Fate had her remain with her father and youngest sister the day the debt collectors came.
It was fate that her father let her go.
It was fate that gave her a new husband, a new home.
It was fate that her younger sister disappeared.
It was fate that...
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Iyla woke to a lightened sky that showed the promise of sunrise and noticed that Feyre was still sleeping beside her. The blonde twin had a slight headache thanks to overindulging the night before, but she did her best to shake it off. After all, she'd woken up to much worse in the past. Knowing that the staff had been dismissed for the duration of the Fae's stay, she dressed and headed to the kitchen to put together a breakfast for her sisters and their guests.
Iyla searched around the kitchen's pantry for something simple, yet filling to appease the appetites of three warriors on top of the Archeron ladies. She stuck with a breakfast of porridge with a variety of fruits, toasted bread with jams, and tea. All dishes were filling and the various fruits would hopefully appease everyone's pallets.
As the blonde placed all the different foods into serving dishes, she hummed and danced around the kitchen. This was the only place she felt comfortable these days, alone in her family's kitchen she could sing, dance, or act foolishly and no one would judge her. At least she thought so until she heard a male's voice from the doorway.
"Good morning, Iyla darling," a deep and amused male voice startled her into freezing in place. She turned to see Rhysand leaning in the doorway with his arms crossed. The tall, violet eyed Fae stood in the doorway completely at ease, with a smirk upon his face as though he'd watched her dancing for a while before he interrupted her. "I didn't mean to startle you. That was a pretty tune you were humming," he said.
"Thank you, it is a song our nanny used to sing to us when we were children," Iyla smiled even as the blush spread across her cheeks. The blonde wondered if she would ever be able to be in his presence for more than a few moments without embarrassing herself. His presence left her flustered and it didn't help that he was handsomely posing in the doorway, watching her with those violet eyes, and his midnight colored hair still slightly mussed from sleep. Shaking herself out of those thoughts she said, "You know you startled me on purpose, but it is no problem, Rhys, I should have been paying more attention to my surroundings." Iyla laughed. "I've made some food for breakfast if you are hungry. Would you help me carry it to the table?" she asked him without waiting for a response while handing him a dish.
"Of course, my lady," he smiled as he took several dishes from her and helped her carry them from the kitchen to the dining room.
"I am so grateful for your assistance this morning, my High Lord," Iyla batted her eyelashes dramatically and teased him.
"It is no problem," he answered, quoting her from moments ago.
"It isn't much," Iyla said shyly when she looked down at the dishes they had placed on the table. "I didn't wish to create too many dirty dishes because I know that Elain and Nesta would fight over who's turn it would be to wash," the blonde told him, hoping their guests wouldn't be too disappointed.
"It looks both tasty and filling, Iyla. I appreciate it and I am sure Cassian and Azriel will have no issue with this spread," Rhys told her kindly and smiled. "I've heard the way to a man's heart is through his stomach. I'm sure it works the same for male Faes. Are you trying to win our hearts?" he flirted.
