𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟓

𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙩, 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙭 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙬𝙞𝙣𝙨

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╰┈˚ · ° .  I ENTERED WHAT WAS GOING TO BE MY NEW ROOM, it was big, big enough that it was the same size as the entire Archeron cottage, maybe even bigger. I had never seen a room of this dimension before.

It had a high ceiling, big windows that gave view to the gardens at the back of the manor outlined by curtains of emerald green with flower embroidery. A fireplace was builded at one side, in front of it there was a sitting area— a small couch and two chairs with a small glass coffee table. The bed was directly on the far wall from the fireplace. Big and full of pillows that ranged in sizes and colors. I could see a door on the right of the bed, probably connected to a private bathroom.

It was a beautiful room by any standard, definitely the best I had ever been in, but still, a shiver ran across my body and the feeling of wrongness echoed loudly into me. The sensation was weird, but I let it pass as something that every human might feel once across the wall in the land of Prythian.

The door burst open as three maids entered the room.

"Hello?" I said but it came out more as a question as I eyed the three females that stood rigid at the entrance.

The one that stood in front of the other two, seeming a bit older, had a head full of red curls and freckled brown skin, was the one that spoke.

"We are here to help you shower and dress. I'm Merissa." she then pointed at the identical blonde girls behind her. "This is Erika" She introduced the one on her right. Her blonde straight hair that arrived at her knees was identical to the one of her twin, but her eyes were bright green, different from the hazel ones that almost glowed of her sister. "And this is Rea," Merissa finished, a smile now adorning her features. It took me a second more to see the rows of sharp teeth behind the glamour that she had on, like the actual glow of the twins' eyes, but still, nothing passed through my features that gave it away.

The two almost identical sisters walked away weirdly in sync, entering the bathroom chamber as Merissa advanced towards me with sure and graceful steps.

"Maven." I spoke, introducing herself with a curt nod "You don't really need to do this. I can do it myself just fine." I said carefully, lacing my words with calmness and what seemed to be the best friendly tone that I could master.

"We were instructed to do this, so we are doing it. If you like it or not." Her face showed just annoyance, contorting from her previously friendly expression.

Alright, let's throw away any type of gentle appearance.

With a sweet saccharine smile that was anything but true, I nodded at the faerie before walking to the bathroom, Merissa on my trail. If they wanted to bathe me then so be it. Less work for me.

"Can I have a moment so I can undress myself without being gawked at? You can enter in just a minute, don't worry." I asked, even if it was more a demand than anything by the way my tone came through.

Merissa rolled her eyes but still ushered the other two maids out with her as she walked out of the bathroom shutting the door after her.

I reached the inside part of my corset, snatching the blade out before doing the same with the much smaller one in my hair.

I looked around, eyes searching for some hiding place. If the three girls were to see the weapons, it was sure that the High Lord would take them too away. The flowers on the counter were what caught my eye, they were everywhere in this manor, in this room. Even the hallways had vases with them. With movements soft like feathers, I hid both of them in the vase, taking note mentally to search for a better hiding place later. The water still rushed out of the faucet of the bathtub helping me greatly in the mission as its noise concealed perfectly from the faeries any little sound that I, as human, was bound to make.

I quickly discarded my clothes, being careful with them. Folding them once I was done and placing them on a wooden stool, before submerging my body in the warm water putting a stop to the faucet. It was a good feeling, having a bath. I couldn't even remember the last time I had an opportunity like that. My aching muscles were slightly soothed by the warmth that I could resist grunting at the feeling.

The door of the bathroom opened, and the three faeries entered once again, Merissa leading the blonde fairies. The twins rushed around preparing soaps and oils for the water, going even as far as sprinkling rose petals and lavender into the bath. Merissa was the one who sat on a low stool to help me bathe.

A light gasp escaped the curly red-haired faerie. I could feel her eyes traveling up and down my body, focusing on my back and arm more.

"You know it's rude to stare, right?" I asked with a light tone. Clearly amused by her reaction and wide eyes. Not that it couldn't understand her. having as many scars as I had was definitely not normal.

"I am sorry, I just wasn't expecting it." Her face was flustered, her mocha tone getting a red hue almost the color of her hair.

