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wickedsrest-rp · 2 years

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WICKED’S REST CRYPTIDS

There are plenty of strange creatures that live in and around this seaside town, but some of them have been supposedly spotted enough by tourists and locals alike to make them famous. There's even a dedicated cryptid club. With this elevated awareness comes their very own personalized name, origin story, and maybe even a statue or two crafted in their likeness! And you can be sure that all the shops in town that cater to tourists will definitely have some cryptid merch for sale.

Wormy

Local to Harborside, Wormy is a massive serpentine sea monster that’s been spotted in and around the bay. You won’t usually catch a glimpse of it unless there’s a low fog hanging over the water: the creature seems to otherwise stay below the waves. That said, boat sonar will sometimes pick up something very large and very long without any other kind of visual, which is where most of the reports come from. From the few who claim to have seen it with their own eyes, they say it resembles a massive snake with an upward-curved snout, large fins, and barnacles attached to its hide. There’s also a rumor going around that Wormy is the one responsible for the missing boats that wander too close to Storm’s Eye Trench, but obviously there’s no proof of this.

Bigfeet

Yeah, you read that right. Wicked’s Rest has its very own version of sasquatch, the more appropriately-named Bigfeet. After all, Bigfoot makes no sense. It has two feet, doesn’t it? Some locals claim it’s the original sasquatch that got ripped off by someone who visited the town back in the early 1800’s, but there’s no way to be sure. Whichever one came first, one thing is certain: the tourists love this cryptid. While some sightings have been recorded coming out of Harmony Hill (which are probably a case of mistaken identity), the more likely habitat where Bigfeet can be spotted is, unsurprisingly, the Pines.

Giuseppe

The phrase “it’s like 90% legs” might not be something you expect to hear in the grocery store, but hear it you may: they’d be talking about Giuseppe, of course. A funny looking fella that’s rumored to live atop Serpent’s Flat, the creature is described by those that claim to see it from the viewing stations as tall, lanky, and… well, mostly made of legs. Just two, but the cryptid’s torso is evidently quite stout in comparison, and the distinct lack of arms makes the legs all the more starkly gigantic in comparison. The body is sort of an off-white color, another feature that makes it stand out against the blackened surface of the Flat. How did it get the name? Well, a local Italian restaurant owner claims that her family coined it decades ago when they built up a rapport with the creature after feeding it some meatballs in marinara. Maybe that’s why you’ll find the occasional plate of meaty treats placed around the edge of the Flat?

Gripwing

No cryptid bestiary would be complete without a terror of the skies, and for that Wicked’s Rest has Gripwing, who terrorizes the beach and seas around town. Gripwing is often said to be a giant butterfly, but no one can verify for sure due to its blazing speed as it soars the skies. However, Gripwing’s victims are distinct. They wash up on shore with their chest cavities sliced open with brutal incisions and the heart torn out. This has led to further rumors about blade-like antennae. Interestingly, some of these rumors seem to originate in a local siren colony with what seems like glee. If Gripwing were in actuality a large siren with extravagantly colored wings and ornate feathers, perhaps mistaking it for a butterfly would be understandable…

Moleman

Everybody knows about the mines. More than that, everybody knows to stay out of the mines. Collapsing tunnels are a real threat, but they’re not the only danger that lurks in the darkness. There is, of course, the Moleman—unimaginatively named by the board of tourism, it’s a creature that is said to dwell in the winding pathways of the immense underground system. Massive in stature and responsible for all the new tunnels that open up (and sometimes make sinkholes in people’s backyards), the Moleman is just that—half man, half mole. Grotesque in appearance, it’s no wonder he uses a disguise to walk among the normal townsfolk. People say that he’s tall with broad shoulders, scruffy and dirty, and perfectly blind. If you see someone like that in town, it may be best to avoid them.

Bessie

To nonlocals, Bessie is nothing more than a strange choice for a university mascot, but to the locals she’s so much more. Before records of Grotte de Fromage appeared, there were many reports of hearing cow-like wailing from up in the mountain peaks. In reality, Bessie does much resemble a highland cow with long red hair that flows in the wind and horns on her head that always appear to be bloodstained. Don’t worry, it’s not actually blood! Some strange supernatural molds can form in Wicked's Rest which could be the source of Bessie’s cheese cave creating powers. There are several stories attached to Bessie that you’re likely to hear from the college kids in town. Some will say her cries were for the loss of her calves and her hallucinogenic cheese was a form of protection. Others yet say this cow has much more devious plans. Why else would her horns be covered in blood? Aside from the fact they aren’t, but that isn’t nearly as fun a story to tell the freshman you’re trying to scare. While it is rare she ventures away from the depths of Grotte de Fromage, when she does come out of her cave, she eats the grass around her at an alarmingly fast speed for a cow. While mostly harmless, her size does pose a danger so approach with caution… and maybe don’t stand in her way when she’s eating if you happen to like your shoes or feet at all.

