#and immediately putting a baby in morrigan that night

[azurechicken]

Nathaniel not being romanceable in Awakening means nothing to me (or to my Cousland for that matter). It doesn't mean he isn't romanceable at all. Awakening is just the beginning. It's the mutual pinning, the slow burn, the i met my childhood friend and now they are my enemy? They are learning. Learning to live with the tragedy of their families and their intertwined fate. Also learning about each other after such a long time spent apart. And they are casually ending darkspawn after darkspawn while doing so. Shamelessly ogling each other despite the gore. Honorable nobles to unhinged Wardens saving the world from the Blight. Childhood friends to brief enemies to unapologetically flirting colleagues. They will get together, but the narrative will end before they do.

[nikethestatue]

Happy birthday to my bestie, my mate, my Elriel sister @tswaney17

I wouldn't have joined this fandom without her. So if anything, blame her! Jokes aside, I hope you have a marvelous year and meet your own stranger in the night. Please enjoy!

One shot

Summary: Elain Archeron is celebrating her birthday and happens to meet an enigmatic and mysterious stranger who upends her world

She smoothed her black bodysuit over her hips, though it wasn’t wrinkled and then tousled her hair, in what she hoped, was sexy, beachy curls.  

Anyone else would’ve told her that she looked great—well put together, elegant, and not trying too hard. But to her self-critical eye, she saw a slew of imperfections. Hips too wide, breasts too large, stumpy fingers...She could stand here all night and critique herself, but what would be the point? It was what it was, right? Some part of her though, liked what stared back. The black bodysuit hugged her in all the right places, and paired with strappy golden heels and some delicate gold jewelry, she looked...nice. Not quite her 31 years old. Her friends always said that she was a ‘young 30’. She looked about 24. But inside, there were days when she felt 78.  

Oh well. Time to go. That’s not to say that she didn’t want to back out of her solo restaurant trip about 25 times today. Internally, she’s been telling herself that she is too busy, too tired, too poor, and that staying in with a bottle of wine and pizza would be just fine. Another part of her wanted to get out. Even if she looked like a loser, dining alone. At least it was a Wednesday night—not the weekend—so she could theoretically make up a story of being on a business trip. Not that anyone’s going to ask. But she needed that security blanket for herself: “I am eating alone, because I am here on business’. Yeah, that sounded legit. She was a successful, professional woman, determined and confident, and she was on business in Chicago.  

She grabbed her clutch and headed out.  

It was a warm evening by Chicago standards. The middle of April could be blustery or it could be blistering. You never knew. Tonight was lovely, actually. Trees were in full bloom—white, pink, yellow, assertive red, purple, even blue—bursting in flowers of every shape and size along the streets of her neighbourhood.  

Beatrice was a quint restaurant in Fulton Market. Or as ‘quaint’ as a restaurant could be in the bustling, hipster corner of the city. She only knew it because she’d come here before with her stylish, popular co-worker, Morrigan. She recalled how Mor wore a pristine baby blue bodysuit, sky-high heels, and a sparkling silver belt studded with glittery gemstones. Mor’s hair was a waterfall of golden blonde, which cascaded sensually down her back. Her skin was flawless. Her makeup was perfection, and her nails the right shade of pearl. When they were seated, all the girls in the party immediately rattled off a list of things they didn’t eat, were allergic to, and ‘avoided’. Mor announced that she was ‘celiac’ in a tone that implied that obviously she was celiac! And then proceeded to order bread. When the waiter told her that bread has gluten, Mor said that ‘she was allowed to today’.  

Back then, she’d ordered something called the Straight ‘A’ Salad, not wanting to tuck into something juicy and fatty in front of everyone. It ended up being empty and unsatisfying. But she still wanted to go back there, because the other items on the menu looked good, the vibe was nice and not overwhelming, and the drinks were inventive. If nothing else, she’d get her full in alcohol. 

“Follow me, Miss,” the hostess beckoned her and she scurried quickly between tables, wanting to be seated as soon as possible. 

It was nice. The table was by the wall, and she could see inside the restaurant and out the window. She laid her clutch on the table and exhaled. She was here. She was in her place, in her chair.  

She made it. 

“Are we celebrating anything tonight, Miss?” the waiter asked, when he approached with the menu. 

“Oh no,” she laughed, “I am on a business trip.” 

“And do you have any allergies?” 

“No!” she stated decisively. No. She is going to eat what she wanted. No faux allergies for her. 

The drinks menu looked a bit intimidating. Lots of things with Mezcal and Elderflower and words like ‘smoked’ and ‘hibiscus ginger kombucha’. After discreetly googling what kombucha was, she gagged and decided on a Lemond Drop. Safe and sound. 

The waiter wasn’t exactly impressed by her choice, but she didn’t care. Instead, she ordered Cheddar Popovers with bacon butter, and green chili queso for appetizers. It harkened back to her California upbringing, where things were less formal, the food less complicated, and the loneliness less acute. She suddenly and desperately missed her sisters, who lived back home. She missed the sun, tacos, trips to Sacramento and the simpler life she had back home.  

Sighing, she sipped her cocktail and looked around. It was fairly bustling, couples and friends chatting animatedly, drinking their complicated drinks and laughing. But...she felt okay. Not amazing, but okay. It was peaceful.  

It felt peaceful until her eyes fell on a singular, solitaire figure of a man, who sat at the bar, with a drink in front of him. The reason she even paid attention to him was because he was literally breathtakingly beautiful. So handsome, her breath stalled in her chest. Big. So goddamn big, it felt like he was sucking the air into the vortex of a black hole that he’d created just by simply...being. He sat, unmoving, in a sharply cut suit and a white shirt, unbuttoned at his neck. The other reason why she looked at him was because he was staring back at her. Big, bold, unflinching stare. Those incredible, luminescent eyes almost glared at her, and she wished she’d know what colour they were. The man’s face remained impassive, but he continued staring, even once she’s averted her eyes and squirmed in her seat. And now, all she could feel was his stare, following her every move. It was suddenly hot, and she felt her nipples pop like tiny Whack-A-Moles beneath her bodysuit. Served her right for not wearing a bra! Jesus Mary and Joseph. Well, her evening was ruined just like that. Instead of being at peace with her lemon drop and her popovers, she was not being scorched by the gaze of this absurdly handsome man, and all she wanted to do was look his way and see if he was still looking at her. While she didn’t want him to be looking at her. But she wanted to make sure that he was. Oh, god. What. The. Hell. 

