#person: caedin

[springcourthighlady]

Briar gazes into Tamlin's eyes as he helps her into the carriage and bids her farewell. Her hands still tungle with warmth from when he had clasped them between his own.

Gods, his hands were so warm. I wish this didn't have to end. But he needs a break. From me...

Smiling sadly, she places the bouquet of flowers onto the seat to her right. Then she tucks Caedin into her left side, on the innermost portion of the carriage--already instinctively protective him.

"Thank you, Tamlin. Again. And please be careful." She flashes him a soft smile.

Her eyes flick down at her hand and blushes, lightly tracing the ring with her finger before slowly slipping it off, chest tightening.

"I-I believe this belongs to you," she says softly, placing it in his palm. "It has been an honor, husband." She smirks softly.

"But, I am equally as honored to call you friend."

She smiles and squeezes his fingers before withdrawing her hand, kissing Caedin's curls.

"Off we go, then!" She tickles him lightly, and the boy giggles loudly.

This Life is Sweeter Than Fiction (ft. @springcourthighlady)

Daylight folded through the narrow window in the room of the inn and warmed Tamlin’s face, urging him to wake. He wasn’t a morning person. Given his proclivity to stay up late into the night, waking up was not exactly his favorite thing. He was used to waking up to a cold bed and sore body, pained from a night of thrashing through his nightmares alone. Instead, this morning, he woke to the gentle breath of a female on his neck.

Still sleepy, his dreams had a hold on him, and he remembered the early days before the mountain — before all hell rained upon his court, before he’d lost his faith in himself, and in love. Yet, he woke further and the body next his own did not line up with memory, only emotion.

The way he’d danced around the lines with Briar last night was not far from Tamlin’s mind as he woke. Mornings? Those, he didn’t like. Morning affection? Oh, how sweet it was to taste.

Still, the High Lord pushed a reminder of his boundaries into his view, forcing away the rose tinted glasses.

Sleeping together was different than sleeping together.

He carefully climbed from the bed and pulled the blankets back up to Briar’s shoulder. A shower would do him some good, but they did not need more temptation. Still, she tended to panic when he disappeared. Tamlin pursed his lips and entered the bathing room, locking it twice, magically and manually.

The cold water dripped down from the pipes and once again settled him back into a stern sense of reality. They had a purpose here. This wasn’t a vacation…nor a honeymoon. It was a rescue. At least one of them needed to keep their head on straight.

He pulled his clothes on and wrapped a towel around his long hair, leaving the bathroom with a toothbrush. Sure — he could use magic to power through these tasks; but apparently he needed to get better at being human. That meant brushing his teeth with a small, infernal, tickly device.

By the time he turned around the privacy screen and into the room, Briar was awake.

Well. She said she wanted him to practice being human.

He furrowed his brows, with a teasing smile. “Hush. High Lords have dental hygiene too.”

[maeskia]

One falls to rise up

A sober mind was needed to move pieces across the board.  To chase down the King and make it bend to the will of the almighty Queen.  If only she had a clear head the day of many meetings, whispers, and new alliances made. A broken arm did not stop a woman from her duties.  

The silver bottle given to her by Caedin, mixed with the pills, and a shot or three of Whiskey, Maeskia blocked out the pain of her damaged arm.   Old lovers' paths crossed her way, fingers pressed to the lines of Stormwind city,  enemies or allies, she tied them together. 

A large part of her, of what once was a dream  handed over. Given away without a blink of the eye.   The weight of it gone, it was settled in another person possession.  Would it come to haunt her?

She had fallen as the night came to an end.  The swing of her fist, colliding into another.  Temper reckless as her body crumpled to the ground.   Darkness washed over the lady. Now she was at the mercy of the city, till her sobriety came.

[the-thirteenth-note]

Art done by the generous; https://iinfinityturtle.tumblr.com/

-

“Everything and nothing,”

“Loss and gain.”

“Existence on another plane,”

”That is nil and all it’ll be, for all to grasp but none to see,”

“From fibonacci to the phi, blueprint of our reality.”

On the many nameless floating islands that span the amethyst waters of the Deon Sea, lives an order older than the great planet city of Nucade. Older than the Three Kingdoms that once ruled the lands of Cade, older still than even the insurmountable barrier that isolates the solar system.

These air-born lands are home to the “Order of the Sundered Veil” a monastic group dedicated to and guided by the mysterious psionic entity “Caedin Mils”. 

Nish -a member of this order since birth- sets out to the city above at the behest of her deific matron. On a pilgrimage that soon becomes personal.

[thehighlordofspring]

Dada.

Tamlin was swept with an undeniable longing. He pushed his feelings away. It wasn’t important right now. It wasn’t important, in general. He didn’t have the time for a partner, let alone for a child. This is fake.

I can’t get attached.

He stood, shoving his hands deeply into his pockets and breathing out, tenuously. “Alright. I am going…to give the two of you time. Away from me, um, to get reacquainted. I will go arrange some food and begin speaking to some of the council. Find some better rooms for tonight.”

I have to get out of here.

He ran his fingers through his hair. They couldn’t take Caedin with them tonight, not until the papers were signed. “I’ll be back in a few hours.”

If You Were Me | Tamlin & Briar

@thehighlordofspring

Briar wakes slowly, feeling the slight plush of the bed beneath her, and her mind catches up with her surroundings.

The Inn. The mortal lands....he moved me back into the bed again. Dammit.

