Helion Spellcleaver and the Lady of Autumn ; A new start

Part 9

As soon as Elain and Lucien set foot on the House, they heard a sharp intake of breath and a little, very sad 'sorry'. Following the voices, they went to the library where they found Helion sitting on a couch and a very nasty red mark covered almost all of his arm. A burn.

'What happened?' Lucien asked, his eyes taking in the injury.
'Ah Lucien,' Rhys spoke from Lucien's left. Apparently he'd been sitting there all along, Lucien just hadn't noticed him or his presence. Over his worrying for Helion. 'It seems as if you just can't have a happy family.' He sighed theatrically and pinched the bridge of his nose.
Lucien rolled his eyes and turned to his parents, his mother carefully bandaging his arm while his father looked at her like she was the only one there.

'Hello', Lucien waved his hands, 'what happened?'
'We got into a fight.' He merely shrugged. Was he joking? Lucien couldn't properly read his tone.
Not you too, he thought. He'd had enough of Aurelia's and Beron's toxic relationship.
'Why? How do you even get in a fight? Did you get your powers back?' He turned to his mother.
'I drank the faebane antidote and my mate decided that it would be good for us to have a little battle. To see where my powers stand , after all that time taking faebane.'
'Have you', Lucien licked his lips nervously, 'forgotten how to use them?'
'No, thankfully.' Aurelia said pausing her hands on Helion's arm and turning toward her son. 'Its just that I had meant to attack with a lesser force. And Helion didn't make his ward strong enough, so my fire broke through them.' She resumed bandaging her mate's arm. On her face lay such sadness, it was unbearable. It seemed that Helion too felt that way, because all the time he tried to make Aurelia look at him. But she always looked away.

'Don't worry, Aurelia. After all, I was the one who asked for your best shot.' He tried calming her, giving one of his gorgeous smiles that easily bring half of Prythian on their knees, yet Aurelia kept her head down.
Aurelia, he tried reaching through their bond. I am fine my love. Look, I've started to heal already. Helianthus, look at me.
She raised her head slowly and saw her mate smiling at her.
As much as it pains me, we only have this night and tomorrow morning left. Lets not waste this time, please. I am fine.
She nodded and squeezed his hand. She'd finished bandaging his arm already.
'So,' Rhysand interrupted, 'if I'm not wrong, your dearest son here, Lucien and Elain winnowed in here. Someone might explain me how is that possible?'
'You can't winnow in this House?' Aurelia asked curiously her gaze jumping from one High Lord to the other. 'Helion did that with ease.'
Helion's mouth tugged up.

'No, Helianthus. This House has been warded, generation after generation, from Rhys' ancestors. Everyone of them put their bit of magic into the wards. They are so strong, even clever Rhysand here can't go through them.'
Elain chuckled at the "clever  Rhysand", her sister had talked to her about the other High Lords and had mentioned Helion's and Rhysand's friendship, but it was something else seeing it herself.
'You could've sent word that you wanted to go out. No need to break the wards.' Rhysand said, annoyed.
'And miss my chance to show off to my newly found family? Pshh, it like you don't know me at all.' Lucien and Aurelia laughed, while Rhysand pinned them with a death glare.
'Though I didn't leave this place completely defenceless. Promise I will mend the wards tomorrow.' He said solemnly.
'Now,' he rose to his feet, 'I have little time with my mate and I don't want to waste it bickering with you, Rhysand. Helianthus, if you want we can resume our training,' his face softened.

She shook her head. 'No, I don't want to. Maybe we can work with my powers a little tomorrow morning. I heard that under this House, there is a grand library,' Aurelia turned to Rhysand, 'I would like to go there if possible.'
'Of course, but you'll need permission to enter from the priestess Clotho. I can show you the way to the library.' He turned on his heels and left the room, leading the way. Taking Aurelia's hand in his, Helion followed. 

After taking permission from Clotho, Rhys let his friend with his mate and flew home.
It feels like old times again. Aurelia softly said to her mate through their bond. During the time she spent in the Day Court, she had visited many of the magnificent one of a kind libraries with Helion. That's how they had gotten on good terms. He worked on his study, while Aurelia read books sitting opposite him.
It surely does. Only the sunlight is absent.
Well, we are in a mountain with no windows around here sooo. She laughed. But you can shine for me.
I'd do everything for you, Helianthus.
'Let us both choose a certain book and read beside each other.'
'Thats what you want?'
'I know it sounds like its time wasting, but I don't know. It feels right.' She said whispering.
'Whatever you want Helianthus.' Helion whispered back.
Hand in hand they walked in the library passing through different sections, it looked like the first floor only had Fae and human history. On the second floor...

'Can I help you?' Both mates turned around to find a red head priestess looking at them. She was tall and elegant, red hair spilled on her shoulders and her face was full of tiny freckles. Teal eyes shone like water when its hit by the sun rays and on top of her head rested a blue-stoned tiara that matched her eyes.
Realisation shone on Helion's face. 'Gwyneth, the Valkyrie right?'
Gwyn nodded.
'Valkyrie?' Aurelia echoed. 'You're one of the three women who passed the Great Rite.'
'Yes,' Gwyn said with a proud smile. 'I didn't know the news had reached other courts.'
'That's something to be proud of Gwyneth. You and your Valkyrie friends are the awakening of brave warriors.' Helion said.
'Have you met any of them?'
'Yes, entire legions of them fought against the Loyalists five hundred years ago. Our armies helped them and were helped by them. Smart, strong and brave women.' Aurelia smiled at Gwyn who stood gaping at Helion.
'Whoah! Their history never fails to amaze me, even though I've read almost every  book about Valkyries here.'
'We actually need to find the legends and myths section, Gwyn. If you help us, you're welcome to the libraries of the Day Court.'
A wide grin bloomed on Gwyn's face, while she imagined all the precious books she could find there. 'Huh, that's easy. The legends and myths section is in the floor below.'
'It would be an honour to have my libraries visited by a Valkyrie.'
Gwyn smiled brightly than she turned on her heels and left, hopping.

The mates stood silent for a while, until Aurelia's laugh rang through the silence.
'What a lovely thing.' Turning to face her mate, the smile vanished when Aurelia saw his thoughtful face. 'Something wrong?'
'No, I just...' he trailed off. 'I thought she looked like you for one moment. I couldn't pinpoint any resemblance but it felt like you have some sort of it. Maybe it was just the red hair.'
'Well, the lighting here isn't great. Personally I didn't see any hint of resemblance. Why would there be?'
'Yeah, you're right. Forget about it Helianthus.' He gave her a little smile and took her hand in his. 'Lets find some books to read.'