#Dawn Court

[achaotichuman]

The thing is, Tamlin should have the ability to grow any kind of plantation. He should be able to clench his fist and cause an entire forest to shoot up from the ground. He could snap his fingers and where there was once an army is now a rich, dense wood with bodies and scattered limbs spilling out from the roots.

And Eris should be able to cause decay, whatever he touches begins to wilt. He can reduce any life to rot. Wave his hand and entire Court's crops is gone. He should be able to clench his fist around an entire Kingdoms food supply and have self-proclaimed Gods wrapped around his finger.

Kallias should be able to reduce an entire land to a desolate wasteland of snow and ice with a single glance. If he raises his eyes to the sky the sun should be blotted out with darkness and the world should be reduced to freezing temperatures and sudden deadly frosts.

Tarquin should be able to entirely consume land with the sea. Taking a small puddle and turning it to a devasting flood. He should be able to drown entire Courts, and swallow islands and countries with a sweep of his arms.

Helion should be able to reduce a land to scorched earth, withering corpses. He should be capable of shining the sun down on a people and causing things to instantly turn to ash in the wind. With a single command an entire continent could be absolutely nothing but an empty corpse.

Rhysand should be able to drain the light from a kingdom, cursing them to eternal darkness. Leaving them in a kingdom wide blindness and watch as people slowly succumb to their own madness. On the battlefield, their sight is entirely taken and they die at the hands of their fellow men and weapons in blind panic.

I am not too sure about Dawn or Dusk's powers, since that is very much an inbetween. Someone figure that out for me.

But anyway, my point is, the power of the High lords should be directly tied to the magic flowing in their Courts. They should embody the very essence of their Courts, they should be raw, unstoppable power, with no one 'more powerful' than the others. They all balance each other out in some way.

[loonylooly]

After like, waaay too long, i finally finished prythian fashion the second 🤭

Hope ya'll like them

[qwimblenorrisstan]

Dawn Daydreams | Azriel x Peregryn!Reader

Summary: While visiting Dawn Court with his High Lord and Lady for political relations, Azriel finds himself falling for you, Thesan’s sister, from a distance, only for the bond to snap in the middle of the High Lord’s meeting.

Word Count: ~2.4k

Warnings: Mentions of passing out, mentions of sex, mating bond, nothing bad

Minors, do not interact!

A/N: I feel like this isn’t my best work but it might just be imposter’s syndrome attacking me, thanks to anon who requested this, hope you enjoy<3

Requests are open!

Azriel had seen you before, at the High Lord’s meetings, always right by Thesan’s side when his mate wasn’t there. You were his sister, and also the best messenger in all of Prythian because of your lightweight and swift speed, even for a Peregryn you were fast.

He’d never thought much of you further than that, his shadows simply whispering of your potential working for the Court or in an alliance, or of the rumors surrounding you.

That was until today, one of the annual High Lord meetings after the war, to sort everything back out, held at Dawn Court. No one would want to use Under the Mountain as a meeting place anymore, so it only makes sense that it was held here.

He saw you, in pants and what was just a training bra but covering a bit more, sparring with a lightweight blade against some of the males in Dawn. Your speed was unmatched, and you were surprisingly muscular for how tiny you also were.

When the male you’d been sparring against was on the floor, you finally turned and noticed the High Lord and Lady of Night Court, flanked by the General on the left and Spymaster on the right and offered a grin and a little wave. Rhys let out a huff of laughter, and Feyre smiled, waving back. You’d always been friendly with them, even when political alliances were tight.

“Distracted, brother?”

Cassian asked with a smirk, enjoying his minutes of freedom before having to deal with all the insufferable High Lords, the only ones that were awful were Beron and Tamlin when in a bad mood.

Azriel gave him a withering look.

“No.”

He lied, though his brother saw straight through it.

“Pftt, you’re totally in love.”

Cassian said with what resembled a giggling laugh, clearly amused at the usually stoic shadowsinger falling head over heels for a High Lord’s sister. A light flush crept onto his cheeks. Before he opened his mouth to speak, another citizen, also watching the female train, spoke, probably overhearing them.

“You don’t have a chance with that one, she’s got males and females begging for even a glance their way.”

The older Fae spoke, his voice a bit raspy as if parched. He shook his head, before walking away. Azriel noticeably slouched a bit, Feyre seemed to notice and gave him a little nudge with her elbow.

“You aren’t just any other male, I’m sure she’d love you.”

Her soft voice tried to reassure him, at which Rhys smirked, glancing over at his Spymaster.

“Oh, she’d love him all right.”

He said, not giving any other explanation of what that was supposed to mean, before strolling into the Dawn Court Palace, Rhys smug as usual, Cassian and Azriel mostly neutral, and Feyre amused.

*********************************************************

Even after all these years, you still couldn’t get used to how long these meetings dragged on. It ruffled your feathers, quite literally.

After finishing up your training, you’d hauled ass and gotten cleaned up, changed into some acceptable pants and a loose button-up shirt. You had long ago given up adorning the itchy, scratchy dresses that hurt your wings or made them uncomfortable, at this point, the fitted shirts you had were better, and you didn’t give a damn about what the other High Lords had to say.

You took your set to the left of your brother, mind already wandering off as the Lords began arguing and fighting over any and everything. You felt something nudge against your foot, snapping you out of your thoughts as you glanced down, eyes widening as you saw shadows, living shadows swirling at your feet, before quickly retracting.

You followed them all the way up to their owner, who was glancing at you.

The shadowsinger.

You’d heard rumors of him, though most of which you ignored, as rumors weren’t always true. His scarred hands remained at his side as he sat, leathery wings with what looked like scars running down them at his back, tucking neatly. His dark hazel eyes observed you, and you were a bit comforted that you weren’t the only one paying not enough attention to the meeting, but then again, he was staring at you.

It didn’t help that he was hot, either.

As soon as that thought ran through your mind, a warmth bloomed in your chest like a brick to the face, eyes widening just like his as you felt it weave a connection, unbreakable and eternal, between the two of you. A mating bond. Right here, right now, in front of all of the other High Lords and their Lady’s.

Don’t make a scene, don’t make a scene, don’t —

Your brother cast you a concerned glance, soft worry in his eyes as his hand brushed yours, the touch only further making you think of the Spymaster, how his touch might feel on your-

No. You were not going to go there.

You gave a barely perceptible nod, head swimming. You needed to touch him, needed to be closer and feel him so badly it felt like torture to stay in your chair. You couldn’t take your eyes off of him, biting your tongue to keep from saying anything.

You managed to rip your eyes off, settling on Beron and Eris. The thought of that horrible pair should’ve been enough to conjure up so much disgust you couldn’t focus on the shadowy figure cloaked in Night.