Eyes fluttering open, she looks around the room for the stubborn male, ready to give him a piece of her mind about how she didn't need the bed just because she's some fragile female.

When she realizes the room is empty, she sighs, sitting up slowly and rubbing her face.

I wonder if he dislikes my company that much or if he left for something important. He better not be getting into any trouble here...that's all we need.

Worry gnaws at her, taking over her slight irritation as she slips from the bed. She grabs a clean dress from her bag and moves into the adjoining bathroom, glad to have a proper shower again after days in the forest. She would have done so last night, but she was exhausted.

Stripping down, she steps into the enveloping warmth and lets the water run over her sore muscles as she tips her head back, letting out a soft contented noise.

[springcourthighlady]

"Firstly, Nyx loves you. He's so young he won't even remember a time when you were at your lowest. But don't ever doubt that he doesn't need you. That you aren't his favorite person. Okay? Because you are."

She warms her own hands on her tea mug and looks over at the sleeping boy.

"Second, his name is beautiful, regardless of where it came from, and it does not define who he is at heart. He is loved and happy and safe. That's what matters."

Brair tucks a piece of dark hair behind a pointed ear. "Caedin... I knew him as a newborn, and when he first started babbling, he would call me BiBi. Like what Nyx calls me. It broke our hearts to leave him behind, but we knew it would be dangerous."

She swirls her tea absently. "And as for Tamlin... he avoids me mostly. Aside for a few very minor and short conversations when I first got here, he hasn't said much. He just told me I could stay in the Court and figure out my life. So I have been. I appreciated Viviane and Kallias, but Winter was much too cold for me. I couldn't do it anymore."

Her eyes move up to the ceiling, her mind reeling with memories. "Regardless of why, you still saved me. So thank you. I hope it will get easier. For both of us. But we will get there. I suppose that's the good thing about having centuries."

Tentative Ties & Tea

“He has a right to be peeved at all of us, to be honest. I just feel…very blessed to be here, back home, in the Spring Court. I can’t ever undo everything, but I’m trying. All of us are.”

Feyre glanced out at the field beyond them and her eyes zoned out. Her fingers twitched at her side. Where Rhysand’s voice used to control her, now there was just nothing but a deep gray silence. A tiny tug on her skirt brought her back to the moment and she glanced down at Nyx, whom Tamlin had shapeshifted to resemble her, not his bastard father. An echo of a smile traced her lips. “At least there is some proof that darkness fades…”

@springcourthighlady

[springcourthighlady]

"Yes. Every child deserves a loving home. If only that were the truth of the world", she sighs softly, sadly. "It's going to kill me to leave some of them there. There are a few I knew very well as babies. They may recognize me. It's going to rip my heart out. But perhaps if...if you could give me more work around the Court? I would like to donate half of my earnings to them. The place was falling apart when I was there. Too tight rooms, leaky bathrooms, a half functinal cafe. I would like to assist in any way I can. If I can. Not for the adults, even if it would make their lives easier. But for those children. The fact that they're so overpacked there..."

Briar glances over at him and blushes slightly. "Ah. Titles are a form of respect here. Good to know. See? Learning. Slowly but surely. Titles are only given to the elite and the rich in the mortal lands. I appreciate it, though I am still not sure why I am deserving of your...care."

She motions to the situation. "I do however, find it quite comical that I am about the least marryable person pretending to be married. Which lends to my overthinking. Rings. I'm sure you can whoosh them out of the void with that fancy magic of yours? If I was trained better I probably could but...alas, I am still learning."

She smiles softly. "As far as your sacrifice and your title...you use it well. I can see how much of yourself you pour into your people. Sometimes you even give more than you have. If you falling asleep at your desk was any indication."

Safe and Sound | Tamlin & Briar @thehighlordofspring

Briar stirs awake as sunshine filters through the delicate curtains of her room. The scent of blooming flowers and fresh earth lingered in the air through a half open window. She stretches, feeling the cool silk sheets slide against her skin, and smiles to herself, humming with pleasure. It was cozy and peaceful here, in a way that always made her feel both at ease and restless--in a way she didn't know if she'd ever get used to.

Slipping out of bed, she dresses quickly in a simple, pale--bordering lime-- green gown that hugs her curves nicely and flows airily around her hips, perfect for the warmth of the morning, before padding softly across the wooden floor down the hall. The grand, sweeping staircase awaited her, sunlight spilling over the banister as she made her way down to the kitchen, where the promise of fresh bread and pastries beckoned her to start the day.

She smiles brightly and thanks Griffin, one of the cooks, as she nabs a slice of blueberry bread and wanders out to the garden, taking in the lightness of the clear day.

Today. Today is the day she saves her soul nephew; takes him home where he belongs. Today is the day she becomes...becomes a mother.

Gods, a mother.

Her nerves rush though her and she chews her food slowly, trying to calm her racing heart. And Tamlin...

She shakes her head, unable to stop the giddy laughter from escaping her as she waits for him.

Her husband. What a thought. Fake husband, obviously, but still. The idea is both absurd and exhilarating. Despite herself, it spreads a warmth through her, flushing her cheeks.

A familiar hum of power seems to surround her then, making the hair on her neck and arms stand on end. Tamlin. He's arrived for the journey across the wall.

She wonders what it will be like to be human again, even for a short time. If it will feel wholly different, or like becoming her true self again.

Turning toward the pulse of magic, she smiles brightly to greet him. "Good morning!", she chirps excitedly.

