Courage Is Not The Absence Of Fear, But Rather The Judgment That Something Is More Important Than Fear.

“Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something is more important than fear. The brave may not live forever, but the cautious do not live at all.” — Prince Edward Renaldi

I write you letters that you'll never read Paint you pictures you will never see In all my life I never thought I'd be Living without you

Tamlin let the music lull his badly fractured nerves into the soft hum of active concentration. He set his fiddle away safely and took a seat at his desk. He was no stranger to working late into the night, it was part of carrying his title and the weight of an entire court on his shoulders. He’d not expected to be in meetings past the sun's setting. 

He pursed his lips, watching it descend through the western window, with a wrinkle set deeply into his forehead. Stress was his constant companion and spending time with his found family was one of the only things which relieved it. 

He was missing a dinner with Lucien and Elain to take this meeting, but given the circumstances he knew that they would want him to be here. This concerned children and they had one on the way, soon. The High Lord needed to do everything he could for Spring — not just his own family. Tamlin swallowed his frustration and pushed his bruised heart far, far away.

All she’s trying to do is reunite her family — just like I have. This is the least I can do.

He cracked his knuckles and organized the papers left on his desk, during his walk. Death certificates, as he’d been warned. Too many of them. One was too many and there were five. 

Tamlin glanced over the first two. Tension settled in his jaw. He reached for his glasses to try to clear the headache which had been building for hours. They belonged to two adolescent boys who’d been caught by a wildly roaming Naga after a well-established curfew. 

He’d broken curfew many times as a young boy and it never got him killed. There was still so much wrong with Spring. Thing which even he, a High Lord, could not mend. Even if he spent all his hours patrolling the borders, evil would still find a way to sneak through. He carefully signed his name and moved on, making a mental note to speak to the family himself. 

The third was a sentry. Tamlin’s brows knit, he scrawled his name and carefully pinned a note on sending his regards to the family. 

The fourth belonged to a mother, who died in labor, and her infant who had not survived brought in the fifth. Tamlin ripped off his glasses and shoved them aside, feeling his emotions rise above their careful containment. A sentry was one thing, and a young fae another; but a mother? Her infant? 

What am I doing? I can’t even keep people from dying long enough for new lives to start. I am failing these people. Spring isn’t safe — 

A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts. “Come in,” Tamlin said gruffly. 

The small brunette, Briar, peeked into the room. She looked better now. She wasn’t covered in mud and her hair was…clean, at least and she wasn’t shivering. Anything else mattered very little. Clean and warm were what he could ensure, not safety. 

“Lady Briar,” He uncovered his eyes, forcing his voice to be alert, and hoped that he did not look as exhausted as he felt. “Feeling any better? Warmer, I hope.” 

Tamlin did not meet her eyes until he finished signing the death certificate of the baby fae. Then, he sat back in his chair and offered her a simple nod. She’d asked for the meeting and had his full attention. “I have heard your plea. Tell me about yourself.” 

the secret side of me @springcourthighlady

It had been a long day — too long. Tamlin was tired and his head ached after spending so long reading contracts and documents with his courtiers and emissaries. He tried not to wear his glasses in court, but now in the soft light of the setting sun, he was happy to have them to assist as he opened his book to the marked page and began to read. 

The rose garden was his place of solace and comfort. Whenever his spirit was worn, he came here to rest. Very few knew of the small path off the manicured way that led to a small grove of trees and wild roses. He’d swung a hammock between two of them and rested between the branches, letting the wind sway him back and forth. 

In the middle of the chapter, an innocent giggle sprang to life from the pages of the old fairytale that he was reading. Tamlin rubbed his head. Am I that tired?

He yawned and tried to focus again on the swirling letters, but the laughter again distracted him. 

He knew that sound. His ears quirked up and his green eyes brightened.

Nyx! 

His excitement was followed by an equally intense rush of anxiety

Feyre. 

Tamlin peered over the hedges. A flash of black curls revealed the toddler running from his guardian.

He did it! His heart swelled with pride. By the cauldron — I hope she’s not too mad at me.

Nyx stopped, spotting him through the branches. “Tamtam!” 

The toddler rushed through the secret entrance and tackled his legs, knocking him to the ground. Tamlin yelped, suddenly upside down, but happily surrounded by hugs from his favorite tiny fae. 

He lifted Nyx up into the air, making dragon sounds, until he saw a lovely young woman peeking around the edge of the brambles. His face turned red, hot, and he stood up quickly. His posture stiffened, though the color didn’t fade from his cheeks, or ears. 

“Lady…” It took him a moment to place her. He did try to keep track of everyone who lived in Spring, but the increasing amount of names was making that difficult. “Rose? Was it? Lady Rose?” 

