Tamlin Stood In Stunned Silence As Briar Proceeded To Take Apart His Statements, Stubborn, But Not Selfish.

Tamlin stood in stunned silence as Briar proceeded to take apart his statements, stubborn, but not selfish. She truly cared. He wasn’t going to scare her away. Something told him that she wasn’t going to be easy to escape. The kind of fire in her eyes when describing his worth was not something he’d seen more than a handful of times. He watched as she rung the bell for Lilia, almost as if it was her place to do; as if she belonged.

He watched her walk away and felt the cold haze of disappointment creep over him. What was he doing? What was he thinking? As passionate as she was — there was no way she was right. He didn’t believe that. He didn’t believe in himself, but she did.

Tamlin winnowed to his chambers, not looking back. Once there, he face planted on the bed, groaning. I am an idiot. What have I gotten myself into?

The soft scent of blueberries and vanilla greeted his nose as he lay against the pillows, still rumpled from the night before. His shoulders relaxed, instinctively; but the panicked urge to fight away rest remained. Tamlin pulled the pillow out from under his head and threw it to the opposite side of the room. It collided with a display of armor and sent it crashing into the ground.

The bed was cold. Lonely. A familiar ache surrounded him as he closed his eyes. This was where he belonged — away, apart, alone. Here, he couldn’t hurt anyone and no one could hurt him. His exhaustion won over his hunger and Tamlin curled up on the bed in the shade of the sun and closed his eyes.

She doesn’t know me. She can’t. I don’t want to be known. Alone…I want to be alone.

Why did it ache so much to lie?

From A Distance | Tamlin & Briar @springcourthighlady

The following two days were sleepless for Tamlin. He spent his mornings buried in his duties and meeting his people to hear them out and provide solutions to their problems. His exhaustion almost revealed itself when he almost laughed aloud over two neighbors arguing over a pair of chickens who’d recently mated. Who owned the resulting chicks? 

Mother bless him, if only his own problems were so simple as a pair of chickens in love. Tamlin stumbled back to his desk after court and downed his third headache potion within the last twelve hours. Four was the limit. Four would force any fae, no matter how strong, into sleep. 

The blonde rubbed his eyes and reached for a cup of coffee, pouring it from the pot with shaky hands. For being so good at taking care of others, he was quite awful at taking care of himself. The third meeting with Briar was in three hours. He still had notes from the border patrol to review and respond to. 

His vision was hazy as he tried to make sense of the swirly penmanship. He couldn’t. Tamlin’s eyes slowly closed and lay his head down on his desk. If I just close my eyes for a moment, just a single moment…

Tamlin closed his eyes as sleep took over the caffeine high. Despite his exhaustion, a desk was certainly not a bed. A soft knock on the door stirred him from his doze, but he was too tired to focus. 

A soft thought pushed through his mind. Meeting. Briar. Wake up. 

Tamlin grumbled, keeping his face buried in his arms. “Come in…”

I'm liquid smooth, come touch me too And feel my skin is plump and full of life I'm in my prime I'm liquid smooth, come touch me too I'm at my highest peak, I'm ripe

Liquid Smooth by Mitski

Dark Spring Court.

Tamlin mounted, listening, as she spoke. He understood how much Caedin meant to her. As he'd said before, if Nyx was taken...he would have moved heaven and earth to bring him home. It didn't matter that they were not his sons. Not every son was gifted with a father. His had certainly not been a gift, but rather a burden. Perhaps, by stepping up for these little lost boys it healed a part of him which had been forced to grow up much too quickly. "Great things come in small packages. Every child deserves a home. It's up to the people around them to make that happen."

"It's alright." He nodded. "I am too quiet, so I suppose you can talk for the both of us, huh?"

He urged his own horse forwards and hers followed behind. He'd already given the mare instructions to make things easier for Briar. All she had to do was stay focused. "I don't call you Lady Briar out of concern for rank. It's a gesture. It shows my respect." The quiet between them as the rode through the first several miles of the woods was less uncomfortable now. It just existed, how he liked. However, he knew that he at least needed to try to answer her questions. Lucien may have been the one who handled the courtly small talk in the past, but he wasn't hopeless. He'd been taught etiquette and manners. "It takes me time, Lady Briar, to get to know someone. I appreciate my title for what it is and not what it gives me. I have dedicated my entire life to helping the people of this court. Being the High Lord is...a small symbol of that sacrifice."

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.

i want. a cicada on one arm and a crayfish on the other

Tamlin tilted his head, raising his eyebrows. He’d never moved people like chess pieces outside of a battle before. It tended to undermine their consent. Most didn’t enjoy being forcibly picked up by magic and pushed around.

