. He leaned over to her ear and whispered something that had her throwing her head back with laughter, showing her elegant, pale throat. Her face shifted wholly and Lucien watched his mother as if he'd never seen her before. When was the last time he'd seen her laugh? Had he even seen her laugh whole-heartedly like this? He couldn't recall the last time he'd seen his mother even with the faintest smile on her face.

He could see it, the mating bond between his parents, his golden eye allowed him to see things others couldn't. Before it had been a faint, thin, golden string between their bodies and now it started to glow. Now that his parents were together, their bond was strengthening and refreshing.

Lucien felt immense happiness at the mere sight of his mother feeling safe, his mother being happy. Good, he thought, she deserves it, she deserves everything good and nice after the hell she went through with Beron.

'Look at that, you have a lovely smile.'

Just a little startled, Lucien came out of his trance, to find his mate right before him. Well, thats new, he thought. It had been almost three years after the Hybern war and they hadn't had a proper conversation ever since. Even though Lucien knew she had little to no interest in him, he still brought her gifts, to honour what she meant in his life. Thats how Fae kids were taught, "to always hounour the mating bond, as it is the deepest bond between two souls".

'I'd never seen you smile like that before.' She continued, interrupting Lucien's thoughts.

'Well, we haven't had a lot of marry moments together, have we?'

'You're right,' she said with a little smile, a little blush covering her cheeks. She looked so beautiful, his heart was going to break into a million pieces from the slightest smile from her. The most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Devastating. Lucien couldn't help, but submit himself to ancient Fae instincts, telling him to go near her, hold her hand, run his hand through her silky hair, inhale her sweet scent so deeply, it would be engraved in his lungs . Touch. Touch. Touch. With a lot of effort he managed to shut these instincts up.

'What made you deign to talk to me today?', he spoke with a little menace, trying to hurt her a bit, for all the hurt she'd caused him. Fool, he thought, she's not entitled to give you anything, neither of you wanted to be mates. Yet those ancient instincts overrun his common sense.

She lowered her eyes, as if she too remembered all the times she tried to ignore him. 'No point to beat around the bush, I'm here to tell you I'm sorry for my poor manners toward you all this time. It was hard for me to accept the fact that now I have a mate, someone I have a deep bond with, yet I didn't know you-

'You could have given me a chance at least, to try to know me and I would try to know you. I fear you have only yourself to blame for that, lady.' He still didn't know how to properly address her, calling her by her name seemed like too close and friendly, which they weren't.

'I know that, i know that I must have hurt your feelings, but you must allow me to amend it. Please.' She looked at him, her big brown eyes melting something deep in his heart.

For her he would make a crown of stars. Heck. Even put the moon on a string. Just for her sweet "please".

'Alright, lets hear it then.' He tried to mask it with a cool face even though his heart was beating soo hard.

'I'd like to get to know you more, Lucien. After Nesta and Cassians mating ceremony, I decided to learn more about the mating bond. I learned that the souls of the mates are equal in every sense, they understand each other, complete each other. I didn't understand it before, but now it just makes sense.'

'What ?'

'Remember, before the war, when I had just become Fae, I needed sunshine - truth be told I didn't know how exactly- and now that you're the Day Court's High Lord son...' she trailed off and looked at Lucien with those doe eyes that made him melt.

It clicked. Of course, how hadn't he thought about that? She had needed him. Fool. He should have realised.

'So do I have another chance?'

Did she? Of course she did. Lucien thought he could never, ever say no to her. But his pride was hurt, it had been good at the beginning, during the war with little conversations and shy glances. But than, after the war, something had shifted and she had completely ignored him. To sate his pride and those maddening needs in him, he decided to play a little hard.

'I suppose yes, you do have a chance. But I'll have to leave the day after tomorrow-

'We can go on a little stroll in Velaris tomorrow afternoon.' She suggested hopefully. 'Thats alright then.'

'Wonderful,' she said with a sweet smile in her face, 'Good night Lucien.'

'Good night to you too,' and when she was far enough, that even her Fae ears couldn't listen, he dared add, 'sweet dreams.'

Lucien, she'd said his name, it just sounded so musical coming from her lips, making him feel a little drowsy. He felt like he was drunk on happiness, his mother in front of him was all smiles and beaming with happiness in the arms of his father, and he'd just had a very lovely conversation with his mate. Though deep down, a kernel of doubt started to grow -why had she just started talking to him out of nowhere-. He shook his head to free himself from these thoughts. No, he should enjoy himself, savour the happiness at the moment.