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moonlitstoriess · 2 days ago

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Binding Lies- Eris Vanserra x fem! reader (mini-series) Part 4

Summary: When Y/N, Azriel's secret half-sister who lives far away, and Eris Vanserra form a strategic contractual marriage to further their own agendas, what begins as a carefully crafted arrangement soon becomes more complicated. As they pretend to be a perfect couple, the lines between duty and desire blur, and neither is prepared for the consequences.

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Previous part

Warnings: a brief intense scene, nothing explicit or smutty.

Y/N stood at the edge of the ship, watching the rolling waves below, the salty air sweeping across her face as the sails creaked in the breeze. The afternoon glow of the sun sent a sense of calm over her, a perfect scene to mark the beginning of this journey. Yet despite the beauty around her, her thoughts were already far away—reeling from everything she’d left behind.

She had never imagined that she’d be leaving Montesere, much less as a princess of all things. A fake one, yes, but still, the title clung to her now. And soon, she’d be stepping into the Autumn Court—Eris' court—and the sheer thought of it made her stomach twist. The uncertainty of everything, the fear of stepping into an entirely new world, gnawed at her insides.

It was then that Samira found her.

"You’re going to freeze out here," Samira called softly, her voice a gentle contrast to the bracing wind. She stepped closer to Y/N, holding out a blanket she had snatched from one of the deck chairs. "Come inside. You’ll catch a chill."

Y/N turned to face her, trying to force a smile but failing miserably. The worry was written all over her face, and Samira, always observant, didn't miss it.

"You know, I’m starting to think you like the cold," Samira teased, draping the blanket over Y/N’s shoulders.

"Maybe," Y/N said with a weak laugh, looking back out at the horizon. "Or maybe I’m just trying to ignore the fact that I’m about to be someone I’m not."

Samira’s expression softened, her teasing tone gone. She placed a hand gently on Y/N’s arm. "You’ll be fine. You have everything you need, including me. And Eris, of course."

Y/N nodded, appreciating the sentiment, though she wasn’t entirely convinced. But there was no turning back now, was there?

“Come on,” Samira said, pulling her gently away from the railing. “Let’s get you settled.”

A few minutes later, they were below deck, the steady rocking of the ship more noticeable here as they walked down the narrow corridors. Samira led her to a small, cozy room tucked in the corner, its walls lined with shelves of books and scattered trinkets. There was something surprisingly homely about it.

Samira gestured to the small armchair by the window. "This is my room," she said, sitting down across from Y/N.

Y/N sat, crossing her arms. "Wow, seems like you have settled in quite well. I didn’t know you were such a bookworm."

Samira grinned. "You’d be surprised. I had to learn a lot growing up. I mean, not just Montesere’s ways, but the ways of the outer world, too.”

Y/N raised an eyebrow. "The outer world?"

"Yes. The courts, the politics, the history, the fashion." Samira leaned forward, her eyes gleaming. "And you, my dear, are going to need to learn all of it, starting with the Autumn Court."

Y/N froze. "Wait, what? The Autumn Court?" She shot Samira a look of disbelief. "Are you telling me you know everything about the Autumn Court?"

"Well, not everything." Samira smirked. "But I know enough."

Y/N was still recovering from the shock. "How the hell do you know so much about Autumn?"

Samira raised an eyebrow, her expression playful. "Oh, darling, I’m not just some girl from Montesere. I spent my childhood growing up alongside Princess Leone in the royal court. I’ve had lessons on everything—from history to politics to the little things like fashion and mannerisms. And since you’re about to step into their world, I thought it was time you got a little... introduction."

Y/N’s eyes widened in horror. "You want to teach me about the Autumn Court?" she said, her voice a mix of amusement and dread. "Isn't that Eris' job? Though, I don't know why I am asking that, he will most definitely laugh in my face if I asked him to teach me something."

"Yes, Eris could probably explain it better," Samira said, shrugging. "But he’s busy, and besides, I know enough to help you get started. Plus," she grinned, "I don’t think he’d be half as entertaining as me."

Y/N sighed. "I’m starting to regret this already."

The next few hours were a blur of history lessons, fashion critiques, and endless discussions about politics that Y/N couldn’t quite keep up with. Samira went into detail about how the Autumn Court presented themselves—how they were proud, meticulous, and formal in every way. How every word, every glance, every gesture carried weight. Y/N tried to take it all in, but her brain was on overload.

“And remember,” Samira said, tapping a finger against her chin as she rifled through a stack of books, “Autumn doesn’t just dress to impress—they dress to intimidate. Think dark, rich colors—burgundy, deep green, dark gold—and always, always, carry yourself with confidence. No slouching, no hesitation."

Y/N had no idea how she was going to pull this off, but she nodded along, too tired to argue. Samira seemed relentless, though. She had them standing up, practicing the perfect posture—shoulders back, chin up, eyes forward—until Y/N was sure her back would break.

"Alright, now your hands," Samira said, lifting Y/N’s arm as if she were a doll. "They should always be held with purpose—either clasped in front of you, at your sides, or in your lap. None of this flailing nonsense."

"Flailing nonsense?" Y/N repeated, unable to suppress a giggle.

Samira shot her a playful look. "Yes, flailing nonsense. You can’t have any of that. You’re a princess, not a dancing windmill."

Y/N laughed. "I’m sure the Autumn Court will love me."

Samira didn’t stop there. They spent hours going over every little detail—how to speak to the other courtiers, how to greet them, how to respond to their questions, even how to walk properly in a gown. By the end, Y/N felt like she was going to drop from exhaustion, but Samira’s energy seemed endless.

"Alright," Samira said with a satisfied grin, leaning back in her chair. "Enough about Autumn Court for now. We’ve covered all the basics. Time to move on to the rest of Prythian."

Y/N’s face fell. "Wait, what?"

"Oh yes," Samira said with a mischievous gleam in her eye. "If you’re going to fool anyone into believing you’re a true princess, you’ve got to know the history, the politics, and the fashion of every court. Not just Autumn."

Y/N’s eyes widened. "Are you kidding me?"

"Not at all," Samira said, clearly enjoying herself. "You have to be prepared, Y/N. This is no joke. You’ll need to know the ins and outs of every court—from the Night Court to the Spring Court to the Winter Court. The more you know, the better."

"I’m done for today," Y/N said, standing up abruptly. "I’m going to go for a walk or something."

Samira chuckled. "Oh, you’re not escaping me that easily, princess."

Y/N grinned mischievously and dashed for the door.

"You’re not getting away that easily!" Samira shouted after her, but Y/N was already halfway down the hall, laughing as she ran.

Samira’s laughter echoed in the distance as Y/N sprinted up the stairs, not caring who saw her in her mad dash. She needed to clear her head—if she had to hear one more lesson on Autumn Court, she might lose it.

"Catch me tomorrow, Samira!" Y/N called over her shoulder, already feeling the weight of the world lifted for just a moment.

"Don’t think I won’t!" Samira’s voice floated behind her, full of mirth.

Y/N smiled, her heart lighter than it had been all day. At least she had someone to help her through this ridiculous journey.

She had barely made it halfway up the stairs before a firm grip on her arm yanked her back into the shadows. Her breath hitched, and before she could react, her body was pressed against the cool stone of the corridor wall. The scent of salt and musk filled her nose, and she tensed, ready to strike whoever had dared to sneak up on her.

But then she heard that voice—the voice she would recognize anywhere.

"Shh, quiet," Eris murmured, his face inches from hers. His hand still held her arm, steadying her, but his presence felt like a thousand pounds pressing against her chest. "Others are watching."

Y/N blinked, eyes narrowing as she processed his words. "What the hell are you doing, Eris?" she hissed, attempting to free herself from his grip, though it was futile. His hold was firm but not painful.

"Act like a loving wife and follow me," he ordered in that cool, commanding tone that sent a shiver up her spine. There was something almost casual about it. Like he expected her to obey without question.

Her breath hitched in frustration. "I’m not your wife, you know. Not for real. You can’t order me around like—"

"Shh," he repeated, his voice quieter now, a strange intensity behind it as his gaze flicked to the doorway of a nearby room. He motioned for her to follow him, and despite her irritation, she found herself falling in line, if only for the sake of avoiding suspicion.

They walked in silence down the dimly lit hallway, their footsteps echoing softly as they passed by several crew members, none of whom paid them any mind. Still, the weight of the situation hung between them—her feigned compliance and his silent command. She caught a glimpse of the curious glances of a few passing sailors, but she kept her expression neutral.

Once they reached the door to their shared quarters, Eris pushed it open, guiding her inside with a flick of his hand. As soon as the door clicked shut behind them, Y/N stepped away from him, immediately rolling her eyes.

She sighed dramatically, crossing her arms over her chest. "Well, looks like I really have to sleep with you for quite a while now, huh?"

Eris leaned against the door with a quiet chuckle. "Yep. Sorry, princess. We both have to endure each other until our time is up." His eyes met hers for a brief moment, a strange amusement flickering there before he smirked, clearly enjoying her discomfort.

Y/N couldn’t help but snort. "I’m so looking forward to this," she muttered under her breath. "Really."

Eris straightened up, his playful expression falling away, replaced with something closer to genuine curiosity. "Where were you for so long, anyway?"

Y/N blinked, caught off guard by the suddenness of his question. She opened her mouth to respond but faltered as his expectant gaze pinned her in place. There was something oddly… insistent about the way he asked, as if he truly cared to know. It was such a stark contrast to the way he usually acted toward her.

"What? Why do you care?" she shot back, her defenses immediately going up. She was a little taken aback by his interest.

"Don't get all defensive on me," Eris said dryly, rolling his eyes. "I just asked."

Y/N stared at him for a moment, trying to figure out what he was getting at. Then, she sighed and reluctantly said, "I was with Samira. We were—"

"Learning about my court, I know," Eris interrupted, his tone dry. "I guessed as much."

Y/N raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms. "Oh, so you’re spying on me now?"

Eris smirked, though his gaze was oddly calculating. "Not spying. Just paying attention." He paused before his smirk softened into something almost unreadable. "Did you even eat?"

Y/N blinked at the sudden change in his demeanor. "What?"

"I had food sent to Samira’s room for you two," Eris said, his eyes momentarily flicking away, almost as if he were avoiding her gaze.

Y/N snorted. "Why would you care?"

"I don't," he said quickly, too quickly. "I just thought you might have gotten distracted in all your learning. I figured you could use some food." He threw her a sideways glance, his expression unreadable. "Did you eat?"

"Yes, we ate," Y/N replied, giving him an incredulous look. "We were busy learning about your court, if you must know."

"Mm, I figured as much," Eris said with a small nod, rubbing his thumb against his chin in a thoughtful gesture. "And what did you learn?"

Y/N folded her arms tightly across her chest. "Well, Samira was making me memorize all kinds of nonsense about your court. You know, the usual—how to act, how to speak, the history, the fashion, the whole damn thing."

Eris leaned back slightly, letting out a low whistle. "Sounds exhausting."

"Yeah, you could say that." Y/N gave a small, sarcastic laugh. "I’m supposed to be your loving wife, remember? Apparently, it’s not enough that I’m faking it. I have to learn it too. History and everything."

Eris chuckled, shaking his head. "Well, if you want to fit in, you have to know what you’re doing. It’s not like they’re going to just take you in as you are."

"Not my fault your court is full of stuck-up snobs," Y/N muttered, rolling her eyes.

Eris' grin turned playful again. "That’s the spirit," he said, pushing off from the door and walking toward the window. He stood there for a moment, looking out over the sea before turning back to her. "I can teach you a few more things before we get there, if you’d like."

Y/N raised an eyebrow. "Like what? How to pretend to be a princess even better?"

"Precisely," he said with a teasing glint in his eye. "It’ll make the whole thing easier, I promise. You’d be surprised what knowing the right words, the right mannerisms, and the right… presence can do."

Y/N sighed, her shoulders slumping. "Great. More lessons."

Eris smirked, taking a step closer to her. "Trust me, princess. You’re going to need them."

Y/N wasn’t sure why, but something about the way he said that made her uneasy. She met his gaze for a moment, her heartbeat quickening in her chest, though she wasn’t sure why. She quickly pushed the feeling away.

"Alright, enough of that," she said, trying to shake off the tension. "I’m tired. I think I’ve learned enough for one day."

Eris raised an eyebrow. "Really? You’re not going to practice your posture one more time?"

She shot him a playful glare. "Not unless you want me to kill you in your sleep."

Eris chuckled, but the smile faded from his lips as he turned to the door. "Very well. I’ve got a meeting on deck with the officials. It’s late, and I should get going." He gave her a pointed look. "You should get changed."

Y/N opened her mouth to say something, but before she could, their eyes met again, and for just a fleeting moment, everything else seemed to fade away. The tension between them, the shared space—everything felt… different.

Eris was the first to break the silence, clearing his throat. "I’ll be back shortly."

She nodded, still staring at him for just a beat longer than necessary. And then, without another word, he walked out, leaving her alone in the room.

Y/N stood there for a moment, trying to shake off the feeling in her chest. She let out a long breath and then, finally, moved to get ready for bed. She needed to rest, because tomorrow, she was going to face a new day—and who knew what Eris would throw at her next.

The rain had started softly, the kind that whispered rather than roared, and Y/N had been watching it from her cabin window, the rhythm of the droplets steadying her restless heart. She pressed her forehead to the cool glass, gazing out at the endless sea. It was still a marvel to her, the sheer vastness of it—how it stretched so far it seemed to blend into the sky at the edges. She’d never seen anything like it in Montesere.

Her thoughts wandered, a mixture of excitement and trepidation for the unknown that lay ahead. But her musings were cut short by a sudden, sharp clang from somewhere above, startling her so hard she nearly toppled backward.

The sound echoed through the corridor, followed by a low, ominous rumble that sent her pulse racing. Her gaze snapped to the window, where a flicker of orange light caught her eye. She froze. For a moment, she thought she was imagining it. But then the scent of smoke seeped into the room, faint but unmistakable.

Fire.

Panic shot through her like lightning. She flung open her cabin door, her feet bare against the cold wood as she bolted down the narrow hallway. The sound of her heartbeat roared in her ears, mingling with the distant crackle of flames and the thundering rain above.

The moment she pushed open the hatch, the storm greeted her with full force. The rain was no longer soft or whispering; it was a torrential downpour, soaking her to the bone within seconds. The wind howled, tearing at her hair and whipping the thin fabric of her nightgown against her skin.

She stumbled onto the deck, blinking through the sheets of rain. Her vision blurred as she searched for the source of the fire, the flickering light she’d seen from her cabin window. And there it was—a lantern, dangling precariously from the ship’s railing, its flame stubbornly clinging to life despite the storm.

Her heart lurched as the wind picked up, causing the lantern to sway violently. She watched, frozen, as it snapped free from its chain and plummeted to the deck. The glass shattered, scattering embers onto a coiled rope that had been left nearby.

The flames caught instantly, crawling up the fibers of the rope like serpents. Smoke billowed into the air, black and acrid, and Y/N’s instincts kicked in.

She darted forward, her feet sliding on the slick wood as she reached for the nearest bucket. It was half-full of rainwater, heavy as she hoisted it into her arms. The flames were growing, licking hungrily at the surrounding ropes. Her breaths came in short gasps as she hurled the water onto the fire, the hiss of steam rising in response.

The fire sputtered but didn’t die entirely. She grabbed another bucket, her arms shaking as she poured more water over the flames. This time, the fire went out, leaving behind a smoldering mess of charred rope and embers.

She collapsed to her knees, her chest heaving as she coughed against the smoke. The rain was relentless, washing away the soot and ash as it soaked her hair and skin.

“Gods,” she muttered, dragging a trembling hand down her face. “That could’ve been worse.”

The adrenaline began to fade, leaving her cold and exhausted. The rain continued to pour, and she realized she was shivering, the chill sinking deep into her bones. She needed to get back inside, back to the warmth of her cabin.

But her disorientation and the chaos of the storm made her clumsy. She stumbled as she turned, her wet feet slipping against the slick deck. When she finally found the door that led below, she didn’t realize until it was too late that she had taken a wrong turn.

She pushed open the door, expecting to find the familiar corridor that led to her cabin. Instead, she was met with warmth, light, and a room full of startled gazes.

It took her a moment to process where she was. The air was heavy with the scent of parchment, ink, and candle smoke. A long table dominated the room, its polished surface strewn with maps and papers. Around it sat a group of men, their expressions ranging from surprise to amusement to...lust.

At the head of the table sat Eris.

The golden glow of the lanterns cast shadows across his sharp features, highlighting the faint sneer that tugged at his lips. His auburn hair was slightly ruffled, and his piercing amber eyes were fixed on her.

Y/N froze, her breath catching in her throat.

The room fell silent, the quiet hum of conversation replaced by the soft patter of rain against the windows. She became painfully aware of her appearance—her black nightgown plastered to her body, leaving little to the imagination. Her wet hair clung to her face and neck, droplets of water running down her skin.

Eris’s gaze didn’t waver. His eyes roamed over her, slow and deliberate, taking in every detail. She felt exposed, as though he could see straight through her, past her soaked clothes and into the very core of her being.

Her skin prickled under the intensity of his stare. Her fingers tightened around the doorframe, her knees threatening to give out.

“I…” Her voice came out as a whisper, barely audible over the storm outside. “I’m so sorry.”

Still, he didn’t speak. His jaw tightened, and something dark flickered in his eyes—anger, perhaps, or something else she couldn’t name. The weight of his gaze was suffocating, and she wanted nothing more than to disappear.

“I’m sorry,” she repeated, her voice trembling as she backed out of the room. She didn’t wait for a response, didn’t dare to look at anyone else. Turning on her heel, she fled down the hallway, her bare feet slipping against the wooden floor.

By the time she reached her cabin, her face was burning with shame. She slammed the door shut, pressing her back against it as she tried to catch her breath.

“What is wrong with you?” she muttered to herself, dragging her hands down her face. “Could you be any more of an idiot?”

Her mind replayed the scene in excruciating detail—the startled faces of the officials, the way their eyes lingered on her, and Eris’s unrelenting stare. She groaned, sinking onto the edge of her bed and burying her face in her hands.

The storm outside continued to rage, but inside her cabin, the only storm that mattered was the one raging in her chest.

The storm outside howled, but the meeting within the lavishly furnished room of the Autumn Court’s ship was far from peaceful. Eris sat at the head of the table, the weight of the discussions hanging heavily in the air. The council members around him—each a self-important, puffed-up figure in their own right—argued endlessly about the next steps of the alliance with Montesere. It was as if each male present thought their own opinion carried the weight of the gods themselves.

Lord Ryver, the most outspoken of them all, leaned forward, a smug smile plastered across his face as he spoke. “The alliance is set, Prince Eris. We’ve secured the resources of Montesere, but now we must focus on their integration. Their military is strong, yes, but their royal customs? That’s where we need our focus. If we want to solidify this partnership, we need to ensure they understand the respect owed to us.”

Eris maintained his composure, though his patience was starting to fray. He had heard enough of this. His entire life had been spent managing these petty conversations, these pointless power struggles among men who thought they understood how the world worked but were blind to its true complexities.

“Yes, Lord Ryver,” Eris said coolly, “and I’m certain they’ll be very receptive to such lessons.”

A few chuckles escaped the mouths of the other men, a sound that made his teeth grit. He suppressed the urge to remind them that the real question wasn’t whether they would be receptive but whether they would be able to offer the value they claimed.

Lord Thorne, a bit more pragmatic but equally full of himself, shifted his weight in his chair. “We must discuss the future implications of the alliance. Montesere’s king has been known to play a careful game, and his ambitions may be far greater than our own. We cannot allow him to overstep.”

Another round of murmurs filled the room, most agreeing, but Lord Harkin, a close ally to Ryver, scoffed. “We’ve already secured our end. If anything, it’s his turn to prove himself. He owes us, and the best way to ensure loyalty is to give him no room to maneuver. I say we remind him of that. His wealth and military will be ours, but he needs to understand the price.”

A heated discussion broke out, and Eris fought the urge to stand and leave. If these rotten bastards didn’t realize they were discussing matters of state as if it were a children’s game, he would have no choice but to make them understand the real stakes. But he needed to let them bicker for a bit longer. The balance of power was delicate, and this alliance wasn’t the only thing he had to navigate.

Just as Lord Ryver raised his voice again, speaking of their “unwavering superiority,” a shift in the air caught Eris’s attention. His gaze darted to the door, but no one else seemed to notice the subtle change in the atmosphere. And then, the door swung open, and everything stopped.

Y/N walked into the room.

For a moment, it was as if the world had halted. Eris’s breath caught in his throat, his entire body tensing. The sight of her, drenched from the rain, her black nightgown clinging to her curves in a way that left nothing to the imagination, was enough to freeze the blood of any man in the room.

Her wet hair, glistening, framed her face and spilled down her back. She looked like a goddess, but in the most dangerous way. Eris’s chest constricted at the sight of her, and for a moment, all he could do was stare. His thoughts became muddled, his usual control slipping dangerously as he looked at her.

He quickly tried to regain composure, but his body betrayed him. His pants tightened as the sight of her, so beautiful, so untouchable, filled his senses. Her curves, her body, glistening with rain, held him captive. He forced his eyes to stay on hers, locking in a fierce stare, trying to regain some semblance of control.

But then, something worse happened. He noticed the looks of the other males in the room—the other seven.

Lord Ryver, Lord Harkin, and even Lord Thorne were staring at her, their eyes sliding over her body with dark, lecherous thoughts swirling in their minds. Eris could see it in their eyes, could almost hear the vile ideas they were thinking. It made his blood boil.

The anger coursed through him, hot and fierce, and he couldn’t contain it. How dare they look at her like that? She was his. His.

His jaw clenched, and he quickly scanned the room to see who else was watching. Lord Ryver, Harkin, and Thorne were the worst offenders—eyes glued to her wet form as if they couldn’t look away. The others, some more reserved, still let their gaze linger.

Eris’s mind was filled with rage. What was she doing here? Why was she wet? What could possibly have brought her into this room in such a state?

And then, as if on cue, she spoke.

A meek “Sorry” escaped her lips, her voice barely audible, and she turned to leave, her wet form still shimmering in the candlelight. The door clicked softly behind her, and for a long, pregnant moment, the room remained in absolute silence.

Eris remained frozen in place, staring at the space where she had been, his mind in a whirlwind. Every part of him wanted to chase after her, to demand an explanation. But he couldn’t lose control—not here, not with these males watching.

He waited, counting the seconds, until the silence became unbearable. Then, he spoke, his voice cutting through the air with the cold, hard edge of a blade.

“The next time any of you—” Eris’s voice was a sharp whisper that cut through the stunned silence, his gaze sweeping across the room, making each male shrink under his icy stare. “The next time any of you look at my wife like that, or stare at her for longer than three seconds, my face will be the last thing you see.”

His words were a deadly promise. His voice was venomous, each word dripping with a threat that made the room grow colder.

Lord Ryver shifted uncomfortably, his arrogance faltering as he tried to compose himself. Lord Thorne looked as if he might protest, but a single glance from Eris silenced him.

“You will respect her,” Eris continued, his voice dropping dangerously low. “If any of you so much as think of disrespecting her, I will make sure you regret it.”

His gaze landed on Lord Ryver once more, and a dangerous glint sparked in Eris’s eyes. “Understood?”

The males nodded, some looking paler than others, and all the bravado drained from them like water. They were afraid now.

Eris stood, his chair scraping against the floor as he leaned forward. “Good,” he said, his tone colder than the winter winds outside. “Now, back to business.”

And with that, he turned his attention back to the meeting, his mind still swirling with possessiveness and fury. He had to keep it together, maintain the façade. But his anger was still simmering, and he would deal with her later. The game wasn’t over, not by a long shot.

As the meeting resumed, the males remained uncomfortably silent, all too aware of the danger in Eris’s words. Eris sat back, his icy exterior returning, but inside, he couldn’t shake the feeling that something—someone—had irrevocably changed.

A knock on the door jolted her from her chaotic thoughts, her heart racing as though she’d been caught doing something she shouldn’t. Y/N opened the door to find Samira standing there, her expression a mixture of worry and curiosity.

Samira’s gaze flickered over Y/N’s soaked figure, her hair dripping water onto the floor and her damp gown clinging to her skin. “I came as soon as I saw you,” Samira said, her voice soft yet urgent. “You were running back here, soaking wet, and I—”

“They all saw me,” Y/N interrupted, her voice barely above a whisper. She couldn’t bring herself to meet Samira’s eyes. Her cheeks burned, and a knot tightened in her chest as the words left her mouth.

