The last ten years had been hectic, to say the least. The first few years, Primrose Archeron-Daley, High Lady of Spring, had put all her energy into rebuilding her court. She'd had sleepless nights, cried rivers of tears and given her very soul away, but it had been worth it in the end. They'd started with the cottage, making the basic space into something that reflected them, half night and half spring, half him and half her.
From there, they'd moved onto the village, bringing it to life day by day, week by week, month by month. Each of the stores had been redecorated, funded and given a second chance. Prim had personally visited each of the houses, befriending the owners and the families until she could call them friends, until she could answer any question about them without hesitation. Soon, the markets started again, the stalls bright and inviting as the town was lively once more. That's when they focused on Rosehall.
The manor had crumbled completely, leaving nothing but bricks and collapsed memories. It was with a heavy heart that she'd decided to get rid of it, to remove the bricks, any traces of the house, and build anew. In its place, they built Gadina Manor; flower garden. Within, they'd built the library Primrose had envisioned, built Orion's office with shelves of classics, a view of the hills opposite his brown, mahogany desk. They'd crafted halls of spare rooms, one that strictly now belonged to Nova, despite her wanting the cottage more than her four-walled space. She had a few years to go until she could legally take it as her own, even if she still spent five of the seven days of the week at the Night Court. They had a grand room for meetings and parties, a large dining room for family dinners and a lush sitting room full of velvet sofas and armchairs.
The surrounding area of the Manor was just as magnificent. The back garden was where all the flowers lived, the primrose that Elain had given her, marigolds and roses, and whatever else Elain planted when she visited. There were apple trees and strawberry plants, the orchard thriving as the sun gave it life. From the sitting room, double glass doors opened to a front patio, a small patch of tiles that housed chairs and a table for sitting in the sun. The manor itself had a line of flowers around it, the scent filling the house every time the wind blew. The forests neighbouring were full of life once more, the small pool of starlight open to anyone who wanted to bathe in it. She'd made the Spring Court a home, not only for herself and her family, but for anyone who needed it.
It was Sunday morning, time for their much-loved family breakfast that they'd continued after all these years. It had started with Orion and Nova, and had expanded all the way to the Spring Court. Orion made breakfast, bringing out the dishes as Nova and Primrose sat at the table, looking out at the field before them.
Nova hadn't changed much, she was still the wide smiled, violet-eyed female she had always been, but the smaller changes had added up over time. It had started with her body, her height towering, her hips widening and curves sharpening. Her style was different too, less sparkle and more silk. Then there was the makeup, with her mother's artistic hand, it was no surprise that Nova's makeup always looked flawless. Primrose had watched her grow into a beautiful young fae, just as she had watched Leo become the cheeky ten-year-old that he now was. She almost felt as though she had blinked and everything was different.
"Mama, look!"
Primrose turned, following the call of the small, winged boy who bounded toward her. Calyx had something cupped in his palm, his chubby toddler legs carrying him forward as he stopped beside his mother's chair. His foot stood on the bottom of the chair, hoisting himself up as she wrapped an arm around his waist, pulling him onto her lap.
"What have you got there, bubs?" Prim asked, peering over her son's shoulder as he placed his palm down on the table. Nova leaned forward curiously, both faes watching the young Illyrian. His small hand slowly uncurled, revealing a butterfly, its wings were bright blue and fluttered happily as it sat.
She pressed a kiss to Calyx's hair, his dark curls desperately needing a trim, "It's beautiful, don't you think?"
He nodded enthusiastically, blowing a kiss to the insect, "So beautiful, Mama."
"It has wings, just like you! That's so cool, right?" Nova commented, smiling at her nephew. One of Prim's favourite things was seeing her younger family members react to Calyx, Nova and Leo luckily had taken a strong liking to him. Orion had even cried when he'd seen Nova holding him for the first time, the babe in a bundle against his aunt's chest.
"So cool!" He beamed, lifting his palm so the butterfly could rejoin the wild. His giggle was completely infectious as he watched it fly, his own wings flaring as he jumped down from the chair, chasing after it.
"Speaking of wings," Nova started, sipping on the freshly squeezed orange juice from their orchard, "His have gotten bigger, and he's definitely better at that jumping-flying thing he does."
