#tamlin lemon

[readychilledwine]

what do you think prythian's food is like? Like how does the food differ in each court? Which one is known for spicier food? Or meat centric or veggie centric food? Summer would probably have more seafood right?

The Food of Prythian Headcanons

Warnings - Mentions of alcohol. While this is food based, it is based on the vibes of what I felt the culture of each court would be like in comparison to real places in our world. Some of these may be discussion worthy. We handle that in polite ways. Also, Liz thirsting over Helion's thighs.

A/N - The gif had to be Anime food. No cooking show makes ya girl hungry like anime food does. Welcome to the beginning of the requests being queue. Some of you have waited a very long time for me to get out of my funk. I cannot thank you all enough for that.

Spring-

Spring in my opinion would be French style foods. Why? Because of how SJM described the molten chocolate Feyre had.

I imagine Spring to have fresh ingredients that, combined with meats, make light but filling meals and vibrate plates.

I see Tamlin as the cheese board kind of guy. I think Spring would be filled with different cheeses from around the map and lands and people capable of telling you all about them and proper pairings.

Wine. I know we hear about wine a lot in Night, but I will never drop the headcanon that Spring is 7 course meals with different wine pairs as the meal progresses

Overall, I imagine Spring to be filled with dishes that are focused on fresh and quality. I think they'd have a wide variety of options for meats and game.

Ps, edible flowers. They garnish plates with edible flowers

Summer-

Hear me out, I think Summer would be a combination of Hispanic and Latin foods

Summer is seafood heavy, no doubt. Fresh catches served after flavorful preparations.

Summer isn't afraid of seasoning. Nor spice. I think in terms of getting your spicy food fix, Summer is your best options.

Access to fresh fish and summertime thriving fruits such as limes and lemons, naturally Ceviche is a very common dish to be served and a traditional welcome meal for guests.

Pazole would also be right up there with the incorporation of fresh peppers and produce to make it flavorful and impactful.

Alcohol pairings in summer also include fruity mixes. Tarquin is a margarita on the rocks baddie. I will die on that hill.

Autumn-

I'm hiding from how controversial this one might be. I was torn with Autumn because of how Eris and Lucien are written. I think the Forest House with the High Lord and his family do not eat traditional Autumn cuisine and try to separate themselves. So, for Autumn, I am torn but will be focusing on my gut instinct.

Autumn is English and Irish cuisines. Hearty beef stews, bangers and mash, Yorkshire pudding. Meals in Autumn are warm, heavy, and meant to be fulfilling at a price point that even the lowest income families can pull off. Spoiler, I 100% think Lucien and Eris are throwing down bangers and mash. Why? Because it feels right.

Breakfasts tend to have a variety on the plate. Eggs and sausage served over beans was an immediate one that came to mind for me.

I think game meat is also very common in Autumn, but farming is the primary meat source. Cattle, boar, and sheep would make up the majority of dishes with chicken being a last choice.

I think fish is potentially common in Autumn, but they are tinned fish central. And let's not bash tinned fish. You can do a lot with it and create meals for a fairly decent price.

Autumn is spiked cider country. Apples grown so rapidly here that they had to find a way to work them into their drinks. Mother bless the barmaid who asked for some rum and said to hold her mead. Apples since have been worked into whiskey, wine, vodka, and whatever else they could sell. Cinnamon apple whiskey is a personal favorite of Eris's. I asked him myself.

Winter-

Winter to me has very Slavic vibes. With it being so bittery cold, though, I imagine their diets are filled with soups and very heavy stews.

Winter is a season that would struggle with produce and with how I picture trade systems working in Prythian, I'll bluntly say it, Winter is the pickled everything part of Prythian.

Pickled fish, vegetables, and olives are all very common ingredients in meals and as snacks.

Root vegetables such as onions, garlic, and potatoes are featured in every meal. They're known to grow in harsh environments, and paired together can be a great base to a meal.

Game meat is common here. Venison, elk and some options that we may less commonly think of such as bear, fox, wild big cats, and rabbit

Drinks wise, like the foods, it is about warmth. Mulled wines, warm ciders, anything to keep their hands warm and bellies full.

Dawn-

It would have been far too easy to argue Dawn is 24/7 breakfast, but I think Thesan is very into cuisine that touched the homelands of his Court's population.

Dawn is heavily leaning to Japanese and Asian styled foods. Bright dishes, bold flavor, and full of experiments and experiences. I don't think there is a dull meal in Dawn.

Dawn is filled with brothy soups centering around rich cuts of meat, different styles of noodles, and an ever rotating flavor profile as seasons change.

Seafood is common in Dawn, but they're open to trying any form of proteins. Eggs are a favorite.

I think meals in Dawn vary from you feeling heavy and ready for a nap afterward to something light and refreshing. I think this variation comes with seasons and availability to ingredients.

Dawn is drinking a variety of things. Hard liquor with touches of fruit, hearty beers, plum based wines, and teas. Dawn is filled with variety in the beverages, all paired perfectly to compliment meals.

Day-

Helion and the Day Court had to be a Mediterranean diet. I won't apologize. She can't describe thigh daddy as wearing white togas, snake arm bands, and not expect me to decide he serves me my favorite cuisine post... thigh admiration.

I also feel this works well with the Day Court due to me picturing it as a similar situation where the days reach high grueling temperatures and Nights are made for dancing under the moonlight in anticipation of getting to see morning break and the sun begin to rise.

The Day Court is light meals during the day hours that center heavily around fruits, vegetables, and seafood kissed with notes of citrus. Nights are slightly heavier with touches of beef and lamb joining in.

Hummus. There's various hummus bowls at every meal, and each one is a different layer of flavor or spice. Helion ensures they are served with a variety of root vegetables, pita breads, or falafel.

Drinking is common, but beers are not. Even beverages are kept light in Day. Of all the courts, though, I feel the Day Court is heavily pushing water intake.

Night-

Full discretion. I wanted to break the Night Court into Velaris, Hewn City, and Illyria. Due to tumblr LIMITING MY CREATIVITY (jerks) i am focusing on Velaris.

Have you ever wanted to make love to your food or make love because of your food? If so, "Welcome to the Night Court."

I think Velaris doesn't necessarily have a region of food from our world, but instead, it is a melting pot due to the variety of citizens and walks of life there. One thing is always true, though, artistic expression is worked into food.

Velaris is known for gorgeous plates, high end cuts of meats, and things being extra. It is common to see edible gold leaf in Velaris.

Proteins wise, I think due to the melting pot, there isn't a common or most popular choice. Venison, beef, lamb, chicken, and seafood are all common. I do think Velaris leans towards roasted vegetables, though. Roasting them can bring out flavor and, most importantly, color. I heavily believe presentation is key here.

Chocolate dipprd fruits are a favorite, but dipped figs with a touch of sea salt are a go to dessert.

Wines. Prepare for wines with every turn. Full bodied reds, crisp whites, flirty rosé, and oh so bubbly champagne.

In short, food in Velaris is meant to make you feel something, to push boundaries and flavor palette, and to fill your tummy.

[pit-and-the-pen]

Spring Meadow

I have not been able to get soft Lucien out of my head all morning so heres a super fluffy fic about our boy being absolutely in love with you.

Lucien X Spring court!reader

Lucien deserves the absolute world, boy has been through enough. 

Warnings: None

WC: 1.6k

Lucien never regretted his decision to come to the spring court. The cruelty of the Autumn court gave way to something sweeter. Autumn always reminded him of death. He saw it in the trees that constantly shed their leaves, in the terror of everyone in the court. Worst of all, he saw it in his brothers. Fear seemed to permeate the air wherever you went and his family wore it the most. Cloaked in gripping fear of their own father. When he arrived in spring, it was like he could breathe for the first time in his life. Flowers bloomed and birds sang cheerful songs. The lords and ladies of the court would smile at each other as they passed. Spring reminded him that he wanted to be alive. 

Of course, he also had you. He had never intended to fall in love. Heart still in tatters over Jesminda, love was the last thing on his mind. But there you were. One of the ladies of Tamlins court. He found you in the meadow he frequently hid away in. Weaving flowers into a makeshift crown, basking in the first few hours of sunlight as it crested the horizon. The willow wisps seemed to sing a special song just for you. 

He can still feel the shock run through him, blinking hard as if he might wake up from a dream. Lucien decided that if it was a dream, he would happily never wake up. You startled as he cleared his throat. Hands pausing your work as he introduced himself. He swore he felt his heart stop dead when you smiled at him, giving him your name. 

That’s when it all started. It wasn’t an all consuming fire but a slow ember that he nursed into something roaring. You were patient with him as he figured out how to let his guard down. A comforting shoulder when days got too heavy for him to get out of bed. Those were days you would curl up next to him, hands deftly braiding his hair or reading him one of your favorite books. Those were the days that Lucien knew he was falling in love with you. 

Today was one of those days. You managed to pull him out of bed and the two of you stood in the kitchen. Flour streaked across your face as you kneaded the dough ball in front of you. Giving it a small smack, you put it in the bowl next to you and draped a wet towel over it. 

“There, I have an hour before I can bake it.” You washed off your hands and walked over to where Lucien sat on a stool at the counter. You patted his thighs and he parted them enough for you to squeeze yourself between them. With care, you wrapped your arms around his neck and gave him a peck on the cheek. “What would you like to do today, Lu?” He wanted nothing more than to just crawl back into bed. Hold you in his arms until his thoughts could do anything but swirl around angrily in his head. But you had told him you wanted to get out of the house today so he instead said. 