“What?” Samira asked, her brow furrowing.

Y/N sighed and rubbed her face with trembling hands, her frustration bubbling over. “They saw me! All of them! The lords, the courtiers… Gods, Samira, their eyes were on me, all of them! What did they think? How much of an embarrassment I must be! How much I’ve probably disappointed Montesere!”

Samira opened her mouth to respond, but Y/N wasn’t finished.

“They’ll think I’m unworthy,” Y/N continued, pacing the room as she ranted. “A failure! A mess! I already feel like I don’t belong, like I’m constantly falling short, and this—this just proves it! They’ll think I’m weak, incapable of holding my place at his side, and I—”

“Y/N.”

Samira’s gentle voice cut through her spiral, accompanied by the light pressure of her hand on Y/N’s shoulder. Y/N stopped pacing, her breaths coming fast and shallow as she finally turned to look at her friend.

Samira offered a small, reassuring smile, her dark eyes soft with understanding. “Breathe,” she said calmly. “Just breathe. It’s alright.”

Y/N shook her head, still frantic. “But it’s not! You didn’t see how they looked at me—”

“It’s their fault for looking,” Samira interrupted firmly. Her voice carried an edge of steel that Y/N hadn’t expected. “Not yours. You did nothing wrong.”

Y/N blinked at her, her chest still heaving with panic.

“You’re not a disappointment,” Samira continued, her hand gently squeezing Y/N’s shoulder. “You’re still learning, and that’s okay. You have a long way to go, but you’re stronger than you think. And anyone who judges you for something so insignificant isn’t worth your energy.”

Y/N swallowed hard, her throat tight. She wanted to believe Samira’s words, but the weight of her embarrassment pressed down on her like a boulder.

“Come on,” Samira said, taking Y/N’s hand and leading her toward the adjoining washroom. “Let’s get you cleaned up.”

Inside, Samira began filling the tub with warm water, the soothing sound of running water filling the small space. She moved with calm efficiency, gathering towels and fragrant oils as she spoke softly to Y/N.

“Everything will be fine,” Samira said as she worked. “You’ve been through worse than this, haven’t you? A little water and a few stares won’t break you.”

Y/N leaned against the counter, watching Samira set up the bath. Her hands fidgeted with the damp fabric of her gown as she muttered, “But what if—”

“No ‘buts,’” Samira interrupted gently, glancing over her shoulder with a knowing smile. “Trust me. You’re overthinking it. Now, get in here.” She gestured toward the steaming bath with a playful nudge.

Y/N hesitated for a moment before finally shedding her wet gown and stepping into the tub. The warm water enveloped her, soothing her tense muscles and washing away the lingering chill.

Samira stayed by her side, chatting about lighter topics—gossip from Montesere, amusing memories from her past, and plans for the future. Her presence was a balm to Y/N’s frayed nerves, and Y/N found herself relaxing more with each passing moment.

By the time Y/N stepped out of the bath, dried off, and changed into a fresh nightgown, the tension in her chest had eased significantly. She settled onto the bed as Samira sat beside her, a jar of cream in her hands.

“Here,” Samira said, dipping her fingers into the cream and applying it to Y/N’s face with careful precision. “This will help with the redness.”

Y/N closed her eyes, letting out a small sigh as Samira’s fingers moved gently across her skin. The soft, warm ambiance of the room was a stark contrast to the chaos that had consumed her earlier.

The peace didn’t last long.

The door opened, and the warm, comforting atmosphere of the room was replaced by a cold, oppressive tension.

Eris stepped inside, his expression a mask of controlled fury. His golden eyes locked onto Y/N, and her breath caught in her throat.

Samira stiffened beside her, her hands freezing mid-motion. Slowly, she withdrew them, her gaze darting between Y/N and Eris.

“Out,” Eris said, his voice sharp and commanding.

Samira hesitated for only a moment before bowing her head. “Of course, prince.” She rose gracefully, offering Y/N a small, reassuring smile as she moved toward the door.

Once Samira had left and the door clicked shut behind her, Y/N was left alone with Eris. The air between them was thick with unspoken tension, and she couldn’t bring herself to meet his eyes.

Her heart raced as she sat frozen on the bed, bracing herself for whatever was to come.

The room was so still it felt suffocating, the tension thicker than the storm clouds that had drenched her. Eris stood a few feet away, unmoving, yet his presence seemed to fill the entire space. His amber eyes glowed faintly in the dim light, unblinking as they bore into her. She could feel the heat of his fury, even though he hadn’t said a word yet.

“Look at me,” he finally commanded, his voice quiet but sharp as a blade.

Her head snapped up instantly, obeying the authority in his tone before she could even think. Her pulse raced as she met his gaze, the sheer intensity in his expression pinning her in place.

“What,” he began slowly, each word deliberate, “the hell were you doing outside in the rain?”

Y/N blinked at him, her mouth opening and closing as her thoughts scrambled. “I—I was—” she stammered, her voice cracking. Suddenly, her body moved on its own, standing up and placing the bed between them as though the piece of furniture could shield her from the storm brewing in him. “There was almost… fire. The lantern fell outside. No one was out there, no one saw it, but I did. I had to!”

His expression didn’t change, his eyes narrowing ever so slightly. She felt her cheeks heat as she kept babbling, the words pouring out in a frantic rush.

“It could’ve turned into something worse, Eris! The rain was coming down so hard, and I—I thought it was better to handle it myself instead of bothering anyone else, and—”

“That’s not your job,” he cut in, his tone clipped, cold, and cutting through her rambling like a blade.

“What?” she asked, startled by the interruption.

“It’s not your job to be doing those things,” he repeated, his voice firmer this time. “There should’ve been workers outside to handle that.”

She gaped at him, disbelief mingling with her growing frustration. “Are you kidding me? It was pouring rain! Why would someone be outside?!” Her voice rose as she gestured wildly. “The lantern fell right in front of our window, I saw it, so I handled it! Why wouldn’t I—”

“You could’ve been hurt.”

The words were delivered in a tone slightly louder than before, sharp enough to silence her. Y/N froze, the air between them charged with something that made her stomach flip. His anger wasn’t just annoyance or frustration; it was something deeper.

Eris slowly began to move, his steps measured and deliberate as he circled the bed. His gaze never left hers, pinning her in place like a hawk closing in on its prey.

“What kind of a husband would I be,” he said, his voice low and smooth, “if I allowed you to keep hurting yourself?”

Her breath caught in her throat. His words were so unexpected, so layered with meaning, that she couldn’t immediately respond. Her eyes stayed locked on his, wide with shock as he stopped just a step away from her.

“You’re not my real husband,” she blurted out, her voice quieter than she intended but no less resolute.

Eris tilted his head slightly, his expression darkening. “And?”

Y/N scoffed, crossing her arms defensively. “You don’t need to pretend here,” she said, her voice trembling slightly despite her attempt at defiance.

His jaw ticked, and she knew she’d hit a nerve. For a moment, she thought he might lash out, but instead, his voice came out calm, eerily calm.

“All of them saw you,” he said, his tone softer now but no less intense.

Y/N felt the blood drain from her face as his words sank in. She shook her head, her thoughts racing. “I—I didn’t mean to… I swear, I didn’t know where I was going, I wasn’t thinking, I just—”

Eris’s gaze softened suddenly, his features relaxing in a way that caught her completely off guard. Before she could process it, he reached out and tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear, his fingers brushing against her skin.

“I know,” he murmured. “No need to apologize.”

Her lips parted, but no words came out. She stared at him, caught between disbelief and something she couldn’t quite name.

Y/N sighed, the weight of her embarrassment crashing down on her again. “They probably think so lowly of me now,” she muttered, more to herself than to him. “They probably think I’m some kind of… whore.”

The word barely left her lips before Eris’s expression darkened once more, the possessiveness in his eyes blazing back to life.

“They won’t be thinking any of that,” he said firmly, his voice laced with steel. “I made sure of it.”

Her eyes widened, her shock evident as she searched his face for any sign of insincerity. “What… what do you mean?” she whispered.

“No one will ever look down on you,” he said, his tone leaving no room for argument. “Not while I’m here.”

He took another step closer, erasing the distance between them until they were almost touching. His golden eyes burned into hers, and Y/N found herself unable to look away.

“Just next time,” he said softly, his voice almost a whisper, “come get me.”

She nodded slowly, her heart hammering in her chest. The intensity of his presence was overwhelming, consuming, and she felt like she was teetering on the edge of something she didn’t fully understand.

Then, just as suddenly as it had come, the moment broke. Eris stepped back, the warmth of his body leaving her as he turned toward the washroom.

“I’m in dire need of a relaxing bath,” he said, his tone returning to its usual cool detachment. Without another glance, he disappeared into the washroom, the door clicking shut behind him.

Y/N stood there in stunned silence, the room suddenly feeling too empty and too loud all at once. Her pulse thundered in her ears as she tried to process what had just happened, her mind replaying his words over and over.

Come get him? What did that even mean?

Her legs finally gave out, and she sank onto the edge of the bed, her hands trembling slightly as she stared at the closed washroom door. For the first time in what felt like forever, she didn’t know what to think—or how to feel.

The room was enveloped in darkness, the faint scent of candle wax lingering in the air. Y/N lay on the bed, her back turned towards the other side, her body stiff with the weight of thoughts pressing down on her. She wasn’t asleep—far from it. Her mind was a tumultuous storm of guilt, confusion, and dread. Her fingers nervously twisted the edge of the blanket as she replayed the events of the day over and over. The meeting. The stares. Eris’ voice, his touch. The fire in his eyes when he’d spoken to her, the way his gaze had seared through her.

Her chest tightened. She didn’t know if it was from embarrassment or something else entirely. What had he thought of her? What had those other males thought of her? Shame mingled with her self-recrimination. A Monteserian "princess", soaked to the bone, stumbling into a room full of Autumn courtiers like a fool. What a sight she must have been.

She squeezed her eyes shut, willing sleep to come, but it eluded her. The ship creaked softly with the rhythm of the waves, the distant hum of the sea the only sound filling the silence—until his voice pierced through the darkness.

"I know you're awake."

Her body jolted, startled by how effortlessly he seemed to read her. She didn’t turn to face him, but her breathing hitched. For a long moment, the room was silent again, save for the creaks of the ship and the muffled lapping of water against the hull.

Finally, she sighed. “I can’t sleep,” she admitted quietly.

Another pause, and then, "What’s on your mind?"

She hesitated, not expecting such a question from him. It was easier to avoid the truth, so she deflected, “Tell me about the courts.”

She waited, expecting him to scoff or brush her off, perhaps even mock her for being naive. Instead, to her surprise, he answered.

Eris began speaking in his calm, measured tone, his voice cutting through the stillness like a warm blade. “The Summer Court. Hotheaded fools, most of them. They think the sun and their endless coastline make them untouchable. Tarquin’s a decent enough High Lord—idealistic and stubborn. He always has a way of seeing the good in people, even when there’s none to be found.”

Y/N turned slightly, her gaze now fixed on the window, the faint sliver of moonlight creeping through. She listened as Eris continued, painting a picture of the courts in his sharp, unfiltered way.

“The Spring Court? Tamlin’s a shadow of what he once was. After everything, his court barely functions. I’d be shocked if they made it through another decade without collapsing entirely. He spends most of his time drinking himself into oblivion.”

“Day Court,” he continued, his tone a touch more neutral, “is ruled by Helion, a High Lord who’s almost as arrogant as I am, though at least he’s clever. Knowledge is power there. You’d like their libraries, I think.”

Y/N blinked, caught off guard by the casual compliment buried in his words.

“Winter is quiet,” he added, his voice softening slightly. “Kallias keeps to himself. They’re not involved in much unless it’s forced on them.”

“And the Night Court?” she asked hesitantly, her pulse quickening.

Eris hesitated, and she felt the weight of his silence as if he were carefully choosing his words. “The Night Court… Rhysand and his Inner Circle think they’re saviors of the realm. They’ve built themselves quite the empire, but alliances with them are… complicated. I don’t care for friendships or grand ideals, so we keep things civil. Barely.”

Her heart thudded loudly in her chest as she anticipated his next words.

He spoke of multiple fae in the Night court, different people who served Rhysand. He spoke of his closest court too, of some "weird witch" named Amren, of Mor--though Y/N could feel the clear frustration and discomfort he had when speaking of her--of Feyre, Nesta and Elain, of Cassian and lastly....Azriel.

“Azriel,” he said at last, his tone dipping slightly. “He’s one of Rhysand’s spymasters. A shadow-singer. We don’t exactly… get along.”

The air seemed to grow heavier, Y/N biting her lip as she tried to maintain her composure.

“Why not?” she asked carefully, her voice barely above a whisper.

Eris exhaled, and she could feel the shift in his demeanor even though she wasn’t looking at him. “Maybe another day,” he said curtly, signaling the end of that topic.

She nodded, not wanting to push him further. But before she could stop herself, the words tumbled out. “Tell me more about Azriel.”

Eris was silent, and she immediately regretted asking. But then, his voice cut through the darkness again, tinged with a slight edge of curiosity. “Why are you so interested in him?”

“I…” she scrambled for a response. “I’ve just heard of him before, that’s all.”

He didn’t press further, and she exhaled in relief as he began to speak again, though his tone was sharper now, as if discussing Azriel put him on edge. “He’s a dangerous male. A shadow-singer is not someone to underestimate, no matter how composed they seem. He’s loyal to Rhysand, as are the rest of that blasted court. But loyalty doesn’t make him any less insufferable.”

Y/N’s chest ached with every word, her emotions threatening to spill over. Eris had no idea. He had no idea that Azriel—the male he so clearly despised—was her half-brother.

“Will we… will we ever meet these people?” she finally asked, her voice trembling slightly.

Eris sighed. “Of course. They’re High Lords, Y/N. There will be gatherings, events, and plenty of occasions where you’ll have to meet them.”

Her throat tightened. “I’m scared,” she whispered. “I’m not used to it… to any of this.”

Eris didn’t respond right away, and for a moment, she thought he might brush her off. But then his voice came, steady and firm. “You’ll be fine.”

It wasn’t said softly, nor was it cruel. It was simply a statement, one that carried a strange sort of reassurance.

“Go to sleep,” he said after a moment, the finality in his voice clear.

She turned her head slightly, catching the faint silhouette of him lying on the bed, his back turned to her. The ship creaked again, the sound of the waves filling the room once more. Y/N stared out the window, her thoughts swirling as the moonlight cast its faint glow.

Eventually, the exhaustion of the day overtook her, and she drifted off into a restless sleep, the weight of everything she had learned—and everything she still didn’t know—pressing down on her chest.

The sun was shining mercilessly today, as if it had no recollection of the thunderstorm that had raged through the night. The ship was steady underfoot, the waves lapping gently against the hull, their rhythm a far cry from last night’s chaos. Eris stood in his private office below deck, gazing out through a small circular window at the sparkling sea. The sunlight streamed in, making the wood-paneled walls appear golden, and yet his thoughts were far from serene.

The late-night conversation with Y/N refused to leave his mind. Her voice, low and hesitant, lingered like a melody. She had asked about the courts, about him. He hadn’t anticipated her curiosity about Azriel, nor the way it would unsettle him. She had hung on every word, her questions so deliberate, so measured, as though she were walking a fine line. Why? Why the sudden interest in a spymaster of the Night Court, someone she had likely never even met?

Eris scowled and turned away from the window, pacing the length of his cabin. Y/N was a puzzle he hadn’t yet figured out, and every moment he spent with her only added more pieces to the board. She had been quiet, introspective, but there was a storm brewing beneath that calm surface—he could feel it. And yet, despite his irritation at her elusiveness, he found himself drawn to her in ways he couldn’t quite explain.

A sharp knock at the door pulled him from his thoughts. One of the ship’s servants stepped in, bowing slightly before addressing him. “The breakfast you wished for is ready, my prince. Princess Y/N has been informed and is already waiting for your arrival.”

Eris nodded curtly, dismissing the servant with a wave of his hand. He lingered for a moment, running a hand through his hair before straightening his tunic. He told himself the breakfast was a necessity, part of the elaborate charade they were playing. A loving couple, deeply bonded, unshaken by the whispers of court politics or the tension that surrounded them.

That’s all it was, he told himself firmly. But a nagging voice in the back of his mind suggested otherwise.

He ascended the stairs to the deck, the bright sunlight momentarily blinding him. As his eyes adjusted, he scanned the ship, his gaze drifting toward the nose where the table had been set. And there she was.

For a moment, he froze.

Y/N stood by the railing, the sunlight dancing on her skin. She wore a simple yet elegant dress, its fabric flowing lightly in the sea breeze. The color—a soft, muted blue—brought out the brightness of her eyes, and the cut was both practical and feminine, perfectly suited for a day on the ship. Her hair had been swept up into an intricate style, with loose strands framing her face, giving her a radiant, almost ethereal appearance.

She turned as she heard him approach, and when her gaze met his, she smiled. The kind of smile that could disarm anyone.

Before he could gather his thoughts, she crossed the deck and took his hand, her touch warm and soft. “Come on,” she said, her voice light, almost playful. She led him to the table, her fingers curling around his in a way that felt… deliberate. He quickly realized why. The servants were still arranging the last of the breakfast, their eyes flickering toward the two of them.

She’s putting on a show, he realized, schooling his expression into a neutral mask.

When they reached the table, Y/N released his hand, and the servants stepped back, bowing slightly before disappearing below deck.

“I’m glad you made us sit far away,” Y/N said as she settled into her seat. “I don’t like too many eyes on me.”

Eris raised a brow, leaning back in his chair. “Well, I needed to make sure we were having a proper couple’s breakfast,” he said, his tone laced with mild sarcasm, “not putting on a performance for the entire crew.”

Her lips quirked into a small smile, and she shook her head, taking a sip of water.

They ate in relative quiet for a while, the hum of the ship and the cries of distant seabirds filling the space between them. Eventually, Eris broke the silence. “Your hairstyle is… different today.”

Y/N looked up, startled, and her fingers brushed against the intricate twists and braids. “You like it?” she asked, her voice tinged with curiosity. “Samira put a lot of effort into it this morning.”

Eris found himself smiling faintly, though he quickly masked it. “She did a fine job,” he said smoothly.

Y/N’s smile widened, and they fell into easy conversation, a surprising shift from the tension of the night before. She was more animated today, more relaxed, and it was… disarming.

Then, out of nowhere, she mentioned a name.

Tideholt.

Eris froze mid-bite, his fork hovering in the air. “What did you say?”

“When Samira was helping me get ready,” Y/N repeated, her voice soft, “she mentioned a harbor city we’ll be passing today. I’d like to go there.”

Eris’ brows furrowed. “Why?”

Y/N sighed, setting her utensils down. “I haven’t seen the world beyond Montesere, Eris. Please. Just one stop. We’ll look around, that’s all.”

He frowned, considering her request. “That place is not exactly…” He trailed off, unsure how to explain the harbor’s reputation without alarming her. “It’s not the kind of place you wander around unguarded.”

“I’ll have you with me, won’t I?” she countered, her tone hopeful.

Eris stared at her, torn between irritation and something he couldn’t quite name. Finally, he sighed, rubbing a hand over his jaw. “Fine. I’ll inform Captain Lorrick to dock there for a few hours. We could use some extra supplies anyway.”

Y/N’s face lit up, her smile so bright it momentarily stunned him. For a fleeting moment, she looked… unreal. Like something out of a dream.

He quickly recollected himself, clearing his throat as he looked away. “Now eat your food,” he said gruffly.

She grinned, but to his relief, didn’t press further. They ate the rest of their meal in a comfortable silence, the kind that didn’t need words. But Eris’ mind was far from quiet.

Y/N was a mystery. And the more time he spent with her, the more he wanted to unravel it.

The excitement had been building within Y/N all morning as the ship neared Tideholt, the harbor city that Samira had mentioned earlier. She stood at the edge of the ship, her hands gripping the railing as she gazed out at the sprawling city on the horizon. The waters seemed to part around them as the ship drew closer, and she couldn’t help the flutter of anticipation that bubbled in her chest.

The sun was high in the sky, casting a warm, golden hue across the sea and the city itself. Tideholt was nestled against the coastline, its buildings rising in layers up the cliffs, with narrow streets winding through them. The air was fresh with the salty scent of the sea and the promise of new experiences. The ships that dotted the harbor looked like giant, sturdy beasts, each one with its own tale to tell. The city’s shores were lined with docks, bustling with activity, as merchants, sailors, and traders shouted and bargained. She could feel the energy of the place already, and it sent a thrill through her veins.

Beside her, Samira stood, her eyes wide in wonder. “Gods,” she murmured, “how unusual it is to be so far from home.”

Y/N nodded, her voice quiet as she responded. “Yes. It feels… different. Like there’s more to see than just what’s in Montesere.”

Samira grinned, her eyes glinting with excitement. “I’ve heard rumors about places like this—about the lives lived outside our walls. I can’t wait to see what it’s really like.”

Y/N felt a lightness she hadn’t realized she’d been missing. A sense of possibility, a break from the heaviness of her past and the role she had been cast into. For just a moment, it felt like she could breathe again. A life beyond her duty and the expectations that followed her.

Their chatter was cut short as one of the sailors called out from the ship, his voice booming over the clamor of the busy harbor. “Docking in five minutes! Get ready!”

The announcement broke the spell of excitement, and Samira turned to Y/N, her grin widening. “Come on,” she said eagerly, “let’s see what this harbor city is like, shall we?”

Y/N laughed, a warm feeling spreading through her chest. “Yes. Let’s.”

The ship creaked and groaned as it made its way closer to the dock, the sailors expertly maneuvering it into place. The air was filled with the scent of brine, and Y/N could hear the distant calls of gulls above them, their wings sweeping in arcs over the water. As the ship slowed to a stop, she couldn’t contain the rush of emotion that surged within her. They had finally arrived.

Once the ship was docked, Y/N stepped forward, her eyes scanning the bustling port city before her. Her heart raced with anticipation. There was so much to take in—the clatter of wooden carts being loaded with goods, the colorful flags fluttering in the breeze, and the multitude of people going about their business in all manner of dress. She caught glimpses of people from all walks of life: sailors with weather-beaten faces, merchants shouting their wares, women in brightly colored dresses, and children darting through the crowd. The city had an energy, a pulse, that she had never experienced before.

She took a deep breath, letting the salty air fill her lungs, the cool breeze tugging at her hair. This place was nothing like Montesere, and it made her feel small and infinite at the same time.

Eris stepped beside her, his presence grounding her. He said nothing, but his eyes scanned the scene in front of them, his sharp gaze missing nothing.

When the gangplank was lowered, Y/N walked forward, her body filled with an unfamiliar sense of purpose. She wasn’t sure what she expected from this city, but it was more than she’d imagined. The smell of fresh fish, the sounds of the sea, the clinking of coins—it all felt so alive.

She could hear Samira’s light footsteps behind them, but she kept her eyes forward, her focus solely on the way the city stretched before her. There was a quiet thrill building in her chest, something that had been dormant for too long. A desire to explore, to see things for herself, beyond the rigid confines of her life back home.

As she stepped off the ship, she felt a tug at her hand. She turned to see Eris, his grip firm around her wrist. His hand tightened as he pulled her slightly closer, and Y/N found herself staring up at him in confusion.

“Eris?” she whispered, her voice laced with uncertainty.

He leaned in slightly, his expression stern. “Trust me when I say this place is too dangerous,” he said, his voice low. “Don’t argue with me about it here.” His tone held an authority that made her spine stiffen.

Y/N felt a flicker of surprise, followed by a flash of uncertainty. The city, with all its vibrancy, was suddenly not what she had thought it would be. Dangerous? The thought left her unsettled, but she didn’t argue. She simply nodded.

Eris didn’t look back at her, his eyes scanning the surroundings as he spoke to the rest of the court. “Do as I tell you,” he ordered. “Stay out of trouble. If you’re given orders, follow them. We need supplies, but don’t stray far.”

A few guards and courtiers dispersed at his command, but Samira stayed close, walking a few paces behind them with another guard. Y/N wasn’t sure if that made her feel better or worse, but it was clear that Eris was making sure no one got too close to her, not even Samira.

