Nyx | Carpe Noctem ✓

Chapter 4: Maid

∙ Nyx POV ∙

"Morning..." I grumbled upon walking into the dining room were nearly everyone had already claimed a seat around the table. I ruffled through my hair when a loud yawn escaped me. Cassian gritted his teeth at me, holding back a laugh. I approached my mother, placed a kiss on her cheek and sat down between her and Noora, who was trying super hard to hold back her laughter as well. I groaned to which my cousin chuckled lowly.
"Headache?"

"Yes..."

"Then next time you should maybe drink one glass of wine less," my mother reprimanded, brushing her hand over my back.

High Lord Thesan escaped a soft chuckle while Lucien wasn't that modest and laughed from the bottom of his heart. "He is young. Let him drink!"
I smirked at him, nodding. At least my uncle understood me.

Next Firo and Brokk staggered through the door, their auburn hair as messy as it could be and both looking as shit-faced as I did. Placing his fist in front of his mouth, Firo swallowed a burp that threatened to escape.

"Don't say anything, father, the terribly nausea and headache is punishment enough," Brokk grumbled, looking like he was going to throw up right onto the table. He rubbed his plam over his forehead and released a groan. Both Lucien and Eris threw their heads back, cackling loudly. Anissa, the High Lady and wife of Eris, only shook her head, biting back a grin.

"Our sons, our full pride, huh, Rhysand?" Eris expressed, lifting his hands up in the air. My father chuckled lowly and shook his head at us. He gave me a small glance and although he seemed amused I knew that once again he was madly disappointed in me ignoring his request to stay sober.

Tamlin only smiled slightly and brushed his hand over his wife's shoulder before squeezing it. A smile plastered her beautiful face when she looked at us.

We had met in the Spring Court and all stayed in Tamlin's manor as it was closest to the Mortal Lands. It was difficult for mother to come here, even after all those years, but we made sure she felt all right and protected. And she over and over again assured us that she was fine and that thanks to father and I and the rest of our family she felt safe and secure here. Conversations alone between Tamlin and father rarely happened, also not between mother and him, but at least they stayed civil during meetings. During those stupid meetings.

The only good thing about those High Lord meetings were the other children of the High Lords and Ladies who were also always meant to join. We all quickly became friends and it was nice seeing them from time to time. 

Finja, Vivinana and Kallias daughter. Brokk and Firo, Eris sons. And Iris, Tamlin's daughter. His son Andras didn't, as expected, join in that day and neither did my cousin, the princess of the Day Court. Just a year ago things had been different. Even though our parents had a strained relationship I always got along with him quite well. We would definitely try to do things differently than our fathers. The major reason for that was that our fathers were different than their fathers.

Andras, Brokk, Firo and I would often excuse ourselves from those meetings and hold our own...meetings. But in the past months things had changed. Andras had become responsible and that all because of a young female with firey red hair who used to be my cousin. Of course he again would rather be with his mate than here.

I chuckled slightly at the thought of how it had happened. The startled look of my younger cousin when she had found out about the bond flashed my mind. Occasionally Dalia had joined her father for those High Lord's meetings. The first time her eyes had landed on Andras she had looked like she had seen a ghost and just a second later the words had left her mouth: "You are my mate!"