A Court of Blood and Glory

Sensitive spot

Feyre

Rhys remained asleep for six hours, his back healing around the metal.
Whoever made the wings had done an amazing job. They were made from large plates of black metal that overlapped to look like feathers, different from the membranous wings of the Illyrians' but still beautiful. I could see where the metal in his back went, forming a web leading out from his new wings, but they would soon become invisible as his body healed and fresh muscle built up over them, Amren had explained.
I had sat by Rhys's bed whilst he slept, stroking his wings where he used to be sensitive. Eventually his breathing changed, and I looked at his face to find his violet eyes on me, a silent question in them.
Did I dream that or do I have wings again?

It was not a dream my love.

He sat up, wincing as his wings moved, and grasped my hand to help himself up. He walked with me towards the mirror, his steps slightly uneven as he adjusted to the new weight.
He just stared at his reflection for some time, his eyes roaming over every inch of his wings.

"They are not as heavy as I expected." Was all he said before facing me, his mouth meeting mine. He kissed me, slow and deep, my hands stroking his wings as they curved around us, the dark metal gears that connected the plates obeying his commands.

"They feel weird." He said. "But they are wonderful." I smiled, and I returned to stroking the once sensitive spot.
He purred.
"I can feel that, Feyre darling, and it is just as wonderful as I remember it being." I smiled.
"I wonder how they were made to allow you to feel that." I said.

"Probably some spell." Was his only response before he kissed me again. We would have gone so much further but Rhys places a hand on my stomach, saying, "eight months and twenty eight days, Feyre darling."

Prick

He laughed at that, and I couldn't help but smile. We decided then to go downstairs and see our family, show them Rhys's wings in action.
Rhys was still unsteady on his feet as we walked down the stairs, his hand on my waist the whole time. We cleared the final step and turned to face our family, who stood up as we entered.
"How are the new wings?" Cassian asked, and I thought I could see some silver lining his eyes.

"Amazing." Was all Rhys said, unable to say any more without crying with joy.
"Well you need to learn how to fly with them, Rhys, or they will be of no use to you." Mor said, a huge smile on her face.
"Well take good care of them. We payed a lot of money to have them built in time." Amren said.

"I already pay you too much anyway." Rhys responded jokingly. "Ready to go out and train, boys?" He turned to Cassian and Azriel, who had twin grins on their faces, prepared to bear their High Lord into dust.

"Bring him back in one piece!" I shouted after them as the Illyrians walked out the door.

Rhysand

I felt the wind hit my wings, actually felt it, and I felt elated. Cassian and Azriel took off into the skies, expecting me to follow, and I began to use the muscles in my back for the first time in weeks.
The metal plates began to shift, skidding over each other to flap like Illyrian wings, and as I began to move them faster and faster I felt my feet lift off the ground, and I shot into the air to join Cassian and Azriel in the skies.

I wanted to share the feeling with Feyre, so I left a sliver open in my mental shield to allow her in. I felt her enter my mind a moment later, and immediately thought of us in bed. I felt her laugh and desire through the bond.

Velaris spread out beneath me, getting smaller and smaller as I went higher. We flew slowly, allowing me time to adjust to the new wings. They felt the same as flying with Illyrian wings but they held more weight, so I would have to strengthen my muscles to help me adapt.

We asked for some modifications and surprises to be put into the wings.
Feyre's words made me panic slightly, just in case something happened whilst I flew, but she reassured me that nothing could happen without me moving in certain ways, which I would have to figure out with Cassian and Azriel.
I hate you.
No you don't, Rhys.
I laughed at that, and felt her leave my mind to allow me the chance to take everything in, to enjoy flying again. It was amazing.

We arrived in a clearing, the same clearing that I fought Cassian in after my mating, and took in our surroundings.
The trees were destroyed, still in shredded piles, and there were many cracks in the ground from where Cassian had dropped me, and a few from where I had thrown Cassian. I chuckled at the memory, and heard Cassian do the same.
"Let's begin." Azriel said.

"Do you know about these surprises that Feyre mentioned?" I asked them.
"Oh yeah." Cassian said, a feral grin on his face.
"And we aren't going to tell you what they are." Azriel added.
"Let's begin then." Was my only reply.

We trained for five hours, and I discovered what my wings could do through trial and error.

Flicking my right arm would summon a dagger to my hand, coming from a thicker part of the wing. The same movement with my left arm would draw another blade to my left hand.
I also found that my wings could shield me from any physical attacks, but not so well from magical attacks.
The only thing I was not as happy with was that I couldn't make my wings vanish, I had to constantly have them out, which would mean being myself when we meet with other High Lords.

Yet I wouldn't trade these wings for anything, and I was so grateful that I had them, that I could fly again.
Once we finished training we flew back to Velaris, faster than the first journey, and we went into the town house, ready to devour the contents of the kitchen.
Mor and Feyre had been cooking that evening, and we arrived just as the food was put on the table.
My family and I sat down ready to eat, and I didn't hesitate to give an account of my day.
"Why didn't you tell me about the surprises?" I asked Feyre. "I almost took Cassian's head off when we fought earlier." I said, and smiled fondly at the memory.
"We wanted to let you have some fun." Feyre replied.
"And who paid for these wings? You said they were quite expensive." I just hoped it wasn't from my account.
"We all chipped in a bit." Mor replied.
"Do you like them?" Feyre said, although we all already knew the answer.
"I love them." I said, and she beamed at me as she helped herself to seconds of beef stew. Feyre was doing really well with her pregnancy but she had begun to eat more than Cassian and Azriel, something that none of us had failed to notice.
"And how are you feeling, Feyre darling?" I asked my mate.
"Better than expected, but I can't seem to eat enough to feel satisfied." We all smiled at that. "Do fae babies grow at the same pace that human babies do?" She asked me, seeming to think I knew the answer.
"Probably, but I can't say I'm the best person to talk to." She smile at me, and we continued to discuss our plans over dinner, until I brought up the topic we all wanted to avoid.

"When and where shall we set the meetings with the High Lords and the Mortal Queens?" Everyone fell silent at that, and they turned to face me.
"We need to meet with the queens before the High Lords so that we know what we need to do." Cassian said, a general analysing his next move. "Since we don't know when Hybern will try to attack I think we should set the meeting for soon, and meet with the queens in a fortnight."

We all nodded to that, and then discussed the High Lords.
"Should we invite all the High Lords?" Feyre asked me.
"We can't not invite Tamlin, even if we hate him, because he will then side with Hybern, and he hasn't shown any sign of who he will side with, although I'm not sure if he will be on our side." I responded, although I certainly didn't want to fight besides him I was will willing to be on the same side for the sake of Prythian. "We should try to hold the meeting in a neutral court. Dawn, perhaps?" They had always been neutral in any feuds between courts.
"Yes that should be fine." Said Mor.
"I will contact the other High Lords and tell them of the meeting.
Are you going to be yourself or the cruel High Lord they know you as?
I looked it my wings, now tucked I to my back, but still out.
They deserve to know who I really am.
It was time to show them who and what I was protecting Under the Mountain.