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feyre-archerons-scrapbook · 7 years

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Endless Autumn - Lucien x sweetheart chapter 4

Part 3 of my interpretation of the story of Lucien and his doomed sweetheart.

We know Lucien first and foremost as Tamlin’s closest friend, and emmisary to the Spring Court. We know that he had a lover who was taken from him, but we don’t know much else. This is my interpretation of Lucien’s life in the Autumn Court, surrounded by his brothers and High Lord father, and the female who set his heart ablaze.

Previous chapters:

CHAPTER 1 | CHAPTER 2 | CHAPTER 3

Find me on AO3

I haven’t got my hands on ACOWAR yet, so this story is not influenced by any new knowledge about Lucien, the Autumn Court, or his lost love. Once again thanks to @rhysand-vs-tamlin for being my beta reader.

Being with Thea was my everything, my soul made whole. Her cool breath on my warm skin a balm, my fingertips dancing along the curves of her body mesmerising. Without her I was nothing. With her, loving her, I had finally found my purpose in this long, long life.

I awoke quite early, to the sound of birds signing sweet melodies in the trees outside the windows, the autumn sunshine streaming in, warming the room. I held her in my arms - the heat of her body against mine - and sighed.

That sunlight glistened on her bare shoulder, almost sparkling as it awakened the pearlescent greens, blues and purples running under her skin. The most beautiful thing I’d ever seen. I buried a hand behind my head, my eyes flitting from one detail of the room to the next, but always returning to the crumpled sheets on which we lay.

I could still hear her, feel her, taste her on my tongue. Last night was possibly the first time I’d really, truly made love to a female. I’d meant every word I’d whispered in her ear, every caress my own small way of treasuring her, and I would look forward to those feelings again and again.

I released another sigh – a sigh of contentment, of love – and watched her as she slept peacefully.

The room was large, the furniture simple, yet comfortable; an overstuffed leather chair, a wall filled with shelves that overflowed with books. Warm earth tones and weathered oak panels on the walls gave it the feel of a space to be found in the castle, rather than an inconspicuous cabin in the forest.

But then I paused. This was a home. This cabin crafted with care, filled with love, each trinket and knick-knack an object that was wanted, needed…not simply a possession. Home. I would be happy if this was where I would live out the rest of my days.

A stone fireplace took pride of place in the centre of the room, magically kept topped up with logs that crackled and popped quietly in the background. I chuckled to myself. The firekeeper doesn’t tend to his own fires. How poetic.

As I drew lazy circles on Thea’s back, I found myself gazing into that fire, that gaping mouth of red hot flame. My eyes danced as the flames shifted and shimmied to the gentle breeze coming down the chimney.

Thea shifted and stretched, her arm over me and her fingertips tickling my bare chest. She looked up at me through her messy hair, those eyes flashing with want, desire.

“Hello,” I said.

“Hello.” She wiggled her eyebrows and gave me a feline smile.

“What?” I asked, trying to hold in my laughter.

She began to trail her fingertips down, over my stomach and towards the sheets that covered my hips.

“You’re quite demanding, then?” I smirked, sucking in air as she moved lower.

“Mmhm,” she purred with a nod of her head. Her hand continued south until it found what it was after.

“Thea!” I gasped. She kept her eyes locked on me, her grin almost vicious. “Come here,” I growled, and rolled her over onto her back, pinning her body with my own, claiming her all over again. She screeched with pleasure as my mouth roamed, and the world outside melted away.

When we finally climbed out of bed and dressed, we ate breakfast and then I beckoned her into my lap. We must’ve been at that table for another hour, sharing kisses and giggling like adolescents.

“What are your plans for the day, my darling?” she asked as she looked down on me, her fingertips gently stroking my cheeks.

I squeezed her in my arms and smiled, “I’m going to spend the rest of the day counting down the seconds until I see you again.”

She grinned and kissed me again. “Lovesick fool.”

“Takes one to know one,” I winked, before kissing her. We sat there for so long, absorbed in each other before a thought occurred to me. “Thea?”

“Yes?” she purred, and nibbled my ear lobe.

“Should you be in the castle now, working?”

“What does it matter?” she whispered into my ear, and kissed me just below it.

It took all of my willpower to not carry her back to bed that second. “Won’t Gagnon be angry?”

A kiss on my jawline. “It’ll be fine, Lucien.” Another on my cheek. “We got up just as the sun rose. I have time.”

I began to sway slightly; her ability to make me go weak with desire was truly extraordinary.

“I…I just don’t want you to get into any trouble, my love,” I sighed, and tucked her hair behind her ear.

“Don’t worry about it.” She shifted until she was straddling me on the chair, and covered my mouth with hers. Completely and utterly powerless, that’s what I was. That’s what she made me, and I couldn’t have been happier.

