The days after Feyre disappearance were a blur. Xander shut himself of in his room. Only going outside to take bath or nature calls. Nesta or Elain would bring him food. Elain asked her brother what's wrong. He just told her that he caught a flu. Nesta being Nesta tried in her own ways to cheer up her brother. Like placing new books in his bed or talking about Gavin, or buying new music sheets. It helped to a certain extent, but whenever he looked at the drawing of the shadow figure Feyre had drawn on his drawer, he would break down all over again. So he asked Nesta to move that away from his eyesight.
When he got himself out of it he travelled to the wall again. This time alone. He reached the wall and kicked and screamed for anyone to let him in. He broke down again near the wall. He was on his way home from the wall that day. He saw a man leaving his house smiling. Xander frowned.
"Elain I'm home" shouted Xander as soon as he got inside. He could hear the excited laughter of Elain. "Xander you aren't going to believe what happened today?" Exclaimed Elain. Elain was practically bouncing on her feet. Nesta's expression was unreadable. His father. His were one of disbelief?. "Umm. What's going on?" Xander asked uncertainly removing his cloak. "Did you see the man that left our home right now?" Asked Elain. Xander nodded. "Well his name is Jack. He is a sailor. His uncle is an old friend of our father. He came to ask father to invest in his boats" continued Elain. Xander raised his eyebrows. He doesn't know how his father would have enough money to invest in boats. "At first father was hesitant because the offer was so good. But jack insisted. So father agreed. He gave us a trunk full of gold just for agreeing" said Elain and gestured to where the trunk of gold was sitting. Xander stared dumbfounded.
He walked towards the trunk and examined it. It's true. It's gold. He can't believe it. "You believe this tale, Nesta" asked Xander. Nesta just stared at the gold and back at her brother. Xander scoffed in disbelief. Typical Nesta. Xander turned and walked to his bedroom. Elain called his name. But he ignored her.
He sat on his bed breath heavily. Xander fumed inside. Thoughts were incoherent in his mind. He didn't know what to believe in anymore. His bedroom door opened. "I don't want to talk Elain" he said without looking up. "Well you don't have other choice" said Nesta as she closed the door. Xander looked up from his hands. Nesta was standing near the foot of his bed, her back to the door. "What do you want Nesta?" Xander asked bitterly. "What do I want? What do I want?" Nesta asked with a bark of laughter. "Yes, Nes what do you want?" Asked Xander through gritted teeth. "What I can't come to see how my little brother was?" Asked Nesta. Xander laughed at that. "You want to know how I am doing? Why?" Xander asked seriously. "You are my little brother" said Nesta. "Feyre was your little sister too" Xander retorted. Nesta flinched. "You think if you stop talking about her that she might really be in aunt Ripleigh. I know what really happened. You know what really happened Nes" Xander hissed. "And now you believe all this bullshit?" Xander asked his sister.
At that time all Nesta could see was her baby brother who was desperate for answers about what happened to their sister. "Do you think it's easy for me to pretend like nothing ever happened? Do you think it's easy for me to wonder for past two days that if my brother would come back or not? You have no idea" Nesta breathed. "Then help me understand" Xander's voice broke down.
Nesta crouched in front of her brother and took his hands. "All I ever wanted to do the past week was to come with you and make sure that you wouldn't do anything reckless. But I know that you wouldn't risk anything. Elain doesn't know anything about it. So I wanted her to believe that Feyre is at aunt's house. It would break her completely if she knew what really happened. I can barely bear to see you breaking down. I can't bear to see her like that too" Nesta said her voice breaking. Unshed tears glistened in her eyes.
Xander couldn't control the flood of emotion s that swept pass him. He cried. He cried in his big sister's arm. "I don't know what to do Nes. I don't know" Xander said in between sobs. Nesta sushed her brother. "I know. I know what you gotta do. You are going to wake up every morning and get your ass off the bed. You are going to stand in front of our home half naked and you're going to make girls drool over you. You're going to help Elain in her garden and play music. Do whatever the hell you want to do. Except moping around" she said as she stroked her brother's hair. Xander sniffled and looked up at his sister. "Feyre wouldn't have you to waste your time" she added quietly and caressed her cheek. Xander nodded. "Can I come and sleep with you tonight?" He whispered. "Of course. But if you snore I will drag your fat ass back here" Nesta said. Xander huffed. "I don't snore and my ass is not fat" he said offended.
