Vel had been walking for what felt like an eternity but was likely closer to thirty minutes. The Forest House was a labyrinth of rooms and hallways, each of them looking perfectly identical to what came before. Who even had decided to call it a ‘House’ when it was clearly a maze made out of stone and wood? She was working hard to create a mental map of the building, while also doing her best not to trip over her robe.
Eris led the way a few steps ahead, hands behind his back, completely unconcerned with her struggle. He’d been quiet ever since their small exchange in the carriage, only bothering with the minimal courtesies of introducing her to the rest of the court. It was as if he became uninterested in what she had to offer after finding out she was not some all-knowing divine being.
On the other hand, Beron had been surprisingly agreeable during the introductions and throughout dinner. The change in personality from the surly, paranoid High Lord she knew was so abrupt it had given her whiplash. Even Eris, who sat across from her, to the right of his father, seemed slightly unnerved.
Regardless of Beron’s uncanny good mood, dinner had gone swimmingly. Vel got the chance to meet the Lady of the Autumn Court, a beautiful High Fae female with auburn hair, porcelain skin, and russet eyes. She talked little during dinner, but her voice was as sweet as sun-warmed apples. Unfortunately, she sat at the other head of the table so it had been difficult for Vel to do more than exchange pleasantries. The other six Vanserra brothers were as lively as she’d expected them to be. She noted how they stared at Eris with deference and calculation - and fear. All except the youngest, who seemed entirely uninterested in whatever stories his brothers were busy spinning. As dinner was served Vel only managed to half pay attention to everything going on around her. The food had been absolutely divine, a stark contrast to her own cooking.
Daydreaming about dinner, Vel almost walked into Eris who had stopped in front of a dark oak door. He ignored the fact that she was standing awkwardly close and opened the door, motioning for her to enter. “This is the guest room, I hope it is to your liking.”
She stepped inside. The ‘guest room’ was almost the size of her entire home. The double doors opened into a lounge area with four leather sofas and a low table in the middle. A massive rug covered most of the wooden flooring, giving the room a homely feeling despite dark colors and the tall ceiling. An imposing fireplace stood to her right, flanked by massive bookcases with rolling ladders. Two plush armchairs that looked incredibly comfortable sat in front of the fireplace. Across the room was an ornate window with a solid desk and an elegantly sculpted chair in front of it. On the left side was a door that she assumed opened to the washing room, and a set of stairs that likely led to a sleeping room.
Interestingly enough, there was no balcony. There was presumably no way to leave this room other than the door they had just walked through. A security measure in a paranoid court.
When she didn’t respond, Eris continued. “Additional garments have been prepared for you, should you desire them. If you need anything, my room is back the way we came, first door on the left. We will send for you tomorrow after breakfast.” He turned on his heels and made to leave.
“Thank you for your hospitality, Heir of Fire.” He looked at her over his shoulder, his hand hesitating on the door. She had only said that to see if it would spark a reaction. Vel was not happy with how distant he’d suddenly become, she needed someone an ally in this court and he seemed like the likeliest candidate. But Eris simply hummed some non-committal response and left, closing the door behind him.
Vel resisted pulling at her hair, which was neatly braided into a bun underneath her hood and instead went to stare out the window as the colors of the forest darkened. She needed to take care of the chill that had seeped into her bones. She snapped her fingers and the fire in the hearth came to life. All the candles in the room followed shortly after. She felt the beginning of a headache forming in the back of her skull, from Eris, or Beron, or this whole strange situation, she wasn’t entirely certain.
A series of quick knocks and the door opened to four servants carrying two massive trunks between them. “Apologies for the intrusion Lady, we were told to bring these items for you as quickly as possible, in case you needed them,” the delicate faerie at the front of the procession chirped. A pair of antlers poked through her tawny hair - a forest nymph. They set the chests down by the stairs with a thud, the sound making it clear that they were much heavier than Vel initially expected. The forest nymph, walked towards Vel, her stride long and elegant, and bowed deeply, while the rest of the faeries filed out through the open doorway. “My name is Nyoka, I will be your attendant during your stay,” she paused for a second, seemingly intimidated by Vel’s appearance, “if you would have me, of course.”