“What about a picnic in the meadow?” He suggested. He wished he could bottle that look in your eyes, pure wonder and excitement. 

“Absolutely. Once the bread is done I’ll make us sandwiches. Oh and I’ll cut up some of that fruit from last night.” You chirped. He gave you another tight squeeze as you started gathering all the things you needed to bring. Lucien sat and stared at you. His heart squeezing in the best way possible. He pushed himself off the stool and went to your side, helping you pull out the fruit sent from the summer court. You instructed him on how to peel and chop the chosen fruit. His rough chunks were almost laughable in comparison to the shapes you cut into the fruit. He never understood how you made the various patterns you were able to cut them into, deftly cutting hearts and flowers. He helped you string them onto wooden skewers and squeezed the lemon juice on them so they wouldn’t brown, a trick you had taught him the last time you went on a picnic. You wrapped them up in a small towel and he went to grab your wicker basket from your room. 

Even your room made him smile. Organized chaos as you called it. Flowers covered as many surfaces as they could. You had used your powers to make honeysuckle creep up the walls, covering the wall by the window and swirling up to the ceiling. The white blooms fill the room with their sweet scent. He used to complain about the pollen dropping over everything but he learned to appreciate it over time. He even went as far as cleaning it up on days you were too busy to do it yourself. You always thanked him by peppering his face with small kisses when he did. 

He quickly located the basket he had been sent to find. He also grabbed one of your favorite blankets and the book you had been slowly reading to him. Both of you could have easily finished it on your own by now but he loved listening to your voice as you read it out loud, your voice wrapping around the words brought the story to life. 

When he walked back into the kitchen, you were bent towards the oven, pushing in the bread pan. Standing back up, you adjusted the top to your flowy sundress and untied the now dirty apron from your waist. You smiled at him as he held up the basket like it was a trophy. He was rewarded by the peel of your laughter. He wanted to wrap himself in the sound so he did just that, practically sprinting across the kitchen to embrace you. Hugging you so tightly he lifted you off the ground. He was rewarded with another string of giggles and when he sat you back on your feet your cheeks had a glowing blush to them. You stretched up onto your tiptoes and kissed him passionately. 

He let out a surprised noise as your teeth found his lower lip. You smiled into the kiss as he swept you off your feet, placing you on the kitchen counter so he wouldn’t have to bend down. Your hands found their way to his hair and the two of you got lost in each other. Eventually, you both need to pull away for air. Your chest was heaving as you tried to catch your breath and he tried to ignore the way your tongue swept over your lips before he was tempted to forgo the picnic and drag you to bed for other reasons. 

He joined you, pulling himself up onto the counter. So close to you his thighs were pressed against yours. You picked up his hand and started drawing random patterns and swirls. The conversation flowed easily out of the two of you while you were waiting for the bread to finish baking. Its smell filled the room and made his stomach grumble. Luckily, before he could even think of making a joke about his stomach eating itself, the timer you had set dinged loudly. You grabbed a dish towel and pulled the perfect loaf from the oven. After letting it cool for a few minutes, you started assembling the sandwiches, cutting them into perfect triangles. Wrapping them in their own towel and adding them to the basket. You looked up at him, “All ready to go!” 

You all but pulled him to the meadow, a childlike sort of excitement as you babbled on about the newest gossip in the court. He didn’t really follow your words too much, too many names he didn’t recognize, but he held to every word you uttered. Savoring the sound of your voice. 

When you finally decided on a spot, he laid out the blanket on the dew covered grass. You sat crossed legged in the middle and started unpacking the basket. 

After the food was eaten, you laid down, arms holding your top half off the ground. Lucien placed his head on your thighs using you as his personal pillow and handed you the book before you could even reach for it. That action earned him a kiss to his forehead, your hair draping around him as you leaned down. You flipped to the page you had left off on the night before. 

Sitting out in this field, your free hand playing absentmindedly with his hair. Lucien knew that this was true happiness. Happiness that he had never felt before meeting you. Happiness he was terrified of losing but allowed himself to feel anyways. He would go to the ends of the earth to protect you and he knows you would do the same for him. His emotions suddenly welled up inside of his chest and he lifted his head off your lap. Your reading stopped as you went to ask him what was wrong, reading the tears in his eyes as something other than pure joy. He spoke before you could. 

“Can we stay like this forever.” He said, leaning closer into you. You kissed him, soft and gentle. 

“Of course my love.” You cuddled tighter to his side and pulled him into a deep kiss. He rolled you on top of him, and you pulled away to say, “We can stay like this for as long as you want.”

[maybeiwasjustjade]

Lex Talionis snippets

(aka the ACOWAR resurrection scene AU aka the I-will-humble-the-inner-circle-even-if-it-kills-me Azris fic. Also known as the time Eris suffered the worst heartbreak imaginable while on the battlefield, and is rewarded with a mate and a dead father, as a treat.)

#1

“Unless,” he drawled, gaze sliding from Feyre to Mor—Mor, who looked as if she swallowed a lemon whole with worry—and a taunting smirk broke across his face, “It is as I thought: she cannot hold the power. It will pass to another.”

“Keir perhaps, or his son,” the High Lord of Autumn mused, eyes gleaming with unchecked glee. Oh, how Azriel hated the bastard. Next to him, Cassian growled, red aura glowing softly. “Rhysand has no more relatives, after all. “

“Well, none that liked him very much,” Beron chuckled, turning to the rest of the High Lords with grandiosity. “It seems I was correct after all: Feyre Cursebreaker is no High Lady. Merely an empty title granted by Rhysand to his favorite whore.”

#2

Eris' blade swung forward, roaring and screeching like a drakon’s maw, the tip balanced precariously over Rhys’ too-still chest. Feyre froze. “Try to enter my mind again, High Lady,” he snarled, challenging, as if begging her to try him. Embers and sparks were practically dancing throughout his armor. Underneath his center siphon, Azriel’s chest began to itch. “And this blade will ensure your precious mate will never see another day.”

Azriel growled, and Eris' head snapped to meet his gaze. He froze at the sight of those eyes—flickering like a candle in the wind, blue to gold and gold to blue. Azriel’s brow furrowed. Eris didn’t have blue eyes. Nor were they ever quite so gold.

#3

A flash of silver armor and shorn ruby hair, irises splitting apart like a chasm until another set born true; blue bleeding from the amber of golden eyes, starlight the only demarcation between sapphire and living flame. A raised hand and the smell of ozone, like the air before a storm. A spill of nightfall, the absence of day. Flashes of whitened blue. And power—more than he’d ever felt before, surging into existence.

Two raised fingers. That was all it took to kill a High Lord.

#4

“I could take you back to Spring, force you to be my lady again as part of our bargain. I could even ensure you never see your beloved husband again,” Tamlin said casually, uncaring of the unfettered hatred radiating from Feyre. In fact, it seemed to be delighting him. “But that wouldn’t be fair, for the remnants of Spring to look upon the face of their destruction for all eternity.”

“Still, I will have what you owe me.” Green eyes glittered with malice, and canines jutted out of Tamlin’s beastly grin. “I will provide the last kernel, and in exchange the people of your precious Velaris will suffer as mine did.”

[mika-no-sekai-blog]

Word count: 1900+

Warning: a bit of depressive/sad thoughts, but otherwise just fluff (I put all the action aside for next part😉)

Part VI | Part VIII

Muffled sounds from downstairs woke you up before the dawn. You were early bird, but this was too early even for you. You sat up, rubbing your eyes. Your eyelids were too heavy to keep them open. Blindly fumbling around you found a blanket and wrapped your shivering shoulders in its warmth, reluctantly dragging yourself from the bed. Yawning you went down the stairs.

"What are you doing so early?" Half of the words was swallowed by another yawn.

Golden haired male turned around in surprise, big box in his hands, another two on the table. His emerald eyes shined in excitement.

"Did I wake you up?" he smiled brightly. "I'm so sorry, I was trying to be quiet." With that smile it was hard to believe he was really sorry.

"Ughm," you curled up in your armchair, resting your head comfortably on a small pillow, and closed your eyes again.

"Happy Solstice," he hummed happily, kissing top of your head.

"Sol- what?" You were still half asleep, not fully comprehending what he was saying.

"Solstice," he laughed and put the box down next to the fireplace. "Did you forget?"

"Oh." You searched your sleepy mind. Solstice. Right. You were talking about it last night. Tamlin wanted to celebrate it with you. "Oh," you were instantly awake, your full attention trained on him. You stood up, flustered. "I'm going to change. I'll be back in a minute."

You ran up the stairs, throwing the nightgown aside you slipped into your dress and brushed your hair quickly. Heaving you returned down.

Tamlin's brows raised, amused smile decorating his handsome face. He whistled. "That's what I call speed," he laughed, the sound so beautiful that it made you smile, too.

"Don't make fun of me and show me what we are going to do," you playfully poked him, curiously examining the contents of the box he held now. You gasped. It was full of lovely and delightful red and gold coloured glass decorations. You had never seen anything like that. "Where did you take this all from?"

"Well.. about that.." he said sheepishly, reluctant to give you the answer. You reached in and carefully picked up one of the beautifully painted glass balls to examine it closely. You got your answer as soon as the slight smell of magic hit your nose. You returned it back to the box, trying hard to keep the smile on. "I wanted to surprise you and get everything ready before you get up," he said apologetic.

