#jurian would try to do impressions of the inner circle members

[lainalit]

Headcanon: Band of exiles + Elain and Tamlin having a sleepover party, where were braid each others hair and paint their nails, while their gossiping about the inner circle 💞🥰

[darling-archeron]

Beneath the Dark - Chapter Four

What would have happened if Feyre had come to Prythian much earlier? Feyre Archeron has left her mortal life behind, and accepted being demi-fae. She has found her place in the Night Court’s Inner Circle. But when her and Rhys attend a ball hosted by Amarantha Under the Mountain, they are in for much for then they bargained for.

Chapter warning for strong implications of rape.

Masterlist

She had us by the balls.

We were trapped here, and utterly at her mercy. I knew there had been no real point slaughtering those couriers, no reason beyond showing what she could do.

I knew most of them had despised me.

And I would mourn them still.

But better for their blood to coat the floor than Velaris’s. Hewn City had always been the front with which I protected what was most precious. The Court of Dreams would take care of the city and protect it, even if it drove them mad. I knew they had received my message, but I had pulled away before I could hear their replies.

“You all should find quarters to stay in and retire for the evening. You’ll be down here for a long time, and I won’t have you all staying uncomfortably.” She mocked. “Tamlin is welcome to set out whenever he likes.”

“The Spring Court leaves now,” Tamlin growled, murder blazing in his eyes. Claws grew from his hands – and Amarantha, curiously, let them be. Lucien gave the order to round up servants from his side. His frown wasn’t concealed by his mask – though both were reminiscent of a fox. The face he would wear for forty-nine years.

I hadn’t seen that variable coming – that she would play this game with Tamlin, drawing it out as she did the cruelest of tortures.

My fault, for not exploring all the ways this gone.

“I’ll see the rest of you in the morning. I have some wonderful plans for our time together!” She chirruped. “And I certainly hope no one develops any little plans about not making an appearance.”

Feyre made eye contact with me, and I took in her appearance for the first time since we had left Velaris only a few hours before. She was disheveled, her delicate brown hair coming undone and half of her gauzy black skirt hacked away at the knee, though she still wore the bat mask.

Granted, I knew I probably looked like hell too. Flakes of blood spotted my jacket and pants.

“What now?” She asked quietly.

“We retire, as she wants. There’s nothing we can do right now.” It angered me more than I wanted to admit.

“Do you have a plan?”

“Velaris is safe. I’ve bound the Circle to the city, and anyone else here with an inkling will find themselves without that memory.”

“Good.” She didn’t comment on how I had avoided her question. I jerked my head slightly, indicating that we should start walking towards the doors where everyone else hurried.

“But there’s no way I’ll be finding any sleep tonight.” She almost shuddered, stopping herself.

“Your acting tonight hasl been excellent, Feyre.”

“She knows I’m a daemati, Rhys.”

“We both fucked up,” I admitted. Me, more than her. Amarantha’s interest in Feyre was exactly the opposite of what I had wanted. I shouldn’t have introduced her in such an important role, I should have disguised her as a servant instead.

We approached the doors, and I noticed a few stares clinging to us like cobwebs. “Nuala has found a chamber for you. Go ahead and try to rest.” I knew the idea sounded absurd. “I have a few things to attend to first.” I knew I didn’t have to remind her to place wardings around her room.

“Of course you aren’t retiring.” Her mental voice was soft. She turned and exited the room without looking at me again, shoulders back and head held high. Part of me wished I could go and find sleep. Using my magic against Amarantha had taken more of my remaining power than I would ever admit.

I continued to stalk ahead, maintaining that air of arrogance. No one dared approach me, and I found a path cleared for me.

Intimidation, I knew, would continue to serve me well. Set on my path, I turned the corner -

And was faced with Amarantha. This night was already down the drain – but it was obviously about to get worse.

“Rhysand.” She purred. The evening’s events didn’t appear to have taken a toll on her, and not a hair was out of place. She had removed her mask, baring her face.

I dipped my head. “My Queen.” Better to slip into the role right away. It would make everyone believe I had always been a two-faced bastard, but so be it.