Was that a joke? He wasn’t sure. He blinked twice. “Well — I was planning on teaching you how to mount yourself. I may not always be around to give you a magical boost into your steed, Lady.”

Confusion flickered in his eyes, momentarily; but didn’t win out. He knelt on one knee and motioned for her to place her foot there. “Step up. Don’t worry. You won’t hurt me.”

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.

Tamlin watched Briar try to gather herself with a neutral, but not unkind expression settled onto his face. He was well known for his calm stoicism. Hopefully, she didn’t expect him to smile that often, or — by the cauldron — cry. Despite the commotion, it tugged at his heartstrings. He remembered the desperation that he’d felt when Rhysand had winnowed Feyre away on their wedding day. His entire world had split in two and so had his heart. 

He flinched as a sharp pain in his chest reminded him that some wounds took lifetimes to heal. The physicians still monitored his heart and bid him to be wary of overexertion, particularly the emotional kind. 

Tamlin bit his lip, tapping the pencil on his desk, as she didn’t use it. Could he find a way to allow Briar into the human lands? Generally, it was forbidden. If he made an exception for one…it had to be considered for the rest. She was not the only fae with family stuck outside their borders. 

Those borders were warded, patrolled, and banned from winnowing for a reason. The last several wars had taken a terrible toll on Spring. After finally signing a treaty, the seven realms had agreed to take their time repairing their own lands with limited convoys and trading permitted to pass by their walls. Tamlin did not like living in a box anymore than he liked the idea of keeping his people confined to one. He liked even less the knowledge that there were people outside his gates suffering who needed their aid.

Yet, it had been barely a year. Tensions were high and the torsion which blew through his court was far from fully repaired. 

He knit his fingers together and sighed deeply. “The treaty we signed is still tenuous, Lady Briar. Our position in Prythian’s politics walks a fine line between support and tolerance. An uprise from the humans would cost us more than we can give.”

Tamlin’s eyes were pained as he looked her way, tilting his head, and hoping that she would understand. He held the strings to a bridge that swayed with every breeze. Sending sentries trained in his art of masking was already dangerous. An ill-equipped, traumatized girl with volatile cauldron-born magic? He could forsee the consequences of that choice, easily. 

“I am sorry.” His voice was raw, his apology genuine. “There is simply no way that I can let you cross the border without being flooded with a hundred similar requests for personal justice.” 

Tamlin rubbed his temples as his daily headache returned with a vengeance. “In our current circumstances, that could lead to our collapse.”

He braced himself, preparing for her tears. He may not be able to offer his arms, but Tamlin slowly reached forwards and offered his hand to hold. “Caiden matters. They all matter.”

Her hands were soft, but the worn edges were covered in calluses — a fine demonstration of the hard life of work which he’d suspected. The soft warmth of her fingers around his own made him hesitate. His heart pulsed heavily in his chest. “But the best that I can do is entrust him to my special forces.” 

That’s a lie. Tamlin thought. There is an exception. 

Anyone was allowed to cross the border…provided he was with them. The chest pain returned and he withdrew his hand. He looked away and his expression hardened. “I hope you understand.” 

Stone Walls & Sacrifice | Tamlin & Briar @springcourthighlady

Tamlin was more than ready to leave by the time he finished listening to Briar’s rant. He let her finish — he wasn’t that impolite. His brisk footsteps echoed across the marble flooring and he looked over his shoulder, hoping that he was not followed. 

Yet, he was not that lucky. The prospects of desert with Lucien and Elain were slipping further away by the minute. Tamlin stilled when she called his name, pressing his lips into a thin line. Why won’t she go home? This is life, in Spring, right now. We’re all worried. We’re all frustrated. We all have family in need of aid. No one gets special privileges. Not even me — 

He didn’t even have privacy anymore, or space to think. Though, when he glanced over his shoulder, he was relieved to find some regret in her eyes. 

Only his friends called him by his first name. He wasn’t big on enforcing rank, but found it odd how casually she addressed him. 

He pressed his tongue into the edge of his teeth, forbidding the quick retort which danced on the edge of his lips. I will not lose it. I cannot. They cannot see me as a beast. 

He turned, stuffing his hands deeply into the pockets of his jacket, to hide how they’d tensed into fists. Running from his problems wasn’t effective, but neither was forcing himself into a corner until he lost his temper. 

Tamlin saw her hand reach for him. He wanted to back away. It had been over two years since a woman had touched him, apart from Calanmai. He flinched, but did not move. He wasn’t sure he could. 

She cares for me? I have met this female once. 

Tamlin swallowed, gravely still. “I understand your attachment, Lady Briar. Yet, if you cannot trust me as High Lord of Spring, no plan I create to bring Caiden home will be enough for you.”

He stepped away, lowering his green eyes to the ground. “If you’ll excuse me, it has been a long day.”