"No need to apologize." I chuckled lightly, sending the faerie a smile trying to ease her nerves a bit. If she continued to stare I was for certainty not going to be so friendly anymore, though. "I am not ashamed of my scars." I added. it was the truth. They never bothered me.

"Can...can I ask why you have so many?" In almost a whisper the faerie asked as she started to wet my golden-brown hair with a small bucket.

"Not everyone has a happy past. Sometimes we can't decide for ourselves what we do with our life." I revealed with a small hollow smile gracing my lips as I left the words of my truth permeating the air.

The rest of the bath was done in silence, almost an awkward and pitiful one that made me want to roll my eyes. Merissa, Erika and Rea helped me to clean up, soaping my hair, cleaning them and brushing through the knots with a brush and gentle motions. They washed my body and helped me out of the wooden tub to dry me off with a soft cream colored towel.

"Alis said your sister did not want to wear a dress and I am pretty sure that the same is for you, so I have this" The red haired faerie said, showing with a motion the clothes perfectly folded in her hands.

"I will have my clothes back, right?" I asked with more force than necessary. But they were the only familiar thing here apart from my sister. I couldn't even count myself.

"Yes, you will." Merissa answered with an eye roll while helping me into the new clean clothes. A beige colored trousers and white tunic that I tucked in. I still wore my belt, even without the sheath with my sword. At least that was familiar.

After that, Merissa had all but shoved me outside the room, and I was very ready to snap her neck with my bare hands, only the sight of Feyre, coming out from her room following after the faerie Alis, stopped me from doing so. My twin's eyes lighten up at the sight of me, brushing abruptly past an annoyed Merissa and Alis to launch herself in my arms. We hugged, more like Feyre did most of it with me standing kind of awkward and patting her back. I was not good with these things. Squeezing her hand was as much I would do to show any type of affection, even with her. I much prefer threatening and killing people to protect her way of showing that I care.

"Are you okay?" I whispered to my twin as she kept her arm locked around my shoulder.

Offering me a fleeting smile, a sad one, she finally stepped back with a single nod to answer my question. "Are you?" She then asked

"I'm good." I told her, giving the best smile I could. Mostly resembling a grimace. Eying her from her head to her toe, clean and in good clothes, I could definitely see for the first time in years, how much we resembled each other physically. We were almost the same in everything, physically. Same, height, same hair, same features, same shape of body... the difference was mostly in our eyes. Mine gray and lifeless and hers more on the blue side with flickers of hope that you could glimpse occasionally. A couple more differences was that I had much more muscle on me opposite to her frail malnourished body, many scars to differ our skins and my features were slightly sharper than hers. But overall, it was clear that we were twins.

The two maids walked us back to the dining room where we had first met Lucien and the version of Tamlin in his fae body. The golden-haired High Fae, who was Tamlin, the High Lord of the spring court, was still there with Lucien, still lounging at the table when we arrived again. They no longer had plates before them, but still sipped from golden goblets from time to time. Food still remained on the table, the array of spices lingering in the air, beckoning us forwards.

The golden-haired High Fae's mask gleamed with the last rays of the afternoon sunshine. "Before you ask again: the food is safe for you to eat."

I rolled my eyes and sat down on a random chair starting to pile food on my plate unceremoniously.

"Maiven! " Feyre hissed, her eyes widening at my actions.

"What! I'm hungry. The last time that I ate was three days ago and I worked, so please sit and eat. it's safe to eat, don't worry" I replied to my anxious sister, hissing back at her when my stomach grumbled from the lack of any food.

The fairies eyes landed on me before the High Lord switched back to Feyre "What do you want, then?"

Lucien drawled from his seat along the length of the table, "I told you so, Tamlin." He flicked a glance toward his friend. "Your skills with females have definitely become rusty in recent decades."

Tamlin. What a shitty name. Horrendous just like his clearly bright personality

He glowered at Lucien, shifting in his seat.

As I said. Bright personality. Always smiling that one.

I looked at the two, seeing if they were being serious. I couldn't help but snort, thought, at the joke that the red-haired fae had said.