She was on the verge of fanning herself, before realising that she’d be looking like she was having hot flashes, and it was too early for that. Her nipples were hard as bullets and she was forced to cover her breasts with her folded arms, just to maintain some sense of decorum. As she ‘busied’ herself with her drink, she snuck a momentary glance at the man. He was still there, but no longer looking at her. Instead, he was on his phone, and a deep sense of regret and longing washed over her at once. 

He was interested in her for 23 seconds.  

That was it. 

But she supposed that for the most handsome man in the world to take notice of her for 23 seconds was sufficient enough. 

“Miss, your popovers,” the waiter stepped up to the table, placing one plate down in front of her, and then the other, “and queso. Please be careful, it’s hot.” 

The food looked fine, but somehow, she no longer felt particularly hungry. She wasn’t sure if it was because the man was no longer looking at her, or because he was looking at her before. Did she want him to look at her? No. No, she didn’t. He was entirely outside her comfort zone, with his piercing gaze and his unnaturally good looks and he was definitely a player, so there was no need for all of this.  

On her birthday, all she wanted was peace and quiet. She didn’t need smouldering men giving her the death stare. Instead, she forced herself to concentrate on her food. The popovers were light and fluffy and crispy on the outside, and the bacon butter was to die for. Sinful, but so, so good. 

She sunk into her seat, enjoying her cocktail and alternating between the popovers and then the rich, spicy queso. She was still deciding on the main course—penne with spicy vodka sauce? Slow cooked short rib?  

“Miss,” 

Her contemplation was interrupted by the waiter, who was holding a drink. 

“From the gentleman at the bar,” he said and placed the drink in front of her. 

Her mouth fell open. Whaaat... 

Timidly, she allowed her eyes to travel to the bar and sure enough, there he was. Staring. A small, secret smile touched his beautiful mouth and he inclined his head just a bit. She didn’t exactly know how to act in these situations. Was she supposed to drink the drink that he sent? Invite him over? Go over there herself? Ignore him like a total douche? 

Okay, first things first. She raised the pretty coupe glass to her lips and tentatively sipped the drink. Sour and smokey, with a touch of sweetness and heavy on lemon flavour, this was definitely a whiskey drink. And she didn’t like whiskey. But for some reason, she really liked this. She took another sip, a bolder one, and then glanced at the man. He was smiling, as he watched her drink, and when she swallowed, he winked at her. Approving? Enjoying watching her? Smug? Pleased? She wasn’t sure. But she... 

“Ready to order, Miss?” the waiter was back, and she absently said ‘fish tacos’ which isn’t what she even wanted, but she was too scrambled to come up with a better idea. “Very good,” the waiter chirped, and before he disappeared, she said, “can you ask the gentleman who bought the drink to join me?” 

Her throat was dry. Her underarms were sweaty. 

WHAT was she doing?? 

She never did anything like this before? Inviting strange men to eat with her? Never! 

“If he wants to,” she added quickly and the waiter nodded.  

God, please say no. Please. Please god, let him say no. I don’t want it. I don’t. 

There he was. Moving through the restaurant like the Angel of Death. Dark and tall and slim and muscular. Jesus. He was actually coming over! Oh. No. Nononononono. 

And then he was standing at her table, how own drink in hand. 

“I wasn’t sure if Whiskey Sour was the way to go,” he said—his deep, dark, raspy voice matching his appearance to a tee. "But it looks like I did well.” 

She swallowed hard and then muttered, “Is that what it is?” 

Yep, it sounded lame even to her own ears. 

“Indeed,” he confirmed. “First time?” 

Somehow, this made her blush. A simple question, and a correct assumption, but for some reason, it was laced with innuendo. 

Their eyes finally locked.  

Hazel. His eyes are a gorgeous greenish amber colour, spectacular like the rest of him. 

He took a sip of his drink and slowly dragged the tip of his tongue over his lower lip, swiping the droplet and that made her even sweatier than she was before. Soon she was going to be sweating like a sumo wrestler—which of course is the most enticing look a woman could sport.  

“No, I’ve had it before,” she finally managed to answer. 

He smirked a knowing smile. 

“Have you?”  

As he was looming over her and attracting way too much attention from the females of the species, and even some males, she all but ordered him, “you can sit down!” 

He smiled again, that smooth, secret smile, saying, “I thought you’d never ask”. 

She didn’t know what to say to that, so she just watched him in silence as he slid onto a chair across from her.  

“Thanks for the drink,” feeling awfully uncomfortable, knowing she was not great at small talk, and completely out of depth with this man, she thought that this was all a pretty bad idea. What was supposed to have been a quiet and nice evening alone, was turning into...well, she wasn’t sure what it was turning into, but it was something.  

“You aren’t waiting for anyone, are you?” he asked, sounding curious. “I wouldn’t need to fight a boyfriend or something...I mean, I’ll win, but,” 

She huffed, and snorted a laugh. 

“So confident?” 

He shrugged, “pretty confident”. After a pause, he pressed, “so?” 

“No,” she blushed despite her best efforts to appear cool. “I am here alone. On a business trip,” she lied smoothly, grateful for having this little nugget in her pocket.  

He crossed his legs and leaned back in his chair, lounging comfortably. Suddenly, he said,  

“Nope. Try again.” 

Startled, she glowered at him, not knowing what he meant. All the while, as she squirmed in confusion, he casually drank his whiskey, watching her closely. 

“What,” she brought her glass to her lips and took a generous swig of the drink, “what do you mean?” 

