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vulpes-fennec · 1 year

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The Fae Equality Initiative (Ch. 12) 🌊

Summary: The girls have a night out in town, but then they run into some trouble on the way home. TW: verbal harassment after the asterisk

Tarquin, High Lord of the Summer Court, has sent ripples of shock throughout Prythian with his plans to eliminate discrimination against Lesser Fae. When the Night Court is invited to send a delegation to Summer Court, Elain Archeron can’t wait to show everybody what she’s capable of on her first official Inner Circle assignment. Little does she know that Tarquin has also recruited Lucien Vanserra’s assistance…

Read: Ch 1 | Ch 11 | AO3

Rita’s held a special place in Emerie’s heart, but The Orchid in Adriata was an experience unlike any other. Perched on the crest of a hill, The Orchid recreated an undersea party with its blue faelights and seashell decor. Better yet, Fae from all backgrounds communed at The Orchid, which made Emerie feel less out of place with her oversized wings.

Melanie and Kiyah, a Winter Court snow sprite, had looped Emerie, Elain, and Sona the Spring Court water wraith into going out tonight. Though she normally wouldn’t be caught dead in a skimpy short dress, Emerie had to admit the silky purple fabric and the warm night air on her bare thighs made her feel sexy and powerful. Besides, her friends’ equally skimpy outfits made Emerie feel less self-conscious about stepping out in public with so much exposed skin.

Their little group danced in a circle for what seemed like hours, before escaping to the rooftop patio to cool down. Down in the shimmering crescent bay, the Summer Palace glowed translucent like a pearl. From her vantage point, Emerie also could observe the little lives of Adriata’s inhabitants through the golden windows of haphazardly organized houses and apartments.

Emerie settled on a chaise lounge with her non-alcoholic pineapple and guava slushie. “What kind of drink did you get?” Emerie nodded her head towards Elain. Elain’s strappy gold dress glimmered in the moonlight, making her face glow with light.

“Coconut cream cocktail,” Elain said, taking a sip of her drink. She twirled the little paper umbrella that was perched on the rim. “With rum.”

“Can I try your drink?” Sona asked Elain. “You can have some of mine.” The females exchanged glasses, and the water wraith nodded approvingly after sampling Elain’s cocktail.

Elain, on the other hand, wore a peculiar expression. “I’m tasting mint…but what’s the green thing? Tastes…wet.” She made delicate smacking sounds with her tongue, as if trying to parse out the different flavors.

“Oh, it’s seagrass,” Sona replied casually. “I ordered a mint and seagrass mojito.” The water wraith must love seagrass, for she had covered up her breasts and legs with a flowing seagrass garment.

Does Gwyn have a fondness for seagrass, too? Emerie wondered. Maybe I should gift her a seagrass dress. I’m sure Azriel would like it. Gwyn was only a quarter water nymph, but in the years of friendship they’d shared, Emerie hadn’t seen Gwyn swim or eat aquatic plants. Elain took another sip, but handed the drink back to Sona with a barely suppressed grimace. Sona only laughed, a grating sound like rough rocks.

“I want to try!” Melanie proclaimed. “But I don’t think you would be interested in mine.”

Emerie sniffed the air, scenting a thick tang. “Is that blood?” she gasped incredulously.

Melanie grinned, revealing her characteristically pointed incisors. “I am a vampyr, after all.” Apparently no one was curious enough to ask what kind of blood was fizzing in Melanie’s cup.

“Are there many vampyrs in Hewn City?” Kiyah asked.

Melanie nodded affirmatively. “Of course. Hewn City has one of the highest populations of vampyrs in Prythian. There are several large communities in the continent, but I’ve never visited them before.” She glanced at Emerie’s Illyrian wings. “Many say that we share a common fae ancestor with the Illyrians. They inherited the wings, while we got the big bat ears and cave roosting habits.”

“And clearly the blood drinking tendencies,” Elain quipped, causing Melanie to chuckle.

“What’s Hewn City like?” Sona asked. “I heard that the Court of Nightmares is full of revelry and darkness.”

“You’re wondering if cruelty is truly our specialty, aren’t you? Well, it is.” Melanie’s dark eyes slid over towards Emerie, implying she knew all too well about Mor’s fraught relationship with the city.