She lightly tosses her sheet of onyx hair behind her, freckles seeming to dance on her nose as the sun lights up her eyes, making them a paler blue than usual.

[springcourthighlady]

Briar gawks a bit as he shifts into a human appearance, then does the same to her, his magic like electricity over her skin--but in a pleasantly warm way. Her sunny aura and sharpened features dull and her ears round out.

This. This is exactly how she had looked at the Hybern camp, aside from the burns and lashes and blood. Just...ordinary.

Poor, boring, ordinary Briar. The perpetual burden, the wilted wallflower desperate to be heard. It's good that I'm different now. That I changed. Maybe...maybe I could be loved one day. If I can control my mouth. Nobody likes a woman who is too talkative or opinionated. My mother really should have helped me curb that instead of encourage it...

But then again, her mother was always speaking her mind and being loud and silly with her as a child. She gave her a good life even if they weren't rich. She had everything she needed. And it was something she had always admired about her mother. Her boldness.

He shoulders droop a fraction, looking over her skin. So different feeling, even now, only after a relatively short while. To be back in her human body...and all the raging feelings and emotions that were associated with it.

She swallows and says softly, "It's very weird to be...back. As I was...am...born as?" The terms are still odd on her tongue. "It feels like home, like...I'm in my true skin again. But also like a too-tight costume at the same time. It's an odd feeling."

Home. I'm home. What used to be and is no longer. There is nothing else for me here but Caedin. Mom's gone. Lily's gone. Dead. And yet here I am. As a faerie. Living a life Lily should have.

Despite her thoughts, she looks toward the village as if she could see all the way to her old home and the memories and items that it probably still held of her mother. Her heart squeezes, and before her sadness could turn into real tears for all that she shoved down, she focuses on what Tamlin is saying.

"The Inn? So... that means no more camping." Some relief floods her, and she nods. "Good. That sounds good. Thank you for the effort of making all the arrangements. The food and the horses and the lodging. I could have assisted if you had needed. I hope it didn't take up too much of your personal time..." she trails off, still half distracted with memories and painful longing, but still wills herself to remain in the moment, forcing down her grief and the crazy idea that she could go to their small cottage--just to look one last time.

Maybe...maybe I could meet back up with him. Maybe I could gather some of my mother's things that I didn't get to before...they're likely very dusty though...no, no, I can't. I have to stay. I have to monitor. I can't leave him alone here. He's a walking target. I can't let anything happen to him here. Stop wondering.

Turning and watching him for a moment, she notices how he goes rigid as he pulls out the rings. She steps closer for a better look at them in his larger hand. "Wow," she gasps. "They're so beautiful, Tamlin. Where did you get them?"

Her eyes lift to his curiously, sparkling in the sun despite her humanity.

"Oh! Yes. O-of course." Her cheeks pinken slightly and she forces a smile to her face, even with that expression of hidden sadness possibly giving her away. She awkwardly lifts her left hand, praying it doesn't tremble with her inner turmoil as she extends it, her nails painted a pale lilac that matches the color of her room in the Manor.

The force of her heavy emotions press in on her as she tries to remain stoic and fight against the tears and the growing sickening feeling in her gut.

Figure You Out | Tamlin & Briar

Tamlin was exhausted and the rescue hadn’t even begun, yet he was thankful that lunch and a spot of vulnerability for his love for ducks had brought back Briar’s smile. He had never meant to seem judgmental — his guard over his heart was deeply instinctive. People trying to love him or disagree with him tended to make it rear up like a wild horse. Wild as a horse, shut tightly as a clam, sometimes Tamlin genuinely just wished he could be free to quack like a duck. Their lives were so…peaceful.

They approached the border as the sun was setting and Tamlin dismounted, remembering to help Briar off her horse. He could be firm and friendly. He didn’t have to feel the amount of emotions to show her kindness and respect. My mother wouldn’t be very happy with how I’d treated her before. She made me promise to not grow into my father.

To not be cold. To not be cruel.

He wasn’t cruel. Tamlin knew that; but cold? He was cold as ice. Warmth felt dangerous. Dangerous, yet inviting.

“I’ve made reservations at an inn nearby.” Tamlin placed his hands over his ears to glamor them into a human shape, before doing the same for her. He shifted his eyes from green to blue, shortened his height from a towering 6’6 to a more ordinary 6’2, and his away his intimidating physique. It had been built over centuries. It wasn’t something attainable to human beings. They were here and then they were gone.

His shoulders stiffened and he battled himself as he reached into his pocket and withdrew three rings. It would have been easy to conjur them, but he took marriage seriously — even fake ones. These were family jewels. They weren’t the most precious of stones, but they still carried his family name engraved in the smooth silver. Hawthorne-Sinclair.

He reached for her hand. “May I?”

[thehighlordofspring]

Tamlin listened when Briar responded to his spiel on the parentless children. To his surprise, she stayed calm and open, unlike before. Perhaps, the awkwardness from before had not been entirely on her. Trying to keep a conversation with him when he’d refused to speak, couldn’t be easy.

Tamlin bit his lip and looked away. He didn’t like most people. He barely liked himself. Talking just seemed so utterly pointless. It was so damn hard. Talking to ducks was easier. Often, socializing made him feel clumsy as a drunken oaf. It was like someone had already tipped him into a barrel of faerie ale. Talking to ducks was easier. He spoke fluent Pekin and Mallard. If ducks were offended, they didn’t hold grudges. They just bit your toes and moved on —

Why can’t life be that simple?