She smiled. “I’m so glad to see you’re adjusting to this quickly. I fear others will struggle.”

“Ah, but I know you will guide them well. They will learn who their Queen is in due time.”

“Your faith is much appreciated, Rhysand. No hard feelings about your Court, I hope? I did what was necessary.”

Hard feelings. As if she hadn’t ended those lives without a second thought. But I only smirked. “Dealing with scheming couriers is one of the more irritating parts of my job. You’ve saved me a great deal of work.”

A smile. “Good. I can hardly be responsible for what will happen if my orders aren’t obeyed, not after I’ve given such a fair warning.” She shrugged.

“And do you expect Tamlin to bend the knee again soon?”

“Naturally. It’ll only be a matter of time before he grows tired of living as a shade of himself.” She paused, and I noticed how empty the hall around us was. Nobody wanted to be near Amarantha.

“But in the meantime –“ She placed a hand on her pale chest, Jurian’s eye once again still. “I fear I will grow lonely. So many of my subjects will fear me before they grow to love me.” She took a step closer to me, near enough that I could feel her breath.

And I realized what she wanted.

“Perhaps you are in a similar position. Lord of Nightmares, they call you. Though given your father’s reputation I’m surprised they all fear you so easily.”

Her hand grazed my arm, her pale skin warm.

That was what this was about. Not me, not even Tamlin. But how my father had murdered Tamlin’s.

“I’ve earned my reputation. Surely you’ve heard of all the tortures I’ve inflicted over the years, My Queen.  But if you’ll excuse me, it grows late.”

She shook her head. “You’re High Lord of the Night Court.” Her voice was soft. “Nighttime should be of no consequence to you.”

I opened my mouth to refuse again, but she kept talking. “You made an impressive display against me in the ballroom. I was quite enthralled. You end lives like some give in to sleep.”

“I’ve always taken care to hone my powers.” The only true thing I had said to her during this conversation. I couldn’t decide if she knew it or not.

“Is it frustrating, Rhysand? I’m sure you can find no equal among the High Lords. Nostrus and Beron sit around reveling day and night. Calder is practically a child. Thesan and Julius are so dull. And….of course, we all know you and Tamlin get along.”

“The other High Lords bring me no interest, that’s true.” I clasped my hands behind my back. “My Court is diverting enough.”

“And do tell me, what about it is so diverting? I could never unravel that during my time there.”

I raised an eyebrow. “My Queen, you’ve been to the Hewn City. Did they not amuse you?”

“They were plenty amusing. I have plans to model this mountain’s architecture after theirs. But I can’t help but feel as though I didn’t see your entire Court.  Members of key bloodlines were missing – where was the Morrigan? Where was that creature that men fear, who drinks blood like wine?” She tilted her head.

“She is little more than a legend – I thought you would have known that. A tale mothers tell their children to keep them from straying too far.”

“Is that not what all of Prythian is, to mortals?”

I fought the urge to grit my teeth. All these questions were striking too close for comfort.

“You must be lonely. All that power, half of a millennium by yourself, an equal never found. You never found a mate, did you?” Her voice took on a mocking edge. “Come to think of it, I’ve never heard of any lovers you’ve had."

It took effort to keep my expression the same. She couldn’t find out about Feyre, or any of my circle. That was my goal in all this – to protect them and my people.

“I never had the fortune to find a mate. But leadership has kept me plenty occupied.”

“Does it? Kier told me you barely ever make an appearance in the Hewn City.”

Damn him. “I prefer to rule from afar. I have a castle in the mountains where I spend my time.” Another truth.

“I plan to be an attentive ruler, Rhysand. But I have no intention to spend all of my time bored and alone.”

I didn’t say anything, a pit of dread growing in my stomach.

“Tamlin isn’t here right now. But you would occupy me well, in the meantime.”

“I don’t know if that would be wise, My Queen.” I didn’t break her gaze.

Her tone sharpened. “Are you questioning my judgment? You’re the only one worthy of me, Rhysand, and deep down you know it. And I could do….considerable things for you.”

