sophiebaldrywriting

[sophiebaldrywriting]

Chapter Two

After at least a half hour, Rhysand have been convinced that Elleri is his sister. Arun never thought his wife's brother could be that hard to convince.

Well, Arun also believed very hard Elleri could be the sister of that brute, but the similarity between them is clear, even though it is small.

Rhysand's inner circle is strange. Not even one of them has any kind of title, even though the High Lord claims his cousin, Morrigan has one. And if there is one thing they all have in common is that they have no idea how to handle a situation, without their only solution being fighting.

It seems so strange for Arun. He was part of his Queen's inner circle, even though she called it a Council, and everyone there knew how to handle things that did not involved a battle. Well, maybe the only exception is the old general who served the Queen's predecessor. But, nonetheless, he is a very good strategist.

Arun has came to the conclusion that Cassian is just a brute who knows nothing else then fighting, Azriel is just there to torture people and stay silent, Amren only has as purpose to scare people, Morrigan bearly can be called an emissary, Nesta, the High Lady's sister, is there to tell them the truths they like to deny, Elain, the High Lady's other sister, is never taken seriously, The High Lady herself, Feyre, cares only about being with Rhysand and their son and painting and spending money on houses when people have nowhere to live, and then of course there was Rhysand.

In his long life, Arun met horrible persons, men who cared only about power and nothing else. He recognises one when he sees him, and that is exactly what Rhysand is. He bearly cares about his wife, being wiling to let her die in order to get an heir, and cares very little for his people, buying another house when so many are homeless.

Or maybe that is just the way Arun sees them. Perhaps, after finding out about what Rhysand has done to Elleri, about how little he cares about her, Arun himself started hating the High Lord.

Still, there was something strange he notices in Elleri's look and he doesn't know exactly what it is, at first. After a few moments, Arun realise he sees sadness, a bit of fury, hatred and pain in her eyes. Of course, he only sees it because he knows Elleri so well.

He doesn't love her, or at least he thinks he does not. He cares about her and wants her to be happy, although it isn't easy. He supposes both of them could have much worse.

" How did you two meet?" Feyre asks.

They are still somewhere never Velaris, having a picnic and ignoring the people that are starving all over the world. Did they truly believed only because they lived in Night Court, it wasn't their duty to help the other Courts?

Even though Spring Court's High Lord did something to the High Lady of Night and her husband, Arun never thought that revenge is a good reason to destroy completely a Court. Maybe let a few things go bad in that Court, like making the crops wilt and then give food to the people to look good, but not destroy it completely.

" I was raised by a healar. " Elleri tells a part of the truth. " Arun went hunting with a few rich friends and they all scared when the saw a bear and run."

" Of course, I was left as food. " he adds. " They were all gone in a few seconds and my horse with them. The bear almost killed me and I would have died if she didn't took the way though the forest. Ell found me and saved my life, and then we just met again and again and again. "

Of course, that wasn't the whole truth. She had saved him from dying by the wounds made by the bear, but it would have been their first and last meeting, if the Queen wouldn't have fallen sick.

Arun could see the exchange of glances between Feyre and Rhysand. A silent conversation between two mates. Elleri told him of her brother's powers, but Arun always had the impression that The High Lord's powers weren't understood by people.

He realised quickly what the two could ask each other. It could be either about trusting Elleri or about her past, maybe even about the fact that she was married to a man who was not her mate.

" Elleri." Morrigan calls her. " Can we talk?"

Arun throws a look at his wife, who doesn't show her angry and sadness on her face, even though he can see a glimpse of them hidden in her eyes.

" Sure." She says with a smile on her face.

The two start walking away, probably going somewhere they can't be heard by the fae there.

With them gone, all eyes trun to Arun. He does his best to ignore that.

" Interesting choice. " Rhysand says. " Still, I can't understand why would my sister marry you. I mean, you are not mates. "

And mates are rare, didn't you know that? Arun wishes he could say. But he doesn't.

" You know, your sister isn't a child anymore. She can take her own decisions. If you have a problem with that, you can speak to her."

He knows very well what Rhysand implies. That he forced or trick Elleri into their marriage. Well, it was something he would never do. Arun has enough on his head without forcing a woman who hates him to marry him. Honestly, living with his mother was already hard enough, the last thing Arun needed was a wife who would only make his life harder.

" Why did she married you? And don't say love, because I'm pretty sure that isn't the reason. " Rhysand says.

