Fox and Fawn

Prologue

elain

solstice evening

"Usually conversations that begin with 'we need to talk' are bad news."

- A.D. Aliwat, In Limbo

Be Happy -- Dixie D'Amelio

  "Elain."

  The Archeron sister turned from her conversation with Nuala and Cerridwen and was met with the sight of Lucien Vanserra.

  He stood in the kitchen doorway, snow still clinging to his boots. Elain offered him a soft smile, her brows lifting. He reminded her of an autumn leaf, dusted with the ivory flakes of winter's first snow.

  It had been a year since her confrontation with Tamlin. A year since she'd struck the High Lord of Spring for daring to whip her mate Under the Mountain. A year since she and Lucien had spoken civilly about the bond for the first time.

  Not much had transpired since. If Elain was being honest, she'd been apprehensive with furthering their relationship since that burst of progress. Fast. It was all happening so fast. Yet, all the same, Lucien's presence was something she valued and did not shy from any longer.

  So she excused herself from her conversation with the twins and met Lucien in the doorway.

  "Happy Solstice," she said, her smile meeting her eyes now.

  Elain tried not to glance at his hands. His empty hands. The past few Solstices he had appeared with gifts in tow, but this year he carried none.

  Behind Lucien, Elain spotted Feyre walking down the corridor. She met Elain's eyes briefly, grimaced, then continued on her way.

  Odd.

  "Would you accompany me to the parlor? For a moment," he asked, voice tentative.

But not just tentative... No. There was something else there. Dread? Grief? Fear?

  One way to find out...

  She nodded at Lucien and accepted the arm he held out. Silently they left for the parlor, his arm was as stiff as his back. All traces of his signature lazy grace were gone. There was a soft jerking at that phantom thread she felt between them. The tether that was there but not.  Anchored to the heart she could sometimes hear pounded rapidly. Anxiously.

  As she often did, Elain hid all signs of distress, exchanging them for a mask of indifference. Of unfeeling.

  And followed Lucien into the vacant parlor.

  He slipped out of her hold and crossed to the roaring fire, leaning his forearm on the marble mantle. Elain softly shut the door behind them.

  Lucien's eyes swept over her. "You look nice."

  Elain smoothed the rose colored fabric with her hands and took a seat in the armchair across from him. "Thank you."

  He said nothing. Only pushed off the mantle and lowered himself onto the sofa opposite Elain.

  "Is everything... alright?"

  It did not escape Elain's notice he had yet to remove his traveling cloak...

  Lucien did not answer her question. He rubbed his jaw and inhaled a slow breath through his nose. His gaze shifted to the flames that licked the hearth, but Elain did not look away from his face. His face that was carefully blank...

  "I hope you don't mind if I... skip the pleasantries," he murmured.

  And Elain heard the unspoken words: This will be difficult enough without them.

  "By all means," she said, clasping her hands in her lap.

  But Lucien still didn't look at her. "I have spoken with Feyre. She, as you know, has spell-cleaving abilities - far greater than my own," he explained. Another deep, shuddering breath. "And she has agreed to break our bond."

  Elain froze in her seat. Her mind wiped blank of all reason, of all words.

  Lucien continued, "Tomorrow."

  Elain's heart stuttered.

  He finally met her eyes, and a warm smile spread on his lips. Warm and comforting and sincere.

  It made Elain sick.

  Lucien stood gracefully and held out his hand. Numbly Elain placed her fingers in his palm. Then he raised her knuckles to his lips, just like a knight in one of the books that Nesta read to her as a girl. Just like a prince. Just like a gentleman.

  "Happy Solstice, Elain."

  And he left.

***

Follow me on tumblr under username: Daevastanner
Follow me on tiktok under username: readthesefics
Follow me on wattpad under username: Daevastanner

A huge thank you to AveryBeth (@frecklesandfiction on tiktok for beta-ing my fic)