"That's okay," you said nervously. "Do you want a cup of tea?" You needed space. Magic was the last of the things you wanted to deal with first thing in the morning.

"You mean your delicious fragrant tea?" he was trying to lighten the situation. "Always."

With a nod you went out to get some of the herbs you picked up the other day. Since Tamlin walked into your life, you were running out of herbs faster than usual, but you didn't mind. It was a pleasure to prepare tea for somebody else, especially when the person enjoyed it. One would say that High Lord definitely preferred wine or other fancy drinks that Fae in his position inclined to, but Tamlin was eager for your ordinary tea.

Once you were out, you also checked the remaining herbs that hung under a small shelter behind the cottage, already feeling better. With a gentle smile and hand full of chamomile, mint and lemon balm you headed back. You halted on threshold, surprised.

Room was full of green garlands decorated with fairy lights, red ribbons and shiny little decorations, and in the middle of that stood Tamlin trying to hang up mistletoe on the chandelier. It was so beautiful that your pulse went up and breath caught in your throat.

Tamlin noticed you and smiled flashing his white teeth. His green eyes were just as shiny as the fairy lights around him. "Do you want to help me with this one?"

Unable to speak you just nodded and leaving herbs on the table you stepped closer to him. He handed you small sprig of mistletoe, his big hands falling to your waist, holding you firmly. With small nod he lifted you up as if you were a feather. You fastened mistletoe with red ribbon, but it wasn't easy task because your fingers were trembling. When you were done, Tamlin put you back down, but his hands stayed on your waist.

He looked up to check on your work. "You know, there's a certain tradition in human lands," he hummed.

"What tradition?" you breathed out.

"If you find yourself standing with someone under the mistletoe, you have to kiss them, otherwise you will have a bad luck." He looked back down at you, gleaming green emeralds full of hope. Your heart stuttered at the sight. Swallowing you nodded once.

Small smile appeared on his face. Watching you carefully Tamlin leaned down. His gaze moved to your lips for a second. An inch. There was only an inch between your lips now. His hands tightened on your waist, thumbs drawing small circles. Your heart throbbed almost painfully against your ribs, you stopped breathing. Millions of unfamiliar emotions suddenly emerged, middling together. It was all so overwhelming and confusing that it made your head spin.

Tamlin's soft lips connected with your cheek in a tender kiss. He stayed like that for few breaths and then he straightened up, smiling at you gently when he noticed your flustered state. "Are you okay?"

"I-I.. yes.." you blinked, blushing fiercely. You averted your eyes shyly, fingers covered the place his lips touched. For some reason you felt.. disappointed. What did just happen? And what did you expect he would do? "I should.. I'm going to make that tea," you backed awkwardly, collecting the herbs you left on the table. You could feel his amused gaze following your movements.

"I was thinking," he said while taking a seat at the table. "Today is a special day and I basically invited you to the dinner. How about I prepare the feast myself? I mean I'm not a cook, so it won't be the best food of your life, but.. I want to surprise you."

"Okay," you quickly agreed.

"You don't mind if I use your kitchen?"

"Not at all. I have no idea how this feast should look like anyway," you shrugged. "Do you need me to help with anything?"

"Nope, I will manage," he laughed. Again.

You noticed that Tamlin had been smiling more often lately. He also gained some confidence and with every day he looked more like High Lord than a beaten beast he was when you met him. He was recovering. Soon enough the time he didn't need you anymore, would come. The realisation was painful.

Clearing the throat, you turned to him with two cups of tea. "So if you don't need me, I will go on a stroll. We are running out of mint again," you tried to sound happy, but even to you your own voice sounded broken.

Tamlin narrowed eyes on you. "You don't have to go today," he murmured, searching your eyes.

"No, it's fine. I need fresh air anyway."

Tamlin frowned, the claws visible under his skin, but he didn't say anything and so after the breakfast you took your basket and left.

Lost in thoughts you didn't pay much attention to where you went. You lost track of time. When a small clearing with pond appeared in front of you, you sat down on the bank, hugging your knees. The thought of him leaving because he didn't need you anymore was still bothering you. It hurt in a way you've never felt before.

By the time to return home came, you made peace with the thought. It still hurt, but it was inevitable. Tamlin was High Lord. He had too many responsibilities to slob around with you in the forest. His land needed him, Fae living here needed him. He had to return home and rule. You lived alone before. You could do it again.

On your way back you grabbed some herbs. As you got closer to the cottage air filled with smell of something delicious and your stomach twisted in answer. You skipped the lunch, so naturally you were hungry. All windows were wide open. Tamlin most likely used magic to help himself while cooking to impress you with feast. You smiled at the thought.

Leaving the basket and herbs under the shelter behind the cottage, you stalked back to the front. The door opened before you could even touch it.

"Welcome home, Y/N," Tamlin welcomed you with a bright smile. He changed his clothes and freshly bathed he looked somehow neater than normal. He took your hand leading you inside.

The room behind him with all the decorations was just as stunning as the first time you saw it. And now there was a small addition to it. The table was buckling under the abundance of delicious looking food.

"What do you think?" he asked closing the door behind you.

"It's.. amazing," you couldn't stop looking around, your eyes lingering on small details.

"I'm happy you like it," he purred, holding a chair for you. You sat down and he took his place across from you. "So shall we start?" You nodded, already looking forward to try the nice smelling and deliciously looking food in front of you. And you weren't disappointed. It tasted even better than you imagined.

"It was so delicious," you sighed happily putting the cutlery down, your stomach full. You had never eaten so much in your life.

"I'll take that as a compliment," Tamlin winked and finished last bite. He wiped his fingers into napkin and reached to his pocket. A small velvet box tied with ribbon appeared on his palm. He held it out to you. "Happy Solstice, Y/N."

You blinked in confusion. "What is it?" you asked warily.

"It's a present, another tradition."

"But.. I have nothing for you."

"It's okay," he shook his head. "You've already given me so much. It will take hundreds of years of Solstice gifts to repay you for everything you've done for me. Plus you are here now," he added so quietly you almost didn't hear it. "Even my family never celebrated anything with me."

It felt like farewell. All of the sad feelings you fought with earlier in the forest returned at once, tears stinging your eyes. You took the box from him carefully and set it down on table.

"Will you open it?" he leaned closer, green eyes shimmering with expectation.

Swallowing the lump that created in your throat, you looked up at him and then back down at the box. You were nervous when you pulled the ribbon. Opening the lid slightly you peeked in. There on white pillow sat a small rose made of white gold and pink shiny stones. It was so beautiful that you went speechless.

"May I?" Tamlin spoke next to you, his breath fanning your ear. He stood above you, reaching for the necklace. Smell of rain filled the air. Before you could answer, he fastened the delicate chain around your neck, small pendant hanging between your collar bones. His long fingers caressed back of your neck lightly.

"It suits you," he smiled, kneeling down next to you.

The moment your eyes met with his, you surged forward, hugging him tightly. He stiffened for a single heart beat, then letting out a long breath, his body relaxed under you and arms wrapped around your waist.

"Thank you," were the only words you managed before turning into crying and sobbing mess.

Taglist:

@impossibelle @sevikas-whore

[nikethestatue]

Throne of Glass:

Rowan: pine and snow (he smells like Terrasen)

Aelin: jasmine, lemon verbena, and crackling embers

Lysandra: ever-changing

Dorian: sea and winter morning (this is what Manon says he tastes like)

Elide: cinnamon and elderberries

Aedion: Clear book and new grass

Sartaq: Wind and mountain springs

A Court of Thorns and Roses:

Cassian: snow-chilled wind and crackling embers

Nesta: fire, steel, and winter sunrise

Azriel: night-chilled mist and cedar

Elain: jasmine and honey

Feyre: lilac and pear

Rhys: citrus and sea

Mor: citrus and cinnamon

Tamlin: Lilac, cedar and something earthy

Crescent City:

Hunt: rain-kissed cedar (Bryce says he tastes like rain and cedar and salt and lightning)

Bryce: lilac and nutmeg

Ember Quinlan: Honeysuckle and nutmeg Einar Danaan (Autumn King) - Ashes and Nutmeg

__________________________

Besides all that, I am seeing patterns now and I wonder if there are relations that we should be paying attention to:

We got Team Jasmine: Aelin and Elain

We got Team Lilac: Bryce, Feyre, Tamlin

We got Team Nutmeg: which is exclusively Bryce and her parents

We got Team Cedar/Pine: Rowan, Tamlin, Hunt and Azriel (Hunt and Azriel are basically identical, which is very interesting)

Team Snow/Chill: Nesta, Cassian, Rowan, Dorian

Team Crackling Embers: Aelin and Cassian (both are deeply associated with fire), plus Nesta who is just 'fire'

Team Citrus: Rhys and Mor (cousins) and Aelin (all related?)

Team Sea: Rhys and Dorian (related?)

Team Cinnamon: Mor and Elide (both witches?)

Curious absentees: Manon, Ruhn (and Lidia)

Thoughts?

Misc characters:

Tharion- Water and salt

River Queens Daughter- Water lilies and bubbling streams

Nesryn- Mint and Spice

Arobynn- Almonds

Valg- Death and rot

Chaol- Male warrior?? (Old Spice?)