But it wasn’t, and your head was spinning, you were nauseous, and —

*********************************************************

Azriel watched with strained breathing as you passed out, collapsing from your chair onto the floor, wings draping over your form.

It took every ounce of self-control he’d built up over the centuries to stop himself from helping you, fixing you, and making sure you were alright. Thesan was already picking you up as the other High Lords watched, most in curiosity or slight boredom.

Rhys noticed his rigid body, and with a glance at Cassian, both of the Illyrian warriors were fully aware of their brother’s stress. It didn’t take Rhys long before Azriel felt a mental brush against his mind, and he lowered his shields just enough to shoot one message to him.

‘She’s my mate.’

He could feel Rhys’ surprise and concern before he pulled away, his brother’s eyes narrowing, Cassian and Feyre’s face betraying a bit of shock before snapping back to normal as he must’ve shared the news.

Azriel’s shadows couldn’t stop swirling beneath his chair and on his skin, some even darting after Thesan to make sure the female was okay.

‘They’re taking our mate to a healer. She isn’t harmed.’

They whispered to him.

‘What is her name?’

He silently asked the shadows. A moment of pause, before they whispered back, equally infatuated as him with the female.

‘Y/N.’

*********************************************************

You woke in the healer’s room, as she lived in the Palace alongside you and your brother in case any medical issues arose. You heard the low voice of Rhysand talking with your brother. They must’ve cut the meeting short.

Your attention was immediately pivoted to the quiet figure sitting at your side, dark and beautiful as he’d been sitting in the chair earlier. His eyes were full of concern and affection, though the latter probably influenced because of the bond.

“Hi,”

You managed, smiling weakly. Passing out was tiring work, apparently. He tried a smile back, though it looked forced. You hadn’t ever seen him with any other expression than his stoic look.

“Hi.”

He spoke back, softly, as if afraid you would shatter if he spoke too loudly. The feathers of your wings were puffed up, and he seemed to notice. A sign of your slight embarrassment at the situation. His hand rose from his lap, and he glanced down at your hand, hesitating and starting to fall away.

You didn’t let him, your soft hand enclosing around his calloused, scarred ones, thumb rubbing gently over all the ridges in his hands. He seemed surprisingly emotional at the gesture, swallowing.

“Are you…alright?”

He asked, concern evident in his tone as he examined your body, making you a bit flustered despite him being completely respectful. If you were in his position, you weren’t sure you’d be able to do the same.

“Yes, I’m fine.”

You answered, moving to sit up, your body aching as you did so, sore from training. At the slightest sign of distress, his hand slid from your grip and moved to your back, his shadows gently easing you to sit up, helping you. You sighed at the feeling of his hands on your skin, the relief it gave your body, and the craving for more.

“Thanks.”

You mumbled, your hand snatching his again, embarrassingly quick as soon as it was back within reach. His gaze softened as he felt it, shadows slithering onto the bed and hesitantly touching you, their whispered touches cold against your skin.

“How do you feel about…everything?”

He then asked with a hint of anxiety in those dark eyes. You knew what he was talking about. The bond. You thought before replying.

“I think you’re a good male. If it doesn’t cause any political problems I wouldn’t mind getting to know you.”

You answered honestly, anxiously watching him. The soft smile that then graced his lips, genuine, made your heart melt.

“I feel the same about you.”

He confirmed, just as Thesan and Rhysand walked into the room. Your brother looked concerned, but happy for you because of your little smile. Rhys looked smug as usual but seemed pleased to find the both of you bonding. The two had probably been listening in on you. The bastards.

“Well, I take it you two have gotten along well?”

Rhys drawled, at which after sharing a glance, the both of you nodded. Both of the High Lords seemed relieved at that. Azriel had a gleam in his eye, determined to see you again, to spend time with you, as he looked at his brother. He would beg on his knees if it meant he got to see his mate.

“Would anyone object to our feathered messenger visiting Velaris?”

He then asked, violet eyes examining you, your brother also watching you.

“I..wouldn’t mind.”

Azriel’s rigid body relaxed instantly at those words. You were willing to spend time in his home, with him. You shifted to sit up, and he was immediately at attention again, helping you every step of the way with a painfully concerned look that both Thesan and Rhysand noticed.

“I’ll go pack. Can he stay?”

You asked, giving a pleading glance to both of the High Lords. Rhysand gave a little shrug, and your brother nodded, just happy to see you happy. Not to mention the alliance it would make between Dawn and Night Court.

He followed you to your room, hands twitching at their sides as the shadows eagerly followed as well. You could’ve sworn they were speaking, in little tiny whispers you could hear but couldn’t quite make out.

His eyes scanned everything, your jumbled room full of a variety of things, mementos, pictures, a few weapons, letters…the list went on. As you reached up on your closet to grab a bag to shove a few things in, standing on your toes, he spoke.

“Here,”

He said quietly, easily grabbing the bag and handing it to you. It was then that you noticed the height difference between the two of you, not to mention the general size difference. Sure, you trained and had a few muscles on you, but he was somehow both lean and muscular, a mix that complimented him beyond well.

You smiled as you took it from his hands.

And you began packing.

*********************************************************

The next few months were filled with you being introduced to his family, and slowly moving into the House of Wind. You moved into a room right across from Azriel’s, even though after getting adjusted to each other, you were sleeping together more often than not.

Not to mention the training he began giving you. Peregryn’s and Illyrian’s had very different training styles and methods, which you learned extremely quickly.

He began learning more about you, of your little habits like the way your feathers puffed up when you were embarrassed or aroused, or how you would wrinkle your nose in disgust at bad smells, or how sensitive your ears were….the list went on. You began picking up things about him as well, and the both of you slowly began opening up to each other.

He told you of how he got his scars, of his brothers and biological family, you told him of your biological family, their kind behavior contrasting his bio family’s awfulness.

When the time came to accept the bond…it had been a whole mess.

Rhys had offered to let you stay in the cabin in Illyria, something you had gladly accepted. You had been in for a shock once the frenzy had begun. Sure, you’d had sex before, but you’d never known just how many times someone could have sex in a row, or all the different positions and options there were…you felt more like a student sometimes with Az.

After nearly two weeks, it finally dwindled to a close, with both you and him lying together in a sweaty embrace.

“That was…a lot.”

You murmured to him, voice hoarse from screaming and moaning throughout the mornings and nights.

He chuckled against your skin, pulling you closer to his warm chest. His scarred hands were around your waist, one leathery wing draped over your body, brushing against your soft, sensitive feathers, ones he had stimulated so much that even the tiny touch made you squirm now.

“I know, but I quite enjoyed it.”

He murmured back, the smirk on his lips evident in his tone. A smirk you’d come to love. You smiled back, shifting up to look him in the eye, kissing him on the forehead, one he closed his eyes at while you did it, savoring it, before peering back at you with a sleepy gaze.