Didn't that man heard of leaving people to deal with their problems alone?

Arun knows he only tries to protect his sister, even though he betrayed her. But he also knows that people can decide for themselves and taking choices for others isn't a good solution.

" Ask your sister. " Arun says. " It was her decision. Besides, no one can force Ell into doing something. I would pity the one who tries."

If there is one thing Arun would never understand it is how a sibling can betray another. He still remembers the day his own sister died. Arun would have done anything to save her, to take her place. He cannot imagine to betray her memory of his sister herself.

" So," Feyre seems to want to change the subject. " Do you and Elleri have any more relatives?"

Quickly, Arun realise that Elleri is on her way back and she is the reason Feyre is trying to change the subject.

" Two children. " Elleri says. " They stay with Arun's mother. "

Which remembers him to sent a letter, telling the Countess they arrived, before she sent people looking for them.

Arun knows that Elleri, just as him, can bearly wait to go back home to their family. But he also knows that she needs to try and, if they succeed, the Night Court will be their home.

But if they fail, none of them could have the chance to say goodbye.

[sophiebaldrywriting]

Chapter One

Elleri looked to the city that represented so much for her parents, the city she loved more than anything. Well, at least, before.

Now, a part of doesn't care what becomes of Velaris. After what happened, after the way Rhysand betrayed her, there was no line that Elleri wouldn't cross to make it right.

She needs that, perhaps more than anything. She needs to make him pay for the years spent in darkness, the loneliness that made her wish to be dead. Maybe she could finally find peace if she makes him pay.

She heard what people said about her brother and his... wife. High Lady. Such a strange title, something that was not meant to exist.

Prytian is old and it has it's own rules. A High Lady was never before and Elleri's brother broke hundreds of years of tradition. He has no respect for his ancestors or their ways.

" Are you sure about that? We can still go back."

Elleri turns to her husband. They weren't mates or lovers. Just two people who realised they could help each other. They did not cared one about the other the day they met, but time made them friends.

" There is no turning back. Not now." Elleri answers.

After so many years of plotting and making plans, of searching for Rhysand's mistake, she can't stop, even though she knows revenge might bring her nothing. Still, Elleri needs to try for the hope she may find a bit of peace.

In some ways, Arun understood her. His family turned their backs on him too, but, unlike Elleri, he managed to let go of his grudge. It was one of the things she admired about him.

" I thought you understood." She said.

Rhysand betrayed her and when she asked for help, no one believed her. Unlike her brother, she looked more like their mother, than father. She had dark blonde hair and honey coloured eyes. All the time spent in the forgotten kingdom of the fae from the South made her skin a bit tanned. So, she looked nothing like Rhysand.

" You know I do. " her husband said. " But there will be a point of no return and I want you to be sure this is what you want. If we lose, you have very little chances of meeting your brother or seeing your house again. "

At first, Elleri did not lowered her guard with Arun, she didn't trusted him. But in time, he became her friend and then someone who knew her better than most. As she knows him better than many after all this time together.

In time, she might grow to love him as he may grow to love her. But their relationship was built on trusted and truth and friendship. Perhaps both of them were scared of ruining that relationship as it was one of the few things they could hold on to.

" I am sure." Elleri replies.

It wasn't the first time they had this conversation and Elleri knows what he will ask next.

" And if we succeed, are you sure about what comes after?"

Taking Rhysand and his circe down wasn't going to be easy. They needed help from Keir and Ilyria and maybe even Beron. It wasn't hard to tell what all three wanted. A High Lord and no High Lady, no woman with more power than them.

Elleri would give them this. If they win, she will take only the title Lady and will trick them into thinking she doesn't handle politics, that she is just a pretty wife and nothing more.

Of course, that would never be true, but Elleri will never take place at meetings and other things. Even though they were not mates, Arun knows her well and he will not take decisions that won't be something she accepts. They respect each other to much to play this kind of games.

" Yes, I am." She says.

She is willing to sacrifice that. For a chance at peace, Elleri is willing to give a lot of things.

She and Arun start walking towards the city. None of them speaks, each caught with their own thoughts.

Will Rhysand welcome her as his sister? Or will he betray her again? This is the part from their plan that wasn't sure, but they will figure it out. They always do.

With Rhysand married to that woman and with them having a child, it was far more easy to turn people against them. His wife, whatever her name was, made a big mistake taking the title High Lady. And she was hated by many. Especially after dumping the High Lord of Spring at the altar. Yes, Tamlin could prove a good ally.

