A Court Of Truths And Trials

Chapter 1

"We need hope as much as we need bread and meat," Mr Archeron told Feyre staring at her from across the table, his eyes clear for a rare moment. "We need hope, or else we cannot endure. So, let her keep this hope, Feyre. Let her imagine a better life. A better world"

I glanced at Feyre, my best friend. As she stood up from her seat at the worn table her fingers, red from the cold curling into fists. She gazed around the room her grey eyes casting to the slowly chipping away paint, memories almost forgotten. From the look in her eyes, I knew what she was thinking. The thought of being forgotten. Feyre turned a hard gaze towards her father as she replied with no emotion. My friend felt so much but showed very little. "There is no such thing."

Feyre proceeded to spin around her brown hair that I had braided this morning flicking over her shoulder before she grabbed her tatted fur cloak and heading outside to chop more firewood. I stood up and allowed one of my pale hands to rest on Mr Archeron's shoulder.

"We do need hope. I know you find it hard to see Feyre act so cold towards you but trust that she loves you and this family dearly, we see it through her actions every day." He turned his head slightly grew hair falling across his eyes as he gave me a small smile that didn't quite reach his tired glossy eyes. "You get some rest sir; I will go help Feyre with the wood." I turned away brushing my dull blonde hair away from my violet eyes, tying it up into a loose ponytail before I grabbed my coat. It was dark blue, almost black and this last thing I had of my mothers. As my fingers brushed against the door handle, Mr Archeron called out to me. "Thank you, Arya," I smiled briefly and pushed the door open. "Goodnight."

Trenching through the dirty white snow that covered the ground I made my way to Feyre who was chopping wood. Moving up beside her I began to hack at my own piece of tree ignoring the cold sting on my fingers. "You ok Fey?" I asked as we finished, Feyre sighed as she carried her pile of wood towards the house. "Honestly I just wish that they would wake up and join reality. It would be nice to have some more help around here." I nodded in agreement nudging open the door with my hip where we were welcomed by warmth from the dying fire. "I wish that too, but at least we have each other. You know I'd never abandon you." Feyre smiled "Of course I do, as I would never abandon you. My one true friend" She explained, dropping her wood onto a pile near the fireplace. "Excuse me, your one true best friend!" I corrected causing Feyre to laugh. "Ah yes, how foolish of me to forget." I nodded. "Yes, it was. I am truly hurt Feyre, truly." I explained dramatically, dropping my wood down on the pile as well, before beginning to put some onto the dying fire to bring it back to life. "Forgive me Ary, forgive me" She cried out equally as dramatic only to be met with a distant yell from her older sister Nesta.

"Will you two be quiet?! Some of us are trying to sleep!" Simultaneously Feyre and I rolled our eyes. "Come help us, will you and we can all go to bed!" I yelled back; we received no response. "You know she wouldn't have come out, why bother asking?" Feyre asked me quietly. Nesta and Elain aren't as active around the house as we are, they will generally only have to help if they must. You generally won't see them volunteering to help out unless they want something. "I can still have hope."

Feyre and I cleaned up around the house before we headed off to bed, which we shared with Elain and Nesta, Feyre's older sisters. We both loved them dearly, but they were still caught up in the past and in what we could have. Rather than focusing on what we have now. It's just me and Feyre who support the family. My mother was extremely close to Feyre's mother, so I would often spend time at their family manor. They welcomed me as part of their family about two years before they lost their fortune and their mother passed away, at least my mother wouldn't be so alone.

Slipping under the quilt cover we huddled closely for warmth in the darkroom. "Goodnight Feyre" "Sleep well, Arya."