A Court of Wind and Song

30: Beginnings

"Does she really make all of your clothes?" Gwyn blinked at me like I held the world on a string.

"I mean... not all of them." I motioned down at the leathers I wore, a pair she had made when I complained of some mornings being too cold for typical leathers, embroidered with silver flowers and made of thicker, warmer material, "She did make these though."

"They're beautiful." Gwyn complimented, "People say her mother was a seamstress. Even now, people talk about how stunning her clothes were."

I thought back to that sewing room, to the dress on that mannequin, to the dresses I had seen in Feyre's closet that she told me were handmade by Rhysand and Leur's mother.

"Seems that the gift is inherited then." I said, "Come on, Cassian will get grumpy if we don't start our stretching."

I needed a cover for the pang of jealousy that went through me at the thought of having the type of mother that hand-sewed me dresses and doted on me. It would do me no good, not when my own mother was long dead and I was well aware that Leur hadn't had some perfect childhood. Maybe it was like a karmic debt, being rewarded with that type of mother in payment for the father she was cursed with having.

"Stretching?" Gwyn's arched bows furrowed.

"The first day will all be stretching and feet." I said.

"Feet?"

I let out a chuckle, linking my arm with hers and walking over to where Cassian was setting up the mats, "You'll see."

-

Gwyn was a natural at this, in a way that nearly nerved to make me jealous. She claimed she was just naturally flexible, a nymph ancestry making it so that her bones and tendons were more freely movable. She took well to the stretching, impressed Cassian with naturally good balance, and then departed for the day with one last glimpse up at the sunny sky.

"Hey Nes." Cassian called after me as I made a move to head down the stairs. He was rolling the black mats up with large hands, practiced movements as if he had done it everyday of his life.

Odds were, he had.

"I thought I told you not to call me that." I turned, barely able to force vitriol into my voice when I looked at him anymore.

"Stop pretending like you don't like it." He said flippantly, calling me out in an instant, "Anyways, I am going to train the Illyrian women this afternoon. I was wondering if you'd like to come and help me."

"You want me to train with them or to help you train them?" My brows furrowed.

"It's up to you." He shrugged, "Devlon has the groups that have been training longer, so they're working on more advanced things. But after..." His voice trailed off, a shake of his head, "There was a lot of females who just signed up, and I'm going to start the basics with them. After seeing how you were with Gwyn today, I thought you might like to help."

I cocked my head at him, "After what?"

"Leur didn't tell you?" He frowned, setting down the mats and walking towards me.

"I haven't seen her for a few days." I said, "I thought she was on vacation?"

"She is." Cassian said tightly, "The day after we met about the Trove, she went up to Illyria for training and found a woman that had been clipped in the middle of the main square."

Rage boiled within me, "Where were you?"

"Meeting with Eris in the Spring Court." He answered, something like guilt in his stare, "She handled it."