“We should really sleep, you know.”

You suggested, now yawning as you thought about it. His shadows tightened around you in a possessive and protective embrace, as they always did while you slept. He yawned after seeing you yawn, nuzzling his head into yours.

“Mm..goodnight, angel.”

He said, tone more noticeably tired now that you’d called him out on it. Your eyes began to drift as you mumbled back.

“G’night, Az.”

[lilac-witch]

Hi cute! how are you? I hope you're well! You could write about Az returning with Feyre from training and they are talking and Az is so unfocused that he doesn't notice that there is another person in the room besides the ic, so y/n screams and runs out to hug Az and they're over. falling to the ground haha ​​they are best friends who have feelings for each other. Y/n had been away on a mission and didn't know Feyre but she knew her from EVERYTHING Az had been telling her jandjsmcjsldk thanks baby

First request! Super sweet ask and a great idea :)

Gadzooks - Azriel x Reader

masterlist | part 2

Summary: After weeks away on a mission, Y/n returns to her family in the Night Court, with the addition of a new member. And thanks to Azriel, she feels like they've known each other forever. Meaning: "an exclamation of surprise or annoyance" Word Count: 658 Warnings: None.

------------

"A letter has arrived for you, m'lady."

Y/n's head drifted from the paperwork before her, to the Peregryn male situated at the door. She motioned for him to come forward, receiving the envelope swiftly.

Once the male had left, Y/n tore into the white paper.

Dear Y/n

So much has happened since you left for Dawn. Feyre is officially living in Velaris, and I've taken over her training regiment. Let's just say her technique could use some work.

She's great though, perfectly suited for Rhys. If only the stubborn bastard would finally confess to her that they're mates.

I miss you. Cassian is as annoying as ever, and Rhys is so busy fretting over Feyre, so there isn't anyone to really talk to.

I hope everything is going well in Dawn, and I can't wait to see you again.

Your loyal friend, Azriel.

Y/n smiled as she finished reading through the letter. Over the many weeks that she had spent in Dawn Court, Azriel had kept her up to date on all things Feyre-related. From their first meeting, to the trauma she'd endured, Y/n knew it all.

Perhaps it was time she returned home. It was coming up on three months since she'd left, and Thesan seemed to no longer require her services. Yes, it was time to return to Velaris.

-------------

"You did well today," Azriel said as he and Feyre strode through the halls of the House of Wind.

"I feel like I'm getting stronger. The regimes no longer hurt so much," she laughed.

"Well then, maybe they could do with an upgrade," Azriel stated, lips twitching upwards into a smirk.

"Don't you dare, Shadowsinger."

Azriel was about to open his mouth in retort, when a solid object collided with his body, propelling him towards the floor.

Azriel would have been concerned regarding his shadows' lack of vigilence, or even his own instincts having not kicked it, had it not been for the warm vanilla scent that filled his nose.

"Y/n..." he mutter, arms wrapping around her warm body. "When did you get back?"

"A little while ago," she muttered into his neck, hot breath hitting his skin in the most delectable way.

"I missed you," he whispered.

"I missed you too, Az."

The heartfelt moment didn't last long, courtesy of his brother.

"If you two lovebirds are done, I believe introductions are in order."

Azriel glared daggers into Cassian's skull, doing his damnedest to keep the blush that crept up his neck, at bay.

He helped Y/n up, hands lingering on her waist for a second longer than what just 'friends' would do.

Rhysand cleared his throat, stepping towards the female at his side.

"Feyre, meet Y/n, the last member of our inner circle, and my most trusted emissary. Y/n meet Feyre..."

"I've heard all about you," Y/n stated, mouth spread wide in a smile. "All good things of course."

Feyre's face grew warm, and her eyes met Azriel's.

"Is that so?"

Y/n nodded, taking a cautious step forward, before wrapping an arm around Feyre, guiding her towards the kitchen.

"Indeed it is, and what better way to get to know me than over a cup of tea. Has Azriel mentioned I make a mean cup of tea?"

"He has not," Feyre stated, raising an eyebrow in his direction.

"Hm, how rude," Y/n huffed, smiling at Azriel as the pair disappeared from sight.

He felt his stomach flutter at the sight of that beautiful smile. It had been too long since he'd last seen it.

"You know, you complain about me not confessing to Feyre, but I've had to watch you tiptoe around Y/n for over a century," Rhys drawled, a teasing smirk on his obnoxiously handsome face.

"No one asked you," Azriel grumbled, heading in the direction the two females had gone, in hopes of escaping more of his brother's playful jabs.

------------

And I'm back!

it feels so good to be able to write again, and to be able to bring your requests to life. A reminder that my inbox is open to all your dreams and wishes ;)

Until next time lovelies :)

[dee-writes-smut]

COURTS SERIES MAIN MASTERLIST

Lucien Vanserra x Female Reader

You run a flower shop in the lively hustle and bustle that is the center of the Autumn Court. Your dream has always been to travel the courts to meet new people and see new things. When Beron finally meets his end and a new High Lord steps in, you find yourself perfectly positioned to sell your shop and live your dreams. The plan was to go to the High Lady's coronation and then leave the next morning, unfortunately (or fortunately) the High Lady runs into you and takes a liking to you, offering you a position to be her traveling emissary when she finds out about your dream. You accept, only to find yourself paired with a more experienced emissary with a reputation for working for both the Spring and Night Court. Will love find a way to blossom along the way? Or will he never be able to let go of his mate who never returned his affections unless it was for show? 

Content Warnings Include: banter, aggression, descriptions of toxic relationships, violence, mentions of death and loss, Tampon interactions (Tamlin), and more to come as chapters are posted!

NOTE: this is a spin-off to the Flowers Series, if you are planning on reading that, then I highly recommend that you do that first before reading this series as there are spoilers to the ending of that fic. With that said, if you don't wish to read Flowers, then you do NOT have to for this story to make sense. Thank you and enjoy! -Dee

dividers for this series are made by the wonderful @/tsunami-of-tears

IN PROGRESS

THE AUTUMN COURT | none (a hint of fluff?) | These last few centuries you have felt that your home court has become drab and all too familiar. In the rush of a new High Lord, you finally decide to follow your dream, but when meeting a certain High Lady, you're forced to ask yourself whether or not you wish to make your dream bigger than you could have ever imagined. Are you willing to take the risk and jump into the unknown? |

THE SPRING COURT | a, f, h/c | A conversation with the High Lady leaves you with a lot to think about, especially the odd tug you feel toward Lucien. It certainly doesn't help when you both set off on your journey and in between the rustle of the changing trees and the calls of the birds around you, you discover a soft side to Lucien that makes you feel warm in a terrifying way. |

SUMMER | ??? | ??? |

WINTER | ??? | ??? |

DAWN | ??? | ??? |

DAY | ??? | ??? |

NIGHT | ??? | ??? |

super secret potential extra chapter?