Prim groaned, cupping her chin in her hand and pressing her elbow to the table, "Don't say that, he can't be growing, he has to remain small and cute forever."
Nova chuckled but her eyes had that longing look, "I know. Seriously, it only feels like a week ago when Uncle Cass found him."
Prim had always felt that tug in her stomach around children, marrying Orion and joining the Archeron family had only ignited that further. She had always known, deep down and secretly, she had known, had felt that something wasn't quite right, but that didn't mean she wanted to hear it out loud. They had gone to Madja first, had spent years trying with nothing in return. She couldn't count the number of times Madja had said her womb was empty, that her body was unable to conceive. They'd gotten second opinions, thirds and fourths and fifths, but none of that mattered in the end. It had been a few months after they'd stopped trying when the babe had been found.
On one of the low mountains surrounding the Illyrian camps, Cassian had found a newborn Illyrian wrapped in blankets, near-death and stone cold. Scarlet and Lyra had nursed him back to health, assessing the damage that the cold winter had done to his tiny body while Cassian and Nesta tried to track down the people responsible. No mother or father was found, no trace of his family existed within the camps and now they had a newborn babe, his wings damaged from hypothermia, and in need of a family.
"It was a miracle he found him when he did. Any longer and..." Prim whispered, watching her healthy and beautiful baby boy as he played in the grass. The cold climate had damaged the nerves in his wings, Madja and even Helion had done what they could to heal them, but only time would show what he was capable of.
"But that doesn't matter now," she continued, smiling as Orion brought out a tray of food and set it down on the table, "He has a family who loves and cares for him. We'll protect him from the world for as long as we can, but when it's time, we'll be there to share the truth of it all."
She remembered seeing him for the first time, the day she'd learnt about him and promised to be the best mother she could be. He was so small in her arms, so light and tiny. It was then that she knew he was all she needed. It didn't matter that he didn't have her hair or Orion's eyes, that the same blood didn't run through their veins or the same traits didn't shine through their personalities. All that mattered was that he was in their hearts, that they were willing to bring him up as their own, to teach him all the highs and lows of life and give him the love he deserved. It didn't make her any less of a mother, nor Orion any less of a father. Calyx was theirs, their son, their baby boy, and no one could ever change that.
Orion pressed a kiss to Prim's temple, taking a seat as he called out for Calyx, the boy rushing over at the sight of food. He climbed up into his chair, a drooling grin on his cheeks as he took in all the sweet treats Orion had made. He leaned forward, waiting for his father to place the food on his plate. "Pancakes or waffles, buddy?" Orion asked, a smile on his lips as he watched his son's eagerness.
"Both!" Calyx cheered, the same response he always gave when he was choosing between yummy treats. His brown eyes were wide and pleading despite knowing his father would give him anything he wanted. Since learning of his son's sweet tooth, Orion had been eating more treats, though he still couldn't bring himself to use more than one topping.
Orion hummed playfully, "I suppose, but do you promise to eat it all?"
Nova was busy piling her pancakes with strawberry sauce and strawberry slices. It was her new favourite thing apparently, and she had the red pigment on her lips to match. Prim was topping her waffles with chocolate sprinkles, winking at Calyx who giggled, "I promise, Dada!"
She felt it, every time Calyx called Orion "Dad" or "Daddy" or "Dada" there was a flare of utmost love that exploded against his mind, echoing against her own walls. She'd watched his love grow—not half, but double—when they adopted Calyx as their own, watched him bloom as a father, owning parenthood within the years they'd had him. She'd seen him in the darkness of the night, rocking the babe back to sleep, she'd seen him carry him on his hip, teaching him to stretch his wings, playing in the garden together, messing around in the kitchen with flour. She'd never thought she could love Orion more than she had, but seeing him as a father made her heart fuller than ever.
"Mommy? You okay?"
Primrose blinked, turning to her son who watched her curiously. Orion had placed a pancake and a waffle on Calyx's plate, had even coated it in his desired toppings and was now preparing his own. She hadn't realised how far away she'd been. Nova had her eyebrows raised, foot nudging her own beneath the table. She nodded, head bobbing and brushing hair around her shoulders. Her grin was wide as she smiled at her son, reaching out to take hold of her husband's hand and panning over her little family.
"Better than ever."