Tamlin lay back in the grass again and propped his arms beneath his head. Every time someone described the human world, they talked of the pains of survival: the hunger, the ache, the lack, the longing. He still remembered his days in the military, hiding his growing power from his family, and spending time stationed on the newly established wall between Spring and the human lands. He’d always hated it. Where there was need, they needed to build longer tables, not higher walls.

Briar’s description of Caedin’s father slowly formed an image in the back of his mind of one of his comrades. Andras — golden haired, green eyed, and gone. Tamlin’s shoulders stiffened. No.

Andras knew speaking to the humans was forbidden. He wouldn’t — he would. Of course, he would.

The youngest of the group and little brother to all of them, he’d always had a dislike for the rules, a knack for mischief, and a rebellious spirit.

I cannot be sure.

Yet, Tamlin knew that the moment he lay eyes on Caedin, he would know. He would recognize that face anywhere, even when mixed with another.

He was not sure how that made him feel. Another breath of longing swept over him — the truest blend of hope and despair.

Tamlin chose not to answer her appeal to his better nature, although he knew he’d think on them later. Perhaps, he was more angry than he realized. Perhaps, his silence was a form of protest. He saw the suffering — his own, his people, his Prythian. It was too much, too heavy, for a single person to bear alone.

Saying anything seemed like screaming into the void. Why speak when things would never change?

“I admire your optimism, Lady Briar.” He said quietly. “Despite the many setbacks you somehow still choose to see the good in this world. I cannot say that I feel the same. There is very little left in my life which has not been tainted by pain.”

He shrugged and sat up, reaching for a picnic basket that appeared from nowhere. Food was a balm for everyone and blueberries were not enough to sustain the next several hours of their journey before they reached the border. “It is not easy to stay open to possibility when all it’s done in the past is bring you suffering.”

This is Me Trying (ft. @springcourthighlady)

Tamlin was warm. He floated on the soft cloud of rest that sheltered his body with comfort and his mind with peace. His chest rose and fell in a natural rhythm as the birds in the trees began to trill just before morning light. There was a weight on his shoulder. During the night, he’d casually drifted to and away from Briar until they fell asleep for good with her hand resting over his heart. The High Lord slowly opened his eyes and blinked in the early morning sun, adjusting the relaxation in his limbs.

Where am I? What happened?

Tamlin rubbed his eyes and woke with a soft groan. He grasped his head, freshly aware of the pain lingering there, and discouraged by the lack of progress wish his efforts to sleep. The curl of her fingers was enough to fully open his eyes and begin waking to the world around him. When he did, Tamlin became hyper conscious of the way Briar’s hand rested on his chest.

His heart leapt into his throat and he carefully unthreaded her body from around his own, leaving behind his close call from the night before. Tamlin scratched the back of his head and stepped over Briar while she snoozed. What is going on?

He pushed past the opening of the tent, thankful that she slept soundly and he had a few moments to settle his nerves and try to gather what had happened, yet no matter how hard he tried the memory would not resurface. What happened? What had he done? Tamlin walked into the fresh spring breeze and found some odd relief from the stress and tension which he normally awoke to at dawn. The likelihood was just that they’d both been cold and huddled together for maximum shelter.

Still, he had a difficulty with eye contact as Briar emerged from the tent and he handed her a plate of warm breakfast, complete with a carefully sliced red apple and the last of the bread. They had a half day of travel left in the woods, but would have to take shelter in an inn tonight. Hopefully, the provisions would be plentiful.

“Good-morning.” Tamlin mumbled, shyly glancing up between bites of food. “Are you ready for an adventure?”

[thehighlordofspring]

Tamlin’s first instinct when Briar did not cease talking was to stiffen his shoulders and shut his eyes, but he pushed it away.

He knew stories of his life roamed rampant around his court, but he’d never suspect Lucien of telling them to strangers. They’d always had a promise to keep their words between them whenever possible. Briar was new to Spring. Perhaps, she’d misidentified him, or maybe, the incoming stress of parenthood had finally gotten to Lucien on a late night at the bar.

Truthfully, when she took the time to speak a little slower, she could be poetic. Tamlin pushed back his looming anxiety as he spotted her fingers twitching to hold his.

Touch. It must be her love language. It had been Feyre’s too. That was only another reason why this was so hard. Tamlin reached for her hands and clasped them between his much bigger, warmer ones. “That was…very poetic.”

He could feel the outline of his mother’s ring beneath his own. This charade was finally over. He could breathe again.

“I wouldn’t force you to travel through dangerous terrain alone; let alone with a faeling. I’m not the kind of person. Not that kind of male.” Tamlin said. “You can barely ride a horse, let alone with a toddler. A wagon and pair of sentries will meet you at the border and I will ensure you get that far.”

He withdrew his hands slowly and stood up. “I have a few more affairs to settle here. There is work to be done on the treaty. I will change forms at the border and remain for a few days.”

He offered her a hand up. “When you return to the manor, will you please entrust my things to Lucien? He’ll know what to do with them.”

“It’s been an honor, Lady Briar.”

This Life is Sweeter Than Fiction (ft. @springcourthighlady)

Daylight folded through the narrow window in the room of the inn and warmed Tamlin’s face, urging him to wake. He wasn’t a morning person. Given his proclivity to stay up late into the night, waking up was not exactly his favorite thing. He was used to waking up to a cold bed and sore body, pained from a night of thrashing through his nightmares alone. Instead, this morning, he woke to the gentle breath of a female on his neck.