Eris’s hand remained around her wrist, and she found herself walking beside him, the sound of their footsteps echoing off the cobbled streets as they moved deeper into the city. Her heart pounded, not with excitement, but with the awareness of how tightly he was controlling the situation.

The streets of Tideholt were narrow, winding between buildings that were both charming and worn by time. There were people everywhere—fishermen hauling nets, children running with baskets, vendors selling goods from carts. The sea was always nearby, its waves crashing against the dock, reminding Y/N of the vastness of the world she had yet to discover.

But as she looked at Eris beside her, his eyes sharp and focused, she understood that this place, for all its beauty, was not a safe haven. It was a place of danger, a place where anything could happen—and she wasn’t sure she was ready for whatever Eris was trying to shield her from.

As they walked, Eris kept his grip on her wrist, his fingers warm and firm around her skin. He was a shield, a protector in his own way. She had never been given this much attention, never had someone so clearly watch over her every move. It felt suffocating and comforting all at once.

Finally, after a few moments of silence, Eris spoke again, his voice barely above a whisper. “Stay close,” he said. “Don’t wander off.”

Y/N nodded, her throat tight as she followed him deeper into the unknown.

The sounds of the city filled his ears—the bustling chatter of vendors, the calls of the street performers, and the rhythmic clatter of feet on cobblestones—but none of it could drown out the sound of her laughter, high and free. Her steps were light as she skipped from stall to stall, her fingers brushing the goods on display, her face alight with the thrill of the moment. It was as though the entire city was a playground, and she was the most carefree child in it.

She had started out quietly, but as they ventured further into Tideholt, she transformed. Eris watched, a faint smirk pulling at his lips, as Y/N darted from one vendor to another, her eyes gleaming with excitement. It was contagious, her energy making the mundane appear magical. She had no care for the grandeur of the world she was used to—this was real, this was spontaneous, and it was nothing like Montesere.

“I need this,” she said suddenly, holding up a set of beautifully beaded earrings from a street vendor. They shimmered in the sunlight, vibrant and full of life, the colors dancing as if they had a mind of their own. She turned to Samira, who was walking beside them, her expression equal parts amused and fond. “What do you think?”

Samira raised an eyebrow. “They’re… bold.”

Y/N laughed, spinning on her heel. “I think I’ll take them,” she said, and without waiting for another word, she handed over the coin and accepted the jewelry from the vendor, her fingers eagerly fastening the earrings in place.

Eris, walking a few paces behind, couldn’t help but watch her, his sharp eyes observing her every move. There was something about the way she moved—free and untethered—that stirred a strange feeling in him. The carefree joy on her face, the way she interacted with the people around her, the way she laughed—it was all so unfamiliar.

It wasn’t the female he had come to know—the one who carried the weight of a kingdom on her shoulders. It was a different side of her, one that hadn’t been given room to breathe in the shadow of responsibility. And for a moment, he found himself almost… envious.

But he quickly pushed that aside. He wasn’t here for distractions. They had a mission, a purpose. Still, the sound of her laugh—the brightness of it—tugged at something inside him. It unsettled him, the way it made him forget the sharp edges of his own reality.

“You’re going to bankrupt me at this rate,” he said, his voice dry but playful as Y/N ran ahead once more, her laughter ringing through the air. She had spotted a cart selling brightly colored silk scarves, and without hesitation, she was already making her way to it.

She grinned over her shoulder at him, her face a picture of mischief. “Not if you’re the one who keeps paying for them, my dear husband,” she teased, and then turned her attention back to the scarves.

Eris’ smirk deepened, his thoughts momentarily clouded by the way she referred to him. There was something about the way she said it, as if the pretense had become second nature to her, that made his chest tighten. It was all just a game to her, wasn’t it? Just another act in a long string of performances. But the realization stung a little more than he expected.

He pushed the feeling away, focusing instead on the bright colors and chaos around them.

After buying yet another trinket—a tiny carved wooden horse that Y/N insisted was “too cute to pass up”—she stopped to catch her breath. Samira was shaking her head, half-smiling, as she gave the small bags to the guard.

“Can’t you go five minutes without finding something to buy?” Samira teased.

Y/N grinned. “I’m enjoying myself. Don’t ruin it.”

And with that, she darted off again, this time pulling Eris along with her, much to his surprise. He could hardly keep up as she raced toward a juggler performing for a small crowd. She was utterly caught up in the spectacle, eyes wide with wonder as the juggler tossed knives into the air, spinning them in graceful arcs.

Eris couldn’t help but chuckle, his amusement tugging at the corners of his mouth. “You’re incorrigible.”

But then, as if the universe itself had decided to break the spell, everything shifted in an instant.

A scream rang out.

It cut through the laughter of the crowd, jolting everyone into a stunned silence. The juggler froze midair, the knives clattering to the ground. Y/N’s hand flew to her chest, her breath catching in shock as she looked around, trying to identify the source of the scream.

The air grew heavy, the vibrant atmosphere of the market turning to a tense stillness. Eris immediately moved closer, his body instinctively shielding Y/N as his eyes scanned the crowd. Something was wrong.

Another scream—this time more guttural, more panicked.

Then, chaos erupted.

A group of masked figures appeared from the shadows of the surrounding alleyways, their faces obscured by dark cloths. They moved with a terrifying precision, slicing through the crowd, their eyes scanning every face, every person in their path. Eris’ hand went to the hilt of his blade, his movements swift and deliberate as he pulled Y/N behind him. The guard beside Samira did the same.

“Stay close,” he growled, his voice low and urgent.

Y/N’s pulse raced as she clutched his arm, her eyes wide. “What’s happening?” she whispered, fear beginning to creep into her voice.

Before Eris could answer, the masked figures began to charge toward them. The air was filled with the sound of feet pounding against the cobblestones, and then one of them—a tall man with a scar running across his cheek—lunged toward Eris, blade drawn.

Eris was quicker.

In one smooth motion, he drew his own blade and blocked the strike, his face hardening with cold determination. But as he fought off the attacker, another figure appeared behind him, aiming a dagger at Y/N. She barely had time to react before she felt a cold hand grab her wrist, yanking her away.

“No!” Eris shouted, turning just in time to see her being pulled into the chaos.

Adrenaline surged through him as he rushed forward, but the crowd was too thick, the figures too numerous. He caught a glimpse of Samira and the guard somewhere, fighting off another group of attackers. He fought his way toward Y/N, his mind racing with every possible worst-case scenario. This wasn’t just a random attack—this was a carefully orchestrated ambush.

Y/N’s voice reached him, frantic. “Eris!”

But before he could reach her, another figure appeared, cutting off his path.

And then, with a sharp crack of sound, the world around them seemed to twist.

An explosion.

The ground shook beneath their feet, sending them both sprawling to the ground. Smoke and debris filled the air, blocking his vision. He coughed, his eyes stinging from the sudden cloud of dust.

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

Taglist: @batboyslutt @k-godling @littowl @jaybbygrl @kissesfromnovalie @talesofadragon @tele86 @annamariereads16 @circe143 @yukimaniac @babypeapoddd @darkbloodsly @hauntedstudentobservationus

#acotar #eris acotar #acotar fluff #acotar imagine #acotar x reader #eris x reader #eris vanserra #eris fluff #eris x you #azriel acotar

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azziesbattybaddie · 2 days ago

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Here's a little morsel of what I'm posting tomorrow, hope you like it!😘 ~~~~~~~~~~

"uh uh baby, open that pretty mouth of yours, I wanna hear you. Moaning like a good little slut on my cock..." You felt his fingers grasp at the hair at the base of your skull and pull your head from where it was planted in the mattress. Your eyes had rolled back 20 minutes ago and you were beyond words to yell for him now. "C'mon you were doing so good for me baby, where's that dirty fucking mouth of yours when you need it, huh?"

