A Court of Pain and Sorrow

Sixteenth birthday

Time flew by and soon enough Rhaella found herself about to turn sixteen .

"Your birthday is tomorrow; what do you want us to gift you?" Cameron asked as he handed Rhaella a sword.

Evelyn, Cameron and her had developed a very strong and unique connection through the years. To put it simple: they had become best friends.

It all started when Rhaella showed up in the private hunting land belonging to Cameron's wealthy family and asked him to teach her how to defend herself.
Things escalated quickly and soon enough Cameron was full on training her, teaching her how to use a sword and how to throw daggers.
Evelyn soon joined them as well.

Also, the pair had started to give Rhaella some money to keep her family alive and well fed. It wasn't much as they couldn't risk their families finding out, but it was a very much needed help.

Evelyn and Cameron had also gotten engaged. Not because they loved each other, but because their parents told them to.

Furthermore, two years ago, Cameron had confessed to both Evelyn and Rhaella that he had no interest in girls whatsoever. And that he had fallen in love woth a young man from a wealthy family. That were still seeing each other.
As for Evelyn and Rhaella... well, their relationship had been very complicated.

They both started off great. They understood each other and could talk for hours. However, things changed quickly when feelings got in the way.

They both started pushing each other away and it was hard for them to even be in the same room together without one trying to murder the other.

That was, of course, until one year ago, when Rhaella got tires of all the nonsense and the tension and climbed through Evelyn's balcony.

The blonde girl was surprised to see the Archeron girl there and, just as she was about to tell her to get the fuck out of her room, Rhaella grabbed Evelyn by the arm and kissed her until her lips bruised.

They had been together ever since.

"Hey, I asked you a question." Cameron said, waving his hand in front of Rhaella's face.

She grabbed his wrist and smilled widely at him before replying: "Sorry, Cam. I really don't want anything."

"Okay fine... Are we doing something then?"

"My sisters and I are going out... Sorry."

"Don't you dare apologise, sweetheart." Evelyn said as she grabbed Rhaella's shoulder and kissed her nose. "You have fun and we will meet another day."

"Can you both stop being all over each other while I'm around? It's kinda rude." Cameron said as he rolled his eyes and faked a gag.

"If your boyfriend were here you wouldn't have stopped touching him. I think you can handle a little kiss." Rhaella argued, elbowing Cameron, causing him to trip and fall on his butt.

Evelyn laughed and kissed Rhaella on the lips before she sat down and watched Cameron and Rhaella bicker back and forth as they continues to train.

                                                ***

The next day arrived and all four if the Archeron sisters left the house, leaving their father sleeping in his usual spot.

Rhaella and Feyre guided them to a spot they has discovered in their hunting trips and, as soon as they got there, Elain squaled and Nesta's mouth dropped.

It was a beautiful clearing, with tall, green and soft grass that tickled the sisters' legs. There were thousands of flowers, of all colours and sizes all over the ground, as well as a little lake with crystal clear waters. The sun was shining, bathing all four of the girls' beautiful features and the breeze moved their dresses and their hair. The cold had disappeared for the day, leaving a warm weather, perfect for being outside. It was like the nature was working in their favor.

Elain quickly sat on the ground and started picking up flowers to make crowns for all four of the sisters. Nesta and Feyre sat down on the grass talking and Rhaella threw pebbles onto the lake until she got bored and went over her sisters, dropping herself on top of them, causing them all to laugh out loud.

They ate, talked and laughed. They shared those tender moments that they usually couldn't share due to their conditions and for a moment, it was like nothing bad had ever happened to them. Like they weren't poor and struggling to eat every day.

"What about boys? Are you guys seeing anyone?" Elain asked as she made the last flower crown.

"Well..." Feyre started. "There is this boy I kind of like... His name is Isaac, but I don't think he even knows I exist."

"I'm sure he thinks about you every night, Feyre." Elain said. "And done! I finished the crowns. Go ahead! Put them on!"

All the sisters obliged and placed the crowns over their heads, smiling at each other.

"Rhaella does have someone special" Nesta said.

The youngest Archeron blushed horribly as she shook her head and said: "I don't know what you're talking about."

"You are blushing! You really do like him!" Feyre said.

"Come on, little one. You disappear almost every day and when you come back, you are grinning like an idiot." Nesta said, smiling like Rhaella had never seen her do.

"If you don't want to talk about it it's fine." Elain said, as soft as always. "As long as he treats you right, we approve."

Rhaella smiled. She then grabbed something from the bag she had been carrying all day and handed it to Feyre.

"Happy birthday, Fey."

"You shouldn't have." Her twin said, frowning.

"Shut up and open it." Nesta said.

Feyre sighted and gave in, opening the present that her sister had bought her.

She found a wooden box and inside of it there were three canvas, brushes and paints.

Tears stung Feyre's eyes as she looked to her twin.

"Thank you." She whispered.

Rhaella smiled before saying: "Now, paint."

Feyre nooded as she started thinking what to paint.

Elain started to sing lightly as she picked more flowers to make a crown for their father. Rhaella pulled Nesta up and started to dance with her at the rhythm of Elain's song.

As Feyre looked at her sisters, she knew what to paint.

So she did.

She grabbed one canvas and painted a picture of it. A beautiful clearing with four girls wearing flower crowns: one of them painting, other one picking flowers while singing and the other two dancing by a lake.