Chapter Text
Summer time in Velaris was exquisite -with the flowers blooming on the edges of the Sidra, the sweet smell of citrus that blew through the air from the clean waters, the salty spray that made you feel alive, the constant music playing on the streets of Velaris- Nora understood why the people of the Night Court refused to move away. She had come to Velaris four years prior, opened a shop for writers where she sold hand made quills and specially designed parchment, she also sold special coloured ink. It also doubled as a bit of a book shop. The other courts she had travelled through were not as open to the idea of a shop for a hobby such as hers. But the Rainbow had something for everyone. She sat between a music shop and a knitting studio. In the past two years, her shop had turned into a post office of sorts. It was easier to send letters to her when some lesser and High Fae weren’t given the powers to send things with magic. Nora enjoyed the delivery of letters, it took her all around the city, she could meet new people, tell them of her shop if the needed anything to send a letter back, and usually it ended up in a new customer.
But three weeks ago, without rhyme or reason, when she went to open her shop for the day, there were four sacks filled with letters. She touched the handle of her door, but it was locked. No-one had come into her shop during the night, no-one had disturbed the safety she so closely ensured. All four sacks were addressed to one person in particular, the High Lord of Night.
For the last three weeks Nora had kept them in her apartment above her shop. She had not touched them, she had not read a single letter. Not that she did not want to, she was a curios person at her very core, but she did not read them because she feared the repercussions that would come if she did. The High Lord is not evil like so many had initially believed, but she still feared him, the best of males could turn different in certain circumstances. Nora did not want to be part of those circumstances.
So she didn’t touch them.
They sat next to her front door, and every morning while she had tea and breakfast she saw them, at night while she ate dinner and had a single glass of wine, she stared at them.
Who would send the High Lord four sacks worth of letters?
This question plagued her for far too long. And this very morning, she decided to hell with it. She picked up all four sacks, and carried them to the River House.
And now, as she stood right before the door, sacks laying at her feet, her fist would not pound on the door. It wouldn’t even raise to do the action. She was stricken with the idea that she was at the front door of the High Lord and High Lady of Night. Of course, she knew the stories of Feyre Cursebreaker, everyone knew the story of Feyre. It had been seventeen years since she had saved Prythian from Amarantha, sixteen since she’s saved Prythian from Hybern. Of course, Nora also knew that is was her sisters who banded together to kill the king. But Feyre had lead legions, taken care of the injured and dying. Her sister Nesta, who was a regular customer at Nora’s shop for newer -special- books and parchment and purple ink that shimmered in the light. Nora had read a few of the High Lady’s sisters requested books, the characters had made her feel less alone, more understood. Most of them were smutty romances, but it made Nora feel as if love truly did exist.
She knew Feyre for only one reason, her apology to Nora after Nyx had vandalised a few shops in town. He had a band of naughty friends who apparently roped him into it. Her shop included. Not too much, nothing that a little scrubbing couldn’t fix. But Nora was upset about it, because she had also been the one to throw the vandals with itching glitter when they came back the second time. She did not want the High Lady to know it was her who had done it. But, she did it without knowing who the vandals were in the first place.
And now, here she stood. Right on their doorstep with four sacks of letters. Once again having to do simple conversation with the High Lady.
Cauldron boil her.
She took a deep breath, and knocked.
Nothing happened. She heard no foot steps, no running feet, no servants coming to the door. She could turn around now and be done with it, leave the sacks at the door and dash home as if she were never there.
But she knocked once more just in case. It would be rude to leave, to not leave a note. It would also be rude to leave a delivery the exact same way she had received it. Three sharp knocks.
Then a voice spoke behind her, “Hello,”
Nora nearly jumped out of her socks, excuses already started to spill from her lips, it was the High Lady herself.
“My lady.” Nora bowed her head to her.
She wore slim fitting trousers and a light sweater with brown leather slippers. Her hair had streaks of dark blue paint from where she no doubt combed her fingers through her hair as she painted. She had a canvas under her arm, and she was smiling at Nora, waiting for Nora to say why she was there.
Nora blurted out, “I brought a delivery for the High Lord,” she waved a hand towards the sacks of letters.
“Oh, the High Lord is away for a few weeks, you can pass it on to me.” she said as she made her way past Nora and picked up a sack, “Would you help me carry them in?”
Feyre was still smiling as Nora nodded. This was perfect, she could be rid of the letters, get rid of the guilt that plagued her and go on on her merry way. Nora smiled as she carried in three of the sacks following the High Lady into a lounge.
“You can put them on the settee, I’ll have someone take them to my office later,”
Her office? “They’re addressed to the High Lord,” Nora blurted out, then she cringed at herself, sometimes she wished she could cut out her tongue and be silent.
But the High Lady just laughed, “I’m taking over his duties for the weeks he’s away. Nyx needs to train his powers and Rhys wants him far far away from civilisation,”
The little rascal was not only a menace, but also more powerful than was rationally necessary. Nora wondered if he had ever had a stern nanny to teach him how to not be a vandaliser. She doubted it.
She just nodded at the High Lady, waiting to be sent away. It was what was meant to happen, she was meant to deliver the letters, offer her address card and leave.