"That was a good one. Good job." She said, winking at the male causing Lucien to snicker at the face that his friend had made at my comment.

"Well," Lucien said, composing himself a bit, his remaining russet eye switching between me and my sister, "you don't look half as bad now. A relief, I suppose, since you're to live with us. Though the tunic isn't as pretty as a dress."

"A shame that you remain bad as the first time I had to lay my eyes on you. Really." I talked back, sighing dramatically as I cut a piece of meat with the cutlery.

"I'd prefer not to wear that dress." Feyre answered, trying to shift the conversation away from my insult. I could see how scared she was that I was going to actually get myself killed with my unfiltered words.

"And why not?" Lucien crooned.

It was Tamlin who answered. "Because killing us is easier in pants."

"Oh you are wrong, darling. I can easily kill in a dress. Trousers are just comfier, I guess" I said without missing a beat.

"Now that we are here, what ... what do you plan to do with us?" Feyre asked with a blank face.

Lucien snorted, but Tamlin said with a snarl of annoyance, "Just sit down."

I pulled out the chair next to me, nodding at Feyre to sit down.

"We're not going to bite." Lucien's white teeth gleamed in a way that suggested otherwise.

"Talk for yourself." I said while twirling the water in a golden chalice not even looking at him.

Tamlin rose, stalking around the table—closer and closer, each movement smooth and lethal, a predator blooded with power. I eyed him carefully watching attentively every step he took. I knew he needed Feyre alive for whatever reason, still that didn't mean she was safe. What I didn't expect was him picking up a dish, bringing it over to Feyre, and piled some meat and sauce on the plate for her.

"I can serve myself." My twin muttered quietly.

"It's an honor for a human to be served by a High Fae," Tamlin said roughly.

Asshole— I thought while rolling her eyes

"Aren't you so full of yourself?" I asked sarcastically. I didn't knee an answer, I already had one. And it was yes, yes he was.

He continued piling various foods on the plate, stopping only when it was heaping with meat and sauce and bread, and then filled her glass with pale sparkling wine before prowling back to his seat.

Tamlin straightened a bit and said, "You look ... better than before."

Was he complimenting Feyre? I could have sworn Lucien gave Tamlin an encouraging nod.

"And your hair is ... clean."

His attempts to flirt with my sister were so amusing that a small smile, a real one, formed on my face without my permission. I quickly blanked my face when I noticed it, almost widening my eyes at it.

"Gods you suck at this. With your age I would assume one would know how to flirt properly." I whispered with a snicker. It was not loud enough for Feyre to hear, but it was for the two fae with heightened hearing at the table. "Are you sure you are not a virgin?"

Lucien burst out in a loud laugh at the same time Tamlin snarled in my direction and Feyre looked totally and utterly confused.

"You're High Fae—faerie nobility?" Feyre asked, her words calmly and quite completely unaware of the comment spoken by me.

Lucien coughed and looked to Tamlin. "You can take that question."

"Yes," Tamlin said, frowning—as if searching for anything to say to her. He settled on merely: "We are."

"What do you plan to do with us now that we're here?"

Tamlin's eyes didn't leave her face. "Nothing. Do whatever you want."

"So we are not to be your slaves?" she dared ask.

Lucien choked on his wine. But Tamlin didn't smile. "I don't keep slaves."

"Not anymore." I commented before taking a sip of water from my goblet.

"But what are we to do with our life here?" She pressed. "Do you—do you wish us to earn our keep? To work?"

Tamlin stiffened. "What you do with your life isn't my problem."

Lucien pointedly cleared his throat, and Tamlin flashed him a glare. After an exchanged look Tamlin sighed and said, "Don't you have any... interests?"

"No." Feyre answered. But she did, actually. She had hobbies. Her love for art and painting was something that she really cherished.

Lucien muttered, "So typically human." He then turned to look at me "What about you?"

"I love killing High Fae." I deadpanned with the most unbothered look ever.

Tamlin rolled his eyes, clearly not taking my threat to heart. Well, that was his mistake. "Do whatever you want with your time. Just stay out of trouble." He said to the both of us.

