Rayna paced around her room in the Archeron home. She spent more nights there than she would have liked. The dark room, decorated for her taste had grown on her. Her dress had been replaced by black leather pants and a matching shirt. She wanted to go riding before the sun went down.
'Nes, I told you to stop barging into my room, I-' Rayna stopped mid sentence as soon as she noticed her friend's panicked face.
Nesta approached her quickly, her eyes cold like she was ready for battle.
'Feyre is here.'
Rayna frowned, a confused look on her face.
'But that's great, right? Right?'
Nesta turned to look at the door and then back to Rayna.
'She's one of them, now.' She paused as if it pained her to say the words 'She's fae.'
Guilt flashed in Rayna's eyes, making Nesta's gaze soften.
'You know what I mean.'
Rayna nodded, her pushing her walls back up.
'Where do you need me?' She asked, her voice calm.
Nesta looked at the door again as she dusted off her dress and straightened her back.
'She says she wants to talk to me and Elain. We'll hear what she has to say and then I'll introduce you.' She stopped for a moment to take a deep breath, grounding herself. 'Could you stay the night?'
Could you face this with me?
Without a moment of hesitation, Rayna nodded. It was all the encouragement Nesta needed to leave the room and face her sister.
'Fuck.' Rayna swore as soon as her friend left.
She stepped in the bathroom, her hands going to rest against the sink. She watched herself in the mirror with careful eyes. She analyzed every freckle, every strand of hair, every curve of her body. There wasn't any part of her that didn't look human.
Rayna took the glass of water on her nightstand, careful to keep her steps silent so not even fae hearing could detect her. She poured the glass in the dirt of one of the plants Elain gifted her. Dirt turned into mud. Sitting back on a chair, she took some in her hands and then stained her ridding boots and the bottom part of her pants with it. Next, using some dry dirt from another flower she dirtied her shirt and arms, just enough to look like she had just returned from riding in the woods.
Foot steps approached her room, followed by a knock. Rayna took one more look in the mirror before opening the door. Elain stood before her, looking rather pale.
'I sent all the servants away, it's just us and Feyre. She wants us to meet her...court? friends?' Her nose strings flared as she smelled the mud and dirt. 'You smell like my garden just less nice.'
'Good.' Rayna nodded. 'Now, let's go meet your sister.'
°•▪︎♤▪︎•°
When Rayna entered the room, she found Nesta looking ready to murder someone and another women, no, female next to her.
'Feyre, this is our closest friend.' Elain introduced her politely. 'Don't worry, she would never tell anyone.'
At the new voice the fae turned to look at Rayna with a confused look. She smelled her, looked her up and down and smiled softly when she realized she had been in the forest, riding. A woman who didn't care for society's standards and rules much like herself.
'Feyre Archeron, a pleasure meeting you.' She extended her hand.
There was no fear in the redhead's eyes as she extended her own.
'Rayna Castellan, likewise.' She kept her tone polite as she shook her hand.
Feyre then turned to her sisters, noticing the way Nesta, as soon as Rayna entered the room, moved to her side.
'Please wait a moment, I'll go get them.' The fae didn't wait for an answer before leaving them alone in the room.
Immediately after she disappeared, Nesta let her wall down. The true panic and anger she hid surfacing.
'She wants to use our fucking house to host meetings with the mortal queens. That's the only reason she came back she-' She stopped when Rayna placed a finger on her lips, signaling her to be quite.
She then pointed to her ear and towards the door behind which the fae stood. Before she could respond the door in question opened.