“Only that you are not being exactly truthful,” he shrugged, and then grabbed a popover and swallowed the whole thing easily. “You aren’t here on any business trip.” 

“What?!” she exclaimed with indignation. “Excuse me! How do you know? What do you mean?” 

His eyes slowly slid over her bare arms, her chest, her neck, and again, she blushed like a fool, but there was no stopping her body’s reaction to this strange man. 

He was...enigmatic.  

“A beautiful woman like you, wearing something so elegant and understated,” 

Understated? Did he mean boring? 

“is not in Chicago on any business trip. So, that makes me think—if you aren’t waiting for anyone, and you are dressed up, then you must be,” he cocked his head, considering, “celebrating something? A new job? A birthday?” 

Most of his words rolled right over her head, because all she heard was ‘a beautiful woman like you’. He thought that she was beautiful? He? HE thought that?  

“What?” she asked dumbly. 

He chuckled, amused. “You are a little naughty liar, is what I am saying,” 

“You can’t call me that!” 

“Then don’t lie to me.” 

She bubbled her lips and finished her drink. Finished already? Shit. 

He noticed it too and motioned for the waiter.  

“Another drink for the lady,” he ordered. “And I’ll take another whiskey. And,” he thought for a moment and added, “bring us a bottle of champagne.” He looked at her and asked, “what are you eating?” 

“I think I ordered fish tacos,” she recalled, watching him in confusion.  

“Want to eat them?” 

“I dunno.” 

“Mind if I cancel them and order us steaks?” 

“Uhh...okay?” 

He did just that, telling the waiter that he’d pay for the tacos as well.  

Who the hell was this guy? He flicked his fingers and just got whatever he wanted. The waiter didn’t even question him! ‘Of course, sir’ ‘Whatever you want, sit’ ‘Right away, sir’.  

“So, is it your birthday?” he asked once the waiter ran to fetch the drinks. Literally, ran.  

“No.” 

His brows knitted together and he pursed his lips. 

Something about him and his look made goose bumps rise on her skin and she shifted under the table, crossing her legs. This guy and his unbelievable dominating bossiness were both scary, but also highly sexual. She knew that she was a bit of a submissive at heart, but that was mostly because she read way too many omegaverse books. But now, she was faced with a true Alpha. When they spoke of an Alpha Male, she suddenly became aware that she was in the presence of one. He wasn’t just tall, dark and handsome—even if he was a walking cliche with all of these attributes. But it was his undeniable, almost God-given natural dominance and superiority that she found so fascinating. And yes, so appealing as well.  

“It’s not your birthday?” he repeated. 

“N-no,” she bleated pathetically. 

He didn’t respond immediately, but only drummed his fingers on the table, and she noticed that his hands were scarred. Rather extensively. Burns, from what she could tell. Jesus. How did he get these? And both hands, too.  

“Lie to me again, and I will take you over my knees and spank that perfect bottom until you beg for mercy,” he warned, his voice impassive, his face unchanged.  

Her mouth dropped open and she thought that she was going to slide under the table and dissolve into a puddle. 

Was she supposed to cause a scene and slap him? Was she supposed to storm out of the restaurant? How does one reacted to being threatened by a spanking by a complete stranger? 

Also, he thought that her ass was ‘perfect’? 

“Let’s start anew, beautiful girl,” he proposed then, while she made silent gasping noises like a dying fish. 

The waiter arrived just then, and only that prevented her from fainting or screaming out loud. He popped the champagne bottle with flourish and poured both of them a measure, while also setting their cocktails down before them. 

“Don’t come back until the food is ready,” the stranger warned the waiter and the man nodded and left without saying a word. 

“What is your name?” 

She swallowed, but remembering his warning, she decided to go with the truth this time. 

“Elain.” 

“Gorgeous name,” he approved. “It suits you. I am Azriel.” 

“Azriel,” an exotic name for an exotic man. “Nice to meet you. I think?” she ventured and extended her hand to him. 

“Pleasure is certainly all mine,” he said, squeezing her hand in his huge, warm, powerful palm, watching her with strange, almost palatable hunger. “Whether you’ll receive pleasure from me or not remains to be seen,” he decided vaguely and she bit her lip, sensing that innuendo again and not knowing how to deal with it. 

The one time a guy was instantly interested in her, and he is a dangerous weirdo. Figures. Just her luck. 

He raised his glass and said, “Happy birthday, Elain! I hope it’s wonderful to you.” 

“Thank you. That remains to be seen, I think,” she said softly and they touched their glasses. She sucked the champagne quickly, and with a sense of foreboding and some kind of desperation. She had no idea where this was going, or what he wanted from her. But she wanted it to continue. At least for the duration of this dinner. 

“What do you do?” he inquired, dipping a chip into the queso, but instead of eating it, he held it out to her. She looked around, in some kind of futile hope that someone would save her from this, but there was no one. Only this stunning, somewhat insane man, who was feeding her chips and dip. 

“Come on, beautiful Elain. Open up,” he urged soft, his voice smooth and husky and so tempting.  

Numb, and only driven by the sound of that sensual voice, she opened her mouth and he gently pushed the chip inside. As she pulled it between her teeth, he brushed his finger over her lower lip and then brought it to his mouth and sucked. 

“More?” he whispered and then concluded, “more.” 

He dipped another chip and fed it to her again. 

“So?” 

“I am in marketing,” she answered, knowing in advance that hers was the most uninspiring answer in history. But she was more preoccupied by the fact that she was being fed chips by a strange man in the middle of a restaurant. 

“And you live in the city?” he asked further. “Please don’t even start with the whole ‘I am here on business’.” 

She sighed and admitted, “Fine, I am from the suburbs. But I work in the city. What do you do?” 

He didn’t seem too thrilled about her question and took his time eating the last of the popovers. 

“Do you really want to know?” he asked finally. 

“Yes, of course. Why not?” 

“You might not like it.” 

“Why wouldn’t I? What do you do? Kill people?” she joked. 

He smiled at her, but the smile was less of a smile, and more just a stretch of his lips. The smile didn’t reach his eyes 

“And if I am?” he wondered at last. 