Your legs shook from where you were bent over the bed, your feet lifted only barely on the floor from the force of his thrusts. You felt his hot mouth on the side of your neck and moaned out loudly when he bit down, his hips driving your higher than ever. He wanted you scream so hard you only remembered his name but even that escaped your mind as another wave of blinding hot crashed into you, stealing what little strength you had left, your eyes falling closed in exhaustion. You'd be sore the next day but hopefully it would stand as a reminder to not brat him so hard again, or just maybe it was a reminder to do so much more often...

~~~~~~~~~~

@romantasyreader28

@tele86 @mulansaucey

@jennnsthings @6v6babycheese

@mich0731 @starlightandsouls

@ohemgeewhat @littlelunatica

@icey--stars @paleidiot @jir67

@celestialamore @rcarbo1

@quiet-because-it-is-a-secret

@queenoffeysand @suppppp97

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silverfairywings · 4 months ago

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— IN THE WAKE OF FLAMES. PT I

eris vanserra x archeron!reader

summary: even before you became fae, your favourite season was autumn. it’s a little hard to hide this when your least favourite newly appointed high lord has made it his life’s mission to be the most annoying male in your life.

a/n: not sure what this is but let me know if u want more lol

You’d think that hiding behind the Spymaster of the Night Court, a literal Shadowsinger, would allow you to blend in well enough to go unnoticed.

The auburn silk of your dress is a near perfect match to the grandeur of the Autumn Court ballroom you’re unfortunate enough to have to be in, and you tell yourself that the attempt at camouflage is the reason you were so drawn to the colour.

When Rhysand approached you and the rest of the Inner Circle with the invitation of a ball thrown by Eris to celebrate his newly inherited title of High Lord, your sister Nesta had dragged you out to shop for new dresses. You were adamant to wear an old gown until the dress caught your eye, the gold beads glinting in the light, almost mimicking a gently burning fire. The deep orange hue of the silk slip was muted ever so slightly by the sheer overlay, cinching at the waist before cascading to the ground and the wisps of fabric around your legs gave the illusion of sparks every time you moved.

Nesta had made a comment about the dress being perfect for Autumn Court and you had to physically restrain yourself from grimacing. You just liked the colour. It didn’t mean a thing.

Nesta and Feyre looked like perfect representatives of the Night Court and even Elain was donning soft shades of purple and blue tonight, a perfect embodiment of twilight. You loved your sisters, but you felt like you never quite fit in to the Night Court the way they had grown to. And you certainly felt like you stuck out like a sore thumb tonight.

Eris was definitely going to comment on the dress and you curse yourself internally, not having thought it through. He was jarring at the best of times, let alone a night that was solely dedicated to him. And you were dressed in the colours of his court.

You were extremely glad when Eris’ mother was the one to greet you all when you first entered the Autumn Court and not him. It allowed you to fully appreciate the beauty of his lands with unrestrained awe. Your sisters knew that Autumn had always been your favourite season, so the way you were so happy catching each falling leaf out of the sky was even more amusing to them considering they also knew how little patience you had for Eris.

That’s why you find yourself hiding behind Azriel’s wings tonight. As soon as you spot Eris making his way to greet Rhysand and Feyre, you sneak behind the Shadowsinger in an attempt to make yourself invisible.

“Seriously?” mutters the Illyrian, but he stays still for you all the same.

“Keep quiet,” you hiss, prodding him in the back. “You know very well how much he targets me. Gods, I thought he hated Cassian, but I seriously give him a run for his money.”

Mor, overhearing you, snorts into her cup. She creeps up next to you, lowering her voice to match yours. “You are so oblivious. He doesn’t hate you. He wants-”

“Might I interrupt the riveting conversation that I’m sure is going on behind the Shadowsinger’s wings?” you hear a voice drawl from in front. Your blood runs hot at being caught and you nearly burst into flames when Azriel starts to lower his wings, revealing you and Mor. She rolls her eyes at Eris’ attitude and walks away to talk to the pretty faerie in the green dress.

The years have softened the strained relationship between the Circle and Eris and none of them view him as a threat any longer. That doesn’t mean they find him any less irritating though.

Eris smiles at you when you cross your arms and clench your jaw, already feeling impatience with him bubbling up inside of you. He glances down at your dress and his lips quirk up a little higher. “Looking stunning as ever, Y/N.”

The others have already dispersed, and even Rhysand and Feyre have started to garner the attention of other important people they need to talk to. As they start to leave however, Rhysand speaks to in your head. Let me know if he’s bothering you too much. Just… try not to throw a plate at his face this time, please.

You glare at the back of Rhysand’s head. That was one time.

He doesn’t respond but you see his shoulders shaking with laughter for a millisecond before Feyre nudges him to behave in front of an Autumn Court official.

“Talking about me?” Eris asks, amused. You open your mouth to snap back at him, but notice the growing number of guests that are around the two of you now that the others have moved away. You bite your tongue for once. He is the High Lord now after all.

You plaster on a sweet smile. “Only good things… High Lord.”

Eris raises his brows at that, but chooses not to comment. He holds out his hand instead. “Dance with me.”

You’re about to laugh in his face and tell him absolutely not, but his request has caught the attention of a couple guests and they nosily look over in what you’re sure they think is a subtle way. “I’m a little tired. Sorry,” you say through gritted teeth, still smiling.

“Surely you’re not going to deny me such a small request on tonight of all nights?” he says softly, part mocking and part pleading.

You know for a fact he won’t force you to dance, but if you deny him in front of the other guests, it’ll undermine him and while you dislike him, you’re not that cruel. Plus, Feyre would probably have your head if you were to insult a High Lord in public. In private, she only ever laughs when you disparage him, but appearances are everything.

“Of course not,” you deadpan, reaching for his outstretched hand and trying not to react to the way the warmth radiating through his palm is warming your previously cold fingers.

He leads you into the crowd of dancing guests, placing his free hand on your waist as you rest yours on his shoulder, keeping a respectable distance. He rolls his eyes and tugs you forward so your chest is nearly flush against his own. When you glare at him, he merely smirks. “It’s a little hard for two people to dance when one of them is halfway across the room from the other.”

You hear a giggle from one of the guests near you and nearly whip around to glare at them. Eris catches the expression on his face and it’s as though he can read your mind with the way he’s holding back a grin. “My apologies,” you mumble, before lowering your voice to a whisper that only he can hear. “Smartass.”

“I do so enjoy your pet names for me,” Eris teases, utterly unbothered. Every time you interact with him, you swear to yourself you’ll keep a cool head. And every time, you fail. “I like your dress.”

You narrow your eyes at the compliment, but since he hasn’t actually said anything insulting or with a double meaning like he usually does, you don’t have anything to be annoyed about and begrudgingly accept the nice words. “Thank you.”

“You look ravishing in the colours of my court.”

You step on his foot.

He hisses in pain, but the grin doesn’t leave his face when he sees that he’s succeeded in irritating you.

“I didn’t choose the colours on purpose,” you say, defensively. “I just happened to like the dress.”

“You know, you often happen to like Autumn colours,” he muses, expression turning thoughtful and not in a sarcastic way this time. “Or any colour that isn’t of the Night Court’s fashion. Tell me, do your sisters know how you long to find someplace you actually belong?”

Your stomach drops and you feel like you’ve been doused in freezing cold water.

“I wasn’t aware you were a Daemati, High Lord,” you say, scowling. Eris furrows his brows at the title and spins you out before bringing you back in, this time a little closer than before. “You’re wrong.”

“Stop calling me that,” he mutters, a hint of impertinence in his voice. It takes you by surprise since you assumed he’d be revelling in all the glory, the power of High Lord coursing through his veins. Instead, he sounds like a boy being denied his favourite sweets. “Call me Eris again.”

“No.” You frown at him, pulling back slightly to meet his stubborn gaze. “We’re not friends. You’re the High Lord of Autumn now and I’ll be addressing you as such.”

“What, I’m High Lord now, so you have to respect me all of a sudden?” he asks, tilting his head.

“Yes,” you sigh, already anticipating this conversation taking a turn you don’t want it to.

“You have to be pleasant with me?”

“Yes.”

“Listen to my commands?”

“Yes.”

His smile turns wolfish. “Then I command you to call me Eris.”

“I can think of a few other things to call you, if not High Lord,” you mutter, careful not to allow any eavesdroppers to hear.

“And while I’d love to hear them, I doubt they’d be suitable for the delicate ears of court officials.”

While he’s exactly right, the way his eyes twinkle with mischief tells you that he’s insinuating a completely different type of unsuitable and your cheeks burn.

“Don’t you ever tire of being so wearisome?” you say, drily. His eyes soften ever so slightly as they scan over your face.

“Don’t you ever tire of pretending?” he asks quietly, meeting your eyes determinedly. You don’t bother asking him to clarify.

“Why can’t you just mind your own business?” You try to snap at him, but the way his words hit you deep have all the bite leaving your voice and instead you sound imploring.

Eris doesn’t answer your question and just keeps going as the two of you dance. “My mother wants me to tell you that you’re welcome to visit any time, by the way.”

“I’ll let Rhysand know.”

“She didn’t say Rhysand, she said you.”

”What?” You look up at him, shocked. That was probably the last thing you expected him to say, “Why in the world would your mother want me to visit? She saw me hurl that plate at your head last month.”

“Yes, and she told me I probably said something to deserve it,” he grumbles, but without any real malice when talking about his mother. It’s clear as day that he has nothing but love for the sweet woman.

“She’s a smart one, your mother,” you say, grinning at the thought of Eris being reprimanded. You catch him watching you without speaking and immediately frown, not wanting him to think you’re actually smiling at him. Which you definitely aren't. “I still don’t understand why she wants me to visit.”

Eris shrugs, although his eyes stray from yours, and he’s seemingly bored with the conversation as he looks down to the floor as your feet move gracefully across it. “She likes your attitude.”

“My bad attitude?” you ask, wrinkling your nose in genuine confusion.

“Passionate,” he corrects you, meeting your eyes again, and you find no traces of humour in them. “And ‘fiery’ as she called it. Don’t feel bad for not being able to always control your emotions in front of others like the rest of them. You’re allowed to feel.”

Any response you might have had is lost to nothing and the silence stretches as your heart feels like it’s slamming against your chest. It’s a mix of fear and something else with the way he’s looking at you and you suddenly need to be anywhere else.

Clearing your throat, you step back in the middle of dancing and lower your hand from his shoulder to smooth down your dress. Your other hand is still ensnared in his and it lingers there while he speaks.

“If you do accept my mother’s invitation, you don’t have to see me if you don’t want to,” Eris adds and you try and listen out for any veiled mocking.

“Why do you even care?”

At this, his lips quirk up almost involuntarily. Slowly, his fingers start to loosen up around your hand and he begins to let go, faintly trailing his hand down your own as he does so. Instead of stepping away, he walks closer, stepping to the side slightly to lean down so his lips brush against your ear in a way that makes your breathing erratic.

“My mother was telling me that she saw you practically light up like a forest fire surrounded by the trees. She feels as though you should be able to stay longer next time,” he says in a normal voice before lowering it to a whisper. “She also overheard one of your sisters call Autumn your favourite season.”

Before you can protest and, let’s face it, lie to him, Eris calmly walks away and you know for a fact that the smug bastard is smirking at the way he’s succeeded in getting under your skin.

There’s no way you’re accepting his mother’s invitation, as sweet a woman as she is. You think about all the possible ramifications and decide to push the thought in its entirety out of your mind.

Nothing good ever comes from agreeing to dance with Eris. It’s extremely similar to playing with fire, you think.

#eris vanserra x reader #eris x reader #eris x you #Eris vanserra fanfiction #eris vanserra #eris acotar #eris fanfic #Eris vanserra imagines #eris x oc

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prythianslibrary · 8 months ago

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This is @prythianpages. You can find my writing here. I made this little slide blog for all the fics I read & love so I can go back to them ❤️

Heads up, I do reblog things from other fandoms from time to time. I also tag all my posts so if you're looking for something particular, click on the links below:

A C O T A R

Rhysand | fluff | angst | smut | personal favs

Lucien | fluff | angst | smut | personal favs

Tamlin | fluff | smut

Helion | fluff | smut

Tarquin | fluff | smut

J J K

Kento Nanami | fluff | smut | angst | personal favs

Saturo Gojo

Toji Fushiguro

O T H E R S E R I E S

Aaron Warner

divider by @tsunami-of-tears

#acotar fanfiction #acotar x reader #acotar x oc #azriel x reader #cassian x reader #rhysand x reader #eris x reader #lucien x reader

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parkerslatte · 2 months ago

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The Purest Kind of Love

Azriel x Fem!Reader x Eris Vanserra

Warnings: smut. mentions of abuse. mentions of torture. blood and injury. mentions of childbirth. inner circle being assholes. near death experience. [more warning will be given as story progresses]

Summary: Four years ago, Azriel and Y/N made a bargain. They would form a relationship until either of them find their mates, once that happens, their relationship would end. No tears. No arguments. That was how it would be. However once the four years pass, both Azriel and Y/N realise how they have settled down in the life they had built together.

At the celebration of the new Autumn High Lord, everything Y/N and Azriel had built comes crashing down as a mating bond snaps between Y/N and Eris. Staying true to the bargain, the relationship between Y/N and Azriel ends.

Though as Y/N and Eris get closer, through some kind of divine intervention, Azriel always seems to be around with the mated couple. Feeling arise and truths come to light the longer they all spend around each other. However, not everyone is approving of the budding relationship. Truths come to light and some may not be so positive.

Current Word Count: 18,530

A Court of Thorns and Roses Masterlist

•••

Contents:

Part One

Part Two

Part Three

Part Four

Part Five

Part Six

Part Seven

Part Eight

Part Nine

Part Ten

Part Eleven

Part Twelve

Part Thirteen

Part Fourteen

Part Fifteen

Part Sixteen

Part Seventeen

Part Eighteen

Epilogue

A/N: Welcome to my new series I have coming out! Everything is planned and is a little bit longer than I originally intended though I cannot wait to share it with everyone!

If you would like to be tagged, reply to this post or send me an ask and I will add you. The first part will be posted on 25th December and other parts will be posted (hopefully if all goes to plan) regularly after.

#acotar #acotar x reader #a court of thorns and roses #azriel x reader #azriel #azriel acotar #azriel shadowsinger #azriel fluff #eris vanserra #eris vanserra x reader #eris vanserra x y/n #eris vanserra fluff #high lord eris #eris vanserra x you #eris acotar #eris x reader #azriel fic #azriel x eris #azriel x reader x eris

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daycourtofficial · 3 months ago

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It’s just to satiate the bond

Pairing: Eris x Rhysand’s sister!reader | WC: 2.3k | warnings: smut, piv, oral (f!receiving)

Summary: an agreement to have sex just to satiate a mating bond neither party wants is a great idea. Surely no one will get hurt, right?

Author’s note: this is part of my gingerfucker series but can be read by itself 😌

Her teeth were grinding as she walked down the hallway, her steps getting faster, trying to put as much distance from her and the large meeting room. She had to get away, she had to hide. She moved further away from the gathering of High Lords, pushing her instincts down, down, down as she went.

It was ridiculous how her body was reacting to just being in his presence, being so close to her mate. She shook her head, angrily trying to dispel that word from it.

Her ears twitched at the sound of quick steps behind her, nearly catching up to her. She quickened her pace, almost breaking out into a run, but the male that had followed her was quick to push her into an open door, shutting it behind them.

“What the fuck, Eris? Let me out of here.”

Eris stood blocking the door, not letting her move past him. Her arms reached for the knob before quickly being swatted away.

“No.”

“What is wrong with you?” She huffed out the question, not expecting much of a reply.

“Me? What is wrong with you?”

“I’m mated to an asshole.” Being so close to him was making her head spin, his scent of whiskey and smoke made her heart rate pick up.

His amber eyes danced with amusement. “Surely you understand mates are equals, so whatever I am, so are you.”

“You are a child.”

“You are the one who ran away.”

“To get away from you!”

“How did that work out for you, princess?”

He was grating on her, annoyance causing her teeth to grind again. She tried taking in a deep breath, hoping it would calm her nerves.

“It’d work better if you weren’t keeping me in here.” Her voice attempted to make the words sweet, missing the mark they came out with too much bite.

“I have a proposition.” It was difficult being this close to him. She picked up nearly every detail about him in this proximity: the freckles that trailed beneath the color of his shirt, wondering if they continued further down. The faint scent of what must be his hounds that clung to him. The necklaces that hung from his neck, draping over ornate fabrics she wanted to run her fingers over.

“We are both less than thrilled at this mating, however I am sure you are having urges that can’t be satisfied by anyone else or yourself.” His words pulled her from the visual inspection, looking up at him to find her distraction didn’t go unnoticed.

She moved her hands across her chest, fingers tapping her elbows. She didn’t want to admit how right he was - even the sight of other males made her want to gag. Nothing and no one had satiated the intense need that thrummed inside of her since it made itself known to her.

She nodded at him to continue, but he merely stared at her. Exasperated, she finally asked, “how do you suggest we go about fixing that?”

“We need to convince our bond we are happy.”

Our bond. The words struck something primal in her, some deep desire she had to be with him.

“That’s ridiculous.”

“Don’t think I can’t feel you in my chest in the middle of the night.”

“And what of it? Do the males of Autumn not want their females to know sexual desire? Rather it be unpleasant for her?”

Eris growled, the sound shooting heat through her.

“I can do more with my tongue than any male in the Night Court can do with their cocks.”

His scent was suffocating, the air around her coated with him. It was surely making her delirious, surely the only reason she heard herself saying, “prove it”.

Those two words, spoken an exhale, was all it took for the Autumn heir to move quickly.

He buried his face in her chest, his teeth nipping at the exposed skin of the tops of her breasts. A soft moan escaped from her mouth, his face tilting just enough for his amber eyes to show. He looked like a true predator as starving, wolfish eyes looked back at her.

He lifted her, grabbing the backs of her thighs to hoist her around his hips before she felt the wall hit her back. There was no time to object as he stuffed two of his fingers into her mouth.

“Hush now, Princess. Would hate for your moans to expose us.” Heat pooled in her stomach at his smirk.

Eris didn’t let himself think about what he was doing as he undid the ties on his pants. He didn’t think as he slid her panties to the side, sliding his fingers through her wet folds. He bit back the groan that was making its way up his throat at how wet she was. He didn’t think as he lined his cock up to her entrance, something inside him desperate to keep her gaze on him as he did so.

He watched her violet eyes widen as he sheathed himself inside of her, nearly coming undone himself at how perfect she felt around him.

He wouldn’t think about his previous sexual encounters, never caring about who he was with. Sex was transactional, a means to an end. This was to satiate the godsdamned bond thrumming between the two of them.

He would never admit to her he had taken all his previous lovers from behind, never caring to watch them. Never admit to the stirring his cock felt watching her eyes close, swallowing her moans.

Eris felt himself getting close to that high, felt it creeping through his body as his thrusts got sloppier.

He had to take control, couldn’t allow this weakness. His fingers held her jaw tightly. , examining her eyes with each thrust.

“I hate you,” she gritted out, teeth grinding.

He thrusted hard into her, his gaze seering as he watched her eyes roll back.

“You hate me so, and yet you buck like a common whore for my prick.” His hair was falling into his face, his punishing pace making it harder to concentrate.

“Do you ever stop talking? You’d be much more likable if you did.” Her voice was high and breathy, something inside him knowing just how close she was. Their mixed arousal was pinging throughout his chest, a sensation he had never felt before.

“You weren’t worried about likability when you started dripping on my cock.”

“Fuck you.” Her eyes were closed, searching for every ounce of pleasure he was giving her.

“Aren’t you already?” Hushed words were sending both of them closer to that edge, each desperate to land just one more barb. The arrogance in Eris’s tone sent her spiraling, pleasure ripping through her in uncontrollable waves.

Eris was furiously pumping into her as she milked his cock, her high cresting as he met his own. Between their shared orgasm, there was a split second their eyes met. The vulnerability of what they just did passed through the glance, and then it was gone, locked away deep in both their souls.

Eris’s head met her shoulder, struggling to catch his breath.

“Winded there, Lord?”

He growled at the question, his fingers quickly gripping tight to her before immediately letting go. He pulled back from her, the loss of contact making his chest go heavy. His fingers quickly redid the ties of his pants, a hand moving through his long hair.

The only sound was their labored breaths, filling the room with the knowledge that they could not go back. A fact neither of them would accept.

She moved her skirts back down, desperate to cover that seed that ran down her inner thighs.

Eris moved to the door, his back to her enough for him to bring his fingers to his mouth, swirling his tongue around the remnants of her arousal on it.

“It’s just to satiate the bond.” The lie fell from her lips, something she had been telling herself over and over again over the past few weeks since that first time with Eris.

“Do you like how the bond makes you hot for me?”

The pain from the tree against her face was nothing compared to how good each of his thrusts felt.

Her fingers dug into the tree, desperate for some bit of reality to cling to. It felt absurd how common this occurrence was - meeting almost weekly now just to keep the bond inside from exploding.

It was ridiculous how many nights she spent in her bed, her fingers not enough to satisfy her as her mind drifted to the male behind her.

“Better than being eternally sad over you.”

A chuckle came from him before he thrusted deep inside her, his fingers a tight grip over her hips she was sure was going to bruise.

“How would Rhysand react to finding out his precious sister has been reduced to little more than a common whore?”

“Don’t tell me you have to think of my brother in order to get off, hmm?”

His pace was punishing at her words, their back and forths doing more to him than he wished to admit.

Long fingers wrapped around her neck, tilting her head back just enough for her to see his amber eyes full of lust. She couldn’t stop the moan coming from her mouth at the intensity of his gaze, how just the sight of his eyes and one swift thrust of his hips sent her toppling over the edge of pleasure.

His pace quickened, his thrusts working her through her orgasm until he pulled her as close as possible, emptying himself inside of her.

Eris kept looking at her, his gaze focused as she tried to catch her breath. With more effort than he anticipated, he pulled his hands away from her, helping her straighten herself off the tree.

He moved her skirts, helping her straighten them out. His hand met her waist, an almost tender touch before he quickly pulled it away.

“Next time don’t make any plans afterward. You reek of sex and have the markings to prove it.” His fingers pointed at his own face, showing a line where the bark had made indentions into her skin.

He waited, not saying anything, only nodding at her before winnowing away, leaving her stranded in the woods, confused and alone.

“I just need a taste.”

Eris Vanserra was kneeling on the ground before her, his body disappearing beneath her skirts. He was not gentle as he grabbed her leg, throwing it over his shoulder.

“Er-oh.” Protestations die on her tongue as his mouth latched onto her cunt, his tongue pressing against the cloth of her underwear.

Her strained ears could barely make out his grumbling about “coming unprepared”, his voice muffled as his tongue made long, sweeping strokes through her folds.

He was pressing his weight into her, the only thing keeping her upright against the tree as he held her in place. The woods were echoing with the obscene sounds from underneath her skirt, but she could not care less.

Suddenly Eris grabbed her other leg, leaving her hoisted against the tree, his neck her only support.

She couldn’t hold in the obscene noises coming from her mouth. One of Eris’s hands let go of her thighs and she could hear him fiddling with the ties of his pants.

“Eris, you filthy thing. Are you touching yourself while you eat me out?”

A growl was all her retort was met with, a bite to her clit making her practically climb up the tree.

He was moaning into her, the vibrations sending waves of pleasure through her.

A biting quip was on the tip of her tongue, replaced by a moan as Eris’s fingers pushed the cloth to the side, rubbing his nose through her folds. His usual sharp tongue laid flat as he licked a long stripe across her heat. She shuddered at the sensation, trying to hold off her orgasm for as long as possible. The bond inside her was thrumming, bursting with joy at being pleasured by her mate.

Her hips were desperate as they rode across his face, thighs squeezing his head to keep him in place.

The sound of Eris pumping his cock into his hand was pushing her past her limits, their weekly rendezvous leading her to know exactly how it felt in her chest when he came.

Her high was quickly squashed as he pulled away from her, causing her to fall unceremoniously onto the ground. She let out a soft gasp, both pain and surprise unable to be contained.

“What are you-“ She looked up, chastisement at the ready, only to find her mate gone, nowhere to be found. She stood on shaky legs, using the tree as a support, not wanting to admit the disappointment that followed her as she left.

The ground was wet beneath her skirts, the tree biting into her back as she waited. The air was cold and uninviting, as if no one should be out in it without a coat or a lover’s embrace. She tried to ignore the heaviness in her chest, telling herself, “it’s fine.”

She waited. Minutes quickly turned into an hour, the moon high in the clearing above. Goosebumps ran up and down her arms at the late hour. The bond hummed lightly in her chest, nerves too strong to find out the consequences of pulling it.

Were these daliances getting to her, meaning much more than they should? He was supposed to arrive hours ago. He had never left her waiting this long.

Worry consumed her, but the everpresent bond assured her that he was out there somewhere, fine with the distance that lay between them.

She had never waited this long for a male to show up to a date before. She stopped that line of thinking quickly, shutting it down. Reminding herself this is not a date.

She sighed, rejection and embarrassment coming off her in waves. Her chest felt hollow as she looked about the clearing one last time, desperate for any sign she missed him before winnowing far, far away.

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Thanks for reading ❣️

#gingerfucker #eris x y/n #eris x you #eris x reader #eris vanserra fanfic #eris vanserra x y/n #eris vanserra x you #eris vanserra x reader #eris vanserra smut

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bookwormjust · 3 months ago

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Hidden pregnancy (established relationship Eris, protective hound)

You’ve noticed it for the past few weeks—Eris’s chief hound, the leader of the pack, has become more possessive, hovering around you constantly. His behavior has shifted from his usual loyalty to something far more intense. He never leaves your side, growling at anyone who comes too close, even Eris on occasion. At first, you found it endearing, but now, the overprotectiveness is becoming hard to ignore.

You’re in the sitting room of your shared estate in the Autumn Court, lounging by the fire. The hound lies at your feet, his golden eyes fixed on you with a sharp, almost vigilant focus. Anytime you move, he’s right there, nudging at you gently as if to keep you still. It’s almost as if he knows something you don’t.

Eris had been busy, as usual, with the duties of being the High Lord, but today he finally found time to join you for a rare moment of peace. He enters the room, his fiery hair catching the light, and as soon as he steps toward you, the chief hound growls low, his massive body shifting to block Eris’s approach.

“Again?” Eris mutters, eyebrows raised as he glances between you and the hound, a mixture of amusement and mild frustration in his amber eyes. “He’s been acting like this for weeks. What’s gotten into him?”

You shake your head, resting your hand on the hound’s massive shoulder. “I don’t know. He’s just... more protective than usual.” You give the hound a reassuring pat, trying to calm his overprotective instincts, but he remains tense, standing between you and Eris like a sentinel.

Eris sighs, walking around the hound cautiously, his gaze softening as it falls on you. “Has anything felt different?” he asks, sitting beside you and taking your hand gently. “Any reason he might be sensing something?”

You shrug, leaning into Eris’s touch. “I’ve been a little tired, but I thought it was just stress. You’ve been busy, I’ve been restless—maybe he’s picking up on that.”

Eris watches you closely, his brows knitting together in thought. His hand moves to your cheek, gently tilting your head to meet his gaze. “You’ve been more than tired. I can tell.”

Before you can respond, the hound lets out another low growl, his nose twitching as he presses closer to you, almost nuzzling your abdomen. You laugh softly, though the possessiveness in his eyes makes you feel slightly unsettled. “See what I mean?” you say, gesturing toward the hound. “He’s never this intense.”

Eris is silent for a moment, his sharp gaze flicking from the hound to you. Slowly, his eyes narrow, his posture stiffening. “Wait...”

His nostrils flare slightly as he leans closer, inhaling deeply, his focus entirely on your scent now. His eyes widen suddenly, and you see the shock and realization wash over him, his usual calm composure faltering.

“By the Cauldron...” he breathes, his voice low, filled with awe and disbelief. “You’re pregnant.”

You blink at him, stunned, your heart racing. “What? No, I—I couldn’t be...”

But before you can finish the sentence, the truth of it hits you. The exhaustion, the small changes in your body you’d brushed off—all of it suddenly makes sense. Your hand instinctively moves to your stomach, where the hound had been so possessively guarding.

