The Daughter Of The Sun

Chapter Four

Her platinum hair was strewn, scattered across the pillows like lost traces on a canvas. She was clearly off, thinking as she nearly drifted off to sleep and Lucien just moved closer to her as usual, allowing her presence to be noticed.

"Which of your world domination plans are you working on?" he provoked her.

“The ball,” she replied, yawning as she pulled her hand away so that the redhead lay down beside her on the pile of cushions that stretched across the west lecture hall. There were long shelves of books that ran from ceiling to floor, long-requested knowledge, and scrolls that many didn't even know existed. In the midst of all this, Nair and Helion were unmarried.

Like a kitten nestling in the heat, he followed her, lying down beside the blonde and listening to her hum.

“Do you think prom is a good idea?”

Thoughts of him had been distant from nights ago. Since the dream that seemed like a childhood memory of her where Kali appeared.

Nair looked at him with one morning on his face “yes, but I can cancel for you”.

Adorable, he had to admit. The way the much-feared princess acted in front of her was completely adorable. Nair wrapped his arms around his brother's body and his face rested on his chest as he sighed.

“Leave me like this for a few minutes…I need to recharge” he muttered. Lucien smiled, running his fingers through her hair calmly, stroking her face carefully and humming.

Nair had planned everything in advance, leaving only Thesan and Rhysand aware that it was Lucien who would be introduced. Her uncle looked surprised but happy to answer her and the night court seemed panicked by everything he had done to his brother, but it was Beron she knew she had to worry about. That monster had Lucien's mother in his hands and she knew he would kill her if he found out about the betrayal being exposed to the world, given that, she just invited him as a grand lord and left the fact of who would be introduced to the ball. Like a revelation.

Beron would be surprised at the revelation in front of everyone and with so many witnesses he would try in vain to just walk away. Nair wouldn't allow it. She would use him to start a political fight and demand a blood duel for her brother's honor. After killing Beron, the autumn lady would be free and could finally do what she wishes. At least that was her plan.

The blonde sighed, taking in the scent of licorice that was coming off of Lucien. Her body was pleasantly comfortable and for a moment she almost fell asleep in his arms.

One beat after another. She recognized it, just as she recognized his scent.

“Mor” she grumbled.

Lucien's eyes immediately returned to the place where the young woman with the blond hair and pale skin appeared. His ordinarily red clothes now seemed to contain the fashion of daytime court clothes, and that suited him absurdly.

She really is very beautiful, he reminded himself.

"Hello honey" The blonde was smiling, running her fingers through her hair as she walked towards the two of them.

Nair didn't even bother to get up, resting her chin on Lucien's chest, she sighed.

"Have you come here to plead for the lives of the citizens of Velarys?" She didn't care. She couldn't care less.

"No" Mor yawned "I came to ask when you want to f**k up Beron's life and how likely are you to let me help with the plan to f**k up the night court and maybe..."

"Accidentally kill your dear father?" Nair purred "Rhys would be sad"

"Rhys..."

Lucien huffed “and who cares? How acceptable is it to leave things behind out of mere political concern?”

Nair's eyes stared at him in awe, he finally seemed to lose the fear of imposing himself. From questioning and in the gleam of his eyes she almost saw the glint of a grand lord.

To Morrigan, that was surprising, all the more so remembering what it had been like to see Lucien arrive at night court. She was like a scared little child.

"Well, one thing leads to another" Nair was the first to say "if you want help..."

"I'm willing to help" Mor replied quickly "but don't hurt Feyre or Rhys..."

Nair sighed "I won't, but I hope they know I don't forgive twice"

“They know” was Morrigan's response and Nair knew she wasn't lying. Rhysand's violet eyes clearly showed the fear he felt for someone who was beyond his equal. It was exactly the same form of fear and respect that he had harbored for Amren before.

"Good" Nair muttered "I have something for you to do" her lips lifted in a crooked smile "we have a queen to save from a curse."

Lucien's eyes lit up.

"Vassa..."

Mor snorted "Rhysand and Feyre tried..."

