YOUNG GOD | RHYSAND [ON HOLD]

1.14 | THE FINAL TASK

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It's been weeks since Aadya's talk with Feyre and Rhysand's promise to take of the human. Amarantha sent her out for more jobs than usual, since revolts have been rising, because of Feyre's presence at Under the Mountain.

A brown-skinned High Fae male was sobbing on the floor before the dias. Amarantha was smiling at him like a snake-- so intently that she didn't even spare Feyre a glance. Beside her, Tamlin remained utterly impassive. A beast without claws.

Rhysand's eyes flicked to Feyre a silent command for her to stay at the edge of the crowd. Feyre watched as Rhysand kept turning his head in search of someone in the crowd. Feyre was disappointed when Rhysand gave her the news that Aadya will not be present during her second task. Feyre knew it was Amarantha's wickedness to seperate Feyre from the one person who would try and save her.

Amarantha caressed her ring, watching every movement that Rhysand made as he approached. "The summer lordling," she said of the male cowering at her feet, "tried to escape through the exit to the Spring Court lands. I want to know why."

There was a tall, handsome High Fae male standing at the crowd's edge--his hair near-white, eyes of crushing, crystal blue, his skin of richest mahogany. But his mouth was drawn as his attention darted between Amarantha and Rhysand and the crowd, searching for someone.

Rhysand slid his hands into his pockets and sauntered closer to the male on the ground.

The summer faerie cringed, his face shining with tears as he wet himself at the sight of Rhysand. "P-p-please," he gasped out.

The crowd was breathless, too silent.

His back was to Feyre, Rhysand's shoulders were loose, not a stitch of clothing out of place. But she knew his talons had latched onto the faerie's mind the moment the male stopepd shaking on the ground.

The High Lord of Summer had gone still, too--and it was pain, real pain, and fear that shone in those stunning blue eyes. He was a new, untested High Lord, who had not yet had to make choices that cost him lives.

After a moment of silence, Rhysand looked at Amarantha, but the answer came from the crowd as Aadya's voice echoed through the throne room. "He wanted to escape. To get to the Spring Court, cross the wall, and flee south into human territory. He had no accomplices, no motives beyond his own pathetic cowardice." She jerked her chin toward the puddle of piss beneath the male.

At her arrival, the Summer High Lord sag a bit, and Rhysand turn his head swiftly to try to catch her eye, but Aadya didn't take her challenging gaze off the Hybern's commander.

Amarantha straightened at her voice, her shoulders were tensed but she rolled her eyes and slouched in her throne. "Shatter him, Aadya." She flicked a hand at the High Lord of the Summer Court. "You may do what you want with the body afterward."

The High Lord of the Summer Court bowed-- as if he'd been given a gift and looked to Aadya with a grateful look, then to his subject, who had gone still and calm on the floor, hugging his knees. The male faerie was ready-- relieved.

Aadya's fingers curled into a fist. The faerie male's eyes closed, as he fell to the floor. Not a sound was made, and anyone didn't know better they could have mistaken him for sleeping. He looked peaceful in death.

"I said shatter his mind and kill him, not to shut down his brain," Amarantha snapped.

Aadya lifted her eyes of the dead faerie to Amarantha, "No. I brought him here, I get to decide how he dies. Not you." Aadya said calmly, which enraged Amarantha even more. The Hybern's commander looked like she wanted to, but restrained her tongue. "Come back during, the human's third task. Not a day before." Aadya nodded her head and turned to walk away.