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vegabookishpoetry · 5 years ago

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The Star and the Lion - III

“She was a bright star in centuries of darkness. I would have followed that star to the ends of the earth, if she had let me.”

The Star, Atarah Ashryver, was gentle and good. Atarah’s light could be seen from even the darkest caverns in Wendlyn. She was held in high esteem by her Uncle, the king of Wendlyn, and was seen throughout the kingdom as light incarcerate, simple and pure.

The Lion was trapped. Tied to the Queen of the Fae, Maeve, through a treacherous blood oath, the Lion was kept in the darkness. Darkness, until he was sent to the nearby kingdom of Wendlyn to solve a dispute between the Fae Queen and mercenaries residing in the kingdom.

Blinded by Atarah’s light, Gavriel finds himself in a dangerous game between his blood and his heart.

Unbeknownst to the Fae Queen, her Lion is escaping, and will do anything to be with his Star, if only for short while.

The Star and The Lion Masterlist

She said, “Boy can I tell you a wonderful thing?

I can’t help but notice you’re staring at me

I know I shouldn’t say this, but I really believe

I can tell by your eyes that you’re in love with me.”

————

Gavriel

She was scared. Scared of him, that much was easy to tell. Gavriel didn’t blame her. After all, when she first saw him, he was standing by while Lorcan questioned a man using his preferred method of violence.

He was sent here tonight with Vaughan to observe for any possible information on the whereabouts of the mercenaries but…

He’d seen her, across the ballroom. Even with the mask, he knew it was her. He was making his way over to her, telling himself he needed to talk to her for informative purposes about the mercenaries, knowing full well that was a lie.

Then she’d tripped and without thinking, he ran up to catch her.

She was in his arms, and the mercenaries were no more than a shadow of a thought in his mind.

Realizing he was still holding her, Gavriel quickly pulled her back upright on her feet, and she mumbled a soft “Thank you,” before turning around to walk away.

“Wait!” Before he could regret it, he reached out and grabbed her wrist, and she turned around, not with a look of fear in her eyes, but curiosity.

“Milady, I can’t help but notice you look a little lost,” he began, “Will you dance with me?” He held out his arm with a soft smile.

He watched her as she seemed to debate with herself. Slowly, she looped her arm through his, and hesitantly said, “Yes.”

—————

Atarah

Whispers followed them to the dance floor.

Is that a fae?

Who is he dancing with?

It wasn’t an unheard of occasion to see fae in Wendlyn, with Mistward and Doranelle being so close. The Royal family even had traces of fae blood in them. It was rare, however, especially for a handsome fae male to be seen dancing with a human woman at balls, which is what Atarah predicted the whispers were about.

She didn’t know his name. She wasn’t even sure why she said yes when he asked her to dance… There was something about this male that made her feel comfortable. Perhaps it was the softness of his gaze, or gentleness in his voice. She didn’t feel threatened, swaying to the music with him.

“We’ve met twice now, and I haven’t gotten your name, care to tell me?” Atarah flushed at her own forwardness.

“Gavriel,” The golden male smiled at her, “Forgive me for our first...encounter.” His eyes were filled with sorrow as he seemed to recall that evening. So much sorrow that Atarah couldn’t look too deeply into his tawny eyes, lest she get lost.

“I...never got to thank you for healing that man,” she said softly, looking away.

Gavriel sighed, “It was the least I could do.”

Atarah simply hummed in response, content to dance in a comfortable silence when Gavriel asked, “And you? You’re name?”

“My cousin was screaming it so loudly, they probably heard it across the ocean,” Atarah chuckled, “I’m sure you heard.”

“Perhals,” Gavriel smiled at her, “But I’d like to hear it from your lips.”

Atarah blushed, “My name is Atarah.”

“Atarah,” he said her name slowly, as if testing it out, “It’s nice to meet you, properly.”

“Likewise.”

And so they danced. For hours, or minutes, she wasn’t sure. Time didn’t matter as she got lost in the rhythm of the music, and the warmth of his arms.

It was strange, she supposed, how she didn’t care about the whispers, stares, nor the guaranteed integration from Evalin that was sure to come.

The only thing she cared about was the feeling the male in front of her gave her. She wasn’t scared, not anymore. It was a warm feeling, promising of things to come. Atarah didn’t know him well, not yet, but she was sure there was more to him- to them- than just this dance.

The music faded into something more upbeat, and their dance ended, instead of pulling away, Atarah looped her arm through his and silently led Gavriel away from the crowds.

—————

Gavriel

She had led him outside, into what appeared to be the palace gardens. It wasn’t empty, but far less busy than the ballroom. Lovers with roaming hands, sneaking away from the crowds, people wishing for the fresh air to clear their heads, and a young girl with bright red hair, no older than 15. Gavriel spotted her following him around, and she was now glaring at Atarah on his arm, making him chuckle.

