A Court of Shorts and Storys

A Mistake

Me, once more exploring Elain. And a scene that I almost hope will happen in the next book. Tissues are advised.

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She entered the hall first, the rest of them behind her. A wolf in sheep's clothing, the piper brining the rats to there death. That was how Beron described her task.

If you get them here, I can make you human again. And she had done just that. Every single one of them. She looked back and forced a smile, only to see Azriel shift. Placing himself partly in front of Gwyn, the girl he loved, his mate... She saw Rhys and Cassing doing the same. But Lucien just looked at her, his face pusseld. Elain looked at Azriel, fealing that sting of jealousy over the fact that he held Gwyn and not her, that he just let her go for another.

"Welcome." Beron said from his throne. "Too your death." Elain drew a breath. She had never aked why Beron wanted them here, she had just assumed it had to do with her being turned human again. This was not what she had planed, she had not even seen this happen. But here she was, here they where. She just wanted to go back to be human, not this...

"Elain." The High Lord of Autumn called her name, asking her to come to his throne. She looked back at Lucien, Azriel, Gwyn, Feyre, Nesta, Cassian and Rhysand. Those who called themself her family. But now after this, they would never call her that again. If they survived... What would she do if they where dead and she lived as a human? Was that a pice she was willing to pay?

"Elain?" Feyre asked taking a step forward, her sister didn't understand what was happening. Or she did but refused to acknowledge it. Elain wasn't sure. Feyre had her child, Nyx would lose his parents... Could Elain live with herself knowing that she had made an child orphaned? Her nephew being that child. How much was she willing to pay? Elain glanced over to Gwyn, once more fealing that jealousy. One life... She was wiling to pay with one life.

"I am sorry." Elain whispered and walked towards Beron. Maybe he just needed their powers, and was just being over dramatic.

"Elain?" Lucien's voice called out.

"What is she doing?" Nesta asked. "Cass... What is she doing?" Her older sister was panicking.

What was she doing? Elain didn't even know anymore. She was standing there, willing to sacrifice a life for her to be human. How had she come to this point in her life? When had the Elain she knew gone so far?

It had started so small, just her looking for a way to be human again, for her to return. To sever her bond with Lucien, making her free to make her own choices. But now... She had helped Eris and Beron in making this trap work, she had been the one who manipulated Azriels spies to belive that Beron was playing war, she had lured them here. Acting like she had visions. A sheep in wolfs clothing, the piper leading her rats. Taking them here. But the wolf ends up eating the sheep, the Piper kill the rats.

If you get them here, I can make you human again. Berons words had been so... Appealing. They had been exactly what she needed to hear. For here she was, with them. Ready.

"I have done my part." She said as she came closer to the throne. "Now do yours." Take Gwyns life, and make me human.

"I will..." the High Lord picked up a knife.

"What? Ealin!" Nestas screams cut through the air.

"I told her that if she got you all here, I would help her be human again." Berons words did not sound as appealing to her now. "Guards." Elain looked away as the guards but chains on her family... No one protested, they all was so choked, distressed.

Take only her life, let the rest live. Elain repeated for herself.

"Elain!" This time it was Azriel that called out. "Why?"

"I never fitted in in your world... I never wanted this..." She still looked away, refused to see what made her youngest sister cry out. But from the grunt she guessed that one of the guards was hurting Rhysand.

"And now you will be freed." Berons hand took hers, guiding her towards him.

"No! NO!" Nestas screams became louder. "Don't you dare touch her!"

"Are you ready for this?" Beron asked. His voice low, inviting.

"Yes." Was this going to hurt? Would it be like when she was thrown into the cauldron? He had not called for anyone to come to the throne, maybe no one needed to die.

"Be free child." Beron said. His hand moved fast and hit her chest and she lost her breath. Something was being pressed into her. "You will live your next life as a human." He let go of the knife he had pressed into her. Elain just blinked. This was not what she had planed. Nothing of this was what she had planed.

"Elain!" Feyres scream made her look back. Seeing all of her family on there knees, Azriel and Rhys bloody, Cassian was pressed down on the floor, Nesta was held back by three guards. Gwyn stayed still. She had betrayed them. She had done this. Beron had lied... She had lead them to a death trap...

"Elain!" Lucien screamed her name, and for the first time she let herself feel something when he talked. Her heart speed up, and she almost smiled back at him. But when she tried, the pain took over. Her knees gave out under her and hit the gound. Making her stand on her knees besides the throne.

"I never wanted this..." She whispered. "Any of this..." She was not talking about her becoming fae now. She didn't want any of them to get hurt, she didn't want to die. Nyx was going to be an orphan... It was all her fault.

"Thank you, for you cooperation." Beron told her. Elain had no energy to say anything back. She could only focus on her mates face in that last moment. His pain, his guilt, his fear... It all was written in his face, and that metal eye. The one that she had been so scared of, now it looked so warm, so welcoming.

"I am sorry." She whispered towards him. "So so sorry..." Chaos was erupting in the room, fire mixed with shadows and blades. But all Elain focused on was Lucien, how his hair and face was lit up by the flames. He looked beautiful, welcoming. A safe place for her to rest after a bad vision. Maybe had things been different if had let herself feel these things earlier. She heard someone call out her name again, Elain lost her balance, landing on the floor, facing the ceiling. Her vision slowly got blurry, and it was harder to breath. Elain gasped for air. It was like the cauldron all over again. Cold, dark...

I don't want to die... A hand was placed on her chest over the knife. And a face framed by red hair came into her view. I just want to go back to how it was before.

Before the Fae, before the wall fell, before the cauldron and the cabin. To the days where she was told that fae can't lie to you, that iron hurt them. To when she was innocent, young... Before it all got so hard.

"Stay with us..." Gwyn... It was Gwyn who talked. "Hold on... Help is coming..." Gwyn... The one she was willing to sacrifice was holding her, if she only knew... And then Lucien came.

"I am sorry that you saw this as your only way..." He said, taking her hand. "I am sorry that I never could help you... Forgive me... Like I forgive you." She smiled at him. A feeling of peace falling over her. Making her body became light, like it was filed with air. Elain closed her eyes, trying to stay in the fealing. She would be alright, thay had escaped. No one else needed ot pay for her mistake. The feeling started to fade, an soon nothing remained of her. And The Darkness took her into its arms.

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Far of on the continent, at a farmers house the cries of a baby girl being born in the late afternoon. Brown eyes filed with wonder and happiness. Her hand gripping on to her mothers flower necklace.

And on the other side of the sea, the cries of a male losing his mate continued until the moon had risen over the mountains, and the family living in the city of starlight mourned the loss of Elain. 

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I think I've now killed everyone except Nesta and Cassian ... Mmmh ... We'll see who lives after the next Headcannon. 

But back to this one. What do you think Elain will do in the next book? What did you think of this headcannon? 

Feel free to leave your opinion in the comments!

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/Mymymoon