𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟑

"𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘶𝘱."

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╰┈˚ · ° .  WITH THE MOON STILL HIGH ABOVE, I woke up from the few hours of sleep that I had got. I needed to get up but my mind stilled for a second as I let myself lay between my sisters and for a moment, just one, I pretended. Pretended that I had fallen asleep between my sisters after spending the night talking about anything till we were too exhausted to move, falling asleep cuddling to each other searching for the warmth of our siblings' love. Something that never happened and probably never will.

Feyre and I and Nesta and Elain, the twins and the two sisters. Almost as if the two groups of siblings weren't related to each other.

It hurts to think of the reality of our family. Sometimes I just wanted a small fraction of the love that Nesta had for Elain, or the loyalty that the girl had for our eldest sister. But I had Feyre, and I loved her more than anything. Even if those words would never pass from my lips.

Reality came back with a soul crushing weight. Pretending and hoping. two sides of the same useless coin only meant to bring hurt.

Slowly, so quietly, I sneaked out of the bed trying my best to not wake any of my sleeping sisters in the huge iron bed, still not big enough for any of us four to sleep comfortably.

Taking a simple outfit out of my painted drawer, I walked through the kitchen still in my nightwear. Putting on my very rundown boots and the heavy cloak, I made my way out of the house. Out of the front door I then reached the back of the cottage. With my feet, I kicked out of the way the new layer of snow that had fallen during the gelid winter night. I crouched down, sliding two loose stones from the lower part of the wall. They fell easily, too easily contrasting to how my mind had weighted more with that simple move. It revealed a small hiding spot, quite big since I had dug into the frozen ground to form a hole.

With my hand now, almost going numb from the cold, I reached for the bag that was hidden there. A satchel made of fabric that contained two pairs of the same clothes. Taking one of them out, I replaced the empty space then with the one I still held in hand just taken out from my drawer.

I made quick work of changing from my nightwear replacing it with the leather armor that I hated with everything in me. And still, it was the most familiar thing these days. Black leather pants with a dark colored fabric coat tunic that was closed with buttons until the belly button with a simple black long sleeved shirt underneath. On the chest, covering my left breast was leather woven protection kept in place with buckles around my torso and left shoulder, and on my left forearm a black leather arm guard. Lastly, on my right hand, there was a glove that covered only three of my fingers, index, middle and ring.

Stacking all the blades in their exact places as I always did, it took me seconds to do it. Their positions were engraved into my mind from years of positioning them. Six blades were stacked vertically, three on one side, three on the other in a corset hidden under the tunic. Respectively on each sleeve, three knives were hidden just like three in each boots. A small and thin blade was hidden in the inside of the corset, one camouflage as a hair pin. A belt was on my hip, the sword sheathed on my left side was a sharp blade that recurved slightly at the end with the hilt made with a leather pattern. Strapped across my shoulders there was a quiver, the arrows sticking to my right, the bow was safely held with a clasp on the right side of the belt.

There was one single thing that was different in my uniform from all the other ones.

I took a moment to lower my eyes to the knife that I now held into my left hand. A hunting knife, the hilt made smooth wood, indents on the sides to make it for easier use. The blade was sharp and it had pattern into it, almost seeming as more metals were smelted together and never fused perfectly one with the other.

I couldn't help how my mind swirled back to unpleasant memories of the past before coming back to the present when I willed my mind to focus once again.

I hastily shook my head, successfully getting rid of those thoughts, of woods and magic and screams echoing in vain in a dark cell. I knew I had a job to do, one that I could not say no to even if I wanted. And, I knew that I had to be quick if I wanted to have a chance to come back before the sky darkened to night once again.

With one last shaky breath, I placed the knife in its place stacked on my right thigh. Futile thoughts and reminiscence of the past would not help me. My golden-brown hair was braided in two sections on my head and then pinned down to a low bun, the hairpin-blade used as decoration. I covered my head with the hood tagged to the tunic, and the lower half of my face with the black veiled scarf that was almost see through. I had it tied at the back of my neck, easily enough for me to slip it atop of my features. Without looking back at the cottage once, I sprinted into the night, fading into the shadows as we became one thing only.

