Chapter 1: hot autumn babe at springcourt dot gov
Subject: Bargain Arrangement
I am contacting you to remind the Spring Court of the Magical Bargain between His Grace, Lord Rhysand Nightingale, High Lord of the Night Court, and Miss Feyre Archeron, the Cursebreaker.
“In exchange for the healing of an open fracture of Feyre Archeron’s right arm, she shall spend one week per month in the Night Court for the rest of her life starting at any moment of Lord Rhysand’s choosing.”
As per Chapter 4, Section 5 of Prythian Magical Bargains, “Dissolution”, a bargain of such nature can, per magical law, only be dismissed if the terms of conditions have been fulfilled wholly, the two agreeing parties both wish to dissolve the bargain, and the magic agrees. Considering the indefinite nature of the bargain between Lord Rhysand and Miss Feyre and the fickleness of ancient magic, the chance of dissolution is small and, likely, dangerous to both Lord Rhysand’s and Miss Feyre’s wellbeing.
It is therefore of the utmost importance His Grace, Lord Tamlin de Blume, High Lord of the Spring Court shall not attempt to break the bargain.
I hope to have informed you enough. Should you have any pressing questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.
May the Cauldron bless you,
Overseer Court of Nightmares
Subject: RE: Bargain Arrangement
This is an automatic response.
I am not in office until 21-01-501 After Hybern and will not answer until then.
May the Cauldron bless you,
Emissary of the Spring Court.
Subject: Bargain Arrangement
Thank you kindly for your automated e-mail system. It is most helpful.
I am contacting you to remind the entirety of the Spring Court of the Magical Bargain between His Grace, Lord Rhysand Nightingale, High Lord of the Night Court, and Miss Feyre Archeron, the Cursebreaker.
As Lord Rhysand shall decide when Miss Feyre will start to attend one week per month in the Night Court, I am sorry to say I cannot give you an exact date as to when this will be. Ensure Miss Feyre has her bags packed in preparation.
It is against the law – and, likely, incredibly detrimental to the safety and well-being of the two participants – to attempt to break this bargain. Please remind your High Lord to refrain from doing so. Should you have any more questions, please refer to my previous e-mail or contact me in a timely manner.
I hope to have informed you enough.
May the Cauldron bless you,
Overseer Court of Nightmares
Subject: RE: Bargain Arrangement
I implore you to give me a specific date – or, at least, an approximation – of when Lord Rhysand shall take Miss Feyre with him to spend the week. As you may know, the Spring Court is in the middle of wedding preparations; I do not wish for Lord Tamlin and Miss Feyre to be unable to be wed or celebrate their honeymoon, should Lord Rhysand drop by.
I will try my hardest to prevent Lord Tamlin from doing anything rash.
May the Cauldron bless you,
Emissary of the Spring Court
Subject: RE: RE: Bargain Arrangement
Do not ask questions you already know the answers to. Inform Miss Feyre in a timely manner that Lord Rhysand may take her with him at any moment.
Furthermore, for the love of the Mother, you and I both know ‘rash’ is a very gentle way of putting Lord Tamlin’s behaviour when he is desperate. Try harder. Get sentries involved, or ask Miss Feyre to help you.
Finally, I do not control the speed at which High Lords call in bargains.
Subject: RE: RE: RE: Bargain Arrangement
My future Lady is already anxious about her impending marriage: I do not wish to add to her distress by informing her that I do not know when Lord Rhysand will take her with him, but that he will regardless. In addition, I am certain she is already aware of the predicament.
If possible, please ensure Lord Rhysand gives you an approximate date and share it with me.
I do not control the way High Lords make terrible decisions (and neither do you, judging by this bargain).
Subject: FWD: RE: RE: RE: Bargain Arrangement
Subject: RE: RE: RE: Bargain Arrangement
My future Lady is already anxious about her impending marriage: I do not wish to add to her distress by informing her that I do not know when Lord Rhysand will take her with him, but that he will regardless. In addition, I am certain she is already aware of the predicament.
If possible, please ensure Lord Rhysand gives you an approximate date and share it with me.
In addition, I do not control the way High Lords make terrible decisions (and neither do you, judging by this bargain).
I’ve heard through the grapevine you wish for me to give you a specific date as to when I will steal Feyre darling away from you sorry lot. I am terribly ashamed to say I do not know for sure — there’s lots of Night Court business to catch up to and it is a busy, busy time. Obviously you relate.
Oh wait, you were allowed to stay in Spring. Silly me.
