A Court of Tears and Starlight

The message

She slept. Light long lashes brushing her soft cheeks. Her soft satin shift covering most of her delicate body.

I groaned and she stirred. Tossing her head and smiling...

"Rhys..." She sighed and continued dreaming.

On her neck a deep black blue circular bruise had blossomed. I had not broken the skin, but her soft lush skin bore the marks of my teeth.
I grimaced. By the Cauldron, would that be enough for Tamlin to start a war? I wondered. A rather large part of me didn't seem to care and looked on in pure territorial delight.

Mine.

She was mine. I looked at her perfect form and my heart clench in my chest.

I didn't deserve her.

She didn't deserve this.

Yet here we were.

Two more nights remained before I had to return her to the Spring Court. "Thank the Cauldron" I murmured. Back in Spring she would be safe, or safer than she was here as tonight's events had proven.

I shook my head in disbelief. What had she been up to? I knew without a doubt that it was not chance that had landed her alone in that corridor as the Prince of Autumn appeared.

I had felt her pure terror just a moment before I had materialised, coming to her aid, and realising what was about to unfold.

I grimaced again at the events that had followed. It had been touch and go. I didn't have time to grab her and disappear without notice. I had wanted to touch her like that for so long. But not like that. It was never meant to be like that. My stomach tightened and sickened at the thought of her being forced. My only comfort was the forgiveness I had seen in her eyes before she slept and the softness of her voice as she now mumbled my name in her sleep... Oh...and the pure longing in her moan as a kissed and bit her neck. I smiled at that, pleased that a small part of me knew how to please her. That part wasn't forced at least.

I frowned as I watched her sleep, pondering what she would be like when she awoke. Would she rant and protest,  be silently seething or be sweet and coy. I grinned in delight, she and her moods remained a mystery to me.

I paced the room, perfectly silent so that I would not disturb her. I recalled each detail of the night, trying had to recall something I may have missed. The problem was that I had been completely and utterly dazzled by her. As I had knocked on her door I had expected a deadly beauty but nothing, nothing, could have prepared me for what I then beheld. Her taste was exquisite. The black and soft gold gown was breath taking. Her makeup and gold-onyx diadem were formidable. Her posture regal. Her glare irresistible. I had wanted to fall to my knees...or seize her there and then and sweep her onto that plush soft bed.

I did neither. She had approached in such a cold detached manner. I had been but one step in the door before her furious strides had carried her to my side. I had taken her arm to escort her to dinner and every part of her taunt silent body had rebuked me, barely tolerating my unworthy touch.

As we had approached the dining table I was again surprised by her incredible steel will and composure as she stared down and dismissed the Autumn Court Emissaries.

At dinner I struggled to contain my pleasure at her spectacular performance.

Well played my love. I had spoken directly into her mind.

Her rebuke was brutal and well deserved.

I had been astonished at her ability to use our link to convey such clear and detailed images. She used her untrained powers with an ease that floored me. She didn't even realise how complex what she was doing really was. She just did it. Simple as that.

As each of her images hit me they carried emotions she didn't intend for me to receive.

The images of Lucien carried hate for his brothers and a fierce, proud, loyal devotion to him. That surprised me... Something had changed between them since her return to Spring.

The image of his bother contained fear, horror and disgust. Yet more than any of those things was rage and defiance. She was ready to tear him apart with her bare hands.

Lastly there was me. That image cut deep. I didn't like to recall those times under the mountain. Especially to see her suffering, dirty and spitting at me. To make it worse there was no well deserved hate and disgust that came with that image. Only the deep, raw, shocked, agony of betrayal. I had wounded her early today and she was deeply hurt.

She had seemed bored and disinterested over dinner and I had not thought anything of her politely dismissing herself from our company.
Not until I had felt her terror.

I recalled the look that had passed over the Autumn Princes' face as he beheld us. Fear. Suspicion. Lust. Hatred and then begrudged appreciation and amusement. He was up to something. Why was he in that corridor. Who had he met with and why. And most of all why oh why had Feyre been there.

Questions I could not answer. They would have to wait for morning....

Or would they....

A small smile began to bloom on my face and it continued to spread until it split into a wicked and crazed grin.

I unfurled my powerful, membranous wings and flew out the window. I made sure to fly out into the moon light so that my Court would know I was off on some night time foray. I flew on towards the horizon before dipping downwards into the woods and stealthily doubling back. I stopped at the edge of the eastern side of the woods, peering up into Feyre's window. All was still and calm in her room as it should be. I smiled wider and continued on my way.

Three hours passed.

No one in the Court was awake to see a slight, crooked figure creep along the Manor's Eastern Wing and silently pick the lock on a certain door. Fortune was with the thief as he stole into the room that was previously warded. He grinned. The King of Hybern would reward him richly if he was successful tonight. He scowled as he moved, body aching from the cracked ribs and bruises inflicted upon him by that Autumn haired bastard.

As he neared the bed, he saw that the figure slept. Her chest rising and falling gently beneath the covers. She slept deeply by the slow deep breaths she was taking.

The thief crept silently toward the bed. He need only reach out and grab her and then he could transport them to a safer destination.

He couldn't believe his luck. An elbow was poking out from under the covers, as he reached out and grabbed the elbow he was struck by the large masculine size of it.

Something was wrong.

The sleeper rose, tossing the cover aside, and the thief was met with a pair of deep violet and very very angry eyes.

"Not who you were expecting?" The Lord of Night hissed.

The thief opened his mouth to scream but was paralysed as long shadow claws raked his mind.

In the morning all of the Night Court was a stir.

A head had been found.

The Autumn Court Emissaries had found a head.

No one knew what had happened for sure. But the rumour was that one of the council members head had been found on a pike...a pike sitting just outside the window of the Autumn Princes' room.

A message had been sent.

Across the sea the King of Hybern yelled in fury.