Petrah Blueblood- Myrrh and rosemary

Sorscha- Rosemary and mint

Juniper- Jasmine and vanilla

Hypaxia- Eucalyptus and lavender

Lady of Autumn Court: Roasting chestnuts and crackling fires

[annaskareninas]

Chapter 11 out now!

Chapter summary: Feyre finds it impossible to resist the pull between Rhysand and her, no matter how hard she tries to deny it.

Snippet:

There! Ahead, maybe fifty paces away, a large stag grazed. The wind blew towards us, disguising our scent from him, but we would need to be utterly silent. Holding my breath, I dropped into a crouch behind a thicket of brambles, peering over the top, cautiously removing my rifle. 

It was longer and heavier than I was used to, and I shifted uncomfortably as I tried to settle it in my grip. “Here,” Rhysand breathed, and then his hands were on my arms, shifting my grip.

“I can do it!” I hissed. 

“Let me help,” he muttered, his breath hot and damp on my neck, his calloused hands warm and firm on my arms as he manipulated my limbs. His head rested almost in the crook of my neck, and a strange kind of madness must have come over me, because I couldn’t help but inhale. Citrus – orange or lemon – and something else, something almost like the ocean. And beneath it all, the unmistakable scent of a man – warm skin and sweat and soap. It was enough to make me dizzy, and my hands shook slightly on the gun. 

Rhysand inhaled, a shuddering sort of breath, and I realised I had shifted backwards, my entire body pressed into his. Beneath layers of fabric, against my back, I could feel his chest, feel how hard and muscular it was, feel his heartbeat pounding away like the fluttering wings of a bird taking off. 

And it felt…it felt…it felt good. To my equal parts horror and excitement, a sort of desire began to curl inside me – not the frenzied grabbing I’d felt with Tamlin, but something different, something slow and warm and languorous. The sort that I imagined one might feel with one’s husband, petals unfurling, all the time in the world ahead of us–

“Feyre,” he murmured, and as if in a dream, I tilted my head ever so slightly to the side, exposing my neck, bare and pale, pulse hammering under my skin. I felt something brush it; something that sent tickling, burning waves roaring through my veins, and then the caress of a breath. His breath. His nose, pressed into my neck, breathing me in, burning me up, a crackling blaze of – of–

The rifle tumbled from my grip and crashed into the bramble-thicket.

[achaotichuman]

I just saw one of the worst takes I've seen in a while and somehow it combines ACOTAR and Interview with the Vampire, it's pro Feyre and anti Tamlin flavored, and in a lemon twist of events it's pro Lestat. My entire soul dry heaved because of it.

[dreamersinthedaylightinspo]

Eunomia slept like a rock. The healer worked over her while she rested and she woke, eventually, to peals of laughter and golden sunlight streaming into the birthing room. Nahida pronounced her able, and she found that she was able to stand and walk without help. A servant came to bring her pastries and fresh flower-scented tea with a wedge of lemon. Her body still tingled with the effects of the magic; though her body moved when she willed it and she wasn't in pain, she felt strange and tender and empty.

And, again, mostly, she missed her mother.

At first, she'd cried helplessly at the idea of bringing a child into the world without her family's support. Even after months, the pangs of anxiety she felt never lessened. But she found, when she stepped into the hall and was greeted with elated cheers and congratulations from half the living creatures in Rosehall, that she needn't have worried in the slightest.

The birth of a faerie child - of a High Lord's child - had caused celebratory commotion like Nomi had never seen. It was comparable to the breaking of Amarantha’s curse in Rhodes. After she managed to fight her way through the well-wishers, Tamlin informed her that they were expecting guests - representatives from the nearby villages were coming to Rosehall to pay tribute to Spring's new princess.

In response to her expression, Tamlin shrugged.

"If anything, this is your fault, my dear. Everyone likes you; they didn't care nearly so much when I was born."

Indeed - by lunchtime, the hall was swarming with faeries of all sorts. Stout dwarven-kin, nimble goblins, pixies and sprites, even tiny wil-o-the-wisps no bigger than the nails on her littlest finger. Wraiths and nymphs peeled themselves out of trees and ponds and sat themselves down for lunch in the gardens. The sentries and stabelhands joined the kitchen staff to help prepare meals for the travelers but many seemed to have brought their own food.

And with that, the gifts. Nomi accepted cuttings from gardens, little dresses and shoes and hats, music boxes, dolls and pillows and blankets, and all manner of more impractical things - a necklace of freshwater pearls, a loadstone, the branch of a cherry tree with a single, eternal pink blossom affixed to the end.

The other High Lord's, too, were prompt in their tributes. Helion sent a basket of fruits - pomegranates and oranges, adorned with rosemary, and other symbols of prosperity and longevity - and a handwoven blanket with the solar motif of the Day Court. This was Nomi’s favorite present. Thesan sent the most practical gift: a clever pair of looking glasses that were meant to be placed, one at the cradle and one on the parent's nightstand, enchanted so that they would know if the baby became fussy at night. Naturally, this was Tamlin's favorite.

Tarquin sent a set of seaglass windchimes to hang above Semele's cradle. Kalias sent her a practical winter coat - deep purple and lined with white fox fur, a few sizes large so that she could grow into it - and a matching hat, mittens, and boots. Eris sent a circlet of bronze and gold apple blossoms, which was very pretty though both Nomi and Tamlin agreed that they couldn't really picture Semele wearing such a thing.

The Night Court sent a note affixed to a bottle of wine. It read, "Good luck, you'll need it."

"Its not even a good vintage," Lucien complained when he saw this. He popped the cork and took a swig, swallowing bitterly. "Cheap bastard."

"No cursing in front of the baby," Elain scolded. Her smile was fixed to her face, though, and she promptly returned to cooing at Semele, who slept through all of this, somehow, and to Nomi's immense relief.

"You know," said Elain, leaning over to give Nomi one more peck on her cheek. "I don't recall nearly so much fanfare when Nyx was born."

"Typical of the Night Court," said a passing sentry, dispassionate. "Hide the lady's pregnancy til the last moment, then pretend it's business as usual."

"Its different here," Nomi agreed, shifting Semele slightly in her arms. She was heavy, and yet weightless, and soft. "What do humans do, when a child is born?"

Elain shrugged. "Oh, not much. It'd be bad luck to celebrate anything until they're about five or so - too old for faeries to want to eat them and such."

"No talk of cannibalism in front of the baby," said Lucien.

Luckily for all of them, Tamlin was utterly obssessed with his daughter and was cataloging her every expression or new experience, and told these stories with enormous pride to anyone who happened to stand in his presence.

///TO BE CONTINUED

[cthoniian]

dealing with nesta archeron was rather like lemon being poured on open wounds, or ice between your back teeth. he was tired. quite frankly he was exhausted beyond words. he'd relenquished any claims to her sister, tried to provide her what she'd wanted. what she'd chosen. rhysand. but now he had to deal with her sister? shifted out of his beast form for once ---

' what were you looking for? '

fingers pressing to the bridge of his nose. the headaches worsen as he lingers out of his shifted form. he's grown too accustomed to it. but everything feels -- so much more out of it.

' i will do whatever is required -- '

nesta & tamlin // @deathmade

[climbthemountain2020]

Hope of Spring - Chapter 6

Hi I'm back!

Find this also on Ao3!

Find Chapter 5 here

When Penny and Tamlin returned to the manor at dusk, Tally had managed to fill Penny’s room to the brim with all sorts of new clothes and shoes. As she had asked, most of it was pants and tunics and the occasional leather corset belt. She had loose linens for sleep, and more boots and slippers than she’d ever seen in her life. The boots were smooth leather, maybe the nicest pairs she’d ever seen. She ran her fingers over the soft surface of them and couldn’t think of anything she’d ever owned that had been this nice. 

Tally had also managed to sneak in some gorgeous dresses made of satin and tulle and delicate embroidery that Penny had no idea when or where she’d ever have a chance to wear. Tally had even washed, attempted to repair, and folded the clothes that Penny had come in to give her a piece of home. She couldn’t remember the last time someone had gone so out of their way to take care of her. Penny’s eyes stung with tears and she turned and abruptly embraced the fae. 

“Tally, you have no idea what this means to me. Thank you.” She managed to choke out. Tally hesitated in the hug for a moment before sighing and returning the embrace. 

“Now, now, Miss Penny. None of that.” she pushed off with one more strong pat of Penny’s back. Tally made her way to leave the room. “ There’s no need to fret. We want you to be comfortable here.” 

And she was. Penny hadn’t known comfort or peace or joy like she had experienced in the last 24 hours for the past six years. She held her old clothes to her chest as she sat on the bed. Tamlin had seemed surprised that she’d said she wanted to stay, but with every moment here, she was more sure there wasn’t a life worth going back to. Even if she couldn’t help with the timeline here, could she be happy here? Could she build a life in this magical world? 

Pressing her face to the folded clothes once more, she inhaled deeply then turned to put them gently into a box beneath the bed. Even if this wasn’t forever, she was determined to enjoy her time here, and she couldn’t do that while she held onto the remnants of her other life. With one last look towards the box under the bed, she turned and left the room. 