She frowned and then it dawned on her and she laughed, “what? You kill people?” 

“Maybe.” 

A shiver ran down her spine and she gawked at him in shock. Until she dissolved in a flurry of laughs. 

“You had me there for a sec!” she wiggled her finger at him. “A+ for a perfect deadpan delivery! I am impressed.” 

He didn’t seem to be laughing, but he added, “but they were all bad”. 

She stopped laughing and nervously shifted in her seat. 

“Wait. What?” 

“You wanted to know what I did for a living,” he reminded her. 

As she processed his words, he just sat there, watching her intently. 

“Oh my god,” she exclaimed at last, realisation dawning on her, “it’s a scam, right?! You are one of those guys who pretends to be an assassin, or a millionaire, or in the CIA and then I fall for it, and in two months you’ll start asking me for money and I blow all my savings on you and then never hear from you again.” 

Shaking her head in disbelief she grabbed her napkin and then said, “thank you for the drink, Mr. Azriel. But I am not stupid. I appreciate the gesture—the razzle dazzle—but let’s part ways right here so that no one leaves here too traumatised.” 

He listened to her impassively and in the next moment, the waiter arrived with their steaks.  

She was hungry and upset, but she knew that she couldn’t stay here any longer and remain in his company. The whole thing was too bizarre and she didn’t want to get in trouble. And this man was clearly trouble. Or maybe troubled. Or both. 

“Azriel, I am,” 

“Sit,” he ordered, though his tone was soft. “You are safe with me. Don’t worry. But you did ask me what I did for a living,” he insisted again. 

“Well, when I did ask you, I didn’t expect for you to tell me that you are some kind of a killer!” she snapped, her voice rising. 

“I’d rather you didn’t yell,” he requested. “However, I wanted to tell you,” 

“Why?!” she exclaimed. “Don’t killers usually try and keep their profession,” she made a quotation mark sign with her fingers, “a secret?” 

“Normally, yes,” he agreed. “But, I want you to trust me and I felt that being honest is the best way to earn that trust.” 

“Trust me? Why? And,” 

“Because I want you,” he interrupted her and his tone was blunt, but calm. 

“Wha,” 

“I want you,” he repeated. “I saw you and you...well, you are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. And now, I am obsessed with the idea of learning what you’d look like when I enter you. What sounds you’d make when you come on my tongue.” 

At that, the big steak knife fell out of her trembling fingers and she wondered if she was having some kind of out of body experience. An ‘episode’? She wasn’t prone to episodes, but hell, there was a first time for everything, right? 

He shrugged, and continued like this was a perfectly sane conversation they were having, “Sorry if this is a bit unorthodox,” 

An understatement of the century! 

“However, I am not one to mince words,” 

Another understatement of the century. 

“And when I want something, I go after it. And right now, I want you.” 

She made a gurgling sound, but he ignored it, then cut into his steak, and chewed slowly.  

“However, you don’t strike me as someone who sleeps around or who is used to the type of man I am,” 

Was any woman? 

“Therefore, I wanted to build a baseline of trust between us. Like I said, you have nothing to fear from me. I am simply a man, interested in a woman.” 

He was anything but, but okay. 

“So,” she finally found her voice which was lost somewhere in the bottom of her stomach, “telling me you are an assassin is your way of establishing a baseline of trust?” 

He looked at her hand, which was clutching a butter knife, her knuckles white, and smiled faintly. 

“I suppose so.” 

She reached for the bottle of champagne, but her hands were shaking so badly, she could barely grasp it. Smoothly, he took the bottle and topped off her glass. This was probably the worst idea—to continue drinking—but she couldn't think of anything else. 

“Why don’t you relax and eat,” he suggested. “The steak is cooked perfectly.” 

“I don’t think I am hungry.” 

“Nonsense. Lay down your weapon of choice, dig into your dish and relax a bit. Have fun. It's your birthday!” 

He then raised his glass and mused, ‘what should we toast to?” 

“Me remaining sane after this dinner,” she muttered under her breath. 

He laughed.  

“How about ‘to the future’? Because tomorrow with you is worth every yesterday I spent without you,” he said and she almost choked.  

He couldn’t be for real.  

No man talked like that. Ever. 

“Listen, I know I could a little blunt, but in my line of work, I have to move quickly and I typically don’t get many second chances. And I don’t want to miss my chance with you,” he drank his champagne and watched her attempt to concentrate on her steak. “And when I said that you are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen, I am being honest. I saw you across the restaurant and you kind of blew my mind. It happens, you know,” 

“No, it doesn’t,” she argued. “Only in romance novels.” 

“Okay,” he shrugged, “so we have a romance novel beginning, so what?” 

“It’s not real,” she insisted.  

“Well, while you think on that, tell me when I can kiss you, because I’d really, really would like to kiss you right now,” 

“Never!” she shrieked. “Stop talking like that!” 

She desperately needed him to stop talking. Stop using that sensual, deep baritone to say deliciously sinful things to her. Because if he continued, she wasn’t sure what she’d do. She kept trying to shield her breasts from him, since her nipples were achingly sharp, threatening to poke through the top of her body suit. And between her legs—disaster. She was flooded. Every glance at his strong, powerful hands made her wonder what they’d feel like between her thighs. What his soft lips would taste like if he did get that kiss from her. And every word he said just made her wetter and wetter. She feared she’d have a stain on her clothes once she got up from her seat, and the thought alone was mortifying.  

“I think you should let me kiss you,” he insisted, watching her intently. 

“No, I am not kissing you!” 

God, this steak was good!  

“How about this then,” he proposed slowly, “I scoot closer to you, and you let me play with your clit, while you eat, and then you come all over my hand. I pay the bill and we go to my place and I’ll continue making you come. Because all I want to do right now is kiss every inch of your porcelain skin, and fuck your soft, lovely mouth and watch my dick disappear between those rosy lips. And then you’ll come on my dick in your perfect pussy and ask for more, while screaming my name. And if you let me, I’ll fuck that gorgeous ass as well and will make you come from that as well. And then you’ll sleep in my arms and in the morning, we’ll go get breakfast.” 

