Court of Shadows (Indefinite Hiatus)

PART 5: FEYRE

The sun was shining bright, and the vibrant colors of plant-life filled the space. Greens of full hedges, dotted with the deep reds and pinks of roses, behind that, a forest treeline made of more intense hues of greens, and further beyond, an encompassing blue of a clear sky that extended as far as the eye could see.

The garden was teeming with colorful life and everything swayed gently in the musical breeze-- everything except for the girl and her painting.

Feyre Archeron sat on a small wooden stool placed in the middle of one of the Spring Court's gardens. She'd been out there for a few hours, enjoying the scenery, yet her canvas did not depict flowers or blue skies. Her piece was of a dark sky, spotted with thousands of stars which lead to a soft gray mountain landscape. And below that, a large city-- filled with so many lights and vivid colors, that the observer could almost hear the lively music and smell the light breeze from the ocean, above which the magnificent city floated. The passionate atmosphere was palpable.

Her hands swept gracefully across the easel, leaving confident marks wherever the brush touched; filling every space with beautiful life. The girl was equally covered in paint, her arms practically blending in with the picture from afar. If anyone had bothered to examine the girl closer, they might have noticed the white clenching of her hands on the brush, the determined twist of her mouth, or the narrow; focused set of her eyes, and felt some apprehension. If they had looked even closer, they might have seen the single tear escaping from her eye that spoke volumes of where her passionate art originated from.

Finally, she set down her brush and gently folded her hands in her lap, examining the painting. Absentmindedly, she sent a quick wave of love down the line, and was immediately met with one in return. She smiled to herself and gently wiped her tear off her cheek before gathering up her supplies.

With her easel folded under one arm and the box of paint and brushes under the other, she carefully grabbed the painting by the edges and headed towards the manor.

Unlike when she first arrived, now the Spring Court was filled with magic and bustling activity. Every turn revealed another handful of faeries, most of them servants. She knew that when she first arrived, Tamlin had glamoured all of the faeries so as not the scare her when she was a human, but she suspected that with magic back, there were many more people than before.

As she walked through the front entrance, many people acknowledged her presence with a small nod of respect. A few people she was more acquainted with stopped to appreciate her work. Of course, all they saw was a mediocre field of pink roses-- Feyre had glamoured the canvas. She took each compliment with a timid thank you and a small mutual laugh at all the paint on her person, before making a quick departure with the excuse of needing to get ready for dinner.

Feyre was ascending the grand staircase and about to turn down her corridor when a chill went down her spine that hitched her breath and stopped her feet. She turned to look across the landing and down another hallway. The tickling sensation pursued, and she found her feet carrying her down the hall.

She passed several doors on both sides of the corridor, and the tingling gradually intensified. Feyre had only been in this wing of the manor once or twice while initially exploring the court; as far as she knew, it was just guest suites, and a few storage rooms.

Nearing the back of the corridor, she passed a door to one of the suites and immediately felt a tug backwards. She sharply turned around and approached the plain wood door. She knocked on the door while silently praying that the room was not in use. She waited for about half a minute with no reply; then set her supplies against the wall. She took a quick, furtive glance down the hall before slipping into the room and slowly closing the door behind her.