Still sleepy, his dreams had a hold on him, and he remembered the early days before the mountain — before all hell rained upon his court, before he’d lost his faith in himself, and in love. Yet, he woke further and the body next his own did not line up with memory, only emotion.

The way he’d danced around the lines with Briar last night was not far from Tamlin’s mind as he woke. Mornings? Those, he didn’t like. Morning affection? Oh, how sweet it was to taste.

Still, the High Lord pushed a reminder of his boundaries into his view, forcing away the rose tinted glasses.

Sleeping together was different than sleeping together.

He carefully climbed from the bed and pulled the blankets back up to Briar’s shoulder. A shower would do him some good, but they did not need more temptation. Still, she tended to panic when he disappeared. Tamlin pursed his lips and entered the bathing room, locking it twice, magically and manually.

The cold water dripped down from the pipes and once again settled him back into a stern sense of reality. They had a purpose here. This wasn’t a vacation…nor a honeymoon. It was a rescue. At least one of them needed to keep their head on straight.

He pulled his clothes on and wrapped a towel around his long hair, leaving the bathroom with a toothbrush. Sure — he could use magic to power through these tasks; but apparently he needed to get better at being human. That meant brushing his teeth with a small, infernal, tickly device.

By the time he turned around the privacy screen and into the room, Briar was awake.

Well. She said she wanted him to practice being human.

He furrowed his brows, with a teasing smile. “Hush. High Lords have dental hygiene too.”

[springcourthighlady]

Briar watches Caedin run around the courtyard with the ducks, his imagination running just as wildly. She turns towards Tamlin as he speaks, nodding at the right moments.

"I don't regret it either. Frankly, it was nice to feel...wanted. For a few brief moments. Like I wasn't a ghost. A lot of the times I still feel like one..."

Her eyes search his. "I didn't mean to crowd you. It was clearly a wrong attempt at comfort. I should've realized sooner." She looks at the trees swaying in the breeze.

"Lucien told me a few of the stories about your life. So I don't expect you to heal too fast from those betrayals. I wish people were not so quick to turn. Unfortunately, people treat trust as some fleeting thing and not as it is--something heavy and precious to be closely guarded and tended to."

Her eyes soften as the sun catches them. "For the record, I haven't betrayed anyone in my life."

She smiles over at the playing boy. "Not even my dead friend. Which is why I am here. I could never have lived with knowing I didn't keep my promise to protect Caedin."

Her gaze finds his once more. "Our lives seem infinite now. I know they aren't, but to me as a former human...thousands of years was unthinkable. My point is...we have time. You have time. And if and when you ever feel ready, I'll be around. As a confidante, as a friend or anything else you choose. Hearts are fragile. They require precision and tenderness to heal. The more they're fractured, the longer it takes."

Her hand twitches to take his, but she folds them in her lap. "I suppose I see hearts like glass. They start or crystal clear. Pure. Every loss or betrayal chips away at it until it shatters into colored pieces. Sometimes, with some people, there's too many pieces to put back together and they remain in their misery. And for others, the ones that are more willful, their hearts can be turned into a beautiful and unique mosaic--a support system being the glue--until they end up more glorious than they had been originally."

Her lips twitch into a small smirk as ahe sees his expression. "I'll stop talking now."

This Life is Sweeter Than Fiction (ft. @springcourthighlady)

Daylight folded through the narrow window in the room of the inn and warmed Tamlin’s face, urging him to wake. He wasn’t a morning person. Given his proclivity to stay up late into the night, waking up was not exactly his favorite thing. He was used to waking up to a cold bed and sore body, pained from a night of thrashing through his nightmares alone. Instead, this morning, he woke to the gentle breath of a female on his neck.

Still sleepy, his dreams had a hold on him, and he remembered the early days before the mountain — before all hell rained upon his court, before he’d lost his faith in himself, and in love. Yet, he woke further and the body next his own did not line up with memory, only emotion.

The way he’d danced around the lines with Briar last night was not far from Tamlin’s mind as he woke. Mornings? Those, he didn’t like. Morning affection? Oh, how sweet it was to taste.

Still, the High Lord pushed a reminder of his boundaries into his view, forcing away the rose tinted glasses.

Sleeping together was different than sleeping together.

He carefully climbed from the bed and pulled the blankets back up to Briar’s shoulder. A shower would do him some good, but they did not need more temptation. Still, she tended to panic when he disappeared. Tamlin pursed his lips and entered the bathing room, locking it twice, magically and manually.

The cold water dripped down from the pipes and once again settled him back into a stern sense of reality. They had a purpose here. This wasn’t a vacation…nor a honeymoon. It was a rescue. At least one of them needed to keep their head on straight.

He pulled his clothes on and wrapped a towel around his long hair, leaving the bathroom with a toothbrush. Sure — he could use magic to power through these tasks; but apparently he needed to get better at being human. That meant brushing his teeth with a small, infernal, tickly device.

By the time he turned around the privacy screen and into the room, Briar was awake.

Well. She said she wanted him to practice being human.

He furrowed his brows, with a teasing smile. “Hush. High Lords have dental hygiene too.”

