Since the moment you were forced to call the Spring Court your home, you did your very best to keep up a strong exterior, burying down the fear of faeries that had been ingrained in you before you were even taught what they truly were. You weren't willing to show a weakness to your captor; there was already enough of them just from you being human in a High Fae's domain.

Even if you tried to ignore it or dismiss it, Tamlin tried to show you kindness, in whatever way he was capable of. He asked you of your family back home, of the human life you lived, and what ways he could offer the comforts you may have had back then. It hurt to admit the few comforts you had. You lived in a poor village with barely enough money for your family to survive let alone any luxuries, yet here you were in a lavish manor with every room overbearing the size of the cottage you called home.

After days of conversations, you agreed to admit that you had once been fond of reading. When you had time to yourself, not worrying about where your next meal would come from, you would indulge into any book you could get your hands on. Only a few books from your mother's library survived past being used in the fireplace, whilst you tried to read as much as you could from exchanging goods with your neighbours for a chance at losing yourself in a different reality.

Tamlin didn't hesitate to insist on guiding you somewhere. You weren't sure if you wanted to go with him, but you had little else to do with your time and the quicker you learnt your way around the manor, the quicker you could find somewhere to spend your days rather than cooped up in your room.

"The invitation to explore your new home is still welcome," he stated. "However, you may enjoy this room the most."

He opened the door before you to reveal a room that stole your breath. The room was filled with more books than you could fathom, enough to build your cottage several times over. It seemed rarely touched, dust and cobwebs having taken over the shelves of books and piles of scrolls and parchment with long forgotten words upon them.

You turned to Tamlin. For the first time since you had left your village, you felt joy, pure and exuberant joy. A smile spread across your face as you looked at the fae beside you, a gentle twist to the corner of his lips in a manner you had yet to see from him.

"This is amazing."

"You are welcome to read anything in here. I hope you will find great interest in all that is found here."

"Thank you, Tamlin. Truly, thank you."

~*~ Written by Charlotte.