“But you don’t seem very cruel at all,” Elain objected.

Melanie flashed her sharp teeth in a wild grin. “What makes you think I’m not simply being on my best behavior here? To any regular visitor, it may seem sin and darkness are pervasive in our hallowed halls.” Melanie glanced up at the night sky, half pondering and half admiring the constellations. As if she’d rarely observed them before.

“But that doesn’t mean we’re uncaring towards our neighbors. That there is no camaraderie within our communities. It exists, but you wouldn’t know if you only visited the Court of Nightmares.”

“I suppose it’s like how the Winter Court nobility are all stuffy and full of traditionalists,” Kiyah reflected. “They have their own customs and their daily life is so different from ours.”

“This is just between us, but I’m not a fan of the ruling family.” The vampyr glanced at Elain sharply. “Well, not her family,” she clarified for Kiyah and Sona. “Though it would be nice if the High Lord and Lady could deign to do something about it.”

Elain glanced down uncomfortably. “I’ll bring it up next time I see them,” she replied weakly. I wonder how that’s going to go, Emerie mused. I don’t think Elain talks Night Court politics at the dinner table.

Melanie turned her gaze towards Emerie. “Is your girlfriend going to succeed Keir?” she inquired expectantly. “It would be nice to have a change of scenery.”

Emerie shifted in her seat awkwardly. “Erm…I can’t speak for Mor. Do the residents even want a steward? Stewardess?”

Melanie drained her bloody drink with a slurp. “Hmmm. We’ve had a steward for thousands and thousands of years, so long that it’s difficult to imagine anything different.”

“Your girlfriend is Morrigan?” Kiyah squeaked, her blue eyes wide with delight. “How did you two start dating?”

With that, the conversation shifted to much lighter topics. After another round of drinks, Kiyah and Sona finally exhausted their questions for Emerie. “So,” Emerie prompted, raising her eyebrows expectantly at Elain.

Melanie perked up from the chaise lounge next to Elain. “Did something happen?”

“You should have what happened today,” Emerie supplied with a grin. “Elain had a little moment in the training ring.”

Elain’s eyes widened. “It was nothing!” she cried hastily. “I just said hello to him after he finished sparring with Varian.”

“Is this about Lucien? Did he win the match? Ohhh…something tells me that this sparring was done shirtless,” Kiyah teased, putting two and two together. “Did he throw you a kiss?”

“O-of course not!” Elain sputtered. “I think he was being strangely flirtatious, though? And I don’t think there was a declared winner.”

“He was being flirtatious,” Emerie affirmed smugly at the same time as Sona pointed out, “you’re blushing.”

“Oh, I’m not!” Elain replied hotly, but she covered her cheeks with her palms. “Alcohol makes my face red.”

Sona rolled her eyes, clearly not believing Elain’s excuse. “I remember Lucien,” she said.

Elain’s eyebrows rose hopefully. “From the Spring Court? You knew him back then?”

“Oh yes. He was very distrustful of my sisters and I whenever the Tithe came around.” Sona smirked, revealing her pointy teeth. “Always had a hand on his dagger when I was near.”

“I’m sorry.” Elain’s face fell.

“Why apologize for him? Just because he’s your mate doesn’t mean you’re responsible for his actions.” Emerie noticed Elain’s fingers twitch around her cocktail glass, as if she didn’t like the word Sona used. “I don’t doubt Lucien’s sincerity in wanting to help. But even well-meaning Fae like him hold their own… assumptions of Fae like us.” Sona shrugged. “Who knows? The emissary may have changed since his time with Tamlin.”

“What was Lucien like back then?” Elain asked after a pause.

“Oh, he was very talkative,” Sona chuckled at the faraway memories. “Always had something to say. He did a lot of emissary work with equal parts charm and sarcasm.”

Emerie, Melanie, and Kiyah both nodded silently, watching Elain’s expressions carefully. The lady’s brown eyes were gleaming curiously, and she was angling her shoulders forward with interest.

“And…and did he have any lovers?” Elain asked, shyly. Sona’s sharp mouth and coal-dark eyes softened with a look of pity. “I want to hear the truth,” Elain added hastily. “Please don’t spare my feelings.”