She watched him in dull astonishment, her brain failing to work properly as she attempted to process his words.  

This really couldn’t be real. At all. No man, in the history of mankind, ever said words like these to a woman.  

Yes, he just sat there, with her perfect face and his perfect body, and waited. 

“And then you’ll go and kill some people at work?” was all she managed to say to his explicit monologue.  

She’s never been fucked anywhere, let alone her ass. So yeah. 

“Well, not at work. For work,” he corrected. 

“Uh uh,” she sighed. “And you are okay with me knowing about that then?” 

“Like I told you, I want you to trust me.” 

“Uh uh,” she sighed again. Then she set her napkin aside and told him calmly, 

“Azriel, it certainly has been an interesting evening. I thank you. I am not sure I’ll ever forget it, or you, but...I don’t think that I am the girl you need,” 

“All me to decide that,” he argued sharply. 

She chewed the inside of her cheek, before clarifying, “I suppose I choose not to be that girl for you.” 

“Why?” 

“I like my boring little life. It suits me. And you...you don’t suit me or my life.” 

She couldn’t even believe her own assertiveness. She was rarely like this.  

“It’s unfortunate,” he said sadly. “Forgive me if I offended you,” 

“Astonished, more like,” 

“Better than offended.” 

She got up from her chair and her knees felt soft and shaky, and for the first time she understood what ‘jelly legs’ were. She had jelly legs because of him.  

“Thank you for dinner. I better be going.” 

“I’d like to walk you to your car,” he offered. 

“I think it’s a bad idea. Besides, I am getting an Uber. I drank too much. Goodbye, Azriel.” 

She rushed out of the restaurant and onto the bustling Fulton Market, where there were hundreds of people milling around. Her fingers trembling, she got her phone out of her clutch and pressed the Uber button on the verge of hysteria now. She didn’t know where she was going even, so she pressed ‘home’ even though she knew this Uber would host like $60 at least. But she needed to get away. Away from here, away from him, away from making a bad decision. Very bad, terrible decision that she was yearning to make right now. 

3 minutes. 

3 minutes. 

Okay, she just needed to make it for 3 minutes out here, until the car came. 

She glanced at the phone frantically, over and over again, watching the little car move along the street diagram. 

Suddenly, a familiar scarred hand reached over her shoulder and grabbed her phone.  

“Wait! Give it back!” she demanded desperately. 

Azriel smiled at her and then typed something in her phone.  

“Now you have my number.” 

A text chimed, and he added, “and I have yours”. 

“We’ll never see each other again,” she promised. 

“We’ll see,” he said simply. 

Finally, Honda Civic! Blue! There she was!  

She bounced on her heels impatiently, hoping he wouldn’t do anything, and yet hoping that he would at the same time. 

Ugh. 

“Goodbye, Azriel,” she said again. 

He opened the door for her politely and before she folded herself into the car, he pressed his lips to the top of her head. 

“Happy birthday, beautiful. I’ll see you later.” 

-

Azriel ‘The Shadow’ Night had two problems on his hands. 

As he watched the Honda weave in and out of busy traffic, he lit a cigarette—an occasional bad habit of his—and inhaled deeply. 

Nothing that he told her was a lie. 

He did find her to be incredibly beautiful. And his attraction to her was instant and hit him like an avalanche. He’d never felt anything remotely like this before. He wanted her with every fiber of his being and know, innately, that their paths were crossed forever and for a reason. 

The only omission in his tale was that their meeting was not accidental. And that she was the target, who was his current assignment.  

Now, he needed to figure out how to murder her, while keeping her alive. 

[fvrtvne]

DARP Advent 2024 - Day One!

Get to know each other! FIRSTS AND FAVORITES!

Preferred name: HAWKE / SARC.

Preferred pronouns: She/Her OR They/Them

Favorite dinosaur: Spinosaurus (I'm incredibly invested in the information we learn

about the species every few years. It's a scientific marvel we've yet to unravel, and I'm super excited to dig my shitty little archaeology major hands into it. )

What's the coolest rock you own or have seen: The Pagan Supply Store from my hometown had a Lapis Lazuli Pendelum that was absolutely gorgeous to look at. I'd give anything to go back in time and pick up that piece.

What piece of media was your first experience with Dragon Age?: The Origins Trailer --

What was your first Dragon Age game?: Dragon Age: Origins!

Which is your favorite DA game?: Dragon Age II has some good high-school memories for me. I remember playing it with my friend for hours on end, side by side on a Skype call while we discussed how our Hawkes were twins.

What was your first DA book or comic?: Silent Grove

Which is your favorite DA book or comic?: Tevinter Nights baby!!!!!!!

Who is your favorite DA character? (please don’t include untagged character hate in your answer – keep it positive!): I really can't pick, but if I had to, the tragedy of Knight Commander Meredith has always been one of my favorite bits of lore to explore both in RP and as a fandom. Aside from her, probably Isabela, Varric or Leliana. :)

What was your first ship? Romantic or platonic: Morrigan x Leliana -- (romantic)

What's your "forever" ship? Romantic or platonic: Isabela x Merrill, romantically. I am . . . obsessed with their dynamic. It's the sweetest thing to hear Isabela try to be not only reassuring, but GENUINE with Merrill. I wish I saw more of them, but alas, god hates me.

What is your favorite DA-verse creature? (nug, giant, halla, etc): I hope it's not seen as quirky to say, but the Spirits. They're so well designed, and Justice has a special place in my heart.

What's the best advice you've ever gotten?: You can't help everyone, but you can help yourself. Sacrificing pieces of yourself will only harm more people in the long run, so be as genuine with yourself as you can, and love will follow.