“Oh Thea,” I sighed, “You’re wonderful.”

“You’re not so bad yourself,” she winked, unbuttoning the top of my tunic.

“Marry me?”

She sat up straight. “What?” Her eyes were wide. Shock. Happiness. I wasn’t sure.

I took her hands in mine, my gaze holding hers as I spoke, “Thea, will you do me the honour of becoming my wife?”

“But…what about your family, your life?”

“I don’t care.” I shook my head. “I would give it all up for you. love you.”

“I love you too, Lucien.”

I kissed her hands and smiled, “Then marry me.”

“Y…yes,” she spluttered, tears now slipping down her cheeks.

“Yes?” I repeated, almost in disbelief.

“Yes!”

At that word, that incredible feeling, my willpower disappeared and I carried her back to bed, where I made love to her again and again until there was no way of putting off the day any longer.

With her father away, I spent the next few nights at the cottage with Thea. We barely slept, spending all of our waking hours making love, talking about our future together, or eating to regain our strength. Seeing her smile, hearing her laugh. It couldn’t have been more perfect.

On the third morning of waking up there, we parted ways outside the cottage with a sweet, soft kiss, before Thea headed to the east wing of the castle to begin her rounds. I watched her walk away until she disappeared through the trees, then set off towards the western edge of the castle. I could’ve winnowed back to my rooms, but I decided to walk through the forest instead.

As I walked, I seemed to notice everything around me all over again, as if Thea had awakened every one of my senses. Having lived in the court of endless autumn since birth, I knew that each tree grew vibrant red leaves, which would crinkle and turn infinite shades of brown and gold in a matter of days. These would then fall, and create a carpet of colour on the forest floor. The cycle would then begin again and again, over and over for all eternity.

I knew all of that. But this morning I was enthralled by it; by each leaf, each softly crunching step I took through the dense labyrinth of trees. For the first time in my life I felt glad to be here, glad to call this part of the world my home. Where my beautiful Thea called home. Where we would marry, and live out the rest of our long lives in happiness.

I was so caught up in my thoughts, my dreams of the life I was beginning with her, that I didn’t hear the rumbling hooves that approached from behind, didn’t notice them until six towering horses circled me and came to a stop.

“And where the hell have you been?” Terrell spat, yanking on the reins of his grey stallion.

“Cauldron save me,” I muttered under my breath, and glanced at each of the tall, red-headed males surrounding me. I gave an exaggerated bow. “Good morning, brothers. Fine weather for a stroll.”

“Answer the question, runt,” Aristide snapped. His horse whinnied, as if backing him up.

I held out my hands, “I just did. I came out to take in the fresh air.”

“You weren’t in your bedroom last night,” Magnus said bluntly, looking down his nose at me. “Or the night before that, or the night before that.”

I frowned. “In need of some midnight advice from your little brother, were you?”

“You weren’t there this morning either.”

“Spying on me?” I arched an eyebrow.

Magnus shrugged. “Stupidly, Drago thought we should drag you out on a hunt with us, so I went to your room to find - lo and behold - no Lucien.”

“I didn’t realise I was under house arrest, now.” I sneered at him.

“And where were you last night, hmm?” Drago frowned, ordering his brown horse forward a few steps. “You showed your face at father’s banquet for all of five minutes.”

“Oh damn,” I said, sarcasm dripping from every word, “And I bet nobody missed me.” I stared him down for a moment before shifting my focus to my eldest brother. Eris wasn’t looking at me, but rather at the path I had taken through the trees. His eyes were narrowed, his jet black horse stepping from side to side.

“Problem, Eris?” I scowled.

His eyes slid down to me, beholding me like I was a foul bog creature. “You’ve got a secret, Lucien.” I began to speak. “Don’t even bother denying it. I’ve noticed, father has noticed. Even mother.” He scoffed as my nostrils flared slightly. “Who am I kidding? She probably knows what it is, doesn’t she? Can’t keep a secret from her, can you?”

“Watch your tongue.”

His eyes flashed. “You’re not denying it then?”

“I haven’t got time for this,” I said, bored, and picked at a piece of lint on my deep purple tunic. Satisfied I’d entertained them for long enough, I headed towards a gap between Corentin and Drago’s horses. They immediately closed ranks.

“Where are you going now, baby brother?” Corentin smirked.

I took a step back. “I don’t have to answer to you. Get out of my way.”

“Gagnon has been looking for you, too,” Eris continued, unperturbed. “Seems quite concerned about you, as a matter of fact.”

“Is that so?” I said, “How nice of him, always looking out for me.”

“Indeed.” Eris raised an eyebrow towards Aristide who chuckled. “He reckons you’ve got yourself a new lover.”

“Oh?” My nerves tingled, making my fingers twitch. “And does he have any proof?”

Eris glared at me. “Perhaps.”