Sona nodded, taking a very long sip of her mojito. “Lucien had many lovers,” she said quietly. Elain’s hopeful expression dropped. Oh Cauldron, it’s like when I found out Mor had centuries of female lovers before me, Emerie sighed with sympathy. On the bright side, it seems Elain’s feelings for Lucien have deepened since last week. She’d seemed so ambivalent towards him during all his previous visits to Velaris, so this is a good sign. “They were never serious romances. They were more physical by nature—”

“That’s not any better,” Kiyah chided.

“No, no, it’s alright,” Elain assured Sona before the water wraith could say anything else. “I was curious, after hearing about Jesminda.” But Emerie detected a certain tightness at the corners of Elain’s pretty mouth, a sadness in the downturn of her eyes.

“If it makes you feel better, Lucien is flustered around you, which is highly unusual. In a good way.” Sona tilted her head curiously, bottomless black eyes twinkling. “Did you know that before that foxy male ran off from the Spring Court, he would rest by the wildflower patch next to my pond? I heard him whispering your name to the wind, talking out loud.”

The comment was enough to return Elain to her flustered state.

***

It was just past midnight when they finally left The Orchid. Emerie’s stomach was sloshing with three different fruity slush drinks, making her regret not using the bathroom earlier. Elain, Sona, and Melanie had finished the evening with a whole bottle of wine, and were leaning against each other as they giggled and stumbled down the cobblestone road.

The gauzy breeze and warm night air were luxurious on Emerie’s wings. Windhaven nights were never like this. I was always worrying about the next day, the next week, the future. Thinking about my finances, the shop, the other Illyrians…

It was not until she befriended Gwyn and Nesta that she learned what it was like to simply live in the moment, to spend time leisurely in the company of others. She was still getting used to making friends, actual friends, so being able to dance and chat with other females tonight was certainly progress.

They’d walked no more than three blocks when Emerie’s wings prickled uneasily. She swiveled her head, sighting a group of three males loitering outside a busy bar on the opposite end of the street. They were well dressed males, and Emerie would have passed them off as random bar patrons catching some fresh air. But their leering expressions implied otherwise. “How’s it going, ladies?” the taller one with dark blonde hair, called out.

Elain glanced sharply at the males, and then swiveled her head back to see who the males were talking to. Big mistake. Now they know we’ve heard them.

An audacious whistle pierced the air, and now Emerie knew for certain it was directed at them. Ah, fuck. “Don’t you know it’s rude to ignore a friendly greeting?”

Her heart thundered in her chest, as if struggling to take flight away from the danger. Emerie didn’t want to turn and see which male whistled. Didn’t want to reach for the thin steel dagger she’d kept hidden under her skirt just yet. Males are unpredictable…if I draw a weapon I might escalate the situation. Keep calm, Emerie, keep calm. You cannot give them the satisfaction of seeing you scared.

“What’s a cute snow sprite doing in the Summer Court, hmm?” a different male called out. “Are you lost? Want to come home with us? We’ll show you a good time.”

“Fuck, we need to go,” Kiyah hissed. They hustled around the corner and onto the main street. With more fae out and about on a weekend night, perhaps the males would be less inclined to follow them out. Surely these finer establishments would not tolerate drunken riff-raff harassing a group of females.

No such luck. The trio had indeed trailed them, voicing horrible comments loudly and without shame. “Look, they’ve got a vampyr with them!” the third male jeered. “You think she’d suck cock as well as she sucks blood?”

Emerie’s anger flared. Sona growled under her breath, ready to turn around and probably hiss at the males. “Ignore them,” Melanie said quietly, but her pale face was tense with fear. “The sooner we make it back to the docks, the better.”

Emerie sent a look of both pleading and warning to a group of High Fae females walking down the street towards them. Be careful, she tried to convey. Please do something. One of them made eye contact with Emerie, but instead of saying anything, the lady slid her eyes elsewhere uncomfortably. And continued walking.

“I don’t like this,” Emerie muttered. There were plenty of passersby, but none of them were moving towards their aid. And the inaction only seemed to embolden the High Fae males, whose laughter seemed to be getting close by the second. The docks…where the hell are the docks? Every building, every block they passed appeared the same. Emerie had no idea if they were even going in the right direction.

