Winds of Fire [ACOTAR]

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO

Detangling from Orion's body was not how she had expected her morning to go. Upon waking, she found her head upon Orion's chest, both of his arms wrapped securely around her waist and her own hands against his back. Their thighs were also pressed up together, their legs entangled. Prim had moved slowly to free herself, not wanting to wake Orion and save them from an awkward awakening. By the time she had slipped from the bed, Prim could smell the sweet scent of pancakes drifting from the kitchen. With haste, Prim pulled her clothes on from the day before, leaving Orion to sleep in as she crept out of the room and down the stairs.

As Prim entered the kitchen, she had not expected to find Apollo at the stove. His messy hair had been shoved up into a bun and he was already dressed in his armour, ready for the day to come. If he heard her enter, he did not turn. Primrose cleared her throat, running a hand through her hair, "It smells amazing in here,"

Apollo looked over his shoulder with a grin, "Rosie! I hope you like pancakes."

Prim chuckled, moving to the counter and sitting atop it, "I do. Also, no one ever calls me Rosie..."

"A shame," Apollo smirked, and Prim was sure her cheeks had turned red, "It suits you."

Prim turned to look out the kitchen window as Apollo continued to pour more batter into the heated pan. Light flakes of snow drifted from the clouds above, most landed atop the snow already upon the floor, some splattering upon the window, leaving white mush behind. She could see more cabins surrounding them, young Illyrians leaving their homes for early morning training. She wondered what it would be like to grow up here, in a community that was so familiar. She assumed everyone knew one another, or at least knew of one another, were friendly and kind to one another. They were a race of warriors, one in the same but diverse in their own ways. They were a family, whether they were related by blood or not. A community.

"Help me bring these and the toppings to the table?" Apollo asked, bringing Prim back from wherever she had just been. Jumping down from the counter, Prim scooped up the toppings from the side and followed Apollo, a plate of highly piled pancakes in hand. He had opened up the curtains in the dining room, letting in the bright morning sun that drifted over the horizon. A pitcher full of orange juice sat within the middle of the table, glasses set in front of each place matt. Apollo set the pancake stack down beside the orange juice, Prim then moved to arrange the toppings evenly across the table so everyone had access to them.

Apollo was leaning against the doorway as Prim turned, she had expected him to go and wake everyone up, but instead, he just stood there, staring at her gently. "Is everything okay?" She asked, pulling out a chair and sitting down in the place she had sat in last night for dinner.

Apollo shook his head slowly, his voice low as he spoke, "Don't tell him I said anything but, Orion he... He really cares about you Primrose, and I just- You'll be good to him, won't you?"

"Of course. I care about him too, Apollo." Prim explained simply, watching the small smile that Apollo gave her.

Apollo looked back through the hall, making sure no one could overhear them, "Ever since he found out about the bargain he hasn't been the same. He's been... sad, I guess. Just not himself. With you... He seems happy with you."

The smile that took over Prim's face was almost automatic, "I'm glad to hear that. I promise I'll do everything I can to keep him happy."

Apollo gave a swift nod before disappearing down the hall. She heard his footsteps climb the stairs, heaving knocks against the doors of Lyra and Scarlet's room, and Orion's. Prim tucked into her breakfast as the others slowly made their way down. Lyra and Scarlet had stayed in their pyjamas, messy bed hair curling around their faces as they slunk into the room. When Orion entered, he was dressed in yesterday's clothes, a sleepy smile on his lips as he sat down beside Prim. As they all ate, Prim felt as if she could get used to the company around her. As if Apollo, Lyra and Scarlet were hardly strangers at all, but people she already loved and knew.

They goodbyes they gave each other as Prim and Orion departed were bittersweet. Apollo, of course, had been sure to engulf Prim in a tight hug, ruffling her hair as he pulled away to see to his cousin. Lyra and Scarlet had given her a gently wave, Prim thanking both of them for such a nice day yesterday. It wasn't until Prim had pulled her coat back on, along with her boots and knitted accessories, that a thud sounded outside.

It was Lyra who moved first, despite still being in her pyjamas that consisted of a hoodie and booty shorts. Her bare feet met the snow as the door swung open, Apollo, Orion and Primrose following quickly behind. Scarlet stood watch from the door, not daring to go out in her nightgown. Orion called out upon seeing who was approaching them, "Dad? What are you doing here?"

It was indeed Rhysand, stood with his boots covered in snow and a scarf tied around his neck. Feyre wasn't at his side, no doubt at home with Nova. It was a rare sight; seeing the High Lord without his High Lady. They crossed the snow to reach each other, Orion removing his coat to drape it over Lyra who rolled her eyes but smiled nonetheless. "Uncle?" she asked, holding the coat tight around her, "Has something happened?"

Rhys nodded, looking between the four of them, "It's been reported that the Autumn and Summer Courts have moved into the Winter Court. I'm here because we need some Illyrian warriors to stand guard at the border between Winter and Dawn."

"No," said Lyra bluntly, Rhys looked taken aback as he stared down at his niece, "The Dawn Court can use their own soldiers. We can't afford to lose some of our units just because Dawn Court can't hold their own." 

She had a point. "Lyra's right," Prim spoke up, "It would be unclever when the Dawn Court have their own warriors."

Orion nodded abruptly, grinning to Primrose and Lyra. "Fine," Rhysand sighed, "Can we at least send a troop down there in case the front line of Dawn Court warriors is knocked down?"

Apollo shrugged, shoving his hands in his pocket, "I can take a troop down there,"

"And I can hold the fort up here," Lyra added, a smug smile on her lips.

"Yes, you can, baby!" Scarlet called from the door, Lyra chuckling at her fiance. 

Rhys waved quickly at Scarlet before turning back to Orion, "You two coming home now?"

Orion turned to Prim with a smile, holding his hand out to her that she swiftly took, "Yes. Home."

A life of grass and flowers had led her here; a camp of snow and ice, a city of black night and starlight. It had led her to a home that she never thought she could fit into. She could fit in anywhere, she realised, if she just learned to love what she found so foreign to her. If she found happiness in the unknown. If she found acceptance in the people who lived there, and they too found acceptance in her. Any house could be a home if she tried hard enough.