_________________

Tamlin and Penny fell into a rhythm easily. They would eat breakfast together most days, then Tamlin would go to patrol and Penny would seek out the employees of the manor and ask how she could help. Most often, she found herself in the kitchens, where she was entranced by all of the ways the cooked foods that she'd never even considered. Everything tasted so much better here, and she was bound and determined to try everything. There were roasted meats that simply fell apart in her mouth, with spices like nothing she'd ever experienced. Fish from the nearby streams with lemons grown in the groves that surrounded the manor and greens from the local gardens were a favorite of hers. The little desserts that the kitchen came up with were absolutely out of this world. Penny considered herself a fairly good cook, but this food made everything she'd ever made pale miserably in comparison. Tamlin had taken to pushing the dessert tray towards her at the start of every meal with a joyful smile because he knew she wasn't going to wait until the end of the meal to try the newest treat the kitchen had come up with.

The staff loved her, after the first few days of adjusting to her presence and insisting she didn’t need to help. Once she pushed that she wanted to help, and “what else would she do here?”, they relented. Soon, the smiles became less polite and demuring and more friendly and mischievous. They even went so far as to rib her a bit about being “the High Lord’s new lady friend” with raised eyebrows as she scoffed and blushed and sputtered. 

It was hard to parse out her feelings towards Tamlin. Just over a week in and she felt strangely compelled towards the male–a rash turn from her normal reaction to any men she met. He was frustrating beyond belief at times, prone to quick frustration and impatience, but she could tell that he was fighting the impulse. She couldn’t help but feel he understood her in a way that most people did not. While they hadn’t had the opportunity to speak openly again about their personal fears or shortcomings, that day in the meadow had changed how she viewed him, and she was resolute in her claim that she wanted to get to know him outside of the knowledge she’d gained from others. 

She truly enjoyed spending time with him, especially when that gruff exterior lifted and he smiled or laughed with her. She felt like she was seeing a side of him that not many were shown, and it made her feel special. However, that feeling tipped over into the occasional burst of butterflies in her stomach when he would look in her eyes or say her name. She worried that, for her at least, the lines were dangerously close to blurring. She couldn’t deny how attractive she found him. In fact, her first impression continued to be correct in that she thought he may be the most beautiful individual she had ever seen. She was doing her very best to hide these thoughts each time they came up. She refused to ruin this budding friendship, especially when she was staying with him. As far as she knew, Tamlin was too hurt by Feyre to ever even consider caring about someone in that way again, and she refused to put him out or harm what they had by entertaining her rogue thoughts. 

So, instead, she cooked. She helped in the gardens. She brought lunch to the sentries, all of which she now knew by name and joked with every chance she got. She helped Tally with various tasks in the manor and learned to truly enjoy having friends for the first time since school. She loved being in Spring. It was a freedom she hadn’t had in as long as she could remember, and it felt more like home than anything she’d known since childhood. The sun on her face and the wind in her hair stirred something beneath her skin that made her heart feel wide open. She wasn’t sure how or why she’d ended up here, and there had been no response to the parchment she sent. But Penny was glad she was here. She was glad to feel like she was home. 

__________________

A few days later, Tamlin invited Penny to come on border patrol with him. She hadn’t been on horseback since she was seven and went to the saddest State Fair she’d ever seen, where she’d ridden a horse so old and angry she feared she may never ride one again. So Tamlin insisted she ride with him until he could teach her to ride on her own. He helped her up onto the horse, a beautiful white mare, and instructed her to hold on to pommel in front of her. Tamlin swung up behind her and settled in, and that familiar rushing filled her chest. This was perhaps the closest they’d been, and she couldn’t help the flush sprinting up her chest to the tips of her ears. 

If Tamlin clearing his throat and shifting around was any indication, he couldn’t help noticing either. 

Horrified and embarrassed, Penny willed herself to think about anything else. 

“So, what are you looking for when you patrol out here?” She blurted out in a rushed panic. Tamlin laughed, his breath too close, fanning out over her ear. Dear God. 

“Monsters, mostly.” He whispered. Her throat was drier than the desert. 

“Oh, that’s–wait, monsters?? What do you mean??” He laughed, a full belly laugh this time as he raised his head back to the sky. 

“Fear not,” He cackled. “Most won’t come out during the day, but I will protect you regardless.” She could tell he was joking with her. She jammed her elbow back into his gut and heard him grunt. 

“You’re a dick, you know that?” He laughed again and it warmed her like someone was winding a steady flame through her chest. 

“Only for you, Sunshine.” 

“Sunshine?”

“Yeah, you know, because of your bright and sunny disposition.” At that, she turned over her shoulder to glare at him, prompting a wide grin from him that made him appear more boyish than she’d ever seen him. In fact, at this proximity, she could tell that he looked much more well-rested than he had two weeks ago. Perhaps he was finally getting some sleep. Penny was glad to see it.  

“I know you don’t think I’m fully human, but I also have no idea how I would defend myself should I need to.” She became serious. “Could you show me, maybe?” She was nervous to ask. Despite giving him his own chance for them to get to know each other, she remembered how he had outright refused to train Feyre, despite her begging. He surprised her. 

“Train you? I would be happy to train you. What do you know?” She could barely get over the shock long enough to form an answer for him. He hadn’t even hesitated. 

“Uhm, well, some very paltry self defense classes from a few years ago. I worked out occasionally at home, but nothing serious. We’d probably be starting from scratch,” she said apologetically. 

“That’s actually for the best. Then we can build from the ground up. Would you like to start tomorrow?” There it was in his voice again. Hope. She couldn’t even bear to look at him as a feeling she couldn’t begin to describe bubbled within her chest. Could I be different? Could he? She squashed the thought so violently she almost felt herself jerk back. 

“Yes, tomorrow, I would love that. Thank you, Tamlin.” As they finished the ride, she could barely keep a tether on the excitement rolling within her, and that night she fell asleep still trying to get a leash on that hope and joy that threatened to break free and override all her common sense. 

______________

If Penny had thought that it was difficult to keep herself together over Tamlin before, the training dialed that up to a level where she was struggling. She was so thrilled to be spending every morning training out near the barracks with him, despite him absolutely kicking her ass on a regular basis and in a litany of creative ways. 

The first week had been entirely strength training–he hadn’t even let her touch a weapon. She was embarrassingly out of shape, as evidenced by her sweat-covered form all but limping back to the manor every afternoon to collapse while Tamlin did patrols. Occasionally, she’d lay on the couch in the study and read in the evenings while he worked on paperwork, but she was so exhausted that she’d found herself passed out and carried back to her bed more than once. The thought set her off blushing all over again and she’d have to cover her face with a pillow then scream her frustrations into it. 

Training in itself was hard, but focusing on training with him standing feet away from her, haloed by the sun and often shirtless, was enough to make her want to run into the woods and keep the monsters company herself. She was spending as much mental energy berating herself and trying to get herself together as she was spending physical energy to get into shape. After the first week of grueling strength training, the soreness was finally starting to abate and she was getting at least somewhat over the shock of seeing Tamlin walking around shirtless. Then came the added struggle of starting hand-to-hand combat. 

Repeatedly, he was having to fix her form, which required his hands on her body. The reactions he was pulling out of her had her feeling like a teenager again. She insisted repeatedly in her own mind that she stay focused on the task, but all that focus seemed to evaporate as he stood pressed against her. There was absolutely no way he didn’t know what was happening, either. She hated that most of all, knowing that he didn’t feel the same about her and she still couldn’t get it under control. More than once she’d dunked her head repeatedly under a cold bath to remind herself that he wasn’t interested and she was supposed to be learning how to fight, not fuck. 

Tension aside, she’d been in Spring now for what she assumed to be about a month, and her friendship with Tamlin was something she treasured. They had an easy way about their banter that was a far cry from his attitude in her first days at the manor. She wasn’t afraid to put him in his place when his temper got away from him, and that seemed to be something he needed more than he would ever admit. Her stubbornness could absolutely get her in trouble, but something about him wouldn’t allow her to back down. 

There was also an intimacy to the friendship that Penny had never experienced before. She was so comfortable being in companionable silence with him, and it never failed to strike her as comforting. The most surprising change, however, was how the two of them could play. 

In the weeks since they’d been training, that touch had become more commonplace, and his walls had fallen further. It allowed him to be, as odd as it sounded, silly with her. She’d caught the open jaws of his sentires and staff as the two of them joked easily, and she couldn’t help but wear it with pride that she had drawn that out in him. She may never have him as more than a friend, but this relationship was unlike any other she’d ever had before. It filled a place in her heart that she’d long since sealed off and left empty. Even if she could never have him the way she truly craved, she would do everything in her power to keep him in her life this way. 

The long, warm spring days carried on, and she felt more and more like this was truly her home. Though Tamlin and his staff had almost entirely fixed the manor from the war years before, there were still places where the ravages of Hybern and the situation surrounding it were evident. They were working to replant the southern groves of fruit trees that had been razed, the new barracks had finally been finished shortly after she arrived, and the towns were all but entirely rebuilt and thriving again. When she went into the local village for supplies, the people were always friendly and kind, though she still met whispers of “the High Lord’s lady friend” wherever she went, and it was always a task to get them to allow her to pay for things. That’s where she had found herself today, and she was now returning to the manor with paint for the last remaining room in the manor. 

Tamlin had told her that a room upstairs, the library, had been particularly hard for him to be in. Due to that, it remained in tatters from the war and its aftermath. Ripped paintings had lined the floor, books thrown from the shelves, and a suffocating layer of dust lined every surface. He had held a pain on his face that hit her straight in the chest as she watched him open the doors and bring her in a few days before. 