Gourdon

Gatlin Fields has their own curious cryptid that seems especially fond of the autumn festivities in that area, with a particular habit of showing up in the Maized and Confused attraction. It is a stout creature, no more than three feet tall, and seems to be covered in brownish-orange fur. Its favorite snacks are pumpkin seeds and mulled wine, the latter of which it can sometimes be seen clutching between its front paws as it trundles through the corn maze. It has a long, thick, furred tail that helps it stand upright when it has a warm beverage to carry around, though no one can say for sure where the heck it actually gets the wine from. Is someone feeding it? It’s possible—the creature seems friendly, if not desperately shy. Getting a picture of it is no easy task, though the Club Cryptid HQ claims to have gotten one on one of their trail cams. Gourdon can appear during other seasons as well, in both Gatlin Fields and the surrounding woods, though it might have a different sweet drink hugged to its chest.

Deepsnoots

Exclusively present in Jericho Burying Ground, Deepsnoots itself has never actually been seen. Many are familiar with the sight of a lump tunneling through the dirt underfoot, and some claim they’ve seen a strange appendage or mouth of sharp teeth, but none of these descriptions align with each other. What is known is that Deepsnoots moves quickly, and the rapid burrowing can scare off some of the hooligans that want to deface the headstones. Some think Deepsnoots is intentionally keeping the Grounds safe of crime, like some kind of guardian who ought to be celebrated, while others believe it’s motivated by the need to feed on old buried remains. No one has confirmed this. Or really anything. Deepsnoots might just be a regular mole.

Tendrilla

While Seven Peaks is steeped in Tendrilla reverence, even using a dedicated shrine atop each peak, there is little physical evidence that this entity exists. Within town there are many paintings and art pieces depicting her (she is typically thought of as feminine), and most seem to more or less agree on some key details. First, Tendrilla is huge, dwarfing her own shrines. Two, Tendrilla flies or hovers through the air in the same manner flying saucers are often depicted. Three, she emits a beautiful, ethereal glow, and can bathe an entire mountainside in her light. She is often associated with mushrooms due to the unique variety that grows up in Seven Peaks. Some say her tentacles sting, while others say they embrace with love. Some say she has sheet-like fins that blow in the breeze like sails, while others say she is streamlined and sleek. Whatever the case, Tendrilla inspires great devotion, and… well, there have been some huge, mysterious tentacles found in the mountains over the years.

Mothermoth

Sightings of Mothermoth are most frequently reported in Worm Row, especially in or near the Wormwoods. She’s suspected to be a species of giant silk moth, but most describe her as being about the size of a helicopter or small plane. The huge eye spots on her wings seem to blink. Under a full or nearly full moon, people say her wings take on a bright golden sheen, and some say they were blinded – even permanently – by the moonlight bouncing off them. This reflected light may account for the lack of good photos. Mothermoth’s wings shed golden powder-like scales, and these may have supernatural properties. No one knows anything about where she lays her eggs… or what hatches from them. Some supernatural scholars believe goggies, or a goggie variant, may be the larval stage of Mothermoth’s species. A small group of local entomologists have made it their life’s work to try and prove Mothermoth’s existence and catch her. They’re gonna need a bigger net.

Shaggarok

This ape-like figure has a profusely long coat of white hair that drags in a trail behind it, leaving markings in the dirt and snow. No one knows what it looks like underneath the coat, but people describe a pair of round, glowing eyes peering out from beneath it. Some describe the feeling of being followed before they saw Shaggarok. It has only been sighted in Seven Peaks, especially on snowy days and at high elevations. There are sporadic reports on each of the seven mountains. Most say Shaggarok approached them while they were in trouble in the mountains and freed them from being stuck or chased off an attacking beast. One report vividly describes Shaggarok sucking the hair off a monster after saving someone from it. In actuality, Shaggarok is likely an especially fluffy, white-coated kerashag that seems to be curious about people, though doesn’t like being seen. Even to those who suspect this to be the case, it’s up for interpretation whether that impacts its cryptid status.

The Lighthouse Keeper

You might hear those living along Wicked’s Rest’s coast whispering about “The Keeper”. This mysterious individual is said to haunt the lighthouses along the coastline, luring sailors to their deaths with its ghostly light. Some theorize the Keeper is the ghost of a former lighthouse keeper who drowned in a storm, now seeking to claim the lives of others who venture too close to its domain. Sightings of the Keeper often align with storms and shipwrecks, leading many to speculate that it can manipulate the sea. Despite its fearsome reputation, the Lighthouse Keeper is often depicted as a tragic figure by the locals, doomed to haunt the lighthouses for eternity. Some tales even suggest that it is trying to warn sailors of the dangers of the sea, in hopes of sparing them the same fate that befell it.