Eris reaches out, his hand gently covering yours, his expression softening with a mixture of joy and concern. “He knew before I did,” he says, glancing at the hound, who is now lying at your feet, his head resting protectively on your lap, watching both of you with sharp, possessive eyes.

You’re still processing the news, your mind spinning. “How is that possible? It’s too early—”

“Fae hounds are attuned to life in ways we aren’t,” Eris says softly, his thumb brushing over your knuckles. “He sensed it before your scent changed enough for me to detect it.”

You look down at the hound, a new understanding settling over you. His protectiveness, his possessiveness—it wasn’t just instinct, it was his way of guarding the new life growing inside you, something he had known long before either you or Eris.

Tears prick at your eyes as you meet Eris’s gaze, overwhelmed by the sudden realization. “We’re going to have a baby.”

Eris smiles, a rare, genuine warmth in his expression as he leans forward to kiss your forehead. “Yes, we are,” he whispers, his voice full of love and wonder. “And he’s already started guarding both of you, hasn’t he?”

The hound lets out a soft huff, as if in agreement, settling more comfortably by your side, his head resting protectively against your stomach.

Eris wraps his arms around you, holding you close, his lips brushing the top of your head. “I promise, I’ll protect you both with everything I have.”

And with his hound at your side, you know he means every word.

#eris acotar #eris vanserra #eris x reader #eris x oc #eris vanserra x reader #eris vanserra x oc #eris vanserra x y/n #acotar reader imagine #acotar x reader #acotar

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mcuamerica · 7 months ago

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Loving Flames | Part One

Pairing: Eris x Reader

Summary: Amarantha decided to 'gift' you to Eris Vanserra to get back at Rhys. Requested by anon here.

Warnings: 18+ only, canon level violence, alludes to SA, the word whore shows up a few times, (again not proofread), let me know if anything was forgotten...

Word Count: 4.6k

Disclaimer: I do not own SJM’s characters, only the ones I create for the purpose of this story. This is a work of fiction. I do not give permission to repost my work on any other platform or medium. Please be respectful.

Dividers from @saradika

Eris met you when you were 35, years after the war. It was at a High Lords meeting, with your father bringing you along to introduce you to the court. It snapped for Eris in that moment.

You were wearing a spectacular navy blue and silver gown, fabric attached to your shoulders to make it look like a cape. Your wings were tucked in tight behind you to keep from bumping into anyone.

He tried to speak to you that night, tell you about the bond, but his father pulled him away quickly and he didn’t see you again.

The next time he saw you, however, you were by Rhysand’s side in all black, mourning the loss of your father and your mother. And your wings. While Tamlin’s brothers didn’t kill you, they almost did. Taking time with you is what allowed you to live, unfortunately for you.

Eris tried approaching you again, needing to say at least something to you. This time, Azriel, the ever obedient guard dog, growled and told him to leave. These ceremonies were for friends only. Which the Autumn Court was not. That night, Eris gave up on the idea that you and him could be together. He decided to leave you be, and avoid you at all cost.

But then Amarantha came sweeping in. Rhysand brought you to the ball with all of the High Lords when she took their powers. As since Rhysand’s father killed Tamlin’s, she wanted to punish him more than just taking him to bed.

“Beron, which one of these is your heir?” She asked, perched atop the throne. You were standing close to Rhys, his arm around your back. Eris, even though the bond was buried deep down, could feel the nerves radiating down that bridge. You were terrified. That she was going to hurt you. Or Rhys. And what better way than letting your enemy do it or you.

“I am,” Eris spoke before his father could utter a word. His father shot him a deadly look, but Amarantha’s smile widened.

“Good. I’m gifting her to you.” She said and smirked, nodding towards you.

Your eyes widened. Rhys looked to Eris with an even deadlier look than his father, almost saying ‘if you hurt her, you will be killed slowly and I’ll enjoy it.’ Eris stepped forward, soliciting a growl to come from deep within Rhys’s throat.

“Easy, bat, I will be gentle.” He said, unable to drop the mask. He forced his hand to remain steady as he reached it out to you.

You shrunk closer to Rhysand, listening as he leaned down and whispered something not even fae eyes could detect. You looked up to Rhys with pleading eyes.

“Hurry, now, I do not have all day.” Amarantha said, staring at her nails as if she were bored.

With a final nod from Rhysand, you shakily took Eris’s hand.

He did not pull you, instead allowing you to walk with him back to where his father and brothers stood. After that that, he let go of your hand. He promised himself he would protect you, even if you all thought he was a monster. He would never harm you, and never make you do anything you didn’t want to. Not as long as he could help it. His mate. You were under his protection now, and he would be damned if he let anyone harm you ever again.

Deciding to make you suffer even more, since you were the reason Rhysand knew about Tamlin’s brothers hurting you, Amarantha assigned you to a tiny room connected to Eris’s. It didn’t have a fireplace, and it barely fit the small bed that was in it. There was a small room filled with revealing clothing. Specially placed there so you could please Eris, according to her.

But months went by and he did not touch you. He would escort you to court dinners, offering you more food than the small portion you were allowed. You never accepted, eyes always darting for your brother to bring you some sort of comfort. But, Rhys was barely there. If he was, his eyes were cast downwards as Amarantha stroked his arm or his leg, making it clear that Rhys was her obedient dog, her whore. It made you sick to your stomach, but you knew he did it to keep your family safe. So maybe one day you could return to the sanctuary of Velaris.

You flinched slightly as Eris rested a hand on top of yours. “You need to eat, my lady,” he whispered. What seemed to be concern filled his eyes.

“So you can treat me like a pet?” You asked, swallowing your fear.

“So you can survive this.” He said. “I-“ he glanced up as Amarantha stood up to make an announcement. “I will come to your room tonight and I want you to have strength.” He said before she began to speak.

A chill ran down your spine at the thought of what you imagined on your head. You looked down to your plate, taking a small bite of the food. You were no good if you starved yourself. And if you didn’t please Eris like he wanted to, either he or Amarantha would punish you. Probably in front of your brother. Or make him do it.

Eris hummed in agreement to your action, before his attention looked towards Amarantha.

That night, you were shivering in your bedroom. The light set of pajamas doing nothing to keep you warm in the cool room, surrounded by nothing but stone. You perked your head up when the door connecting to Eris’s room opened. He normally used the main one connected to the hall, but tonight he must have wanted to be discrete. Bile rose on your throat in anticipation of what was about to happen, tears welling in your eyes as you body shook from the cold.

“I’m taking you to see your brother.” Eris said quietly. You looked at him, sitting up even more as you curled into yourself more.

“Why?” You asked

Eris’s heart broke at the sight of you, shivering from the cold and near tears from what you imagined he would do. He could be the villain in your story as long as he could keep you safe. But he needed you sane, as well. He would not let you deteriorate under this gods-forsaken mountain.

“Did you not hear Amarantha? She is sending Rhys to do scouting for the next few months. And I’d like for you to get a proper goodbye.” Eris said. “Here,” he said, pulling out the long, wool lined robe for you. “You’ll be warmer in this.” He even warmed it up with his internal heat before he came in here.

You slowly reached out, grabbing it before wrapping it around your body. He saw as you sunk into its warmth, wish that it was him you could find such comfort in.

He held out a hand and you slowly took it. “I’ll need to act like I’m taking you somewhere else, so just stay close and don’t talk.” He whispered before wrapping an arm around your waist. While you would have normally recoiled, you could only lean further into his body heat, much warmer than any you’ve know before. You assumed it was his internal flames burning under his skin, maybe causing his temperature to be much warmer than others. It must have been a nice luxury to have. Though, you were certain he had a fireplace in his room. Not that it would be hard for him to conjure flame anyway.

Eris stole glances at you, hoping that this would make you happier. You hadn’t seen Rhys, at least not at a distance where you could embrace or talk, for at least a year. But Eris knew Rhys would take your unwillingness to eat as Eris forbidding it, or some other malicious thing. Your eyes were sunken, each piece of clothing hung from your body looser as the days passed. You looked tired, exhausted, as if someone was draining the life force from you. No matter how many times Eris had asked, you were never allowed outside with him. Not even on one of the upper balconies. Your punishment for being alive while her friend was dead. It seemed Amarantha wanted to punish you more than Rhys. And Eris was just glad he could be there to protect you from most of her wrath, claiming that his gift shouldn’t be harmed. The things she threatened to do… Eris hoped she wouldn’t figure out you were his mate. Because if she did… even if her and Beron were allies, Eris didn’t think she would spare you much longer.

Eris knocked on a door, one of the shadow wraiths opening it. Your lips turned into a gentle smile as you greeted Nuala, happy to see a familiar face.

At the site of you, Nuala stepped aside. Rhys had bruises all around his neck, where he was staring at them in the mirror. You swallowed and looked up at Eris.

“Five minutes.” He said and stepped back, nodding at you to go in. You tentatively took a step inside, and once you were over the threshold, Nuala shut the door. Rhys turned, his eyes widening as he finally took account of who was in the room.

“(Y/N),” he breathed out rushing over to you. He looked you over, frowning at how poorly you looked. He cupped your cheeks and searched your eyes. Searching for the carefree little sister he knew. “Are you okay? How did you get here?” He asked.

Rhys must have put a shield around the room before Nuala opened the door, if he did not know Eris brought you here.

“I’m fine… I wanted to say goodbye. You are leaving for the outside soon.” You said, your voice quiet and weak. If Amarantha was trying to torture Rhys, she was doing a good job at it.

“Has he hurt you?” He asked.

You shook your head, wanting to say how well Eris was treating you. But the look on Rhys’s eyes told you he wouldn’t believe you. Maybe you needed to make more of an effort to be involved in this ridiculous, cruel court. But would that make you any better than Beron? Would it help you? Would it help your brother?

Rhys pulled you in for a hug and you wrapped your arms around his chest, burying your head in it. “Please come back.” You whispered, holding him tighter.

“I will never leave you here.” He whispered, rubbing your back. “And I will do everything I can to get you away from him.” He said as he pulled away.

“Did Amarantha do this?” You asked as you traced the small circular bruises on his neck.

“She likes to mark her whores.”

You frowned, looking up at the cold look in his eyes. “I’m proud of you.” You whispered. “I want you to know that… you are doing what is right for our family. And I’m so proud that I can call you my brother.”

You could see the words didn��t hit like you wanted them to… and your heart sank at the thought of Rhys not thinking he was doing enough. Or that he wasn’t good enough. “I will see you soon, (Y/N).” He said, pressing a loving kiss to your forehead.

You glanced at the time on the clock, then noticed Rhys had a balcony to go outside. “Fly for me, brother.” You whispered before stepping back. “I will see you soon.” You said before turning around and walking out of the room. You gave Nuala another smile before finding Eris with his back against the opposite hallway wall.

You walked up to him and took a quiet, internal breath. “I’d like new clothes.” You said to him.

His rose his eyebrows, shocked at your sudden urge to talk to him. “Excuse me?” It came out more rude than he meant it, but didn’t let that show.

“I-“ you started and then took a visible deep breath. “If I am to be your gift, I want to be presentable. I would like new clothes.” You said. You had no intention of doing anything for Eris, and the more you could avoid him, the better. But if Amarantha thought Eris favored you, maybe she would let you out. Maybe you could fool her into thinking you were enjoying it. And maybe that would be enough for her to let you leave your room by yourself.

“Okay.” Eris said.

It was your turn to be shocked. You thought you would need to convince him a lot more than that.

“Give me a list of clothes you’d like, and I’ll see what I can do.” He answered, then held out his arm. “Now come, you must be tired.” He said.

You tentatively took his arm, still slightly shocked that he didn’t dismiss you. This male that you knew to be cruel and abusive was nothing but kind, gentle, and patient with you. You started to piece together the times you interacted with him, and couldn’t think of a single time were he was mean. Maybe distant, cold, but plenty of faeries were like that. Your brother was like that a lot of the times. It was a mask to keep him safe. Maybe Eris was the same. Maybe you could trust him.

You faltered as he did not stop at your door, but kept walking a few more steps to his. You looked up at him and watched as he opened the door and lead you inside. Maybe you didn’t escape what you dreaded earlier today.

“It’s warmer in here. If you’d like, you can sleep in here. I can take your room.” He said.

You frowned. “What?”

“Every time I see you, you are freezing. And it’s because Amarantha put you in a room that is meant to be a cooler. Why it’s attached to a bedroom, I don’t know. But I don’t think it’s the proper place for the Princess of the Night Court to sleep.”

“But… won’t you get cold?” You asked, glancing to the door that connected the rooms.

“I run hot.” He said, a slight smirk coming to his lips.

“Why are you being nice to me?” You asked.

“Maybe it will be beneficial to me later on.” He said and shrugged. “But I cannot bring myself to harm you.” He said. “In anyway.”

And he showed it. From then on, you stayed in his room. Soon enough, you offered him to come to your room too. Even with the fire, you were still cold. You supposed it was the lack of food, of sunlight, of fresh air. It was not good for your body. So, you asked him to join you in the bed. Just to sleep. And he obliged, staying on his side of the bed. Until one night, where you were particularly cold after a ‘winter’ ball was thrown.

You turned over to Eris, who seemed to be asleep. You were in an oversized sweater and some loose pants. Courtesy of your wardrobe he provided for you. “Eris?” You whispered.

His head turned towards you as he opened one eye, a small smile coming to his lips.

He would act like this whenever you were alone. When no one could see you, he would show you a soft side. A side that had you wondering where all the cruel things said about him came from. This couldn’t be the same male that left your cousin for dead in the Autumn forest. He was so different than how Mor described him. If he was helping you, why wouldn’t he help her?

“Yes, princess?” He asked.

You weren’t even technically a princess, but he insisted on using the nickname. You were surprised it didn’t bother you.

“Can you… make the fire warmer? I’m cold.” You said quietly.

His eyes flickered to the burning hearth before looking back at you. “Can I try something before?” He asked.

You searched his eyes and, as usual, found no malice. Maybe a hint of mischief, if you detected it correctly. You gave him a nod, narrowing his eyes as he asked for you to turn on your side. Your back facing him.

“Do you trust me?” He asked when he noticed your hesitance. You paused at the question. You’ve been asking yourself the same thing for months. Almost a year now. Could you trust Eris? “Remember what I said? I won’t hurt you.” He said.

You slowly took a deep breath, turning your body so your back was facing him. You tensed up when you felt him shift on the bed, wrapping an arm around your waist and pulling her closer to his warm body. “What- what are you doing?” You asked.

“I’m going to make you warm.” He whispered in l your ear, the breath sending a shiver down your spine. In the best way.

Suddenly, you felt his hand settling on your bicep, and your arm instantly warmed up. You relaxed into the warm, smiling to yourself.

“Is this better?” He asked, rubbing your arm up and done as he held you close.

“Much.” You answered, even leaning into his chest more.

Eris became your anchor Under the Mountain after that. You often found yourself clutching his bicep, not wanting to be far from him. He stayed true to his word. He would not hurt you. And, apparently, he wouldn’t let anyone else hurt you either. One day, you were in the throne room as the court reveled, sitting on a loveseat while you waited for Eris to bring you something to drink. One particularly drunk made stumbled his way to sit next to you and got too close for your liking. Right as he was about to wrap an arm around you, Eris hauled him out of the seat. He pushed him back and said something with a growl you couldn’t hear, and then the male was running out of the room. Not many males approached you after that.

Maybe it was because your brother was gone for so long, or maybe it was because Eris was genuine to you. Even when you were out of the room, when he wore that cool uninterested mask, he was gentle with you. His touch was never too tight or too harsh. Was never too high or too low. He made you comfortable. You were starting to like him. As a friend, at least.

For the next 40 years, you were always around him. Even when Amarantha gave you more freedom, you wanted to be near Eris. Rhys started to notice, but didn't say anything as it was only apparent for your affection to his enemy before Summer, Winter, and Day rebelled. And then Amarantha's reign became increasingly strict. With only High Lord dead, and a new one taking his place, there was more tension than ever. Especially because anyone who was caught doing anything suspicious was whipped or tortured in front of the court. Sometimes, your brother would be the one to hold their minds and do it.

However, after finding out that Autumn and Night had nothing to do with the rebellion, she decided to be nice one day and allow you to the upper levels. She gave you in particular one rule, do not go outside. You couldn't help but watch as your brother went out on one balcony. And on the other, Beron and his sons were laughing. Actually laughing. It was only one month when the High Lord of Summer was killed and a bunch of Winter children were closed. Children. And Amarantha was celebrating you all.

Eris, however, was sat across from you on the couch. He noticed the way you longed to go outside, realizing while he was allowed out to visit his court with his father, you were stuck Under the Mountain. You hadn't been outside in more than 40 years.

"You should go, celebrate." You muttered, motioning to his family. "You may not be able to leave for along time." You said, frowning as you looked to your hands.

"I'm just fine in here." Eris said, resisting the urge to lean over and grab your hand. While you never crossed a line of being intimate, or anywhere near it, you had become friendly with Eris. You were more than glad to curl into his side at night, hold his hand at the dining table, or grab his arm while you walked around the passageways.

Before you could suggest it again, one of Eris's brothers peeked his head into the room. "Eris, bring your whore in here." He said.

You internally winced at the term, and Eris glared at his brother. While many people had called you the same, Eris normally corrected them. Especially his brothers.

"She isn't my whore." He growled out. "And if you call her that one more time, Sol, and I will rip your throat out." He said. "Besides, you know she can't go outside."

"Ah, Amarantha will never know." Sol said and smirked. "We'll distract the bat, you take her out there for some alone time." He said, making his way over to the balcony where Rhys was standing. As Sol pulled him inside, you could visibly see and hear Rhys's growl. He didn't want to be here, but if he could watch you amongst the Vanserras, he would.

"Sol-" Eris called out but groaned when him and one of the other brothers pushed Rhys out to talk to Beron and the Lady of Autumn. About what, you didn't really care. You stayed in your seat, taking a deep breath.

"I could at least open the door." He said and stood up, going over to the free balcony and opening the door to let in the breeze. You stood up, standing in front of the threshold. You closed your eyes as you felt the wind on your face, even if it was light.

The smile that came to your lips took Eris's breath away. Even in this terrible place, you could still find small bits of joy.

You looked down at the gap between you and the rest of the world, Eris standing on the other side. "Thank you." You said quietly to him, holding out your hand for him to take. He squeezed your hand, fighting the urge to pull you over the threshold and into his chest. He could image your giggle and scolding before you stepped back into the room. But before he could answer you, Amarantha burst through the doors with two of her sentries.

"Seems like the little princess can't follow the rules... Ah, Eris, are you trying to disobey my command?" She asked.

Your eyes widened and you immediately dropped Eris's hand. "I didn't go outside." You said quickly.

"No, but you were about to. And Eris was going to help you." She said. Rhys and the others came in.

"Now that I ponder it, I do remember hearing about the two of you sneaking around the passage ways months ago. That wasn't to spy, was it?" She asked. "Acting as lust-crazed fools?"

You never once showed any interest in Eris like that, and yet everyone just assumed the two of you were sleeping together. Or more like Eris was fucking you as he pleased.

"Nothing to say? Too bad." She said and nodded towards the sentries, one of them grabbing you and the other grabbing Eris. Rhys lunged forward to try and protect you, but Eris's brother's grabbed him.

"Relax, bastard, no one's going to hurt the princess." Sol teased.

"What is the meaning of this, my queen?" Beron asked, the ever-loving servant. His wife next to him looked completely uninterested other than a hint of worry for her son.

"We will make sure Eris and the princess never sneak around again." She said, giving a small wave before walking out of the room.

Before you knew it, you were standing in the throne room with Eris on his knees. One of Amarantha's sentries had a whip in his hands. "This is what you get for disobeying my command. And you get to watch princess, for luring him like you did the former High Lord of Spring." She said.

You looked at Eris, then at Rhys, pleading him with your eyes to do something, anything to stop this from happening. Rhys just tilted his head and stood beside Amarantha. Of course he thought Eris tried to pull you out and he would gladly see Eris punished over you.

The sound of the whip rang out, skin ripping underneath it. Beron and his other sons stood, stoically watching the punishment.

"How many month ago was it? 5? You've been sneaking around 5 months?" She asked. You weren't even sneaking around, you were simply walking. "5 more." She said and you struggled against the sentries holding you back. "Oh and another 5 for all those months lying to me." She said.

More sounds of the whip. More skin ripping. You watched as Eris clenched his teeth, never yielding a yell or scream. Like he had endured this before. You, on the other hand, were silently crying. You desperately tried to hold back your tears, but you couldn't.

After the final sound of the whip crack rang out, Eris sagged to the floor. "And 10 more, because I don't like hurting my friends." She said.

"Stop!" You screamed, an instinctual tug at your gut telling you he would bleed out if he received any more. "I'll do anything, stop this. Eris didn't do anything wrong." You begged, the sentries yanking you back as your legs almost gave out from under you.

Rhys shot you a look that essentially told you to shut your mouth, but you didn't see it. You were staring into Amarantha's cold eyes.

"Anything?" She asked. When you let out a whimper and nodded, a side smirk came to her red lips. "What about agreeing to be locked in sweet Eris's room under I die?" She asked. "Seems like a fair trade, since you disobeyed my command of not going outside. And you can't roam the halls with him either."

You let out a gulp, hearing a small whisper from Eris telling you not to do it. "So long as you, or anyone of your behalf, hurts him again. I will stay in his room." You said.

"Unless I command you out to court, you will stay in his room. And I, nor anyone on my behalf, will not hurt him. Until I die." She said.

You stood up straighter, feeling Rhys's eyes on you. "We have a bargain." You said.

"That we do." She said as you used your magic to imprint a tattoo on your back, right where Eris's scars would be. In doing so, you did the same for Amarantha, who only smirked more. "Take him to a healer. And take her to the room." She said. You stumbled as they pushed you towards the giant doors. You watched as Eris's sagging body was hauled up by his brothers, nearly sobbing at the sight of him.

As the sentries pushed you through Eris's room's door and shut it behind you, you suddenly realized what you agreed to. You were going to be trapped in this room forever. Unless she wanted to torment you more. Or she died.

What did you just do?

Part Two

A/N: This was so much longer than I expected and it's not even finished yet.. There will be at least another part! Hope you all enjoyed!

Taglist

#loving flames fic #acotar #katie writes #eris vanserra #eris x reader #eris acotar #acotar fic #acotar spoilers #eris fic

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imxnotxhere · 1 year ago

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Acotar Men Fic Recs

** Updated 03/07/2024 **

I already made a list for azriel which was actually meant as a list for all the characters I read for but I read a lot more of azriel fics because he's my baby and the list was getting too long. So here are the rest of the characters and I also added some more azzy drabbles sorry

Rhysand

@azsazz

dioxazine part 2 - fluff, smut, modern au, art school au

the lord's work - smut

if you should die before you wake - smut, rhys x cass x azriel x reader

just hold on - smut

a court of four horsemen - smut, part of a series

double duty - smut, rhys x reader x cass

what's mine - smut, rhys x eris x reader

lavender haze - fluff, suggestive

@tadpolesonalgae

mine - smut, check warnings!

knocked up - smut

vampire!rhysand drabble - smut

professor!rhys headcanons part 2 - smut

soothing - fluff, aftercare

@leafsandstarlight

easy like sunday morning - fluff, smut

@azrielbrainrot

my body keeps saying it's yours - smut

all over my skin - smut, rhys x reader x azriel

@writingsbychlo

home to us - fluff

rhys as a pleasure dom - smut - technically a drabble? blurb?

@azrielscrown

mirror mirror - smut

daylight - fluff

@acourtofwhatthefuck

shrinking violet - smut

@shadowdaddies

if i catch you i fuck you - smut

@fieldofdaisiies

rhysand... - drabble, smut

Cassian

@azsazz

mirror mirror - smut

take it - smut

a court of four horsemen - smut, part of a series

@tadpolesonalgae

on the strategy board - smut

pools of sunlight - fluff

@leafsandstarlight

halley's comet - angst, smut

@princess-tulip-writes

drabble - smut - az x cass x reader

@fieldofdaisiies

cassian... - drabble

@illyrianbitch

words of affirmation - fluff

Eris

@acourtofmenandthirst

runaway - angst, smut

fox hunting - smut

closed until further notice - fluff, smut, coffee shop au

smut blurb

smut blurb II

@leafsandstarlight

destiny's battleground - angst, smut

my lovely throne - smut

despite our differences - angst, smut, series

the prince of blood part 2 part 3 - vampire!eris

@tadpolesonalgae

servitude - smut

thumb prints - smut

@serpentandlily

sly fox, dumb bunny - series

@azsazz

the burning of the autumn leaves and the roaring of my yearning heart - angst, smut

soul on fire - smut

a court of four horsemen - smut, part of a series

@azrielbrainrot

fire on fire - angst?

mind over matter - angst?

@gothicbabydollz

riding eris' face - smut, drabble

riding eris' thigh - smut, drabble

@honeybeefae

cauldron fated - angst, smut

@princess-tulip-writes

making out with eris while giving him a handjob - smut, drabble

praise kink eris - smut, drabble

@fieldofdaisiies

eris' hands... - drabble

eris... - drabble

@theostrophywife

like you wanna be loved - fluff

Lucien

@tadpolesonalgae

solecist night - smut

@acourtofwhatthefuck

yell at me again - smut

personal problem - smut

the moon on a string - fluff

@princess-tulip-writes

drabble - smut

drabble - smut, az x lucien x reader (kind of)

@gothicbabydollz

dom lucien - smut, human!reader

@fieldofdaisiies

lucien... - smut

@ceoofyearning

say yes to heaven - fluff

Helion

@leafsandstarlight

a high lord's scholar - fluff

@tadpolesonalgae

new mechanisms - smut

sweet like peaches - smut

#azriel smut #azriel x reader #rhysand smut #rhysand x reader #rhys x reader #cassian x reader #cassian smut #eris vanserra x reader #eris vanserra smut #eris x reader #lucien vanserra smut #lucien vanserra x reader #helion x reader #helion smut

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thatbloodymuggle · 7 months ago

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MASTERMIND - MASTERLIST

SUMMARY: A child of light and dark, you are the Night Court’s best kept secret. After decades spent in hiding, you yearn to stretch your wings. But you quickly learn that freedom comes with a price, as you find yourself trying to outfox the fox himself in his own den.

PAIRING: Eris Vanserra x Reader

CHAPTERS: smut indicated by ***

prologue

one - the equinox

two - falling water***

three - color theory***

four - moon and stars***

five - checkmate***

six - from ashes

seven - the manuscript

eight - the great war

nine - coming soon

#acotar #acotar fanfic #acotar fanfiction #eris vanserra fanfic #eris vanserra x reader #eris vanserra smut #eris x reader #mastermind #azriel #azriel x reader #rhysand

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really-fanny-longbottom · 7 months ago

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only in my dreams [part two]

summary: you turned off your emotions so you could protect your heart but at what price?

warnings: angst, mentions of unrequited love, curse words, blood and death.

pairings: azriel x reader

words: 8.9k

morning was here.

you left emerie's house when the first rays of sunlight passed through the half-open bedroom window.

your friends were still sound asleep when you pushed away their arms that tried to offer you some comfort during the night and got out of bed.

you had no intention in waiting for them to wake up and having to talk about what had happened just a few hours ago.

so you quickly changed your clothes and placed the backpack you had brought with you over your left shoulder.

you didn't bother looking back when you left the room.

the front door closed behind you, and you found yourself facing the sun that was almost reaching its usual place in the blue sky.

sunrise has always been your favorite part of the day.

not only for the view, but also for its meaning — every time the sun rises, a new day comes with it, a new day that seems like a new blank page giving you a new opportunity to do your best and let go of the past on the day that was left behind.

besides, being a healer meant that your day always started early, so why not start it with the best view ever?

when you lived with your aunt madja, you would go to the bridge over the sidra and sit on the wall and when you moved to the house of the wind you would go to your balcony and do the same.

you would close your eyes and tilt your head slightly upwards and immediately relax with the sunlight passing through your body and warming not only your skin but also your soul.

you don't know if it was because you're an empath but you've always felt a connection with the sun, as if you could feel its energy, it was as if the sun itself had emotions and was trying to communicate with you.

you loved how it made you feel.

but that was before.

now, standing in the doorway of emerie's house, as you looked at it, you didn't know what to do.

you stayed there for a few moments waiting for something to happen — for you to feel something.

but nothing came.