Are you comfortable receiving feedback / asks from others as the event goes on and will request on certain days that other people reach out? What are your boundaries? If you're okay with asks/comments, are you okay with them from anyone or followers only?: So long as the criticism is constructive, and we talk like adults, then yes, I'm open to all and any feedback. :) / Boundaries are hard for me to define outside of when they're pushed, but I hate feeling cornered. I had a 'friend' who recently spent 3 days berating me for cutting off a ship in D&D, so now I get touchy when I feel trapped in a conversation. Similarly, overly poking me will make me panic. / While I prefer Followers Only, if you're willing to have a mature conversation with me, then I really don't mind hearing your feedback!

Share a picture of something you're excited about/something that you love if you're comfortable doing so! ( put under the cut to shorten the post. )

this image doesn't look like much, but let's talk about significance.

this image was taken by my wife (on the hood of our car) after I had just been told I was laid off from my dream job. i was ugly crying, inconsolable, and could barely breathe through the amount of sobbing I'd done. i felt like i'd finally made it - then immediately failed.

this image was captioned ; "mom wants to ask if this will make you feel better / if this is enough leftovers lol" and you want to know something? it did.

i felt heard, seen, and like my wife grabbed me the last square of banana pudding before leaving.

she & her family have been nothing short of the best goddamn people in my life, and i know if i ever feel alone, they will always be there for me.

[wardencommanderrodimiss]

I had a dream last night about an AU where Validar became king of Plegia in the immediate aftermath of the pre-game war between Plegia and Ylisse. He went to negotiate a peace treaty with Emmeryn, who had just become the Exalt after her shitty father’s death. She’s like, 10 or whatever. She’s baby. And Validar decides that in order to have peace, Plegia deserves to get some sort of leverage from Ylisse.

And by that, I mean that before he agrees to peace, Validar demands that Ylisse and the Exalt hand over their prince as collateral. Plegia will keep him as a political prisoner and do him no harm, but it guarantees that Ylisse won’t do Plegia any harm if their prince’s life hangs in the balance.

I don’t know how Emmeryn agreed to this. It’s a dream. We skipped the negotiations and got straight to the result, which was Chrom growing up in Plegia’s royal palace as a bored hostage.

Robin also still lived there, as she and her mother hadn’t managed to escape Validar’s clutches. Her mother in fact was also alive and also lived there. Morrigan still didn’t like Validar very much, but she did her best to put up with him to be able to help her daughter and her people.

Anyway of course Robin and Chrom grow up to fall in love. They were trying to be sneaky about it but Morrigan knew and went to Robin like “girlie, you are not subtle, this will end badly”. Also there was like, war brewing between Plegia and Ylisse again, and Robin had decided that she had to help Chrom escape and get back to his sisters and his country, but she had to do it without anyone learning of her involvement. (I don’t remember if Morrigan knew that Robin was planning that, but let’s be real. She would know and just fucking gives up. Sure, Robin, do whatever you will. I warned you.)

Also I think Chrom had Falchion with him, implying that it came with him to Plegia when he was like, a little kid who definitely was not big enough to deal with a sword.

Long time no Chrobin brain but we are so back.

[mmvalentine]

Circus of Dreams, pt 4 | Feysand

Night Circus AU. Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5

In the end, no one came that first day. Rhys was not altogether surprised, it wasn't the first time it had happened and it certainly would not be the last.

Despite the lack of crowds, the day was not all bad. Sure, he had spent most of the day pacing his tent alone, but the minutes dancing with Feyre... well he wasn't sure when the last time he'd had that much fun was.

So, at the end of the day, when their official closing time hit and he was free to go back to his caravan, he was in a good mood and whistled as he walked.

Every night, dinner was served in the largest tent. It was an unkempt, sloppy affair, when performers were ravenous and no one was standing on ceremony. Rhys had rolled up his shirt sleeves joined the long table once he had picked up his serving of stew, and those he sat near nodded their acknowledgement without pausing their meal.

A couple of minutes later, he saw Mor enter the tent with Feyre. The ballgown was gone now, but it looked like Mor had not let her change into her faded old dress. Instead, she had Feyre in simple but elegant black wool skirt, and a soft white shirt tucked into it. They spotted Rhys and headed right to him.

"Evening ladies," he said. "Hello Rhysand, move over," Mor said, wriggling down next to him.

Feyre sat more gingerly opposite them, and Rhys' eyes sparkled at him. "It's a little rough in here," he said. "My apologies." "No," Feyre said, "I'm just surprised at how... different it is in here from out there." Rhys nodded. "We put on a beautiful show," he said, "but at night we're just a big messy family. Relaxing when you're off makes it easier to be fully engaged when you're on." Feyre smiled. "It's nice, actually. Dinners at home mostly consisted of shivering and trying to make soup out of bones." "Well then, dig in," Rhys said, and Feyre, not needing further invitation, did so.

Rhys went to sleep that night full and comfortable. But hours later, he woke to the sound of screams and the smell of smoke.

He burst out of his caravan, scanning the area, and soon found the source of the panic. Mor and Feyre's caravan was on fire, heavy benches propped up against the two doors in the side. Dark figures ran off into the night.

"You're not welcome here!" one of them shouted as he ran. Cassian took off after them, but Rhys dove toward the doors. He became aware of Amren beside him, and reached Feyre's door at the same time as Amren shoved aside the bench and yanked open Mor's. They hauled the girls out, coughing and spluttering, and dragged them away from the smoking wagon before letting them rest on the grass. A few of the others had run for buckets of water to douse the flames.

"What in the fuck was that?" Amren snapped. She was looking around furiously, propping Mor up while she searched for answers. Rhys didn't say anything, just sat grimly with Feyre as she continued coughing and checked her over for injuries. Someone ran up with water for them, and to report that the fire was now out.

Soon after, Cassian walked back into the camp, and in each of his hands was the collar of a young man. They dangled in his grip, resentment written over their faces.

"I found these," Cassian growled, addressing Amren. "And two cans of kerosene to boot." She stood, and looked them both over with disgust. "Just what in the hell do you think you're playing at?" she hissed at them. "People could have died." "Not our people," replied one sullenly. He spat at her feet.