“It would be my pleasure Nyoka, thank you,” Vel reassured her with a small smile. The nymph beamed back brightly.
“The trunk on the left contains small clothes, night clothes, shirts, and trousers, while the trunk on the right has dresses, robes, and cloaks, in case you would like to wear something more… er … Autumn fashion,” Nyoka said, a bit uncertain, eyeing the elaborate black robe Vel was wearing.
“I will be keeping my robe. It has many uses,” Vel said motioning to the panel of cloth concealing the upper part of her face, “but the gesture is appreciated,” she quickly added.
“I understand, my Lady. We will leave it here in case you change your mind. We weren’t sure what sizes to bring so I chose a few different ones, mostly with laces so that I can adjust them for you as necessary.” She looked at the fireplace. “I was also going to start the fire for you but it seems that is already taken care of. You can summon me by ringing the bell on the bedside table. Please let me know if there is anything I can do for you, Lady”
Vel looked out the window. There were still a few hours left before it would be completely dark, enough time to enjoy the second-best perk of life at the court. “Actually, Nyoka, I would love some help with the bath. It has been a long day, and the autumn wind was much colder than I remembered.” she folded the cloth panel away from her face and pushed back her hood. “And please call me Vel.”
The faerie studied her face and bowed. “Of course, Lady Vel.”
—
Five hours later, Vel was lazily lounging in the plush armchair in front of the roaring fireplace, the night well and truly settled over the land. The bath had been everything she had wanted and more. Nyoka had helped her undo her braids and detangle her hair. She’d brushed it out attentively, as they made small talk about life in the Autumn Court. Vel hadn’t had a close friend since the War, so it was easy to get lost in the conversation with Nyoka - she talked about the male she was in love with, how they’d one day run away from court so they could live life the life they wanted. Vel recalled that forest nymphs rarely worked indoors, but Nyoka assured her the Forest House had earned its name rightfully, with many wooded gardens and exposed architecture.
As Vel soaked in the almost boiling water, the heat soothed her headache and loosened her tongue. She told Nyoka of her own lover, a shadowsinger from the Night Court. How she tried to keep everyone, including him, at arm’s length, in fear that if she got too close she wouldn’t be able to protect them.
“Did you ever lose someone you love?” Nyoka asked while brushing her hair.
“I’ve lost more than I can count. I carry their names with me everywhere I go,” Vel put a hand over her heart, “a reminder of my failures.”
“Fate likes to taunt us, dangle a carrot in front of our faces to make us think we have a chance at happiness,” Nyoka said wistfully. The conversation died off after that and Vel was left to her thoughts. Faces and names flitted through her mind, some of them forgotten by all but her.
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The forest outside was bathed in darkness. She debated if she would follow through on her plan or take the night to sleep and relax. Beron’s disposition had perturbed her, something was amiss and she needed to figure it out sooner rather than later. Vel begrudgingly got up and started pacing in a circle around the sofas. She was here for two reasons: to find out what Beron wanted and to get to know the heirs of Autumn. If she could also trigger some vision while she was here it would be an added bonus, but for that, she had to get enough sleep. Beron was the oldest High Lord. She found it strange that there had been absolutely no dreams regarding his eventual successor. These things were somehow linked but she wasn’t sure yet how.
Vel took her time getting dressed while listening to the guards making their rounds - twenty minutes between each round, enough time for her to slip out unseen if she walked in the same direction. Her robe was not the best outfit for the task at hand, but neither were the Autumn Court dresses.
She carefully opened the door, looked both ways and started walking back the way she’d come earlier. She had questioned Nyoka about the layout of Forest House earlier. There were 4 buildings and what she needed was in the main one, which housed the throne room, the dining halls, and, most importantly, Beron’s study, which was above the council chamber. Unfortunately, she was now in the residential wing, which meant there would be a fair bit of walking involved. She was also unfamiliar with the area since she’d never actually stayed overnight in the Forest House before, all she had to go off was the shoddy mental map she’d put together while following Eris earlier.
