Chapter Text
CHAPTER 27: GIRL IN MY ARMS
Nesta and I sat with Helion, waiting for Eris to arrive for his lesson with Nesta. Azriel and Amren were off researching.
Nesta smirked at me ‘Where do you and Rhys keep sneaking off to?’ I blushed remembering the sex dungeon. Nesta laughed ‘Connor your scent!’ I grinned ‘Apologies, you just reminded me of fun times’ Nesta frowned ‘But where? You keep disappearing’ I smiled ‘Rhys has a fun room’ Nesta gasped ‘A sex room?’ I grinned fiendishly. Nesta asked ‘What kind of person has a sex room?’ I said ‘Um, the best kind, the super sexy fun kind. I bet Eris has one’ Helion roared with laughter. He said amused ‘For the record, I agree, the super sexy fun kind of person has a sex room’
Nesta frowned ‘Do humans do that?’ I smiled ‘Yes, even people you know Nesta’ Nesta looked stunned.
Helion confided ‘Some of our older religious texts say that Gaia, the Mother, should be paid tribute to with orgasms’ I gasped ‘Yes! Is that part of the religion still?’ Helion admitted ‘On some holidays, yes’ I said ‘I think orgasm tributes are a brilliant idea’
Eris, Lucien and Feyre walked in. Eris smirked ‘Orgasm tributes?’ I jumped up and Feyre ran and jumped into my arms. Her lips were on mine and she kissed me passionately. I kissed her forehead tearily ‘You are here!’
Feyre sobbed ‘Connor, I am so sorry. You were forced into the Cauldron because of me’ I reassured her ‘No, that was because Tamlin is an arsehole and Hybern is evil. It wasn’t your fault Feyre’ I sat on the couch, and she stayed snuggled into my lap.
Eris was looking at us surprised.
I asked ‘How?’ Eris confessed ‘They were seen in Autumn. Beron sent all of us out to find and apprehend them. They were lucky it was me that found them and not one of my brothers’
I reached out and shook his hand ‘Thankyou Eris. I won’t forget this’ He asked ‘So, you two?’ I smiled ‘I have loved Feyre for as long as I can remember’ Feyre sobbed ‘I love you too Connor’
She reached out and hugged Nesta. Nesta asked ‘Are you okay?’ Feyre said tearily ‘I am now. I am so sorry Nesta’ Nesta nodded ‘It’s happened now, I have to make the best of it’
I looked at Lucien and sniffed ‘I smell blood, are you hurt?’ Their heads snapped to Lucien. He admitted ‘A bit. I tried to heal it, but Feyre and I have been faebaned’
Feyre explained ‘That is why we had to escape Spring and not just winnow away’
Helion asked for some food and drink and then insisted on seeing Lucien’s wound. He healed him carefully.
Feyre asked me ‘How come you are here?’ I explained ‘Azriel and Amren are in a research room. Nesta has a firewielding lesson with Eris every week. I come for the fun, although Helion has a whole library of sheet music!’ Feyre smiled.
She looked at Eris ‘Thankyou for saving us’ He said sternly ‘It’s unsafe for Lucien to be in Autumn’ Feyre nodded ‘We won’t do it again; we just couldn’t go through Summer’
Eris frowned ‘Is this because of the blood rubies?’ Feyre nodded. Helion frowned ‘It must be a serious offense?’ I said plainly ‘They should have asked for what they needed, instead of taking it’ Feyre nodded ‘Yes, I thought that the whole time’
Helion frowned at Lucien ‘You have a magical seal holding back your magic’ Lucien looked stunned ‘What? Why?’
Eris stiffened and explained ‘To protect you, Lucien. When you were born, you came out glowing’ Helion paled. Lucien frowned ‘Why?’ Eris said quietly ‘Beron, isn’t your father’ Helion sucked in a breath ‘Why didn’t she tell me?’ Eris said sadly ‘Beron would have killed you, Mother and Lucien. He still would. She was trying to protect all of you’
Lucien looked at Helion stunned ‘You are my father?’ Helion waved a hand over the seal and Lucien’s power filled the room. Helion said tearily ‘You are my son, and the heir to the Day Court’ He pulled Lucien into a hug.
