A Court Of Dusk and Destruction

Chapter 17-Spring's Arrived

"Soo...what are you into Cyra?" Ecca asked with curiousity, "Mel does stone work, and me...I like botany!" The fae proceeded to pull a small leather bag of plant and flower clippings, wrapped individually in paper out of her satchel. Along with a book, she opened to reveal notes and drawings of the very plants she took the clippings from.

I laughed, "The drawings look great, but I don't think you asked for permission to have those clippings, E. Just like I did not ask to take these..." I opened my jacket to reveal the stones, viles of sea water,  and bags of dirt samples I took. "I like what I have been told is geology...pretty rocks and what minerals make them fascinate me," I explained over the laughter of Ecca. If I truly am free, I wanted to explore this hobby of mine more. Espcially since I get to study minerals, I never would in Night, since they just don't exist there.

Ecca laughed hard that others started to glare at us. Mel blocked their view of what we held in our hands with a frown of amusement. She chuckled, "No wonder you walk so slow... you have weights in your pocket."

"Hey! I am not used to traveling such long distances! I am glad it is almost over. I don't think I can take any more winnowing. Besides, if I puke one more time on Lucien's shoes, he might tell Keir where I'm hiding himself." We laughed.

Tamlin's manor was on the far side of the Spring Court closest to summer, but it would still be a walk in the court to get there. The difference in the terrian was interesting. Night had losts of mountain forest terrian and rock faced feords, Day had a lot of priare lands, Dawn had desert or flat stone beaches, Winter had snowy forest or icy flat, plains, and Summer was either white sandy beach, or sandy jungle. Spring was said to have rooling hills and vast plains of flower fields. 

Walking with Spring's highlord will be interesting. If the stories were true about how terrible he is, I don't think Rhysand and Feyre, mostly Feyre, would send me here. Or would they? I am glad I got to hear Lucien's, Briar's, Melanies, and Ecca's stories about him. Tamlin is not the best male right now, but I am now worse. My spine shivered thinking about it. Even if Tamlin does give me trouble, I know I have the power to give trouble right back. With far warning of course. I contimplated asking the sentries if Tamlin does kill his sentries or beat them sensless for disobedience. Or if that too was an exaggeration without all the facts. I decided against it in case it was rude or made the females uncomfortable.

Lucien walked up after we had calmed down with Tarquin. Melanie leaned over, whispering to us about seeing Tarquin wet, to which Ecca made a comment on some sort of staying regarding men who swim. "Gross..." I uncontiously responded.

The females glared at me. Ecca finally spoke, "You don't get around males often, do you?" I shook my head.

"Ladies, we are ready. Let us move," Lucien motioned for use to start walking to the Spring Court. The sentries hung back coser to the summer lord.  I stuck with Lucien.

"What should I expect from Tamlin?" I asked as Lucien took a deep breath.

"He has his good days... but most are still bad... Don't expect him to be on his best behavior, but by all means, scold him for it." Lucien shamefully admitted. In the distance, I could see two males and a female. Whom of which I can only guess was Tamlin, Jurian, and Vassa.

Not farther, I noticed Tarquin and his party stopped following us. No doubt because we were approaching the Spring Court border. Or maybe we passed it already? Getting closer, the three figures were clear now. Jurian leaned against a tree, seemingly taking a nap. Vassa sat on the grass, leaning back on her arms and enjoying the sun. The golden haired highlord seemed to either be pacing or making a series of disapproving, unamused stanses.

Just as I had done with the other highlords, I raised my hand and lowered my head to Tarquin. A sign of appreciation and respect. He awnsered with a raised hand and nodded his head before winnowing away. Turning back to the three greeters, Vassa was waving as Lucien waved back. Jurian walked to us as Tamlin took his place, leaning on the tree, watching us.

Jurian looked positively plain. I have only seen two mortals in my life. Both under the mountain...Lucien gave me an asking look as I shivered at the thought of Clare Beddor. I mouthed an "I'm Okay," which seemed to satisfy him. Feyre was the other, but I blamed her plain appearance on her being held captive by Amarantha. My cousin seemed to like it, though.

Lucien addressed the man before us, "Jurian, how on earth did you get him here on time." Jurian looked back to the Highlord, who was know... asleep. "Cauldron! Is he drunk?" Lucien looked disapproving at Jurian but was fighting laughter. Jurian himself was grinning from ear to ear.

Tamlin suddenly woke up to yelled out to us, "I am not, fucking drunk!" His wobbling stance while he was pacing earlier, and fumbled words suggested otherwise.

Jurian's grin grew, "He is in fact, a little fucking drunk." The grin faultered as I stepped forward, "You must be Cyra. There is so much trouble over one female. Last time Prythian had such trouble, it was over your dear cousin's mate. I hope you won't be such a pest as to bring full-on war here."

Tamlin was observing us carefully. He must be able to hear what Jurian was asking. Maybe even told him to ask if I was here for sanctuary or destruction. My words were careful but honest, "I can not promise Keir won't come looking for me. But I promise you are safe from me alone."

The highlord went back to sleeping. Jurian, however, frowned, "Shame...I was getting bored here. Forgive Tamlin's state. He did not have to be here."

Thinking back to my meeting with Cassian, I chuckled, "I seem to have a habit of meeting drunken males. Both over a female, in fact. Not all the stories seem to be far off after all." Tamlin's eyes shot open as he huffed. Jurian looked surprised that I had only been here a full minute and already pissed off the courts highlord.

Lucien looked half at Jurian, half at Tamlin, "She has a surprising temper...like someone else we know." All attention sifted to the highlord. Vassa snorted as she laughed. 

Getting up from her spot, she walked over to greet me as well. She told me to ignore Tamlin as he did not receive his morning tea. "He needs to taste something bitter to dampen his bitterness." The three laughed as Tamlin crossed his arms, tilting his head up, clearly embarrassed. The half smile on his face proved he was amused at his friends poking fun.

Uncrossing his arms and looking directly at me, he motioned to follow. "We should get going. Cyra reeks of male and her own sweat. Did you really make her wear that the whole way here, Lucien? It will take several baths before that stench will come out." Im blushed in anger and embarrassment. Apparently, the teasing shifted to me.

Lucien walked up beside his staggering friend, 'It was nessecary to find the smelliest male to hide her identity. Even if she will smell like a male the rest of her life." I yelled at them, and Lucien laughed while Tamlin snickered. "However, meeting with the highlords did not go as planned. They were all too suspicious of the situation, and we had to give each further explanation. Different explainations to each non the less."

"Let us hope they don't exchange tales...at least not yet. Would have been simpler if she could winnow..."

He was not wrong, I could not handle winnowing all the way across Prythian. Besides, Lucien did not have that ability, but Tamlin did. "Maybe if you were not sitting here on your ass and came to get me, the highlords would not have been so suspicious.I can not control my inability to win now," I threw at him.

Tamlin whirled and began walking backward, yelling about being a highlord he was needed here. However, due to his drunking state, he keeped stumbling over himself and eventually fell on his rear. The two sentries came over to help him up, rebuking us for laughing at our highlord. Tamlin shook them off and got up himself, glaring daggers at us. Melanie and Ecca returned to their station behind us as Tamlin shifted to his beast form and trotted ahead of us. I may like it here after all!