“What’s a pretty High Fae lady like you doing with the low-borns?” Elain wrapped her arms around herself, hurrying faster.

Blood chilled in Emerie’s veins when she allowed herself a quick glance backwards. The males were hot on their tails, and close enough for her to realize they were perfectly sober from the clear, power-hungry look in their eyes. Maybe now is a good time to draw my knife.

The shorter one made another vulgar statement, this time, a barely veiled threat. Waves of fear were rolling off of Elain and Melanie, making Emerie shove them in front of her. “Go, go, go,” she muttered. Why can’t someone just notice how uncomfortable this is? Why can’t anyone just say something?

It happened so fast that Emerie couldn’t react: one of the males grabbed Kiyah by her wrist and her long, blue locks of hair, yanking her away from the group. The snow sprite cried out in terror.

Sona snarled, baring her pointed teeth as she lunged for the male gripping Kiyah. But the male only grinned as he flicked his hand, blocking Sona off with a wall of air. Sona snarled and launched herself at the invisible barrier again, but to no avail. The two other males laughed, as if Kiyah’s fear and Sona’s futile efforts were pure entertainment to them.

“Let go of her!” Elain screamed. Somewhere in the haze, a bottle shattered.

If the High Fae have magic, then I need to incapacitate them before they can use it, Emerie realized.

Before she could change her mind, Emerie whirled around and punched the shortest male in the face with a closed fist before he could touch her. The oaf let out a litany of curses as he stumbled backwards, blood gushing from his nose. Fucking hell, my position could have been better, she shook her fist, knuckles smarting. Emerie shifted her position and threw another punch, an uppercut at his jaw that sent him sprawling.

Melanie made a fearful sound behind her, and Emerie realized that by taking down the second male, she left the path wide open for the third male. Shit! I didn’t drink alcohol, yet I’m making so many careless mistakes. Emerie gave the downed male another vicious kick to the groin before running back to her friends.

Elain, to Emerie’s surprise, was wielding a jagged broken bottle with shaking hands. She was shielding Melanie, mouth set in gritted determination and her eyes fierce.

With his focus on Elain and Melanie, the male did not see Emerie coming as she tackled him from behind. He was heavier than she’d expected, clearly someone who maintained his physique. When his legs flexed and his shoulders straightened, Emerie knew from Valkyrie training that she only had a matter of seconds before he threw her off. So she dropped down to the ground on all fours, swinging her leg out in a circle to trip and knock him off balance again.

Tempering emotions—Mind Stilling—was a core part of Valkyrie training. Emotions could cloud one’s judgment in the heat of battle, increasing the likelihood of a fatal mistake. Bloodlust was also a male Illyrian trait that Emerie had sworn to herself not to emulate.

But right now, all she felt was rage. Incandescent, shaking rage.

How dare they target us, ruining our night out? Do they think we are weak, that they can take advantage of us without any consequences? Because we are considered Lesser Fae?

Emerie leapt to her feet, drawing her dagger. The male had caught himself on the ground with his hands, and her sharp eyes narrowed on her next target. I will break the bones in his hand, she vowed. I will saw his fingers off. He will never lay a hand on another female again.

Hot anger fueled her steps, providing an extra surge of force as Emerie brought her platformed boot down onto the male’s wrist. Hard. He howled in pain as his wrist popped, effectively rendering it useless—for the moment. Given how quickly the High Fae healed, it would only be a matter of minutes before he was back to normal. She slammed her heel down on it again, viciously.

Another curse sounded from behind her. Kiyah’s captor had released her, clutching at his blood-soaked abdomen. The snow sprite stumbled backwards, expression defiant as she wielded a bloodied icicle. But the male’s amber eyes were entirely murderous as he picked up a small rock on the road, winding up his arm to throw it straight at Kiyah.

“No!” Emerie screamed, but she was too far away. She raised her dagger to throw it, but hesitated. What if I hit an innocent bystander instead? What if I hit Kiyah? Shit—

A wall of water erupted out of nowhere, shielding Kiyah from her aggressor. Another wave swept the male under her boot to the side, preventing her from finishing her job. Emerie gasped, wondering who created the impenetrable shield at the last minute.