As she passed his room, Vel was mildly surprised to see light coming out from underneath the door. Strangely enough, her first instinct was to wonder if he was enjoying someone’s company, a female or a male, perhaps. She felt the urge to knock but she rubbed her hands together and went on her way. Without the heat of the fireplace, her fingers were already getting cold.
Navigating the hallways was even more daunting at night. Right, left, straight for 200 steps, right again. She had to hide twice from passing guards, blending in the corner or by a suit of armor like liquid darkness. She got lost once, ending up in an unfamiliar corridor that was open to the night sky. The stars twinkled beautifully overhead. She could hear the sound of running water in the distance. The air was cold and crisp and smelled of petrichor.
Vel let out a long sigh and was about to turn around and retrace her steps when someone pulled her backward, dragging her into a side room. Her back slammed hard against her captor’s chest, knocking the breath out of her. The cold metal of a knife pressed against her throat and goosebumps broke out over her skin. The room she got dragged into was dark and dusty. There were a few old pieces of furniture and several large objects covered by dusty sheets - nothing she could use to her advantage.
“I’ve been waiting for you to make a move, but I didn’t think you’d give me the satisfaction so quickly.” Eris’s breath fanned her cheek, sending a shiver down her spine.
“Are all Vanserras so easy to satisfy or is it just you?” Vel couldn’t help but grin when she felt him bristle behind her. She hadn’t thought it would be so easy to push his buttons.
“Do you have a death wish? Tell me what you’re really doing here, and maybe I won’t separate your head from your body.”
Somehow, his threats rang hollow. His scent wrapped around and soothed her, it made her think of coming home after a long time away – a crisp breeze coming down from the cedar-covered mountains, a great crackling fireplace shielding her little cottage from the cold, endless shelves of leather-bound tomes, and a worn leather chair to read in front of the fire. Her respite in this ruthless world. She’d do well to tread carefully if she wanted to get back to her cozy cabin.
“You know why I’m here. Your father was the one who sent for me”
“But why?” Eris growled.
“Last time I checked I was not Beron. Perhaps you should try asking him tomorrow. However, I would advise not holding a knife to his throat when you do.” Her patience was wearing thin, so much for treading carefully.
She felt the dagger press against her skin. She smelled before she felt a drop of blood roll down her neck. Eris tensed behind her. She’d been masking her scent, the tang of blood likely took him by surprise.
Perhaps she’d misjudged him and he was actually going to slice her open. Vel decided she wasn’t going to stick around to find out. In the blink of an eye, she squeezed her palm between the blade and her neck, scraping most of the skin off in the process, and with her other arm she elbowed Eris in the stomach as hard as she could. The dagger clattered to the floor slick with her blood and Eris released her, stumbling a few feet back.
She turned back towards him, palms up. Blood was pouring down her left arm, dripping into her sleeve. He’d already produced another dagger from Mother knew where and was about to throw it at her face.
“Wait. Eris. We want the same thing. We could work together if you would just trust me.”
Eris narrowed his eyes at her. “Trust you? Do you genuinely think I’m simple?” he hissed out the words, trying to keep his voice low. “You want me to trust you when all you’ve been doing since you got here has been sneaking around and spying on us.”
Eris fished out something from the inner pocket of his cloak. He threw the contents towards her - a handful of owl feathers, her feathers from their little encounter earlier. She opened her mouth to say something but he cut her off.
“If you are planning to lie to my face and tell me you have no idea what this is, I promise you I will not miss again.” Vel felt his power swirling around her like an asp waiting to strike.
“It was a necessary caution. I’m sure you can agree with me that Beron has been acting strange. I had to be certain it was not a trap.” She kept her voice even. Eris sized her up.
“What is your involvement with the Night Court?” He was testing her, she knew. She’d had a nudging suspicion that Nyoka was Eris’s spy but she hadn’t expected her to report their conversation so quickly. It could only mean one thing.
