Any Day Darling: A Feysand Story

Part 22: The Meeting Part 2

I wanted to burn all their eyeballs out of their sockets. The way they were staring at me, no not at me, my stomach, the tiny bump, made me feel more defiled than I had in years. Their eyes pierced right through me, straight to my child-- or as Helion had so kindly put it, the heir to The Court of Dreams.

    I guess they didn't know. I noticed Rhys's presence more as the second past by, pulled out of my thoughts by my own announcement I didn't get the chance to make. He was closer than when we first took our seats, eyes staring into my own, unlike all the others.

    No, I suppose they didn't.

    "This," Thesian said, rising from his chair, "Complicates the matters at hand." He turned to his second standing behind him and whispered something in his ear. Tarquin continued to stare at me, jaw dropped so far down he could catch a pixie.

    "Are you serious?" He said, eyes finally darting to my mate.

    "Do you think I would joke about this Tarquin?" I answered for him. "Do you think I would joke about being with child with a rebellion on the horizon? Do you think I would joke about this with a target on my back bigger than this fucking room?"
    "No just...Fuck." He sighed leaning back in his chair. The feel of the room had completely changed. Yes, everyone was still incredibly tense, but there was a new kind of thickness in the air. I looked back up at Rhys, concern still in his eyes.

    You're such a mother hen, I said down the bond, smirking a bit.

    You just told a room of angry males that you are even more precious cargo, don't mind my protectiveness sweetheart.

    I didn't tell them anything-

    And don't pretend you didn't just blow a fuse-- this day has been too long. He ran a hand along my arm, most of our bodies separated by the large chairs. He was right, I felt like I had been awake for days, but it didn't seem the day would end any time soon.

    "Okay," Thesan said, sitting back down "Given the...precariousness of this situation, let's try to wrap this discussion up quickly. I know we can't address everything, however-"

    "Someone will have to know we are all here and it's best if we disperse quickly," Viviane said, not even glancing at her mate for approval. High Lady suits her well.

    "Exactly."

    "First things first," Rhys said, straightening up in his chair, " I feel its best if we work as a unified force on this as much as possible. We can't be divided against Tamlin and Beron."

    "I agree," I said, "There's no way we can end this on our own, we have to work together, that's the only thing that got us all out of war last time."

    "Who said anything about war?" Kallias said.

    "Were we or were we not just speaking of massacres across southern Prythian?"

    "I am of the opinion that we end the rebellion as quickly as possible, and all can be restored. There is no need for war." He said, glaring at my stomach again. "And especially no need to work against two High Lords, I have no intention in telling them how to run their courts."

    "Excuse me?" I gaped, "They are abusing power, abusing their people. We have to stop them."

    "That's not how things work around here, you should know that by now, or did Rhysand make a mistake pushing you up top?"

    "Watch it," Mor growled from behind us.

    "I thought we got past that," Rhys said, eyes shooting daggers at the High Lord of Winter. "After everything, is that what you still think?"

    Rhys drop it. I said They haven't slept in days. Plus, did you ever really think-

    "Fuck that," Tarquin said, "We have proven more than enough that doing things out of tradition or obligation is never a good reason to do something over the past eight years. I'm with Feyre."

    "I called this meeting not to call us to arms against the Fall and Spring Courts, but to discuss how to prepare ourselves against rebellion," Thesan said.

"You mean this is all to figure out how to save our own asses, not to stop what's going on down below?" Rhys said flatly. 

"It would be disastrous if the rebellion reached the ears here in the north. If members of our own courts realized it might be possible, the repercussions could be-"

"I don't know about the rest of you," Rhys snapped at the other High Lords, "But I have no fear of my people rebelling. If we were fucking up that much, I would hope they would."

"You really have no intention of helping all those people? Of stopping them?" I said, my breathing grew shallow.

Thesan looked down for a moment as if to gather his words, working to say just the right thing. "I want the killings to stop, but no, I don't wish to attempt to throw two high lords off their throne." Silence rippled through the room again. I simply didn't understand. Why? Why were they all so okay with this? And why, in the name of the mother, were they so scared of their own people?

"Why? Just because that's how it's always been done? Well, there are two of us in this room that prove that systems can be changed for the better," I said rising from my seat. "I can not just sit idly by and watch the abuse of power like that. And none of you should either. You all know better than I do what happens when power gets to people's heads. I was only un...I was only there for a matter of weeks and even I understand what happens when people become power-hungry."

"Are you suggesting-" Kallas said, but I cut him off.

"Absolutely. Do you want that fate for their people, for your friends? Two people we all fought beside? I hate Tamlin, I won't pretend otherwise, but even I don't want him to turn into a monster." Rhys was looking up at me, trying to hide the grin slowly creeping across his face. This was not the time for smiling. As I lowered myself back into my seat, I turned my gaze to the men in front of me whom I had rendered speechless. Next to Kallias, Vivane hung her head, ashamed of her mate's words. If we weren't here, in another place and time, I would tell her to look her mate in the eye and spit on his shoe until he took her seriously. But again, this was not the time or place.

It was Helion who first broke the silence. He stood up and pushed back from the table. "I'm with Feyre on this one," He said as he started walking towards the door. "Thesan, next time you want to host a meeting about pacifism, don't call me." He turned around at the door and pointed at me, "Send me an invite for the baby shower or for storming the castle, your pick." I couldn't help but smile a bit as the doors shut behind him.

I don't want to stay here tonight. I said down the bond. I know we went to a lot of trouble and it's really late and-

I already told Az not to come and to expect us back home this evening. He said, turning to me. I don't want to be here either.

Are you sure?

Darling, there is nothing I would like more than to sleep in our bed.

"Feyre?" Tarquin said to me, not my mate, me. Even after all these years, he and Helion seemed to be the only ones willing to speak directly to me. "If you want to fight against them, truly...The Summer Court will stand with you." I nodded and he winnowed out. Rhys put his hands on his knees and slowly stood with me following a few seconds behind.

"Thank you for updating us, really,  I appreciate it," Rhys said, grabbing my hand, "but don't bother wasting our time, time we could have spent preparing our court for an attack, working to help those fae, just to say you have no interest outside saving your own ass because you didn't govern well enough." Thesan's face fell. His second reached for his sword.

"Rhysand, you have no r-"

"No, you have no right to lay around while fae are being slaughtered just because you don't see them as powerful enough to do anything about. I thought you were better than that." Mor grabbed Rhys hand from behind us. The two men in front of us looked ready to bite all our heads off.

"Vivane," Mor said. The High Lady looked at her friend under her brow, "When you grow a spine, come find me." Kallias was lunging towards us, but we had already winnowed out.