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╰┈˚ · ° .  I was tired, really tired. The muscle of my legs ached with how much I had run. My arms, with the amount of time I had taken my aim firm on my target. Probably hours stalking him, following from his home and work until the right moment came and my aim hit true. The arrow flew through the air with an hiss, the point entering directly in his knee. I then climbed down from the high tree I was hidden in, the still mid afternoon sun revealing my black cladded form. His screams were echoing in the empty street of the small alley behind the building where he worked, no one to hear his pained whines or the last words that he ever heard falling from my lips.

"Your time is up."

It had not been a direct kill, my orders were clear. They always were for this type of job. I had to let them know who was killing them and why.

And then, my sword would slash across their throat, in a single stroke ending their life.

It had taken me longer than I had expected, the target had not been easy to catch somewhere far away enough for his scream not to be heard, and the pay had been less money than what I had thought and liked.

Easily blending through the shadows of the night, I let the facade slip away from the cold and almost inhuman one that I had on all day, to one of pure exhaustion. Physical and mental. I was alone now, I could at least let my true feelings out without having the mental weight of those words pressing down on me. I could let my weakness show because I was alone.

I was approaching the back of the cottage, to change into the clothes that I had previously brought out that early morning when I had gotten out of the bed still with the moon out before going inside, when a deafening roar resonated in her ears.

"MURDERERS!" Someone exclaimed, the voice mixed to something too animalistic to be of simple human.

Panic shot through my body as I quickly ran towards the front of the house. I took a calming breath, my eyes landing on the beast. A horse-sized creature with a bear-like body that moved with a feline fluidity, a distinctively lupine head, and massive elk-like antlers. But lion or hound or elk, there was no doubting the damage his black, dagger-like claws and yellow fangs could inflict. It had green eyes, too human compared to the mix of animals that formed the beast. His form was too unique to not recognize it. I had never seen it once with my own eyes but, books spoke of the powers of the High Lords of Prythian, of the world behind the wall that divided the human land to the one of magic. I knew exactly who this beast was.

I approached him from the shadows, my bow raised aim directed to the huge body of the shapeshifter.

"MURDERERS!" the beast roared again, hackles raised.

"P-please," My father babbled, fear shaking his body.

The eldest siblings, Nesta and Elain, were kneeling against the wall of the hearth, our father crouched in front of them. Feyre held her hunting knife tightly in her hand as she stood protectively in front of our family, ready to defend them from the beast that had invaded our house. Feyre was smart even with her lack of institution. She took another step toward the faerie, but still, she kept the table between them. But even her bravery and hard eyes were not enough to conceal the trembles of shaky hand.

"W-w-we didn't kill anyone." Nesta added after our father's pleadings. Choking on her sobs, arm lifted over her head, as if that tiny iron bracelet that she had bought to the market as protection against the faerie and their magic, would do anything against the creature.

"Get out." I commanded, revealing my form from the shadows. Voice void of any emotion, hollow of any warmth and humanity. I knew the fae had been too focused on my family to take notice of another person. And I was too good, trained too well.

I didn't dare to look at anyone else other than the fae in front of me as I walked backward, not giving the threat in my home my back. I walked, arrow ready to shoot until I was in front of my family.

"Get out" I repeated my command, I had no need to put more strength behind my words. They always sounded the same. Cold, commanding, shaded in a deadly hollow. Only my eyes and some skin were visible from under my hood and veil. Those gray eyes of mine did nothing to help with coldness seeping from every pore of my body. Usually, when around the only people that I actually cared for, my sisters, I would try to conceal it. The nothingness that I had become. Or maybe what I actually had become was too much.

