Ravening

wheel and deal

A friend? A Foe? Walking question mark with a hot voice?

None of it was important. The only thing that did matter was that the wound wasn't closing. How could it? It kept on bleeding, and you didn't have anything clean enough to wrap around it.

You were surprised you even had any blood left given you hardly drank anything the past two days.

It didn't help that the only food they'd given you was rotten.

And Rhysand... no matter how much he terrified you, he was the only one who came.

Just like when the two of you first met, he simply appeared just when you needed someone to save you.

"Show me your hand," he said quietly. With your woozy vision, he swayed like a crazy dandelion with each step he took. It made him a bit less frightening.

You waved at him with the uninjured one.

Rhysand tsked and reached for the one hidden by shadows, but your sharp inhale stopped him.

"There's a bone poking out." You explained as you carefully brought up your arm. Just the mere sight of the gash still made you nauseous, so you tried not to look while Rhysand began carefully inspecting it.

"Oh, that's wonderfully gruesome."

"Can you heal it?"

Rhys' eyes sparkled, "what shall I get in return?"

Right, they were faeries, never met Philanthropy. You patted your empty pockets.

"I've lost my money bag."

The man's lips threatened to smile. "Is that what you call Tamlin?" 

"..." 

"Don't worry, I wouldn't take money from a pauper."

Alright, rude, but your current state gave you no way of defending yourself. Instead, you asked: "What do you want then?"

Rhysand's smile grew a little crazy.

"You."

Shivers ran down your spine, but before you could react with a proper 'ew', he continued.

"Two weeks every month," he said, "two weeks of my choosing, you shall spend with me, at my court, once this whole 3 task nonsense is behind us."

You gave him an ironical smile, "great, and right when I worried I'd miss the dark and grimness of this place. I hear your court's bountiful in that regard."

Rhysand's lips tightened into a thin line, as if what you'd said offended him.

"You'll be amazed," he finally whispered, looking deeply into your glazed eyes. It was far too intense for your current condition, so you were the first one to look away, searching through the darkness behind the man.

"I at least hope you'll feed me better," you motioned towards the pile of something that was either still or already alive. Rhysand chuckled with disgust colouring his handsome face, "I can promise you that."

"Fine," you breathed out, entrusting your hand to his gentle grasp. "But two weeks is far too long for just one arm, isn't it? Besides, I assume we'll all be too busy once we're out of this prison." Weren't the high lords' territories practically unguided for the past fifty years? Surely there's a lot to catch up on.

"The only one stuck in a cell is you." Not the point.

"Is that so?" You only hummed, remembering his words from the night you first met.

"Won't you grant me a bit more freedom then?" If your life were to be split into two parts, you'd much rather it be between the Spring Court and your home in the human realm. Although... Nesta might disagree with such arrangements.

"You're welcome to try my generosity."

"Three days."

Rhysand smiled at the sickly bargainer. He surely wasn't that generous. 

"Ten."

That benevolent tone just made you grit your teeth. You'll die before surrendering.

"A week."

A spread of tiny snow-white knives.

"A week it is."

He grabbed your hand, his previous tenderness gone. The sudden pain made you scream and the assault on your senses only grew worse. As if fire seeped into your veins from the place where Rhys was touching you.

Fortunately, before the agony became unbearable, everything faded to white.  

art: shamelessly stealing Sung Jinwoo since his eyes shine nice and purple^^ 
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