with a shrug of your shoulders, you turned your back on what used to be your greatest comfort and step by step you began to move away from it and the house.

as you walked, you didn't notice that the camp was starting to wake up, just as you didn't notice the sunlight fading away.

you winnowed as soon as you reached the edge of the camp.

•••

twenty minutes later, you were in velaris about to arrive at your aunt's house to take a much-needed shower.

as you walked up the street, you didn't pay attention to any of the citizens who were opening their establishments and getting ready for a new day of work.

some of them tried to get your attention to greet you just like they always did. You would look at them with your eyes full of color and wave greetings with a warm smile, sometimes you would even stop and talk to some of them.

but not anymore.

now, you simply walked with an expression of indifference without removing your empty eyes from the path ahead.

you only stopped when an all too familiar voice filled the air around you — the voice of the last person you wanted to see right now. "y/n."

you could already see your aunt's house from here, and you were so close to getting there.

slowly, you turned around and faced the person who had stopped you from reaching your destination.

it was the wife of the patient you lost yesterday with one of their sons by her side, both wearing mourning clothes.

"i'm sorry to bother you, but i saw you passing by, and i just wanted to thank you again for what you did for my husband yesterday." she told you with a weak voice, her eyes still red from the tears.

with a fake smile on your features, you ran a hand through your hair before telling her, "i was just doing my job. after all, that's what i'm paid for."

surprised by your reaction, the female lost her words and after a few seconds to compose herself, she cleared her throat and said "well, the funeral is this afternoon at three o'clock if you want to join us."

you laughed, and without a care in the world, you replied, "no, thank you. i have better things to do but have fun."

and with that, you turned your back on them and walked up the rest of the street before removing the small key from your backpack and entering your aunt's house.

the wife and son remained in their places, trying to understand what had just happened.

•••

after placing your backpack on the sofa, you started heading to the stairs towards the bathroom, but before you could, an irritated voice stopped you in your tracks. "where have you been?"

"oh, for cauldron's sake," you muttered and turned to find madja with her arms crossed and an angry face.

"i was with the valkyries. i spent the night at emerie's." you told her with a tone of annoyance.

"i'm aware of that. the high lord had the decency to send me a letter unlike you," madja scolded before continuing, her voice turning softer. "he also told me what happened about azriel."

when she opened her mouth to speak again, you raised a hand and stopped her from it, "okay, auntie, it's too early for this. i'm going to take a shower and i'll see you at the clinic. okay. cool."

you used both hands to give the cool sign, but before you could step on the stairs, madja called you again. "wait."

"ugh, you gotta be kidding me," you whispered low enough for her not to hear.

you saw your aunt grab a piece of parchment and hand it to you. "this arrived for you a few minutes ago."

when you unrolled it, you recognized nesta's handwriting.

she was asking where you were.

without hesitation, you crumpled the paper and threw it into the middle of the fireplace where it instantly began to burn.

"anything else?"

when your aunt didn't speak, you accepted her silence as an answer and started climbing the stairs by jumping two steps at a time.

the bathroom door closed seconds later, and madja, who didn't know what animal had bitten you to react like that, put a hand to her forehead before muttering to herself, "what was that?"

•••

the clinic was very busy like almost every day but you never complained.

unlike other people, you could happily say that you liked your work. being a healer has always been a rewarding job.

there was nothing else you enjoyed as much as helping your patients. heal them, make them feel safe, and heard. make them feel important.

your favorite days were the days you helped a new life enter this world. seeing those beings so small and innocent was the best miracle of life.

but of course, like all jobs, yours also had a bad side.

seeing your patients sick and knowing that in some cases there is nothing you can do to help, seeing them leave this life and the family they leave behind.

there were patients who had left such an impact on you that from time to time, they appeared in your dreams.

sometimes, you felt guilty at their memory because you felt like you could have done more, but most of the time, their memories reminded you to do better for others.

but none of that mattered to you anymore. now you simply limited yourself to doing your job so you could get paid.

you were finishing bandaging the knee of a boy who had tripped while running.

the boy had become a regular patient of yours, always finding a way to hurt himself, whether it is running or reading a book.

it was a simple wound that didn't require the use of your powers, so you cleaned, disinfected, and put a bandage on it.

your right hand held his injured leg while the other tried to wrap the bandage, when you finished and lowered his leg, you noticed that he had a bruise in the exact place where your hand had been just seconds before.

with your focus on the wound, you hadn't even noticed the bruise. you went behind the counter and grabbed a bottle of ointment that you had made last weekend and handed it to the boy.

"take this," you pointed to the bruise that had several shades of purple on his leg, "twice a day, one in the morning and one at night. if it starts to hurt, put some ice on it."

following the movement of your hand, the boy saw the bruise for the first time with a confused face "oh, i didn't even know I had that," he grabbed the bottle and with a toothless smile, he started heading towards the door but not without shouting first "thank you, y/n! i'll see you next week."

"whatever" you let out a sigh and walked towards your chair to take a break but before you could your aunt directed you to the next patient.

it was an old male who mixed up the plants in his garden and ended up using the wrong plant as a seasoning for his food.

he was slightly pale, nauseous, and had stomach pain.

"you mistaken a poisonous plant for a seasoning plant?" you asked as you examined him, judgment written all over your face and voice.

"yes, i know what it looks like," he explained between short breaths, "but it was an honest mistake."

"it was a stupid mistake." you answered him without hesitation.

you were too busy finishing your exam to notice madja's shocked expression, who had stopped what she was doing at the sound of your words.

"y/n!" She approached and scolded you. "you can't talk to patients like that."

"what? it's true. it's not my fault he's an idiot." you told her with frightening indifference.

at your response, your aunt put her hands to her head with a whisper of "by the mother," escaping between her lips.

she got closer to the patient and placed one hand on his arm before bringing the other to her chest and apologizing to him for your behavior.

the male, on the other hand, said, "it's okay, she happens to be right."

you scoffed "of course i am," you turned to your aunt and with an air of irritation you asked her "now, are you going to let me work or haven't you finished disturbing me yet?"

shocked by your words, madja didn't know how to react or what to say, so she limited herself to taking two steps back, giving you space to continue working.

she looked at you, trying to understand what was happening to you, because this type of behavior was not normal.

you had never spoken to her like that — you had never spoken to anyone like that.

you were sweet, attentive, and very polite. this was not the niece she knew.

she couldn't help but think that maybe this situation with azriel and elain was affecting more than you had let on.

plus, she was well acquainted with how much your emotions could overwhelm you.

choking sounds broke the trance she was in, and her mind refocused on what was in front of her.

you had started the healing process in the patient, and your hand hovered over his belly in order to try to eliminate the poison, but something was wrong.

because the patient was now paler and bleeding from his mouth.

madja saw you stop and look at her. "i think the poison is stronger than i thought." you kept looking at her, no doubt waiting for her to react, but when she didn't, you couldn't help the sarcastic comment that escaped you. "are you waiting for him to die? because my arms are starting to get numb."

that was enough to make her move and begin her own examination of the patient.

she frowned. did you really just say that?

"are you sure you gave me the correct name of the plant you used in your food?" you asked the patient while using a cloth to clean the blood, irritation in your voice.

he simply nodded his head

"maybe the plant you used was in contact with another. are there any other poisonous plants in your garden?"

the male shook his head, his breathing more rapid.

your brain started working quickly trying to see all the possibilities and it was then that you turned to your aunt and found yourself saying "maybe it's because he ate a long time ago and that allowed the poison to spread. i mean, who knows how long this idiot ingested a poisonous plant?"

madja didn't answer you and due to her silence, you removed your hands from the patient and met her gaze with your empty eyes and a bored expression in your features "okay, so you got this right? i'm hungry, so i'm going to take a break." and with a look of disgust, you walked away.

the old female's heart was beating very fast. she couldn't believe what she had just witnessed.

not just your words but also your actions.

maybe she had seen wrong.

maybe what she saw and made her freeze before you caught her attention hadn't happened.

maybe she just imagined it.

because it couldn't be.

could it?

•••

several days passed, and you continued to act strangely since the day you returned from illyria.

madja was observing you now more than ever, and little by little, she began to assimilate all the differences that you now demonstrated, but the one that worried her the most until now?

the reason she made you work behind the counter taking care of patient charts so you wouldn't have to interact with them medically.

you weren't the niece she knew and loved so much, and she began to think that something else must have happened — something you weren't sharing with her.

and if madja was honest with herself, you were starting to scare her.

your behavior continued to become increasingly strange — how you interacted with patients, the way you spoke to her, your 'new clothes', and your nights out.

not to mention what you had said to the family of the patient you lost a week ago.

madja met them in the market when she went shopping for groceries, and when the widow told her what you had said them, she didn't want to believe that such insensitivity had come from you.

she thought about asking the inner circle if they knew anything but after meeting the high lady on the street as she left her studio the other day, she informed madja that it had been almost a week and a half since any of them had seen or spoken to you.

feyre also explained that both she and the others sent several letters to you, and none returned with a response.

not even nesta knew where you were these days.

it was with this new information that madja's heart began to tighten more and more with worry. her sleep no longer came as it used to, and the feeling of calm that used to hover over her was gone.

madja was well aware of your relationship with the older archeron sister, that she was not just a best friend but a sister.

so, why wouldn't you be talking to her? with none of them?

•••

rita's was full as always — full of life, light, and music.

people danced while others drank and gamble. laughter, singing, and shouts of euphoria filled the air of the familiar bar.

this has always been one of your favorite places to spend time with your family, not to mention that rita herself was a long-time friend.

good memories were formed on the dance floor with feyre and nesta, on the karaoke stage with mor, several shot battles with cassian that often ended with the two of you on the floor and too many card games with rhys and azriel where you took all their money.

whenever these memories surfaced, they warmed your heart and made you feel lucky to have these people by your side.

now, you felt nothing besides an emptiness in your heart, but at least your heart was whole again, and that's what mattered.

you ordered your third drink of the night, and the moment you took the first sip, a deep voice was heard from behind you.

"can i join you, my lady?"

when you turned to find the owner of the mysterious voice, you couldn't hide the surprise on your face which you quickly replaced with a mischievous smile "well, well, well, look what the wind brought."

your colorless eyes meet golden ones that belong to a male with fiery hair and a smirk that matched yours, displayed on his lips.

you let your eyes roam the male in front of you as you analyzed him. he wore a white shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows and the top two buttons open, brown pants where his muscles were visible and black boots.

"eris vanserra," you held out your hand for him to shake. instead, he grabbed it and placed a kiss on your knuckles.

"lady y/n," he greeted, his eyes always fixed on yours.

you let out a light chuckle as you ran your eyes over the male again as he took the seat next to you. "well, you look delicious."

"i could say the same about you," he replied with a chuckle, and now it was his turn to look at your form.

you wore a simple black strapless dress that fit your curves perfectly with a slit in the skirt on your left thigh and a pair of silver high heels that matched your jewelry.

eris ordered his drink, and after you hit each other's glasses with a small 'cheers', you asked him the question you wanted since your eyes had landed on him.

"you are far from home. tell me, what brings you to velaris?" you took a sip of your drink before continuing. "does rhysand even know you're here?"

following your movements, eris took a sip from his own glass before putting it down, "i'm here because of him, actually. i had a meeting with him and his inner circle a few hours ago."

"oh, and i thought you had come here just to see me," you said as you signaled the bartender to refill your glass.

"that can be arranged," the heir replied as he took another sip without ever taking his eyes off yours.

you cleared your throat after an unexpected heat warmed your cheeks. "i'm surprised he let you come here."

eris chucked and turned around in his chair and faced you before resting one of his arms on the back of your chair. "i'm surprised i didn't see you at the meeting with the others. did you lose the invitation?"

you let out a laugh as you tilted your head back slightly before meeting those golden eyes again. "nope, i just didn't want to go. those meetings bore me to death."

eris's laughter rivaled yours and after losing yourself to the sound for a few seconds, you regained composure and found yourself saying to him "so, if the meeting ended a few hours ago, what are you still doing here?"

the male stared at you for a few seconds and you noticed his smile weakened a little at your question but he was quick to hide it before answering you "maybe i wanted to see you before i left."

"you mean you want to avoid beron."

shock crossed the male's features, and when he opened his mouth to respond, you were quick to raise a hand towards him and stop him. "i'm an empath. reading people is kinda my thing, remember?"

"right, sometimes i forget that," he picked up his glass again and turned it around a few times in his hand and this time he kept his eyes on the drink as he asked, "so, does that mean you've read me before?" "

"yes."

"and what did you read?"

"that this whole act of you being a bad, terrible and heartless male is just that — an act."

his eyes finally meet yours, and you proceed. "that you care. that you love your mother and lucien more than you let on. and that you love your court and can't wait to get it out of beron's claws."

"hm," eris leaned against the counter, and with a look of indifference on his face, he told you, "that's. . .accurate."

a smile returned to your lips. your skills never failed you, at least not when it came to reading people.

"do you want to know what else i read?"

eris gestured with his hand for you to continue, coming closer to the edge of your chair, you leaned slightly towards him before telling him "that you, eris vanserra," you placed a finger on his chest "you will be a better high lord than that terrible male ever was."

eris swallowed the lump in his throat as you picked up your glass again and raised it towards him, making the heir follow your movement.

with a clink of glasses, you both drained your drinks, and a mischievous smile returned to your lips. "so, are you spending your night here?"

eris laughed, and as he placed some money on the counter for the night's drinks, he matched your smile, and with amusement in his voice, he asked you, "why? is that an invitation?"

you added the same tone of amusement to your voice when you answered, "maybe."

•••

you thanked the Mother that your aunt was working the night shift at the clinic and would only return in the morning. otherwise, this would be embarrassing — for her, at least.

you walked up the stairs towards your bedroom with the male behind you.

upon entering your bedroom, eris looked around, noticing that it was small but cozy.

a bed was placed in the corner with a wide window behind it, a bookshelf full of books on healing and romance novels was at the foot of the bed with an puff in front of it against the wall.

some paintings decorated the walls, several faelights lit up the small bedroom, and a desk was on the wall opposite the bed with a mirror on its side.

what also didn't go unnoticed by eris was the pile of parchments you had on your desk.

"what's all this?" he asked as he pointed to it.

your eyes followed his finger, and you noticed that the pile was now higher than yesterday 'madja must have added the ones that arrived this morning', you thought.

they were letters from your friends. the ones they've been sending since you left illyria and have been avoiding them.

every day, new letters arrive — letters that you didn't even bother opening, let alone reading, so you collected them on top of your desk.

why? you still didn't know.

there was a morning when a letter signed by azriel was on the carpet at the entrance of your house — that one went right to the fireplace.

with a shrug, you simply said "trash" and picked them all up and placed them in the trash can before leaning against your desk while eris sat on your bed.

"you look different." the male's voice filled the bedroom.

"what do you mean?"

it was eris's turn to shrug before continuing, "you seem more. . .free."

you chuckled, and as you ran a hand down your dress, you said, "i feel like that."

there was a moment of silence, and you watched the heir as he looked at one of the paintings next to your bed.

your eyes fell on his body again, and with a thought coming to your mind, a feline look and smile took over your face.

noticing the way you were looking at him, eris leaned on his forearms and shot you a bold smile. "what is that little head of yours thinking about?"

you laughed at his words, and as you approached him, you rested your hands on his thighs. "i have a question."

his smile grew even wider, and one of his eyebrows rose, and you took that gesture as your cue to continue.

your hands moved to his chest as you straddled his hips, "i want to know if what everyone says is true."

he placed his hands on your thighs and, in a whisper, asked, "what is?"

you leaned into his chest and as you brushed aside his hair with your hand, your lips hovered over his ear "that the autumn males have fire in their veins and they also fuck like it."

eris's body tensed beneath yours at your words, turning his smile into mischief, and the smell of arousal began to fill the small bedroom.

"it's true." eris straightened up, taking you with him and pushed your hair behind your shoulders.

you intertwined your fingers in his fiery hair, and still in a low voice, you said, "i'm afraid i'm going to need proof," earning a few chuckles from him.

with a kiss on his neck and then another on his shoulder, you whispered, "why don't you show me?"

eris chuckled, and with his hands now on your waist, he murmured, "as you wish, my lady." before connecting his lips with yours.

•••

several knocks on the front door woke you up the next morning.

you let out several curse words as you went down the stairs only in underwear while you tried to button the white shirt that you stole from the male who was still sleeping in your bed.

you only had time to button the last three buttons of the shirt before you reached the door and turned the handle to open it.

"oh, for caudron's sake," you ran a hand over your face before crossing your arms and leaning against the door. "what are you doing here?"

the high lord of the night court was at your doorstep dressed in his usual black suit with his hands in his pockets.

"good morning to you too." rhys said with a look of indifference at your choice of clothing to open the door.

"what are you doing here?" you asked the question again.

"you missed yesterday's meeting, and as you haven't answered any of our letters, i decided that perhaps it would be better to pay you a personal visit." he finished with a smile that didn't reach his eyes.

you ran a hand through your hair again before giving him an irritated look. "and you decided to come. . ." you stretched back to see the clock on the living room table "at seven in the morning?"

"i went to the clinic, and you weren't there."

"today is my day off."

he cleared his throat, ignoring the fact that your bra was showing, "why didn't you go yesterday?"

"i've been busy." it was your only answer.

rhys was about to speak again when someone's footsteps coming down the stairs reached both your ears.

"do you have guests?"

"she does, and he's really annoyed that you made her get out of bed at this hour." eris said as he stood right behind you in just his boxers.

one of his hands went to your hip and the other to the door. “good morning, rhysand.” he said with a smile.

"eris." rhysand replied with an mask of indifference, but you knew that deep down, he was surprised to see him with you.

silence hung in the air as the two males looked at each other and you looked between them.

the high lord broke the silence without taking his eyes of the autumn heir. "what is he doing here?"

with a shrug and an air of amusement, you replied, "eris wanted to see velaris."

a laugh sounded behind you, and you joined him, and when you noticed the frustrated look of the male in front of you, you couldn't help but ask, "what? you don't like the view?"

"i can't say i do." rhysand answered with his eyes now meeting yours.

"well, that's a shame. maybe next time, think about letting me know you're coming before you show up at my door at seven in the morning." and with a fake smile dancing on your lips, you closed the door in his face.

•••

madja continued to look at you from moment to moment, trying to understand you as she has been doing in the last few days without success.

you were working at the counter, updating patient charts, and you seemed so normal. It seemed like everything was fine.

but madja knew it was just an illusion.

the atmosphere between you was now stranger after her shift ended early, and she found you with a male on the living room couch a few days ago — not just a male but the heir of autumn.

you laughed at the situation while she didn't think it was that funny. in fact, she thought it was shocking, considering this had never happened before.

her worry grew with each passing day.

it was only when a letter from rhysand arrived at the clinic that morning informing that you were to appear at the townhouse for a meeting in the afternoon that the old female's heart relaxed for a moment.

the high lord also took the time to explain in the letter that if you didn't show up this time, he himself would pick you up and carry you on his shoulder if necessary as this meeting was not optional.

when you finished reading, you huffed and muttered a small "i'd like to see you try" before crumpling up the piece of parchment and throwing it in the trash can.

you kept yourself busy at the clinic, and when the time for the meeting approached, you didn't bother finishing your work and going.

you simply continued doing your job and about twenty minutes later, when you returned to the counter, your eyes met violet ones.

the high lord was now in front of you and with your biggest smile of innocence, you asked him "are you here for an appointment? or maybe you came to pick up some medicine?"

rhysand faked a smile at your sarcastic comment — apparently you made a lot of those now.

"where is your red-haired lover?"

you looked down, and started looking in your pants pockets and when you finished, you met his violet eyes again before saying "not in here."

The male sighed loudly and in a deep but calm voice said to you "the meeting started twenty minutes ago."

"i know," you said without ever breaking eye contact.

"and can you explain to me why i had to come here?"

with a hand gesturing around the waiting room where multiple patients were, you replied "as you can see i've been very busy. a lot of people don't have the choice to spend the day sitting around doing nothing." you finished by resting your head on your hands, which were on top of the counter.

rhys furrowed his eyebrows, since when did you talk to someone like that?

at his confused look, you let out a dry laugh and, continued "i have no interest in going to the meeting, so i'm sorry you wasted your time in coming here, rhysand."

"rhysand?" He asked dumbfounded as he saw you walk away from the counter and grab the next patient's chart before making your way to where a old female was seated.

he wasted no time in following you "since when do you call me by my full name?"

you were quick to mutter "since you came here to be a pain in my ass" in response.

and this was enough of a reality check to make the male stop in his tracks. rhys had received a letter from your aunt a few days ago informing him that you were different but he discard it since the events of that night were still recent.

but now that he allowed himself to really look at you — he saw all the signs. not only in the way you were acting but also in your clothes.

you were always a warm and happy person and you reflected that in the clothes you wore with light and vivid colors.

normally you always wore dresses or a skirt with a top as the days at the clinic required you to walk from one side to the other and that way you were more comfortable as you had explained once when cassian commented that you always looked like a princess.

but now? now it seemed like the princess had been replaced by an evil queen.

leather pants covered your legs while a black strappy top was on your torso tucked into your pants and held up by a belt with silver details around your waist.

black high heels, eyeliner on your eyes and red lipstick on your lips completed the outfit.

you looked like a completely different person.

'what the hell happened?' the question echoed through his mind before rhys gently grabbed your arm and turned you around.

he decided at that moment that this could — and would — be talked about later, the important thing now was getting you to the meeting.

"y/n, we have a meeting to attend. let's go."

"i already told you that-"

before you could finish, rhys took the patient chart from your hands and handed it to a dark-haired healer that was passing by before crouching down and lifting you onto his shoulder with one hand still gripping your arm while the other reached around your legs to hold you.

"rhysand! are you kidding me?" you said and started swearing as you hit his back with your free hand.

on your way out, both of you passed by madja and rhys assured her that he would bring you back home in a few hours.

the old healer felt more at ease knowing that you would be safe with your friends and despite the worry that filled her heart, she couldn't help but let out a chuckle at the sight of you on the high lord's shoulder.

maybe this was exactly what you needed — a night out with your friends.

hope replaced some of the worry that she had been carrying these last few days, that after tonight, you would come back happier.

you would come back as the niece she knew.

•••

"seriously, rhysand? are you going to carry me like this the whole way?" you asked with annoyance in your voice.

"yes," a hint of embarrassment crossed the male's face at the use of his full name.

several curses were muttered in a low voice as the eyes of the citizens of velaris focused on you and the male who carried you, one of your arms still trapped in his hand.

some citizens looked curious while others laughed, but they all whispered about the reason for such a view.

"rhysand, people are looking." you mumble with a pat on his back.

"i know," were his words as he sent smiles and slight waves in the direction of his citizens, as if this were some kind of show — one he was enjoying too much for your taste.

using his daemati powers, rhysand sent a message to his family — a message warning them to prepare themselves.

•••

"well, this is a new view." you heard cassian's voice when you and rhys finally entered the townhouse's living room.

rhys stopped in front of the couches where his family sat, some of them with drinks in their hands, "sorry it took so long. i had to walk."

a tap on rhys' back sounded through the room followed by a small murmur of "prick" coming from you.

"hey!" rhys tried to scold you at the same time you said "does my ass look good from back there?"

rhys sighed loudly, earning a few chuckles from the people in front of him.

they had been talking about rhys's warning before you arrived but they couldn't deny that your actions were funny despite the situation.

"was this really necessary, rhys?" feyre asked with a small smile gracing her lips.

"believe me, it was." rhys began to gently place you on the ground before rising to his full height again and placing his hands in his pockets.

you turned to face the rest of your friends and managed to catch the surprise that crossed their eyes when they saw you in your new outfit.

"hello," you greeted them with a slight nod.

"you're late, girl. did you lose track of time?" amren asked you while drinking from her glass of wine.

"no, i just didn't want to come." you replied before grabbing the glass of whiskey that cassian was passing to rhys and sitting on the couch between nesta and elain.

nesta turned towards you and said softly, "i've been trying to talk to you these last few days."

"i've been busy." you said while lookinh away.

nesta furrowed her eyebrows at your behavior.

she had received rhys's warning just like the others but she really thought things would be different with her.

that even though you were different with the others, you wouldn't be with her and that she would be the person to go through you, just like you did for her a year ago.

when you saw nesta opening her mouth with the intention of speaking again, you were quick to cut her off "so, are we going to start this meeting or not? since i was dragged here like a sack of potatoes." you mumbled the last part.

the high lord cleared his throat before beginning "i had a meeting with eris the other day. apparently beron allied himself with the human queen briallyn who in turn allied herself with koschei."

"we need to know beron's plans are with this new alliance and that's exactly what eris is doing. i'm going to meet with him again in two days and that's where you come in, y/n."

at the mention of your name, you looked at the male who was already looking at you. with a raise of your eyebrows, he continued "i need you to come with me to the meeting and read eris. i need to know if he is being honest or not."

you chuckled "why would he lie?"

"he has lied before." azriel spoke for the first time since your arrival.

you looked at him with a cold look, and everyone else could have sworn that the temperature in the room dropped when your colorless eyes met his.

"so have you." you didn't hesitate to respond.

you saw him flinch and stared at each other for a few more seconds before he looked away and you continued "so has everyone else in this room. except elain of course. perfect, sweet and innocent elain would never do that."

you looked at the female with a fake smile and it was at that moment that you realized what was in front of you.

azriel and elain sitting on different sofas far from each other without any kind of physical or visual contact.

as you exchanged glances between the two, a smile began to form on your lips at the realization.

lifting a finger you gestured between the two of them before trying to express your curiosity "what's wrong with the love birds?"

when no one responded, it didn't take long for you to speak again. "trouble in paradise? oh, wait. i know. you finally remembered lucien."

you saw azriel's jaw throbbing in frustration and as you were really enjoying this new view, you decided to continue.

