𝐍𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐄 𝐃𝐄𝐕𝐎𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 | 𝐑𝐇𝐘𝐒𝐀𝐍𝐃

𝐢𝐢𝐢: 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞

Aurilena leaned against the wall as she tried to calm herself, but it did not matter anyways. Amarantha would find out soon enough about Feyre and the feeling would get even worse by then. Aurilena ran a hand through her hair before forcing a smile on her face. "You are fine, there is no need for the theatrics." She whispered to herself softly. She ran her hands up and down her thighs before forcing them to stay at her side as she grabbed the key to the room before opening the door and leaving her office. Aurilena made sure to lock the door before going on her way to her bedchambers. She didn't trust Feyre to not look in her office and she had too many important documents in there that could not be trifled with.

On her way, Aurilena passed Lucien, dressed impeccably as always, but she forced herself to look away from him. She was still upset about what had happened yesterday and while she would usually get over any disagreement between them easily, this was different. He knew the risks of what would happen if Feyre did not fall in love with Tamlin and yet he continued to act the way he did. Aurilena knew he was just being himself and she did feel bad in a way, but the part of her was that consumed with fear could not get over what happened.

"Are you honestly still pissed at me?" Lucien asked, annoyed, as she passed him. "We haven't fought like this in decades, much less over some stupid mortal girl. Come on, Auri, can't you forgive me?" He pleaded and she knew he was looking at her with puppy dog eyes.

Aurilena let out a sigh before turning to face him. "Will you behave?" She asked, raising her eyebrows at him. If Lucien could control himself, everything would be fine, but if he could not then problems would arise.

Lucien gave her a deadpan look, rolling his eyes, before sighing. "I suppose I can reel in, as you like to call it, 'my attitude', a bit." He said slowly. A smile formed on Aurilena's lips, making Lucien grin. "You make me work harder than anyone I've ever met in my entire life, you know that?" He teased as he walked towards her, poking her in the stomach playfully as he grabbed her hand and took her to her chambers.

"Do you not have something to do?" Aurilena asked, laughing as he opened the door and practically threw himself onto her bed.

"Tamlin can live without me for a bit." Lucien said, relaxing as he hugged her pillows. "Why is your bed so much more comfortable than mine?"

"You have probably just worn yours out." Aurilena said before walking into her enormous walk-in closet filled with any clothing she could ever want.

"What's it going to be today?" Lucien shouted from her bedchambers. "Blue silk dress or blue silk dress?" He teased, making Aurilena roll her eyes at his words.

"You are so funny, Lucien..." She said sarcastically as he laughs loudly. Lucien was the only person she would ever let herself joke around with, it was natural when it came to them. "So...did you hear about what happened with your dad and the Rhysand earlier this month?" Aurilena asked hesitantly, she knew family was a sore subject for Lucien, but he deserved to know what they were doing. It also did not help that it was entertaining to make fun of the idiot males in his family. Aside from Eris of course, he wasn't an idiot at all.

"No, but what happened? Those spies of yours sure do make things interesting." He joked, chuckling as he spoke.

"Hold on, give me a second to pick out my dress." Aurilena said as she looked through her clothing before finally settling on an a-line gray blue tulle dress that went all the way to her feet. She grabbed the dress as well as a pair of heels to match before going back into her bedchambers. "Apparently, your dad got very drunk."

"No surprise there." Lucien muttered. "Continue, sorry."

Aurilena gave him a playful glare before speaking once again. "Like I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted, your dad got drunk and thought it would be a good idea to insult Rhysand, something that did not go well. From what I heard, Rhysand was also drinking and did not like being insulted, no surprise there, he never does take insults happily. The details are a bit blurry according to my informants, but it ended with your dad having both of his arms broken. He is fine of course, but still." She explained. Everyone knew you should never ever insult the High Lord of the Night Court. He was more powerful than anyone and it was an idiotic thing to do.