“It’s time to do something about this. It’s the last room. Will you help me?” And so she had. She could tell it was hard for him to sort through this, and she could very well guess why with all the torn and shredded canvas on the floor. She helped him sift through and throw away everything that needed to go. They spent two days cleaning, reshelving, and tearing out the torn wallpaper. With each task completed, it seems the weight on his shoulders lightened a bit, and by the third day, they were ready to paint. 

Penny had selected a pretty, silvery gray for the library, thinking how it would catch the sunset through the windows on this side of the house. With their brushes, they talked while they painted. With each stroke, it was almost like she could feel the closure for Tamlin. He joked with her and the light seemed to re-enter his eyes little by little. 

“You see, I know you’re a shapeshifter already, so I only ask because I am genuinely curious.”

“You’re a smart ass, is what you are, Penny.” He quirked a brow from across the room. 

“Listen, I think that you would be a simply wonderful puppy. I could carry you around, give you treats so you learn to stop acting like such a dumb ass when you’re cranky.” He gave a half-hearted glare. 

“Careful, or I am going to pick you up and start carrying you around when you tick me off.” He pointed the brush at her accusingly.

“You can’t just remove me, Tamlin. You’re stuck with me harassing you endlessly, that’s the deal. I don’t make the rules.” He came to re-dip the brush in the paint and bumped her to the side with his hip, accidentally pushing her back into the freshly laid paint on the walls. In the same moment, both their eyes widened. His with amusement, and hers with disbelief. As she slowly peeled her back from the wall, she shot him a glare that could have sent an army fleeing. 

“Tamlin. Did you just get paint all over my back and hair?” She asked with a deceptively calm voice. His laughter was barely suppressed as his eyes danced with amusement. 

“Of course not, my lady. It would appear you got paint all over your back and hair.” He couldn’t hold his laugh anymore. “Truly, silver is a wonderful color on you. Really brings out your ey–” He couldn’t finish before she slopped her entire paint brush over his face and ran it from eyebrow down until it plopped down off his lower lip. Beneath the paint, his eyes opened and the look within them was as playful as it was feral. 

The laugh burst forth out of Penny before she could stop it, as Tamlin reached up to rub his hand down his face to remove some of the paint. “I’m going to give you a five second head start–” But Penny was already off, tearing out of the room and down the hallway giggling maniacally. She vaulted over a chair the staff had pulled out to clean and whipped around the hall corners as she heard his footfalls turn the corner behind her. With a shriek of laughter she threw herself around the bannister to race down the stairs. 

The excitement was crawling up her throat and bubbled out of her as a high pitched laugh. 

“Sunshine!” He called out behind her, closer than she anticipated, and with one last shriek she grabbed the post at the bottom of the bannister and swung herself out into the foyer at a sprint. Before she could get more than five steps towards the study she was grabbed up from behind and jerked back into his chest. Her breath stuttered as his mouth found her ear. 

“Caught you.” She felt the growled whisper all the way down to each and every one of her toes. Just as she was about to say fuck the friendship, she felt Tamlin straighten up behind her and place her back down on the floor to clear his throat. She was worried she’d taken it too far, but then she turned to follow his gaze to the person she hadn’t noticed up to this point standing in front of the open study. Standing there with a curtain of long hair, as red as the sunset, and his jaw on the floor in shock, was Lucien Vanserra, looking at the two of them like he was witnessing the second coming of the Gods. 

[1nksta1neddesk]

A Court of Readers and Ruins

Chapter 22: Round the Corner

I had been swarmed by the court faeries the moment I had stopped screaming and writhing on the floor. Tamlin had held me and brought me to my feet to embrace me, whispering reassurances that this was the only way to save me. I sobbed when he said that, readjusting to long ethereal limbs that had no strain of my mortal muscles. My empty eyes and despondent nods to the fae that gave their gratitude with bent heads and praying hands had eventually keyed him in to guide me to a room far in the catacombs of the mountain.   

I was put into a bedroom while the High lords convened for their meetings, taking the rare moment where they were all gathered in neutral territory to discuss old and new treaties. I had been alone for hours, watching notes from the other fae slip under my door as they each knocked and whispered a mix of prayers and thanks. I couldn’t move from my place on the bed, laying hollow on the plush comforter and staring at the wall. My throat was raw and my face was wet from the occasional rasping sob that would work its way up through me.

My new pointed ears picked up each wisp of cloth down the hall as faeries moved between rooms, many going to find a place to stay for the night. Each brush of air chaffed along my skin, some remaining wounds having stitched themselves up with new fae healing. I was lost on a sea of heady thoughts, ankles heavy with lead weights that dragged me deeper and deeper down till the candle light of the chambers was gone from my sight and I was staring at my cell walls. I felt so cold, frozen so deep to the bone my skin did not even dare turn to goose-bumps. The taste of lingering iron was on my tongue, a comingling of mine and a dead woman’s blood.

The door creaked open and I flinched away from the sound, pushing the side of my head deeper into the cushion of a pillow. I smelled chestnuts and lemon verbena as the air shifted around me and a warm weight settled next to my feet, dipping the bed slightly. I did not have to shift my head to know Lucien was there, rubbing his palms into his eyes. Still I sat up, the movement sending new senses racing up my skin like the hot sluggish movements one would make when they were sick as a child. 

Lucien’s mask was gone, a tan line of the offending piece of metal left in its place. Everyone was pale from months under here so it wasn’t as noticeable as it would have been in the spring sun, but there is a different wane to skin that has not seen light in 50 years and that of a few months.

“How are you doing?” He says it with exhaustion soaking every word, no doubt having to deal with the court proceedings having taken its toll on him and any other emissary. 

“Tired.” Is all I say, all I can say without dragging him down into the waters of my mind with me. I was exhausted, so utterly tired I had drifted to the madness that kept one awake. He hummed an agreement to me in answer and we stayed like that for a long while. Though my mind wouldn’t quiet, the best I could do was to let my body rest, unmoving as we both sat.

“Do you want to talk about…it?” The words are staggered, uncertain, like a hand being offered to a feral dog to sniff. I shake my head, there was so much I could scream if I wanted but I didn’t want to. I wanted to remain quiet and still and fade into the dark. This was the exact opposite of the confounding panic when I had died before. Because I had died before all this, had come to that rationalization in the hours I laid here. There were moments across the years I had considered there was no return, but having died again there was no denying the same falling sensation that had accompanied death, the same inky dark that beconed to ones aching and tired soul. Twice I had been promised that easy drift and twice I had been denied, twice I found I could not blame anyone but myself for hoping.

He sighed, “Okay, sleep. Tamlin is still in some meetings but said he would be down here before we leave, he needs to talk to you about things. We should be here for only a little bit longer, but with all the high lords it takes so long to maneuver around each other's schemes-” He broke his ranting with another sigh before he patted my leg, what should have been a soothing gesture feeling like rubbing salt in a raw scrape. “Just sleep well, Feyre, we owe you more than can ever be repaid.” 

I flinched away from the name, my whole body twitching in repulsion. The movement blended with his rising from the bed though as I watched him go to the door. He paused with his hand on the brass door knob, like he wanted to say something more but thought better of it as he opened the door and left. The clicking of the latch falling back into its latch sounded thunderous and I cursed everything.

_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_

I did find sleep eventually, short bursts that I threw myself from as the smell of iron and hot metal would fill my nose. During a waking moment between two nightmare clips, where I was soaking in a tub of water in the attached bathing chamber to subside the shaking sweats that had overtaken me, a tug at my center. I ignored it the first time, trying to keep down nausea as I slipped down to my nose in the tub. Still the tugging did not stop and I was forced to follow it.

I sloshed from the water, wiping down with a towel before I put on a simple robe, tying it tight as I stumbled through the halls. I felt like a newly born fawn stumbling through a forest of cold stone walls. I followed the tug, incessant like a dog pulling on its lead. My vision was so bleary with half sleep I did not register the sun for half a moment as I made my way up a narrow, winding staircase. 

I saw him in the negative space of soft, late morning light as I found my way to the balcony he stood at. He leaned against the stone banister as I squinted at him, resisting the watering of my eyes to stare at him with new eyes. I was no doubt scowling, marring a newly given immortal beauty that was not mine to cherish, and he huffed at me as he turned. He let out a silky low laugh like he had not been the one tof summon me from my rest.

“I forgot that it’s been a while for you.” He said as he beckoned me over with a hand before he turned back to face the open air. My eyes had adjusted just barely and I was able to look at the scene in front of us.

It was beautiful, wicked and venomously beautiful from our spot on a barren rock face. Tall peaks of snow capped mountains glistened in the distance, and at this distance a soft haze blurred the edges of them, mixing shimmering white with the deep evergreen woods that rested at the roots of the distant mountains. And with him at the center of my vision, him, resting against twisting stone as heavy wings sat at his back. They were spread ever so slightly, rusting in an autumn kissed wind that rushed up the side of the rock. The talons at the apex of each caught the light. The membranes were cast in carmine and gold, so full of life and looking so warm where they rustled that I wanted to trace a finger along the lines of bone and sinew.

I kept my hands to myself, though, as I came to stand next to him, settling my own weight on the same stone banister. The wind rustled the hair at my shoulders, still damp from the bath, and I took a deep breath. The crispness of air promised delicate snow pacts and I was reminded how quickly this had all moved, how quickly I had been prepared for it to be over.

“Why aren’t you gone yet?” The words come out before I mean them too, before I can refine them into something not so abrasive. He looks at me sharply from the corner of his eye as I stare up at him.