I wiped my eyes. Nesta smirked at me ‘So emotional Connor?’ I smiled ‘Of course I am. Long lost family reunions pull the heart strings. I may even write a song about this’
Eris said pointedly ‘No you won’t. Mother is in danger. If Beron finds out…’ I gave him a sad nod and looked at Helion and Lucien. ‘You do actually look alike. Lucien is an Autumn version of you’ Helion smiled ‘You are right’
Lucien pulled back his power, so it wasn’t obvious. Helion asked ‘Would you consider our Emissary position?’ Lucien smiled ‘Thankyou I would’ Eris ordered, ‘You can’t claim him until Beron is gone’ Helion nodded.
He asked ‘Why didn’t she tell me? I would have gotten them away’ Eris said bitterly ‘She wouldn’t leave her other children to Beron’
Nesta held Eris’ hand. He gave her a smile and sat holding her hand.
Feyre looked at them surprised. I squeezed her and she kissed me again. I said ‘You have missed so much. I have so much to tell you’ She smiled ‘I do too’
Eris stood up and pulled Nesta up. He asked, ‘Shall we move to our lesson?’ Nesta smiled and said to Feyre ‘I will be back. I am glad you escaped the beast’
I looked at Lucien ‘Would it be okay if we brought Elain to visit you tomorrow?’ Lucien smiled ‘I would love that’ I explained ‘She hasn’t spoken since the Cauldron. She is lost in her head. Helion thinks she might be a seer, and you might be able to pull her out of it with the bond’ Lucien looked stunned ‘Yes, of course. I will do anything she needs’
Helion advised ‘Tomorrow is a good idea. Faebane will numb the bond so it would be better to wait’
I asked, ‘What is faebane?’ Feyre confessed ‘Poison for fae’ I checked her over ‘Someone poisoned you?’ Feyre said angrily ‘Tamlin, Ianthe and Brannagh and Dagdan’ Lucien added ‘They poisoned me too’
Lucien said bitterly ‘Ianthe grew apples in faebane. That female is so vile’ Feyre admitted ‘She wasn’t in Vallahan for Amarantha’s reign, she was in Hybern. She is working for Hybern’ Lucien growled.
We had some lunch. Feyre didn’t move from my lap, and I loved it. She studied me ‘You look like you, just fae’ She grinned ‘You smell like Rhys’ I smiled ‘He of course didn’t want me going anywhere without his scent all over me’ She leaned in and kissed me.
Lucien smiled ‘So Feyre, I thought Connor was your brother?’ Feyre smirked ‘I may have let Tamlin believe that. He saw Connor try to take responsibility for the wolf for me. He saw him offer himself in my place. If he had realised he wasn’t my brother, he would have seen him as a threat’
I nodded ‘When Hybern’s soldiers pulled us from our beds, they called me the brother’ Feyre said tearily ‘I am so sorry’ I said ‘Its okay Feyre. I always wanted to be here with you. Now I can! Nesta and Elain are having a harder time. Nesta seems to be coping better now that she has been ballroom dancing and training with Eris. She has had some wins. Elain is a worry. Hopefully tomorrow Lucien will be able to help her, if not perhaps we should go to Dawn’
Helion nodded ‘That is a good plan’
Feyre frowned ‘Eris isn’t trustworthy’ I sighed ‘Actually Feyre, Mor hasn’t been telling the truth. Her power may be truth, but it doesn’t mean that truth always spills from her lips’ Feyre looked stunned. I admitted ‘I quite like Eris. He has a lot on his plate with Beron, and he did just save you and Lucien’
Feyre asked ‘So Nesta likes him?’ I smiled ‘He’s exactly Nesta’s type, a courtier with a silver tongue, an exceptional ballroom dancer and a chess master. I am not surprised Nesta likes him. He suits her well’
Feyre pouted ‘Cassian likes her’ I smiled ‘He is the opposite of her type. Nesta has no romantic interest in Cassian’
I smiled at her ‘We will have to catch you and Elain up in ballroom dancing’ Feyre gasped ‘Why do I have to do it?’ I advised ‘If you don’t, every time we attend a ball, you will see me dancing with anyone who will have me, and you will be standing in the corner sulking. It would be better to join in’ Feyre tutted. I advised ‘Balls are a part of life in this world as they were in the human world’
Feyre frowned ‘Nesta will always be better’ I smiled ‘Nesta will quickly become better than even the oldest fae. Ballroom dancing is her thing. You just need to know what you are doing so you can participate. No one is expecting you to be like Nesta. Elain will need to learn the fae dances from the beginning too’
Feyre scowled ‘You are bossy!’ I teased ‘I would enjoy bossing you around. Perhaps after your bath’ Feyre blushed ‘Connor!’ Helion roared with laughter.