[dawneternal]

Masterlist | The Benevolent

☁︎ Eris Vanserra x Dawn Court OC

☁︎ Summary: The Lady of Autumn hires a healer behind Beron's back. Sworn to secrecy, the healer helps Eris when he is punished by his father and forbidden to see a healer from their court. Eris did not expect to find himself growing attached. He comes to realize that he may know plenty about sacrifice, but he has a lot to learn about choosing to live for the ones you love.

☁︎ Warnings: descriptions of wounds and blood, talk of physical abuse, talk of domestic violence

☁︎ AO3 Link

☁︎ Other things:

- Aya moodboard

- my art of Aya

☁︎ one - bound

☁︎ two - queen of games

☁︎ three - clementia

☁︎ four - juno

☁︎ five - scars

☁︎ six - snacks

☁︎ seven - spy

☁︎ eight - tapestries

☁︎ nine - aftermath

☁︎ ten - answers

☁︎ eleven -

☁︎ twelve -

☁︎ thirteen -

☁︎ fourteen -

☁︎ fifteen -

☁︎ sixteen

☁︎ seventeen

☁︎ eighteen

☁︎ nineteen

☁︎ twenty

☁︎ twenty one

☁︎ twenty two

☁︎ twenty three

☁︎ twenty four

----

☁︎ bonus scenes

[ladydelena]

Can I just say, the fact that the high lords don’t all wear generic crowns in their colors, but it actually ties to their courts makes me happy?and they probably all have quite a few different themed ones?

Tamlin with his burnished gold laurel leaf crown at the wedding that was a courtly version of the calanmai crown he probably dawns each year? And his tithe crown is so suited to more strict moments with its representation of wealth and stability?

Tarquin with his silver cresting waves and blue gemstones for a casual night out on the town? As asymmetrically stunning as the very waters he connects his court to, the blues of the stones glinting with white and green and the depths of the very ocean hidden by the brash, crashing beauty created by the surface?

Helions spiked gold crown as vicious and pointed yet beautiful and picturesque as the suns rays? As warm in color as his skin yet simple and statement making in it power just like helion himself- not needing much adornment to radiate the strength, beauty and deadly power and wicked intelligence he holds?

Rhys has a raven feather crown which makes me wonder if previous highlords of night weren’t just serpentile like the creatures of the hewn city but dark winged and raven featured in some way? (And Feyres crown - complimentary to Rhys isn’t just a newly made item, it existed in tandem with his for previous ladies of night I’m assuming so it ties to the court that way as well?)

Autumn court with its mixture of Medieval English and conqueror era Spanish style in my head? With traditional red and green stones highlighted the most and silver and gold alike, crosses and points to their headwear? Very formal and structured, not just to denote their position, but to reinforce tradition, wealth, class structures, very inline with what I’d assume of the autumn courts viciousness mentioned in the books? Beautiful but vicious.

Winter court with near white shining metals, carved glass and crystal bases for ice diamonds; blue, gray, & frosty fogged stones? Dark blues and wicked gnarled features representing barren branches and shards of ice????

Dawn court with its sweeping elegance and love of beautiful embellishments and pension for color? The people are noted to be largely from Xian as noted by SJM and I always imagine dawn court to be a beautiful mix of Indian and Chinese culture, and the jewelry reflects it, beautifully Intrically carved warm toned metals that depict stories or symbolism entertwined with the culture? Stoned used abundantly yet they’re never garish? They only enhance and bring out the beauty of the crowns and reflect the cultures within the court itself?

(Like I’d love to dive deeper into it and maybe make or paint the crowns one day but that’s a different story)

That’s it that’s the post grammar be darned.

[wingsdippedingold]

@kateprincessofbluewhales made a compelling case of Day court being Egypt, I'd like to add that Dawn court is 1000% Desi & Middle Eastern

"light loose robes that are layered yet flattering"

"colors are gold and red"

"Thesan glowed the brightest of them all"

Thesan gave her the ability to heal (Desi culture being known for its healing practices and advances in medicine in the ancient world)

"specialized in tinkering, clockwork, and clever things" Ancient Islamic Scholars anyone?

[talktotarquin]

High Lord Gossip Society

OOC: (ok but lowkey can see Tarquin, Helion and Thesan being gossip buddies and it’d go smth like this):

*at a high lord sleepover that autumn, night, and spring weren’t invited to but winter was but won’t go cuz Kallias has social anxiety*

Helion: *in his gossip era* so you know how Ms. Cursebreaker broke up with Tamlin and destroyed his court?

Tarquin: considering how I’m one of the courts who’s decently civil with the man, yes?

Thesan: yes? That’s all the news these days

Helion: you know he’s going to drop the breakup album of the century, right?

Tarquin: hold on a moment-

Thesan: you are so right

Tarquin: alas, we haven’t had any good music since the Tamsand breakup era

Helion: frfr

[queercontrarian]

High Lord Thesan of the Dawn Court

thesan is the prettiest high lord

thesan is the smartest high lord

thesan is the most competent high lord

[tiffyelefano]

han dynasty fashion, but make it fae✨

•••

when starting this piece, i just wanted to draw a portrait focused on the little details of hanfu (like beading and such). but then i started thinking about the dawn court from ACOTAR, because it’s SJM’s kind-of conglomerate of all of asia in one region, and i thought it would be fun to design a character from there.

it’s canon that a lot of the dawn court has roots from xian, a place i can only assume was based off of china, so it isn’t too far off to imagine that for special celebrations, chinese-inspired traditional clothing would be worn by its citizens.

and as i was drawing this character facial features, she just ended up resembling me lol

so TLDR; this is my ACOTAR self-insert OC from dawn court

[moonlightazriel]

Fake it until you make it… /// Azriel X F!Reader

Summary: “hi! I hope you're having a great day. I love your writing so much! I was wondering if you might write an az x reader fic where the reader and he are kidnapped and stuff so they form a relationship to stay alive but then as they are freed Azriel acts all distant and stuff. idk just an idea?”

Warnings: A bit of angst, mentions of suicide and anxiety attack.

Word Count: 3K

Notes: Sorry this request took so long, but I change the storyline a bit and I love how it turned out.

Main Masterlist

Acting as the Spymaster was hard, but this was way harder, he held the female’s hand, even through the gloves he could feel how warm it was. He smiled, not very used to doing it in public, as they approached the table, Thesan smiled at them, but Azriel could feel how his mate, Caeda, would eye him, a hint of suspiciousness burned in his gaze.

“Thank you for having us, High Lord.” Her overly sweet voice sounded, and Azriel looked at her, her hair was in a bun, on the top of her head, and she wore a flowy skirt with a matching top, small jewellery adorned her ears and neck, her smooth skin smelled like vanilla.