"So you truly mean for us to stay here forever." Feyre said

"I didn't make the rules," Tamlin said tersely.

"My family is starving," She said, making me remember them again. I kind of felt bad for forgetting them. Only for a second before what I really wanted to do was roll my eyes. They could work or hunt. Sometimes I just wished for them to do something to help Feyre and I all those years, but they never did. They would probably starve without us now.

"Please let us go. There must be— must be some other loophole out of the Treaty's rules—some other way to atone."

"Atone?" Lucien said. "Have you even apologized yet?"

Apparently, all attempts to flatter Feyre were dead and gone. So she looked Lucien right in his remaining russet eye and said, "I'm sorry."

Lucien leaned back in his chair. "How did you kill him? Was it a bloody fight, or just cold-blooded murder?"

"I shot him with an ash arrow. And then an ordinary arrow through the eye. He didn't put up a fight. After the first shot, he just stared at me." She explained the two.

"Yet you killed him anyway—though he made no move to attack you. And then you skinned him," Lucien hissed making

"Well we needed the money to not starve, Lucien" I hissed back, sending him a harsh glare. His name leaving my lips dripping with venom.

"Enough, Lucien." Tamlin said to his courtier with a snarl. "I don't want to hear details."

Feyre spoke before he could say anything else. "Our family won't last a month without us."

Lucien chuckled, making me gritted her teeth. "Do you know what it's like to be hungry?" I asked with malice, "Do you know what it's like to not know when your next meal will be?"

Tamlin's jaw tightened. "Your family is alive and well-cared for. You think so low of faeries that you believe I'd take their only sources of income and nourishment and not replace it?"

"You swear it?" Feyre asked

A low, incredulous laugh. "On everything that I am and possess."

"Why not tell us that when we left the cottage?"

"Would you have believed me? Do you even believe me now?" Tamlin's claws embedded in the arms of his chair.

"Why should I trust a word you say? You're all masters of spinning your truths to your own advantage."

"Some would say it's unwise to insult a Fae in his home," Tamlin ground out. "Some would say you should be grateful for me finding you before another one of my kind came to claim the debt, for sparing your life and then offering you the chance to live in comfort."

Feyre shot to her feet before she was shoved back into the chair.

Invisible bonds now secured us both to the chair.

"Do not do whatever it was you were contemplating," Tamlin said.

I went still as the tang of magic seared my nose. I tried to twist in the chair, testing the invisible bonds. But my arms were secured, and my back was pressed into the wood so hard that it ached. At that moment my face hardened as I recalled the previous times where I was in this exact same position. Bloodied and wounded. My eyes freezed as I slipped back on the mask that concealed any human emotion from my face, becoming hollow of any life as I looked at the fae dead in the eyes. But only Lucien was looking at me. I tilted my head slightly to the side. My eyes never left his as he refrained himself from swallowing the knot in his throat. I knew he wanted to shuffle in his seat because he was becoming uncomfortable by my stare. Learning how to read body language was part of the training that I have been through. Probably the things I love the most of what I have learned. Lucian was very uncomfortable, because he was looking at the face of a reaper. A face invisibly stained with blood and death. The one that many saw before exhaling their last breath. Eyes so cold that the winters in the mortal world could never compare to it.

"I'm going to warn you once," Tamlin said too softly. "Only once, and then it's on you, humans. I don't care if you go live somewhere else in Prythian. But if you cross the wall, if you flee, your family will no longer be cared for. Is that not a fair bargain? And if you flee, then you might not be so lucky with whoever comes to retrieve you next." His claws slipped back under his knuckles. "The food is not enchanted, or drugged, and it will be your own damn fault if you faint. So you're going to sit at this table and eat, Feyre. And Lucien will do his best to be polite." He threw a pointed look in his direction. Lucien looked back at him, shrugging. "You too Maiven." He said, looking at me. He didn't wait for an answer as the invisible bonds loosened, but the ones their legs and middle remained intact

We continued to eat but I had not relaxed a second. The assassin in me was ready for her kill, for blood to be spilled. It was only when Feyre reached for a second helping of chocolate torte that the food vanished. Just—vanished, as if it had never existed, not a crumb left behind.