My twin sister was on my side. Her hand slightly less trembling with my presence next to her. I could see the relief in her bluer eyes than mine. Everything in me screamed at my older twin sister to go in the back with the others, to keep herself safe from the fae beast in front of us, but I knew that she wasn't like that. Feyre would never let me face this alone or any other type of danger if she could. The promise had left her lips years ago but still, always sounded true to my heart even now. Because that is who she was. So I never spoke those words.

The beast bellowed at me in response, probably for having the guts to actually talk to him that way. Not that I actually cared anyway. The entire cottage shook, the plates and cups rattling against one another. But it left his massive neck exposed. Feyre hurled her hunting knife at it.

Fast—so fast that I could barely see it—he slashed out with a paw, sending it skittering away as he snapped for her face with his teeth.

Feyre leaped back, almost stumbling over our father's cowering figure. The faerie could have killed her—could have, yet the lunge had been a warning. I knew that much. It was clear. Nesta and Elain, weeping, prayed to whatever long-forgotten gods might still be skulking about.

It had been a warning from his part, one that I reciprocated making the arrow fly into his paw. His growl was more in annoyance than pain. The arrow had for sure felt like a small flesh wound for him in this form. It had not been to hurt him, that arrow was warning just like he had delivered his.

The faerie growled once again, before he lowered his massive head and in a quick motion, he pulled the arrow out with his teeth, discarding it on the floor just a couple of steps away. And as he did that, I quickly changed my weapons. The bow was at my feet and the sword was now in my hands.

"WHO KILLED HIM?" The creature stalked toward us with a clear purpose. He set a paw on the table, and it groaned beneath him. It had been a weak and old table and I was almost sure that it would give under the heavy weight of even one of his enormous paws. His claws thudded as they embedded in the wood, one by one.

I dared another step forward as the beast stretched his snout over the table to sniff at us twins. My voice even as I spoke to him again "Killed who?"

He growled, low and vicious. "The wolf," he said, and my heart stopped beating for a second. The roar was gone, but the wrath lingered—perhaps even traced with sorrow.

Elain's wail reached a high-pitched shriek at sound.

"A wolf?" I asked, still keeping my chin up and sword raised to protect.

"A large wolf with a gray coat." he snarled in response.

"If it was mistakenly killed." Feyre said to the beast as calmly as she could, "What payment could we offer in exchange?"

This was all a nightmare. How can life be a continuous nightmare after nightmare?— I thought

The beast let out a bark that could have been a bitter laugh. He pushed off the table to pace in a small circle before the shattered door, not much space for him to do it as the dimensions of the house were very small.

"The payment you must offer is the one demanded by the Treaty between our realms."

"For a wolf?" The older twin retorted, as our father murmured her name in warning.

I had vague memories of reading the Treaty during those years of training, but could recall nothing about killed wolves. I was more than sure about it. Of course, the wolf had not been a wolf but a shapeshifting fae. And even then, no passage in any part of the treaty said anything about killed fae on our borders.

I titled my head in suspicion. Something was definitely going on. As a child, Nesta had always told me that my curiosity was one of the best and worst aspects of my personality. And even with years of trying to suppress that with any other emotions and feelings, I could still feel it there, hiding and emerging in various ways.

"For the Treaty?" I asked, titling my lips underneath my veil. The amusement in my tone was soft but definitely unmistakable.

The beast turned his human eyes towards me. Eyes that told me that he understood that something else was going on. His rage was even more palpable when he asked again that question "Who killed the wolf?"

I stared into those jade eyes ready to take the blame but it was Feyre that spoke before I had the chance to. "I did."

He blinked, glancing at Feyre and then at me before switching to the oldest twin once again.

"Surely you lie to save them." He spoke with distaste, clearly non believing the truth spilling from sister's lips. Because even if I took the blame, the truth will always be that it had been her that had killed the wolf.

"No, she is lying to save me." I spoke, my tone indicating the boredroom that I was feeling. All fake, but still a good act.