If things were different, he could see himself falling for her, maybe asking her out, but being forced to act as her mate? He wondered how he was so blind to the obvious signals that something was wrong. He was sent to retrieve a very important artefact, the pendant would help Elain with her seer abilities, the task was simple, locate it, steal and take it back to the Night Court.

Things were too easy when he sneaked around the Dawn Court, the pendant was in between the High Lord’s personal belongings, and as he entered the safe that held the item, he was caught by her, Thesan’s personal guard. Azriel refused to answer why he was there, he refused to say anything, until she proposed to him.

“You stay here, posing as my mate, and I help you get the pendant.” He didn’t knew why she was helping him or how she knew why he was there, but Elain was his friend, and her visions were a disturbance for her, preventing her from sleep or even thinking coherently, she would just stay in a corner, watching a blank point in the wall and mumble random visions and prophecies.

So Azriel agreed, and now he was smiling to people and being shown around as Y/N’s mate, Thesan immediately welcomed him, suggesting a dinner together so he could learn about the two, and that’s what he was currently doing, sipping on his wine, chewing a piece of potato and pretending to be deeply in love with her.

“How was it?” Thesan asked, after swallowing a piece of roasted pig. “I can’t imagine being away from my mate like that.” Azriel nodded.

“It’s my personal hell, I miss her every day, sometimes I feel her scent lingering around me, and my heart almost breaks in my chest when I realise she’s not there.” He had read many romance novels, they were coming in hand for him, being useful now. “When I feel that wave in my chest, I know she misses me just as much.” He concluded and Thesan looked at them.

“That’s so beautiful, I’m so sorry things have to be this way.” He apologised and Y/N answered something before she changed the subject to random court duties.

He watched her as she talked, the way her lips moved, and the occasional scrunch of her nose, she would do this before she opened a smile, every time, without fail, when she smiled openly, like she was doing now as she listened to Caeda speak, a little dimple would appear in the corner of her mouth.

He was very observant, and in this past week he was able to learn so much about her as he slept on her couch. How she liked fresh coffee every morning, how she would look so serious doing her job, or how she would run to help someone whenever they needed. She had taken him to the city, he had seen her help so many people on the short walk around the street market, that he wondered how she wouldn’t get tired.

“Azriel, when do you plan to take my sister to meet your family?” Caeda asked and Azriel had to suppress the surprise on his face, he didn’t know they were siblings.

“Oh, as soon as she has some free time, you know she works a lot.” He hugged her side and she rested her head on his shoulder.

“I was actually planning on asking for some days off, to meet my brothers in law.” She joked, Azriel had to admit that she was a good actress, and an even better liar. The lies easily rolled off her tongue and he respected that.

“We can certainly take a look into that for you.” Thesan agreed and Caeda smirked to Azriel, something he didn’t like.

If they knew why he was truly there, he could be arrested and executed, or even worse, this could be a reason for the Dawn Court declaring war against Night, and after everything they’ve been through, they don’t need another war, especially one caused by him. So he held her in his arms as they said their goodbyes and followed her home.

⋆˙⟡☾𖤓☽ ⟡˙⋆

“I’m working on it.” She sipped on her daily coffee, a shirt hanging on her body and nothing else, Azriel tried to avert his eyes from the exposed skin of her thighs but it was kinda hard. “I don’t know why it was open that day, but that safe is protected by ancient magic, not even Caeda enters there without Thesan.” Azriel nodded.

Another week had passed by and he was still stuck there, and as much as he hated to admit, she was getting closer and closer to him, and he was allowing it, they would spend a few hours together, have meals together, acting like a real couple was starting to mess with his head, and he didn’t liked that.

Sometimes as they read together, she would sit really close to him, once she fell asleep on his shoulder, and he allowed himself to run his fingers through her soft locks, enjoying the comfort of her presence, and the feeling of peace that invaded his wild heart.

“I’m trying Azriel, you just have to trust me.” She promised and he watched as she walked away to her bedroom, hips swaying and a hint of a lace undergarment underneath that damned shirt.

⋆˙⟡☾𖤓☽ ⟡˙⋆

“You can’t do that!” Caeda spoke a little too loudly, and Y/N pushed her palm into his face, shutting his mouth.

“Do you want the whole castle to hear?” Her brother shoved her aside, and she hissed.

“No, but I won’t let you steal from Thesan.” He stomped his feet on the ground and she rolled her eyes.

“You were too young to remember Cae, how mom would walk around mumbling her visions, how they treated her like she was someone to be avoided, how they tried to get rid of her cuz being a seer is a curse. His friend needs help, and I’m willing to help.” Caeda looked at her, hurt laced his features as he remembered how people would look at their mom with disgust, choosing to walk away from her in fear.

“But why do that!? This could get you killed.” He protested once again, feeling the tears prick in the corner of his eyes, he couldn’t lose his sister.

“BECAUSE I COULDN’T HELP MOM!” She exploded, her voice echoing in the empty hallway. “She died because I couldn’t help her.”

“Y/N, it’s not your fault, no one blames you for that.” He tried to pull her close but she pushed him away, sending him stumbling backwards.

“Everyone did, including you.” She said, turning on her heels and winnowing away.

⋆˙⟡☾𖤓☽ ⟡˙⋆

Azriel kept stirring the cake mixture as he heard a door closing with a loud noise, he was used to her winnowing home out of nowhere but something felt wrong, he could sense her distress from afar. Dropping everything he was doing, he walked to her door, knocking three times before he heard her sobs.

Worry filled him and he opened it, finding her curled in a corner, unable to breathe and crying, he felt desperate, as he kneeled down in front of her.

“Y/N, you have to breathe.” He begged but she ignored him, he grabbed her face, pulling her chin up and forcing her to look at him, her glassy eyes weren’t focused on him, on anything as the tears kept flowing and she gasped for air.

He scattered around his mind looking for something helpful, when he found it. Holding her face in between his hands, he pulled her close, kissing her lips, the salty taste of her tears filled his mouth, but she kissed him back, and slowly her breathing became even, and as he pulled apart, she was looking at him, breathing normally.

“How?” She asked, her voice raspy from crying.

“I read once that a kiss can make someone breathe better and go back to reality, when they’re distressed.” She watched him, her eyes slightly wide, and she took a deep breath.

She felt it, she grasped with her life to that thread, her heart pounding fast and head spinning, a voice inside her screamed the word “MATE!” to her, as soon as Azriel pulled away from her. She kept looking at him without knowing what to say! Should she tell him? Should she say anything at all?

“Do you want to talk?” He whispered and she nodded.

