A Court of Bastards [ACOTAR]

Chapter 2

The room fell silent as the ornate doors swung shut. Eris' footsteps echoed beyond the throne room, and hardly a moment later his kin burst into clusters - murmuring, gossiping and some already beginning to scheme. 

Fiona flew across the room, squealing happily as she threw herself into Riordan's outstretched arms. Their many cousins shot the pair looks of thinly-veiled disgust.

"Dan, you look amazing!" Fiona pulled away and took in his sun-kissed face and gleaming countenance. Eris was right, she thought. There was nothing of autumn left on him now, save the red in his hair and a smattering of freckles on his nose. "What are they feeding you up there?"

Riordan laughed, the sound like a soft morning breeze. "Just a little sun," he assured her with a smile. "And some time away from this place." He gazed up at the paintings of fox-faced Lords from ages past lining the walls, their faces austere, their postures rigid. His eyes sloped sadly when they landed back on Fiona.

She threw a whack at his lustrous white coat. "Stop it." 

Riordan raised his hands in surrender. "I know, I'm sorry. I just hate to see you here," he sighed. "Someday, we'll get you out of this lair."

"And go where?" Fiona laughed, trying to sound light-hearted. The pair began strolling along the dark corridors, emerging in the cavernous Oak Hall. The grand foyer held the ancient oak tree that the Forest House had been built around, its branches casting the room in shadow, burrowing their way into every corner.

"It's not exactly pleasant here," Fiona admitted, glancing up at the tree. "But I'd still rather be walking these halls than running from Eris' hounds my whole life." 

The oak leaves curled a little but were stirred by no breeze. Though the tree was grand and mighty, Fiona had always looked upon it sadly. To her, it seemed just another prisoner, captive to Eris and his crown.

"I'm not talking about running." Riordan threw back. "We could marry you off to some Lord's boy, smuggle you into one of the Solar Courts, perhaps."

Fiona shot him a dry look. 

"What?" he laughed. They approached a set of doors which led to the gardens, and Riordan held one open for her to step through. "I hear there are many eligible and dashing fae waiting to be wed up North." He shot her a dastardly grin that earned him another smack.

"Yes, that's the trouble with all these Autumn bastards – they worm their way into every corner of Prythian." she teased. "Like cockroaches!"

"Oh cousin, you wound me."

"There's still every chance we're siblings, you know. And, what with your bloodline," she added. "Who could say for sure?" 

Fiona took a turn toward the West wing of the house, leaving Riordan standing beside a hedge of roses. The rain had dulled to a fine drizzle that coated his streaked red hair in mist. It clung to him, just as everything seemed to cling to him, desperate to fly off with him to the faraway lands he now called home. 

"Related to you?" Riordan mimicked a gagging noise that made the nearby ladies gasp and flee.

Fiona tipped her head back to the rain and laughed, turning away from his glowing figure and back to the gravel path. "You may shine like the sun now, Dan," she yelled over her shoulder. "But your hair's still red as autumn leaves!"

*

By noon, it seemed as though the whole court had packed themselves onto the drive, hats, gowns and trunks spilling out of every carriage door. No one had any idea how long the summit might last, but any opportunity to present themselves to foreign dignitaries was taken very seriously. The ladies of the court had packed their finest silks and dresses in the hopes of enticing wandering eyes, while the little lords had already begun to play mind games with one another, fighting for the chance to share a carriage with the most cunning of their kin. There was a buzz of electricity in the air, a shared thrill at the prospect of leaving the territory - though Eris, of course, looked just as miserable as usual taking up his private carriage at the front of the train.