Chapter Text
Feyre and Rhysand had had enough. It had been over two years and Elain was Still well… broken. When she wasn't talking nonsense, she was wondering. She'd gone missing for 2 days once and they'd found her in a tree by the stream. When they asked her what she was doing up there she'd told them she was looking for the day she'd then started babbling about birds and golden leaves. No one could get through to her. The cauldron had broken her, scrambled her brain, fractured Elain Archeron as it ripped away her human nature. The high lord of the night court had had Madja check both elain and Nesta out the moment they arrived as no one had been turned fae for as far back as anyone could remember.
There was nothing wrong with her. Not physically anyway. All tests came back normal except Elain was anything but.
It took them months to realise that her random utterances were accounts of the future. She was a seer but not a very helpful one her predictions didn't make sense and often people only understood what she meant after what she had predicted had already come to pass.
Rhysand and Feyre had kept her around because seers were valuable and rare, and they thought if they could get her powers under control, she would be an asset to the night court but it had been nearly 2 years and nothing they tried had worked. Feyre and Rhys had both gone into her head telling themselves it was for Elain's own health and that they weren't violating her because it was their last option.
Elain’s mind was a ballroom. An empty ballroom where ghosts were stuck in between a half waltz until they flickered and suddenly all the Lords were kissing the ladies hands and like they were back to the first steps of the dance behind every door was a brick wall, sometimes the ballroom would flicker and the ceiling would open up into a orange tinged sky the tops of autumn trees would be visible, it was like two pages of a photo album stuck together, the scenes didn't quite fit and no one could make sense of what was going on in the middle Archeron sisters head.
At this point everyone had given up on her, even Nesta. Especially after Elain had stopped eating, stopped leaving the house and just stopped interacting. She became catatonic and hollow just mumbling about how things weren't supposed to end up this way.
They'd tried everything. They'd even taken her to Dawn but not even Thesan or his healers could do anything to help her.
Some days were better than others though. Some days she would wonder outside and tend the garden until her fingers bled and even her fae skin burned under the heat of the sun. Some days she'd eat dinner with her sisters and the inner circle and Feyre would praise her for how good she was doing and then she'd talk about how thankful she was that her sister was settling down here. Like she was nothing but a pet that misbehaved.
But there were more bad days then good and the moment Feyre started crying about it to Rhysand, they'd taken her to day court as a last resort.
"They have facilities in Day, unlike any in all of Prythian" Rhysand explained as Elain sat at her window seat watching as Nuala and Cerridwen, two lesser fae that she had considered friends pack up her room. She watched as they folded her too heavy gowns of mulberry, navy and garnet into two trunks. Their colours so dark it made her look washed out; everything here was dark. Even during the day things were dark.
Feyre and Nesta were always talking to her about dreams and starlight, but all Elain saw was the night. Even at her most lucid when they'd taken her to see the rainbow in Velaris she had only noticed all the dark. It was a beautiful city truly but from the moment she arrived, and such overwhelming power pressed into her she had known that it wasn't for her.
The magic here choked her, it clung to her and made her itch. Every spell cast around her or upon her stuck to her like thick syrup, it sat in her throat and choked her until all she could do was stare over the city and imagine a life anywhere but here.
"Elain?" Feyre prompted "Did you hear what Rysand said? About day court."
Day court. She could practically feel it already, the sunlight kissing her skin and the wind in her hair. She'd never been there but she'd seen it.
In her dreams she'd ran through the marble halls of the sunlight Palace bare foot. Or was it fields she had run through bare foot? Or maybe it was a beach? She wasn't sure, her visions were never clear or in order and most times her visions came to her clumped together and the sounds were muffled like she was under water.
Yet still day court felt right to her. Something was waiting for her there. She could feel it.
"That sounds nice Feyre" she said absently and focused her attention on the view from her window again. She could see her garden from here, she wondered if anyone would tend it while she was away or if it would just be left to wither in her absence.
"It won't be forever" her sister continued like she hadn't spoken "it’s just that we don't know what to do with you anymore elain. It's obvious that something is wrong with you and we- night court doesn't have the facilities to help you but in day they have hundreds of scholars- thousands even I'm sure someone will be able to find out what's wrong with you and Rhysand says that the care facilities there are by far the best, you'll be safe there"
Elain only nodded. She didn't care where she ended up, no one was where they were supposed to be anyway.