"One more bite and you'll hurl your guts up," Tamlin said to Feyre, drinking deeply from his goblet.

The bonds holding them loosened. A silent permission to leave.

"Thank you for the meal," Feyre said.

"Won't you stay for wine?" Lucien said with sweet venom from where he lounged in his seat.

She braced her hands on her chair to rise. "I'm tired. I'd like to sleep."

"It's been a few decades since I last saw one of you," Lucien drawled, "but you humans never change, so I don't think I'm wrong in asking why you find our company to be so unpleasant, when surely the men back home aren't much to look at."

At the other end of the table, Tamlin gave his emissary a long, warning look. Lucien ignored it.

"You're High Fae," She said coldly. "I'd ask why you'd even bother inviting us here at all—or dining with us."

Lucien said, "True. But indulge me: you're a human woman, and yet you'd rather eat hot coals than sit here longer than necessary. Ignoring this"—he waved a hand at the metal eye and brutal scar on his face—"surely we're not so miserable to look at. Unless you have someone back home. Unless there's a line of suitors out the door of your hovel that makes us seem like worms in comparison."

"I was close with a man back in my village." Feyre revealed

Tamlin and Lucien exchanged glances, but it was Tamlin who said, "Are you in love with this man?"

"No," She said as casually

Again, that shared look between the two males. "And do you ... love anyone else?" Tamlin said through clenched teeth.

A laugh burst out of me, tinged with hysteria. She looked between them. Nonsense. These lethal, immortal beings really had nothing better to do than this? "Is this really what you care to know about her? If she finds you more handsome than human men, and if she has a man back home? Why bother to ask at all, when she'll be stuck here for the rest of her life?"

"We wanted to learn more about you two, since you'll be here for a good while," Tamlin said, his lips a thin line. "But Lucien's pride tends to get in the way of his manners." He sighed, as if ready to be done with us, and said, "Go rest. We're both busy most days, so if you two need anything, ask the staff. They'll help you."

"Why?" Feyre asked. "Why be so generous?" Lucien gave her a look that suggested he had no idea, either, given that she'd murdered their companion, but Tamlin stared at her for a long moment.

"I kill too often as it is," Tamlin said finally, shrugging his broad shoulders. "And you're insignificant enough to not ruffle this estate. Unless you decide to start killing us."

"We have something in common then." I murmured under my breath. I knew that the Fae could hear me and that was the reason I had murmured it in the first place.

"Yes, of course." Lucien snorted not believing a word that the human girl had just said

"Well...," I spoke, not quite feeling grateful at all, "Thank you."

He gave a distant nod and motioned for them to leave. Dismissed.

Lucien propped his chin on a fist and gave them a lazy half smile.

Feyre was the first to turn around interviewing their hands before starting to walk away.

Just after a step I halted

"Damn it." I cursed

Rolling my eyes, I turned around looking at Lucian. Both of the High Faes eyebrows raised.

I raised my chin high, my stance proud as I said the words that were once spoken to me by him. "Never be ashamed of your scars. Wear them proudly. They show your strength" His face flashed through my mind making me clench my jaw. I looked at Tamlin then, hardening my stare into a gelid one. "And try to bind me to a chair another time and I'll make you regret ever taking a step inside my cottage. I don't do empty threats. Remember that." I gave them a last nod before turning back around to face my sister.

She gave me a small and proud smile, making me playfully roll my eyes at my twin, before interviewing our arms together and finally walking out of the dining room.

A threat and a motivational speech. Better than just threatening to kill them or just kill them, I guess. It's an improvement. We take all the wins we can.

✎

˗ˏˋ 𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫'𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞 ˊˎ˗

Hello everyone!

Big chapter today! First lunch of many with Tamlin and Lucien.

Mai whispering things so that only the fae can hear her and Feyre not so she would not get yelled at by her is something else. I love this little detail.

I hope you like this chapter.

˚ · ° . 𝐔𝐩𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐥𝐞 . ° · ˚

𝐖𝐞𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐲

𝐒𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐝𝐚𝐲

𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐲 𝐬𝐚𝐟𝐞 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞!

– 𝐋𝐨𝐥𝐚 ☾