𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟒

"𝘞𝘩𝘰 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶?"

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╰┈˚ · ° .  ᴛʜᴇ ᴀʀᴄʜᴇʀᴏɴ ᴛᴡɪɴꜱ entered the line of trees following the faerie a couple of steps behind him. Darkness beckoned beyond.

But a white mare was patiently waiting—unbound—beside a tree, her coat like fresh snow in the moonlight

He motioned with a giant paw for the girls to mount.

He was expecting just one girl so Feyre and Maiven had to share the horse.

The youngest girl mounted first, knowing that it had been years since Feyre had ridden, and she'd only ridden a pony at that.

Once on top of the horse Mai extended her hand to her sister helping her to mount too.

It wasn't surprising when they headed northward—toward faerie territory

Maiven took in the way the beast moved, trying to find any—any—weakness.

She knew he was a shapeshifter but that wasn't enough. During the years of training at The Temple they explained to them things about the world above the wall but, even with her knowledge, she knew that it was more dangerous to attack the beast here. They just needed to find the right moment to escape and for sure it wasn't now

For a second, Maiven glanced at her hand, the thick scar on her left palm staring right back at her and for a moment she was glad of the mess they were in right now. Even he could not deny the rules of the treaty.

"What manner of faerie are you?" Feyre asked "Do you have a name?"

Her question went null to the faerie ears who didn't even bother to turn around for a second

"He is a shapeshifter" Maiven answered her sister

At that the beast turned around, slightly growling at her

A huff of air that could have been a bitter laugh. "Does it even matter to you, human?"

Feyre opened her mouth again to ask something, but a growl of annoyance rippled out of him. They didn't have a chance to struggle, to fight back, when a charged, metallic tang stung their noses.

Feyre was the first to pass out.

Maiven fought with everything in her to resist, but that only accomplished to give her a couple more seconds before she too, was starting to get affected by it.

"Asshole" With her lack of strength it came out as a whisper but the emotions in her tone were unmistakable.

Maiven was beyond pissed

She could have sworn that she had heard the faerie chuckling lightly in his beast form before exhaustion slammed down upon her and blackness swallowed her whole.

•⋅⋅•⋅⋅•⋅∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⋅•⋅⋅•⋅⋅•

╰┈˚ · ° .  Maiven awoke with a jolt atop the horse, secured by invisible bonds. The sun was already high.

The fae was using his magic to hold both girls restrained. Mai quickly noticed the absence of the majority of her weapons as their familiar weight was missing on her body. The faerie had taken the only one he could find. She noticed that she still had a blade hidden in the inner part of her corset, and the one in her hair that was easily passed as a hairpin. They were small. Too small, but it was better than nothing.

Maiven brushed her hand on her thigh where her knife usually is and with its missing presence her mind panicaded a bit. She knew that she had to get it back.

Mai looked at her sister, now she too was fully awake. She squeezed her shoulder trying to calm her nerves and probably doing it for hers too.

The chirping birds flitted past the girls, and a mild breeze kissed their faces. Maiven spied a hedge-bordered metal gate ahead.

Her prison or her salvation— She couldn't decide which.

Two days—it took two days from the cottage to reach the wall and enter the southernmost border of Prythian. The fae had kept them unconscious with his magic for two days.

What an asshole

The gate swung open without a porter or sentry, and the beast continued through. Whether they wanted to or not, the horse followed after him.

The estate sprawled across a rolling green land. Maiven had never seen anything like it; even their former manor couldn't compare. It was veiled in roses and ivy, with patios and balconies and staircases sprouting from its alabaster sides. The grounds were encased by woods, but stretched so far that she could barely see the distant line of the forest. So much color, so much sunlight and movement and texture. Even the garden through which they walked, following a gravel path to the main doors of the house, seemed hushed and sleeping.

It was spring here, she noticed. They were at the Spring Court.

The spring court was the one that was just above the wall. The southern of them all with its south border to the mortal land.

Even if it was the most beautiful place that Maiven had actually been to, she couldn't shake the feeling of wrongness. Her heart was tugging in her chest, she wasn't supposed to be here, in the Spring Court.

The faerie meandered on ahead, leaping nimbly up the grand marble staircase that led to the giant oak doors in one mighty, fluid movement. The doors swung open for him on silent hinges, and he prowled inside.