“You are always so grateful anytime I try and do something kind. Can we not just have a goodbye like civilized folk?” He says as a gust of wind lifts his hair up from his face. His shadows go skittering along with them, much more prevalent than before and I consider that maybe he was taking the time to readjust to his powers, to having to burn off the excess to keep himself from madness.

“With our little custody agreement, this is hardly a good bye Rhys.” It's so easy to fall into banter, lean on it like a crutch and let it keep me from collapsing into another fit of sobs. The scent of sea salt and citrus soothes my nerves a tad and I resist leaning into Rhysand. “And I am sure that you would much rather be anywhere else than here.” 

That same breathy laugh, “I fear that is true, no matter what waits for me when I get back to my lands.” Some part of me pangs in achy pain, like a chime being rung with my bones. I don’t know what awaits me, especially not if I follow Tamlin back to Spring or find some other court to take me in, I have nowhere to fit now. Every court has an empty piece in their puzzle that needs to be filled after Amarantha, but I cannot see myself fitting into any of them.

For a moment I consider asking Rhys to take me back with him, but I can’t burden him with that when he should be getting back to his family, back to his normal. I am sure they would accommodate, but that is not what I want, I do not want to be a burden to be accommodated for. I wish I had trickled off into that darkness, where it was easy and my misshapen place in all of this was simple and inconsequential like a snowflake melting as it meets the ground.

“Thank you.” I say and I’ve thrown higher order thinking over the banister we lean upon, mind no longer willing to put in the effort to stop words. “For all of it, for making it bearable.” The air on the balcony had grown thick and I wish to flee from it, perhaps throw myself with my thinking over the banister to escape it. Anxiety finds the empty echo chamber in me and rattles around in there.

“It was the least I could do.” He says, “I know how I will be painted in the legends, the cruel high lord parading around a drugged mortal in the belly of a mountain. I just wanted to do something redeemable, something that my children can look upon and know that I was there and fought against her in the end, even if it was useless.” 

“It wasn’t useless,” the words don't sound as convincing as I wish they would, “You distracted her enough for me to stab her again, and gave me the time to answer her riddle.”

He doesn’t let us brew on it though, moving to the next topic to dodge the weight pressing down on both our shoulders. “How does it feel? Being High Fae?”

I grimace, running my thumb along the thin skin of my ring finger, “Weird.” It’s the closest word I can give him without sounding like a loon, “You ever woken up in the morning and touch the cold floor? It's like that but my whole body, all the time, forever.” He laughs and I don’t find my eternal discomfort all that funny. I sigh before I pull back from the balcony, running my hand down his arm in a goodbye before starting my way back down to my rooms. “Go home, Rhys, I’m sure you have people waiting for you.” 

I had just taken the first step down from the balcony when I felt that harsh tug on the bargain again. I turned back to the balcony, exhausted and irritated that he would not let me slip away quietly. But there was a beat of wind before I could turn fully and by the time I was facing the sky again he was gone. Skirting shadows scurry past my ankles, finding sanctuary in the cold stone as I make my way back down to my room.

When I get there I see the door ajar and I am just able to see the toe of a boot at the edge of my bed. I push the door open, careful of the creek of its hinges as I slide into my room, looking at my visitor. Tamlin is asleep on my bed, legs hanging off the end of it while his arms are sprawled out around him. His hair has a new cast of gold to it, silken like corn husk as it casts a halo around him. His face is relaxed and he looks younger even as immortality would keep him from aging at all, pale skin where the mask had rested before.

I let him rest as I went back into the bathroom to my bath that had grown even colder in the time I had been gone. I unplug it and watch the water swirl down the drain, my eyes hazing as I resist the tears blooming there. I wipe them away with the sleeve of my robe as I find some simple clothes. In a dresser drawer there is a rumpled collection of tweed and cotton fabrics and when I pulled them out a plume of dust bunnies fell with them.

When I do get dressed they hang loosely from me and with the new length to my limbs the pants rest above my ankles. When I pad back into my room Tamlin is still conked out on the bed, one arm having shifted to lay over his eyes. I sit lightly on the bed next to him and nudge his leg and he startles away, snorting away sleep as he straightens.

He groans as he raises himself, wiping a drying line of drool from the side of his face. I look at him blankly as I shift my weight against one of the posts of the bed.

“Oh Feyre,” Tamlin is clearing up from sleep. “I was going to talk to you about something, but it can wait till we are home and you are rested.” His eyes dragged over my form, crumpled in on itself as I slouched. I gave him a small nod, my eyelids becoming heavy as I blinked at him.

“I am so thankful for you Feyre, everyone is. Whatever I can do to repay what you gave, I will d0, just tell me.” He says it as he rises, leaving me in the bed. “We are leaving at noon, I have a few last things to do with the other High Lords but use this time to rest. I will have some food sent in for you, I know you must be famished.” He walks towards the door after I hum an affirmative. I am so damn tired that I am not sure I could have had a conversation at all. 

I wanted to sleep and forget for a little while, so I lay down and closed my eyes. The shadows sweep in quickly and I fall into the first restful hours of sleep I’ve had in months.

_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_

I stood abreast with Tamlin at the mouth of the cave that Alis had left me at. The rest of the courts had left early in the morning, collapsing the tunnels to their courts as they trickles out. That had left the Spring court to be the last ones to leave, letting me have precious hours of sleep that had let my bones settle into my skin. Still the only feeling I had in my chest was like a ringing glass, empty and reverberating. 

The moment this last tunnel was collapsed the holy mountain would be closed off for eternity, or untill the future generations took time to dig through the rotted rubble of their histories. I would never return to the depth of its belly again, and it felt like a loss. The mountain had bore its witness to each of my moments, it was the last of my mortality I was afraid to lose again. But it was not my decision, and far to many people agreed to the forgetting of the winding halls hewn from artistry that had been painted with blood for me to contest with.

Amarantha’s body had been burned in the time I was in my room, Jurian’s eye and finger bone having gone missing with the Attor. The missing pieces of the man seem to bother Tamlin more than I, but I can’t fault him for that. 

So now I stood with Tamlin as the very last of the court trickled from its mouth. Tamlin waved his hand and the rock fell behind us, dust kicking up from the cold gray stone. I blinked against the dust that plumed before Tamlin took my elbow in his and guided us through the dark.

Buttery yellow sunlight spilled from the edge of the small tunnel I had used as we approached it. I tightened my arm against his as we stepped into the open air and I saw Lucien resting on log to the side but I was enraptured by the cerulean sky that yawned above me. I feel small again and I want to crush down and fall into the world like a grain of sand in a vast desert.

Spring air brushed at my face and I took in a deep breath heavy with the scent of wild flowers and soft rain. I hadn’t expected to ever see this sky again and though I should feel joy it hits me with another twinge of longing for where I thought I should be. Things are wrong but I can’t very well say that, not as I start walking to the 3 saddled horses waiting for us. Tamlin separates from me and gets onto his horse while Lucien comes forward to me, helping me navigate lifting myself up with new limbs and strength. 

We start over the hills and I am left breathless as the endless sea of green I had never truly appreciated for its richness yields to the long legs of our steeds. Lucien falls back next to me and smiles at me with unbridled joy as his skin shines with the sun. Life has returned to burn in his golden eyes as sun washes over him and if I was more respectable I might tell him of his paternity. But I am shameful and feel no guilt as we ride on, him pulling in closer to where our knees nearly brush. 

The peace lets the hollowness in me grow less prominent, no ringing of wrong through my heart as we approach Rose Manor. The tall walls of brackets have returned with lush green leaves and the gate sits upon its hinges once again. Shrieking cherubic laugher comes from the garden walls as we pull in closer and I see the sentinels back knocking shoulder to shoulder as they move past the stables where horses neigh and I see a wobbly legged foal shake its mane next to its mother in the pasture. 

Life is back here again, more than I had ever seen in the months I had lived in its walls. Now it felt foreign and I was simply an observer. I see two heads of blond hair bob over a low garden wall and I can’t resist my smiling as I see Alis follow behind them. I would be able to beg for her forgiveness then, and maybe I could fill this void with days of play for the sake of the boys and the innocence I tainted in them.

We come to a stop before the marble steps of the manor and Lucien guides me down from the horse. Tamlin awaits both of us as we approach and I take both of their hands in mine, squeezing them slightly. I see Lucien wince slightly and loosen the grip quickly.

Tamlin squeezes back though as he speaks, “Welcome home”. Tears shine in his eyes as we all take a step forward.

[velarisbynight]

Hello hello 👋 it's the bearded man again

Thank you so much for the answers you give. They are so interesting and are really helping me narrow down my ideas for your gift.

Now for a few questions...

1. Would you like your gift to be holiday/Christmas themed or not?

2.What's your favourite colour, movie, book/story, song, food? What's your favourite genre of these things in general?

I hope you're doing great!

- Santa 🎅

I didn't know you could be so cruel, Santa - asking me to pick only one?? You're killing me </3

(I'm sorry for the rambling written below)

Christmas themed?