“I wanted to help you, help Elain, cuz my mom was also a seer.” She started and Azriel sat on the floor in front of her, massaging her hands, he didn’t care about his own, that brought him so much shame, at least not right now. “No one helped her, my father didn’t knew how, Caeda was a kid, and I was trying my best to get us going, she couldn’t work, and my father was underpaid for his services, so I had to go around and find any way to make money.”

“It must’ve been hard for you.” He said and she shook her head in agreement.

“It was, we tried to find potions or healers able to help her, we couldn’t count with the High Lord’s help cuz Thesan’s father wasn’t as good as him. People would cast her out, call her crazy, and treat her poorly for something she couldn’t control. One day, I was working in a rich family house, watching their kids and keeping the house organised. They paid well but they weren’t nice, so when I asked for the day off to take care of my mom, on a really bad episode, they refused.”

Azriel knew perfectly how she felt, it was how he felt all his life, trying to protect his mom from people who didn’t gave a fuck about them.

“So I went to work, but I didn’t know she was tired, she couldn’t take it anymore. I should’ve been there, I should have been watching her, but we also needed to eat. So she left the house, walked the whole day until she reached a beautiful ravine, and she jumped.” Azriel gasped in horror. “My father blamed me, and Caeda resented me for not being there. I still carry the way they would look at me in my memories, and this haunts me to this day, not being able to do anything.”

“How do you know about the pendant then?” Azriel dared to ask.

“When Caeda and Thesan met, they knew they’re mates, and they haven’t been separated since then, Caeda got me training and I became Thesan’s guard. In one of my studies I learned about it, and immediately knew where it was. When you finally told me about Elain, I understood. This is my redemption, the chance I have to prevent the same thing from happening again.” Azriel pulled her for a hug.

“Thank you for everything.” She nodded, and sought comfort in her mate’s embrace.

⋆˙⟡☾𖤓☽ ⟡˙⋆

“Here you go.” She said, after another week, no explanation, no nothing, just the pendant hanging from her finger straight to his palm. He grabbed it and looked at her.

“Thank you very much.” She brushed him off.

“Just promise me you will write back.” He nodded, promising that he would, before he gathered his things and winnowed home.

⋆˙⟡☾𖤓☽ ⟡˙⋆

Azriel watched as another letter appeared on his desk, destined to him, from her. He grabbed the envelope and discarded it on a pile of other unopened letters. He needed time to process everything that had happened.

Elain was better, the pendant held her visions back and made her slowly get back to her normal self, everyone was happy and back to their lives, but why did his heart yearn for something? For someone?

He would wake up in his own apartment, it lacked the smell of fresh coffee every morning, it lacked the subtle fragrance of her vanilla smell, it lacked the nice flowers hanging from the ceiling, it lacked the nice family photos where she smiled so brightly, it lacked her personal belongings around the space, and most importantly, it lacked her, resting her elbows on the countertop, with a damned shirt covering her perfect body, slightly tighter in the shape of her breasts and reaching the middle of her thighs, and that fucking little vision of her undergarment whenever she walked back to her room.

He missed her, a lot, but this could never work, he would rather let her forget about him, than feeding hopes of something more that would lead to more hurt and sadness in the end. So he shut those feelings for her and ignored that pull in his chest, not daring to dream of a life with her.

⋆˙⟡☾𖤓☽ ⟡˙⋆

“I know what you did!” Thesan said, as he rose from his seat and headed to the door, inviting her in. They sat in the lounge area of his office, a soft breeze filled the room. He looked at her, really seeing her, the smile she always wore vanished, and she had bags under her eyes.

“I’m so sorry.” She didn’t see motives to try to deny, he knew and he would do whatever he wanted to her, he had that right as she stole from her own high lord.

“And I’m not mad, I didn’t know this pendant could do that, and if it’s helping someone, I’m glad it’s being used.” Thesan said and she looked at him, surprise marked her features. Thesan hadn’t seen her show another emotion other than sadness ever since a certain Shadowsinger went away. “But I need you to be honest with me, no more lies.”

“No more lies.” She agreed.

“Do you love him?” Thesan asked and she felt the tears gathering in her eyes and her chest heavy, exploring the thread between them, she nodded.

“He’s my mate, and ever since he went away, he pretends I don't exist. I sent letters and he didn't answer, I can’t simply go there without a reason.” She blurted and Thesan pulled a letter.

“Matters of the heart are a good reason to go to another court, go after him. I saw the way you looked at him, true love is so hard to find. Promise me that you will sort this out.” He begged, a stronger breeze filled the room.

“We just want you to be happy, my dear sister.” Caeda winnowed behind her, squeezing her shoulder, she turned around, hugging him with all the strength she had, then she hugged her High Lord.

“Thank you for this.” She winnowed home, preparing a small bag with some clothes and taking a long shower.

⋆˙⟡☾𖤓☽ ⟡˙⋆

“Rhys, I’m here!” Azriel shouted as he entered the hallway leading to Rhysand’s office. He opened the doors but it wasn’t Rhys standing there waiting for him, it was Y/N. His heart almost burst out of his chest. “What are you doing here?”

“You didn’t answer my letters, I needed to see if you were alright.” She shifted her weight from one foot to another.

“Why do you care? It’s not like we’re really mates.” He said, and a strong pull in his chest made him flinch, like his own soul was disagreeing with him.

“That’s what you don’t get yet, we’re mates, and I will wait for you my whole life, but I don’t think I can’t wait for you like that anymore, I don’t want to be apart from you Azriel.” He looked at her in shock, was he her mate?

“Y/N, please. Don’t make this hard.” He pointed to both of them. “This won’t ever work, we’re from different courts and we can’t stay together without failing our respective duties.” His heart was splitting in two in his chest, he wanted to touch her so badly.

“Here.” She handed him an opened letter, he removed it from the envelope and read the words, but his brain couldn’t make sense of them.

“What is this?”

“My dispensation.” She smiled at him. “Thesan fired me from my job so I could be free to be with my mate!” Azriel swallowed harshly.

“And do you want that?” He approached her, his unsure hands pulled her close, and he breathed in her scent, his racing thoughts immediately gone quiet, this felt so right.

“I miss you every day, sometimes I feel your scent lingering around me, and my heart almost breaks in my chest when I realise you’re not here.” She repeated his words to him, and he pulled her to a kiss, all those confusing feelings finally vanished, giving space to the blooming love in his heart, love for her. “ I want to be with you, discover the wonders of our bond together, I want to be there when it snaps for you too. I want to love you and be loved by you.”

“It would be my honour to have you by my side, I don’t know when it will happen, but I know I’m ready to be with you.” He rested his forehead against hers.

“The bond can wait, but this can’t!” She looked at his eyes. “I love you Azriel.”

“And I love you Y/N.” He said back, kissing her with more passion than the first time. His hand sneaked to her ass. “Let’s go home, you’ve been driving me insane with that pretty ass for weeks, I need to have a taste.” He said, already starting to scent her arousal.

