A Court of Silent Suffering

~𝓬𝓱𝓪𝓹𝓽𝓮𝓻 𝓼𝓲𝔁~

˚　　　　✦　　　.　　. 　 ˚　.　　　　　 . ✦　　　 　˚　　　　 . ★⋆.　　　.   　　˚　　 　　*　　 　　✦　　　.　　.　　　✦　˚ 　　　　 ˚　.˚　　　　✦　　　.　　. 　 ˚　.　　　　 　　 　　

The door was silent as Elara pushed it into the hall, sweeping her gaze around to look for Lucien.

"Behind you" Came his now familiar voice. She turned her attention over her shoulder to find him lounging on a window seat. A small smile worked its way to his lips as he took in the dress, and the fact that she was standing on her own. She glanced in the opposite direction down the marble hallway as a noise sounded from far off.

"That's probably just your sister and Tam downstairs. Don't mind them, you'll get used to it." He spoke as if Feyre and Tamlin were an old married couple.

Didn't we arrive just last night? The way her stomach felt right now though, it felt like it might have been a couple of days that she'd been asleep. Lucien stepped up to her side, offering his arm in a very gentle-man-like style. He led Elara down the hall to a great staircase that spilled down in front of them. She eyed the steps nervously, still unsure of how her legs could hold up on something so steep. She slightly tightened her grip on Lucien's arm, taking the tiniest step back and away from the flight of steps. He looked back at her, confusion turning into understanding in his eyes. He turned so he was fully facing her, then lowered himself backwards down the first few stairs. All the while he kept Elara's hand in his, guiding her down slowly but surely.

.✦　˚

Elara let out a breath of relief when she reached flat ground again, still clinging to Lucien. She didn't feel her eyes were enough to thank him this time, and so she rolled herself up and onto her tiptoes and whispered:

"Elara... my name" Into his ear. His eyes widened at the sudden words, looking as if she had granted him a speech instead of three short words.

"Elara..." He said, testing it out on his tongue.

"I love it." He doted, walking her down what she could only assume was the foyer. On the left, an archway opened up to reveal a long dining table and a few large fireplaces. On the right, there were two wooden double doors with gold leaves framing them. It was there that Lucien escorted Elara, pausing to knock a few times. What sounded like a cough came from inside, but Lucien took it as an invitation to open the doors. Elara's eyes widened at this new room. There was another faerie, sitting behind a huge desk with someone facing their back to her. Elara was left with no time to wonder who, as Feyre then turned to greet them. She faltered when she noticed Elara and turned back to the light haired man.

"What is she doing here? Is my life not payment enough? Why does she have to be here with me?" Feyre hissed at the man, ignoring Elara and Lucien.

"I thought you would want to see your sister, considering you were brought here on your own and she followed to try and rescue you." He talked smoothly, and Elara could guess that he was most likely the owner of this huge estate. She directed her attention back to Feyre, watching as her eyes shifted to look slightly wild, anger swirling around her irises. She slammed a palm down onto the desk in front of her, using it as a support to push herself to her full height. Elara flinched at the loud slam, Lucien and the golden haired one taking note of it.

"She has made my life hell. I don't care where she goes, as long as it's not here. She has no right to live a life such as this one, no right to these luxuries you're just giving her." Feyre 's anger was clear, so Elara kept her eyes down and started to back out of Lucien's grasp. She made it to the door, and quickly turned out of the room to dash down the rest of the foyer. She hurtled over the doorstep. It was too late to get shoes, and Elara's bare feet were already bleeding when she made it to the front gate. She pulled open the iron door set into the gate, and ignoring the obviously curious sentries she continued to sprint down the road. She went as far as her feet would take her, barely seeing the path in front of her that took her around the treeline of the forest. She finally slowed to a walk, breathing hard. She looked around and now noticed the beginnings of a small village at the end of her path. Faeries walked all through the village both adults and children alike. Elara stopped, her jaw going slightly slack at the normalcy of the village, not quite believing what she was seeing.