A Court Of Dusk and Destruction

Chapter 16- Court to Court

I wear a males hood, one no one knew, so the smell would not be questioned as someone known like Azriel or Cassian, though they offered. Instead, they paid a night court male for it, and it was placed over my head so the Highlords would not be able to identify me. A last minute desision before entering Day. Lord Helion had guards of his own in addition to the spring court sentries. The muscled male, with light brown skin and eyes as bright as I imagine the days here are nodded to Lucien and I. Their ressemblance of each other was uncanny! All knew of Lady of Autum's affair with the day lord, but could it be possible? Could Lucien be his son instead of Beron's? I guess I'd have to see Beron's face to know for sure, but I did not wish to do that.

The two sentries crossed and arm over their chests in a gesture of respect. "My name is Ecca," a fae with a round face, brown hair in a braid, and saphire blue eyes addressed me. She was short in satcher but moved quickly. She was clearly high fae through and through. The other siliently observed, she had red hair lighter than Amaratha's but darker than Lucien's, and gray eyes. Not silver like Amren's, but a soft gray with brown that make them look green in surtain lights. The most intreging feature was she had clear, shimmering wings. They had feathers that looked like paper glass or polished thin ice. She looked highfae, but the wings suggest she is at least part lesser fae."This is Melanie. She doesn't talk much till she knows if she needs to yell at you or yell at others with you," Ecca explained. Melanie nodded, and I nodded back. She seemed like a "I give loyalty once it is earned" type like Nesta.

"We will be escorting you to the Spring Court," Melanie stated, walking up to me and whispering, "The mortal lands are off limit to us so you and the Emmisary will go alone. As far as the Highlord is concerned, you are a misplaced member of the Spring Court wishing to return due to improving conditions. Each Highlord knows different information but agreed to say this if asked. Helion knows nothing outside this. Once we get to the other courts, we will tell you what they know so you don't get it confused. Got it?"

My reply was a simple nod. This seemed like a good cover in case Keir asks the Highlord's if they seen me. With so few supporters, it would make sense that only Lucien would be available to bring me back. Also, the idea that Tamlin wanted to make sure anyone wanting to return had a grand escort as a thank you is very possible, too. No, dout it will give a good image for anyone watching Spring.

When it is dark in the day court, it is dark! Nothing can be seen beyond the lights held by Lucien, the guards and sentries. Lord Helion and Lucien chatted for some time before he addressed me, "When I got word from the night court that you wished to pass with some eargance, I feared there was something wrong.Lucien tells me you don't travel well and will need to rest. May I ask who is in my court? Especially if you will be covering your face? How can I know you are not a threat."

Who am I? I can not use my own name or a male equivalent, or it will be too easy to tell that I was me should anyone ask. Thinking hard, I remembered a name from my fath...journal that shifted in my pocket. Before Lucien could anwser for me, in the deepest voice I could muster, I replied, "I am Duskarttem, a lowly member of the spring court.. Forgive me, Highlord, for wearing a cloak. I am a lesser faerie, and my appearance is quite alarming to the high fae." I made a dark chuckle, "Alarming to even other lesser fae!" Lucien gave me a smile of aproval. No high fae would like to mingle too long with lesser fae, let alone a Highlord and his guard of high fae.

Helion looked convinced but still asked, "Why did you choose the night court to flee to?"