"Yes, I know how temperamental 'Amarantha's Whore' is." Lucien seethed, making Aurilena go over to him and hit him warningly.

"Lucien, you have got to quit saying things like that. Nothing can happen to you here, but Under the Mountain you will get in some serious trouble for saying something like that. You only have one more eye before you are completely blind." She scolded before walking towards her room divider and beginning changing.

"I know that!" He argued. "But I'm just saying, he is very much her whore, and I know you can't say anything against him without it being considered a form of treason since he is still your High Lord, but that doesn't mean I can't."

Aurilena let out an annoyed groan before throwing her nightgown that was previously on her body at him. She quickly got on her clothing for the day, pulling her hair out of the dress as she walked into view of Lucien.

"I don't know why you go behind there to get dressed." He sighed, eyeing her. "I've seen you naked before, remember?"

Aurilena laughed softly at his words. "We had sex once about a hundred and fifty years ago, and it was only because we were both in our height of puberty and extremely hormonal." She gave him a knowing look. "Besides, you and I would never do it again. Do not get me wrong, you are a very attractive male, but you know I like dark hair."

"Oh! You wound me!" Lucien shouted, holding a hand over his heart as if he was in pain. "How ever will I live now that you have rejected me?"

Aurilena smiled widely as she took a seat at her vanity. "You will be fine, I am positive you will move on very quickly." She said, grabbing her hairbrush as she brushed out her hair before styling it with some hair clips. Her hair was now styled half-up half-down with a few small hairs framing her face. "Did you hear about Feyre's 'trap' that she set in her room?" Aurilena asked, putting on a pair of diamonds earrings that dangled and a blue emerald necklace with diamonds around her neck.

A huge grin formed on Lucien's face. "I did, and may I just say, wow just wow." He teased, making Aurilena laugh.

"Be nice, you need to give her a break." She reminded him. "I remember a time when things were quite difficult for you, not the way she had things, but still very difficult."

"That's not the same and you know it." He argued, venom evident in his voice as he stood up. "I lost my eye for saying shit to Amarantha, but that...'girl' killed Andras because she felt like it and hates our kind." Lucien made his way towards her, his voice raising in volume as he continued to speak. "I figured if anyone would be on my side it'd be you!"

Aurilena turned to look at Lucien, holding up her hands as a gesture for him to calm down. "I know that and I will forever be sorry about what happened to you, but I am only trying to put things in perspective." She said calmly. In moments like these, you could tell Lucien was from the Autumn Court with his fiery temper. He barely had any self control and could not stop himself from engaging in an argument with anyone. "Please, calm down, Lucien. I do not want to fight with you." Aurilena gave him a sorrowful look, hoping he would just forgive her, but instead he scoffed in disbelief.

"You are fucking unbelievable, you goddamn hypocrite." His voice was calmer now, but his voice was just as full of anger as before. "Your dad would've never put up with this bullshit and you know it, but it appears you will. Some daughter you are." Aurilena's face dropped at his words, they were like a punch to the gut and he knew it. Lucien wanted to hurt her, wanted her to feel worse than he did, and succeeded in doing so. A look of guilt passed over Lucien's face, but as soon as it was there it vanished. He looked away, jaw clenched in anger, before storming off. "I'll see you at dinner." Lucien shouted angrily over his shoulder as he slammed the door behind him.

Aurilena felt like she could barely breath as looked at where her friend had previously been. Her throat felt like it was closing in on itself and her heart ached.
Lucien had said a lot of hurtful words to her before, but nothing like that. A single tear fell down her cheek and she quickly wiped it away. Aurilena lost her balance slightly as images of the fire infiltrated her mind before she was able to get a grip on something. Tears began streaming down her face before she could stop them, making it to where all she could do was try to not fall apart.

* ˚ ✦

That's the end of this chapter! Was it good? Bad? Meh?

That ending was...not what I planned on doing, but I love causing trauma 😁 Anyways, I hope this hurt you as much as it hurt me.

Do you have any theories or suggestions?