you moved closer to elain and placed your arm around her shoulders before telling her loud enough for everyone to hear, "in my opinion, you should choose lucien. you know that rumor that autumn males have fire in their veins and also fuck like it?"

you heard rhysand swear in the background, giving you a new smile and encouraging you to continue. "well, it's true. eris proved that to me the other night." you winked in her direction.

"y/n," rhysand called you out with his high lord voice.

"what? it's the truth," you laughed and started to get up to leave.

upon seeing you get up, feyre was quick to gently grab your wrist and turn you towards her, she held your hand with both of her hands and said calmly "did you receive our letters?"

you looked at your joined hands before answering her "i did."

with a slight nod, she asked again "did you read them?"

you looked at her and when you saw your friend's face, you let your guard down for a second and tried to read her emotions instinctively.

but then a movement in the corner of your eye caught your attention.

azriel was filling his glass and in sight of the male, you remembered why you did what you did to protect yourself.

for that same reason, you moved away from her touch and with a cold voice you gave her the answer she didn't want to hear.

"no, in fact, i throw them away with the exception of your letter, azriel," you turned to the male who froze in his place with your voice addressing him, "i burned yours."

and with that you started to make your way to the front door with Rhysand behind you to take you home, just like he had told your aunt, leaving your friends shocked without knowing what to say about this new version of you.

cassian followed you to the door and stopped you before you could open it. "you never came back to the house of wind."

upon meeting the general's eyes, after your interaction with feyre, you realized for the first time that where affection and love for your friends used to be was now empty.

"i moved out. i'm living with my aunt again." a shrug accompanied your response.

"why?" He asked you.

the truth is that you felt embarrassed.

embarrassed about that night.

embarrassed that you cried in front of your aunt and your friends.

embarrassed that you fell in love with a male who had no interest in you.

embarrassed that you let a male make you feel this way, that you gave him so much power over your emotions.

embarrassed by how weak you felt.

but not anymore.

now you feel nothing.

and that's exactly how you wanted it.

you didn't bother to answer him before turning your back on him and disappearing into the darkness of the night with rhys by your side.

•••

the office door opened softly letting the light of the faelights fill the hallway.

feyre slipped inside before spotting her mate standing in front of the desk with a book that by the looks of it must be very old as he inspected the pages.

"what is that?" feyre's voice echoed through the silent office, making her mate's violet eyes meet her light blue ones.

"it's a book about rare powers, it has several chapters about empaths. i borrowed it from helion after y/n came to the house." he explained with his eyes returning to the yellow pages.

feyre laughed lightly as she recalled how her friend had arrived at the residence. "you mean when you had to carry her here?"

rhys tried to laugh but a weak smile was all he could muster. the small gesture did not go unnoticed by the high lady, nor did the concern on the male's face.

"you're worried about her, aren't you?"

with a long sigh, rhys stood up to his full height and faced his wife, "very, something happened to her and we don't know what," as he crossed his arms over his chest, he leaned against the wall before continuing "she's different, she's insensitive and arrogant. that's not our y/n."

the last sentence made feyre's heart tighten a little — she felt it too. they all did and they all missed their friend.

"did you notice the way she looked at azriel?" feyre asked, when she saw how you looked at the male, she thanked to the mother that she wasn't the one on the receiving end of it "it was like she never felt anything for him, like she hated him. It was scary actually."

rhys's eyes widened as the realization made its way through his mind. "like she didn't feel. . ." he muttered softly and approached the book again.

confused, the female approached the desk trying to figure out what Rhys had just realized, as he started flipping through the pages faster and faster.

feyre was surprised the pages didn't tear considering how old they were and how quickly they were being flipped through.

"rhys?"

the high lord stopped at a page and after reading it and rereading it several times, feyre heard his heart starting to race.

very slowly, rhys raised his head to meet his mate's eyes and with a low voice he finally revealed the reason for his reaction. "she turned them off."

"what?"

his heart started to beat even faster "her emotions. she turned them off," rhys ran a hand through his hair making it even more uneven, "y/n turned off her emotions."

shock began to course through the high lady's body and she didn't hide it when she was invaded by it. "is that possible?"

at her question, rhys turned the book towards her and let her read the information he was still trying to process.

everything started to make sense.

"the way she talks, her clothes and the fact that she doesn't care about anything. . .all of this because-"

"because she doesn't feel anything." rhys completed for her.

as he opened his mouth to speak again, several knocks on the wooden office door interrupted him.

clearing his voice, rhys gave the order for the person behind the door to enter.

it was quite late, with most of their family having gone to their respective rooms a few hours ago, but the couple couldn't hide their surprise when the person knocking on the door turned out to be Nuala.

"nuala? is everything okay?" feyre asked.

the half-wraith stepped forward and without revealing anything in her features, she replied "i'm not sure, high lady. i came to inform you that lady madja is in the living room and has asked to speak to the inner circle immediately."

even more confused than before, they both questioned why would madja be here in the middle of the night.

nuala continued "lady madja said it was urgent. it's about y/n."

at the mention of your name, two sets of chills went down the couple's spines and rhys was quick to give nuala a new order "wake everyone up."

•••

the inner circle met in the living room with madja among them.

rhys proceeded to explain what he had discovered about you just moments ago.

the book now sat on the old healer's lap as she reread what her niece had done with tears threatening to fall from her eyes.

madja knew something was wrong with you but she would never have guessed that this was the reason behind it.

"so, she doesn't feel anything?" nesta asked.

if this matter had been about anyone else, she wouldn't have bothered to show her sadness but you weren't anyone else.

you were her best friend — her sister.

"yes," feyre said with a lump in her throat.

the room fell silent as everyone tried to process this new information.

in the corner of the sofa, cassian blamed himself for not having noticed sooner and not having done anything to help.

elain kept looking around the room with the feeling she was being judged and azriel was rethinking all the signs you had given him that he hadn't noticed.

"it's no one's fault," rhys' voice caught their attention but his attention was only on cassian, "we had no way of knowing this without that book we wouldn't even know this was possible."

the general hadn't even realized that his shields were down but his brother's words brought him comfort.

"what do we do?" mor spoke for the first time since entering the room "how do we get her back?"

hurt flashed across rhys's face and before he could respond, madja did it for him. "we can't," all eyes turned to her and for the first time since they had known the healer, they saw her cry.

"y/n is the only one who can turn her emotions back on. it's up to her and only her," with new tears falling down her cheeks she concluded, "there's nothing we can do."

feyre placed a hand on the old female's shoulder. "i'm so sorry, madja."

madja let out a long sigh and before she could hesitate any further she said "that's not all. there's a reason i came here tonight."

"what do you mean?" cassian asked.

"y/n's personality isn't the only thing that has changed."

the room became tense and several breaths were held.

"what's that supposed to mean?" amren asked and if madja knew her better, she would have sworn she had just heard a hint of fear in amren's voice.

"i've been trying to figure out why for several days but this. . ." she pointed to the book, "this explains everything."

with all eyes focused on her, the old healer begin to explain "a few days ago i put y/n to treat a boy's knee. she grabbed one of his leg and when she put it down there was a bruise in the same place her hand was. she assumed she just hadn't seen the bruise before but that was because the boy didn't have any. i was the one who sat that boy in the chair and the only thing he had was the wound on his knee and nothing else. i would have noticed the bruise if he had it."

"what are you trying to say, madja?" rhys asked, he could feel that with every word the old female spoke, everyone became more nervous.

"after the boy," madja continued, "she attended to a male who had ingested a poisonous plant by mistake. when she used her magic to heal him, he started spitting blood from his mouth and became very pale. y/n thought that the poison was stronger than she thought but when i came to help the male. . .i managed to cure him without any problems."

"madja, what are-" nesta tried to ask.

"i think. . .," madja ran a hand through her black hair, "i think when she turned off her emotions, i think it affected her powers too. when I saw her trying to heal that male, her powers weren't emitted by a white light like all healers."

mor's voice shook as she asked "what was it?"

madja stared at the blonde female before telling her "darkness."

several curse words passed through the room, increasing the tension that was already in the air.

"i think y/n gave the boy that bruise and i think when she tried to take the poison out of the male. . .i think she ended up spreading it."

"over the next few days, each time y/n used her powers to heal the patients. . .they all got worse. eventually, i had to put her to work behind the counter so she couldn't hurt anyone else."

this new revelation of your powers only made a bad situation even worse and much, much more dangerous.

it is already quite dangerous for a person not to be able to feel anything as this means that they cannot distinguish right from wrong just as they cannot understand when to stop but to have their powers changed?

amren set down her glass of wine before speaking "if you think about it it makes sense," she began drawing all the attention to her "when she turned off her emotions, she turned off everything that was a part of her, including her own person."

"what does this mean?" nesta asked with fear on her face not only for what this could mean but also for you.

azriel was the first to realize with amren's words being the last piece of the puzzle he needed "mother help us. madja, you're not trying to say that y/n is now a. . ."

the male couldn't find the strength to finish his sentence but it wasn't long before cassian continued where he left.

"a what?" he asked, eyes bouncing between his brother and the healer. "she's a what?"

with a long sigh, madja said "y/n is no longer a healer."

no one was prepared for madja's next words.

they didn't know what to expect when she came to their house in the middle of the night but they never would have thought of this turn of events.

they would never have guessed that their friend's pain was so deep that it would cause this to happen.

"y/n is a necromancer."

a/n: thank you for reading!

[masterlist]

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taglist fic: @crazylokonugget @quinzzelx @cumuluscranium @i-am-infinite @rcarbo1 @romantasyreader28 @thegreyjoyed @whyshouldihaveanam3 @sheblogs @amysangel @meher-sumedha @paleidiot @skylarkalchemist @thestartitaness @romanoffslegacy @bookwormysblog @sandramalikstyles-blog

*if you asked to be tagged and you weren't, it's because I couldn't find your blog.

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#acotar #acotar fandom #azriel #azriel shadowsinger #azriel x reader #inner circle #cassian #rhysand #feyre archeron #feyre x reader #nesta archeron #elain archeron #eris vanserra #eris x reader #eris acotar #morrigan acotar #amren acotar #acotar fic #acotar fanfiction

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prythianpages · 2 months ago

Text

Hopelessly Devoted | Eris x Reader

Eris x Reader x Azriel | You're hopelessly devoted to Azriel, suspecting he’s your true love. Meanwhile, Eris is hopelessly longing after you. aka Eris being your mate but you're too infatuated with Az to notice.

warnings: slight angst, reader being a bit delulu

*also disclaimer that I am no expert in astrology and my knowledge is usually what I gathered from friends or tiktok so if I'm wrong, please correct me but do it nicely pls bc I am sensitive lol*

a/n: I wasn't sure whether to include Az or not in the pairing but I liked the idea of leaving this fic up to your interpretation. Anyway, happy reading! <3

As you entered the Night Court’s observatory, you traced your fingers along the edge of the great celestial map laid before you. You could feel the soft hum of magic beneath your fingertips, still smell the faintest hint of sage–a remnant of your father’s last ritual here. For centuries, your father has served as the Night Court’s astrologer. He’s guided and advised High Lord Rhysand and on occasion, Keir, the steward of the Court of Nightmares.

Above you, constellations and planets danced across the domed ceiling, the stars gleaming as though they were ready to whisper secrets just for you. You took a deep breath, centering yourself, and placed a palm flat against the massive zodiac wheel etched onto the floor. It began to glow, a warm golden light tracing symbols of the zodiacs and planets.

“Stars above and stars below, reveal the path I seek to know,” you quietly murmured.

The markings on the wheel shifted in response, aligning and realigning with clicking sounds, the warm golden light following. Then, your own chart had appeared, shimmering above you. It was a translucent web of stars and planets connected by silvery lines. You’ve read your birth chart many times, become so familiar with it that you knew it by heart even.

But tonight, you needed the extra reassurance. So you looked up, watching as the planets moved slowly. Your heartbeat a little faster as you spotted Jupiter making transit through your seventh house. The promise of growth, abundance, luck and most important of all, love filled the air.

You slipped a small vial from the hidden pocket of your cobalt blue dress. The words Love Potion No.9 gleamed on the glass, the dark red liquid swirling. It was the enchanted perfume you’d bought from a witch last week—a little love potion designed to make you irresistibly alluring to your soulmate.

You felt a bit foolish, seeking a witch for guidance on love of all matters. Witches were frowned upon in the Court of Nightmares, after all. But impatience had finally nudged you to venture beyond the court’s dark mountain and into the surrounding forests, in search of someone who could help.

“Seek the one who walks between light and shadow with a mask of cool indifference, where fire meets the edge of night. There your heart shall find its match,” she had told you as she handed you the enchanted perfume.

Her words had only confirmed what you had been suspecting for years, centuries even.

Azriel was your soulmate.

Azriel, the very embodiment of cool indifference, wore a mask of stoicism in the Court of Nightmares, just as High Lord Rhysand did. But his hazel eyes always seemed to burn with a hidden fire. And when you were alone with him, away from the cold nobility of the Night Court, Azriel would let that mask slip, revealing a kinder side that laughed and smiled with you. He was your friend and not only did he literally walk among shadows, he wielded them. It had to be him!

And then, there was your birth chart. Your seventh house lay in Taurus—a sign ruled by Venus. With Venus positioned in your twelfth house, everything pointed to the idea that your future soulmate would bring your happiness and pleasure. And since you met Azriel all those years ago during a counseling your father led, happiness had been an emotion you'd grown more familiar with.

The stars couldn’t have given you a clearer message!

There was a flutter in your stomach as you approached Azriel. The two of you had been stealing glances at one another, as you usually did anytime you found yourselves in the same place. He looked as beautiful as ever. As dreamy as ever.

Though your High Lord and High Lady had moved to the center of the ballroom for a dance, he had stayed by the dais. “Hello,” you greeted him with a small smile.

Azriel turned to you, that mask of his slipping for just a brief moment to smile back at you. He took the extra wine glass in your hold, murmuring a small thanks. He turned his head back to the dance floor, attentive to his High Lady’s whereabouts. But he shifted closer to you, the coolness of his shadows caressing your bare arm and you couldn’t help but wonder if the perfume was working.

“You look nice,” he commented.

“Thanks.” A blush rose to your cheeks. You’d taken care to match your dress to the exact shade of his siphons. And he noticed. “So do you.”

“I wear this all the time.” Azriel replied drily, referring to his usual Illyrian leathers.

“Yeah, I know.” You cursed yourself inwardly for the awkward response, then shifted closer, leaning toward him. “Do I smell to you?”

Azriel paused, his shadows brushing close, as if curious themselves. “No,” he said after a moment.

“Oh.” Disappointment seeped into your voice despite your best efforts, and his gaze shifted to you, a hint of a frown in his brows.

“Do you want to smell?”

There’s a teasing edge to his tone, a subtle quirk of his lips. You shook your head, letting out a small, nervous laugh. "No. I just wanted to know if I smelled any…different…,” and then, in a much quieter tone, you murmured, “to you.”

Azriel considered your words. He looked to you in what seemed like permission. You gave a nod of your head and he leaned in, his warm breath sending a shiver down your spine. “You smell the same to me.” At the breath you let out, he quickly added: “which is good by the way. You smell nice.”

“Oh, okay,” you smile, albeit a bit awkwardly, the flutter you had felt in your stomach earlier twisting into a knot.

“Y/n, is everything alright?” Azriel asked softly.

“Yeah, I just thought—” You stopped, not sure how to explain without sounding foolish. It wasn’t like you could admit to feeling disappointed over the lack of reaction from an enchanted perfume you’d spent quite a fortune on. Especially when he was the sole purpose for it. Had the witch scammed you?

Azriel waited for you patiently, concern flashing in his eyes. Maybe the perfume hadn’t worked, but the stars and planets had never led you astray. That still had to mean something, right?

“I’m fine.” You finally said.

“Are you sure?”

The way he was looking at you had warmth creeping up your neck and settling deeper in your cheeks. “Yeah.”

A single shadow curled around Azriel’s ear and in the blink of an eye, his head turned. Your gaze followed his, to where Rhysand and Feyre were standing. Rhysand sent him a slight nod and with a sigh, Azriel returned it.

“Sorry, I have to go.” Azriel said, quickly downing the remaining wine from his glass.

You held out your hand, offering to take it for him.

“Thank you. I’ll be back. Don’t have too much fun without me, alright?”

“I’ll try not to,” you replied.

You watched Azriel disappear into his shadows before turning away from the dais and making your way to the refreshments table. You were eager for a refill on your glass. Perhaps a little more wine would help ease the sting of disappointment. But he’d said he’d be back, hadn’t he?

As you scanned the room, you noticed your father in conversation with one of Keir’s sons and your mother eyeing potential suitors for your older brother. As an elite warrior of the Darkbringers, he had no shortage of admirers, and it was only a matter of time before your mother secured him a match—perfect or not.

You suspected you’d be next on her matchmaking list, so you busied yourself with small talk among familiar ladies. Conversations were always a mind-numbing, the ladies your age exchanging beauty tips that centered around the male’s eye or fawning over this season’s most eligible males. Which this season just so happens to be your brother. Gross. If only they knew him the way you did….

Second to him was Bret—or some equally uninspiring name. A Scorpio, of all things, which clashed miserably with your chart. Not that it mattered. You had no interest in any noble of the Court of Nightmares. Or any male here. Most, if not all, were cruel and narcissists, only viewing females as child bearers and nothing more.

There was a reason why this court was burdened with the title “Nightmares.” And to marry someone from here would mean never waking up from this darkness. No stars to light your night skies, only endless shadow and despair.

So, you’d taken fate into your own hands. You’d turned to your birth chart, hoping the stars would lead you somewhere beyond Hewn City, beyond this never-ending nightmare. And they had. They led you to believe it was Azriel. Azriel, who was not only honorable and single but also, technically, part of the Court of Dreams. He’d been your friend for centuries, seeing you for who you are rather than an object or prize like most males here.

As you sneak away from the conversation, you bump into something–someone. Behind you, a deep voice huffed a low, mocking chuckle. “Easy there, librarian.”

You could recognize that voice anywhere, could recognize the heat radiating from him. It pressed down on you, leaving you simmering with irritation.

“I’m a libra, not a librarian.” You bit out. It hasn’t even been a minute and already you were exhausted by the searing presence behind you. “And besides, to you, it’s Lady Y/N.”

When you turned, you found Eris looming over you. His amber eyes gleamed with a familiar, infuriating mischief. He gave you that signature smirk of his, the one that made his sharp features all the more arrogant. “Such a harsh tone. Hardly fitting for a Lady.”

Your gaze hardened into a glare, only to have it stray toward a movement across the ballroom. A flicker of shadow caught your attention, and your heart gave a small, hopeful jump as your gaze softened. There he was—Azriel.

He had returned to the ballroom…but he hadn’t returned to you…

Eris raised a glass to his lips, amber eyes flicking lazily between you and Azriel. “Disappointment doesn’t suit you.”

“I’m not disappointed.” You muttered hastily.

He gave a scoff, his smirk widening with dark amusement. “Please. I can practically feel it.”

“Liar,” you shot back.

“Azriel said he’d find me again and unlike you, he’s a male of his word,” you continued, not sure why you were telling Eris this. “He’s…”

Your words trailed off as you watched Azriel, who stood next to Nesta and Elain. He laughed–actually laughed!-- at something Elain had said, shadows absent from his frame as his focus remained solely on her. You couldn’t miss the soft smile playing on his lips, nor the warmth in his gaze. Did he do that with every female he knew? You thought he reserved that just for you…

The bubble in your chest slowly deflated.

“Keep dreaming,” Eris huffed out. He seemed to take special pleasure in your reaction. It prompted your cheeks to flush but this time, with irritation.

“Oh, go away, you prick,” you said, rolling your eyes. “You don’t understand.”

“Oh, wouldn’t I?" he replied, leaning closer, his sharp gaze burning into you. You missed the flash of longing in his amber eyes, too focused on Azriel. Or the way the words that had been on the tip of his tongue faltered as your scent suddenly overwhelmed him, his breath hitching slightly.

"You smell.”

“Gee, thanks,” you mumbled absently.

“I didn’t mean it like that,” he said, his voice gruff and pupils flaring. “You smell different tonight…good...”

You blinked, barely processing his words. Was he actually being nice to you? In all the years you’ve known him, he’s always had snark remark after snark remark for you. The way it would roll smoothly off his tongue always left you wondering if he’d rehearse them for his visits to the Court of Nightmares.

You fidgeted, fingers grazing your wine glass as you cast a hesitant glance back at Azriel. Your chest tightened as he remained engrossed in conversation with Elain. Turn around, please. But he hadn’t even looked your way once.

Eris stepped in front of you, drawing your attention back to him. His gaze roamed over you, your dress. He took in the shade and he knew why you had chosen it–and for whom. "You know," he said, his gaze lingering on your face. "Red suits you far better.”

“And there he is, you’re back…”

"I’m serious. This—" He gestured to your gown with a slight grimace, his fingers brushing the silk fabric in disappointment. "This color washes you out. Red would bring out the color of your eyes…”

Your jaw clenched but you remained silent, refusing to admit that his words stirred something within you. Eris was insufferable, arrogant, and yet you couldn't deny his eye for detail. He, after all, was always dressed impeccably in the finest Autumn attire. But you would never give him the satisfaction of admitting he might be right.

His smirk widened, as if he knew exactly what you were thinking. “Do you want to know another thing?”

“No,” you said immediately.

But he leaned in anyway, his breath warm against your ear. “You’re hopelessly devoted to a male who doesn’t even look your way.”

Your mouth opened, brows furrowing in protest, but he went on. His smirk softened, fading into a half-smile. One that didn’t reach his eyes, dimming the fire that usually burned so brightly there. And then, in a much quieter, reluctant tone, he murmured, “And I am no different, it seems.”

"But…" You stammered, resisting the urge to steal another glance at Azriel. "He does look my way…sometimes.”

Eris’s smile faded, his expression tightening. A flicker of pain crossed his face. So brief, you almost thought you imagined it. "You’re delusional.”

“And you’re insufferable.” You scoffed, heart pounding.

“Better than being a fool.”

The mocking tone was there but the usual sharpness had been softened by a strange, subtle sadness. Was this… pity?

You swallowed, lifting your chin defiantly. “The stars wouldn’t lie to me,” you said, though the conviction in your voice wavered. “He’s the one for me.”`

You met his eyes then and Eris held your gaze. His amber eyes warm and molten, the intensity of his stare prickling at your skin. An unsettling flutter erupted in your stomach, rising to your chest. A feeling you quickly dismissed when you felt something cool brush against your arm.

“Is he bothering you, y/n?”

Eris scoffed at the sudden presence beside you. It sickened him to see that sweet, adoring look on your face, the triumphant gleam in your eyes as you looked up at Azriel. The sight made Eris grit his teeth. His instincts roared at him, the fire in his veins was scorching.

You blinked, snapping out of your daze, realizing both males were waiting for your answer. “No,” you said but the way you shifted to stand behind Azriel said otherwise.

Azriel’s gaze hardened as he looked toward Eris. “Stay away from her,” he seethed.

A low growl rumbled from Eris’s chest as he took a step forward, his amber eyes flaring with rage. Though not as tall as Azriel, he seemed to tower over him at this moment. His teeth flashed as his lips curled into a snarl. “I do not take orders from bastards like you.”

Azriel’s wings tensed, threatening to unfurl and the movement of his shadows quickened. Like a storm ready to unfold. But before it could, you placed a hand on his arm. Right over one of his glowing siphons that seemed to be growing hotter and hotter, daring to match the fire coursing through Eris’s veins.

“Az, don’t,” you told him gently, not wanting to draw any attention to the three of you. You felt his muscles ease under your touch, his shadows brushing over your hand in agreement.

Eris’s gaze dropped to your hand on Azriel’s arm, his expression darkening into something unreadable. He exhaled sharply, turning his head as though trying to shake off whatever thought had crossed his mind.

When he looked back, his features had shifted into his usual cool mask, that infuriating smirk sliding back into place. He looked right at you.

“When you wake up from this deranged dream of yours, come find me.”

You watched him, feeling a strange, unwelcome tug in your chest as he turned to leave. Perhaps, one day you’d realize that the enchanted perfume you had bought was not a scam.

And that the male you searched through the stars and planets for was not the one standing beside you, but the one who’d just walked away.

a/n: sorry if you're not a libra, I just thought it'd be funny for Eris to purposely say reader's sign wrong as he knows astrology is a huge influence on her.

[series masterlist]

[Eris masterlist]

General tag list: @scooobies, @kennedy-brooke, @sillysillygoose444 @lilah-asteria @the-sweet-psycho

@daycourtofficial, @milswrites, @stormhearty, @pit-and-the-pen, @mybestfriendmademe

@loving-and-dreaming @azriels-human @mrsjna, @adventure-awaits15, @lorosette

@alwayshave-faith

#eris x reader #eris x you #eris x y/n #eris fanfiction #azriel x reader #azriel fanfiction #acotar x reader #acotar x you #acotar x y/n #acotar fanfiction

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silverfairywings · 2 months ago

Text

— IN THE WAKE OF FLAMES. PT III

eris vanserra x archeron!reader

a/n: sorry for such a long break!! pls let me know what u think and again if you’d like to be added to the tag list send me a message or ask as I rarely check my notifs and go back to them. also sorry abt the cliffhanger uhmmmm also unedited ok bye

“You look like crap.”

Your eyes flutter open to see Mor scrunching up her face as she peers at you from her seat across your own at the dining table. It takes a second for her words to register and you throw a belated scowl her way.

“Good morning to you too,” you mumble, sitting up to continue swirling your spoon around your bowl of barely eaten oatmeal. Your appetite seems to have vanished over the past week, but you try and force a spoonful down your throat, nearly gagging.

Mor narrows her eyes at you and her lips press into a thin line of concern. “No, you seriously look like crap. You’re not eating lately and you were literally asleep at the table when I got here.”

“I wasn’t asleep,” you say, defensively. “I was resting my eyes.”

“You sound like Cassian after a three hour afternoon nap.”

“I’m just having a little trouble sleeping.” You set your spoon down and push the offending bowl away from you before slumping in your seat. You brush off her skeptical look with a wave of your hand. “I’m always like this after absorbing Fae magic.”

And over the last few days you’ve been absorbing a lot. All in an attempt to find out as much as you could about the Fae rebel group that had been attacking the borders of multiple Courts, in order to weaken them and make a point against you.

Well, you and your sisters. Not all of Prythian was accepting of Feyre for how she was Made, and even less so of you and Nesta and Elain. Instead, they viewed you as unnatural mutations and the whispers had only become worse after the War. It seemed that the lack of conflict looming over Prythian was unacceptable in their eyes.

With the help of your powers and Azriel’s shadows, you were closer than ever to finding them. Truthfully, the idea that there were Fae out there who hated you didn’t bother you so much in the sense of feeling like outcasts, but you couldn’t lie. They were starting to be a giant pain in your ass.

“You’re never like this,” Mor scoffs, gesturing to the bags under your eyes and the hollowness of your cheeks. As her voice raises, the pounding of your head gets more intense and you attempt to hold back a grimace. “Why is it affecting you so much this time?”

“It’s the type of magic I’m absorbing,” you practically whine, abandoning all pretences of being okay and allowing your shoulders to drop. “It’s so angry and harsh and impure, Mor! It’s literally making me sick because I have nowhere else to redirect it.”

At that moment Rhysand and Feyre walk in to join you at the table.

Rhysand, having overheard you, chimes in as he reaches for a plate of fruit. “Good news, our little Siphon,” he nudges you lightly, the nickname making you scrunch your nose up in mock annoyance. “We have enough information now to move forward using Az and Cass and resources from other Courts. The only thing we need you to do now is rest.”

Rhysand’s upbeat tone brings a weak smile to your face. You know that he’s being flippant to make you feel better, like he always does when you’re stressed or unwell and you’re nothing but appreciative as he whistles under his breath, nonchalantly piling some fruit onto a plate for you.

“You should have been resting days ago,” Feyre eyes you from beside Rhys with furrowed brows, taking in your tired form. “We told you yesterday would be too much.”

You groan, burying your face in your hands. “Give me a couple hours and I’ll be fine for the meeting in Summer.”