Caprifang

Described as a human-sized bipedal goat-like creature with huge fangs, it’s been said that Caprifang has been seen chasing down dangerous prey with immense speed before tackling it to the ground and sinking those uncharacteristic canines into its throat. Local aos sí fae seem to think Caprifang might just be a faun that’s gone mad from loneliness, but none of them have been able to coerce it into conversation long enough to find out. Most who claim to have spotted it say it lives up in the mountains, keeping to itself for the most part—until danger arises. In fact, the folks that believe the beast exists often feel better knowing it’s around the winding trails of the Peaks, for it seems to only have a taste for the blood of monsters, not people. Though if you’re a particularly malevolent sort, maybe you ought to watch out, too.

Zilch

Some say it’s the Dover Demon that has simply migrated north, curiously drawn to the impact crater out in Gatlin Fields. Others insist this is another creature entirely that only looks similar, but the one thing everyone can agree on is this: the thing that lurks around the crater is not from this world. It is an extraterrestrial, stranded on our planet either by choice or accident, doing its best to keep to itself. The humanoid has a very large head, rosy-tan skin, a lanky body, and most often scuttles around on all fours. Unlike the Dover Demon, however, the large glassy orbs that peer back at tourists from this creature’s head are not orange, but instead resemble the night sky—illuminated pinpricks of white light in an otherwise inky, blue/black backdrop. It is larger than its Massachusetts counterpart, standing a frightening seven feet tall when on its hind legs… or so they say. The most unnerving thing about this alien creature is the way folks claim that it spoke to them telepathically, screeching at them to leave the area inside their minds. Maybe it’s best to just stay away from the crater.

The Cleaver

Late at night on the main roads leading in and out of town, drivers might encounter a creature known as the Cleaver. If you’re wondering how it got this name, well, you needn’t wonder any longer—thought to be the victim of a hit-and-run accident, the Cleaver is a humanoid that is missing its lower half and can be seen dragging itself through the middle of the road by its hands, one of which is clutching a large scythe. If one swerves to miss it or even if they hit it dead on, the creature will clamber up onto the stopped vehicle, rip the driver free, and slice them in half with its weapon… just for sport. So if you’re ever driving somewhere and you see something laying in the middle of the road… just keep driving. Don’t stop, no matter what.

Thiccopotamus

At first glance, Thiccopatamus, the beast lovingly named by Wicked’s Rest Cryptid Club looks much like a normal hippopotamus aside from the strange orange glow around her. Add in the fact she’s about twice the size, it’s no wonder that the college kids call her “stupid thicc”. Thankfully, most of the club knows to observe her from afar with the cameras they set up around Wicked’s Rest’s State Park. Normal hippos are dangerous enough as is, but Thiccopotamus is even more so with her even larger stature and appetite. While her hippo cousins prefer vegetation and fruits around the river in the lands they’re native to, Thiccopatamus has been known to eat various types of meat, usually in the form of smaller, less fortunate creatures. Yeah, definitely keep your distance.

#lore #cryptids #wormy #bigfeet #giuseppe #gripwing #moleman #bessie #gourdon #deepsnoots #tendrilla #mothermoth #shaggarok #the lighthouse keeper #caprifang #zilch #the cleaver #thiccopotamus #town lore

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really-fanny-longbottom · 4 months

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Never Yours

Pairings: Azriel x Reader, Azriel x Elain, Lucien x Reader

Summary: Azriel never regretted his decisions so much like he does right now.

Warnings: Angst (like a lot), fluff (also a lot because we need a balance)

Words: 6.1k

You were born in Day Court during the longest and the warmest day of the year: Summer Solstice. Even though it's not a custom to exchange gifts on that holiday, your parents always told you that you were their greatest gift and that the sun shined brighter that day like he knew that you would be entering this world very soon.

Your father was Helion's best and longest friend, and he had a place in his Court as his second in command and advisor. Your mother was the lead healer of the Court. She was one of the most powerful and talented healers of Prythian, being a very close second to Madja.

Due to your parents' jobs, you grew up in the Day Court Palace and close to Helion, who didn't just happen to be your High Lord but also your godfather.

Your parents reconsider that maybe making Helion your godfather had been a mistake because of how much he spoiled you. On your 4th birthday, he gave you a black baby pegasus as a present, which you decided to name him Blackjack. When he discovered that you liked reading, he had a private library built in your room with all kinds of books. When you were seven and heard an old male saying that females should only wear dresses, you only wore pants for the next three months and of course, Helion made sure you had every type of pants at your disposal.

When your parents tried to scold him, he just scoffed with his only response being, "She's my goddaughter. What else am I supposed to do?" with a big grin plastered in his face.

You weren't Helion's child, but he always treated you like one, and that never changed, especially after your parents' death.

Your favorite thing about your parents was their mating bond. After you learned that mates are rare and a blessing, it made every single thing about your parents' love even more unique and pure.

You saw first hand what true love is really like. You saw how much they loved, cared, supported, and protected each other. You saw loyalty and honesty in their deepest forms. Seeing your parents' mating bond made you wish to the stars for a mate, and that one day, you would be blessed enough to find him.

But you also saw how deep a mating bond could go. You saw it first hand, too.