"The oranges are ripe this season" Elain said instead and smiled at her younger sister "we're right on time"
Feyre offered her a sad smile and squeezed her hand. "Do you have everything you need?"
Elain squeezed her sister’s hand "I need naught in day"
Feyre glanced at her mate a tight smile on her face "let's go then, don't let go" Feyre said her grip tightening on her hand.
Elain hated winnowing, it made her head spin and her knees wobble whenever they stopped between jumps her bones would rattle at the force as she landed back on the ground it was relentless and she always ended up feeling ill after.
She felt it the moment they landed in day court. The first thing she registered was how hot it was and then all the sounds that her sensitive fae ears picked up. There were wind chimes somewhere nearby, and someone somewhere was playing the flute. People were talking and laughing, and Elain already preferred it here.
She felt Feyre’s hand on her back pushing gently to urge her up the stairs and inside the lavish palace of white marble flecked with gold. The pillars stood tall and proud and supported a ceiling made of colourful glass.
Her eyes widened at the sight of it all and she found herself overwhelmed by how bright it all was.
"Are you okay Elain?" Rhysand asked in concern when she stopped walking so she could marvel at the room.
"It's magnificent" she breathed.
"Day court is certainly… lavish" Rhysand said, and she could tell he thought all of this was too much. He was one to talk though, he'd given her sister a dress made of small diamonds.
"So, you like it here?" Feyre asked
"Preparation is the key to success." Elain said breezily and continued to look around what she assumed was just the foyer.
"Your early." a male voice intoned
They all turned to the man dressed in loose three-quarter pants with a white sash across his upper body that had pretty gold vines embroidered onto it, it contrasted nicely with his dark brown skin and dark wavy hair.
He smiled at them in greeting and strolled down the stairs with swagger that she hadn't wet witnessed from a fae male.
He hugged both Rhysand and Feyre then turned all his attention on her his eyes roaming her body as if he could see to her very bones. "You must be Elain Archeron"
She nodded "I am high lord" she dropped into a small curtsy and Helion smiled bowing back to her. "At least one of the Archeron sisters has manners. My dear I have met both of your sisters and I can now confirm that the rumours are true you are the loveliest out of the three." he shot a teasing smile at Feyre then gestured for to her hand "May I?" He reached for her hand, and she let him take it between his own warm ones. She hadn't been fond of touch since she turned fae, every touch upon her skin lingered for hours even days and left her skin feeling over sensitive, on one of her first few days as a newly made fae a butterfly had walked across the back of her hand, and she had felt every tiny footstep and the feeling of something crawling on her had lingered for a week.
She waited for visions to come but they didn't, often when she touched someone or an object she was plagued with visions of that person's past, present or future, but nothing happened when she touched the high lord of day and she almost sagged in relief.
"Yes." Helion said softly "I think you'll do very well here Elain."
She couldn't help but smile under his praise. She liked him already.
"Did you figure it out already?" Feyre asked "Do you know what's wrong with her?"
Helion scoffed sounding offended on her behalf "There is nothing wrong with your sister."
"Helion whatever you sensed from her must be wrong she's-"
"Is something wrong with you Elain?" Helion asked cutting Rhysand off. No one ever cut Rhysand off and she almost hugged the man.
"No high lord."
He smiled satisfied "see, she's completely fine" he clapped his hands together "and you can call me Helion, you will be staying in my home after all"
"That wasn't what we agreed upon, we agreed that Elain would stay in one of your wellness facilities" Rhysand said impatiently
Helion crossed his arms, and she felt his power ripple from him in warning but unlike the high lord of night, the high lord of day’s power didn't irritate her it simple settled around her to the point where she knew it was there, but it wasn't demanding and uncomfortable like Rhysand’s. "We agreed that you would bring your sister-in-law to my court to be examined one week from now, we agreed that I'd personally run tests on her before placing her in a wellness facility that I find suitable to her. However, here you are seven days early and just from a quick glance at Elain I know that she's not mad as you claim Rhysand"
He was telling people she was mad. He had no right. She was about to argue her point when Helion shot her a placating look assuring her that he was on her side, and he had this handled.
