A Solstice Surprise

Chapter Two

When the notice came from Feyre, a part of Luciens heart soared at the opportunity at seeing his mate again, but as fast as it soared, it came crashing down again as his mind caught up and reminded his heart that any time he went to visit, Elain Archeron could never so much as look at him.

It broke his heart in pieces each time, because he never knew what he could do to just make her look at him. He felt that if she would just meet his eyes, it would be a start. But she refused to even look at his feet. She would look anywhere but in his direction, and it hurt more than any pain he ever knew.

So Winter Solstice each year was a time he both looked forward to, and dreaded. He would be able to see her, see if she’s doing well, but she would not look at him, speak to him, acknowledge him. It tore him in pieces.

He was doing fine on his own, but any time he had to visit the Night Court, he would need about a week to recover from the emotional and mental damages the mating bond caused from not having his mate do anything. He wondered if he just refused him, if he would be better, because this pain was becoming unbearable, and he wondered how much longer he could take it before he went mad.

He had read of males who had found their mates going made from rejection or having their mates ignore them, but he had never in his life thought that he would end up becoming one of them. And to think when he had first met the two sisters, he had claimed Nesta the viper. Oh she still was, but Elain was cruel in her own ways, and cauldron boil him alive, if a part of him didn’t find it the smallest bit attractive.

Maybe he had already gone mad.

“What’s the letter?” The red haired human queen asked, not looking up from her own mail, as she was trying to figure out what she could about her throne and the other queens.

“My annual invite to the Night Courts Winter Solstice gathering.” Lucien responded.

“I think you need to just finally tell them where they can shove their invitation.” The human male now spoke up, putting his book down.

“Jurian! Is that any way to speak in the presence of one of your Queens?” Vassa reprimanded Jurian, not looking up from her mail.

With an undignified snort, Lucien shook his head, and added in himself. “Please. You’re much worse than him.”

It was with that, that had caused the human Queen to finally lower her mail to give a hard look to Lucien, before laughing.

When she had calmed down, she had looked to Jurian, and then back to Lucien, before speaking once more, having caught her breath. “Vulgar as he is, Jurian is right you know. They don’t see you when you come home after your visits there. They don’t see how you become unresponsive, how you wont bathe. How you barely eat, or drink. You don’t leave your room. It’s getting worse Lucien. I don’t understand fae mating bonds, except what I can read in books, because I’m not fae, and you refuse to speak of them, but this can’t be healthy. It’s getting worse. Each year you hide away longer and longer. What she is doing to you isn’t right. You shouldn’t go.” Vassa says, concern filling her eyes, as she puts her mail aside and leans forward, worried for her friend.

Lucien sighs, the short amount of fun from before, gone as he looks at the formal letter of invitation, the exact same as every year, save for the date, before shaking his head. “I have to go.”

*** *** ***

As Lucien was sitting for dinner, with nearly everyone, save for Azriel and Elain, he wondered on the reason for their absence, Rhys had mentioned that he was Just about to explain why the timing, was off, as well as some other things this year. Some news may not have made it to the human lands, and it was important to have Lucien here, and he decided to have the Solstice celebrations early as well.

Rhys was just about to begin explaining, before the dining hall doors opened, and there she stood. Mate. Mate. Mate. Mine. Yours. Mate. Mate. Mate. Lucien looked away, giving her the respect to not stare, trying to fight back the growing instincts. They were getting harder and harder to control each time he saw her, and he didn’t want to do anything that could hurt her. Physically, or emotionally.

He tried his hardest to fight back the instincts, he barely heard her half thought out excuse to leave, and he was going to be distracted now for the rest of the meal. It was easier with her gone, but he had to fight back the instincts to find her again.

“We will continue our discussion tomorrow afternoon, for now, calm your mind.” He heard through his ears, and in his head. Who said it, he didn’t know, but it was working, slowly, he found himself relaxing.

“I’m sorry, I’m not sure where I just went there, where were we?” Lucien had asked, before picking up his utensils again going to take another bite of his food, missing the look of urgent concern that Feyre and Rhys shared.