You saw it when your mother died after getting infected by a rare disease while trying to help her patients. Her death destroyed your father. The pain and the grief of losing your mother, his mate, and the love of his life were so big that your father followed her into the next life a few days later, so they could start their next journey together.

Before he died, your father made Helion promise him that he would take care of you, which he agreed without hesitation. He became more protective of you. He couldn't stop thinking how unfair it was for you to lose your parents at such a young age, only eleven years old, when Helion had them for centuries.

Your godfather made sure to provide you with anything you needed from the best education to the best clothes and when your healing powers start manifesting and you decide to follow your mother's steps, Helion called in a favor to Thesan to see if he could teach you himself. The High Lord of Dawn was happy to accept, and so were you at the thought of having him as your teacher.

You moved to Dawn Court for a year where you learned everything about being a healer, not only with the High Lord himself but also with his best healers.

You became one of the best: talented, powerful, gifted, and wise. Just like your mother.

Madja was looking for an apprentice at the time you returned to Day, and when she heard about your skills, she asked for you. Rhysand reached out to Helion with Madja's offer: you would be her apprentice, work in the clinic with her but you would also assist her if she ever needed to go to a patient's residence, and would learn everything she could teach you.

It wasn't needed to convince you to agree. You had heard about Madja and her healing, after Thesan, she was the healer you wanted to work with the most, so of course you were more than happy to have a chance to have her as your mentor. Rhysand added that you would be welcome to stay in one of his personal residences, the House of Wind, during your time in Velaris.

You were only supposed to stay in the Night Court for a year, but that was before you met the Shadowsinger.

However, despite wanting the apprenticeship more than anything, if you had known what would happen when you agreed to go to the Night Court, you would never have accepted the offer.

Azriel couldn't sleep.

No matter how much he tried, he couldn't. Not with tomorrow so close, not when he knew what was waiting for him in the morning.

The past was haunting him tonight, his thoughts hadn't stopped since he had been informed earlier of tomorrow's meeting. So now, here he was, trying to keep his eyes open even though his body was protesting for him to do the opposite.

But he was fighting that need because every time he closed his eyes, you were all he saw. Your beautiful face with your sparkling eyes, your smooth hair, your pointy ears, your sweet voice, and your soft laughter. You were haunting his thoughts like a punishment for all those years ago.

So all he could do now was to sit on the edge of his balcony with his legs hanging off while waiting for the sun to be born, and remember how things used to be before he destroyed everything.

Everything was perfect in the beginning. Velaris was beautiful, the people were kind, and the pastries were absolutely delicious.

The only thing you actually missed, besides Helion, was the warmth of the sun like no other Court had but the Day Court. But that was just the Day citizen in you talking.

Your apprenticeship was going amazing. You and Madja had instantly connected, and you were learning so much. Two weeks later, you were already attending your own patients without supervision. You really had a gift, and every time Madja complimented your powers, you gave all the credits to your genes, to your mom. It warmed your heart knowing that the Mother had blessed you with this part of her. In this way, it felt like she was always with you.

The House of Wind felt just like home, and you adjusted perfectly. The Inner Circle had welcomed you with open arms, and you got along with everyone. They thought you and Morrigan would be the closest of all, but they got a big surprise when it turned out to be you and Azriel.

The Shadowsinger was different from everyone you ever met. Everyone in Day was so loud, open, and extroverted. But not him. He was calm, reserved, and difficult to read, but with time, you ended up finding out that the two of you were more alike than you thought. You were able to go through the shell that Azriel had so perfectly built around him over the centuries.

A friendship was born. Every day, Azriel would fly you to the clinic and then back to the House. You explored Velaris together and made your personal mission to try every single restaurant and bakery from the City of Starlight.

You walked along the Sidra and even stopped once in a while to dance along the melodies that the musicians were playing. You would read together whether that was in the library, in your room, or in his. You even started training with him and sometimes, Cassian.

You became each other's person. When a day at the clinic was hard or you would lose a patient, he was there to hug and comfort you, and you found yourself doing the same for him about his missions. So you decided to take the next step and spoke about your parents' death, how much still affected you losing them.

And in that moment, Azriel realized how much trust you put in him, so he decided to return it and opened about his past, his family, and his hands. You listened to every word, cleaned every tear, and held him for as long as he needed.

You found yourself falling in love with him a little more day by day, and it only took you a few months to realize that you were completely in love.

The day the bond snapped was one of the happiest days of your life. It happened during the most beautiful celebration in the Night Court: Starfall.

Your hair was tied in a long braid that reached down to your waist, decorating the braid were small yellow daylilies. You were wearing a golden dress that fit perfectly against your sun-kissed skin. The dress had a slit on the left side that went up to the top of your thigh, a single strap held the dress on your right shoulder and when you turned around, whoever was behind you could have a perfect view of your naked back. Golden jewels rested on your ears and neck.

You looked like a goddess, one blessed by the sun itself. You were shining just like a Day Court citizen should.

