Throne of Roses

Chapter 7

Once Feyre and Rhysand were in their bed the door to their bedroom closed, Feyre asked; 'what do you think?'
'I think she's smart, cunning and extremely skilled.' Rhys responded, 'she's possibly dangerous too, but... I also think that she's been through a lot despite her young age.'
'Do you think we can trust her?'
'I think we can try, small steps.'

Rhys and Feyre awoke to the sound of beautiful music playing from downstairs, the sound was melancholy and sad but it had a note of... something like hope in it. They dressed and made their way down stairs where they found Lillian playing the piano forte while Kaden and Nehemiah sat on either side of her, watching. The music... oh it was wonderful, even Rhys didn't hear something like that in all his five centuries of existence. They paused a few feet behind Lillian and the kids, listing and soon Rhys had tears in his eyes and when he turned to Feyre, he noticed that her eyes too were lined with silver. One of the tears escaped her and Rhys bent down to kiss it away. He hugged Feyre to his side as they listened to Lillian playing.
After what seemed like only a few minutes but was most likely much more than that the music came to an end.
'That was some of the best playing I have ever heard.' Rhys said as they walked closer to Lillian, silver still lining their eyes.
'Thank you.' She said smiling softly, tears lining her own eyes, after she noticed their looks she added; 'my friend, the one I named my daughter after... i-it was one of her favourite pieces.' They gave her apologetic smiles and Lillian nodded.
She was like, yesterday wearing a simple light blue dress and like yesterday she managed to make it look exquisite.

During breakfast Rhys and Feyre were once again astonished at how much Lillian eats, she eats more than Rhys but still looks skinny.
'What do you usually do during the day?' Lillian asked
'Paper work, meetings, you know all of the fun stuff.' Rhys said jokingly
'And Kaden does he have tutors or do you send him to school?' She asked.
'We take turns teaching him to read but other than that no tutors or schooling though we will be sending him next year.' Feyre said, 'he usually spends his days with someone from our inner circle or with us in meetings.' Lillian nodded. 'Does Nehemiah attend school?'
'We have tutors, they usually come at around midday so I can go to work.' Lillian said, then explained further; 'my husband earns a considerable wage working for her majesty. My work pays quite well too.' She said smiling as if she knew something they didn't.
'What is she being tutored in?' Feyre asked.
'Every useless thing my parents could think of.' Nehemiah said rolling her eyes, 'so, maths, wyrdmarks, reading, music, history, politics, dancing, geography, using my powers and fighting.' She listed counting on her fingers. Lillian laughed and Feyre and Rhys chuckled.
'Your making your six year old learn all of that?' Rhys asked.
'Don't worry we let her play with her cousins and friends and she gets a break two days a week whenever my husband or I don't have work, we take her around to see Terassen.' Lillian said.
Rhys nudged Feyre under the table. 'We have a question... well more like a favour to ask of you.' Feyre paused gaging Lillian's reaction, she had a neutral expression if not a little curious. 'In a few days there is a meeting with all the High Lords of our continent,' Lillian looked confused but understanding crossed her face as Feyre finished, 'it's regarding what to do with the humans occupying a small part of the continent...'
'And you want me to go and convince them to let the humans live among you.' Lillian finished.
'If you would be okay with that. You know how to make it work. How our two peoples can coexist.' Feyre confirmed. Lillian took in a breath looking at her daughter sitting next to her.
'We'll go.' She said and Rhys released a breath. 'But I will be able to ask you for a favour too, later.'
Rhys frowned 'Will we regret it?'
'No.' She answered simply.
Just then Amren came in with a pile of books in her arms. 'Here are some of the books. There's also one in a language I don't know.' She said showing it to Lillian to make sure she could read it.
'It's in Eyllwe.' Lillian said.
'Well we have to go now, have fun reading all those books.' Rhys said. 'Kaden.'
'I can take care of Kaden for you.' Lillian offered.
'Are you sure it wouldn't be a problem?' Feyre asked after a moment.
Do we trust her enough to watch Kaden? Feyre asked through the mating bond.
I don't see how she could hurt him or take him anywhere other than the streets of Velaris.
'I wouldn't offer if it were.' Lillian said. Feyre and Rhys looked to Kaden and nodded. 'Don't worry he will be safe, I promise.'
Kaden run up to his parents and gave them both a hug, they kissed his forehead and winnowed away.
'I'll get going too, tell Rhys or Feyre when you're done with those books and I'll bring you some more.' Amren said.
'Thank you again for the help.' Lillian managed before Amren walked out.
'How about we go to the garden and you two can play for a bit while I read.' Lillian suggest, Nehemiah and Kaden raced each other to the door and Lillian grabbed a book from the top of the pile and followed them outside.

The day passed in an uneventful manor, Lillian read all the books that Amren has brought her, with breaks to eat and teach Kaden and Nehemiah. When Rhys and Feyre got back home Kaden was playing the piano, or at least the few notes that Lillian taught him.
The next few days passed in a similar fashion.

Feyre and Rhys were awoken by a blood curdling scream on the third night of Lillian and Nehemiah staying at the Riverfront Estate. They jumped out of bed and run in the direction of the screaming, it was coming from Lillian's room. When they got there all the candles were lit and Nehemiah was next to her mother telling her things like; 'It's just a bad dream,' 'your free,' 'daddy got you out,' and 'your away.' While stroking her hair and holding her hand. Rhys went into her mind and what he saw, what that girl has been through, it was so much worse than he ever expected. After a few more seconds of Nehemiah calming her mother, Lillian finally woke up. She started sobbing and took Nehemiah into her lap holding her daughter tight in her arms and kissing her forehead.
'Aelin?' Rhys said. She turned at the mention of her name and Feyre looked at him, confusion spread across her features.
'You went inside my head?' Aelin asked though it was more of a statement then a question. 'How much did you see.'
'Enough to know that your real name is Aelin Ashryver Whitethorn Galathynius, Queen of Terassen and The Faerie Queen of the West, you were enslaved, and kidnapped and tortured by your aunt. But there's a lot that doesn't make sense.' Rhys said.
'I guess I should tell you everything then.' Lillian said.
'How should we know that you won't lie to us again?' Feyre asked.
'You can go inside my head but be prepared to see some terrible things.'
So Feyre sat down on the bed and Rhys leaned against the frame and they listened to a story about a princess that loved her people very much.