A Court of Scars and Shadows

In All Glory

After the whole siphon fiasco, Gwyn was winnowed back to the Spring Court with seven blue siphons in hand.

Rhysand had bid her goodnight and winnowed back to the Night Court. She went back up to her room and just stared at the siphons, reliving the memories with her Shadowsinger.

How she missed him, but he was at peace now and she needed to move on. She needed to come to terms with his death. His siphons somehow helped with that. Her shadows had also felt the shift in her and were less murkier and moved more freely. 

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She was in her office, when Elain knocked on the closed door. She was too busy to go open the door for her so she just told her to come in. 

Elain was wearing a loose red dress, that had some embroidered flowers on the it. Casual. She was glowing and the scent of something new was whisked in with her usual scent of jasmine and honey. 

"How are you doing, "Gwyn asked as she flipped through pages of reports. Her time off for searching for siphons and the High Lords meeting, piled more work onto her. 

"I'm doing well," Elain smiled softly, her eyes shined with joy and Gwyn guessed it had everything to do with the news of her pregnancy. "How are you?"

"Stressed, I don't even know where all of these reports are coming from." She flipped through one more page before closing the reports, she was going to take a small break. "How's the babe?"

"Not letting me and Lucien sleep peacefully already. I wake at random times to hurl my guts up." Gwyn chuckled at that. She didn't know much about pregnancy, but what she read about it in the library did not sound like a fun experience. There were many pros and cons in Fae pregnancies, mostly cons. Babes were difficult to conceive and miscarriages were very common. 

"I've read that a black licorice tea soothes the sickness."

"I've tried it, believe it or not. My stomach got more upset," Elain had her hand resting on top of her belly. 

"Well, do you need help with something?" 

Elain looked at the hand resting on her stomach before looking at Gwyn again. "Lucien and I were wondering if we could leave for the Night Court this week."

"Of course," Gwyn would be left alone here, but she wouldn't force Elain and Lucien to stay. Especially when they had to share news to Elain's sisters. "You don't have to asked me for permission," she added. She didn't want to make it seem like she used her position of power to manipulate and control people.

Elain's face softened. "I know." She took the scattered paper of reports on Gwyn's desk before saying, "I'll let you continue working." 

Elain gave her a small nod and faced the door to leave. She was about to open the door as Gwyn randomly asked, "How often do you get visions? Did you get visions about your babe?" Gwyn didn't know where the question came from, but some thing inside her wanted her to be closer to Elain. As if Elain could provide her with closure or help. Part of her also. just wanted someone to have a same conversation with.

Elain turned around, "It depends. They stopped after the War, but I attempted a scrying and they started to reappear. The reason I called the healer to check if I was pregnant was because I dreamed of it and my dream was one similar to my visions." 

Gwyn asked her more questions and Elain sat in one of the ottomans in front of Gwyn's desk. Elain would sometimes ask Gwyn a few questions and at the end of their conversation Gwyn felt closer to the Archeron sister. 

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Elain and Lucien left in the morning to the Night Court. She was sad to see her friends go, but counted down the days till the next week, in which they would return back to the Spring Court.