[thehighlordofspring]

Tamlin carefully handed the duck to Caedin and his tired green eyes brightened a bit at the soft greeting. Damn — kids were a straight shot to his heart. No wonder he’d undertaken this journey with Briar while already overworked and exhausted. He sighed heavily, giving the toddler one last look. If he wasn’t Andras’ son…the resemblance was uncanny. Tamlin reached to gently wipe a last bit of an ice cream from his cheek. As his hand hovered there, he used his magic to carefully soften the tiny point on the boy’s ear.

Then, he stood and gave the flowers to Briar. His brows were furrowed. He placed his right hand in his pocket. The other was filled with stuffed ducks. He listened as Briar offered an honest apology and thanks. Truthfully, it was a relief to hear she understood that this hadn’t been an easy task.

Tamlin turned towards her with an appreciative nod, before slowly meeting her eyes. Truthfully, he did not feel like he had the right words to answer; perhaps, they didn’t need to be the right words. They just needed to exist.

He motioned to the path back to the inn, where the horses were stationed and began walking.

“…thank you.” He said gratefully. “I know that this must have been very hard for you. Everything you’ve gone through, recently, must have been.”

He swallowed. “After so many years, I am used to numbing my pain. Sharing it with others isn’t something natural to me. I have no living relatives. Most people I have let close to me have betrayed me in one way or another.”

Tamlin bit his lip. “You aren’t a bad person. At all. I have not once believed that.”

They reached the outside of the inn and Tamlin chose a bench outside in the privacy of the garden to finish their conversation, handing off the other two ducks to Caedin to distract him. He waited for Briar to join him before continuing. He nervously knit his hands in his lap before looking up at her. The tips of his cheeks were just barely tinged pink. It was clear that he was controlling himself, but his green eyes still searched hers for a brief moment.

“I do not regret kissing you.” He whispered. “But I need time and space — physically, emotionally.”

Tamlin looked away. “The last time I loved someone, my heart was torn into splinters. I am not ready to sacrifice that again. I cannot be sure I ever would.”

This Life is Sweeter Than Fiction (ft. @springcourthighlady)

Daylight folded through the narrow window in the room of the inn and warmed Tamlin’s face, urging him to wake. He wasn’t a morning person. Given his proclivity to stay up late into the night, waking up was not exactly his favorite thing. He was used to waking up to a cold bed and sore body, pained from a night of thrashing through his nightmares alone. Instead, this morning, he woke to the gentle breath of a female on his neck.

Still sleepy, his dreams had a hold on him, and he remembered the early days before the mountain — before all hell rained upon his court, before he’d lost his faith in himself, and in love. Yet, he woke further and the body next his own did not line up with memory, only emotion.

The way he’d danced around the lines with Briar last night was not far from Tamlin’s mind as he woke. Mornings? Those, he didn’t like. Morning affection? Oh, how sweet it was to taste.

Still, the High Lord pushed a reminder of his boundaries into his view, forcing away the rose tinted glasses.

Sleeping together was different than sleeping together.

He carefully climbed from the bed and pulled the blankets back up to Briar’s shoulder. A shower would do him some good, but they did not need more temptation. Still, she tended to panic when he disappeared. Tamlin pursed his lips and entered the bathing room, locking it twice, magically and manually.

The cold water dripped down from the pipes and once again settled him back into a stern sense of reality. They had a purpose here. This wasn’t a vacation…nor a honeymoon. It was a rescue. At least one of them needed to keep their head on straight.

He pulled his clothes on and wrapped a towel around his long hair, leaving the bathroom with a toothbrush. Sure — he could use magic to power through these tasks; but apparently he needed to get better at being human. That meant brushing his teeth with a small, infernal, tickly device.

By the time he turned around the privacy screen and into the room, Briar was awake.

Well. She said she wanted him to practice being human.

He furrowed his brows, with a teasing smile. “Hush. High Lords have dental hygiene too.”

[springcourthighlady]

Her expression softens, concern lighting her blue eyes before she blinks and looks down at the toddler.

"Ahh..yes. Maybe not the best idea. But I thought maybe we both deserved a small treat. It won't happen often, but it's something different. Huh, buddy?"

Briar ruffles Caedin's curls gently, and he giggles, nodding and grinning with ice cream around his mouth. He reaches for the duck with messy hands. She throws away the remainder of her cone before squats down, washing up his mouth and hands. "Clean up first," she smiles. "You wouldn't want to get ducky all sticky and yucky. Can you say thank you to Tamlin for the toy?"

Caedin's cheeks go pink and shy, and he shuffles closer to her. "Thank oo," he says softly, pale green eyes peering up at Tamlin's matching ones.

Briar kisses his head. "Good boy." She stands once more and allows him to take the duck from Tamlin, watching the exchange silently before speaking quietly.

"Thanks. For the signatures. And signing." Her throat bobs. "It...means a lot. And for what it's worth, I'm sorry. For...y’know. Missteps."

Her eyes lock with his shyly for a moment as she takes the bouquet and sniffs it, a sad smile appearing on her lips, before she flicks her gaze away guiltily. "Thay are beautiful. Thank you."

She bites her lip before continuing. "Look...I-I know it's not an excuse, but I'm..." she takes a deep breath. "I'm still learning how to be...who to be...what I am. I apologize if I made you feel awful. That wasn't ever my intent. Again..."

She straightens her spine and runs a hand through her hair. "If you want me to go and travel separately, I completely understand, and I will. I can take care of him myself. I will be taking care of him myself when we get back anyway. And I'm not helpless or defenseless. Just say the word, and it's done."

Looking at him once more, she waits patiently for the answer, fully prepared to leave with the boy.