Honestly I don't think I mind? If you feel a Christmas setting would work well in your fic, then I'm not opposed to it! I'll admit I enjoy reading descriptions detailing things like weather, colour, texture, smells, etc. so a Christmassy setting could be fun for that!! I wouldn't say I particularly mind, though - do what you feel most suits you! <3

2. Favourites?

How could you

For me, colours heavily depend on the context they're in so I'm fighting for my life right now! I enjoy blues, whites, and silvers on myself, but I like my surroundings to be more warm/colourful? I'm not sure if this is particularly relevant but I love patterns and texture too when mixed with colour! I think if I had to pick only one colour as my favourite though it would probably be orange? But it's such a difficult question to answer!! Blue and pink are probably a close second and third :) Favourite genre of colour would probably be autumnal/earthy tones? For favourite film, again it depends on mood and context? I don't find myself watching films much anymore, but I've been recently reminded how much I liked Fantastic Mr. Fox when I was younger, as well as the Paddington films! If I'm in the mood for something more touching though, then Les Intouchables is a wonderful film that always makes me a little emotional! <3 Favourite genre of film would probably be Child-friendly adventure films, if that's a thing! Most Studio Ghibli films, really :) Favourite book/story? Now you're just being mean >: ( I think my favourite book is probably between Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy (Purely for Levin's story - I think he's probably my favourite character in literature/fiction?), or A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara? In each one I've really felt like the characters were real people in a way I haven't experienced before? Granted I only really started reading in 2020, so maybe my range isn't broad enough to have discovered other books that capture something of human nature, but those two are ones that definitely stand out in my memory <3 Favourite type of book would probably be anything that really goes into detail about people, or settings. I love love love me some detail <3 Favourite song... I actually don't think I have a favourite, but I do like Ghosting by Mother Mother, Yeti by Paris Paloma, Tamlin by Faun, Rises the moon by liana Flores, and Mary by Big Thief. I think I tend to enjoy slower, slightly mournful music? Acoustic stuff is fun, but I also love the sound of most stringed instruments, and piano <3 Lastly, favourite food... I think maybe baba ghanoush? (1 Aubergine cut in half and cooked facedown at 180 Celsius for 40 minutes with some oil, then slicing down the middle and scooping out the insides. Add 2 teaspoons of tahini, 3 teaspoons of yoghurt, a dash of lemon juice, 2 cloves of crushed garlic into a bowl and mix, then refrigerate) It always makes my mouth water especially if there are crunchy rice cakes to go with it <3 I do also quite like cherry tomatoes, and ripe blueberries as snack-y foods :) Apples are also really nice when I'm in the mood for them! I think generally I lean more towards snack foods than full meals (It's a bad habit, I know)

[umthisistheonlyusernamenottaken]

lmfao this is hilarious. I too wanted to spin the wheel three times!!!

Behind the scenes tour of an aquarium - easy peasy lemon squeezy

Office Christmas party - oh god, High Lords or SpEd teachers party? Either way, drinks will be drunk (and I hate the taste of alcohol 😭). It might be a rough start

Competing in Eurovision - yeah no thanks, Tamlin can deal with all that, I'll be there for moral support and recording shitty quality footage of the entire thing 👍🏼

It's officially April, which means Tamlin Week is this month!

Time is slipping on by! Tamlin Week starts this month on April 13, we hope you're ready for it!

In the meantime, it's April 1st, or April Fool's Day! Uh oh, a mischievous sprite has decided to prank you for the holiday. He transports you and Tamlin into a crAaAaAaAaAazy situation in another world! How screwed are you?

Spin the picker wheel below to see where you and Tamlin are transported to!

[tamlinsbedroom]

Calanmai

Tamlin x reader smut

warning(s): breeding kink, risky sex, dom!tamlin sub!reader, tamlin being absolutely feral, degrading

It was Calanmai. The festival where all the High Lords gathered for the rutting magic of spring. My High Lord, Tamlin, would soon be finding a maiden to mate with for the sake of this years crops. I was simply part of his staff, but it would be a lie to say that I hadn’t been aching for him since I started my work at his manor. I would even go as far to say that I developed a crush on the male, his predatory personality and muscular body made me week at the knees.

But on Calanmai, I stayed in the house. I couldn’t bare to watch Tamlin choose a maiden right in front of me, knowing that she would get to him between her legs, him kissing her lips, him releasing his magic inside of her. So I cooked, swept, and washed my lord’s clothes as the ceremony began.

I was in the middle of sweeping when I heard footsteps. Not just any old footsteps, but the ones i’d grown accustomed to belonging to my master. And so there he stood, in the doorway of his bedroom. My sweeping took a halt as I met his hungry haze.

“It wasn’t hard to find you, Y/N. In fact, it was quite easy. I knew you would be here, wishing in the back of your mind that I would come breed you like the whore I know you can be.” He spoke deeply, and he chuckled sinisterly as I looked up at him in shock at his words.

“Oh, sweetheart, don’t act so surprised. Don’t think that I don’t hear you at night in your bedroom, desperate for release while you moan my name.” He was now pressing me against the wall, his muscular arms on either side of my face. The lord was a good bit taller than me, as he stood well over six feet tall. I felt like his prey as he breathed in my scent.

“You’re fucking intoxicating.” He groaned, licking my neck languidly before biting harshly, making me yelp more in surprise than pain. His tongue once again licked, soothing his feral bite.

“M-master—“

“Begging now, are we? Go on. Beg me then.”

“P-please sir…”

“What do you need? Hmm?” He teased, the tent in his pants getting obviously painful.

“I need you. I need you to fuck me—please.” That was all it took evidently, as the faery lifted me up and pressed into my crotch.

His length was indeed large, as I suspected. It felt so right, pressing right against my clit as he began to grind on me.

“Fuck Y/N…” He moaned, his breath against my neck drawing me further into him.

“I’m going to fill you up to the brim with my seed.”

That was all he said before throwing me on the bed, stripping me bare of clothing. He grabbed my ankles, spreading my legs oh so far apart as his mouth immediately connected to my core.

He ate me out like a starved animal, slurping and fucking me with his long tongue. He wasted no time of putting two thick, long fingers inside of me, finding my g-spot with ease. His tongue flicked at my little bundle of nerves as my panting grew louder.

“Cum, that’s right, cum.” My pants became soft screams as I climaxed on my lords fingers, his tongue sloppily licking my mess.

His trousers came off, revealing a very, very pretty cock. 8 inches, veins along the shaft, round heavy balls, and a perfect angry pink tip, oozing his waiting arousal. I could have sworn I drooled as he spread my thighs once more, positing himself between my legs.

“Yeah, I’m fucking you.” He shoved two fingers down my throat before pushing the bulbous tip of his manhood inside of me.

I screamed around his fingers as he shushed me, rubbing my clit to ease the pain. But once I locked eyes with him, he went full throttle.

Tamlin slammed inside of me, balls slapping my ass over and over again as he milked me dry. His growls and groans were music to my ears as I fell into a state of existence beyond one I’ve ever been in.

“You. Feel. So. Fucking. Good.” He thrusted upon each word, making me squeeze like a vice around his heavy length. He reached down to pop one of my nipples in his mouth, biting and sucking, alternating to the other.

“I’m going to cum deep inside you’re whorish cunt. Going to paint your insides with my seed. Are you ready whore? Hmm? You better be ready.” He went at an all time fast pace now, pounding me so hard that his headboard began to hit the wall with a loud banging sound. His grip on my thighs would surely leave bruises. I began crying, literally crying from the intense amount of pleasure as he rubbed my clit to orgasm, triggering his own.

It was the most pleasurable thing I had ever felt—Tamlin exploding inside me. His cum kept coming, his balls clenching against my back side as he pumped me full. Once he pulled out, his hot liquid came with him. He took immediate notice and was quick to push his half/hard length back into me, plugging me up.

He simply turned me on my side, doing the same as he pressed up against me from behind. Meanwhile, his cock was still inside me, keeping me stretched around him.

“Are you alright?” He asked sympathetically, running his fingers up and down my arm as he pressed a kiss to my shoulder.

“Y-yeah.” I mumbled, still coming down from my high.

I wondered what it would be like to wake up naked next to him as I drifted off to sleep. I was sure that the magic we produced would mean a bountiful crop season.

[adriata-archive]

WAIT ⭐️ and 🍒 choose between Rhys/Mor brotp and Lucien/Feyre brotp!!!!!!!

you’re evil and your edit is on its way asodiajd

URL: do i get it?: yes ofc! | i think? | no, sorrylength: too short | just right | a bit long overall: it’s cute | amazing | incredible | marvelous | who’d you kill?

ICON:coloring: it’s cute | amazing | incredible | marvelous | perfectoverall: it’s cute | amazing | incredible | marvelous | i want it!

DESKTOP THEME:type: it’s cute | amazing | incredible | marvelous colors: it’s cute | amazing | incredible | marvelous sidebar: it’s cute | amazing | incredible | marvelous navi: it’s cute | amazing | incredible | marvelous overall: it’s cute | amazing | incredible | marvelous

MOBILE THEME: colours: it’s cute | amazing | incredible | marveloustitle: it’s cute | amazing | incredible | marvelous header: it’s cute | amazing | incredible | marvelous overall: it’s cute | amazing | incredible | marvelous

POSTSmy fandoms?: yes! | sometimes | noquality: it’s cute | amazing | incredible | marvelousoverall: it’s cute | amazing | incredible | marvelous

OVERALL:your blog is: cute | incredible | marvelous following?: no but ily! | why wasn’t i following you before? | how could i not? | yes!!

[stargirlfeyre]

“Save me—please, save me. Get me out. End this.”🥀

“Feyre, just before her wedding to Tamlin. Based on “The Reluctant Bride” (1866) by Auguste Toulmouche.”

art🎨: alemonleafeon