Nightfully ;Azriel

6

Althea was returning home after spending all night and morning with mentor Mrs.Robins, both gushing over the moonflower. The elderly woman taught her how to correctly remove the petals, which she could add to tea, food or medicine. 'The right amount can decrease the amount of pain one feels tenfold. But too much will only disorient them, a high dosage killing them.' 

She wished she knew about it sooner, maybe just maybe she could've made a soothing tea for her father back then when they lived in that cottage buried in debt.  

Her mind kept replaying her little encounter with Benjamin and she felt herself zone out. Does she... does she want to be with him? Romantically? She bit her bottom lip as she approached the manor, disappointed that her walk ended so quickly. 

She wanted to sleep. Yes, maybe her mind will be clear once she has her nap. 

Althea quickly moved aside off the main entrance of the manor, allowing a carriage that seemed to be made out of gold, past her. She blinked in surprise as a familiar brunette stepped out of the carriage. 

Feyre?

Althea's pace quickened, she wasn't hallucinating and Elain further proved that as she ran out of the house throwing her embrace around her. She stopped behind them, watching as Elain flustered over Feyre. Althea was surprised, her eyes skimmed Feyre's body for any injuries she may have gotten over the wall and when Althea saw none she marvelled at how beautiful Feyre looked. She was glowing, her hair seemed longer and full of colour, nothing like the dullness she used to have. She gained some weight on her, she was no longer thin and fragile. And her skin was basically glowing, but Althea can tell something was bothering her, even after being separated for so long.

That beast...he treated her well over the wall. 

She bit her bottom lip and approached her sister pulling her out of Elain's embrace and into her own. Once Feyre realised who she was, wrapped her arms around Althea as well, the two hugging in what seemed like hours. 

"You look great." Althea breathed, holding her sisters shoulders. 

Feyre smiled brightly at Althea. "You look great as well." 

Elain smiled at both of them. "Let's get inside, i'll make some tea- ooh i bought some cakes yesterday from town, they're delicious-" 

Althea glanced at her sister from the corner of her eye. "Are you okay?" She pried, Feyre forced a smile.

"Of course." She answered before halting in her steps. "I almost forgot- "

The man who had been driving the carriage pulled out a trunk from the carriage. Althea heard some things clatter inside. "What is it?" she asked again, hoping that Feyre would answer. 

Feyre didn't, her mind seemed elsewhere, she wasn't paying attention. Althea's fingers twitched. She blinked back at the haziness that threatened to take over. It doesn't matter. She's alive and well, that's all that mattered. 

***

Feyre left with some gold and jewels leaving their father with a trunk filled with them. Althea didn't really care much for jewels but the sheer size of them made her kneel looking through them along with Elain, both of them marvelling over them. Elain kept repeating the same thing over and over again, 'how lucky, she inherited aunt's riches.' Althea had to bite her lip from saying anything. 

She wondered what her sister did for the faeries to send her home with so much riches that it could end the poverty of an entire kingdom. 

Feyre returned home after some time, she pulled Nesta aside into a spare room that no one used. Nesta left home for a week to look for Feyre, she knew that Feyre was over the wall but unlike Althea; the eldest sister did everything in her power to bring her back. 

Althea wished she didn't possess such cowardice.

She skipped dinner that night she didn't have the appetite to eat anything. Althea wondered if Nesta told Feyre that she too knew of her whereabouts, that not everyone was brainwashed by the faerie. That's when she stood from her bed, that's right, she should be the one to tell Feyre. Demand an explanation. There was no way that she would repay the debt in less than a year, things weren't adding up.

Nesta in fact did not tell Feyre that Althea also remembered that night, vividly even. She instead listened to everything that Feyre did at their aunt's house until she died, a small smile slipped onto her Althea's lips and she bemusedly thought that her sister should've become an author. She always did have the flare for imagination.  

The next few weeks went by rather quickly, neither them or Feyre brought up their aunt and focused on each other instead. They spent some time in Elain's garden, one that she worked hard on. She showed Feyre all the flowers she grew and explained which is which.  Feyre listened to all intently, smiling and nodding her head as Elain spoke.  

Feyre even went as far as to join Althea at the shop, which she didn't mind. Althea introduced her sister to Mrs. Robins who quickly took a liking to her. She even gave Feyre a soothing tea that would help her sleep, since she admitted to having trouble with. 

A couple of days later, she was heading home late at night, Althea had just finished labelling and organising the entire store after hours. Her muscles ached and she felt light headed; she was never going to offer to do something so tiring again.

"-have to go"

Althea froze at the bottom of the stairs to the entrance of the house, she watched as Feyre quickly put on her coat. She furrowed her eyebrows and approached her sister. "Where are you going?" Althea asked. 

Feyre let out a small sigh, she gave Althea a sad smile. "I have to leave, Althea. I need to help him." 

She tried to understand but it was hard. She didn't understand who her sister was speaking about or how her sister found love over the wall.  Althea couldn't understand, how does one love. 

"Who-?" 

Feyre pulled in Althea for a hug, she didn't hesitate to wrap around her. Feyre was never the type to give physical touch first, her doing this meant that she was leaving. Permanently this time. 

"I don't have time to explain, Thea." She muttered into Althea's shoulder. "Nesta knows of it, all of the story, i already asked her to tell you, it may sound hard to believe but..." She pulled away finally, Althea tried to ignore her sisters teary eyes, Feyre hated showing weakness.

But she said nothing as Feyre gave her one last smile. Walking out of the Archeron Manor with a heavy heart.