This Life is Sweeter Than Fiction (ft. @springcourthighlady)

Daylight folded through the narrow window in the room of the inn and warmed Tamlin’s face, urging him to wake. He wasn’t a morning person. Given his proclivity to stay up late into the night, waking up was not exactly his favorite thing. He was used to waking up to a cold bed and sore body, pained from a night of thrashing through his nightmares alone. Instead, this morning, he woke to the gentle breath of a female on his neck.

Still sleepy, his dreams had a hold on him, and he remembered the early days before the mountain — before all hell rained upon his court, before he’d lost his faith in himself, and in love. Yet, he woke further and the body next his own did not line up with memory, only emotion.

The way he’d danced around the lines with Briar last night was not far from Tamlin’s mind as he woke. Mornings? Those, he didn’t like. Morning affection? Oh, how sweet it was to taste.

Still, the High Lord pushed a reminder of his boundaries into his view, forcing away the rose tinted glasses.

Sleeping together was different than sleeping together.

He carefully climbed from the bed and pulled the blankets back up to Briar’s shoulder. A shower would do him some good, but they did not need more temptation. Still, she tended to panic when he disappeared. Tamlin pursed his lips and entered the bathing room, locking it twice, magically and manually.

The cold water dripped down from the pipes and once again settled him back into a stern sense of reality. They had a purpose here. This wasn’t a vacation…nor a honeymoon. It was a rescue. At least one of them needed to keep their head on straight.

He pulled his clothes on and wrapped a towel around his long hair, leaving the bathroom with a toothbrush. Sure — he could use magic to power through these tasks; but apparently he needed to get better at being human. That meant brushing his teeth with a small, infernal, tickly device.

By the time he turned around the privacy screen and into the room, Briar was awake.

Well. She said she wanted him to practice being human.

He furrowed his brows, with a teasing smile. “Hush. High Lords have dental hygiene too.”

[thehighlordofspring]

Don’t touch me.

Don’t touch me.

Don’t touch me.

Tamlin chanted in his head and flinched when she did. The muscles in his shoulders went taunt. How many times do I have to say no?

How many times do I have to walk away? Ask for space? Get my own room. Take a walk. Lock the door.

He’d tried so many things, so many times and each time it backfired. He wasn’t good with words and saying them politely had not been enough. By the cauldron, yelling for her to get back when his magic was about to erupt wasn’t. Does she have a death wish? Am I speaking a foreign language?

Only a week ago, he’d felt like a different man, secluded, but confident in his space. Now, as it was invaded continually, his nerves were shot and his adrenaline spent.

There is no more of me left to give. Tamlin buried his head between his knees, holding back a scream. Slowly, he felt her hands retreat. With that, there was silence. Only the soft crunch of her feet on the snow signified her backing away.

…is she leaving?

Tamlin pressed his anxiety into useful energy and shifted back towards his natural form, although his hands remained clawed and his antlers stood tall on his head. He rubbed his eyes with his palm. They were hot with tears and blurry from exhaustion. He hadn’t slept much lately.

Just barely, as she went down the path, he managed to catch her eyes and mouth the words, “Thank you.”

He took both duck plushies and waved their little wings, hugging them to his chest and settling into the nature around him. Maybe, she could understand someday.

—

He took his time regulating his mind, body, and emotions, before standing up, and splashing water from a nearby creek on his red face. That was at least the third panic attack that Briar had seen him experience in the last week.

If things had gone right, they wouldn’t have happened in the first place. He felt obscenely human right now.

Tamlin sighed heavily and began mentally sorting through his priorities as he walked back down the path towards the village. There was something he needed back.

Feyre’s bow.

He’d given to Briar with such unease. It might be a relic. A symbol of times past. No different than his mother’s ring. Yet, he was attached to it. It was not only special to him, but an indication that Briar trusted him to protect her.

He shoved his hands into his pockets and took a deep breath. She was there, waiting at the center of the town square, eating an ice cream cone with Caiden. He stopped along the path and gathered a bouquet of wildflowers, conjuring a ribbon around them, and a third duck for the kid.

“Good morning.” Tamlin said quietly, presenting his gifts. “I see we’ve made the bold choice of having sugar before breakfast?”

This Life is Sweeter Than Fiction (ft. @springcourthighlady)

Daylight folded through the narrow window in the room of the inn and warmed Tamlin’s face, urging him to wake. He wasn’t a morning person. Given his proclivity to stay up late into the night, waking up was not exactly his favorite thing. He was used to waking up to a cold bed and sore body, pained from a night of thrashing through his nightmares alone. Instead, this morning, he woke to the gentle breath of a female on his neck.

Still sleepy, his dreams had a hold on him, and he remembered the early days before the mountain — before all hell rained upon his court, before he’d lost his faith in himself, and in love. Yet, he woke further and the body next his own did not line up with memory, only emotion.

The way he’d danced around the lines with Briar last night was not far from Tamlin’s mind as he woke. Mornings? Those, he didn’t like. Morning affection? Oh, how sweet it was to taste.

Still, the High Lord pushed a reminder of his boundaries into his view, forcing away the rose tinted glasses.

Sleeping together was different than sleeping together.

He carefully climbed from the bed and pulled the blankets back up to Briar’s shoulder. A shower would do him some good, but they did not need more temptation. Still, she tended to panic when he disappeared. Tamlin pursed his lips and entered the bathing room, locking it twice, magically and manually.