Maiven noticed the lack of other faeries but with her time in the 'company' of him, she could recognize the signs of their presence. They were glamoured.

The gold-brown haired girl climbed down from the horse as she watched Feyre glancing around and focusing on the gate.

She wanted to escape but Maiven knew it wasn't a good idea.

She squeezed her leg signaling with her head no or at least not now before helping her down too.

They passed through the open doors and into the shadows of the house. Black-and-white checkered marble shone at our feet, flowing to countless doors and a sweeping staircase. A long hall stretched ahead to the giant glass doors at the other end of the house, and through them she glimpsed a second garden, grander than the one out front.

A ​​low growl from a nearby room, so deep that it rattled the vases overflowing with fat clusters of hydrangea atop the scattered hall tables. As if in response, an open set of polished wooden doors swung wider to their left. A command to follow.

Maiven rolled her eyes at his command but followed non the less

They entered the room, a long table—longer than any they'd ever possessed at their manor—filled most of the space. It was laden with food and wine—so much food, some of it wafting tendrils of steam, that her mouth watered.

The beast plopped into the chair, the wood groaning, and, in a flash of white light, turned into a golden-haired man.

He was one of the High Fae, one of their ruling nobility: beautiful, lethal, and merciless. Just like him.

He was young—or at least what she could see of his face seemed young. His nose, cheeks, and brows were covered by a golden mask embedded with emeralds shaped like whorls of leaves. It left only his eyes—looking the same as they had in his beast form, strong jaw, and mouth for everyone to see, and the latter tightened into a thin line.

"You should eat something," he said. Unlike the elegance of his mask, the dark green tunic he wore was rather plain, accented only with a leather baldric across his broad chest. It was more for fighting than style, even though he bore no weapons she could detect. Not just one of the High Fae, but ... a warrior, too.

"Who are you?" Maiven said. His light golden hair was so similar to the color of his beast form's pelt. Those giant claws undoubtedly still lurked just below the surface of his skin.

"Sit," he said gruffly, waving a broad hand to encompass the table. "Eat." He let out a low growl. "Unless you'd rather faint?"

"It's not safe for humans" Feyre said

Oh

Feyre was thinking of the stories that were told to all humans which for the majority were all fake.

He huffed a laugh—more feral than anything. "The food is fine for you to eat, human. Leave, if you want," he added with a flash of teeth. "I'm not your jailer. The gates are open—you can live anywhere in Prythian."

The younger twin narrowed her eyes at the fae trying to understand him. All of this seems a little weird for her, to be honest.

"Fine," he said once both twins didn't move, the word laced with a growl, and began serving himself.

The hair on the back of Maiven's neck raised and just seconds after she felt someone strode past her, heading right for the head of the table.

"Well?" the stranger said—another High Fae: red-haired and finely dressed in a tunic of muted silver. He, too, wore a mask. He sketched a bow to the seated male and then crossed his arms. Somehow, he hadn't spotted the girls.

"Well, what?" The blonde Fae cocked his head, the movement more animal than human.

"Is Andras dead, then?"

"I'm sorry," he said quietly with a nod of his head.

"How?" the stranger demanded, his knuckles white as he gripped his muscled arms.

"An ash arrow," said the other. His red-haired companion hissed. "The Treaty's summons led me to the mortal. I gave her safe haven."

"A girl—a mortal girl actually killed Andras." Not a question so much as a venom-coated string of words. "And the summons found the girl responsible."

The golden-masked one gave a low, bitter laugh and pointed at the two girls still standing near the door. "The Treaty's magic brought me right to their doorstep."

The stranger whirled with fluid grace. His mask was bronze and fashioned after a fox's features, concealing all but the lower half of his face—along with most of what looked like a wicked, slashing scar from his brow down to his jaw. It didn't hide the eye that was missing—or the carved golden orb that had replaced it and moved as though he could use it.

Even from across the room, Maiven could see his remaining russet eye widen. He sniffed once, his lips curling a bit to reveal straight white teeth, and then he turned to the other faerie. "You're joking," he said quietly. "One of those scrawny things brought down Andras with a single ash arrow? And why by the Cauldron there are two of them!?"

Bastard—an absolute bastard. A pity that I don't have the arrow now or my sword— Maiven thought

"It was one of them but they wouldn't admit who actually was. So I had to bring the both of them here"

Mai looked at the red-haired Fae with a raised eyebrow, a smirk on her lips as she waved her fingers at him.