Tamlin tugged in his ear as he stayed red, wishing that the blush would fade back into his normal tone. It wasn’t appropriate for High Lords to be caught blushing at their patrons, nor lying on their backs playing with children. He stared down at Nyx for a full minute before crouching down and tucking his curls behind his ear.

“Go back home, okay?” He sighed. “I’ll see you soon.” 

Nyx stuck out his lower lip and looked up at Tamlin with big, sad eyes. 

Damn it. There were two pairs of irresistible eyes, one on either side of him. Tamlin hid his face in his palm for a brief moment. “Nyx, go home to your Mama, buddy. And no pit stops, okay? Straight home.” 

The toddler pursed his lips and shook his head. Tamlin sighed and picked the kid up, giving Briar an earnest, yet kind nod. “One second. I will be right back.” 

It truly was only a second. Tamlin flickered in and out of the garden and when he was back, fhe little one was gone. Something else had left him though, the soft warmth he had around the child had disappeared. A formal mask of polite civility had appeared on his face. 

“Briar,” He said pointedly, making sure to use her name, and gesturing to the path back towards the public garden. He placed his hands behind his back and let her walk ahead of him. While he was tempted to ask her to wait for court tomorrow, he knew that the lines to speak to him started long before dawn. There were only so many whom he could talk to before his work with the military began. “You said you have a case to plead before me.”

His tone, his posture, and his smile were all practiced manners, but so polite. So very polite. Nothing like the gentle warmth that he’d exuded only a moment ago. “I don’t normally require pleading, but but I do appreciate sound logic behind the request for resources. Our home is still recovering. Our ventures must be…thoughtful,” 

He spoke slowly, looking up with consideration. “Prepared.”

Tamlin rose a brow as her courage seemed to falter. “But, please, don’t be afraid. Even if I cannot grant your wish right away, I will do my best to consider it. Matters of the heart count, even when they…”

He looked towards the distance, where he’d winnowed out. “can never come to pass.” 

the secret side of me @springcourthighlady

It had been a long day — too long. Tamlin was tired and his head ached after spending so long reading contracts and documents with his courtiers and emissaries. He tried not to wear his glasses in court, but now in the soft light of the setting sun, he was happy to have them to assist as he opened his book to the marked page and began to read. 

The rose garden was his place of solace and comfort. Whenever his spirit was worn, he came here to rest. Very few knew of the small path off the manicured way that led to a small grove of trees and wild roses. He’d swung a hammock between two of them and rested between the branches, letting the wind sway him back and forth. 

In the middle of the chapter, an innocent giggle sprang to life from the pages of the old fairytale that he was reading. Tamlin rubbed his head. Am I that tired?

He yawned and tried to focus again on the swirling letters, but the laughter again distracted him. 

He knew that sound. His ears quirked up and his green eyes brightened.

Nyx! 

His excitement was followed by an equally intense rush of anxiety

Feyre. 

Tamlin peered over the hedges. A flash of black curls revealed the toddler running from his guardian.

He did it! His heart swelled with pride. By the cauldron — I hope she’s not too mad at me.

Nyx stopped, spotting him through the branches. “Tamtam!” 

The toddler rushed through the secret entrance and tackled his legs, knocking him to the ground. Tamlin yelped, suddenly upside down, but happily surrounded by hugs from his favorite tiny fae. 

He lifted Nyx up into the air, making dragon sounds, until he saw a lovely young woman peeking around the edge of the brambles. His face turned red, hot, and he stood up quickly. His posture stiffened, though the color didn’t fade from his cheeks, or ears. 

“Lady…” It took him a moment to place her. He did try to keep track of everyone who lived in Spring, but the increasing amount of names was making that difficult. “Rose? Was it? Lady Rose?” 

forbidden love prompts

“we can’t keep meeting like this, someone will find out.”

“every moment we spend together is a risk, but I can’t stay away.”

“if anyone sees us, it will be the end for both of us.”

“i know it’s dangerous, but I can’t help how I feel about you.”

“just one kiss, then we have to go back to pretending.”

“no one can know about this, promise me.”

“i shouldn’t be here, but I couldn’t stay away.”

“what if someone sees us? what then?”

“every time I see you, I have to remind myself that it’s forbidden.”

“we’re playing with fire, and we both know it.”

“i wish things were different, but they’re not.”

“this is the last time, we can’t keep doing this.”

“if they find out, we’ll both be in so much trouble.”

“i’ve tried to forget about you, but it’s impossible.”

“they warned me about you, but I didn’t listen.”

“Tell me every terrible thing you’ve ever done and let me love you anyway.” — Unknown