“I think you have a fan,” Atarah hummed, noticing the girl, “If looks could kill, I’m sure I’d be dead,” Atarah laughed.

“And why’s that?”

“Because I’ve stolen her handsome fae male.”

“Did you just call me handsome?” Gavriel raised a brow, smiling.

Atarah flushed, “Don’t let that get to your head.”

“Too late,” Gavriel chuckled, “Watch this.”

Gavriel turned around it face the young girl following the pair, and winked at her, followed by a smirk. The girl flushed redder than her hair and scampered off.

Barking out a laugh, Atarah shook her head and muttered something about how the girl is leaving to ‘start rumors’.

“I hope you’re happy now, Gavriel,” Atarah faked a pout, “Now my mother is going to hear about me sneaking off with a male and I’ll never see you again.”

“I suppose that doesn’t sound ideal.” Gavriel smirked.

“No it doesn’t.” Atarah shook her head, grinning, “Now… follow me!” Her eyes lit up and she dashed away, around a hedge and into a wooded area of the garden. Gavriel shook his head with a smile, captured by the girls spunk, and chased after her.

When he caught up to her, she was sitting on the grass against a tree, smiling at the lightning bugs hovering nearby.

“Are you always this…wild?” Gavriel asked as he sat down next to her.

“Oh, not at all,” she giggled, “Perhaps I had a bit too much to drink.”

“Well nevertheless,” Gavriel smiled, “I enjoy your company.”

Atarah blushed and looked away, seemingly lost in thought. After a minute she looked at him again, “Gavriel…” she asked in a small voice he hadn’t heard from her before, “Can I ask you something?”

He softly smiled at her, “Yes?”

“Why…Why are you here?” she started, “You must come from Doranelle or Mistward.”

“Doranelle,” he answered, “As for why I’m here, there’s not much I should tell you…”

“It has something to do with that man from the alley, doesn’t it?” She blurted, “Who are they?”

Gavriel sighed, and ran a hand through his hair, “They’re…criminals, of a sort. I was sent here to capture and interrogate them.”

“Are you part of some…law enforcement or something?” She asked.

“Yeah, I suppose you could say that.”

Atarah hummed, “Well in that case, I’m sorry for getting in your way.”

“You were only doing what you thought was best, Atarah,” Gavriel said softly, “You stood in front of four fae, that’s admirable, considering you didn’t even know who the man was.”

She blushed again and looked away.

“Enough of that talk,” she said after a minute,” I saw from the alley that you can heal people.”

“Yes.”

“What else can you do?” She asked smiling, “Can you shift? Into an animal? I don’t know much about fae… but I know some can.” She rambled.

“Atarah,” Gavriel cut her off, “Would you like me to show you?”

She grinned wider than ever, and Gavriel couldn’t help but think it the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen.

——————

Atarah

They stayed out until dawn. Until the fireflies were replaced by butterflies and chirping birds and the sunlight crept into the garden.

The party was long over, and to avoid rumors for Atarah, he snuck out, over the wall, but not before promising to see her again.

She wasn’t sure what overcame her that night. They had just talked… and yet Atarah felt like an entirely different person around him, a more carefree person.

Gods, she had only known him for a very short while and yet she couldn’t get him out of her head.

Walking back to the small wing in the palace she shared with her mother, with a grin on her face, she couldn’t help but wonder what her mother would think of Gavriel.

Her mother was kind to her, but after Atarah’s father had left them, she became cold and distant, always warning Atarah to be careful of men. She surely wouldn’t approve of Atarah courting a fae male she had just met.

Courting? Gods Atarah, you spent one evening with him. Nothing more.

Trying to shake her negative thoughts, she bounded up the stairs to her room, expecting Evalin to be there, waiting for Atarah to hear everything about the rumors that had, as she predicted, spread last night.

But it was not Evalin who greeted her in her room.

Two men stood in the center of her room, grinning madly.

Atarah didn’t even have time to furrow her brows in confusion before she was gagged and bound with rope.

Darkness swept over her.

——————

Hi loves! Sorry for the wait :/ I wasn’t happy with how this turned out the first time, so I rewrote quite a bit of it. I’m still not 100% with it, but alas, here you go!

Master list now updated

Until next time!

Nepenthe <3

Taglist (still open!) : @snaps7 @alsornaaredhel @nightcourteternal

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vegabookishpoetry · 5 years ago

Text

The Star and the Lion -II

“She was a bright star in centuries of darkness. I would have followed that star to the ends of the earth, if she had let me.”

Blinded by Atarah’s light, Gavriel finds himself in a dangerous game between his blood and his heart.