I planted my feet wide, steadying myself as my brothers all took a step closer. “This is ridiculous. You trust that weasel? Do you not realise that he is spying on all of you, as well as me?”

Terrell and Magnus glanced at each other for a moment.

“Imagine all the bullshit he’s whispering to father about each and every one of us.”

Eris laughed, the sound echoed around the trees. “Nice try, but none of us are the family disappointment.”

“You sure about that?”

“Are you calling the heir to this court a disappointment?” Aristide sniped, unsheathing a vicious-looking dagger from his belt.

“I think he is, y’know,” Drago chipped in.

“Who is she, Lucien?” Eris said, staring at me and ignoring the others. “Tell me.”

I gritted my teeth. “I have no idea who you’re talking about.”

“You’ll only make things worse if you make us find out the hard way.”

My hands curled into fists by my sides. I could’ve sworn they heated up, faint plumes of smoke rising from them. I prayed to the Mother that no one noticed.

Aristide took a step forward on his tan horse. “Answer the question, Lucie.”

My focus snapped to him. “What the hell does any of this matter? Hmm? Why do you all care so much what the runt of this damned litter does?”

“Ooh, touched a nerve,” Terrell hissed, goading me, goading the others. “He’s protesting too much, just like at the dinner with Tamlin. Aren’t you Lucie?”

“Seems like it,” Eris said, narrowing his eyes at me even more. All of my brothers seemed to be having fun in this circle, but not him. His demeanour was ice cold. “Father cannot have the bloodline sullied, Lucien.”

The circle was suddenly a foot closer. “What are you getting at, Eris?”

He shrugged, and tightened the reins in his gloved hands. “If this female is just another distraction for you, maybe that will be fine.”

I dropped my head, my eyes peering up at him from under my brow. My voice came out deeper, more powerful than I expected. “And what if she was more than that?”

“Ah,” Corentin gasped, breaking out in a smile. “So there is someone.”

“If you have debased yourself and,” Eris scoffed, “Fallen for some low-life faerie - as dear old Gagnon suspects - father will be most upset.”

I stepped closer to his black horse, close enough to feel it’s hot breath on my skin. “Don’t you dare say a word.” My flesh rippled with anger, with heat.

Eris raised an eyebrow, “Do you honestly think I would listen to a whore like you, little brother? You may be worthless to this court, to this family, but father still gives a damn what you do with the reputation he has forged over the centuries.”

“What I do makes no difference to him, or to any of you bastards.” I could almost feel my blood boiling.

“Temper, temper, Lucie,” Drago tutted.

The others laughed – all except Eris. He stared down at me with pure, calculated hatred. I returned the feeling. “You always were the most stubborn one of us, Lucien. And now it’s coming back to bite you on the ass. Tell us who she is.”

I didn’t move an inch. “Never.”

“Then you will both die.”

The six horses went to close the gap on me, to allow my brothers to grab me. Each had a face contorted into a vicious sneer, filled with rage and jealousy.

I threw my hands out to protest, palms facing the ground, and I… I erupted.

White hot flames shot from my fingertips and landed on the dry, flammable leaves on the ground, blistering to life with the full strength of the Autumn Court. The High Lord’s power. My father’s power. I screamed out in shock, in anger, blinking just at the moment that I seemed to draw a circle of flame around me, a solid, impenetrable wall of fire. I looked at my hands, burning with unwavering flame; red hot heat on my face, but manageable, malleable to my needs. The flames coursed through my veins, heating my body, offering a plentiful supply if I needed it. I lifted my head to my brothers, their faces barely visible above the eight-foot-high flames. Their horses nickered, rearing back onto their hind legs, the whites of their eyes visible, the red and yellow and orange of the flames reflecting in them.

My brothers looked as if they’d just seen the Mother herself. Eris looked dumbfounded. He ordered his horse forward again, but my eyes caught his, and as his black stallion stepped a few feet further back, I found myself shouting, “Don’t come any closer, brother! Don’t touch her, don’t touch me.”

“Where the hell did you get that?” he shouted over the crackling flames that encircled me, protected me. “That power is meant for me!?”

I shrugged. “Leave us alone, Eris,” I warned, “Or I will kill you.”

He shook his head in disbelief and looked over to his right. I followed the path his focus took to see another male on horseback in the distance. An impossibly tall, powerful man, his face not much older-looking than mine, his horse possibly the largest I’d ever seen. My father. “It doesn’t matter any more, little brother!” Eris shouted back to me, his mouth twisted into a wicked smile, “You’ve just sealed your own fate.”

#Sam scrapbooks #lucien #autumn court #fan fiction #a court of thorns and roses #a court of mist and fury #a court of wings and ruin #sarah j maas #my writing #original character #acotar #acomaf #acowar #pre-acotar

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