Isabella

"You know he's already planning a house for you."

Isabella huffed, her breath clouding before her in the evening air. "Cassian or Azriel?"

"Why not both?" Rhys countered, tugging off his jacket to wrap her up. She accepted gratefully, sinking into the warmth it offered. She tried not to inhale too deeply, but there was something so alluring about the scent clinging to Rhys jacket. "I think Cas may have been planning it the longest though."

"Hmmm." She answered noncommittally and Rhys sighed, clearly exasperated by her question dodging.

"Come on now Isabella Darling." He tutted, turning to face her. "I confessed all my confused feelings about your dear sister. It's only fair I get the details on my brother."

"Well, in that case then your lack of romantic feelings for my sister only confirms that there's nothing to say." She grumbled but even she could hear the lie in her voice.

"Nothing to say? Except after 5 years you've suddenly seen the light and understand what a healthy romantic relationship should look like?"

"Rhys-"

"Or I don't know... this whole dinner that suspiciously mimicked a human courting introduction between families?"

"Oh what do you want me to say?" She hissed at him and tried not to bristle at the triumph flaring in his violet eyes. "I am married, I have a son, not to mention that I am human-"

"But your son is half fae."

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"Well for starters you can't play the 'he's fae and I'm human' card." He gripes, "And don't try to argue that the wings make it more 'real' or 'obvious' when we both know that's just a bonus turn on for you."

Her face bloomed a furious red and she felt herself reel back. Embarrassment and shame were quickly curling in her stomach. Isabella cleared her throat, arms banding protectively around her stomach as she took a slight shuffled step away from Rhys.

The male before her sighed, clearly apologetic but she found herself hesitant to look at him.

"Sorry. I forgot that humans don't really discuss these things." he waves ambiguous into the air and Isabella found herself mutely nodding. "Fae are much more open about relationships. There's no real limitations on gender, age or partners."

She felt her face scrunch up in confusion. "What are you talking about?"

Rhys blinked at her owlishly. For a moment a blush bloomed on the sharp line of his cheek bones. That is until a cackling burst from his lips. The High Lord doubled over, clearly speechless from his own hilarity.

Isabella found herself stepping back in surprise. It was strange seeing him so open and at ease even if he was clearly laughing at her expense. She stepped forward, cautiously placing a hand on Rhys' shoulder. He managed to clamp down his laughter but his body was still shaking with the force of it.

Slowly he straightened back and the brightens in his expression had her own humiliation faltering.

"Sorry- sorry." He spluttered, lips uncontrollable twitching into a smile. "I just- oh I don't really know how to explain all of that. We're not really-"

"Let's stick to nice intellectual conversations and i'll just ask Azriel to drop off a few books on fae culture that cover... whatever this is." Isabella bristled slightly, fully aware that he was laughing about having to explain something sexual to her that she was missing. It was hard not to be annoyed when she was clearly less educated in that particular area. It was a mild comfort to remind herself that Rhys had no doubt been alive for a billion years and seen and done a lot of things. "Just... will you help me? Leave him I mean?"

And that had Rhys falling silent. She appreciated his ability to become serious when needs be but she would be lying if the joy in his eyes didn't bring her some comfort.

"Of course we'll help you." She nodded stiffly at his soft tone. Isabella didn't exactly like being talked to like she was some injured animal but she understood his hesitancy to be over confident in this moment. "I could take you away right now-"

"No." Her voice was firm and Rhys kept any surprise he might have felt from flickering on his face. "That is not what I want. I-"

What did she want?

"You want a plan first." Rhys offered and she found herself agreeing with him. "I can have a look around, find a few options for you. I'm sure Azriel would be happy to scout out the human realm if that is where you would wish to reside."

Because Prythian was an option.

Her stomach churned at the thought but Rhys had a point earlier. Her son was half fae.

"What... What would it look like? My life, if I went to Prythian." She whispered and she swore a pot smashed somewhere inside her home.

"Well... I don't want to limit you in thinking that Night would be your only option. We have allies in Dawn, Day and potentially Winter or Summer. There is the Faerie realm, I'll be honest with you, that would be the most welcoming place to a human with a half fae child." He seemed to realise that these names were going over her head. "It depends what you want. Some cities will be safer for you than others. Locaition would be important because I don't think a human could survive the cold of winter but you would have your pick of costal places, mountains or forests."

"School works differently from the humans." Rhys adds on, "The rich still have private tutors but we have laws in place that ensure every child gets a primary education. That's for those aged 9-12. Oliver could go to nursery at his age, meet kids his own age and start leaning numbers and letters. They mostly act as a day care and an opportunity for young kids to learn social skills."

