starfall. [ Rhysand ]

V

calanmai.

"Kiara, may I come in?" Feyre knocked on The Star's door, an unusual gesture at this time of night.
The drums from the Fire Night celebration in the woods were so loud that it felt as if they were inside the manor, making Feyre think Kiara might still be awake because of the noise.

"Of course." Feyre entered the room and found Kiara tucked into her bed, engrossed in a book about dreams and their meanings.
The Star had discovered that dreams could reveal aspects of oneself. For example, dreaming about a mysterious person, like she did, symbolised an incomplete self-awareness, which seemed fitting for Kiara's situation.

"Is something wrong?" Feyre stood at the end of the bed, fidgeting with her fingers. She felt bad for intruding, given what happened to Kiara just two nights ago. The bandage on Kiara's forehead, slightly hidden by her hair, was a reminder of that unfortunate incident.

"If it's not too much to ask, I was wondering if you wanted to join me in checking out Calanmai" Feyre whispered, recalling the sight of Tamlin shirtless moments ago, which still lingered in her mind.

"Honestly, I was secretly thinking of going there myself." Kiara slipped out from under the covers, revealing a light blue gown she had donned since the Fire Night had begun a few minutes ago.
She didn't know if it was for the sound of drums or for something else that seemed to be calling her, but she wanted to witness the celebration.
Feyre's knock had startled her, making her hide under the covers, fearing the human would have prevented her from going, but it was the opposite.
Feyre was taken by surprise, as she had always seen Kiara as someone who followed orders without question. She smiled happily, perhaps she had been mistaken.

"Let's go then."
They left the manor, trying to be as silent as possible, though they encountered only a few lesser faeries along the way, who didn't pay them much attention. Most likely, every High Fae from the land was already at Fire Night.

As they approached a valley filled with High Fae, they could hear the drums playing faster and louder in front of a cave mouth surrounded by flowers.
Both males and females were dressed in scanty attire; some males shirtless, revealing their toned bodies, while the females wore dresses with long slits and low-cut corsets. People danced seductively around a large fire, laughing and holding hands. Kiara could only catch glimpses of it through the smoke though.
She turned towards Feyre to see her reaction when she realised she had lost sight of her amidst the chaos, making her eyes widen.

"Feyre" she whispered, scanning the area with fearful eyes, but she was all alone. As she wondered what to do next, a figure approached her.
It was Tamlin, shirtless, displaying his muscled physique, though something about his dark mischievous eyes made her realise something was off.

"Oh, Tamlin, I'm so sorry. I was just curious" Kiara avoided mentioning Feyre on purpose, not wanting to ruin what the couple had by mentioning that she too ignored his orders.

"I'm glad you came" Tamlin smirked in a seductive manner that would have probably made Feyre swoon, but instead, it made Kiara uncomfortable. The Star took a step back unsure of what was happening.

"Are you oka—AAH!" Kiara screamed when Tamlin grabbed her arm forcefully, intending to lead her out of her hiding spot in the bushes and towards the cave.

"You're hurting me, Tamlin!" Confused about what to do, she kicked Tamlin's side, catching him by surprise and causing him to loosen his grasp on her, giving Kiara the chance to distance herself.
She started running in the opposite direction, hearing Tamlin's loud footsteps following her closely. She heard his laughter echoing with mischief; it seemed as if he was liking the situation like she was the prey and he was the hunter.
Suddenly, she heard someone grab her hand. Kiara tried to free herself, but without luck. For a few seconds everything became a blur. She closed her eyes tightly feeling a wave of nausea, and when she opened them again, she found herself in a secluded meadow away from the cave.