“Ah, so you are the handsome Fae she was talking about, the one she’s hoping to run away with.” She grinned. A muscle feathered in Eris’s jaw and Vel wondered how much further she could push without causing a fight. She couldn’t help herself, their little dance was too entertaining.
“Tell me a secret and I’ll tell you one of mine, Eris Vanserra,” she hummed. “Would you abandon the throne for love?”
Eris shifted from one foot to another, visibly annoyed by the change in topic. “I’ll give you a lesson in court politics, Oracle.” Vel pursed her lips at the mocking use of her title. “There are a few ways to ensure someone’s loyalty. Promise them gold, but there is always someone with more treasure. Promise them power, but how much would they sacrifice for an uncertain future?” Eris paused. “Promise them love, and there is nothing they wouldn’t sacrifice.”
Vel crossed her arms, trying to apply some pressure on her wound. “How heartless.”
“You wouldn’t understand,” he spat the words back at her. “Nothing is given freely in the Autumn Court. Everything is transactional. There are no friendships, there is no love. Even my dear mother would betray me if it meant protecting precious little Lucien.”
Vel refrained from trying to comfort him, Eris would not take kindly to any perceived pity. “Indeed, I do not know your life, nor you do mine. One word of advice - do not underestimate a scorned lover.”
“Spare me your sage counsel. As far as I’m concerned, you haven’t proven any prophetic abilities.” Eris waved his hand dismissively and Vel had to stop herself from bristling. “I’d much rather know why you are involved with the Night Court. Weren’t you supposedly neutral or was that just another lie?”
She clenched her teeth and took a deep breath through her nose. She wouldn’t let the prick get to her. “I am neutral and I am not involved with the Night Court.”
“That’s funny. I only recall one shadowsinger in the Night Court and he also happens to be their spymaster.” Eris said with a sneer. “Exchanging prophecies for sex hardly seems impartial. Too bad we haven’t crossed paths earlier.” Eris’ smile was feline, he knew he was getting under her skin. “I could have shown you a much better time than some filthy Illyrian, if I had known your allegiance would be so easily bought.”
For a long moment, Vel contemplated unleashing her power on him. Perhaps being flattened against the wall would stop his yapping. But showing her hand now would make her lose any potential alliance with Eris. So instead she pressed her hand harder against her arm, the pain centering her.
“Are you done slinging insults, or will we be here until sunrise?” Eris seemed displeased, either that he didn’t get an excuse to fling his dagger at her, or that she stopped participating in their silly match. She couldn’t tell.
Her hands reached for the panel of cloth covering her face and Eris’s grasp tightened on the hilt of the dagger. “A gesture of goodwill, Heir of Autumn,” she said as she folded the cloth back into the hood of her robe. “I do not wish us to be enemies.” He studied her uncovered face for what felt like an eternity.
“Shall we make a bargain, Vel?” She was not used to so much eye contact. “We will be allies. We will share any information we gather that pertains to one another. We will protect each other from those who would do us harm and … we may not harm one another.” Eris watched her so intently that it made her feel naked, his amber eyes nearly glowed in the pitch-black darkness. She considered his words. It was a fair ask, for the most part. It would stop all the distrust brewing between them. An ally she could count on in the court of foxes.
“The bargain applies until I set foot outside of Autumn Court border,” she stated flatly.
“Ah, and here I was hoping we could have a long-term partnership, maybe with some of those benefits you lavish so freely on your shadowsinger,” Eris smirked at her with that irritating face. She put out her hand, the wound was almost closed but the blood was still fresh and glistening in the moonlight. He took the hand and shook it, his calloused palm once again deliciously warm against her cold skin. Too bad it belonged to such an insufferable prick.
She gave him a saccharine smile. “Perhaps I’m misremembering, but didn’t your bride-to-be choose an Illyrian over you? It seems you are awfully eager to come in second place again.” To his credit, Eris didn’t balk. He only pulled her closer, his warm breath fanning her face.
“I’m not afraid of coming second, because I’ll be making sure you’re coming first,” Eris purred. Vel felt the blush spread over her cheeks and immediately regretted uncovering her face.