Azriel standed next to you in the balcony while gazing at the spirits passing. Both of your hands rested on the stone of the balcony, and when you went to adjust your hand, it brushed against Azriel's. At the new feeling, you looked up to find his eyes, only to see the Shadowsinger already looking at you. In that moment, with the touching of your hands and the meeting of your eyes, the world stopped.

Your hands start interviewing, and everything else just disappeared.

It was just the two of you and the sound of your heartbeats. And then, a golden thread appeared and started tying your hearts and souls.

Azriel held your free hand and pressed it against his own chest, right where his heart laid. You followed his action, freeing your intertwined hands and putting his hand on your chest, above your heart.

With the final loop of the golden thread around your hearts, Azriel bent down and kissed you.

That moment couldn't be more beautiful and magical even if you tried. You had finally found the mate that you had wished to the stars all those years ago.

Everything was perfect. You had everything you wanted and more. You lived in a beautiful city that you learned to love and were starting to call it home. You had the job of your life, working alongside one of your idols. Amazing friends that made you feel welcomed and part of a little family. And finally, your mate, the male you were in love with, long before that beautiful and sacred golden thread. Everything was perfect.

But of course, nothing lasts forever. And all of that disappeared when Elain Archeron came into the picture.

Ten years. He couldn't believe that much time had passed. All those years without you.

It had been ten years since the last time he saw you. Ten years since he had heard something regarding you. Ten years since he had broken your heart. And ten years since he had made the biggest mistake of his entire existence.

You had moved back to Day Court after that day, after what happened and after what he did.

The High Lord of Day had forbidden Azriel from seeing you and from trying to contact you in any way. And months later, when the rumors of a certain Shadowsinger flying above the Palace in hopes to get a glimpse of you reached his ears, Helion banned him from his Court.

Helion had always been a very charismatic and loving person. He's kind, generous, and a very good friend. He gets along with almost everyone, always joking around and laughing. Some people may say that he's the nicest and kindest High Lord that Prythian has ever seen.

When problems arise, he always tries to find a solution to solve them or if a solution is not possible, a way to improve them. But not this time. Not when it comes to you and his son, Lucien.

Because your heart wasn't the only one to be shattered that day, no, Lucien's heart was a victim, too. So, from that moment, everything that Helion did was to protect you and Lucien, to make sure that you felt safe, that you had space and time to heal. You thought that was ironic, considering you were a healer yourself.

Azriel's banishment wasn't the only consequence from the events of that day.

That day also cost the alliance between the Day Court and the Night Court, and when the alliance fell apart, so did Helion and Rhysand's friendship.

But Azriel wasn't the only one to blame for all of this. Elain Archeron was guilty, too. She, too, was banished from the Day Court and forbidden to contact Lucien in any way.

But unlike Azriel, Elain's actions cause far more consequences than his.

The Autumn Court followed the same decisions as the Day Court. The banishment of Azriel and Elain and the prohibition of any kind of contact with Lucien. Eris, now the new High Lord of the Autumn Court after Beron's death, didn't take lightly to what happened to his little brother.

The two of them had reconnected after Eris became High Lord. They talked through everything that had happened in the last centuries, made peace with their past, and decided to move forward together. Now, the brothers were inseparable and had the kind of relationship they had always wanted since they were younger. So when Eris heard what had happened, he considered those actions as a personal attack.

He went as far as to offer Lucien the opportunity to choose the Blood Duel, which his little brother refused, saying that all of this had already caused enough pain. Eris wasn't angry just because of Lucien. He was angry because of you, too. You were the first person to give him the benefit of the doubt, the first one to not judge him, unlike the others you tried to get to know him, to be his friend and he let you.

You were the first one to know the real Eris, to know what he hid behind the mask. Therefore, you had a special place in his heart. Even if you didn't share the same blood, you were part of his family.

But that didn't stop with Day and Autumn. Spring joined them, too.

Despite everything that happened and the fact that they were still working on their friendship, Tamlin's loyalty remained with Lucien. Spring had been Lucien's home for decades, and with that came a brotherhood between the two of them.

Needless to mention that Jurian and Vassa's loyalties also remained with Lucien.

To everyone outside the situation, all of this may seem overreacted and exaggerated. But to everyone involved, it's not.

After all, you and Lucien almost died. That's what happens when a mating bond is rejected.

Azriel couldn't believe things had turned out this way. He was so sure that the Cauldron was wrong, that he belonged with Elain. Three sisters for three brothers. How more poetic could it be?

There were signals everywhere: Feyre with Rhysand, Nesta with Cassian, and Elain with him. Elain wouldn't go close to Lucien or talk to him, but she would sit next to him whether during dinners or on the couch, she would talk to him, and requested his company when she went to the garden or to the city. Even his shadows disappeared every time he was with her.

Weren't those signals clear enough? They were meant to be. The Cauldron was wrong.

So Azriel did what he thought was right. He rejected the mating bond with you, and Elain did the same with Lucien.