Azriel walked in the room and froze at the sight of Feyre. I grinned ‘Look who I found!’ Azriel smiled ‘Feyre! Are you okay?’ Feyre nodded ‘Lucien and I escaped Spring after we were faebaned. We couldn’t go into Summer, so we stupidly went into Autumn. We were lucky that it was Eris who found us. He winnowed us here’
Azriel said angrily ‘Faebane!’ Feyre confided ‘Ianthe grew apples in faebane’ Azriel scowled ‘That vile priestess’ Lucien added ‘Tamlin was in on it too, and Brannagh and Dagdan’
Feyre smirked ‘Brannagh and Dagdan won’t be a problem’ My eyes widened ‘What did you do?’ Feyre confided ‘We went with them to check for holes in the wall. Basically we wanted to get away from Tamlin. Anyway, a children of the blessed group came through. I asked them to leave and got them away. A few hours later we smelled blood, Brannagh and Dagdan had tortured them and butchered them. A bogge was nearby so Lucien and I led it to them. They died horrible deaths’
I squeezed her tightly and breathed her in. She reassured me ‘I am okay Connor’ I let out a breath. ‘Those poor humans! The Children of the Blessed are so naïve. Perhaps we should visit their headquarters and advise them not to come? We could even explain what had happened with this group?’ Feyre shook her head ‘They revere the fae. They would be overjoyed to see us. It might encourage them’ I frowned ‘But if we don’t, what will happen? They will send another group. If we don’t tell them the truth, who will?’ Feyre squeezed me.
I suggested ‘Maybe I will bring my guitar and sing them a song about staying in the human lands?’ Feyre roared with laughter ‘They would love that. They would sit at your feet for as long as you played’ I frowned ‘Well I don’t think I am capable of being scary’ Feyre smirked ‘Maybe we should bring Nesta?’ I huffed ‘No, Nesta has no patience for half-wits’ Feyre smiled ‘And even less for the Children of the Blessed’ I sighed ‘They are ignorant. They will continue to be unless someone steps in’
Helion asked ‘So they regularly cross the wall?’ We nodded. I explained ‘They recruit every market day and more and more young people join them. When members disappear on this side of the wall, they think they have been taken by the fae to live happy lives, instead they are slaughtered’ Lucien added ‘Or eaten’
Lucien commented ‘Tamlin will have to deal with the loss of Hybern’s niece and nephew’ I replied ‘You technically didn’t kill them, a bogge did. What is a bogge? The boggie man?’ Feyre laughed ‘That is what I assumed when I heard its name. Its actually similar. If you acknowledge it and look at it, it will be real and then devour you’ I squeezed her ‘You went near it!’ Feyre shrugged ‘I already knew not to acknowledge it from another bogge incident I had with Lucien’
I asked, ‘What else did you do in Spring?’ Feyre scoffed ‘I stayed in my painting studio as much as possible to avoid Tamlin. I questioned him about Hybern a lot and listened in when I could. He was always with Ianthe plotting’ Lucien added ‘He wasn’t listening to my advice anymore. I was listening at keyholes too’
I asked ‘Were Brannagh and Dagdan those white-haired twins that stood behind Hyberns throne?’ Azriel replied ‘Yep’ I confided ‘They taunted Nesta, Elain and I a lot when we were in Hybern’s dungeon’ I grimaced ‘I think they were closer than brother and sister should be’ Feyre nodded ‘I got that impression too’ Lucien nodded ‘They shared a room and yes, they smelled of each other’
Feyre advised ‘They were daemati. I had a hard time keeping my shield up around them’ I nodded ‘Rhys has been teaching me. Nesta seems to have a natural shield’ Feyre admitted ‘I am not surprised’
She asked, ‘What have you been doing?’ I confided ‘Looking after Nesta and Elain. Elain is still lost in her mind. I have been serenading her with songs she knows every day. I made her lemon bars, but she didn’t react. Nessie and I have been taking her for walks around the garden. We have sessions with our mind healer. She gives us exercises to do. We have had to get used to bodies that don’t feel like our own and are full of power and we have drowning trauma because we drowned in the cauldron. We have been doing ballroom dancing lessons and learning fae magic. We also have been doing research. Rhys has been taking me out to practice my stormbringer power in isolated places’
Azriel smirked ‘And he’s been all over Rhys’ I smirked back ‘He’s been all over me’ Feyre smiled. I added ‘Cassian and Azriel convinced me to try fighting as a male bonding thing’ Feyre smiled. Azriel huffed ‘He very quickly got too overprotective of Rhys, and we had to stop’ I scowled ‘Cassian dared leave a bruise. He deserved to get tossed away by my wind’
I suggested ‘How about next time we go fishing, or hunting, or sailing, or dancing or playing cards and drinking? Much more fun bonding activities!’ I gasped ‘I could teach you all sea shanties and we can sing them in rounds’ Azriel sighed. Feyre grinned ‘I am in’ I kissed her lovingly.