“We have all the time in the world, Shadowsinger.” She smirked at him. And he winnowed them home. Where they belonged.

[darkphilosophies]

Prythian Haute Couture: Dawn Court

[octobers-veryown]

Hello @laxibbeb it's me! Your Secret Santa, revealed! Oh, you gave me so much inspiration with your answers and I want to thank you for the time you took to write them for me. This is the first time that I participate to the @acotargiftexchange and I felt the pressure a bit. But it's amazing when people create spaces where we can express ourselves, right? I have to say that from your first answer I got this silly little idea stuck in my mind that didn't leave my brain at all. So I decided to combine some things together. Elucien through the Courts? Say no more, I'm gonna make a whole journey for them. But how? You need to know that your lovely little Secret Santa can't cross two words together but has a small talent into visualizing concepts. So I said "Listen, what people usually do during trips?". They send postcards to their loved ones! And so here we are, with a carousel of postcards! Each one is unique for every Court and has some small messages inside! At the end, a small story came to me and I just realized it when I finished!

I really really hope you will appreciate your gift, I created a little tracklist too as you can see. <3

Please click on the pictures for a better quality and details because I know that Tumblr LOVES to make jokes. I really suggest the desktop mode!

TO THE SPRING COURT

TO THE SUMMER COURT

TO THE WINTER COURT

TO THE DAWN COURT

TO THE AUTUMN COURT

TO THE DAY COURT

Small surprise at the end with the Night Court involved ;)

Thank you so much for reading until here!

[1800naveen]

Real life places I think that the Courts are based on

Spring Court: Scotland, obviously. Tamlin originates from the ballad of Tam Lin, a Scottish folklore story. And Scottish people have awesome accents, I'm jealous.

Summer Court: Either East Africa, West Africa, and/or the Caribbean. I'm East African myself so I'm biased and put that in there 😊.

Autumn Court: This is a tough one but I'm going with Germany.

Winter Court: Russia, like all that snow and winter, it just fits.

Dawn Court: Asia. Mainly South Asia and East Asia.

Day Court: Ancient Greece, because of the outfits and stuff. (SJM said that she sees Helion as Persian but I see him as a black guy).

Night Court: America. A shitty government with citizens they don't care for unless it's a place with a bunch of other rich people or privileged people.

If you think otherwise, share a comment or reblog with your idea!

[dawneternal]

The Benevolent | Eris x Healer OC | Four

☁︎ notes: these dummies are so smitten

☁︎ warnings: usual talk of injuries and Beron's abuse. Injured animal (he's okay though)

☁︎ word count: 2.2k

☁︎ AO3 Link / Masterlist

☁︎ tags: @cauldronblssd @teddyhoneybear @imma-too-many-fandoms @tele86 @mybestfriendmademe @allyjoe755 @milswrites @shadowdaddies @zenkindoflove @landofpetrichor

The next summon interrupted Aya’s day off. Her promised day of nothingness; no lessons, no jobs, no meetings, and no Court dinners. She planned to curl up in a corner of the green house and read, surrounded by the scent of healing herbs and flowers. Until that infernal ring began to glow once more. She could not ignore it, but she could grumble to herself all she wanted about how talented the Heir of Autumn was at collecting near-death experiences. 

She was still silently complaining while she winnowed, while the world righted itself, and while Edana’s garden appeared before her eyes. What finally stopped the chain of complaints was the sight of Eris standing before her. 

Hands in his pockets, head tilted to the side, he smiled as her gaze met his. The corners of his eyes crinkled as he smiled, eyes bright and unclouded by pain or alcohol. The sunlight gilded his copper hair and kissed every freckle. 

Aya found herself unable to remember what she had been thinking about. No memory of her difficult weeks, her reluctance to return to this land of cunning and deception. She was lost in his smile. Something in it made her feel like she knew everything and nothing all at once. 

Eris watched her eyes flick over his form, still struggling to focus after winnowing, and he took the time to study her in turn. Her height surprised him, the top of her head barely level with his shoulder. She had lovely curves, hugged by flowy, pastel fabrics as per the Dawn Court fashion. Her ears were lined with piercings, a gold ring with a gem dangling from her septum. Her wings were a soft glimmering gold dappled with darker brown, feathers rustling in the light breeze. She kept them tucked in tight to her body. And her eyes-

He thought of the sun rising, the blue fading into the orange and leaving that strange greyed-out tone in between. Somewhere in that softly painted sky was the color of her eyes. A brilliant silver, not quite blue, hints of orange. Purple in some lights. Somehow conveying all the loveliness of a misty dawn. Perhaps he had not appreciated the sunrise as much as he should in his five hundred and something years alive. 

In short, they spent entirely too long staring at each other. 

“At last, I meet my savior,” Eris broke the silence.

“I’d hardly call myself a savior,” Aya said, clutching her bag a little tighter. Her voice was as soft and melodic as he remembered from his dream. 

“You deserve countless thanks, nonetheless,” He smiled, and Aya admired the way his freckles moved and dipped to make way for his dimples. 

The crisp air combined with her thin clothes pulled a shiver from her. She had begun to wonder if he had called her there just to thank her when he swept an arm toward the door to Edana’s rooms. 

“One of my hounds is injured,” He said, his expression slipping into something more solemn, “I’m sure you’ll be glad to know it’s nothing serious. If you’ll follow me.” 

In the daylight, she could see more details of Edana’s rooms. The trim, doorways, and furniture were cut from the same dark wood as the rest of the Forest House, but the Lady had her walls painted light colors. Her decorations ventured outside of the familiar autumn color palette, a few daring shades of blue scattered throughout. 

Aya also noticed for the first time that the door to the stone hallway was different from the rest. Aside from being situated in a strange place, it was older, warped and scratched. It had been left slightly ajar, and she could see from its faint purple glow that it was enchanted. When the door was shut, it would disappear from the wall entirely. 

She followed him through the doorway, watching the fae-lights in the dim hall illuminate his muscled shoulders and well tailored shirt. As the ever present silence of the stone hallway wrapped around them, it finally hit her that they were alone. 

“This is a private passage?” She asked softly, “There’s never anyone here.”

“Yes,” He answered, his voice strangely tense, “It’s an old passageway either unknown or forgotten by my father.”

He did not elaborate and she did not pry any further. It bothered Eris that she had been here twice before and he had not been conscious of it. He had no idea what she had seen and heard and learned. Things he should have been there to shield her from, no doubt.

When she stepped through the doorway, Aya shivered, her wings ruffling. Eris’s brows knit together. He had never seen anyone react to wards that way before. He watched as she scanned the room and locked in on the hound laying on his bed, needing no instruction. When she approached, she offered him the back of her fist to sniff, and he seemed to have no qualms with her coming closer. She soothed him before moving to his wound, smoothing down his dark fur and massaging his ears, all the while murmuring kind words and praise. 