Varian had appeared at the end of the street, alongside two members of the guard. It looked like they had been running as fast as they could.

Emerie had never been happier seeing males in her life. But she tensed when she saw Lucien standing with Varian, knowing all too well the consequences of a mated male unleashed. Here was a warrior with the ability to sizzle threats into a crisp before he even reached for the blade strapped to his belt.

“Elain!” Lucien roared as he barreled down the street, flaming red hair streaking behind him.

“Lucien!” Elain cried, dropping the bottle with a clatter. She stumbled towards him, terrified, and buried her face against her mate’s chest. Lucien’s russet eye blazed with fury as he wrapped an arm protectively around Elain’s shoulders. Fire sizzled at the tips of his other hand, and the air thickened with the tang of powerful magic.

Emerie braced herself for the end. While the two may not have accepted the mating bond, no one could be sure what a mated male could do. But several seconds passed, and she was still alive. Somehow, Lucien managed to not to gut their harassers.

“Emerie.” Varian jogged up to her, concern blatant in his brown eyes. “Shit, I’m so sorry. Did anyone get hurt? What happened?”

Varian’s familiar face gave Emerie enough sense of security to tuck her dagger away, but her heart still pounded with anxiety. “I…I’m alright, but the male with the blonde hair grabbed Kiyah,” she replied, her voice shaky. “We were at The Orchid, and on our way back, they started harassing us.” She glanced at the errant males, the three of them looking worse for wear with their hands bound in chains fashioned from flowing water and blood crusting over wounds.

“I’m so sorry,” Varian said again. “Tarquin will certainly hear about this. Lucien can escort you all back to the Summer Palace while I take care of this.” Emerie nodded her silent thanks, as Varian moved off to make sure Kiyah was alright.

“Are you alright?” Emerie asked Melanie, who was trembling behind her. The vampyr did not sustain any physical injuries, but Emerie knew that such experiences could inflict wounds below surface level. Melanie nodded, but her black eyes glimmered with tears. Off to the side, Sona was helping Kiyah up from the ground. The bloodied icicle had melted into a puddle of crimson water, and Kiyah’s knee had been scraped raw.

Now that Emerie’s focus was not entirely honed on escaping, she was able to take in their surroundings. Several residents were poking their heads out of apartment windows, while others slowed down to stare at the scene as they walked by. High Fae. They’d entered a High Fae neighborhood, and yet none of them had intervened.

“I hate…I hate how things finally stopped only when other males came,” Melanie muttered darkly. “It should have never gotten to this point.”

It could be because we are considered Lesser Fae, Emerie thought silently. Judging from Melanie’s sad expression, her friend was thinking the same. “And I’m a Valkyrie…I should have been able to fight them off just fine,” Emerie added bitterly.

Melanie shook her head. “Do not blame yourself, Emerie. No one is invincible. Besides, you kicked their asses real good.” But Melanie’s assurances were paltry in the face of Emerie’s worst fears.

I survived the Blood Rite. I’m a Carynthian. I should’ve been able to defend my friends from a couple of males. I need to train harder, be stronger, so that no one can ever hurt us again…

Sona walked up to Emerie, pulling her into a hug. The water wraith’s skin was clammy and damp, but the comforting gesture soothed some of Emerie’s nerves. “Emerie, you were amazing.”

It was hard to accept praise when so much adrenaline was still pumping through her veins. “Y-you were brave too, Sona. When you moved to protect Kiyah.”

“I did what anybody else should have done. Us females…we need to stick together.” Us Lesser Fae, too, was what Sona’s bottomless eyes added quietly. The water wraith glanced at Elain, who approached them cautiously from behind. “I saw you too, Elain. You were ready to stick that bottle into the male if he got any closer,” Sona acknowledged.

“If those males knew the Kingslayer was in our midst, they’d think twice about coming onto us,” Emerie tried to joke.

“I think you meant to say Carynthian Valkyrie, instead.” Elain cracked a half smile, but her face was still stiff with shock as they began walking to the docks.

#acotar #acotar fanfic #elucien #elucien fanfic #emerie pov #elain archeron #lucien vanserra #elain x lucien

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pages-of-spilled-ink · 6 years

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Under the Mountain

During your first years under Amarantha’s reign, you’d discovered that there were passageways deep within the tunnels Under the Mountain. Some of them were so close to collapse that not even her creatures would dare travel them.

