Rhysand
"Wake up!" Yelled a too happy voice as the bedroom door flew open, jolting Feyre and I awake. "I gave you two lovebirds a warning. It's not my fault you didn't pay attention." Cassian. Great.
I looked to my mate, her hair tangled after the events of last night, and then to the window. It was still dark out, but that didn't mean anything to Cassian, who'd decided to train us at the most inconvenient time possible.
The Illyrian marched into the room and pulled the covers off me and my mate, revealing more than I was comfortable with, before being blasted by both mine and Feyre's power, forcing him from the room and out the window, a few jeers coming from our family downstairs.
"Do we really have to train now?" Feyre asked me, but I knew that Cassian was correct, so I got up and dressed in my leathers, Feyre following suit, and we walked downstairs to find Cassian awaiting us in the hall, his face twisted in rage, but one look from Feyre had him turning away and keeping his mouth shut.
"Glad to see that you know your place." Amren said to Cassian, also unhappy about the morning's arrangements.
"Well at least you are all here. We need to keep in shape for the war." Cassian said, but I could see that he was just trying to keep us all together, the same way that Mor had, and was doing everything possible to do so.
Although none of us had said it, we all knew that not everyone would survive the war.
Xxx
We spent the whole day training, Cassian pushing everyone to their limits, and Azriel helping Feyre train for some time over lunch. His idea of helping, though, was pushing her off a rock and telling her to glide to the ground. She'd failed miserably the first few dozen times, but had finally gotten the hang of it after an hour or two, and took great pleasure in jumping from higher objects so that she could savour the feeling of flying.
We returned to Velaris as the sun set, each of us going to our own accommodations, but Feyre and I didn't have enough energy left to do anything other than go to bed early. I hugged her close when we went into our room, wrapping my wings around her as we climbed into bed.
"Rhys." She whispered. "What is going on between you, Cass, and Azriel?" I hadn't realised it had been that obvious to h everyone.
"As much as we may try to deny it, Illyrians are very sensitive about comments on their wingspans, and when you revealed the size of yours, we all felt the need to prove ourselves, to make ourselves dominant in any way possible, letting our primal instincts kick in." I felt her laugh.
"So all of this growling and showing off your wings and Cassian and Azriel displaying their siphons at dinner was just a way to get over your inferior wingspans?" She laughed once more, and I joined in.
"I suppose it sounds stupid to you."
"Yes, it does."
And that was that. We slept that way the whole night, Feyre wrapped up in my arms, and awoke the next day, ready for another day of being a family.
Before it was too late.
Xxx
The days passed without incident, no more attacks took place, no threats issued to Prythian, nothing. It was as if Hybern was waiting for us to make our move. Finally the day for the High Lords' meeting arrived, and we all dressed to impress, each wearing formal clothing. Feyre wore a black dress that dropped down to the floor, lace covering her shoulders and diamonds scattered over the skirt. She was the stars, shining brightly in the lights.
I wore a black tunic with grey embroidery a and trousers, my metal wings at my back giving the impression that I was something of a nightmare, but that was not the male that I showed. I showed the male that had fought for his people, sacrificing everything to keep them safe, and who had tried to ensure that all were equal in his court. I was the male that had placed a crown of stars on his mate's head and declared her High Lady, that had put females into positions of power, who had looked to all species of fae and given all of them a chance.
I looked to my mate as we stepped onto the roof, a silver crown upon her head that matched mine, and then to my family around us. Mor, in the red dress she had worn to the Court of Nightmares, Cassian and Azriel wearing their leathers and siphons, and Amren in a lose shirt and trousers.
Those people knew who I was, and they loved me still. It was time for the world to know.
You are not a monster.
I was not a monster.
You are my mate.
I was her mate.
I see every part of you and I love you.
She knew the real me, and she still loved me. I could make it through the meeting, I could get the allies we needed, and I could show the world the real me.
Xxx
We chose to winnow to the Mountain, wanting to waste no time getting there, and Azriel once again scouted ahead. It ad reminded me so much of when we met Tamlin that I was afraid to enter once more, afraid of what would happen. We all were.
"Ten gold coins says that a fight starts within fifteen minutes." Cassian said, his eyes sparkling at the prospect of throwing punches.
"Twenty, and it will be started by Autumn." Mor added.
"I only give them five. Fifteen gold coins." Azriel concluded.
