Heal me

3

Days passed since Tamlin left. You had no idea where he was or what he did and even though you where still a bit angry at him, you were worried, too. You had no idea what was happening outside of this forest. Sometimes you were tempted to go to the High Lord's manor and see if he was there, but at the edge of the forest you stopped. For some reason you couldn't leave, getting all nervous and sweaty you always returned back to your cottage.

Forest started to change. It was just small changes, but you noticed immediately. Something was amiss. Colours were fading. All life disappeared during one night. No birds sang in the crowns of the trees, animals were gone, too. You could feel it down in your bones, the urge to flee, the urge to hide. Ground pulsed with magic, waves of it heading to the south. The war had begun. High Lords had gathered and used their powers. World was shaking in its base for hours and then it was over. An agonizing silence followed. It was so unsettling. Who won?

You were unable to concentrate on any work, so you were just sitting in front of extinguished fireplace, gazing into its darkness, cold was biting into your body. How much time had passed since everything went quiet? You were sitting there and carefully listening, waiting for any sound. Day turned into night and night turned into another day. You could hear life returning back, but for some reason you couldn't move from your place. You were still waiting.

Tamlin returned to his estate. He was tired and emotionally drained. Events of the last day played out in his mind again and again, cutting deeper and deeper into his core. It was torture. Feyre's face as she was holding Rhysand's dead body, tears rolling down her cheeks, those pleading eyes, all the love and pain. It broke him. It hurt him to give her last farewell, but there was no hope for him. In that moment he realised she wouldn't return. Never. Under no circumstances. He had no place in her life anymore.

There was only one thing he could do to gain a bit of her forgiveness for everything he had done - he gave up a drop of his power to revive her mate. It wasn't enough, but it was a good start.

Slowly he climbed the stairs and walked into his house. He looked around. Everything was dirty and damaged, servants were long time gone. His home became a beast's lair. He snorted. Indeed, that's what he was. The snarling uncultivated beast. Every room here was full of painful memories and even though he was tired, he couldn't stand to be between these walls. Tamlin changed into his beast form and ran away to the forests.

Tamlin didn't know where he was heading and he didn't even care. He just wanted be far from his past. He stopped only when a small cottage deep in the woods came to view. Why did he end up here? From all the place he could go.

His chest painfully squeezed. There was another person, another female he hurt even though he didn't mean to. She took care of him, gave him shelter, food and brought him peace when he needed it most. Was she still angry at him? Maybe he should go there and try to apologize.

Quietly making way through the undergrowth he walked closer. There was no light, no flickering flame behind the windows, even her smell was almost completely gone. Tamlin swallowed. What if she left as he told her. She was against it, but she could change her mind after all. There was something about her that attracted him. Not sexually or at least that's what he thought. He just needed her as.. Tamlin didn't know what she meant to him, but that didn't affect the fact that he desired her presence in his life.

Tamlin stalked closer. The cottage was so quiet and dark that he feared the worst, his heart racing up. Standing in front of the door he changed back into male. It was hard to decide if at first he should knock or just walk in without announcing. He closed eyes for a second mentally preparing for whatever was inside. Holding breath he pushed the door open.

Cold wafted over him. Room seemed to be empty without any signs of life. Disappointed he entered and standing in the middle of the room he looked around. Everything was left as he remembered, no signs of packing. Did she leave without her belongings? He came to her armchair. Long fingers traced that piece of furniture without thinking. His eyes widened as he realised it's still warm. In the same moment as he raised head to look around one more time, somebody emerged from the darkness under the stairs and lunged at him.

His body reacted before Tamlin could understand what was happening and claws slid out. He managed to stop himself a second before his claws sliced through the flesh of.. the witch. He should really ask for her name.

She stumbled grasping shirt on his broad chest. Tamlin was so surprised when she rested her head just above his heart. Confused he caressed her arms.

"We won," High Lord rasped in a low voice. She looked up at him, her face empty of any emotions. For a moment they were gazing into each other's eyes and then her legs gave out and she fainted. Tugging her to his body Tamlin lifted her up. "Hey..ehm.. witch," he gently shook her shoulders hoping she would awake. She was so pale, dark circles under her eyes a proof of sleepless nights. Tamlin sighed drawing her closer. "And here I came to apologize thinking you are still mad at me."

He took her upstairs to the bedroom, laying her on the bed. He called out his healing magic, but except of exhaustion there was nothing wrong with her. She needed just good sleep and food. And so he wrapped her in warm blanket and sat down on the edge of bed. Soon enough his exhaustion made itself known and he became sleepy, too tired to keep his head up. Thinking that a short nap wouldn't hurt anybody he lied down on the narrow bed next to the female with blanket between their bodies. As soon as his head touched pillow, he fell fast asleep diving into a realm of dreams.