Soon they entered the other room. "Hey" said Elain softly. "Hey. I am sorry about earlier Elain" said Xander as he played with the hem of his tunic. "It's alright. We all have bad days" she replied smiling. That smile. He will do anything to protect that smile. She patted the space between her and Nesta. He climbed in and Elain slept that night with her head rested on her brother's chest. Nesta looked at her younger siblings. She will do anything, anything to keep them safe. The three fell asleep soon that night.
Xander woke up the morning in a tangled mess of limbs and his sisters's hair. He groaned as he sat up and pushed Nesta away. She fell onto the floor with a thud. "I am going to kill you Xander" Nesta screeched. Xander laughed loudly causing Elain to stir. She looked at Nesta lying on the floor and choked back a laugh. The three soon left to have some breakfast.
"So father have you decided what you are going to do with the gold?" Asked Elain after breakfast. "I am going to invest the money in the boats. Only half of it. The other half we need to buy a new house" said his father. "A new house?" Asked Elain eagerly. Her father nodded his head. "Can we buy a big one? Like the Garrows?" Questioned Elain. "We can buy a manor for half of the gold. I have calculated it" said Nesta. "A manor it is then" replied Xander's father. He seems different like he is full of life. He is attentive this morning.
Xander went to his room and got changed . When he came back out Elain was sitting near the table and sorting some boxes. Nesta was reading, but his father was writing something furiously. "You coming Elain?" Xander asked his sister. "Where to?" Asked Elain confused. "To look for a manor" Xander said simply. Elain squealed and jumped into her brother's arms. Xander caught her and placed her on the ground after spinning her. "Give me a minute" said Elain and rushed into her home. "Can you post this letter on your way to the town?" Asked his father. The letter was addressed to Jack. Xander took the letter and nodded his head. "Are you going to talk with Gavin?" Asked Nesta. "Yes, I am" told Xander. But it's not the talk she is expecting. He was hoping to change things around here. "Let's go" said Elain. She was now wearing a yellow sundress. Xander smiled and slung an arm around his sister's shoulder. With that the twins set off into the town.
They ate, they laughed. They couldn't remember the last time they did it. Soon they reached their destination. The old couple who is going to sell their manor. Xander and Elain talked with the couple and the couple graciously agreed to sell their manor to them as they were planning to spend the rest of their life in continent. They even agreed to a reduced price. Elain was ecstatic. The manor had a large front foyer, big double doors, spacious living area with large white couches, dining room large enough to accommodate more than a dozen people, a ball room, offices, six bedroom, and a lavish kitchen. The back side of the house has a garden, where without a doubt Elain would spend the most of her days. They told the couple that they will pay in a couple of days and bid them goodbye. Elain went to shop for some dresses for us and Xander decided to talk with Gavin.
"Well, well, well, if it's not the one and only Xander Archeron" greeted Gavin. "Nice to meet you too Gavin" Xander told him and gripped his fire arm. "Where have you been Xan?" Gavin asked. Xander heaved a heavy sigh and recounted the tale about his family's newfound fortune. He told him about his new idea to improve things. "It's a very noble idea Xander" praised Gavin. "The question is will you help me Gavin?" Asked Xander expectantly. Gavin nodded his head. Xander whooped and pinched his fist in air. They talked for a little more and Xander left to post the letter his father gave him. He found Elain.
Elain and Xander ate in a small cafe near their village outskirts. The lamb roast was something to die for. They bought some for Nesta and their father. Xander told Elain about how he wanted change things around here. He told her only the vague details not giving anything solid. Even Elain persistently asked, he said that 'patience is a virtue, my dear sister'. Elain just huffed and started walking again.
They reached home on early evening. They told Nesta and their father about the manor. "Oh and they also asked us keep the servants" Elain grinned. Nesta was impressed that her little siblings could make a deal like this. They sat at the dinner table and ate and laughed until they can't anymore. Xander's wasn't content with the life he was going to lead. He was going to live a luxurious life without his sister Feyre. Who sacrificed every bit luxury to take care of them. Xander willed himself not to cry and went to sleep.