Summer Court / Day Court
Summer Court
Tarquin crossed the corridor of the Palace, he wasn’t in Adriata, but at Begonia, a city the Southeast of his territory, close to the Autumn's and Spring's borders, known by the big amount of flowers' camps, a rural city. His residence was smaller if compared with the one in the main city, but it was still very similar in appearance and furniture. Varian stayed in their capital, while he came to this place.
“Thank you.” He said to the servant who opened the door of the dinner room for him, the High Lord entered in there, his turquoise eyes instantly fell in the red haired male sat in a chair, “What brings you here, exactly?” the white haired said on his polite voice tone, stepped towards the circular table, sitting in the opposite chair of the russet eyed High Fae.
Eris lifted a brow, “Besides the fact that I have to reaffirm, and review trades and alliances, there are also a few particular topics I would like to discuss.” He look around the room, at the soldiers watching his movements, High Faes and Faes in the almost same number.
Tarquin rested both elbows in the arms of his chair, a wind came from the open windows, which swayed a few locks of his long silk white hair that fell on his chest, “Those topics are?”, he pulled a rebel small lock to his back, staring at the short haired male.
“I see the way you rule your court, in certain points you called it advancement, as the previous high lords were very traditional. The same points that my deceased father called it foolish, but I see the potential.” He dragged a hand through his red hair.
The High Lord of the Summer lifted his brows, “Where do you want to get? You have been made High Lord a few weeks ago in, odd, conditions.”
Eris tilted his head to the side, “My Court almost got part of its territory occupied in that last battle, and as I don’t want to be in a situation similar to the Night Court, I need to have at least a considerable part of my population loyal to me not only a small part of it.”
The turquoise eyed High Lord placed a hand in the table, “You mean the ‘Lesser' Faes and low High Faes.” His gaze became vacant for a second, “It surprises me that you want advices from someone centuries younger than you.”
“You are not the only, actually. I have a meeting with Kallias in a few days, I am here now because you are closer to where one of my Palaces is.” He said, the male in front of him narrowed his eyes, “Don’t take it as offense, I am being honest, and need the biggest number of advices I am able to get.”
“Why would you think I took it as an offense?” Tarquin placed a hand on his own thigh.
“The way your face changed, that said it.” They stared at each other for two heartbeats, Tarquin's face grave since the moment he had entered in, “I am not my father, and I won’t excuse or forget any of my past actions and words, but in the situation Prythian is, my Court needs changes that would bring common benefits to me and my citizens, one of the Courts with have less chances to get occupied as the population is loyal to their ruler, is yours.” A pause
Tarquin straighten his spine, blinking a few times, thinking for a few seconds before talking, “What do you need to know, exactly?”
oOoOo
Day Court
After months Laurel finally felt able to enter on her grandson’s bedroom, but she wasn’t sure about how much time she would need to enter on her son's.
The place was extremely clean, had white and brown colors in the walls, the bed had gold details and cream colored sheets, there was a desk in front of the main windows, were laid a few paper’s leaves, and a stack of books.
The red haired didn’t to touch in anything from the desk, by the position of the things in there, it was all left by her grandson right before leaving Prythian.
She read the first book's title, then inclined her body and head to look at the others in the side, those were books about fantasy, in the paper’s leaves there were notes about the ship trip, how many days it would take to arrive in land, a list of what he would take with him and what would be left.
The red haired took a deep breath, didn’t want to look at the wardrobe for being afraid at the possibility of accidentally moving something from its original place, then walked out the room, closing the door behind her.
The female stepped through the palace, it was midday, lunch time, but she didn’t feel like eating, not while Hellion was in a battle, she had gained weight since she arrived at the Day Court, one day without one meal wouldn’t affect it.
oOo
Evening had come, Helion still haven’t arrived, Laurel was leaned in the main window's frame of the High Lord's bedroom, waiting for him, knew there was something wrong about this wait, just wasn’t sure about what exactly.
The red haired female opened the glass in the window before turning her back to it, she had heard footsteps from the corridor, a wind came from the outside, swaying her hair.
She took a few steps ahead, stopping as she saw the male in a golden armor in the corridor, he held his helmet on his right hand, his long oak hair tied in a low ponytail, there were caked blood and gore speckled on him.
“I was looking for you.” His voice was hoarse, he said passing through the open door, “How are you?” he asked low, dropping his helmet in the floor close to the wall.
“I ask you the same.” Laurel took a few more steps closer, Helion let escape a low chuckle.
“Just exhausted.” The amber eyed said already removing the metal parts of his armor, his left hand trembled a lot, so he used the right one to remove of it, then dropped the metal in the floor, walking to the bathroom, where he started to unbutton his shirt, avoiding to use his left hand, his movements were slow, stiff, his entire body ached.
