A Court of Love and Healing {ACOTAR}

His Golden One

Eris sniffles and runs a hand through his hair, remembering the last time he had seen his precious Marina. But he can't dwell on that. She had given him another gift. One born of their love. His daughter, Gwyn.

A daughter that she had protected at all costs, respecting his wishes when he had begged her to be safe. A daughter that he is still estranged from because of his horrific father. If there is one thing he has learned through all the years he's been alive, it's that he's nothing like the man who bred him. He may put on the stone-faced, bad-guy routine outside these walls, but it takes a lot of energy to be that way. He can't understand how Beron's baseline is so bitter and destructive, so much so that it's just everyday business to him.

His thoughts drift to his mother and everything she has dealt with, being pushed to be at Beron's side. Because of him. Just another reason to loathe his own existence. She could have had a much brighter life if she had never gotten pregnant with him. A much brighter life, with her mate no less. The irony of his thoughts are not lost on him as the High Lord of the Day Court interjects his thoughts.

Knowing how he feels when he's around Mor, he knows what it's like and how difficult it is not to lose your cool when you are around your mate. Especially one you can't have.

Eris always personally thought he was more like his mother, and the contrast of their lives is startling. He had once said that Autumn males had a bad habit of impregnating their maidens during the right and so far they are four for four. Unbeknownst to him when he had mentioned that, he was one of them. One of the long-dead generals bred Marina's mother, Beron bred him, Kylon bred Marina, and he had bred Gwyn and Catrin.

As for being like his mother, they both had forbidden loves that resulted in a child. Eris is the only one in the family that has knowledge that Lucien is Helion's son. Even from when Lucien was a babe he was different. He was special. Nothing like him and their other brothers. Bred from love. It secretly kills him that Lucien does not know that, especially with how hard life has been for his baby brother too. However, it is a matter of safety from Beron, as most things in secret are.

He puts the small chest away and leans his head back on the side of his bed, looking out of his floor-to-ceiling window at the foliage on the trees. He allows himself the solace of memory once again as he thinks back to when Lucien was just a babe. Beron had a particularly mean streak, suspecting their mother had her sights on another, but he never had proof. At least not any he was knowledgeable of.

{ "Ewis!!", four-year-old Lucien squeals and runs towards his eldest brother as he enters the Forest House, coming back from emissary business. He had recently been hailed the heir when Beron and Aurelia had announced he was chosen by magic at birth during the last solstice.

Eris cringes and braces for impact as his youngest brother hauls himself into his arms, his chubby hands grabbing at the shoulders of his jacket as he picks him up quietly.

"Hello, Lucien", he replies, patting the young babe's bright red head. "Calm down, now, hm?" Eris quickly sweeps him into an adjoining room, closing the door before Beron can hear the excited giggles of 'his' youngest. Eris lets out a loud sigh as Lucien grins adorably, his body enveloped in a golden sheen of light.

One thing about Lucien's secret is that it is very hard to keep. The kid glows every time he's very excited. He's sure he and his mother have gone over a hundred and one valid excuses for why it could be happening, just in case Beron ever saw, but it's still unsettling. Even if they were preventing it at every turn.

Lucien pats his face and cuddles him cutely. "Miss you", he whimpers.

"I know. I-I missed you too." Admittedly, he did find himself missing the annoyingly grubby child when he was away. The Mother only knows he didn't miss his other siblings and their devious personas similar to Beron's.