"We didn't kill anything!" Elain wept. Of course she had not killed anything. I had to stop myself from rolling my eyes at her pleading "Please... please, spare us!" Nesta hushed her sharply through her own sobbing, but pushed Elain farther behind her, shielding her even with her own life at stake.

My father climbed to his feet, grunting at the pain in his old wounded leg as he bobbled, but before he could limp toward us, nearing both us twins and the ferocious beast, I repeated: "I killed it."

But there had been two voices that spoke, similar and so different at the same time. I tore my eyes from the beast to look at my sister, pleading without words for her to shut up and let me handle this

The beast, who had been sniffing at the other two sisters who cowered near the hearth, now growled at the twins, clearly getting impatient with the lack of a direct answer.

"I sold its hide at the market today. If I had known it was a faerie, I wouldn't have touched it." Feyre explained quickly before I could even open my mouth to find an excuse.

Well that was a lie— I thought hearing Feyre's words

"Liar." he snarled. "You knew. You would have been more tempted to slaughter it had you known it was one of my kind."

True, true, true. "Can you blame me?" I asked, raising one of my eyebrows.

"Did it attack you? Were you provoked?"

I had opened my mouth to answer, but my twin was quicker "No." She said, letting out a snarl of her own. "But considering all that your kind has done to us, considering what your kind still likes to do to us, even if I had known beyond a doubt, it was deserved."

Better to die with our chin held high than groveling like a cowering worm. Even if his answering growl was the definition of wrath and rage.

"I honestly would have been even more inclined to kill it if I had known he came from above the wall." I said matter of factly. Actually, I wouldn't have cared if it was a normal wolf or not. We needed the money, its hide had for sure played well at the market.

His eyes darted between me and my twins. "What is the payment the Treaty requires?" I finally asked even knowing it was all bullshit.

His eyes didn't leave my face as he answered, "A life for a life. Any unprovoked attacks on faerie-kind by humans are to be paid only by a human life in exchange."

Not true– I said to myself. The treaty never said anything about it.

"I didn't know." Feye said. "Didn't know about that part of the Treaty."

"Most of you mortals have chosen to forget that part of the Treaty," he said, his eyes darting to mine at the word 'most'  "which makes punishing you," He said, now again looking at me before he changed and glared at Feyre and continuing "Or you, far more enjoyable."

"Do it outside," I said, looking unbothered by the prospect of the end of my life. "Not here." Not where my family would have to wash away the blood and gore. If he even let them live after I had died.

The faerie huffed a vicious laugh. "Willing to accept your fate so easily?"

"I have been waiting for death for years now." And it was true. I was waiting for it for years. Sometimes I even wished for it, welcomed with open arms. Sometimes I still do.

"For having the nerve to request where I slaughter you, I'll let you in on a secret, human: Prythian must claim your life in some way, for the life you took from it. So as a representative of the immortal realm, I can either gut you like swine, or ... you can cross the wall and live out the remainder of your days in Prythian."

"What?"

He said slowly, as if we were indeed as stupid as a swine, "You can either die tonight or offer your life to Prythian by living in it forever, forsaking the human realm."

"Do it, Mai." her father whispered from behind her. "Go."

I didn't look at him, I continued to stare at the High Lord in front of me. "No." I said without an ounce of indecision. "I choose death." It was a gamble, one that I was more than inclined to try. He needed me, well he needed whoever killed that wolf. It was Feyre, not me, but still, he thought that it was me.

"Maiven." Nesta snapped, voice quivering with anger and fear. Her voice got mixed with the gasps of my family.

The scoff coming from the beast was even weird then hearing him talk in this form. But his eyes. They had widened in surprise. "You care so little about your life?" He asked in bewilderment tinged with rage.

"Kill me." I challenged the beast. My empty hand came to lower my veil exposing my features and lowering the hood that covered my braided hair. "Kill me."

"It was me. I killed the wolf!" Feyre tried again. Invane were her efforts as the fae was locked into a staring contest with me.