“You are hurt.” She had a hand in the bathroom's door frame, her eyes were fixed on his lower left arm, as if she could see through the long sleeved white leather shirt he used.
The female walked closer to him as he slowly took off his shirt, his brows were frowned by the pain on his arm, she noticed a considerable cut on his right wrist, which was big enough to take blood, but didn’t seemed to be deep.
“It is not that serious.” Helion untied his hair using the right hand.
“It will take two days to be fully healed.” Laurel's gaze was right on the brutal bruise on his forearm arm, it certain had break a bone.
“I will survive.” Helion grinned, which didn’t meet his eyes, keeping his left arm close to his body as he walked towards the bath while unbuttoning his pants.
The russet eyed walked out the bathroom, didn’t bother to close the door as she stalked towards his wardrobe, were she took a random long nightshirt before stepping back to the bathroom. Helion was already in the bath, washing himself, she left his clothes in the white marble balcony with golden details, close to the cream colored towels.
Laurel went back to the room, pacing around, stopped only in the moment that Helion walked out the bathroom, using the light gray nightshirt she had left in there, his arm was already bandaged, his wrist as well, his hair was wet, a few drops of water falling from it.
She walked closer to the male, her arms wrapping around him, “I was so worried.” She whispered, this had been the first attack to the Day Court in months, and one of the few times she touched her lover.
“I am sorry.” He dropped a hesitant light kiss on her head, as if afraid that she would leave him, placing both arms around her.
“Be careful in the next time, please.” The red haired took a lock of his long hair, rubbing it between her fingers, “Rest.” Laurel didn’t give him time to answer as she already leaded him to his bed, the male was so exhausted that he didn’t objected when she sat at his side when he laid.
“Will you stay here?” his eyes were fixed in a nonspecific point of the room as he placed himself in the middle of the bed, giving her space, if she wanted.
A nod, Laurel leaned her back in the pillows, in a half sat position, Helion placed his right hand on hers.
“I missed you. All those years, centuries, there wasn’t one day which I haven’t thought about you.” He inclined his head closer to her.
“I felt the same, thought the same.” She tighten the grip on his fingers, laying on her back, Helion placed his forehead on her upper arm, “I love you.” She whispered, dropping a kiss on his head before placing her head close to his.
“I love you too.” he closed his eyes, it did took too much for him to fall asleep.
oOo
Helion woke in the early morning, Laurel was on his side, sleeping, slightly black circles around her eyes as if she had been wake during the night.
He stayed in there, staring at her beautiful face right in front of him, in a certain moment he caressed her red hair, brushing a lock to behind her ear, then she opened her russet eyes, her gaze right on his gold amber’s, she was so beautiful, he felt his heart racing, in a thunderous beat, Helion could only think about her, see her, as if they both were in a empty room, he felt her presence on his bones, felt a thread connecting them–
“It snapped.” Laurel said suddenly, bringing him back to the reality, she felt his feelings, his presence…
Helion slowly sat, she did as well, he was mouth open, wasn’t surprised that she was his mate, but surprised about how much time their bond took to snap in place, something similar had happened between Kallias and Viviane, and Thesan and Cai, he wasn’t sure how much time had took for them, but it hadn’t been as long as his with Laurel.
The red haired watched her lover, sensing the mix of feelings he had, paying attention in two in specific: fear and sorrow.
She knew why, Lucien. Helion had saw in first hand what happens when a bond is unfilled, rejected, he was there with their son, hopeless watching him slowly fell into madness, until he was completely lost, until the only chance he had to bring their son back was letting his mind get messed, taking away years of memories from his life.
Laurel held his hand, pulling him closer to her as she placed her feet on the floor, standing up, she took him out of the bed, leading him out of the room. Helion only obeyed her as she stepped trough the palace, he was so shocked that only noticed she had take him to the kitchen when he was sat in a random high stool while she walked towards the stove.
The male stared at the balcony, lost on his thoughts, until he saw a plate of food being placed in front of him by his lover's slender delicate hands.
“Do you– do you really want this?” he said low, voice falling, “Do you really want me? After all this time I failed? With you, our son…” he couldn’t make himself finish.
She felt his guilty, didn’t need the bond to know it, “I want you.” She said taking the fork from the plate, and placing it on his shaking right hand, “And I also want you to remember that none of what happened was your fault.” He would need time to heal everything, she as well.
Laurel whipped a tear falling from Helion's cheek with her thumb, kissing his brow as he dragged his hand with the fork to the plate, the red haired had both arms wrapped around him while he ate.
When finished, Helion slowly turned his face to hers, she dropped a light kiss on his lips, the male's skin was shinning as he hugged her, being careful with his left arms, he kissed her mouth, he wanted her, but she took him to the closest guest's room before doing anything.