"What about work, how would this lifestyle be funded?" She feels her head tilt curiously. An action she knew was unconsciously picked up from Cassian.

"I would be willing to provide anything you need but I have no doubts you wouldn't agree to that. There would be struggles finding a human a fae job but most of the libraries, cafes, shops or healing practices would be willing to take you. If not straight into working then as an apprentice. We would get you set up of course, and you wouldn't have to find your own home straight away. I own plenty of homes with far too many rooms going unused."

"What about Windhaven, Cassian mentioned there." She murmured though she knew it would be an unlikely home even if she did want to see the place that raised her friends.

"That is one of the few places that I will have to refuse you access." Rhys said firmly and she wasn't surprised. "I could not in good conscience leave you there knowing full well you'd probably be killed within a day."

"I thought you and Cassian were working towards-"

"It's a long process." Rhys sighed. "We've imposed Pension laws to help the elderly and the widowed, but they took a long time for people to accept. They're a hardy bunch who find accepting help a sign of weakness. We banned wing clipping- that's a form of female mutilation- but during our.... Absence it started back up again."

"They cannot be healed?"

"They can." It was the pure rage and sadness in Rhys eyes that made her want to match straight into Windhaven and start yelling. "But many won't accept help or are trapped in marriage that prevents them from seeking help."

"But you are willing to help me?" She's starting to question a few things here.

"You are one person." He counters, "I can help one person and take them away. But I would have to run away with every single female and lose my main military force in the process. It would result in civil war and many females have been conditioned to their husbands whims."

She hummed, fighting the urge to start whispering ideas into Cassian's ear.

"So no Windhaven."

"No Windhaven."

Rhys is silent for a moment and she gets the impression that he's trying to work out the best way not to get his head bitten off.

"Spit it out." She commands, narrowing her gaze in the same way she uses on Oliver when he lies. "We discuss based on total honesty."

He sighs, "You could ask Cas if you could stay in his house that he never uses."

When the silence drags on too long for Rhys' taste he seems to panic and offer a counter argument.

"Or you could ask Azriel if you could stay with his mother at Rosehall for a while."

She raises a brow at him. "I am one hundred percent sure that you are not allowed to offer that without asking them first."

"What makes you think I didn't-" He stops at the look on her face. Deflating with a defeated sigh. "I don't know what to offer you. I don't know if you want a completely fresh slate, away from any reminder of this life. Or if you want somewhere there to offer advise and help guide you through life until you get your bearings. You Archerons are tough to read and even harder to predict sometimes."

"Sometimes?"

"C'mon, we both know you put family above all else."

"And you don't?"

"We're not discussing me." He huffs, but there's no bite in his words. But then Rhys' expression softens and Isabella feels herself bristling at the impending sympathy. "You're sure about this. This is what you want. Because I love Cassian but I know he can be rather determined sometimes and doesn't always think through his words."

She doesn't insult him by just waving off his concern. Nor does she pretend that Cassian had no influence on her decision.

"We both know he's interested." She states instead, glancing through the window to where Cassian is sat with a slumbering Oliver curled into his side. "He's never been one to quietly express his love of others, and I'm sure you know best how passionate and determined he can be. I won't lie and say he didn't influence my decision but I want to make it clear, Rhys."

She turns away from her small family, the future offered to her. Once Rhys meets her gaze and Isabella's sure that she has his full attention she finally states, "I am not leaving one man for another. I am not trading Tomas in for Cassian. I am looking for a better life for me and my son."

"But if the opportunity arose in the future..."

"I would like to be in a place where I could explore any opportunity I wanted. I want that freedom to choose." They both knew she was talking about a physical place. "And that may take time."

"He's a patient male." There was something painful in Rhys' eyes even though the words struck true. "But I don't want to see my brother led on."

She nods, "I.... I'm willing to give him a chance. But that is something for him and I to discuss."

No. She had no intention of discussing every detail of her relationship with Cassian to Rhys. if she could even class it as a relationship since he had exactly asked to court her.

"I understand." He nods, "but he'll love you if you let him."

"I know." She whispered, and it was the truth. She had seen it in his eyes, in the way he brought her food or walked her home. In the way he cared for Oliver. "Which is why I need to know if I could love him in return."

A/N: Is this classed as a love confession??? I don't know... will we see them have a proper conversation about, absolutely- it's next chapter so please comment any requests or ideas.