"I have lands." the faerie said quietly, hiding the dispersion that I knew he felt. Even in this form, I had gotten a good read on him. "I will grant you permission to live there."

"Why bother?" I asked, twisting my lips in a smirk.

"You murdered my friend." the beast snarled. "Murdered him, skinned his corpse, sold it at the market, and then said he deserved it, and yet you have the nerve to question my generosity?"

"I don't need your generosity. I chose the first option. So go on. Kill me." I said putting my sword back into my sheath "You didn't even need to mention the loophole." I stepped so close the faerie's breath heated my face.

The beast snarled again. "Foolish of me to forget that humans have such low opinions of us. Do you humans no longer understand mercy?" he said, his fangs inches from my throat. "Let me make this clear for you, girl: you can either come live at my home in Prythian—offer your life for the wolf's in that way—or you can walk outside right now and be shredded to ribbons. Your choice."

My father's hobbling steps sounded before he gripped my shoulder with strengths that I had not even thought he still had. "Please, good sir—Maiven is my youngest. I beseech you to spare her. She is all ... she is all ..." But whatever he meant to say died in his throat as the beast roared again. But hearing those few words he'd managed to get out, the effort he'd made ... it was like a blade to my belly. My father cringed as he repeated, "Please—"

"Silence." the creature snapped.

"I can get gold—"

The beast sneered. "How much is your daughter's life worth to you? Do you think it equates to a sum?"

Nesta still had Elain held behind her, Elain's face so pale it matched the snow drifting in from the open door. But Nesta monitored every move the beast made, her brows lowered. She didn't bother to look at their father—as if she knew his answer already.

When he didn't reply, I dared another step toward the beast, drawing his attention back to her.

"I said." I repeated. My words clear as a morning day of summer. "Kill. Me."

"You can't kill or take her. I killed the wolf with one of my arrows. I shot him right through his eye" The firm tone Feyre made the faerie look at her.

He believed at first that it was me that had killed the wolf but now, I could see that he was rethinking it again.

"Feyre!" I yelled trying to get my sister to listen to me for once and to shut up.

"You don't know which one of us killed your wolf. What if you bring with you the wrong one?" Feyra continued as she took careful steps forward, now standing next to me. Her heart... it's going to lead her to her death.

"WHO KILLED HIM!" The beast snarled ferociously, his eyes maddening as he switched to look from both of us.

I gripped Feyre's arm bringing both of them a step back, creating enough space to escape the faerie's fangs as he snarled in fury.

I knew, I knew that Feyre would never let this go. We were born just minutes apart but since we were little, she always had this idea that it was her job to protect me. And to that, I always told her that we were twins, we should protect each other together. We would have each other's back.

But I knew her guilt, the soul eating one that consumed her. She had not protected me all those years ago and it always weighed her down even when I had repeated over and over again that there would have been nothight that she could've done to make things go differently.

If one of them would need to go to Prythian, at least now they would have each other. They would protect each other. Have each other's back.

"You will take the both of us with you above the wall and into your territory and once we know that we will be safe and will remain safe, we will tell you. Not a minute before" I said. Not a question. It was this or having the doubt of bringing the wrong girl with him. And for whatever reason, he could not do that. He needed the one that killed the wolf. And he needed it alive.

He growled one last time before he he finally hesitantly accepted our demands "Fine"

"When do we go?" I asked as my twin sister squeezed my hand with hers

"Now." He simply answered

The beast paced in the doorway giving us one last moment with our family.

"The venison should hold you for two weeks," Feyre said to our father as she gathered her clothes to bulk up against the cold. "Start on the fresh meat, then work your way through to the jerky—you know how to make it."

"Feyre—" The man breathed, but she continued as she fastened her cloak. "I left the money from the pelts on the dresser," she said. "It will last you for a time, if you're careful. When spring comes, hunt in the grove just south of the big bend in Silverspring Creek—the rabbits make their warrens there. Ask ... ask Isaac Hale to show you how to make snares. I taught him last year."