Like lighting, Amren reached out and slapped the boy across the fight. "No," she snarled. "My people." She looked at Cassian.

"Say Cassian. Didn't we pass a big, cold looking river on the way in?" "Yes ma'am, I believe we did," was his reply. "Fantastic. Please toss these miserable excuses for men in said river, and let them know if I catch them around here again I will personally break all of their legs." "Yes ma'am." Cassian nodded, and strode off.

Amren pinched the bride of her nose. "Is everyone alright?" she asked. Mor and Feyre just nodded.

"Oh, Mor," Feyre said suddenly. "Your beautiful fabrics."

But Mor just smiled ruefully at her.

"They're just fabrics," she said. "We'll go in tomorrow and see what's left."

"Right," Amren said. "Morrigan, you can come sleep in my caravan. Feyre, go with Rhysand." She addressed the rest of the camp. "Everyone else go back to sleep. We'll leave first thing in the morning."

And with that, she left them. Mor hugged Feyre tightly, and checked again to see if she was okay. When she had ascertained that she was, she followed after Amren. And the rest of the crowd drifted off back to their caravans too.

"Come on," Rhys said gently, and took Feyre's arm under the elbow to help her up. She leaned on him as they walked, shivering slightly at the shock of what had happened.

Back in Rhys' caravan, Rhys had to help Feyre through the cramped space. He would have lit a candle, but after her ordeal, he thought it might be insensitive. So he guided her through the dark, and led her to the bed. Feyre sat down, then suddenly looked up at him with alarm in her eyes.

"Don't worry," he said. "You have the bed, I'll sleep on the floor."

Feyre looked like she was about to protest, but Rhys whipped out a spare blanket and got down before she could say anything. So, Feyre slid in between his sheets, and the thought of it made him shiver a little. He pushed the thought to the side, and closed his eyes.

A moment later, Feyre's voiced reached out though the dark.

"Rhys?" "Yes Feyre?" "They're not... coming back, are they?"

Rhys sat up. "Oh, darling. No, I shouldn't think so. Amren will have Cassian keep watch all night." "Okay," was all she said. "I'm so sorry that happened to you. What a start to your circus career." Feyre was quiet for a moment. "Thanks for pulling me out," she said. "Of course. I'm just glad we got to you quickly."

There was silence again, and Rhys had just started to drop off to sleep, when Feyre spoke again. "Rhys?" "Yes Feyre?" A pause. "I'm so sorry, I feel so deeply foolish. But I just wanted to check that you were still there." Rhys frowned into the dark. "It's not foolish. You were nearly burned alive in your caravan, I wouldn't sleep well either." "I started to drift off, then for some reason I panicked that you weren't there." "Okay. Would... would you like me to hold your hand?" Another pause. "I think that might help."

Rhys shifted closer to the bed, and tapped the frame so that she would know where his hand was. Immediately, he felt her small grip clutching him. He realised that this was the first time he was touching her without gloves, and the warmth of her skin was lovely.

"Mmm," she murmured. "That does help." Feyre yawned. "Rhys?" "Yes Feyre?" he whispered. "Thank you," she said. And shortly after that, she was asleep.

The next day, Rhys woke with a dead arm, but didn't mind. They left early, everyone a little bleary eyed, but with the scorched caravan still scenting the air with the stale smoke, no one complained as they packed up quickly and headed out of town.

Over in the next village, they set up and asked around for a carpenter to come have a look at the burnt wagon. Mor spent some time sifting through the wreckage, pulling out things that were salvageable. Unfortunately, since the boys had done such a thorough job of dousing the wood in kerosene, even though the fire hadn't burned very long the caravan was now unliveable.

They performed to a modest audience that night, and ate in relative quiet, everyone still a bit unsettled after the attack the previous night. Feyre left early, and when Rhys got back to his caravan, he found her sitting on the front step.

He gave her a gentle smile.

"Hello, Feyre darling," he said. "I... still don't have any place to live," she said by way of greeting. "Yes you do," he said. "You can live here."

Feyre turned and looked at his caravan. "It doesn't seem... very proper," she said slowly. "Well, neither does running away with the circus, and you've done that already." "I suppose that's true," Feyre mused. "If you're uncomfortable, I'm sure we can make other arrangements. Most people live with a partner or friend already, but they can always make room." Feyre shook her head. "I wouldn't want to put anyone out like that. I'm happy to stay if you are happy to have me." She paused. "Or, maybe I should just go home." "Nonsense," Rhys said quickly. "You haven't even seen half the things that need your attention. There's a massive clockwork pony that you would just love."

And so she stayed.

****

OH LOOK I COULDN'T MANAGE 2 DAYS OFF BECAUSE THE TRAFFIC STOPPED AND MY DOPAMINE SUPPLY GOT CUT OFF AND NOW I'M PANIC POSTING why am i like this you guys

TAGLIST: @ghostlyrose2 @highladysith @stardelia @feysand-babies @tillyrubes10 @ratabrasileira

[julemmaes]

Pinky Promise - Chapter One

A/N: It’s currently midnight here and believe me when I tell you my brain is fried right now. I just wanted to finish this and post it. The real story starts with the next chapter and here we have a little more info dump cause yeah. Hope yall enjoy!

Fic Masterlist

Word count: 3,802

Rhysand had to stop by his house for a short break to change and take off that uncomfortable shirt he was always complaining about. Cassian had tried to tell him several times that being an elementary school teacher he could dress as he wanted and no one would ever tell him anything, but the youngest of the brothers didn't seem to get the message.

While they were waiting for him, Cassian had tried to start a conversation with the other two, but both had answered monosyllables and he had enough problems of his own without getting involved in whatever had happened between Elain and Azriel.

Despite all this, when they got to the Archeron house, the older had a lopsided smile on his face. The smile widened even more when they entered the apartment and saw his cousin gobbling a cracker with some cheese on it. Morrigan got up in a flash and went to greet them.

"Took you long enough." said the blonde, "We were waiting for you."

