Any Day Darling: A Feysand Story

Part 2: The Rumble

The entry hall was just as I remembered, except it wasn't in complete tatters and there was actual fae in the Hall. It wasn't the dark empty place I remembered from my months trapped in the mansion, or the false happiness that was created so I would stay. The hall actually felt merry. The type of merry we felt on that first Summer solstice. Rhys pulled me closer to his warm body. I could feel his wings quiver. The others stiffened behind us. Cass and Az became our bodyguards, surrounding us, their wings spread and perky. Even Mor and Amren were tense.

All of the High fae of the spring court, scattered around the hall, fell silent once they recognized our presence. Footsteps resinated, but no moving feet were to be found. Those feet. You could tell they walked heavily on the heel. Tamlins feet. He appeared at the top of the grand staircase, in his typical green and gold. His hair was down, it was longer. I could feel Rhysands anger radiating off him. I squeezed his hand tighter to keep him from growling.

"Welcome High Lord," Tamlin said, bowing his head to Rhys. "Laaady." He took a long sip of his wine, his eyes piercing mine. He turned away from the staircase, stalking back to the second-floor conference room. The chatter resumed around the room. You could physically see the tension in the room drop, unlike ours, which only rose.

Where do we go? I don't See Kallias and Viviane. I said

Maybe the tool decided not to tell us so we look like fools.