Nair laughed “And? Rhys and Feyre are too busy with themselves to try anything further, Mor. I'm not, not to one of the people who protected and cared for my brother.” Her gaze flicked to Lucien who just smiled.

"What will we do?" He asked.

“We will hunt the sorcerer” it was Kali who said. His lips curved in an evil smile "I think you remember how I am hunting..."

“A real sociopath,” said Nair.

"Slightly problematic for hunting," added Lucien.

“Certainly a bad example for the younger ones” was Helion who added, stepping into the hall and smiling as they walked towards Morrigan “Mor, dear. I'm glad you came to visit us.”

...

Lucien dodged again and again. His body moved on instinct, his hair pulled back in a high bun and Kali smiling like a sociopath as she tried to hit him.

"Come on, don't get distracted" the seraphim repeated, laughing.

Lucien felt his body swoop down and straighten up in time to land a punch to Kali's shoulder, propelling him back.

"Keep going," Nair repeated in the background, arms crossed over her chest, sitting on a large cushion as she sipped wine beside Morrigan.

Kali and Helion had suggested that combat, training, and Lucien wondered if it would really have that much result. He was great at archery, but for Nair, he needed more. He needed to destroy his enemies with just his presence.

“One attack from Kali in your face and you'll have to drink my blood, little brother,” Nair teased as Morrigan lay in her lap.

Lucien was distracted for a few seconds and felt the pressure of Kali's blow pass the side of his face.

"s**t" he muttered as he heard Helion's laugh watching them.

"How about if I help you with the attention?" The grand lord teased and, with one finger up, began launching slow attacks, beams of energy crashing into the floor of the training field.

"Dodge" Helion laughed "if you manage to take down Kali, I will reward you with a valuable item that was used only by the court heirs."

Nair's eyes sparkled as she watched. Lucien shot Helion a look that was a mixture of admiration and indignation for making his job even more difficult. Kali on the other hand, dodged quickly, as if he was used to this kind of situation.

Her wings fluttered like delicate feathers as he hummed, attacking from one side and then the other. Spinning, dodging and then diving toward Lucien as if the air were his ocean.

One wrong step and he felt his leg heat up from the bolt of energy that hit him. Grunting, he backed away and taking advantage of Kali's slight distraction by laughing at her carelessness, he attacked him. The closed fist hitting the seraph directly in the stomach.

"Does this count as a victory?" He questioned looking at Helion who laughed at Kali's astonished face.

"Didn't know you were so good, fox" Mor was the first to say, leaning his arms on the sword stand as she watched the two of them.

"Somehow? Neither do I,” Lucien replied with a laugh.

"Obviously he's amazing, what did you expect from my little brother?" Nair said proudly, wrapping her brother in her arms and kissing her face for a long time.

“We have two weeks to invade the sorcerer's tower before Vassa returns to her animal form” Helion interrupted them “until then it's good for you to train, I don't intend to deal with losses”

“We will not” Nair told his father “the day court does not lose its own and there is no better healer in Prythian than I am”

Helion with so many years beside his daughter knew that was just the truth, but still, he had lost too many people not to fear and at the same time be selfish to the point of wishing not to lose anyone else.

The daytime court's air training camp was near the tower where Nair and Helion resided. The sun tower, but still its structure was completely different. While most of the buildings of the day court were made of marble and gold, the training ground was built of white quartz and selenite. It was the perfect place to train your magical powers and bodily skills. The field itself exponentially diminished its combat potential and made everything even more complicated.

Even Nair, who had a great regeneration ability, had to be careful when training, having his regeneration reduced by 70%.

Lucien would become very skilled if he was guided correctly and Helion was absolutely certain that Kali would help him with that. Perhaps that was the fact that soothed him the most. It was too soon to lose a child. Too soon and too sudden.

Everything about Lucien reminded him of the Autumn Lady. Her smile, her coppery hair, and Helion could remember perfectly how she looked when she woke up.

He was her son. Son of both, son of something that bordered on love equivalent to a partnership. Helion couldn't lose him, wouldn't accept it, and he knew Nair couldn't either.

No matter what happened, he would never allow Lucien or Nair to get hurt from this mission. Everyone would return safely, everyone would return home.