Mor snorts and looks up at you, amused. When you raise an eyebrow, her smile drops into an incredulous expression. “You’re not serious.”

“I need to be there to discuss what I siphoned from that knife we found at the border of Dawn,” you say, holding up a hand and rushing out the rest of your words when Feyre opens her mouth to speak. “And Rhys promised me I would be there since it’ll be all the High Lords, Court informants and even soldiers. I couldn’t possibly not go.”

Feyre sighs, sensing that you’re not going to back down. She nods slowly, pointing at your plate. “Finish all of your breakfast and your lunch later on and then you can go.”

You let out a breath, feeling nauseous when Rhys slides your plate closer to you and simply shrugs when you glare at him. Traitor, you speak to him in your mind. He suddenly becomes very interested in a strawberry.

“Watch me,” you say confidently, waving your fork at Feyre who rolls her eyes at you and goes back to her own breakfast.

Summer court is your least favourite court at the best of times, though you’d never admit that to sweet and kind Tarquin, who’s arguably one of your favourite High Lords.

The beautiful, shimmering lagoons aren’t of interest to you as large bodies of water have always unsettled you. The warm breeze that everyone welcomes always reminds you of the times you had to suffer through sweltering heat when foraging for food with Feyre in your adolescence. You’ve always preferred a colder climate and appreciated a more muted daylight.

Considering your current health, the ripples in the water make you dizzy and the light salty breeze nearly brings your breakfast and lunch up.

You’re thankful for the sheer, thin material of the sage coloured dress that Nuala and Cerridwen chose for you because you suddenly feel a sheen of sweat covering your body.

“Are we done sightseeing?” you ask weakly, desperate to be inside already.

Elain turns to you and winces. “You don’t look too good….”

“Aw, thank you, Elain.”

“That’s not what I mean,” she tuts, coming over to fan your face with her hands. You swat them away, sputtering and try to catch Rhysand’s attention to move things along. He reluctantly agrees and gestures everyone to move along, too used to your aversion to Summer.

As you all enter the palace made of gleaming marble, you hang further back to avoid the watchful eyes of Feyre who seems to be waiting to send you right back home to rest.

The palace is beautiful and you push down your nausea to look around and take in the tall arched windows. The jewelled embellishments adorning the frames trail higher and higher and you crane your neck to see them.

This turns out to be a mistake when your vision starts to blur and another wave of nausea causes your steps to falter, the world tilting sharply.

A firm hand grips your elbow in an all too familiar fashion, steadying you before you’re sent flying to the ground. Another hand settles around your waist where the cutout of your dress exposes your now damp skin, glittering with sweat.

You look up and find Eris’ amber eyes locked onto your own.

“Foolish,” he mutters, his voice sharp with irritation, yet his hands remain steady in their position, holding you up. It’s the first word he’s uttered to you since your encounter a couple of weeks ago in the Spring Court where he’d left on frosty terms. You had seen him twice since then, but it was in the middle of meetings and siphoning sessions and he had barely spared you a single glance.

Your lips part but your senses are too overwhelmed to think of a response before he carries on, lightly shaking his head at you. “You overexert yourself all week and then travel here? What are you trying to prove?”

“I’m fine,” you manage to say, pulling away from him, but his grip only tightens. You can’t help glancing around and noticing that the growing crowd of all the Court officials has separated you from the Inner Circle. You huff out a breath as you register his words. You knew Rhysand had to communicate with the other High Lords with updates, but you didn’t know that included your physical state. “Gods, High Lords are such gossips…”

“You’re not fine,” he says, scowling like you’ve dreadfully inconvenienced him by nearly collapsing. His gaze flickers over the pallor of your skin and the way you’ve started to shiver slightly. “You drained yourself dry this week. And for what? To impress Rhysand? To prove something to him?”

“Let go of me, Eris,” you attempt to snap at him, but even you can hear the lack of strength in your voice. His eyes soften slightly when you say his name without your usual bite. “I can’t have this same conversation with you when I’m like this.”

“You think I want to be the one always catching you from falling on your face? Trust me when I say I have things I would rather be doing,” he mutters, narrowing his eyes.

You grit your teeth at the reminder and heat flares in your cheeks, whether it’s from embarrassment, anger or the climate of Summer, you don’t know.

Before you can retort, Eris sighs and straightens you up, still not fully letting you go. Releasing the hand around your waist, he loops your arm in his own and makes you lean on him for support. To your utter surprise, he doesn’t say anything as he starts walking towards the meeting room where everyone else files in. Despite your frustration, you’re grateful for his strength.

The moment of blissful silence doesn’t last too long, however. As he begins to lead you to where your family is stood and clearly looking around frantically for you, Eris leans in to whisper in your ear. “You need to sit down at the table,” he orders quietly, High Lord behaviour on full display.

You’re about to argue that no one else is going to be sat and he immediately catches this, cutting you off. “Don’t be stubborn for once in your life,” he murmurs, breath warm against your ear, making you shiver more than you already were. “Please?”

You quickly turn your head to meet his, shocked at the pleading in his voice. You didn’t realise how close this would bring your own face to his and words leave you. Thankfully, you’ve reached your family as you hear Cassian’s loud voice and it snaps you out of your little bubble.

“Finally!” he exclaims, throwing his arms up in exasperation. “We were about to send a search and rescue team, thinking you’d finally collapsed.”

“Why didn’t you?” Eris asks, coldly.

Cassian merely rolls his eyes at Eris’ attitude and gestures at Azriel.

Feyre comes forward to take your other arm in hers and explains. “Azriel’s shadows informed us that you were with her, Eris.” She smiles warmly and sincerely at him and Rhysand nods at him in recognition of his actions. “Thank you for looking after my sister.”

Eris shakes his head. “Don’t thank me yet. I foresee many falls in her near future that I’m sure I won’t be present for.”

Feyre’s mouth twitches, but she quickly smoothes her face into an expressionless one when you frown at her and she busies herself with disentangling you from Eris.

He takes a step back, dark and fiery hair catching the sunlight through the tall windows and glances at you once more, not breaking eye contact, yet his words are directed towards Feyre. “Just make sure she sits down. The Night Court doesn’t need a martyr,” he says drily, before walking away.

Your mouth goes dry at the double meaning in his words, but you can’t shake off the shock at seeing genuine concern in his eyes. You must have looked practically near death, but you appreciated it all the same and you don’t even realise your eyes are lingering on him as he walks away until Feyre sits you down next to Nesta.

Your older sister raises an eyebrow at you, always so intuitive and you swat weakly at her to look away from you. Cassian’s eyes flit back and forth between you two, confused.

Before he can say anything, the meeting commences and you feel a shift in the energy of the room, full to the brim of Court officials, emissaries, a few warriors and of course, the High Lords around the table.

Your turn to speak comes fairly quickly since the most information regarding the Rebels is from you and Azriel. As per Rhysand’s instructions, you don’t go into any details regarding your siphoning powers, instead just sharing the information you gained due to them. You try to ignore the way people are staring at your weak form, but you continue to speak with all the strength you can muster. Evidently, you’re doing a convincing job as people start to nod, satisfied and scribble things down.

When Azriel’s turn arrives, you zone out a little, already having heard everything a few times over. Your ears only perk up when everyone is discussing plans of action against the Rebels and a question is asked in your general direction.

“Who are we thinking is to be at the front lines of this hypothetical mission?” The question comes from one of the Spring Court advisors, Vaelith, an older Fae with silver hair gathered in one long braid down his back.

His gaze lingers on you for only a split second before moving onto Rhysand and you feel compelled to answer. “Myself and Azriel,” you blurt out, before you can think twice. “And others of course, but the two of us are the most familiar with-”

“We’re all aware of the Shadowsinger’s abilities,” Vaelith interrupts you, holding up a hand to stop you from talking. You hold back a scowl. “What makes you suitable to lead such a mission aside from your… familiarity with a selection of items left behind by these Rebels?”

“I’m more than able to-” you cut yourself off and swallow, gaining yourself a second to think of a way to defend yourself without giving away your powers, as per your High Lord’s request.

Careful, Y/N

Rhysand’s voice sounds clear as day in your head and you try not to wince at the volume considering the silence of the rest of the room. The other High Lords knew of your powers, but Rhysand had requested they keep it to themselves, even from their own Court officials. Whether or not Rhysand had used his Daemati abilities to ensure this, you didn’t want to know.

“I’m more than able to assist in a plan of action,” you continue firmly, voice hardening. “I’m not sure if you remember a certain War we just had, but you may wish to remind yourself who was at the front lines of that.”

A few laughs break the tense silence and some people start muttering, slowly raising the volume of the room. You almost don’t hear Vaelith’s next words. “You haven’t really answered my question.”

“Let’s use our senses, Vaelith,” a voice rings out from further down the table and you’re startled to realise that Eris is speaking up. The room finally quietens down and you sit up impossibly straight, surprised that Eris is about to defend you.

You couldn’t be more wrong.

He only spares you a fleeting glance, but even from your seat you could see it’s full of amusement and mocking. The thing that surprises you is that the mocking is directed at you. “Look at her. Are you really questioning the abilities of a female who barely has the strength to sit up in her seat, let alone fight?”

Your stomach drops, a ball of humiliation unfurling in your chest as he continues to speak.

“I’d like to believe Rhysand has more sense than to send someone on the frontlines who would just be doing the rebels a favour,” Eris drawls, raising an eyebrow at Rhys, still avoiding your gaze.

Rhysand nods. “I can assure you I’ll only be sending my strongest soldiers, Vaelith,” he smirks, faintly, as though the implication he’d do anything to suggest otherwise is laughable. “Now may we discuss matters of actual importance? Tarquin, what have your soldiers been preparing?”

The tension dissolves almost immediately, but you’re still shellshocked, shaking with anger rather than weakness now. It’s as though you’ve been pumped with a burst of adrenaline and it doesn’t seem to be dampening.

After the conversation has shifted to a completely different subject, you shift from your seat as discretly as possible and mutter to Nesta that you need some air before standing up.

You look at the High Lord of Autumn before you walk away, but it only infuriates you more. Eris doesn’t look anywhere near you, but his jaw is clenched all the same, as though he can feel you glaring at him.

Mor catches your arm as you’re walking out and hisses in your ear. “You’re still not well,” she turns her body fully towards you. “Wait for me to come with you.”

“Don’t worry,” you say, shaking your head and clenching your fists to keep them from trembling as you speak through gritted teeth. “I feel suddenly energised. I’ll only be outside.”

Mor gives you a once over and is clearly satisfied with the fact that you’re unlikely to collapse again as she nods and releases your arm, allowing you to rush through the crowd of people and push through the guards.

You walk briskly away from the doors of the meeting room and further down the empty hallway until you’re satisfied that no one will hear your heavy breathing.

You lean against a pillar, exhaling in and out to control your anger and keep the tears at bay. Gods, you feel so stupid. Of course, Eris is incapable of being a decent male to anyone, let alone to you. Damn him and his cruel smirk and damn Rhysand too for allowing it to happen.

Brushing away the tears that have managed to fall, you curse yourself for not just pushing him away and allowing yourself to collapse on the hard marble flooring. It was giving you whiplash the way he could be so full of concern one second and practically call you useless in front of a room full of officials the next.

The longer you stand against the marble pillar, the weaker you begin to feel and that burst of adrenaline you previously felt is no longer present. The anger that fuelled you mere seconds ago is now winding you and a rising sense of panic begins to consume you.

You decide to turn around to walk back so you’re closer to the doors of the meeting room in case you embarrassingly do collapse.

However, the second you take a step, a flash of movement in the corner of your eye is all the warning you get before strong arms clamp around you from behind and a cloth is pressed against your mouth and nose, preventing you from breathing. You can’t even scream as the scent of something strong and chemical floods your senses, making your vision blur.

You thrash around in an attempt to use the little strength you have left to escape, but the arms only grip you harder and the world begins to spin. The last thing you feel is the cool marble floor as your knees give out and no one bothers to catch you as you hit the ground, darkness swallowing you whole.

tag list: @fabulouslyflamboyant @deepestmentalityperson @lilah-asteria @kitsunetori @abysshaven @nayaniasworld @rcarbo1 @paleidiot @tenshis-cake @bunnyredgirl @goldenmagnolias @whydohumansss @fandomtrash465 @mrsbarnes32557038 @aaprilshowers @scarsandallaz @-im-fantastic- @cat-or-kitten @annamariereads16 @adelina-127 @onlymexsarah @puddlesplasher17 @eyes-capone @hermaeuswhora

#eris vanserra imagines #eris vanserra x y/n #eris vanserra x reader #eris vanserra x you #eris vanserra fanfiction #eris vanserra #eris x you #eris x reader #eris fanfic #eris acotar #eris x oc

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mirandasidefics · 5 months ago

Text

Autumn Leaves

(Late Submission for @erisweekofficial Prompt: Bonds/Bargains 👑)

Pairing(s): Eris x Archeron Sister! Reader

Summary: Eris never anticipated to find his Mate in a former human.

Word Count: 3.1K

Warning(s): Mention of traumatic childbirth, mentions of Beron (he’s a trigger all on his own these days).

Author’s Note: BASED ON THIS REQUEST. I felt that this scenario fit perfectly with the prompt of Bonds/Bargains for Eris Week. I hope that this fits well with what you had wanted anon! I know the request specifically asked for Reader to be the youngest, but I felt that it would be a bit more inclusive to leave the birth order more ambiguous for those that maybe don’t relate to being the youngest sibling. My brain wasn’t functioning enough to allow me to write an understandable dance scene, so…sorry that it's not as descriptive as I would have preferred. I also didn’t go back to review any of the events that occurred in ACOWAR or ACOSF, so if it’s not exactly canon compliant just ignore that. Also, Lucien was at the Hewn City solstice ball for this because I said so.

Special thanks to @hardcoremarvelfan for beta reading and coming up with the title for this. Also, there will very likely be a part 2.

dividers by @/tsunami-of-tears ACOTAR Masterlist

The first time Eris saw the Made female he was immediately intrigued. She was quiet and stoic, much like the two sisters she accompanied for the High Lord’s meeting. Her eyes, the same shade as her sisters, appeared cold as she took in the room. It was clear she was observing more than she let on, gaze trained forward yet keenly aware of every single one of the High Lords and their various entourages. It was apparent to Eris that she saw more than her sisters, perhaps even more than his brother’s mate who was rumored to have been gifted the powers of a Seer by the Cauldron. He could feel the power that radiated off this fourth sister and couldn’t help but wonder what gifts she may have been granted.

The second time he saw her was at the end of the battle with Hybern on the edge of the Spring and Summer Court border. Her eyes appeared distant as if she was separated from her body and the gore that surrounded her. But his answer regarding her gift had been answered as a circle of ice forged spears surrounded her. At least a dozen bodies were skewered while she stood stock still in the center of the circle. He had been compelled to approach her, but his brother got to her first, asking if she was okay and if she had seen his mate. After a single nod and a pointed finger towards a series of tents Lucien gently guided her away from the carnage she wrought.

The third time he saw her was at the solstice ball in the Hewn City over a year later. Dressed in a drab black gown clearly intended to prevent her from sticking out. However, it wouldn’t have mattered if she was dressed down or in the most lavish of gowns. Eris’ eyes were instantly drawn to her as soon as she processed along with the High Lord and Lady of the Night Court. His youngest brother was by her side as an escort. As she approached the dias with her family, her eyes found his own, and Eris felt the world tilt on its axis. It took all of his mental will power to remain upright at the realization of what she was to him. Mate.

Eris couldn’t remove his eyes from the female as Rhysand made his speech. Nor could he remove them when the music started and various Fae in attendance began to dance. He followed every one of her steps as she was escorted towards the dance floor, a beautiful smile spread wide across plush pink lips. He was vaguely aware of Rhysand's approach, his introduction to the High Lady’s sister. The only one that was dressed to be admired by the eyes of others. Nesta, he believed it was. But Eris wasn’t interested in the female that stood before him. He held up a hand, instantly silencing the High Lord, and simply pointed to the sister on the dance floor.

“What is her name?” He asked, the light russet gaze never faltering. Eris could feel the tension in Nesta’s shoulders as she followed his gesture. Rhysand, always one to never give away his thoughts, supplied her name. Eris repeated it, the name tasting like honeyed wine in his mouth. Nesta attempted to redirect the conversation and offered Eris a dance, but the Autumn Heir ignored her.

“Any bargains that you wish to make will be offered by her,” Eris’ voice was smooth as his eyes finally met purple. “Shall I introduce myself or will you make the introduction for me?” Rhysand turned his head towards the direction where Lucien spun her around as the two waltzed. His youngest brother’s head whipped in their direction, before he halted his dance and brought her over for a formal introduction. As expected, the female politely accepted Eris’ invitation for a dance.

That first dance was all it took for Eris to know he didn’t want to be separated from her moving forward. Her demeanor was so different from what he had observed when he was only able to watch her from afar. He danced with only her for the remainder of the celebration and found himself completely enraptured by her. While he could tell that she wasn’t as strong a dancer as her sister, whom he caught out of the corner of his eye, it didn’t deter his conviction of only wanting to be by her side. Conversation flowed freely and easily as they danced. She was sharp witted, with a penchant for dry sarcasm. Her wry smile and her laugh ignited something deep within.

Eris always had a drive to protect those he cared for, such as his Mother and Lucien, but the desire to keep her safe was stronger than anything he had experienced before. He couldn’t leave her in the Night Court, even if most of her time was spent in a city far safer than the one in which they danced. However, she couldn’t exactly join him in the Autumn lest he run the risk of her becoming one of Beron’s targets to keep Eris in line. For the first time in decades, Eris didn’t know what to do.

“Is everything alright my Lord?” Her voice was filled with nothing but genuine gentle concern. His eyes refocused from their far away haze, taking in her sharp features. Features that were so indicative of the High Fae. Looking at her one would never guess that she used to be human.

“Eris,” He corrected. “Please.”

“Is everything alright, Eris?” Her cheeks flushed with the slightest tinge of pink. His own heart stirred at her reaction to the use of his name. Their dance had come to a halt, and he hadn’t even realized the musicians were taking a break.

“Yes,” He cleared his throat. “Just a bit lost in thought.” She nodded her head, taking a slight step back from his hold on her waist. Eris had to refrain from the desire to pull her back towards his chest.

“I’ve enjoyed our time together,” She took a look towards her sisters. All three were huddled against the edge of the dance floor. Nesta and Feyre’s sharp steel gazes attempted to pierce through the mask that Eris held in place. While the other, whose name he had sadly forgotten, had a glazed over look. Upon focusing, he noticed that the brown was nearly obscured by milky white. He heard the female in front of him gasp, her eyes trained on the Seer. Her head whipped back towards him, giving a slight nod.

“I hope that we are able to count on your discretion about the Trove,” Her speech was rushed and she gathered the bottom of her skirts. “I’m certain that the High Lord will provide support to any claim you have to being the Heir.” With a quick second bow in parting she turned to rush over to her sisters.

Before she got too far, Eris grasped her elbow and asked, “Would you come visit me? In Autumn?” She blinked at him. Almost as if she was surprised by his desire to see her again.

“I must get to my sister,” She glanced back across the hall, at the High Lady trying to gain the attention of the Seer who was clearly lost in a vision.

“I understand,” He released his grip and nodded solemnly. “I will write to you.” She blinked again. What he wouldn’t give to know what that beautiful mind was processing. She gave him a curt nod, before she quickly made her way across the hall.

Eris couldn’t even last a week before sending his first letter. Again he asked if she would be interested in visiting his home court. She provided no answer or any acknowledgement of his question. Of course this didn’t deter Eris as they continued to exchange letters. With each one he would make his offer, enticing her with descriptions of celebrations and various traditions. He would tell her about his Hounds and his Mother. Yet she continued to not provide an answer to his offer. This same pattern went on for three months before Eris had enough of the tip-toeing around the subject. He was determined to get an answer, even if it was “No”.

Eris arrived at what he assumed was Rhysand’s townhouse as the High Lord had instructed in his brief correspondence with the Autumn Heir. He tapped the back of his knuckles on the large oak door. A few brief moments drifted by with no response. No movement could be heard from inside either. He peered his head towards the large bay window at the front, but the curtains were drawn shut.

His heartbeat began to quicken with each passing moment as there continued to be no response. Eris was wholly unfamiliar with the city. He had no clue where to even begin looking for his mate. He was under the impression that he was at least expected by Rhysand. So why was no one here?

Eris turned, prepared to winnow to the Hewn City in the hopes that Keir may have knowledge of where the High Lord could be, despite how unlikely that prospect was. Instead, he came face to face with an ethereal looking female. Skin and hair dark as shadows. A billowy white dress hugged her frame, yet appeared as if it was floating in a barrier of invisible water. It took him a minute to recognize her as one of Rhysand’s half wraith servants from Under the Mountain.

“They are all at the High Lord and Lady’s home,” The female began to explain without preamble. “If you would follow me.” She turned, not bothering to ensure that the Autumn Lord followed. When the pair approached the near ostentatiously large home near the riverfront, screams could be heard from inside. If his heart hadn’t already been on the verge of an attack it surely was now. The half-wraith opened the front entrance, beckoning Eris to follow.

No sooner as he stepped inside did his mate come surrying down the main staircase of the foyer. A pile of blood stained sheets spilling over her arms. Her eyes were rimmed in scarlet. Stepping onto the bottom landing she finally looked up, taking notice of the male.

“Eris,” Her voice was no more than a whisper. Her lower lip wobbled, teeth sinking into it to prevent the tremble. Eris didn’t bother with formality, taking quick strides to meet her. As he reached her side, she dropped the pile of fabric and allowed her arms to encircle his waist. Her body shook with her sobs as her finger dug into his shoulders.

“Feyre went into labor unexpectedly,” She cried into the elaborate brocade of his tunic. “The babe…his wings…” She couldn’t get her thoughts out in a coherent manner without the sobs overtaking her completely. “ They’re dying, Eris.” She wailed upon hearing her own words spoken aloud. He pulled her in tighter to his chest, his other hand gently rubbing in soothing circles along her shoulders. Eris had no words that could provide her with any sort of comfort, making him feel as if he was already failing her as her Mate. All the male could do was hold her and hope that she didn’t feel as alone in her grief if the High Lady of the Night Court somehow didn’t survive.

Suddenly, Elain called out to her sister from the top of the staircase, “Come quick! Nesta she…” The warm brown eyes of the middle sister swam with unshed tears, a smile graced her features as well. Eris’ shoulders relaxed as the female's expression could only be an indication of good news. His mate quickly detached herself from his hold, racing back towards where the family convened.

As soon as the two were out of sight, Eris looked around the foyer. He quickly found a small bench and sat down. He had never felt more awkward in his life. While he had developed a correspondence with this particular sister, he wasn’t exactly part of the family just yet.

Eris sat in the hall, waiting for what felt like hours for his mate to return. Once she did, she escorted him into a large sitting room.

“They’re going to live,” She smiled, sitting down in a chair across from him. She smoothed out her skirt, tucking in a corner that had somehow ended up with blood spatter staining the material. Eris merely hummed in acknowledgment. He didn’t know what to do with himself now that they had a moment alone like this. He had planned this elaborate greeting and proposal for her to come and visit, not giving her the room to ignore the request. However, that all went right out the proverbial window. His hands straightened the fabric of his shirt, then went to remove a non-existent strand of hair from his trousers, before finally resting on his lap.

“You’re fidgeting,” She pointed out. Her smile grew as she suppressed a giggle. He was happy to see that her mood had lifted so quickly. It made the reason for his visit appear less strange, inappropriate even given the intensity of the events that occurred. She gently placed one of her hands over his. Her delicate fingers soothing and calming the rolling fire that he didn’t even notice had built up within himself. He allowed himself to grasp her hand in return, interlacing their digits. The sensation of fire against ice erupted throughout his being. Opposite yet still a perfect complement of powers. Eris couldn’t help but wonder what they would be able to achieve together.

“Eris,” Her voice pulled him from his thoughts, his deep hues meeting her own cool gaze. “I’m happy to see you, but what are you doing here?” He swallowed, suddenly realizing that his actions were a bit sudden and perhaps not as well thought out as he intended. His arrival without notice to her would be unexpected. He only informed Rhysand that he needed to speak to Archeron female, but never explained why.

“I,” He began, voice cracking. His pale features flushed and he was reminded of his younger days when his voice hovered between childhood and deeper timber of maturity. The female before him suppressed another giggle behind her unclasped hand.

“I’m here because you consistently ignore a very specific question,” His gaze was steady, exuding what he hoped would be seen as confidence and not the uncertainty he felt. “I’ve come to ask one final time. If you say no, I will not burden you with asking ever again.”

“Eris,” She pulled her hand away, eyes now unable to meet his own.

“I acknowledge that Autumn is not always considered the most beautiful, what with the decay that can accompany the season in the mortal lands, so if you don’t like it-”

“Why would I not like the place where my mate lives?” Her perfect brows furrowed as she looked at him. Eris was at a loss for words.

“When…” He couldn’t finish the sentence. However, it appeared that he didn’t need to as her response was a perfect correlation to what was on his mind.

“Since the Winter Solstice,” She said. “When you first asked me to come visit.” It was Eris’ turn to blink in stunned silence. She had given no indication of being aware of who he was to her. Then again, he also hadn’t explicitly made their bond known. Perhaps he was wrong in thinking that his actions were obvious.

“It’s not that I’m afraid that I won’t like it there,” She went on. “I’m actually afraid that I would not want to leave. But I simply can’t abandon my sisters.” She lowered her head, averting her gaze from the embarrassment. However, Eris understood the desire to be with her siblings. The same desire to ensure the well-being and safety of his younger brothers was one of his reasons for not abandoning the Autumn court. For enduring the cruelty of his Father for nearly 5 centuries.

“I would never ask that you do,” He assured. “In fact, I wouldn’t want you to call the Autumn Court home just yet anyway. Not while my father still breathes.”

“I’m not afraid-”

“I am,” Eris admitted quietly. “I can’t risk anything happening to you.” He meant it, and was surprised at how easily the truth slipped from him. But it was just the two of them at this moment. He didn’t have to hide behind that mask when with her. He tucked a strand of (h/c) hair behind the perfectly pointed arch of her ear. He watched a shiver run through her as his flesh met hers.

“There are some places where I can keep you safe,” He explained, all of his thoughts spewing forth as his mind raced to prove that he could keep her safe enough for short visits. “Places where my Father doesn’t have the loyalty of the subjects, but they are loyal to me. I have a cabin, just along the borders of Summer and Winter. Close enough for you to run across either should the need arise. I’d prefer Summer, there is a temple not far from the border where you could claim sanctuary until Rhysand or one of the brutes could get you.”

“Eris…”

“Please,” He implored. “I do not wish to scare you away or force you to come. But I cannot stay separated from you much longer. My brother is the one with the endless amounts of patients when it truly matters.” She laughed, the melodic and soft sound made him feel light.

“How often can we meet?” She inquired. Her bright blue eyes lit with anticipation of when they could have their time.

“I can secure a few days away every month,” He explained, almost more to himself than her as he considered the variety of excuses he would need to utilize. “Maybe up to a week at most. The time of month would need to vary as well. Any semblance of a pattern would tip my Father off. He’s just paranoid enough to assume that I’d be planning some type of conspiracy against him.” Of course, his Father’s fears were not without reason. Eris was indeed planning to usurp the High Lord. Someday.

“Alright then,” She beamed. “I will come and visit. Every month so long as it is safe and as long as I am able to return to my sisters.” Eris felt the corners of his mouth lift up, and soon she mirrored the expression. His heart flipped, and he had to clear his throat to regain control of his senses.

“Then I shall send word when everything is ready.” He stood, preparing to leave when she clasped his hand again.

“Stay for a while Eris,” Her voice was soothing, making it feel like she wasn’t giving him a command. Even if she had, he would have gladly done anything she bid of him. He knew in that instant he would do anything for her.

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