"Elain will be staying here in my Palace as you arrived early, I hardly had time to prepare and since preparation is the key to success you've already disrupted my plans. You asked me to take her into my care and I have."
"What Rhys is trying to say is that you only miss understand it’s because she's lucid now but-"
Helion held up a hand cutting her off. "I will learn for myself; I don't need your view on your sister’s condition to influence my own findings" he held out an arm to Elain "Are you hungry? We were just about to sit down to lunch"
She found herself nodding. Now she thought about it she was famished. She took Helion’s offered arm and let him lead her down a hall with high ivy arches to a grand dining room, it was open, and the walls were floor to ceiling windows and a sky light in the shape of the sun with its rays, a crystal chandelier hung from the centre, the sun reflecting the glittering light through the room.
The table was made out a pale wood and looked hand carved and white high-backed chairs lined the table, but it was the centre piece in the middle of the table that got her attention though, the mixture of sunflowers, white peonies and gold leaves that she found her gaze drawn to. It was all simple yet beautiful and nothing like the night court, here it seemed wherever she was she would see the sun. She had missed the sun.
Helion rang a bell and servants began to pile in with food, usually if Rhysand was ready for dinner he would snap his fingers and it would all just appear, she'd found such actions boastful and cocky, so she liked the fact that the High lord of day didn't use his powers for everything.
Helion let go of her arm and gestured for her to take a seat, she did and expected him to take a seat at the head of the table but instead he sat next to her and Feyre sat on her other side.
"Elain hasn't been eating recently" Rhysand said "that's why we brought her early we were worried about her state"
Helion regarded her and then the spread of food on the table, the fruits, cheeses, crackers and meat. She was aware that her body wasn't what it was, her soft feminine curves had given way to the sharp juts of her hips and ribs, she was aware. She just hadn't felt like eating recently.
A plate was set in front of her along with a glass and some silverware and a crystal glass.
Helion gestured to the spread of food "if none of this is to your liking let me know and I can talk to one of the cooks about making something else that you'll enjoy."
He started reaching for food, so she followed his lead putting some sliced oranges, grapes, melon and pomegranate on her plate.
She didn't get this back in the night court. There her food was brought up to her room most nights unless the inner circle was over for dinner, she didn't get a say in what she ate either Nuala and Cerridwen just brought her food and expected her to eat so this was a nice change. A very nice change.
She started with the orange and almost sighed at its sweetness, lately it seemed like all the fruit was sour.
"Do you like oranges?" Helion asked
Elain nodded and opened her mouth to explain that she hadn't had fruit this sweet in what felt like years when Feyre cut in "Let me guess, we're right on time, the oranges are ripe this season."
Helion’s brow furrowed in surprise a clear indication that yes that's what he was about to say.
"Elain mentioned it earlier." Feyre grumbled
"Well, she was obviously right" Helion didn't comment on how rude Feyre was being.
Elain continued to eat and Feyre and Rhysand continued to gape at everything she consumed like she was some sort of anomaly.
To her delight all the fruit tasted wonderful, and she found herself reaching for the cheese and crackers next.
The door swung open, and Elain felt her skin prickle in anticipation. She'd seen this moment before in a vision she was sure of it. She'd seen the sunshine on the red hair of the man that now stood at the bottom of the room, and she knew those eyes, once russet and one gold. Eyes that she’d be taken by even if she hadn’t seen them countless times in her visions. She couldn’t re-count the visions though like most of her visions the ones that involved this male were blurry like a dream that she couldn’t remember.
Helion stood and she found herself standing to her eyes fixed on the high fae as he strode towards them with an easy smile.
"Ah, I want you to all meet my emissary" Helion said settling the red-haired man with a look.
Elain couldn't stop staring at him. She'd never seen such a handsome person in her life have it be a fae male or a human man. He was beautiful with his golden skin and long red hair, even the scar down his face was beautiful and his golden eye only seemed to add to his glow.
"Lucien." Helion said then gestured to three of them "you’ve met Feyre and Rhysand, I'd like you to meet the High lady’s sister Elain, she'll be staying with us for a while"
Lucien greeted both her sister and brother-in-law, but Elain couldn't focus on what he was saying she was too busy staring at him. She knew him. She knew him. She knew him.