I took the time to do something else. Searching in the specific drawer of one of the cupboards in the kitchen, I took out a piece of paper and a quill. We had little ink left but still, it was enough for me to write a small letter. One written in a code known to just a specific type of people. 'A fae came to our cottage, invoked the treaty. I had to follow after him into Prythian, Spring Court. I'll be there. If needed, send my orders there.'

I knew they would find where I would be without any problem.

I placed my hand in my pocket, taking out the sack of money. The payment from today's work. For the kill. Certainly not from working at the tavern.

I extended my hand placing the money on my father's own with the letter. "Bring this to the tavern. Just leave it somewhere on a table or something. Don't say anything, just leave it there and walk out. It's important." I stressed the last words. My father barely kept himself together nodded fervently letting me know that he had understood.

The beast growled his warning and prowled out into the night. I looked at my sisters, still crouched by the fire, as if they wouldn't dare to move until we were gone.

Elain mouthed her name but kept cowering, keeping her head down. So she turned to Nesta, whose face was so similar to their mother's, so cold and unrelenting.

"Whatever you do," Feyre said quietly, "don't marry Tomas Mandray. His father beats his wife, and none of his sons do anything to stop it." Nesta's eyes widened, "Bruises are harder to conceal than poverty."

Nesta stiffened but said nothing—both our sisters said absolutely nothing. I gave Feyre another couple of seconds with our family inside. I took the bow from the ground and secured it to my belt before I walked outside.

Just me and the beast. I winked at him, not fearing his presence for even a second demonstrating it by giving him my back. A warning growl reverberated from his chest. It didn't matter, he needed us alive for something. And my sword was always ready for me to quickly be unsheathed to be buried into his chest.

"I need the letter that I gave to my father to be delivered. When you'll do whatever glamour magic you'll do, just make sure that that is done." I said, this time softening my tone.

"Why would I do that?" The beast said with gravel tone

And here I was trying to be nice. "Because you need whoever killed that wolf. And you need it alive. I know that much."

I wanted to add High Lord at the end but I would not reveal all my cards just yet.

"I will make sure that is done, if..." He trailed off. Of course he wanted something

"If what, beast." I said without a once of patience

With another growl he spoke "If you tell me how did you know that I need one of you alive."

"I wasn't sure." I revealed

"And you still gambled your life?" He almost roared at the insinuation.

"There are worse things than death." I said before my sister finally walked outside only to be stopped by our father. I joined the two, squeezed Feryre's hand as I stepped near her.

The beast, clearly not on board with being detained, sent a snarl rumbling into the cottage.

"Feyre," he said. "Maiven." His fingers trembled as he grasped our hands together with his own. His eyes became clearer and bolder than they'd seen them in years. "You two were always too good for here. Too good for us, too good for everyone." He squeezed our hands. "If you ever escape, ever convince them that you've paid the debt, don't return. Don't ever come back, You go somewhere new—and you make a name for yourselves."

With one last look at our father and sisters, not saying anything back, we both turned around, letting the sounds of the snow crunching under our boots the only thing to be heard as we followed the beast into the night-shrouded woods.

✎

˗ˏˋ 𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫'𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞 ˊˎ˗

Hello everyone!

Big chapter, more than 5200 words!! I hope you are liking this storyline. In this chapter you get to know Miaven and her job a bit more. I swear, it will make sense later on.

Tampon- sorry, Tamlin is here, that means Spring Court will be in the next chapter! Be ready for it!!

Feyre and Maiven are written as my sibling goal tbh, or how I wish my relationship with my sister would actually be. I love them.

Let me know what you thought about this!!

˚ · ° . 𝐔𝐩𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐥𝐞 . ° · ˚

𝐖𝐞𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐲

𝐒𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐝𝐚𝐲

𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐲 𝐬𝐚𝐟𝐞 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞!

– 𝐋𝐨𝐥𝐚 ☾