He never thought that the rejection of the bond would've almost cost your life.

That memory still gave him nightmares to this day. How pale you turned, how you sank to your knees with your hand pressed against your chest, tears running free down your cheeks and muffled screams leaving your lips. How much pain you had suffered and how he had been the cause of it. How once, not that long ago, he had been the reason for your smiles, laughs, and giggles.

But that memory wasn't his. It was Rhysand's. Rhys, who had to go through your mind shields, and knock you unconscious so the pain would stop and that memory led him to another memory.

The memory of that day and the things that had followed after he shattered your heart.

Azriel wasn't there the moment it happened. No, he was too busy kissing Elain after admitting how much they craved each other.

And while he kissed Elain, he felt that golden thread tying the two of you breaking and start slowly to disappear.

Nothing could have prepared him for that last memory of you when he and Elain were summoned to the River House a few hours later.

Rhys had shown him not as a courtesy but as a lesson of how much his actions can affect others. But you weren't just some other. You were his mate. Former mate. Ex-mate.

Azriel made a move to go find you. He needed to explain it to you, and he needed you to understand, but you were already gone.

Rhys told him that after you regained consciousness, Lucien took you with him back to Day Court.

Lucien. Who you had become instantly friends with since the male's arrival in Velaris. You had treated him just like you were when you moved to the Night Court. You showed him the city, the good restaurants and the best pastries, and also told him about Helion, now that he knew the High Lord was his father and he was his Heir. You wanted him to feel like home, just like you did.

When Azriel made his intentions clear to go to Day and find you, Rhys showed him the letter Helion had sent. The one that forbidden him from seeing you and from trying to contact you in any way. The one that also had the same indications to Elain regarding Lucien. And that if any of them tried to disobey his orders, there would be consequences.

Azriel knew of protective the male was of you and that he would do anything to protect his family, so for a split second, Azriel found himself fearing the High Lord.

Rhysand also ordered them to stay away from the two of you, stating that they had already created enough problems and the Night Court could not afford a war with Day.

After they left his office, Rhys sat down on his chair, trying to think how he was gonna solve this. His mind kept going back to you and Lucien.

He was there when Lucien came for you, the red headed male was also pale and every few minutes, his hand would press to his chest in pain, his eyes were still red, probably from the tears he had shed.

Rhys knew that Helion's letter wouldn't be the only one he would receive that day. And like he was right, three more letters arrived during it. First from Autumn, then Spring and the last one from the Band of Exiles.

Rhys passed a hand through his black hair and released a long sigh, Azriel and Elain actions had just cost four allies to the Night Court.

When you and Lucien arrived in Day, Helion almost fell to his knees at your sight.

You were in Lucien's arms, your eyes half open with tears still following down your cheeks. One of your hands was against your chest, rubbing small circles in a way of trying to get rid of the pain. Lucien wasn't much better.

Helion headed towards you and started examining you for injuries, but he found nothing, and when confusion made his way to his features, Lucien told him everything.

The confusion was replaced by anger, but the anger wasn't just directed towards the Shadowsinger and the middle Archeron sister. Some of it was towards himself.

Towards himself, because seeing you like that, Helion felt that he had broken the promise he made to your dad and that this was his fault.

Without giving time for any more thoughts to fill his mind, Helion led Lucien to your room, where the Heir laid you on the bed. You had fallen asleep in his arms with your cheeks still stained.

Lucien sat on the chair by your desk that was placed in front of your bed and said to Helion that he would stay with you. Helion gave him a firm nod, remembering that Lucien didn't have a room yet in his Palace, but he was about to fix that.

Helion didn't waste any time after making sure that the two of you were okay for now.

He called two of his servants to prepare a room for the young Heir and went straight to his office where he wrote the letter and sent it to Rhysand.

The next week's were a complicated ones but showed that time was the best healer.

You no longer spend the days locked in your room alone. You started to eat properly again and went back to work. Day by day, you were smiling more and sometimes making jokes.

Lucien improved as well. He decided to live in the Day Court for the time being and took his place as Helion's second in command. His relationship with Helion was also getting stronger over time. They were making up for the lost time.

But that wasn't the only thing that changed. Your relationship with Lucien also changed.

You got closer than ever, due to the fact you were the only ones who knew what the other was going through.

You found comfort in each other's presence and started spending more time together to the point where you became each other's favorite person.

Little by little, you start helping each other heal. You started putting back together the pieces that had been broken, and the pain started slowly fading until the day that it didn't hurt anymore.

You two mended your hearts and souls, and for the first time, in a long time, you were full again.

Your friendship grew, and so did your feelings for each other.

Azriel couldn't believe how wrong he had been. Because the Cauldron wasn't wrong, it had never been wrong.

He was the one who was wrong. Right from the beginning.

He and Elain had tried a relationship after yours and Lucien's departure. It worked for six months until it didn't.

Azriel questioned himself why the relationship was starting to fail and why being with Elain was starting to feel wrong.