His response was a hiss that just made her smirk widened.

"So who was it?" The blond-haired Fae asked, his eyes switched between Maiven and Feyre who, it seems, was trying to merge her body with the door frame.

"Give me your word that once we tell you who it was, we will be safe. The both of us" Feyra spoke.

The High Fae raised an eyebrow before nodding

"Yes, both of you will be safe and continue to remain here. Now, who was it" He replied with a huff, annoyed by all of this.

Maiven looked at her sister for a second, their hands intertwined as then she turned her head back to the Faes in the room before answering

"She was"

They both widened their eyes, probably not expecting that it was Feyre who had actually killed the wolf. Maiven confidence and lack of fear likely made the red-haired fae think that. But for the other one, the blonde-haired one, the numerous weapons that Maiven had on her were for him a big hint.

Thinking about her weapons Maiven remembered something.

"Where is my knife?" She asked the blond one "I want it back. I don't care about the others, just give me back the knife" Her eyes. her body language, everything was saying that she couldn't care less. But that was a lie. She needed her knife back

"And why would I do that?" He growled.

The deadly facade that she learned to put on during the previous years slipped on Maiven's face as she stared at the Fae without speaking another word.

"Well," the red-haired one seethed at Feyre, "now we're stuck with that, thanks to your useless mercy, and you've ruined—"

Maiven stepped forward—only a step, covering her sister from the view of the fairies ready to protect her if needed

"Did you enjoy killing my friend, human?" the red-haired one said. "Did you hesitate, or was the hatred in your heart riding you too hard to consider sparing him? It must have been so satisfying for a small mortal thing like you to take him down."

The golden-haired one said nothing, but his jaw tightened.

"Anyway," the fox-masked one continued "Perhaps there's a way to—"

"Lucien," their captor said quietly, the name echoing with a hint of a snarl. "Behave."

Lucien went rigid, but he hopped off the edge of the table and bowed deeply to the girls in a mocking way. "My apologies, lady." Another joke at their expense. "I'm Lucien. Courtier and emissary." He gestured to Feyre with a flourish. "Your eyes are like stars, and your hair like burnished gold." He then turned towards Maiven with a smirk on his lips searching her eyes "And you, it's weird. It seems almost as the shadows find comfort in you, I can feel it. Your eyes are light colored but I just see their dark and cold presence in them"

The blond-haired fae sighed, calling the name of the other faerie lightly

"Why, thank you" Maiven started with a sweet smile, placing a hand on her heart "You, just look like an asshole" She finished still smiling sweetly at him but her eyes sprinkled with mischief and the red-haired fae could see it.

"Mai, please" Feyre whispered, afraid that she had offended the Fae and this was just going to go down badly

Lucien cocked his head a bit before bursting in a loud laugh

"Her name is Feyre," said the one in charge—the beast. He must have learned her name at the cottage. Those striking green eyes met Maiven again and he then said "And she is Maiven" making her rolls her eyes before flashing him an annoyed look

He then looked to the door. "Alis will take you to your rooms. You could use a bath and fresh clothes."

"My knife" Maiven said again looking directly at the shapeshifter

But he didn't say anything; she just felt her sister tugging her hand.

They walked away, the fae, Alis, with them as she brought the twins to their rooms.

The two High Faes, now alone, talked but their words were null to Maiven's ears as her eyes traveled to the scar on her hand once again.

Her jaw clenched before she squeezed her fist tightly. A flash of memories appeared in her eyes clouding them for a second before the girl forced them away.

Feyra intertwined their hands, sending her a small smile.

She knew why Maiven needed the knife, it wasn't for protection that's sure.

She released a breath before sending a smile back at her twin before the both of them were led by the faerie Alis in their respective rooms.

✎

˗ˏˋ 𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫'𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞 ˊˎ˗

Hello everyone!

And with the fourth chapter Maiven is finally in Prythian. In this chapter there are some hints about what I have planned for Mai and some more information about him. A bit of her past too. Everything will be explained later on, don't worry.

Anyway please if you liked this chapter, leave a comment and a star. I really appreciate it.

𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐲 𝐬𝐚𝐟𝐞 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞!

– 𝐋𝐨𝐥𝐚 ☾