The cold water dripped down from the pipes and once again settled him back into a stern sense of reality. They had a purpose here. This wasn’t a vacation…nor a honeymoon. It was a rescue. At least one of them needed to keep their head on straight.

He pulled his clothes on and wrapped a towel around his long hair, leaving the bathroom with a toothbrush. Sure — he could use magic to power through these tasks; but apparently he needed to get better at being human. That meant brushing his teeth with a small, infernal, tickly device.

By the time he turned around the privacy screen and into the room, Briar was awake.

Well. She said she wanted him to practice being human.

He furrowed his brows, with a teasing smile. “Hush. High Lords have dental hygiene too.”

[springcourthighlady]

"Oh.." Briar says softly, scooping up the crying child and cuddling him close. "Shhh shh Caedin, we're right here. He's right here, lovey. Heyy," she coos, gently peppering him in kisses to calm him.

"We've got you," she whispers soothingly, beginning to sing to him softly, quietly, as she pets his hair. Her cheeks pinken with embarrassment as she does so, but she is extremely good at it.

She looks at Tamlin shyly as she calms the babe, her eyes still soft and understanding as he blinks in panic. She reaches over and squeezes his forearm, continuing to sing but sending him a look that seems to say, "It will be okay. Children cry on occasion. He hasn't been held in a long time, likely."

If You Were Me | Tamlin & Briar

@thehighlordofspring

Briar wakes slowly, feeling the slight plush of the bed beneath her, and her mind catches up with her surroundings.

The Inn. The mortal lands....he moved me back into the bed again. Dammit.

Eyes fluttering open, she looks around the room for the stubborn male, ready to give him a piece of her mind about how she didn't need the bed just because she's some fragile female.

When she realizes the room is empty, she sighs, sitting up slowly and rubbing her face.

I wonder if he dislikes my company that much or if he left for something important. He better not be getting into any trouble here...that's all we need.

Worry gnaws at her, taking over her slight irritation as she slips from the bed. She grabs a clean dress from her bag and moves into the adjoining bathroom, glad to have a proper shower again after days in the forest. She would have done so last night, but she was exhausted.

Stripping down, she steps into the enveloping warmth and lets the water run over her sore muscles as she tips her head back, letting out a soft contented noise.

[thehighlordofspring]

This is pretend. This is pretend. This isn’t real.

Tamlin recited to himself as he lifted the little boy into his arms and returned to standing. The little one found sanctuary there. Something about Tamlin’s magic bled through the disguise and surrounded Caedin with the warm glow of love and respect that he once held for his father.

I’m gonna take care of him, Andras. I promise.

Caedin’s face had gone completely still — a mixture of total relaxation and utter confusion. He didn’t try to move, until Tamlin bent back down to let him go about five minutes later. The confusion rose above the momentary peace and he clung to the High Lord’s collar, beginning to cry. “Dadadada…dadada no.”

If You Were Me | Tamlin & Briar

@thehighlordofspring

Briar wakes slowly, feeling the slight plush of the bed beneath her, and her mind catches up with her surroundings.

The Inn. The mortal lands....he moved me back into the bed again. Dammit.

Eyes fluttering open, she looks around the room for the stubborn male, ready to give him a piece of her mind about how she didn't need the bed just because she's some fragile female.

When she realizes the room is empty, she sighs, sitting up slowly and rubbing her face.

I wonder if he dislikes my company that much or if he left for something important. He better not be getting into any trouble here...that's all we need.

Worry gnaws at her, taking over her slight irritation as she slips from the bed. She grabs a clean dress from her bag and moves into the adjoining bathroom, glad to have a proper shower again after days in the forest. She would have done so last night, but she was exhausted.

Stripping down, she steps into the enveloping warmth and lets the water run over her sore muscles as she tips her head back, letting out a soft contented noise.

[springcourthighlady]

Briar strokes his hair. "I think he may love a hug, but sometimes.." she leans closer, but he can still hear her, "sometimes it's harder for grown-ups to ask."

She smiles at the little boy, who giggles and raises his arms to Tamlin to be held.

Her lip twitch and her eyes sparkle as she beholds Tamlin, motioning her head toward Caedin.

It takes everything in her not to pull him close and cuddle with him more, her heart aching at all the years that were lost, all the time he was all alone here without Lilly.

A lump forms in her throat, and she takes a deep breath through her nose, letting it out as she watches them, love in her eyes. Her gut lurches when it hits her again that it's all a ruse, sadness aching her heart and flowing down the bond that neither have yet to discover.

If You Were Me | Tamlin & Briar

@thehighlordofspring

Briar wakes slowly, feeling the slight plush of the bed beneath her, and her mind catches up with her surroundings.

The Inn. The mortal lands....he moved me back into the bed again. Dammit.

Eyes fluttering open, she looks around the room for the stubborn male, ready to give him a piece of her mind about how she didn't need the bed just because she's some fragile female.

When she realizes the room is empty, she sighs, sitting up slowly and rubbing her face.

I wonder if he dislikes my company that much or if he left for something important. He better not be getting into any trouble here...that's all we need.

Worry gnaws at her, taking over her slight irritation as she slips from the bed. She grabs a clean dress from her bag and moves into the adjoining bathroom, glad to have a proper shower again after days in the forest. She would have done so last night, but she was exhausted.

Stripping down, she steps into the enveloping warmth and lets the water run over her sore muscles as she tips her head back, letting out a soft contented noise.