It didn't take him too long to understand the reason. It was because she wasn't you. He found out that the reason his shadows disappear every time he was with Elain wasn't because they were destined but because they were with you.

His shadows would leave him and Elain to go find you, like they were stating that they wouldn't betray you, that they chose you. On the day he broke up with Elain, he found his shadows in your old room, which once was filled with colors, books, paintings, and light, and now was empty, dusty, and dark. The shadows were swimming around your Starfall dress, the one you wore on the day your bond had snapped. The sight of the dress was painful, and he understood why it had been left behind.

Azriel had tried to apologize, he flew to Day Court and around the Palace trying to find you but he never did and the next day Helion sent a letter with his and Elain's banishment, making Autumn and Spring to have the same decision.

He understood why, they were trying to protect you and Lucien, and even though he didn't have the right, he just wanted to know if you were okay. Ironic, considering he was the reason you were suffering.

He asked Rhys several times if he knew something about you, and Rhys revealed to him that you weren't talking to him or the other members of the Inner Circle either. You had stated that it was too early and still very painful.

So they respected your decision and kept their distance.

That had caused Azriel's guilt to grow even more. How he wished for Nesta to still have her powers so he could go back in time and repair all of this.

The light of the sun broke his thoughts. The sun was finally making its appearance in the orange and yellow sky.

Azriel released a long breath and looked at the clock perched on his bedroom wall.

The morning was here, and he was only two hours away from seeing you.

The Inner Circle stood at the entrance of the Day Court Palace.

Helion had lifted the banishment for this meeting with yours and Lucien consent.

Both of you said that it had been a long time and that the past should stay in the past, but that didn't mean you would be accepting any apologies today.

Koschei was on the rise again, and Prythian needed to come together once more. Right now, your past didn't matter.

The doors swung open, and the Inner Circle made their way inside. A servant led them to the conference room located in the same hallway as Helion's office on the first floor of the Palace.

They sat at the marble table while the servant informed them, "The High Lord will be here in a few minutes." Receiving a nod and a 'Thank you' from Rhysand, the servant left.

Rhys started, "Y/N and Lucien will also be in this meeting. Now, Helion was nice enough to allow the two of you back here, so do not ruin this." He finished while looking at Azriel and Elain, making them both nod their heads.

Helion entered the room, and the Inner Circle raised from their seats. The High Lord of the Day Court made his way to the head of the table. He turned to the side where Rhys, Feyre, and his Inner Circle stood at his left before offering his hand to Rhys to shake it.

Taken by surprise, Rhys needed a few seconds to process what was happening before accepting his hand. Once they had shaken hands, everyone returned to their seats, but not before Helion sent a disapproving look in Azriel's and Elain's direction.

A few minutes into the meeting, the door to the conference room opened again. And there you were.

You were dressed in Day attire, a beautiful white dress that hugged your body, with your hair loosen and golden jewelry adorned your neck and ears. Lucien was by your side also wearing Day attire, one that matched Helion's, with your hand in his.

The Inner Circle held their breaths at your sight. It had been ten years, but all the memories came flashing back to them.

You looked the same, but when you two approached the table, that's when they saw it and shock spread all over their faces.

Azriel couldn't believe what he was seeing. He didn't know what he was expecting to see at this meeting, but it wasn't this.

It wasn't the golden ring that you and Lucien had matching on your left hands informing him that you were married that shocked him.

It was the small and round belly that your free hand was resting on and the sweet vanilla scent that was filling the air. The scent of yours and Lucien's baby.

"Apologies for our delay," Lucien started, then looking in your direction with a smile continued "Someone had a big appetite this morning." He ended with a laugh.

You looked at his gaze, a genuine smile on your lips. "Shut up." You whispered.

Lucien grabs the back of your chair, pulling it to give you enough space to sit. "Thank you, my love." You said while watching him taking the seat at your right, making you stay seated between him and Helion.

For the first time since you entered the room, you looked at the people in front of you. "Night Court," you greeted with a small smile.

Feyre was the first to say "Congratulations Y/N. And Lucien."

Lucien spoke this time. "Thank you, Feyre." He rested his hand on your belly.

"How far long are you?" Rhysand's voice reached your ears.

Looking in his direction, you answered, "23 weeks. Lucien thinks it's a girl, but I think it's a boy," you added. That made Rhys smile.

"I always took you for a boy mom." Amren's voice surprised you and couldn't help but smile at her words. "Congratulations to you two, the Mother knows you deserve it." She finished with a genuine smile.

Lucien looked at Azriel and Elain before directing his eyes to the ancient one "Yes we do. Thank you, Amren." Lucien paused for a second before turning in Helion's direction and continuing. “Let's not keep holding on to the meeting. Please go on, dad."

Helion proceeded with the meeting, but Azriel didn't listen to a word that was said. He couldn't tear his eyes from you and Lucien.

There was no doubt of the love you two shared, not when it was written in both of your eyes. He didn't miss Lucien caresing your belly, and pushing a strand of hair behind your ear, passing his thumb over your jaw and kissing your cheek after.

