"Who was the story about?"

Amara looked up from her untouched cherry tart and sighed, looking over at Feyre again. While telling Amara was telling the story, Feyre had gotten through two of the mini apple pies and her own cherry tart. She hadn't come in here to tell that story. Honestly, Amara wasn't entirely sure why she had decided to tell Feyre the story but she knew that she was glad that he had. There was just something about being able to talk about her mother that made Amara feel a lot better about her current situation.

"It was about my mother. Her story and how she found my father," Amara told her softly.

"I thought your mother had been happy?"

"So did I. Until Tamlin told me that story not long after my parents and my older brothers died. She'd told him her story when he had been little and she would add to it whenever she realised something. He added to it after our mother died though. Said that I deserved to know who our mother was since I was clearly her favourite."

Feyre nodded lightly and ran a hand through her hair. "Why did you tell me the story though?"

Amara hesitated before she answered. "I can't say that I'm entirely sure why I did. I just know that it felt right to. Maybe it was to remind you not to put all of your happiness in to one thing like you have in the past. You put all of your happiness in to being with Tamlin and that didn't exactly work out. I just... I don't want to see you get hurt again, Feyre. None of us do. Rhys wouldn't ask you to go in to the Prison if he didn't think that you could handle it."

Honestly, Amara wasn't entirely sure that Rhys' judgement of Feyre was correct. This girl still had a long way to go before she was ready to just go back in to a mountain, even if it was something that was crucial to them figuring out this war before it even started. There wasn't much that Amara could think of that would get Feyre to go back under a mountain but determination was surely something that would work. Thankfully for them all, Feyre was one of the most determined people that Amara knew. Well, probably after Dolores.

Amara glanced out the window and saw the sunsetting outside. She chewed on the inside of her cheek before she looked over at Feyre again. "Do you want to go out for the night?" She asked her with a raised eyebrow.

"I don't know if that's a good idea."

"Because you don't want to or because you think that Rhys won't approve of me taking you in to town?"

"More like I am a little concerned that whoever we are off to meet won't like me," Feyre admitted quietly as she looked over at Amara with a timid smile.

"Well, Brigette certainly will adore you and while Dolores gets a little bit... judgey that's usually about males so I think you'll be fine," Amara assured her.

"Then yes... I would like to go."

~

It didn't take long for Feyre to get changed in to something she found comfortable and for the two to make their way down to the bakery. Dolores lived in an apartment above it and usually when Amara spent the night, she was woken to the smell of freshly baked goods which was always a delight.

"Okay, so, Dolores is going to tell you that the only rule is that you have to keep up with how much she drinks but if you don't want to then you don't have to. It is far more fun if you don't to be honest," Amara told Feyre as she knocked on Dolores' door and waited for an answer.

"How so?" Feyre asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Dolores rants," Amara explained.

Speaking of, Dolores opened the door, bottle of wine in hand and a grin on her face. She tilted her head slightly when she saw Feyre and looked over at Amara. "Who's this?"

"This is Feyre. She's joining us tonight. Be nice."

"I am nice," Dolores argued with a pout before she led the two of them inside.

Amara shrugged and made her way over to grab a couple of glasses from the cupboard. She ran a hand through her hair and a slight smile made its way on to her wrist as she noticed the piece of shadow twirling around her wrist.

The pair hadn't seen each other since the... incident with Rhys that morning. It wasn't that they were avoiding each other but more that they were busy. He was off on some mission for Rhys and she was off flitting about the town and trying to convince Feyre that everything was okay. She wasn't entirely surprised that he was still checking on. As far as she could tell, he always was. He usually kept the piece of shadow more hidden though, rarely around her wrist when he wasn't by her side. One thing that he had never known though was that she could move the shadow however she pleased between her fingers. They reached out to her rather than shied away.

I'm fine. You don't need to check up on me. She told him down the bond. Amara ran a hand through her hair and poured both herself and Feyre a glass of wine.

I know that but that doesn't mean I'm not going to. Besides, I think that shadow is a little bit attached to you. Azriel responded and she could hear the smile in his thoughts.

"Amara! Stop talking to Azriel and come drink," Dolores whined lightly.

Go. I don't need Dolores ranting at me again. Az said softly.

Again?

He was already gone though so Amara made her way over to the girls and sat on the couch with a sigh. She looked over at Dolores and raised an eyebrow at the expectant look on her face. "What is it?"

"I am expecting details. About you and your mate," Dolores said with a shrug.

"Wait. You have a mate?" Feyre asked with a slight tilt of her head.

"I forgot you didn't know," Amara said softly as she sat up a bit. "It's Azriel."

"But you're so... distant."

"They were distant. Apparently they aren't anymore which is why I demand details," Dolores said with a smile on her face.

"If I tell you what happened will you shut up?" Amara asked her.

"Naturally."

"Fine. This is what happened..."

~~~~~~

Fun Fact: Amara was told her mother's story as if it was a fairy tale which is why she told it to Feyre in the same way.