Their child may prove a problem, but Elleri wasn't going to kill a little boy. A few rumours about his paternity should be enough to make people doubt.

Kill him. Kill them all.

Elleri stops suddenly, making Arun stop as well.

Blood. Blood everywhere.

Kill. Death. Revenge.

" Elleri. Are you..."

" I'm fine." She answers.

Elleri takes a deep breath and the voices go, as they have never been there at all.

This was what Rhysand did to her. It was all his fault. For so long, Elleri bearly had a moment of peace. Sometimes, she didn't hear the voices, but she can feel them all the time. Asking for death. For revenge.

The only three people who know about that are herself, Arun and the healar who raised Elleri ever since her true mother died. A healar who is now dead.

" As loud as the last time?" Arun asks.

When she told him about the voices, he did not laughed. He did not believed she was crazy. He always could tell if someone was lying.

Elleri will be forever grateful for the fact that he believed her, for the fact that he did not laughed.

" Louder. " she says. " I was thinking about what should we do with my brother's child and they started. "

It was like that every single time. When she thought about her brother, the voices demanded blood.

" Who is there?"

Both Elleri and Arun turn to face a fae female. She is a few steps behind them, so she couldn't have heard them, but she saw them.

The fae woman has blonde hair and a red dress. Elleri recognise her immediately. Morrigan.

From all the persons who could see them first, why it was Morrigan. Elleri always hated Mor, Amren, Cassian and Azriel. Her brother's little group of bastards and traitors.

" Mor!" Elleri says with false joy in her voice. " Finally, I thought we have lost the way."

Of course, the blonde doesn't recognise Elleri. How could she? Elleri was just a child when her mother was killed.

" It's me. Elleri. Can't you remember me?"

Something flickers in Mor's eyes and Elleri knows she is starting to remember. After all, Elleri looks just like her mother.

Mor smiles, believing her cousin.

" Elain saw you coming, but we all thought she was wrong. "

Who was Elain? And how exactly did she saw them coming? Were they dealing with someone that could see the future?

" Rhysand had all of us searching for you for the last two months. He is going to be very happy. "

For a very short time, if Elleri's plan works.

Right after she speaks, Morrigan notices Arun.

" This is my husband, Arun." Elleri informs her. " Even since we found out Rhysand was alive we've been trying to get here, but it wasn't easy. "

When she finally had all the plan, when Elleri was sure she could win, Amarantha showed up in Prytian and they were forced to wait fifty years. After that, the war with Hybern kept them home, Arun being stuck with his cousin on a little island near Hybern and Elleri stuck home at the order of Arun's mother.

There was nothing they could do, because Arun could have been killed if we tried to take a ship home and Elleri... Well, she knows better than to try to run away from the Countess. That woman was capable of following them to the other side of the world.

" Everyone else is near." Morrigan says. " I will take you to them."

They follow Elleri's cousin and after a few minutes, they reach a large group of people who were at a picnic. Elleri recognised Amren, Cassian, Azriel and Rhysand, but the other three women were strangers.

" Elain was right. " Mor said, one of the women looking at as if she heard her name. " Look who I found."

Everyone turns to them, Rhysand walking with a woman next to him. When he comes closer, Elleri forces a tear to fall on her cheek.

" Rhys?" She asks.

She must first win their trust and only after she can try and find allies. But right now, she has to play the role of the lost sister.

It's always like that. Everywhere she goes, she needs to play a role ever since her mother died. And she's been doing this for so long that Elleri can't remember how to be herself. She doesn't even know who she really is.

And it's all her brother's fault.

" Elleri." Rhysand says. " I can't believe it."

Don't worry, brother, she thinks. You really are going to believe this, but not what will be next. After all this years, it's your turn to be betrayed.

[sophiebaldrywriting]

A court of betrayal and crowns

AU in which Rhysand's sister is sill alive, even though he doesn't know that. After the war with Hybern, she returns to Night Court.

For years, the only thing Elleri wished was to get revenge on her brother, The High Lord of the Night Court. For years, the hatred inside her grew, but now Elleri might have the best chance of destroying her brother.

For revenge, she would sacrifice her life. For her family, she would sacrifice the world.

This takes place after Acosf and there will be added more characters. Also, English isn't my native language and there might be mistakes.