Or how you rested your right hand on top of his on your belly while your left passed through his long red hair before resting around his shoulders and your smile while doing it.

What bigger proof did he need of your love if not for the baby you were carrying? Lucien's baby, he kept telling himself. Not his. Lucien's.

Jealousy invaded his body, but there was nothing he could do. He made his decision ten years ago, and now he had to live with it.

Lost in his thoughts, he only realized the meeting was over when everyone started standing. Rhys and Helion were finishing talking, and when the doors opened one more time, Eris Vanserra walked in with a little ginger boy in his arms. He couldn't be more than five years old.

He looked exactly like Lucien, except for his eyes. Those were yours.

Azriel's heart sank, and it sank even more a few seconds later, when the little boy spotted you and Lucien. You already had a baby and you were about to have your second.

With a big smile appearing on his sweet face, the little boy almost shouted, "Mommy! Daddy!" The boy jumped from his uncle's arms and ran to you.

You bend down and gather the happy boy in your arms before standing again and passing a hand through his ginger curls and saying, "Hi baby." You peppered his face with kisses making him laugh even more "I thought you were having fun with your uncle." You said looking at your brother in law.

Your son pouted “Uncle Eris doesn't know how to play. He onlys wants to do the boring stuff mommy.”

Everyone in the room chuckled, Eris gasped with fake hurt “Excuse me?”

“Elijah.” Lucien chuckled and said to your son after joining your side “Don't be rude to your uncle.”

“But it’s the truth, daddy.” Elijah hid his face on your neck.

Eris approached the little family with a smile directed to his nephew. "Sorry. I tried to keep him entertained, but he just kept asking about you two."

Lucien noticed his older brother had paint and glitter on his white shirt and laughed at the thought of his son giving him a hard time before exclaiming, "It's alright, brother. We were about to leave anyway."

The little boy settled in your arms and rested his head against yours, Lucien started rubbing his back when the little boy caught the sight of his grandfather and asked before anyone could stop him "Grandpa, how was the meeting with the idiots from the Night Court?"

The room went quiet, and a few gasps escaped. At your son's words, you turned to look at Helion, now on mom's mood. "Helion! How many times do we have to tell you not to speak like that in front of him?"

The room erupted in laughter at your statement. The air became lighter, and Helion put his hands in surrender, promising you that it wouldn't happen again.

You gave him an incredulous look, saying that you didn't believe him. Your son wrapped his tiny arms around your neck and rested his head on your shoulder with a yawn leaving his lips.

You rubbed your son's back while speaking to him. "Cmon Elijah, let's leave before your grandpa comes up with a new bad word for you to learn."

“Bad grandpa” your son agreed with you while earning new chuckles from the Night Court.

Even though he was trying to hold his smile, Azriel failed, your son was too adorable.

You turned your gaze to the Inner Circle and gave them a smile. "It was good to see you all."

"You too, Y/N. I missed you." Cassian replied.

Your smile stretched before telling him, "I missed you too, Cass."

The nickname made his heart ache. Maybe there's still a chance for you to reconnect.

You turned to look behind you, meeting your husband's eyes "You're coming Lu?"

A pink blush made its way to Lucien's cheeks "Of course, my love" The Heir looked at his father "We'll see you at dinner, dad. Night Court." He said giving the Inner Circle a small nod before joining you and wrapping his arm around your waist and giving a kiss to your now sleeping son.

Amren spoke again “See I told you were a boy mom.” A smile never leaving her face.

“You're right. If this baby happens to be a boy as well, I'm gonna be in trouble.” You replied with a arm holding your son and while the other made it's way to your belly.

“No your not, you're gonna be great.” Nesta spoke, a genuine smile on her lips “We already can see you are.” She gestured to the little boy sleeping in your arms.

“Thank you, Nes.” You were grateful for her words.

On your way out, you met Azriel's eyes but you couldn't find the words so you simply gave him a nod with a small smile and Azriel returned the gesture.

When the door closed, Amren was the first to break the silence "Well, the Mother has a sense of humor."

Everyone turned to look at her but she focused her gaze on Azriel and Elain "You rejected them because you believed you belonged with one another only for your relationship to fail six months later. And now," she released a laugh "your former mates found their way towards each other. Fell in love, got married, had a son and have another baby on the way. Ironic isn't it?" She said with the feline smile returning to her lips.

It was Helion who spoke next, amusement all over his face "Indeed. I guess karma is a bitch." He sent a disapproving look one more time in the direction of the two people who almost cost him his family before exiting the room.

Amren's and Helion's words stung but Azriel knew it was nothing but the truth. He realized in that moment, that despite your life now and how things turned out, you would never forgive him.

He had lost you forever and now he had to live with regret for the rest of his life.

After all, you were no longer his.

A/n: Thank you for reading! I'm thinking in making a general taglist so if you wish to be added let me know.

the beautiful dividers belong to @cafekitsune

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