A Court of Ink and Blood

ℭ𝔥𝔞𝔭𝔱𝔢𝔯 𝔗𝔴𝔢𝔫𝔱𝔶 𝔖𝔦𝔵

"Wait wait wait you're telling me you blurted out you were her mate in front of Hybern and Rhys and everyone" With Starfall having ended only a few hours prior it didn't take long for the wine to quickly seep back into her veins as the two sat in opposite arm chairs, a goblet of wine in their hands. 

"I know I kind of just freaked out I couldn't stop myself" Lucien cringed at the memory. 

"I was just in the cells below I swore I could feel absolute embarrassment flood through the floors"

Lucien looked ta her through dazed yes, sadness washing over him. 

"You were there the whole time?"

"The whole time" She nodded before her own smile turned down at the memory. "I was pretty out of it when all that happened with Hybern and Feyre. I'd pass out for days at a time. It was only after I heard some guards whisper about it did I know what was happening. I think I lost a little more faith then"

"That you weren't going to get out?"

She nodded in response. 

"Is that why you won't be with him?" Lucien pushed. 

"Because of what Hybern did to me? Yes. Partly."

Lucien poured more wine in both their cups before they clinked the metal together and sat back while he pushed her to continue on.

"I mean I have quite the reputation of being you know-"

"The Lady of Death. The bringer of darkness. The summoner of shadows"

She shot him a look, his hands holding up in defense while he smiled. 

"I just-He's constantly surrounded by shadows as am I. And with our jobs, what we do to people, he needs someone to balance that. To be able to come home and be welcomed by a nice meal and a warm bed not look at me and see the blood on my hands and be reminded of who we are, what we do" Her words began to slur somewhat with the wine.

They'd been drinking for hours at this point. Catching up, laughing at stories and sharing pained mate drama. Even now as they sat talking back and forth about nothing and everything, the sun was beginning to shine in through the windows. 

"Mother above I thought you were smart Thalia" Lucien broke out in a laugh. "That's the dumbest shit I've ever heard" He raised his drink at her, before pouring more into both their cups. Several long gulps were taken by both parties until he continued. 

"You just described his mother my dear friend and he doesn't need a mother. Nor a house maid for that matter" He stood up, one leg on the low table between them to announce out to the library. "My Thalia-" His hand was held toward her as if he was making a toast in her declaration. "I may not have a good record with mates"

"Aye aye" She agreed through drunken laughter, raising her own cup at his beginnings of a speech.

"But I do know that the one you love should be your equal. They should be someone, not who can distract you from your life, but with whom you can share you experiences" He took a long sip of wine. "You seem to forget my fierce friend from the mountains and you may not agree, I know you secretly do" He whispered the last part as if it made any difference with only the two in the room "but the Cauldron is right. Who better to pair a shadowsinger with than another shadowsinger"

"Lucien I-"

"No no don't argue with me on this you know I'm right. Stop talking" He hushed through drunken laughs, Thalia not being able to help herself in joining in as his foot slipped off the table sending him to the floor.