A Song of Flame & Shadow - Eris x OC

The Spring Court II

Seasons came and seasons went, although it was quite difficult to tell in the Spring Court. At first, Tamlin sent sentinels over the Wall every day. But when they returned unharmed, or worse, killed by mobs or mercenaries, he slowly lost hope and patience. Vel did her best to stay out of his way as he grew increasingly irate with her lack of advice.

"Can't you at least give us a hint?" Lucien chimed one day, busying himself with opening correspondence while Vel lounged on his windowsill, sunbathing in the midday sun, eyes closed. There was a tray of half-eaten fruit and cheese within arm's reach.

She'd reluctantly shifted out of her owl form – half out of a desire to eat something other than rodents, and half because the bright light had been hurting her eyes. But she was starting to regret it. The moment she had lips to talk Lucien had begun pestering her with question.

It must have been the third time he'd asked that particular one. Vel ignored him and asked a question of her own. "When was the last time you saw a shooting star?"

"Maybe a year or so ago. Why?"

"And what did you wish for when you saw it?"

Lucien lifted his eyes from the letter he was reading and watched her. Even with her eyes closed, she could feel his gaze on her. "If I tell you then it won't come true."

"Exactly. So stop asking questions."

She opened one lazy eye and stared back at him. He went back to his parchment before their eyes could meet. His golden eye whirred as it scanned the words, the face behind the fox mask becoming grim. His voice was thick as he read her the contents.

"Two High Lords are dead – Day and Summer, their families with them. There was an attempt at a rebellion, they tried to send humans to Vallahan, to get help. The humans never even made it to the water before Amarantha found them. The new High Lords, Helion and Tarquin have already been summoned Under the Mountain." Vel gave a non-committal hum in response. Lucien rolled the paper back up and turned towards her, wariness written all over his handsome features. "Is it all still going according to your plan?" There was a hint of reproach in his voice that had her hackles raising.

"It's not my plan, Lucien," Vel said coldly. "Sometimes, even in the best-case scenario, some people have to be sacrificed. Because the alternative is so much worse." Lucien weighed her words for a moment.

"I apologize, I didn't mean it like that." She relaxed slightly, though the remark had left a bitter taste in her mouth. "How do you do it? Decide who lives and dies?"

Vel busied herself examining some weathered mark on the window sill plank. "I try to tell myself that all lives have equal value, so it's whatever saves the most people. But in reality, it's never so easy." She scraped at the wood with a nail. "It's why I try to not get too close to anyone, don't want to become biased. That and ... well, I can't see my own future, so when I get close to someone, and our paths intertwine, I become blind to theirs as well."

"Is that why you never sought me out after we escaped?"

"When I had the vision of you dying ... It was like I was watching everything through a dirty glass. I only recognized you by your voice. We got lucky. You got lucky. Anything more between us and I wouldn't have seen anything at all." Her voice was quiet as her mind went over the alternatives.

"I always thought it was because I wasn't as good with my fingers as I had thought." Lucien had that impish half smile on his face and Vel groaned but couldn't stop the corners of her mouth from going up.

"You are incorrigible. I thought your whole ordeal with Amarantha would have taught you to keep your mouth shut around females who are stronger than you."