Very possible

A male fae walked towards us wearing a pompous suit that had Tamlin written all over it. There were no wrinkles, bow tie perfectly straight. It was the perfect illusion of normalcy. There was no way in hell the broken immortal man who wanted to die turned everything around in a simple 7 years. I couldn't believe it. The male reached us, Bowing slightly before saying
"High lord, high lady, Lord Tamlin is waiting for you and the others to join him in his study." I tensed. The study. But Tamlin hadn't walked into the study, or even near it. He went to the old conference room, where he met with the Hybern guests that summer. Still, I nodded to the male and made to leave, but before we could he stopped me and whispered "Welcome back Lady Feyre. Cauldron bless you." He scampered away like a mouse. Was it perhaps his mask all those years ago? Rhys snapped me out of my thought with a squeeze on my hip. Thank the mother he did. The further I go into my thoughts, the harder it is to retrieve me. Rhys is like that too, especially on harder days. The ones that make us feel weak, where we can't exist like we normally do when we aren't our selves. Rhys calls it the heavy days. The days when I don't remember what I can do. That I single handily tore apart the very Court I'm in today. That I rallied gods to kill for me. That I have more power than all the High Lords that sit upstairs, and I wasn't even born one of them. I have to remember that today.
Rhys released my hip and held my hand as we walked towards the stairs. If I thought people were staring before, I could have never prepared myself for the looks our party got as we claimed the hand stairwell, for people had noticed our clothes. Pitch black, like the darkness my mate and I can create. I custom ordered clothing for all of us made from pure void Years ago, for the next time we all gathered. After all, the night court does like to make an entrance. And with all eyes on us, my family and I reached the top of the stairs and entered the conference room.
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The man who had told me to be happy before he resurrected my mate all those years ago was long gone. So was the pitiful man Rhys had seen. Instead, the man who strode into our council meeting in the dawn court before the war sat at the head of the table. He had the same look, same grin, as he did the day I died. The day he killed Amarantha. The smile of a wolf looking at its prey.
"Well, if someone didn't know who was from the night court they sure know now." He drooled.
"Why thank you Tamlin. My mate found a quite a wonderful Weaver. She calls the fabric Void." Rhys said as he slid into the seat at the opposite head of the table. I stoop behind the chair, holding the tips of the frame, reflecting
Tamlin's smug smile right back at him. Mor and Amren fell right to my side, the boys slightly behind.
From across the table, Tamlins fangs appeared dangling out of his mouth. "I hope you don't scare the village faelings in the dark clothing. They are used to happiness after all." Rhys' spine straightened and his mind closed off slightly. He was trying to keep the anger inside. Just being around Tamlin drove him crazy.
Sensitive Illyrian I purred to him
Don't tell me you're not pissed at him too. I let out a small laugh, causing the room to stare daggers at me. Before anyone could say something I shot out, "thank you for such a warm welcome Tamlin, the villagers were so excited." I moved from behind his chair and perched myself on the arm since it seemed that this whole trip would be about power plays. As if to prove it Helion and Lucien strolled into the room chuckling to themselves. They abruptly stopped when they felt the tension they were only adding too. For this would be the first time all the high lords had been together since Helion claimed his son.
Even with the tension, the high lord still had his humor. He let out a low whistle and said "wrong time? We can come back later." No one laughed as the two took their seats. Beron started at the wall to avoid eye contact with the male he once thought was his son. At the end of the table, Tamlin gave his old friend a light smile before standing.
"Now that we are all here," He began "I feel entitled to tell you more about why I have invited you all here." Tarquin snorted as if to say 'about damn time'. Tamlin ignored him. " I have invited you all to not only celebrate fire night but to celebrate with me as I pick a wife and to see my rebuilt court. If I do recall, only one of you have bothered to visit me since my court was viciously destroyed, and it wasn't a merry meeting."
Damn straight it wasn't. Rhys said. Big shocker this one is just the same.
"When was the last time we were all together anyway?" Tamlin said to the room at large, glaring right at me
"Summer solstice, 6 years ago," Tarquin said. "I remember because you lot drank half my good wine."
Can we move this along?  Rhys said. I could feel his eyes roll if we have to listen to him talk, i might go nuts.
What if I told you, I purred at him, that I brought your favorite little red dress. I sent him an image of me in that little red dress too.
Rhys coughed loudly, as I looked down to see his pants rise.
You wicked wicked girl
"Anyways, we should all-" Tamlin kept droning on and on about how he rebuilt his cities anew, but I wasn't listening. I was paying attention to the rumble in the pit of my stomach. I felt as though I may puke my guys out. Frantically, I shot down to Rhys, Rhys something's wrong. I don't feel Right.
Although his face stayed calm, the voice inside my head was frantic. What happened? Do you think it's being here?
No, it's something else. Let's just get to our rooms before anyone notices.
In response, Rhys coughed loudly causing Tamlin to pause. "Although I love hearing you talk almost as much you do," Thesian chuckled, " I really would love to freshen up before we all attend this ball you mentioned." His voice was slow, all too planned.
"Ah yes. I just apologize that I don't have enough gusts suites like we had at the dawn court way back when, so I'm afraid it's bedrooms for some of you." He said, with a cats smile on his face. "I'll gladly have servants escort you to these rooms. Although some of you may know just how to get there." Even while using most of my will power not to puke everywhere, I still could have spared some to punch him. Everyone shuffled in their chairs to stand. My hand shot straight to Rhys
"Oh, Rhysand," Tamlin said. Rhys turned to him, eyes seeping with cold rage. "Should you need some clothing for certain members of your....posse, I have plenty of dresses around here somewhere. Wouldn't want any accidents tonight would we?"
"What are you insinuating, lord?" Az said, siphons glowing. But Tamlin was gone, Had winnowed away.
Rhys and I walked as fast as we could and hurried the servants ready to show us our rooms. Something was very very wrong, I didn't even notice where we were going, I just kept walking. Was it being back? Was I getting my cycle? It's well due now. My mind was so focused on not spewing everywhere that I didn't even notice the room we walked into. As soon as the door shut, I bolted for another door in the room. To my luck, it was a bathroom. I lent over the toilet and vomited everywhere. As I spilled my guts, Rhys pulled my hair back and stroked my back. It kept me planted in reality and not in my worry. When I was done, I slumped back onto my mate who wrapped his arms around me. The room filled with his calm darkness. Once I caught my breath, I turned myself around to look at him. His eyes were gentle and soft, like his hands that kept moving up and down my spine
Rhys?
Yes, Feyre darling?
I...I'm scared. I admitted. He wrapped his wings around me and pulled me closer.
He is not gonna hurt you. He can't. You won't let him, you'll kick his ass Rhys said. He was right but,
That's not what I'm worried about. I've never felt this before. It was different almost like- I gasped. My eyes widened.
"How quickly can you get Madja?"