A Court of Blood and Glory

Tamlin's Whore

Feyre

I felt Rhys leave my head. It had felt amazing to finally talk with him again. Without him I'd felt like I'd lost an arm, something vital I'd struggle without, but I was whole again, or as whole as I could be.

But Tamlin was awaiting my answer, and only one would satisfy him. "I think that we should, my love." But I knew that I couldn't bed him with Rhys in my head, but I wasn't even sure I could bed him myself anyway.

Tamlin's face held the hunger I'd seen too many times before, and I knew that I'd struggle to get out of this one. Rhys could easily get me, and even if he didn't, I could leave without a trace, try to winnow myself, or run, but I couldn't leave without information for my family. And, I realised, that I didn't have any yet. I'd been so focused on the mating bond that I hadn't bothered to collect information. Stupid!
Tamlin walked me up to our room, but before he could steer me to the bed I stopped him. "I just need to use the toilet quickly. I won't be long." I said, needing to sort this mess out.
Rhys. Tamlin wants to claim me.
I know Feyre darling, I watched the conversation.
Yes I know, but he wants to do it now.
I felt him go silent, and I could feel the anger rippling down the bond.
What do you want to do?
It was my choice. It was always my choice with him.
I can't leave. Not yet anyway. But I can't handle the thought of being with anyone other than you, Rhys, and I can't put Tamlin off again. He's already tried and I've pushed him as far as he'll go.
If I put him off again, if I made another excuse, Tamlin would realise that something was wrong.
Even though I hate the thought of you with him, my love, I will not judge you or love you any less if you go with him tonight. I did the same thing with Amarantha for my court.
Help me through this, Rhys.
I will, Feyre darling.
And as I left the bathroom I felt Rhys stay with me. Tamlin pulled me into the bed, pinning me beneath him, undressing me as he kissed every inch of skin. And I felt Rhys pull me away, pull me into his mind as Tamlin had his way with me.
For my court I would do anything. For my court I would be Tamlin's whore.

Rhysand

It was worse, so much worse, than I imagined it would be. I held Feyre through the bond, pulling her through my memories of her throughout the night, cutting her off from everything that son of a bitch did to her body. But even though I did my best to help her, I knew that a part of her mind was still in her head, enduring the horrors in the bedroom.
But it was her choice to do this, to be with him, and I respected her decisions, even if it hurt me. It was her choice. Hers, and hers alone.
I had to remind myself of that, keep myself from winnowing to the manor and ripping Tamlin off her body, because Feyre made her own decisions and it was not my place to take her choice away from her.
I held her in my memories for the whole night, ensuring that she was not alone, but I knew I had to let her go once dawn broke, and it was the hardest thing I had to do, because I willingly left her with that monster, and did nothing to get her out. Not yet, anyway.

Xxx

I didn't sleep that night. Or the next. Or the next. I stayed awake to comfort Feyre as she whored herself to Tamlin, as she did what was best for her court, her family. She told me a bit more about her time as I was with her.
How she hadn't yet seen Ianthe, whom she assumed was with Hybern, but she wasn't certain. How Tamlin had left her on her own for the first week, but had soon pushed her to be with him more and more, and how every time he touched her she wanted to claw his face off. About the visit from the King, which had resulted in her sister's death, and how she had been commanded to take down the wall, and soon. And about how her sister was a prisoner in the manor, just as she had been originally, and how her father had died to try and protect them.
She was in hell. Worse than hell. But I kept her company, shared her pain, and told her about her family in Velaris. About the Illyrians, who were alive and healing but struggling without the temporary use of their wings. About Amren and Mor, who were drinking away the pain of her absence whilst trying to plan a war, not the best combination but it seemed to be working. And finally about myself, and how I wanted her at my side more than anything in the world.
Every time I mentioned bringing her home she would tell me how she needed more time, but would return to me before the High Lords' delayed meeting.
I wished for her to come home, but I respected her decisions, even as they hurt me.

Feyre

Three nights. Three nights I spent, giving Tamlin my body to play with. Every time he took me to bed I heard the same thing over and over again.
Tamlin's Whore.
It was true. I whored myself to him each night, ensuring that he got what he wanted, saw what he needed to see, and nothing more. But I felt him trust me as the nights wore on, and as the sun rose on the fourth day I knew it was time to put my plan into action.
"Feyre, my love, I have some meetings today. Is it ok if I leave you for a bit?" He hadn't left my side since he claimed me, and I knew that I reeked of his scent.
"You can, but you said that I could be a part of the court, join you in your meetings, so is it ok if I sit in? I won't say anything, I just want to see what it is really like for you." I pleaded, forcing the words out with as much love behind them as possible. I could see the debate going on in his head, so I placed my hand on his inner thigh to tip the argument in my favour. It worked so easily.
"Of course you can, my love." He said, smiling at me.
We ate our breakfast first before the dining room was set up and three Spring nobles, whom I'd never seen before, entered the room, bowing as they saw their High Lord and raising their eyebrows when they noticed my presence. As they sat down Tamlin took a moment to introduce me to the males.
"Lords, this is my fiancé Feyre. Feyre, these are the Lords of the East, West and North areas of Spring." The Lords inclined their heads before ignoring me completely.
The Lord of the West spoke first to Tamlin.
"Hybern has sent another thirty thousand troops across the ocean to my war camps. This brings their numbers close to a hundred thousand fae." I couldn't help but pale at the number. How could we defeat that many?
Rhys! Hybern currently has a hundred thousand fae on Prythian soil. They are camped out in the east of the Spring Court.
Shit Feyre. We knew they had troops there but we didn't know there were that any.
Well from the sound of things there are more troops coming.
The Lord continued to rattle on about some reports that had come through along with information about how much money they needed to fund the war, but none of that was useful to me.
It was then the Lord of the North's turn to speak.
"The northern borders are being watched, that much we have known for a while, but there have been no signs of a breach into the lands. The other courts seem to be trying to decide whether to ally themselves with us and Hybern or fight against us." Tamlin nodded at this, but it was old news to him. It all was, by the looks of it. He was barely paying attention, preferring to sneak glances at my breasts than to listen to the words of the males in front of us.
"There is no sign of any fleet coming across from other lands on the continent, and my spies have reported that no one over there is willing to aid either side in this war." The Western Lord said, and I felt the air leave my lungs. If the other courts refused to side with us we would have no other sources of allies, no way of getting enough fae to defeat Hybern. I quickly relayed all the information over to Rhys, ensuring he caught every detail before I put my shields back up.
The Lords left after another hour's worth of discussion, and as I made to leave the room Tamlin caught my hand, kissing it ever so lightly.
"Not quite yet, my love. We have one more person to see." And as he said that the doors flew open and a cloaked figure glided into the room.
"Hello Tamlin, and welcome back, Feyre. It is so good to see you again."
It was Ianthe.