A Court of Lies and Secrets | ACOTAR fanfic [Girl x Girl]

The Rest of Our Lives

~Alirra~

"Shouldn't they be back by now?" I pace the room whilst Feyre watches me with amusement. I had a bit of sleep, only to wake a few times worried about Renae.

"Did you not see the size of that beast?" She responds and I give her a deep frown.

"That is not helping!" I realise I'm waving my arms around like a lunatic and place them calmly at my sides. Feyre releases a light laugh that's barely audible.

"How are you so calm? Your mate is battling that thing too!" She gives a one-shoulder shrug.

"Rhys said they set off home hours ago." I stop in my tracks and almost trip over the way-too-expensive rug at my feet. I'm barely two strides away from Feyre and right now there isn't much stopping me from throwing her off the balcony. "I just enjoyed watching you pace around the entire house." She gives another shrug and a playful smile. The balcony looking too enticing..

"So where are they?" I sigh and regret sitting on the chaise the second I do. Despite the fact I know she's on her way home, I can't keep still at the thought of any trouble occurring whilst I'm away- not that I'd be much help.

"They should be in Summer court by now." I give her nod and focus my nervous energy into chewing my bottom lip. She doesn't look away and decides to start a new topic of conversation. "I can't help myself: are you going to accept the mate bond?"

"I think so." I say the words before I even process them. I've both overthought and not thought about that question. Whilst in those shackles, it was all I could think about. I just wanted my mate. I wanted that comfort- to lay in their arms no matter who they were. I don't think these feelings will change.

Feyre doesn't say anything else. She sits across the room with a pleased smile across her face and I pray she doesn't out it to everyone before I have a chance to talk to Renae first. She looks more excited than I am.

~~~

I don't remember the court arriving home. I also don't remember deciding to take myself to bed. But when I open my eyes the sun is sending rays through the window and hitting every possible surface in the room. I can't help but smile. Not only missing the morning sun, but also how it makes the room so much happier in the morning.

"Good morning." The words take my breath away and I practically leap in my flat position to turn towards my mate. She's here. In front of me. It's almost as if I haven't just seen her a few hours ago. She's looking down at me like she's been watching the whole time- not at all like me who can't close my gaping mouth and widening eyes.

"You didn't wake me!" I hit her arm. Not the welcoming she was expecting but soon readjusts her surprised expression and releases a laugh. She reaches for my wrist which was about to go in for another hit.

"You needed the rest." She averts her eyes to our hands and the thumb making soft circles against my wrist. I can't look away from her. It's like if I look away I might lose her. "I didn't want to wake you. I carried you to bed before the loud Illyrians arrived for a celebratory drink." I can't hold back my laugh. I picture them all sprawled across the sofa with empty bottles of Rhysand's best wine thrown around the room.

"I'm glad you're back." I say at the same time as she says, "I'm so happy you're safe." We both smile and she drops my wrist, reaching to cup my face. She doesn't need to check if it's ok with me- but she does, giving me patient eyes with full pupils. How could I even say no? I close the gap, our lips touching but not quite a kiss.

Her other hand reaches for the back of my neck and presses me slightly closer. Gentle kisses creep into desperation. My hands are removing her Illyrian leathers which she barely removed last night. Her tongue is grazing my own and both hands hold tightly as if I might float away- I wouldn't be surprised if I did.

I move to straddle myself over her lap- never removing our lips as she removes my own layers. I can feel more and more butterflies in my stomach and I can't help but smile. I've imagined this moment every second of each day I was stuck with Ginerva. I thought about what I'd say or do and how I'd do it. But right now, I don't care about any details, I don't care about how I'll tell her how much I'd be happy to accept the bond. Right now, I just want to hold her and feel every feeling as her mouth travels over my entire body whilst my hands never leave her hair. I want to embrace everything about this moment and remember it for the rest of my existence. How the aches in my chest, that were built up over the time in the dark room, soothe and fade into nothing. They way her hands explore my body as if she has no care in the world and her eyes roam my face every now and then in complete disbelief that I'm actually in her arms.

This is more perfect then I ever imagined and I don't want anything else to ruin it. I won't let anything ruin it. I'm finally with my mate and nobody will take that away from me again.

"My mate." I mumble through the sloppy kisses which are halted instantly. Renae pulls away, assessing my every feature.

"Say it again."

"My mate." Our lips meet again and I continue to mumble those two words.

~~~

We spend the entire morning in each others arms and I stare unapologetically into her eyes as if I haven't ever noticed the fleck of stars embedded inside them.

"We brought that young female with us," her voice cuts through the blissful silence, "she didn't agree with what Iagan and Ginerva planned."

"I know." She raises an eyebrow in question and I continue to explain, "before you arrived in Hybern, Ginerva told me what she had planned for me... to save Mireille-"

"Why didn't you tell me?" She looks genuinely annoyed or angry or perhaps frightened ; that scares me too a little.

"I didn't have much energy left, I needed to keep pulling on the bond so you'd find me." I quickly spew out a billion words per second and her brows un-pinch and a dimple slowly appears beside her mouth. She releases a laugh at my flustered state and I restrain from rolling my eyes.

"Belowdeck, Mireille told me it isn't what she wanted. I believed her. I don't know whether its because the two of you looked so alike and I was captivated..."

"You found my sister captivating, hm?" I snap my neck in her direction, prepared to spit out even more explanations, but her dimple is deeper and her eyes dance playfully. I swat her arm with my own.

"She called me The Child of The Cauldron. Have you ever heard of such a thing?" She searches my whole face and I feel my cheeks heat under the stare.

Finally, she shakes her head. I continue, "apparently, during the war,  the King of Hybern wanted an heir to his throne. The easiest way he thought of was forcing the Cauldron to create a child and place it into a healthy young female. I don't know whether I believe her. Such a thing can't be possible, surely?"

"I've heard stories of people trying to create their children using the cauldron, but nobody got close. The King spent many years with the cauldron and no doubt found some powerful fae to master the trick..."

"So you're saying it's true?" Not exactly the answer I was looking for–

"I'm saying it's a possibility." I sit up and rest my head against the headboard. I can't even imagine how it's possible. I never knew my parents but there's no way I'm the heir to Hybern and Made by the cauldron. If you'd even call it 'Made'. Do I still call my Mother by that word? Biologically I have no Mother, which boggles the mind even more.

"Don't worry so much. We have the rest of our lives to find out whatever you wish."

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