I need you to know that Tamtam cannot, under any circumstance, attempt to break the bargain Feyre and I made. On the off chance he is even a little bit succesful, we will both likely die or (at the very least) be weakened significantly. And though I am sure my death will not bother you at all, Feyre’s might. Prevent him from doing anything stupid, please. It may be hard but it can be done.
May the Cauldron bless you,
High Lord of the Night Court
I understand the fullness of your schedule. Still, I implore you to scour it for any gaps and inform me of them—just so I can tell Feyre when you will pick her up, at least.
The wedding is the fifteenth, and their honeymoon will last two weeks. Perhaps early February?
I know Lord Tamlin can be reeled in by others, but I have not yet managed to do so properly myself. Would you be so kind to send me some advice, my Lord?
May the Cauldron bless you,
I know when the wedding is. Everybody and their mum in Prythian does. I promise my imminent arrival — whenever that may be — won’t be too inconvenient. I promise I won’t snatch her away if she truly does not wish to leave.
Regardless, I have not found any gaps in my schedule; I do wish to at least entertain Feyre a little bit in my wretched Court, and without free time, that would be quite hard.
Taming Tamlin is always possible, but, as you may know, quite difficult. Overpowering him is what I always did, though I doubt you will be able to. Here is my advice, little fox.
Do not try to outsmart him in an obvious manner: it may be laughably easy and will stun him temporarily, but it will make him unbelievably angry. The claws will come out! You may have some experience with that.
Playing with his guilt is, I believe, your best bet. Such a tortured soul your High Lord is, is he not? Break out the ancient tomes and tell him to read what broken bargain magic does. What good is a bride of Spring rotting?
Good luck. I’m sure I’ll see you soon.
Subject: RE: RE: RE: Bargain
I have attempted to heed your advice. I’m afraid Tamlin is very stubborn.
If you tell me when you will take Feyre with you, I promise I shall keep it to myself. I might be able to hold him back if I know.
Please. This is a matter of Feyre’s well-being. We both know that.
Tamlin will not listen to me. You know how he is. Please, just tell me—or, at least, give me more advice on how to prevent Tamlin from doing anything too stupid.
This is not funny. Their wedding date is quite close and I don’t know what Tamlin is planning to do, but it is obvious he is becoming increasingly uneasy and desperate. You possibly know him better than I do—I know your history.
Fine. You won’t help me. I know that.
Swear to protect Feyre with your life, then. Please. I am sure he has sought the help of the High Priestess and I do not think I can prevent anything any longer.
Do you truly think I wish to harm Feyre? That’s laughable.
The High Priestess — Ianthe, is it not? — will be useless. She may talk a big game, but she especially will be unable to harm bargain magic. It will backfire on her.
Tamlin has always easily been persuaded by flattery. Watch out.
I know Tamlin is easily swayed by flattery. I KNOW. Ianthe is his childhood friend and she seems to know exactly which buttons to press and which part of his chest to touch. I’m always a bit too late. Any progress I made will be ruined whenever they share a look.
And how much shall you beg, then? Do you wish to strike a bargain with me, much like Feyre darling did? Will you too perhaps strike a bargain with me? Tamlin won’t be very happy with you if you do.
I will take Feyre with me if she wishes to leave the Spring Court, if only for a brief time. I’ll always answer her call. Who knows when that will be? A little bird told me she has been quite apprehensive about her upcoming union, but who knows. Perhaps just jitters.
You’re planning on crashing the wedding, aren’t you?
If you will, I will kill you. I won’t hesitate. I don’t care if all your little cronies descend upon me; if I die, I’ll die with honour, by protecting my future Lady from your sadistic hands.
Subject: Don’t you dare 2: electric boogaloo
There are twenty sentries. Tamlin is vibrating out of his skin with pent-up energy. There are three hundred guests.
You will not take Feyre away. She will not ask you to do so, because she does not want to go with you. She’ll tell me.
Your week starts as of today, on the 15th of January, in the year 501 After Hybern. Miss Feyre Archeron is to be returned to the Spring Court on the 22nd of January, 501, before half past five in the evening.
Thank you in advance for your cooperation.
May the Cauldron bless you.
Emissary of the Spring Court
If she fucking asks, I will come. If she is scared, I will come. I don’t care if mr tanline has a fucking aneurysm when I do it; it seems he currently is too wrapped up in his own grief to think straight, and he does not have her best wishes at heart.
I will always come for her.
Hope you die horrifically,
Make sure she eats, will you?
May the Cauldron give you chronic warts,
