tonight was calanmai.

tamlin told you not to go out, but the sound of drums was so enticing. after ten, you decided you couldn’t handle it anymore and went out to join the festivities. after getting harassed by a trio of fairies and meeting a tan, dark haired fae, you collided with lucien.

he dragged you back to the palace and explained how calanmai worked, saying, “the magic will seize control of his mind, his body, his soul, and turn him into a hunter. it will fill hi. with his soul purpose: to find the maiden. from their coupling, magic will be released and spread to the earth, where it will regenerate life for the year to come. you’re lucky i found you when i did. because he would have smelled you, and claimed you, but it wouldn’t have been tamlin who brought you in that cave. i don’t think you would’ve like it either, tonight is not for lovemaking.” he paused, muttering under his breath, “i need to return before he arrives at the cave— and at least try to control him when he smells you and can’t find you in the crowd.”

the thought of that sickened you, so you went back up to sleep. — you got hungry and decided that you needed a snack. you pushed down the halls and to the kitchen. you took a cookie. on your way back up the steps, tamlin grabbed you, the cookie dropping from your hand. “i smelled you,” he murmurs softly, “i searched for you and you weren’t there.”

“you drive me mad,” he growled, “i searched for you, and you weren’t there. when i didn’t find you,” he frowns, bringing his mouth closer to yours, “it made me pick another.” you couldn’t escape, you were trapped. “she asked me not to be gentle with her, either,” he snarled, bringing his lips to your ear. “i would’ve been gentle with you, though.” he smirked, your body going taut as his finger trailed down your cheek. “i would have had you moaning my name throughout it all, {{user}}.” his teeth clamped down on the spot where your collarbone met your neck, his tongue flicking out to lick the blood, “don’t ever disobey me again, {{user}}.”