A Court of Golden Shadows

Chapter 2

The walk from the River house to the town house wasn't long. Her sister and her mate hadn't move that far from the townhouse as other residents of Velaris might have thought.

This morning she woke up breathless, as if she came back from a long journey in hurry. She dreamt of land, a beautiful cultivated land filled with forests, waterfalls, different kind of animals. Winged horses with armoured women riding them, like the Valkeryes Nesta told her about. She dreamt the of the chilling breeze upon the sun setting, a far ocean she stared upon, a familiar hand she held while she smiled at the breath taking view and strangely... she knew where she was exactly. The Dusk Court. She debated whether it was just a dream or a vision. Her seering abilities haven't come back since the war against Hybern, so it had to be a dream but it felt real, too real. She readied Nyx as the clock struck noon and made her way to the River Mansion, but as Rhysand said, there is no Dusk court. There never was, it was only a fragment of her fantasy.

Elain enjoyed the walks in Velaris, the city was truly beautiful and no one could ever be tired of it. As she walked she would often note the differences from her village beyond the barrier.

There many different kind of fae. Fae like the ones of the Day court or the red haired faes from the Autumn court. The Illyrians present as well as different species of fae like Nuala and Cerridwen, but time to time she would catch her own reflection and find her pointed ears. She was one of them.

She came in front of the wooden townhouse doors, opened them to find as everything the same as she left, and why would it change? These days it was only her who lived in this house. 

Feyre and Rhysand moved to the River Mansion, Nuala and Cerridwen moving there with them. Morrigan has moved out not long ago, maybe seeking residence closer to the man making her happier this past year. Cassian took Nesta to train while they lived in the House of Wind and they stayed there ever since. As well as Azriel...

She closed the door behind her, trying to dismiss the one thought that caused her pain. The garden.

She past through the sitting room, making her way to the kitchen and opening the back door to the garden. The breeze that hits every time she opened this door was almost comforting. The roses she grew around the fountain started to bloom a lilac tone, whilst the tulips she's been taking care of were finally the soft pink she hewed them too. The water of the fountain made a soft splattering sound that eased her mind every so often. Despite what was going around in Prythian, she made this garden her home, her place in this world filled with magic.

Elain pushed back her hair by tying a square piece of cloth around her head, wearing her garden gloves, she crouched down in front of a flower she planted only recently. A blue hydrangea bush. She started to soften the soil around it with her cultivator, soft moves to not damage any growing roots. She bought this after the last winter solstice, to fill a certain void...

She paused for a brief moment, but continued her steady motion with stinging eyes. She was in her garden, in her happy place but alone. She was mated like her sisters but with a mate she knew nothing about and refused to accept. The man she started to have feelings for after turning fae rejected her by putting a pendant in her neck. She didn't need a mate. She didn't need journey of healing, like her sisters. She had everything. 

She didn't need love as long as she could do what she loves, make tiny seeds into blooming flowers. That's what they expected her to do. That was what she meant to do. Even if it meant to be alone.