I moved her next to me at the piano and started teaching everyone in the room a sea shanty. I divided them into parts and conducted them and sang along.
Nesta and Eris appeared in the doorway grinning. I ushered to them to join, and they joined one of the groups.
I taught another sea shanty and had everyone really into it. Helion ordered cocktails and that is how we all ended up drunk.
Amren stood in the doorway looking annoyed. I bellowed ‘Amren! Come and join our poker game!’ She smirked ‘Fun and games’ I smiled ‘Of course, look we have Feyre back’ Amren’s eyes fixed on her and her jaw dropped. She smiled ‘I am glad to see you, Feyre. You have been missed’
Azriel burped and then laughed his head off. Amren stared at him shocked. I said ‘Look, Az is letting loose!’ Amren smiled ‘So I see’
Helion put a chess board in between Nesta and Eris. I gasped ‘Can I commentate?’ Feyre squeezed my hand.
I said loudly ‘Today’s match is between the gorgeous heir to the Autumn Court, Prince Eris and Lady Nesta Archeron, our very own Starfire wielding Queen. Eris has ginger power on his side, fire in his blood and likely his cock’ Helion roared with laughter ‘He is also very princely and has a sharp tongue that can only be matched by our Nesta who is often accused of having a silver tongue. A Queen in the ballroom, she has a stare that will disarm males or females and possibly burn them if she wishes. She may also have golden underwear on her side’ Nesta blushed and laughed. I said ‘Extra points for womanly wiles if she does’
I looked between them ‘They are pretty evenly matched in skin tone, that means something. Nail length too’ Lucien roared with laughter.
He asked ‘Cards?’ I nodded and Feyre and I joined his group.
I smiled at them all ‘We should have brought unwanted gifts to bet. I left the cat mug and the droopy bonnet in the human lands’ Feyre grinned ‘We will buy some odd things for next time’ I smirked ‘You could draw naughty sketches for the pot’ Feyre blushed and laughed her head off. Helion perked up ‘I like that idea!’ I smirked ‘I am happy to pose for you Feyre Darling’ She smiled ‘I will take you up on that’ I gasped ‘And then draw pornographic pictures of me for the pot?’ She blushed ‘You would like that, wouldn’t you?’ I nodded ‘You could have an art show featuring them and I’ll be the star!’ Feyre was crying with laughter.
I suggested ‘You could put me up on a pedestal and I will do all the poses! Living art!’
Nesta bellowed from across the room ‘Connor, are you talking about posing naked?’ I bellowed back ‘I suggested Feyre draw lots of pictures of me posing naked and have an art show. I would be the star! At the opening I could be on a pedestal doing all the poses, like live art’
Nesta stared ‘No, you are not doing that!’ I huffed ‘Nesta, I think you need more arty friends’ She smirked ‘I think you need less arty friends’ I smiled ‘I see we are at an impasse, lets agree to disagree’ We shook hands.
I sat up at the piano and sang a drinking song to cheers.