Could they really start a fight here? I could feel the pain in my mate's voice, her worries the same as mine.
Yes, but you could easily take them. I sent back, pride in my tone. But I don't think it will be wise to seek out a fight, so try not to reveal your power, other than those that we share.
I know, we went over this a million times.
Make that a million and one.
Azriel gave the all clear, and we walked Under the Mountain, Feyre and I leading the Court of Dreams.
Feyre
My memories from my last visit to the mountain had been hazy, but I'd remembered the cavernous rooms to have been darker, dirtier, than they were when we entered the mountain for the meeting. It had seemed that the High Lords that were already present had wanted to wash away any memory of Amarantha's reign, so why they'd decided to meet in her home had amazed me.
They don't trust any of the other High Lords, so they had to meet on neutral territory. This was their only option. Rhys said, answering my silent question.
We walked into the throne room, a large circle of chairs set up, with more than seven seats, arranged. Good, the other High Lords didn't expect other fae to stand. Three other High Lords had already arrived by the time we got there.
A handsome fae with white hair and skin so pale he appeared frozen walked towards us as we entered, his eyes like crushed ice analysing every aspect of our appearance, his gaze lingering on Rhys's wings for some time. He was dressed in pale blue robes, a fur cape hanging from his shoulders, and a crown of ice sat upon his head.
Kallias, High Lord of the Winter Court.
"Good day, Rhysand." Kallias said, clearly trying to be polite but struggling when he addressed my mate, his memories of their time Under the Mountain clearly coming to the forefront of his mind.
"Kallias, are you well?" Rhys answered by way of greeting, but Kallias didn't answer, his eyes flicking between my tattoo and crown before settling on my eyes, clearly expecting me to submit and bow as my the Illyrians and Mor had done, but instead only meeting my calculating gaze.
"Mate, and if I am not mistaken, High Lady." He was neither impressed nor upset by this, displaying no emotion for us to pick up on.
"Can I be a High Lady, Kallias?" A female asked from behind the High Lord. She was of similar appearance to Kallias, her hair white and skin very pale, her pale blue robes and fur coat matching the Lord's, but she bore no crown or any indicator of a title above Lady of Winter.
Viviane, Kallias's wife.
Viviane went to take her husband's arm, but at the sight of Mor she rushed over to her, both of them squealing as they hugged each other so tightly that I was afraid they would hurt each other. I was shocked by the sudden display, but was pleased that at least some happiness could already be found at that meeting. We needed it later on.
Kallias returned to the circle of chairs and we followed close behind him, Mor and Viviane catching up on what seemed to be fifty years' worth of gossip, where another two High Lords awaited us.
The first one to speak had deep brown skin, onyx hair and amber eyes, his robes white with gold trim and a crown of golden spikes upon his long hair.
Helion, High Lord of the Day Court.
"Hello Rhysand, and welcome, Feyre Cursebreaker, I hope that being High Fae, and apparently High Lady, is going well for you?" Although the Helion seemed to be quite a harsh man, he was clearly quite the opposite, as he was very jolly and polite to us, despite what Rhys had done.
"It is, and thank you for helping me recover from my injuries." I said, trying not to look at the place where I'd died, and I felt Rhys do the same.
"I love the wings, by the way, Rhysand. Excellent craftsmanship." And that was that.
The other High Lord came up to introduce himself, less jolly than Helion but still pleasant. His skin was slightly lighter than Helion's, his dark hair kissed with gold and upswept eyes like pools of chocolate. He had a winged male with him, but his wings were white and feathered rather than black and membranous.
Thesan, High Lord of the Dawn Court, and his lover, Captain of the Peregryn armies, Dawn's aerial legions.
"Rhysand, I do hope that you will be able to control this meeting, since you are the one who called for it." His voice was rich and deep, almost mesmerizing to hear.
"I hope that everyone behaves themselves." Was Rhys's only response, and he smiled at the High Lord, a genuine smile, which appeared to put the Thesan onto unsure footing. Prythian truly hadn't met the real Rhys before then.
We each took our seats, Viviane between Kallias and Mor, the two females still talking together, with Azriel between myself and Mor, Rhys on my left and Cassian on his. Helion sat opposite us, Thesan next to him and his lover holding his right hand. We talked amongst ourselves for some time, awaiting the other High Lords, dreading the arrival of Tamlin, if he showed up.
I prayed that he wouldn't.