If you followed the oldest, darkest tunnel, it would lead to a cave the size of a cottage.

There, the walls and ceiling were inlaid with gems the color of sapphire, amethyst, emerald, and so many other colors in between that you had no name for them. They were all the colors of the night sky on Starfall, and the cave glowed with their inward light. It felt as if some ancient creature had scraped at the deepest hues of night and then embedded them across the walls of this sanctuary.

It was here that you first met him.

You’d panicked, at first, to open your eyes to a tall, shadowy figure in the entrance to the cave. But when you leapt to your feet, you realized that the scent was familiar. You’d often scented it lingering around here. And so you looked closer- and stuttered an embarrassed greeting to the High Lord of Summer.

“Apologies for interrupting you, my lady, but then again, what are you doing in my hiding spot?” He crossed his muscular arms, the muscles flexing under his mahogany skin, as he leaned on the nearest wall.

“This is my hiding spot, Lord, but you are welcome to share,” you retorted as you sat back down and gestured for him to sit as well.

And sit down he did, but not without starting a fight about who had discovered the cave first. You won, and claimed your dominion.

You spent precious hours talking to him about what you missed most: the stars, the moon, the sky. And he spent hours describing Adriata to you, drawing pictures in the air of the shape of the palace and describing the seas. After finding out that you missed the sound of the ocean, he pressed his palm to the floor, and suddenly the cave came alive with the sounds of the ocean. The effort caused sweat to appear on his brow, but he shrugged it off and said it was worth it. For you.

From then on, the two of you would sit in the cave- sometimes in silence, sometimes in laughter- and listen to the sounds of the ocean underneath the night sky. You’d stroke your fingers through his silver hair when he put his head in your lap, quietly marveling at how it felt as if you were combing through strands of pure, soft moonlight. He would look up at you from time to time, and you’d stare back and note how it seemed like flickering blue lightning was trapped within his crystal blue eyes.

And then Feyre Archeron won her first task.

You all knew that Amarantha would rather die than release her hold on the High Lords. No- maybe not die. She would kill all of you before relinquishing our powers to a human girl. Her beasts watched the High Lords with suspicious eyes, and Tarquin was unable to slip away.

He came the night before her second task, and words of panic tumbled from his mouth.

“We need to get you out. You can leave now- one of my court has to distract Amarantha, even give his life, to give you time. A tumor in his head gives him days left to live. But you have to go now, as far as you can. Find a part of the mortal realms where no one can reach you.”

A life without his mischievous grin flashing at you, without his endless conversation about the ocean and the lesser Fae of Summer? A life without him? No. No. But then he held you by the shoulders, close enough that you had to tilt your head back to meet his eyes.

“I don’t care if Amarantha tortures me for the entirety of my existence from here on out- I will be happy knowing you are safe. My time with you was a gift, and I’ll treasure it with every second of my life. Give me another gift by extending your own life. Please.”

You cried as you kissed him for the first and last time, saltwater tears streaming from both of your faces. Your heart ached as the golden light seemed to leech from his body, and pain- real pain- shone through his eyes.

You felt strangely empty when you slipped from an escape tunnel Under the Mountain. As if your body had shut down. But when you crossed the wall, all of that pain came rushing back into you, as if every inch of your body were being stabbed with flaming knives that attempted to drag you back to him. You had to pull over in the forests of the mortals, sobbing endlessly for days until a hunting party frightened you into moving again.

You’ve settled down now in a corner of the human realms so far that the Fae are simply thought to be bedtime stories. No one here in this small village in the mountains even knows that there was a war.

No one knows that far across the world, there is a High Lord of Summer who is free from Amarantha, searching for his mate. A High Lord of Summer who would tear open the sky and watch the fiery stars fall to the earth if it meant that he could find you among the ashes. A High Lord who hates himself for letting himself give away greatest gift he’s ever received.

Chapter 39, ACOTAR:

“Amarantha flicked a hand at the High Lord of the Summer Court. ‘You may do what you want with the body afterward.’

The High Lord of the Summer Court bowed- as if he’d been given a gift...”

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