But no, the High Lady shocked Nora when she invited her to have tea. She could refuse the regular types in Velaris, hell she could refuse nearly everyone in Prythian, but not a High Lord or Lady. So Nora sat, and Feyre conjured two steaming cups, a pitcher of milk and sugar cubes.
The tea smelled like anise, “Licorice tea?”
“Yes,”
“I love licorice tea,”
“I know,” she said with a soft chuckle.
Nora frowned, “How?”
The High Lady smiled sheepily, “You basically yelled ‘I hope it’s licorice so that the awkward situation can be a bit less horrifying’ at me,” with a bit of a mimicking voice.
“I did not.”
“I’m sorry,your mind is so open. A simple thought is as if your speaking to me,”
Nora blushed, “Right,I forgot. deamati mind reader… the stories are pretty far and few between of you.”
She smiled at Nora, “Shielding is easy, especially for high fae, you just have to imagine a wall in your mind, something impenetrable, that only you can control,”
Nora nodded, doing exactly what the high lady said, she imagine a wall made of stone, vines and plants growing on it. The High Lady nodded approvingly at Nora’s attempt.
“I’m not high fae, my lady,”
She frowned, “You’re not? And please, call me Feyre,”
Nora hesitated, “Alright then. Feyre,” she tested the name, it tasted like stars, rosy sunrises and lavender on her tongue. “I’m half human, so not High Fae like you are now,”
She was still for a moment, “I haven’t seen a half human since the war,”
“We are not common, I truly believe I might be the only one in Prythian,” she huffed out a laugh before sipping her tea.
It was perfect, exactly how she liked it. But the amount of information she may have unwittingly given to someone who was basically a stranger was worrying enough that she couldn’t exactly enjoy her tea.
“It’s good to be unique,” Feyre played with the hem of her sweater, “There aren’t so many unique people left,”
Nora frowned, “There are fae here who are green, and blue… and those who have wings… I am the least unique,”
“I’ve spent the last seventeen years with the green and blue and winged, I haven’t met someone like you, yet,”
Nora smiled politely, she didn’t really know what to talk about with a High Lady, she thought it best to, well from now on, to keep her opinions to herself.
Feyre’s eyes raked over Nora’s face, “Do I know you from somewhere?”
Nora glanced towards the door, her teeth clenched slightly. She had hoped this wouldn’t come up, “Yes, we met a few months ago, it was when your so-”
Feyre snapped her fingers, “Yes, you’re one of the shop owners Nyx vandalised.” She clicked her tongue, “The little menace,”
Nora looked to the ceiling, once again making sure her new shields were in place. If they even worked, she hoped they did.
“I apologise about that, he’s been acting out.” She sighed, “We’re trying to figure out why, but he evades every mention or conversation of his actions,”
“Boys his age usually act that way, I wouldn’t worry too much,” she took another sip of her tea.
Then Feyre asked, “Tell me about the delivery.” She motioned a hand towards the sacks.
“They’re full of letters, the sacks have tags addressed to your mate, you’re taking care of his duties, so in a way I guess they’re addressed to you now,” a shy laugh came at the end.
“Have you read them?”
“What? Of course not,”
Feyre smiled a beautiful smile, one that came easily. “Good. But I have to say, those are a lot of letters,”
“They’re placed very neatly, whoever packed them for took a lot of care.”
“Did they come with a return address?”
“No, they showed up in my locked store one morning,”
“Not so strange, someone could have winnowed in,”
“No, no-one can winnow into my store,”
Feyre’s eyes narrowed.
“I took extra precautions, I worked in the libraries of Day for a while, the spells are very intricate, and very strong. Helion made sure they were.”
Feyre smiled as if she were sharing a secret, “Helion? Not High Lord Helion?”
Nora blushed again. Mother above, she’s blushed more in the last ten minutes than she has in her entire life.
“We were friendly.” Quickly, she added, “He flirts with everyone, but not me.”
“But he doesn’t do special spells for everyone,” then she winked.
Cauldron boil her, how is the High Lady such a busybody. Nora finished her tea and stood before Feyre could inquire any further.
“Thank you, Feyre. For the tea,”
“Leaving so quickly?” she sounded a bit upset, but Nora had a store to run.
“Apologies, I have patrons coming to collect today,”
Feyre nodded, set down her cup and stood.
“This was nice, thank your indulging me for a bit. While everyone is away.”
“You’re very welcome,” Nora gave a polite smile.
Feyre led her to the door, they gave polite greetings. Nora passed on her address card for if Feyre ever needed stationery, books or letters sent.
The way back to Pots and Parch from the River House was far quicker without four heavy sacks on her shoulders.
She was free of the eyesore. And that made her happy.
What she wasn’t free from, was the question that bothered her for the last three weeks.
Who would send the High Lord so many letters?
But, there was a new question that came.
Maybe a bit too late.
After a long day of rearranging, of ordering books and packing orders, Nora sat at her little dining table eating her dinner. She bathed and read a few chapters from a book and got ready for bed. She was happy and content.
But as she drifted off into the darkness of sleep, she was plagued with a new question. One that came a little too late.
One that would bother her for quite some time during the nights to come.
Why were these letters brought to her?