Unbeknownst to the Fae Queen, her Lion is escaping, and will do anything to be with his Star, if only for short while.

The Star and The Lion Masterlist

That’s when I met your mother, the girl of my dreams

The most beautiful women that’d I’ve ever seen.

————

It had been two weeks. Two weeks, and somehow, the Cadre, the most elite warriors in Erlia, had not captured the mercenaries that their queen sent them after.

They had gotten close, two weeks ago, when Rowan had picked up on a scent in the markets of Varese. Even cornered one.

Then she came.

Lorcan still blamed him for it. Gavriel hadn’t said anything to the warrior since their argument after the alley way.

Something about the girl caught him off guard. Maybe it was the fury in her eyes, or the anger laced with fear in her scent.

He couldn’t hurt the man, not in front of her. So he healed him, let him go. Then fled before she had a chance to ask about it.

Two weeks had passed, and yet the girl with starry eyes hadn’t left his mind.

——

Atarah smiled softly as she gazed at herself in the mirror. The seamstress she’d hired had truly outdone herself.

She wore a flowing gown, a white under layer with silver flowers sewn on, and a dusty pink over layer that was cinched at the waist with a belt made of silver. The gown had silver plates on the shoulders and at the top of the torso, attached were flowing pink sleeves that fluttered behind her when she walked.

“Wow,” a voice behind her breathed. “All eyes will be on you, Ata.”

Atarah turned and grinned at her cousin Glaston as he entered her chambers. “Thank you,” she flushed.

Glaston chuckled at her embarrassment, “Although I should warn you, Evalin is going to be jealous that you’re stealing her night.”

“I’d never,” Atarah laughed, picking up her white mask, “Help me?”

Glaston smiled as he took her mask and tied it with a string of silk behind her head. “There, now Eva can’t blame you for stealing the show, seeing as she won’t recognize you.”

Atarah laughed as she took herself in. Per Evalin’s request, this years summer solstice ball was a masquerade.

Oh please,” Atarah laughed, “Our blasted eyes are a dead giveaway.”

Ashryver eyes. The brightest blue, ringed with gold. Though Atarah was only a distant relative of the royals, she couldn’t escape having the same eyes as them. Eyes that made each of them very recognizable…

Did the fae male in the alleyway recognize her eyes? It had been two weeks since the incident, and she hadn’t told anybody about the fae she saw, not even Evalin.

The fae wanted to hurt a man, would they wish to hurt her for interfering? No, the golden male healed the man, he wouldn’t hurt her…

“Ata?” Her cousins voice brought her back to reality, “Are you alright?”

She swallowed deeply before turning to face him, “Yes, just lost in thought.”

“I see,” he held out his arm, “Shall we go to the ball, milady?”

Atarah looped her arm through his and giggled, “Yes, we shall!”

——

The sun had just dipped below the horizon, and the festivities were finally beginning. Atarah found it somewhat ironic that although it was the summer solstice, the longest day of the year, the ball was held at nighttime.

Summer solstice is always a time of celebration in Wendlyn, but this year had an even bigger meaning. It was also the celebration of Evalin’s engagement to Rhoe of Terresan, and a celebration of the union of the two kingdoms.

As Atarah predicted, her cousin found her almost immediately.

“Oh Ata!” She called, abandoning Rhoe where they stood and running over to her.

“Hello Eva,” Atarah smiled, hugging her cousin, “You look lovely.”

“I know,” Evalin waved her hand in dismissal, “You too. All we ever talk about is looks.”

Atarah raised a brow, “Then what do you propose we talk about?”

“Nothing!” Evalin smiled, “Let’s dance!”

Atarah giggled as her cousin pulled her to the dance floor.

The music was traditional Wendlyn, played live for the ball. Atarah and Evalin danced and danced until Evalin realized she had completely abandoned Rhoe, and scurried off to find him. The music shifted to a slower tune, and guests everywhere pulled their lover’s onto the dance floor.

Atarah however, took it as her cue to step away, and left in search of refreshments. She weaved her way through the various guests, all in masks, and neared the refreshments when she tripped.

A strong arm wrapped around her waist before she could hit the ground. Atarah blushed as she turned to thank her rescuer.

And gasped as she stared into a familiar set of tawny eyes.

—————

Part Three

Hey! A shorter chapter, but it needed to happen to set up for the next one, which I am super excited to write!

I will be traveling abroad for the month of June, and I’m not sure how much I’ll be able to write. That being said, I apologize if I don’t upload until sometime in July, I’m so excited to continue this story and I’ll try to write as much as I can during my downtime between travels.

Thanks loves! - Nepenthe <3

Taglist (Open until the end!): @snaps7 @alsornaaredhel @nightcourteternal

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