GOLDEN STRINGS

CHAPTER FOUR

HEWN CITY

As wild as Aidoneus' mate had been during her first pregnancy, the second one was quite calm. Kore mostly slumbered, her belly growing large very quickly, he'd demanded Madja examine her every other week; with Rhysand it had been months before her bump started showing.

Twins. The healer had confirmed. It's completely normal.

Momentarily, Aidoneus placed a kiss on the top of Kore's head. Her dark hair smelled wonderfully of oranges. Rhysand looked up at his father with violet eyes, and Aidoneus could not resist the squeeze of his heart at the gap-toothed smile he'd been gifted from his son.

"I shan't be long, Kore darling." Aidoneus said to his mate.

There had been some unrest in the Night Court; his two remaining brothers ruled the Court of Nightmares together, and so he wished to speak to them about the issues with Autumn. The threat needed to be crushed immediately.

Especially with the newest addition to his own family.

His mate only absentmindedly nodded to indicate that she'd heard him, as she stared at Rhysand's small fingers, that were playing with her ring, the stone atop it sparkling.

"Mama darling," Rhys was mumbling, clutching at his mother's fingers.

Those were his first words. Mama, because Rhysand completely adored his mother. And darling because that was what Aidoneus always called Kore.

Aidoneus allowed himself the pleasure of gazing at his mate and son a second longer before winnowing to the Court of Nightmares.

#

His brothers were waiting for him in the throne room, the shadows thickened by the corners, as if sensing the High Lord's arrival.

"Greetings, High Lord." Keir said, his mouth twisting slightly.

Hades' eyes shone at the sight of his younger brother, "Where is your barbarian mate, little brother?"

The sound of bone grinding on bone filled the silence, and the grunt of his brother's refusal to shout out in pain.

"Call her that again," Aidoneus said, calmly, "go on, big brother."

Hades cursed.

Keir stepped between them, ever the faithfull mediator.

"We are here to discuss the issue with Autumn, not to scribble among ourselves. Father always hated that."

That was the truth, whenever they fought amongst themselves, their father would write out his anger on parchment; cowards, savages, barbarians, good-for-nothing-pieces-of-shit.

Then he'd nail those notes onto their bodies. He'd leave them bleeding all over the house, and as a child he'd count down the hours, hoping that his mother would eventually pass by and deliver him from the evil pain.

In fact Aidoneus still had those stars, littered all over his chest and back and stomach. He hadn't let anyone see them, not even Kore.

"Let us offer you our congratulations first, brother." Keir continued, his cold voice - so much like their father's - echoed in the throne room. "May the Cauldron bless you with a daughter, so that we might use her to settle the tension between us and the Autumn Court. Beron has many sons, surely they'd be in need of a wife someday soon."

Aidoneus wavered. It was a simple and effective strategy. However, he recalled Kore's face the other night; they had both settled on the winged chair before the fireplace, her smaller body tucked against his, with her bump digging into his side. He'd rested his large hand on it, hoping to feel the children's movement, as he'd once felt Rhys'.