Sleeping with her…..sleeping with her, giving a pretense about caring for her…. it would draw attention away from whoever I might be close to. Away from Feyre. Perhaps she would come to trust me, in time. I could use it to my advantage.

“These years may grow long. We will both need something to distract us.” She pushed, gripping my arm tightly. “Without your couriers to provide the amusement you claim, surely you will need a distraction.”

I blinked for a moment too long. And when I opened my eyes, the decision was made.

So I let my gaze turn wolfish, taking in her body. She was, objectively, beautiful. “I’ve been told I’m very, very good at distractions.”

“Then we’re in agreement. Escort me to my chambers, Rhysand.”

I linked my arm into hers, the portrait of a gentleman, giving her a small smirk. Her tongue grazed her lips, eyes dilating.

The mounting dread in my stomach grew and grew. The carnage of earlier hadn’t made me throw up, but this….this might do it.

I had slaughtered and tricked my way across battlefields for years, played mind games of politics.

This was a new, different sort of fight. But I would treat it as I had all the others.

I didn’t know the way to her rooms, but she told me where to turn with a tug against our linked arms. The hallways were dark, arches and corridors casting shadows onto the ground. Our own shadows looked monstrous in the dim lighting. Besides the guards stationed intermittently, we were the only two out, and not a sound came from the wing we approached. At last, at the end of a long corridor, we approached a wide door, finer than others I had seen. It alone was carved, depicting gods and monsters in the pattern.

Amarantha reached for the doorknob, dark-painted nails curling around the handle. The door opened with a click, and faelight from the corridor shone into the room, casting a bit of light.

She left my side and placed a glowing ball of soft faelight in a bowl by her bedside, illuminating the room. It was an oddly familiar gesture; one I had done myself countless times.

The suite was grand, and already well decorated in colors of purple and gray. Hybern’s color, and the color of her own House. A reminder of who this was all supposedly for.

The bed drew my attention first – grand and ostentatious, covered in rich silks. The bedposts rose like daggers from the ground. From high ceilings hung large silver chandeliers that remained unlit. Fine tapestries in rich colors covered the walls. The suite had been decorated far in advance. I had no doubts that her newfound prisoners were sleeping in less comfort.

No windows, obviously. One exit – the one we had come through - and a door leading to the rest of her chambers.

Amarantha strutted back to me, gate seductive and face half-hidden in shadow. In the darkness, her hair was much less red. She placed one hand on my chest, the other reaching up to tear off my mask. It landed behind me with a thud, and bile began to rise in my throat.

“You say you’ve spent your due time on battlefields, winning victory after victory. But I have fought for longer than you’ve been alive.”

She placed one hand on my chest, and with the other reached up to remove my mask with a gentle touch. I could feel her breath on my cheek, and the scent of rich perfume wafted towards me - a heady vanilla.

I didn’t lean away.

“And tonight, you will truly learn of war.”

- 

When it was done, I lay on my back and watched the chandelier, trying to distinguish patterns in the twisted metal, its dull grey finish gleaming slightly in the faelight. She hadn’t extinguished it.

Amarantha lay only a few feet away, physical and mental shields as strong as ever. I had checked, laying here for minutes on end before I could rally the strength and will to try it.

The tides of her breathing remained steady, soft. She seemed almost innocent in sleep – red hair unbound and flowing across the pillow, naked body hidden by the silken sheets.

It felt like I was floating. Out of my body, to somewhere else. It had stopped feeling like my body halfway through.

Even so, the places on my back she had dug her nails into still stung, the pain lingering longer than I had expected it to.

I lay awake as the hours passed, blocking out the memories as I remembered who I was doing this for.

She had vowed to teach me of war.

And it was obvious who the victor was tonight.

@fireheart-of-your-dreams @rowaelinforeverworld Let me know if you’d like to be tagged!

AN: This chapter was uploaded to AO3 a few weeks ago but I completely forgot to post it here, I apologize! This chapter is also on the short side, they’ll get longer again as certain things start to unfold. Thank you all for reading!