He was important. He was so important. He was important to her. Important to everything, essential even.
When his eyes met hers, she felt her breath catch she needed to touch him. She needed to feel his warmth, his power she craved it.
"It’s nice to meet you lady" Lucien began "We weren't expecting you until-"
"Lucien." she breathed, and her heart rated picked up and she was sure everyone must be able to hear it. "Lucien." His name felt familiar on her tongue, and she found herself laughing. She hadn't laughed in so long she'd actually forgotten what her own laugh sounded like. "Lucien."
He glanced at Helion in concern not understanding why she kept saying his name like that "I don't believe we've met sorry if I've forgotten-"
She reached out as if to touch him then pulled her hand back frowning and shaking her head. "You’re- you’re in the wrong place" she began pacing and Feyre sighed
"This is what we were talking about." She murmured not to quietly
"What happens when the son finally sets in day? What will you do then?" She continued to pace almost sounding angry now. "The girls can't be the heirs of day." She shook her head and Lucien didn't know what to do "Sunlight can't always-" she stilled when she felt Lucien’s magic pulse in alarm, and she looked up at him her own powers seemingly settled now. "Lucien," she said calmer now "I know who you are."
He tilted his head in intrigue glancing at his father briefly "Is that so?"
She smiled at him fondly "Heir of day." Helion and Lucien shared identical looks of indifference and she offered him a comforting smile "You’re not forgotten" she told him softly "Love is not like an autumn leaf."
"See she talks nonsense." Rhysand sighed "Has for years sometimes she'll be fine but then well-" he gestured to her "She gets lost again"
Lucien hadn't taken his eyes off her even as Helion brushed it off with a laugh "Yes, I understand now. Don't worry, I know how to help"
Elain itched with the need to touch Lucien she could do it so easily she's sure he wouldn't mind. He was hers after all.
"I'm not lost" Elain said weakly and hugged her arms around herself. "Everyone's just in the wrong place, the wrong order" she met Feyre’s eyes "Who knew small wings could be such a big problem?"
Feyre nodded "I know Elain, you've told me before"
"You need to go now." She nodded to herself "The shadows are waiting"
"I can stay longer, are you sure you don't need anything? I can go get you somethings from home if you want-"
"She'll want for naught here" Helion assured Feyre "She's in safe hands and it seems she's already made a friend" he said dismissively
"You need to go" Elain repeated "The dancing and singing will start without you"
Feyre sighed in exasperation and gave elain a quick hug "If you need anything let us know"
She nodded and focused her attention on Lucien the moment they winnowed away "Heir of day." She repeated
He blinked down at her before looking at his father who simply nodded his permission "That's right"
"Son of change" she continued softly
He huffed "I just go by Lucien."
"How did you know?" Helion asked "About him being my heir, he's heavily warded."
"I think I saw it in a dream once" she hummed thoughtfully then nodded "I'm forgetting something important, why do I never see things in order?"
"You've had a vision of this moment?"
"No not this one maybe the moments before this or after it…” her face scrunched in concentration as she strained to remember “Somethings supposed to be happening. Something important" she set Lucien with an almost accusing look "You’re supposed to do something."
He held his hands up in surrender at her pointed tone "I'm not the one who sees the future here, lady"
"We wait then." Helion said
The three of them fell into silence and Lucien looked around aimlessly and Elain found herself doing the same. The silence was thick, and it didn't take much for all three of them to grow frustrated. Lucien reached for the golden bowl of grapes and picked up the whole thing and began eating. She would’ve laughed if she wasn’t so focused on trying to remember.
He offered the bowl to his father without a word who gave him an incredulous look before declining, with a shrug he offered them to Elain who accepted only because she was still hungry, her fingers brushed his and something inside of her quivered before it snapped. Her skin erupting with goose bumps her whole body warming the force of it made her jolt. Lucien dropped the bowl and it clattered between them, but he didn't take his eyes off her, he'd grown pale, his eyes impossibly wide.
"Mate"
Elain found herself nodding numbly "Yes." She took his hand in her own unable to fight the urge to touch him any longer, "That was it."
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