Not thinking I paniced and replayed, "Why let someone you do not know into your court if you weree conserned they were a threat?" Gladly, he laughed, shaking his head as he walked away. "Here, I was hoping you'd be interested in staying till morning. I never lay while a lesser fae before," he looked over his shoulder with a wink. I tried hard not to gag and turned to Lucien, who let out a breath and gave me a wide-eyed look. A warning not to do that again!

~~~

We winnowed, Lucien would lead me a bit away from the others but still in view as I vomited. We would rest for a while, then walk to the next court. Each Highlord met us to make sure everything was well. Dawn, being neutral, knew everything since they would only let us pass through but would not get involved by telling anyone. Thesan assured me of this himself that the chances of even being asked for this reason were low. However, should Keir and the Darkbringers want to pass through Dawn, he would let them through. He stated he would warn us if this happened, but I am not his to protect. Honest, but true neutrality can be just as bad as not getting involved. Thesan did get involved in bigger issues that affect most or all courts if it is something outside his own court. So if this issue got big enough, hopefully, he would aid.

We skipped right over the middle of Prythian, where Under the Mountian used to be, straight to winter. Kallias and Viviane knew I was actually a member of night being friends with Rhysand and Feyre, but I was male lesser fae who helped Rhysand and Feyre once and they were returning the favour helping me running to spring fromdangers to me alone. A half truth, half lie at best. If they asked, should Keir be poking around winter? No doubt Rhysand would tell the truth, and they'd conseal me. I briefly met a female who was once human and cauldron blessed like Feyre, Elain, and Nesta, who was close to Viviane, lady of winter. Unlike Feyre, she actually went into the cauldron as one of the children of the blessed who are apparently a group of mortals that worship us like we worship the mother and cauldron itself. She was held captive by Hybern with Elain before the war but Tamlin and Feyre helped her escape so she wished to go to spring once it was rebuilt and gave Lucien a letter for the highlord who saved her with a formal request. Her name is Briar.

I asked the sentries about her, about Tamlin rescuing her. Explained I wanted a clear picture of my new Highlord. Ecca only knew Tamlin was acting as a double agent since Hybern was going to invade Spring anyway, painted himself as a villain in hopes it would help save Prythian. She knew nothing else, but it was Melanie who finished the tale, "You wish to know the Highlord. One you had the smarts to call "your" new highlord? You show him honor and prove you have half a brain, so I will explain to you what ignorant people don't understand! The seer was lured in by Hybern and captured. Feyre cursebreaker and the Shadowsinger came to break her out and found Briar," though she only knew her as the woman to indicate she was human. It made sense even though Briar was fae at the time, Tamlin would still refer to her as a mortal. Especially because of Feyre. "Hybern ambushed them, but Highlord Tamlin risked his intentions and life to help them escape...I was there and saw it happen. Because of Hybern being in spring, the...lets say desperate, Spring Court members would sell food, clothes, and weapons to the Hybern soldiers. They paid better than anyone else." She held her head down a bit as she said "desperate" but glared up at me with her eyes. Holding her head up again, she continued, "I am a mason, so I was delivering stone work when my faith in the Highlord was restored. Now I am a sentry and do mason work for him and others to use my stones and bricks to rebuild houses and temples, you name it. I also dabble in blacksmithy, but it is not my primary craft." She explained her and Ecca were already friends at the time and convinced her to join as a sentry with her after telling Ecca some of the tale. Whatever I proved to the sentry, she would not stop talking to know that she opened up. Ecca asked about me making sure no one could hear, and Melanie would curse about anything good or bad using appropriate tones. They were fun, and maybe even becaming my friends.

After entering Summer, I was boiling immediately in my layers and cloak. The sea salt smell was pleasant, however. This was the land of sea treasures, and I was sad not to be able to examine the gems and stones this bountiful land had. Tarquin was more cautious about why a returning member of spring needed to pass through his land by walking. Winnowing making me sick was not a good enough reason. If I really belonged to spring, I would be able to just enter it. Rhysand held the truth from him before, and it cost his court greatly, so he had reason for being suspicious. For this reason, I lifted my cloaks hood up a bit so he could see my face, but my hair and smell were still masked. Lucien explained I was simply on the run from males wanting to kill me for, as far as we know, the sake of being a female who knew I was from Spring and would try to hunt me there. If they did not think this traveler from night was from spring, they won't immediately follow me there. I would remain in his site the whole time and not poke around. I added that I hoped one day it would be safe for us to explain more about who I am, but reassured him the danger is to me alone and his court has nothing to fear. Something Lucien approved for me to say that last part beforehand should he ask questions, but he seemed to have no objections to the first part. Tarquin was hesitant, but he too allowed us to continue through his court to springs borders on the promise Rhysand would explain more at a later date.