Eris almost smiled, wondering if she understood how ferocious that beast could be. He had seen the same dog with eyes hollow and hungry, blood dripping from his jaw. Not many would go near him. On his feet, he probably stood almost to her shoulder. And here she was, turning him to putty with her pets and kind words. His tail wagged as she spoke to him and he didn’t protest when she finally began to clean and dress his wound. 

“What happened?” Aya asked, eyes remaining focused on the work before her. He admired the dance of her hands, swift and coordinated. 

“He tumbled near the river bank, silly beast,” Eris answered. 

Aya noted the affection in his voice and the embroidered collar around the dog’s neck. A thought also prickled at the back of her mind that Eris was not telling her the real story. Why have her come all of this way if the cause was not something that Beron must not know? But it did not matter, because she wasn’t supposed to sleuth. 

“He has a name, doesn’t he?” She said instead, smiling. 

“Juno,” Eris admitted, a bit sheepishly. Embarrassment crept up the back of his neck, the feeling of being caught at something he tried to hide. Her smile was too knowing, she definitely recognized it as another figure from mythology. 

“I wish I could give you something to thank you properly,” He continued. 

“Well you did interrupt my day off,” She flashed a sly smirk, eyes still on her hands.

“Oh, did I?” His eyebrows raised, lips twitching up into a smile. Something sparked in his veins at her playful tone. “I suppose I’ll have to figure out something special then.”

“If you think that’s fair,” She let out an exaggerated sigh, eyes glittering. 

Eris was distracted by a golden glimmer, catching the light as she worked. It was the ring on her forefinger, a simple gold band that fit snug against her skin. His stomach dropped. 

“My mother bound you?” He whispered, and from his tone she could practically see the embers burning in his throat.. Aya paused and looked up at him, the color draining from his face. 

“Yes,” Her brows furrowed. She thought he would have known that. “Her contract seemed fair. I asked for a written copy.” 

A muscle twitched in his jaw and he said in that same quiet fury, “Will you please send me a copy?” 

“Of course,” Aya said, gaze still stuck on his as she searched his face for answers. It was almost too long before she turned back to the hound, who had begun to whine for her attention. The silence in the room had begun to squeeze.

“I understand that this situation is…delicate,” She continued after a moment, swallowing hard. It was always too quiet here, sounds of arguing and pain the only things to interrupt it. It was unnerving, like balancing a glass ball on each shoulder. 

“I wish she would not have dragged you into it,” He whispered through his teeth. He stood with his arms crossed, looking a little taller than before. This was closer to the image of the Heir she had heard stories about. Though he was certainly less intimidating since she had seen him drunk and smitten with a fictional angel. 

“I can handle it,” Aya said, giving Juno one last pat before rearranging the supplies in her worn leather satchel. 

“You shouldn’t have to.” 

She faced him, bag in hand, tilting her head back to look at him fully. Eris drew in a deep breath, trying not to stare at the reflection of the light on her long glossy curls, in her misty eyes.

“Thesan gave me a talisman,” She pulled up one sleeve to reveal a tattoo on her bicep. A stylized, swirling cloud. “It will give me protection against magic if your father tried to use any against me.” 

The sight of it did strange things to Eris’s heart. He felt the relief of her protection. She was not another liability, another piece on his chessboard that he must keep under his watch at all times. But there was another feeling there, too. Like he resented this thing that separated her from him. That ugly desire to control and protect everything he felt a fondness for reared its head. She belonged to the Dawn Court. She was Thesan’s creature. She may be Eris’s healer, bound to his mother by that horrible ring, but she was not his. She was not loyal to him. Unless she chose to be. And nobody ever chose Eris of their own accord. 

“Good,” Eris said, in another tone that Aya couldn’t read. 

“Oh,” She said, in an attempt to avoid another awkward lull, fishing a corked bottle of green tablets and holding it out to him. “Juno can have these for the pain. They’re mostly herbs so they’re very safe for him.” 

“You’re very kind,” Eris smiled, his voice softened by the kindness she had shown his beloved pet. It was, of course,  a risk to show any affection for his hounds. They were meant to be ruthless weapons. Just like the seven sons. 

“What are your mother’s guards names?” She asked suddenly, brows drawing together. 

“Why?” He swallowed an urge to reach out and smooth the wrinkles between her eyebrows with his thumb, swiping away whatever worried her just to see her smile again.

“I just think I should know. It seems to rude to refer to them as anything else. They’re not my guards.” 

So she must not know about Thesan’s order for Eris to protect her while she was present in the Autumn Court. He had extended that order to the guards. 

“The older one with dark hair is Caspian, and Asher is blond and bearded,” Eris answered. Aya nodded, and he could practically see her tucking the information away in her mind.

Against the dark wood and warm colors of his room, he thought she looked like a sparkling gemstone. Vibrant Amethyst among common stones. They watched each other in silence for the third time until, reluctantly, he led her back to the winnow spot and let her return to her world. 

⋆｡˚ ☁︎ ˚｡⋆｡˚☽˚｡⋆ 

The next morning, Aya was pulled from her sleep by a knock on the door. A courier waited on the other side with an envelope and package wrapped in brown paper and string. She thanked him and returned to her bed, holding the parcel in her lap. The paper and string fell forgotten to the floor as she opened it eagerly. 

Inside was a new leather satchel, the same shape and size as her old one. The sides and edges had been dyed a rich mulberry, the leather carved and tooled into an interlocking, curving design. The golden clasp, shaped like a leaf, gleamed in the morning sun. Her breath caught in her throat at the sight of it, so lovely and new compared to the one she had carried daily for years now. The leather had been worn so thoroughly that it drooped and sagged.

Aya opened the bag, finding it lined with pockets and sections the perfect sizes for bandages and vials. There was also an envelope nestled inside, her name scrawled on the front in curly script. She opened it gingerly, planning to add the paper to the box of ephemera under her bed. Mail was a rare treat. 

Aya,

Thank you again for your help. Juno is doing much better and I suspect you have made a friend of him. I hope this gift will be of use to you.

As for retribution for your missed day off, you may also find that your instructors received a strongly worded letter from some anonymous busybody complaining about the state of cleanliness in the healer’s wing. I believe the buildings are being deep-cleaned over the next few days. Enjoy your long weekend. 

Eris

Aya buried her face in her hands, covering her silly, involuntary smile and burning cheeks. She finally bothered to open the other envelope, finding Eris to be truthful. The head of the school had sent a note announcing that classes had been canceled, though they did include a list of assignments to complete and log in the meantime. Assignments that she could complete in the greenhouse, between dozing off and basking in the sunshine the green, herbal scent. Somehow, against all the odds she battled with, Aya had made a friend.