My Darling Katherina

Chapter Two

Katherina could feel the stares of those as she raced down the street.

A few days ago, she had left the Court of Dawn, traveling for days to reach the Court of Nightmares and later, to Velaris. Staying in a small apartment and working at an even smaller cafe to help pay the bills. She knew it was risky, working publicly at the Night Court of all the Courts but something in Katherina simply told her too.

It had been years since Amarantha's death. If she was staying in the Court of Nightmares, perhaps then it would be worrisome but Velaris never saw the Queen, much less lived under her murderous rule. No one would recognize her and she was even smiled at by a few customers.

There was no harm in walking down a few streets without looking over her shoulder at every turn.

However, she was late.

Katherina overslept, which is something she had never done. Living with an expecting target on your back since birth would have taught her that she could never let her guard down. But last night, she was busy setting her things up for the next week at the most.

Usually, she would only stay three days at most and then leave.

The risk of her identity kept her far but this time, she believed it wouldn't be a danger to herself to stay a few days more.

She fell asleep while sharpening a blade. Waking up to feel the poke against her hand, rushing to not be any later to where she was supposed to go.

A place where she had a perfect, hidden view to look at Her Father and his family fly.

But she was late.

Meaning she'd only get a few minutes to watch them before they would tire and leave. Causing Katherina to race through the streets of Velaris.

Suddenly, Katherina felt herself falling and another body went down with her.

She saw blood begin to ooze out before the time could even register it.

"By the Mother, are you alright?" Katherina exclaimed, her eyes wide with concern as she quickly got up and examined the scene before her. Pots and flowers lay crushed and broken, water and glass soaking the stranger's gown. Without hesitation, she extended her hand to help them up. "I am so sorry for bumping into you," she quickly reached into her pocket and handed the woman a few coins. "This should cover it and again I apologize for the damage and hate to leave you here but I have somewhere to be-"

Quickly, Katherina moved to the side and began to run again to catch even a glimpse of her Father before she was too late.

She left the woman there, wet and wounded from a cut on her arm.

She didn't register what had happened until her sister came out of the shop, her eyes widening in panic. "Curse the Cauldron- What happened to you?!"

Seeing the cut, she simply waved her sister off, not wanting a fuss. "I fell into someone, I'm alright." Before her sister began to fuss over her, "She was in a hurry and apologized, it's fine."

She sighed in frustration, "Let's just go home and clean you up, you're a mess."

"Wait! She gave me these coins but I don't need them, we should give them back."

Nesta shook her head, "Another day, Elain."

******

Elain recalled a time when she had just returned from a flower shop, her hands still bearing the earthy scent of fresh soil, and a smile on her face after spending the afternoon planting all of the lilies she had purchased. The delicate petals of the flowers seemed to glow in the late afternoon sun as she carefully arranged them in her garden.

Lost in her thoughts and the simple pleasure of tending to her beloved lilies, Elain was on her way to bed, her footsteps light and her heart content. But as fate would have it, just as she turned a corner in the garden, she accidentally ran into Rhysand.

Startled, she stumbled back a step, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment. Rhysand, with his characteristic grace and charm, caught her by the arm to steady her. His violet eyes met hers, and a knowing smile played at the corners of his lips.

"Oh my goodness!" Elain cried, her voice filled with surprise as she turned to see Rhysand standing there. "I didn't hear you come out, Rhysand, is everything alright?"

Rhysand's eyes held a mixture of emotions, but he managed a small smile. "Everything's fine, I was just taking a walk and happened to find you here."

He glanced at the work behind her, "Gardening?"

Elain nodded, still a bit flustered by their unexpected encounter. "Yes," she replied when he asked about the Tiger Lillies she had planted. She glanced down at her flowers, her fingers gently caressing the petals. "Tiger Lilies have always been a favorite of mine. Especially those that grow in an—"

"Orange and Purple," Rhysand interrupted, his voice soft but tinged with sadness. "I prefered color of mine."

Elain's heart twisted as she looked into his eyes, seeing the grief that lay hidden within them. What could have caused such anguish in the strongest High Lord, she wondered.

"Back when I was a kid," Rhysand began, taking a seat on one of the benches. Elain followed suit, sitting close to him but maintaining a small distance. She wanted to offer comfort but didn't want to intrude on his personal space.

"My sister was also a gardener," he continued, his voice heavy with memories. "She'd spend hours tending to a single flower, making sure it had all it needed to survive. Tiger Lilies, in particular, that grew in orange and purple. They were her favorites..."

His voice trailed off, and Elain was startled to hear sniffling. When she looked up at him, she realized he was crying. Feyre had told her the painful narrative of Rhysand's ascension to the position of High Lord. Tamlin, the Spring Court's High Lord, had slaughtered his sister and mother, cutting off their wings and keeping them as trophies.

Elain reached out and took his hand in hers, squeezing it gently to offer solace and support. She sat there with him until his breathing returned to normal, and his eyes dried.

"Rhysand, I'm sorry for your loss," she said softly. "If they were here right now, I'm sure they'd be very proud of you and the person you've become."

Rhysand turned to face her, a genuine smile gracing his lips. "Thank you, Elain. You have no idea how important that is to me."

Elain couldn't help but smile back, despite the solemnity of the moment. Rhysand squeezed her hand in return and whispered, "I'm delighted to call you my sister-in-law."

"As I'm honored to call you my brother," Elain replied, her heart warmed by the bond they were forging in that garden filled with Tiger Lilies and shared memories.

In the House of Wind, Elain finished explaining how she had gone to the flower shop in search of some Tiger Lillies when she ran into a young girl on her way back. And how they fell and she was cut.

"Suddenly, She handed me a fistful of gold coins and disappeared before I could say no."

"Perhaps she was in a rush?" Azriel spoke up. Elain nodded her head, "She did say something similar I believe. I'm going to go find her tomorrow and return the money she gave me. It was a simple accident, she needs the money more than I do."

"Well, if it's alright to you," Feyre remarked, "I would like to join you. Velaris is, after all, a sprawling city, and two eyes are better than one."

Rhysand looked over at his Love, "I'll join as well. I would like a break from High Lord for a few hours, even if it's to find some girl in Velaris."

Elain could see Varian, Lucien, and the rest of the inner circle nodding in unison. "Very well," she said decisively, "then we shall commence our search promptly tomorrow morning!"