Cassian snorted, taking off his shoes and jacket so as not to wet every surface of the house, "I can tell."

"Don't be an asshole." he heard from the kitchen, Amren. She was also sitting at the kitchen table, where Nesta was chopping parsley and eating strangely long, fried things.

His girlfriend looked up at him and smiled. She had to be feeling better because she had a much more relaxed expression on her face than only an hour or so before.

He approached the table, followed by Rhys who was staring with a confused look at whatever that strange food was in front of their friend.

"What the hell is that?" Azriel asked once he had freed himself from Mor's hug.

Amren arched an eyebrow, taking another fried thing and eating it whole, "Frog legs."

Cassian, who was about to kiss Nesta, stopped, looking at her in shock, "Sorry, what?"

"Yeah, a new French restaurant opened on my street and I've been getting the weirdest stuff for a couple of weeks," said Amren smiling. "I even tasted the snails last Monday." the guys all seemed shocked.

Nesta made a confused grimace, "Actually they're not as bad as you'd think, they taste a lot like chicken."

"I'm not sure I want to kiss you anymore," murmured Cassian as he walked away slightly from the girl. Rhysand nodded beside him, pouring himself a glass of wine and passing one to Azriel.

"Oh, stop being a baby, it's just food." Amren muttered, casting a hard look at him.

He kissed Nesta on the cheek anyway while she finished cutting the onions and poured everything into a pot. The smell of meat that came out was enough to make Cassian fall in love a little more.

"I'm gonna go change," announced Elain, who had been particularly quiet the whole time.

Nesta lifted her head, looking in her sister's direction, who was already in the hallway, "Did you get my stuff?" she asked loudly.

Elain's reply didn't take long to come, "Yes, I'll bring it to your room."

Nesta shook her head, even though she couldn't see her, "No don't worry, I'll take care of it, just leave it in your room." a faint okay came from the other room and then the conversation resumed.

"One very important thing before I forget, next week Manon should come here," said Mor, clutching her shoulders, "I'd like to arrange a little something at my house, with everyone. If that's alright with you," she hesitantly concluded.

Mor and Manon had met that summer when the former went on vacation to the other continent alone. She'd stayed in Erilea for almost two whole months, going from city to city and stopping only when she deemed it necessary. Once she reached Orynth she immediately made friends with a large group of people there and when they introduced her to Manon it was hate at first sight.

More than hate, actually, Morrigan felt awkward.

Manon stared at her with that seductive look of hers that she couldn't really decipher and only when the other one had explicitly told her that hes was flirting with her, Mor understood that she could enjoy that vacation and have a summer fling with the white-haired goddess. One thing led to another and they ended up getting together at the end of August and after only a month of relationship no one had had the chance to meet her yet.

"Finally we get to know her." smiled Amren.

Cassian took a beer from the fridge and put two more on the table in case someone else wanted more than wine. "Where did you say she studies?" she asked for what was probably the millionth time.

"Oh, she attends the Academy of Fine Arts in Adarlan. Rifthold precisely." said proud Mor, smiling.

"Does she study art like Feyre?" Rhysand asked, taking another cracker and putting a slice of salami on it. Cassian saw Nesta shake her head in disbelief and had to hold back a laugh. It was impressive how he managed to squeeze Feyre into his every conversation.

Mor didn't give it much thought anyway, "Nono, she dances. She studies ballet. She has a- I always forget what they are called, but she has a group, with whom she always dances. They call themselves the Thirteen," she continued nodding, "They also have a channel on You Tube, if you're interested."

Elain walked into the kitchen at that moment, wearing only a pair of pajama pants and a VHS lacrosse team sweatshirt, with the name Vanserra on its back. She took a beer from the table, opened it and drained half of it in one long sip. She made a disgusted face and then took one of the fried frog's legs off Amren's plate, who was looking at her alarmed.

Nesta gave him a confused look, mentally asking him what had happened on the way here, Cassian shrugged.

"Hey Ellie everything's alright?" asked the older sister, turning off the stove.

Elain nodded, helping her set the table while everyone took their seat. "Everything's perfect."

Azriel laughed, not even looking at the girl, "As always." Elain's head snapped in his direction.

Elain gritted her teeth, "Maybe you should learn to mind your own business."

"And you should learn what self love is and stop letting others treat you like that," Azriel said to her in an equally harsh tone.

Cassian understood then, Lucien was involved.

Nesta sighed, placing both hands on the table and bowing her head, "Can we please have one dinner without arguing?" Elain sat down with abrupt gestures and nodded, apologizing. Azriel seemed to think about it for a second, looking at the middle sister, nodding in turn and sitting next to Rhysand.

They ate quietly between jokes, and the tense atmosphere that had created immediately dissolved. Elain and Azriel bickered so often that the group was used to it and they'd become good at pretending nothing had happened.

***

Nesta was sitting on the floor next to Cassian, practically lying on top of him, while he kept his arm around her waist. Whatever Morrigan was explaining she couldn't understand. Her brain was already clouded by alcohol. They had just finished the first game of the evening and she couldn't figure out how they were all still relatively sober after all the alcohol they had ingested. Or maybe it was just her impression and in reality they were all wasted.

She looked up at her boyfriend and put her hand on his cheek, making him turn towards her. Cassian smiled at her and gave her a peck. When she kept looking him in the eyes even after they had parted, he raised an eyebrow. What is it?

Nesta shrugged and kept following Mor's speech.

"And who draws the last king drinks the whole cup, got it?" the blonde looked around the room trying to figure out if everyone understood at least one word of what she had just said. Nesta took a sip from her glass and Mor groaned, "Come on Nesta, you don't have to drink now."

Azriel chuckled, almost as drunk as she was, "Stupid drunk."

"Fuck you, Az." she giggled, clinging closer to Cassian.

Elain nodded, raising her drink to the ceiling, "Yes, fuck you Az." she hiccupped and smiled in her best friend's direction, who gave her the middle finger. They all burst out laughing, knowing perfectly well that there was no grudge in those gestures.

She couldn't follow the game properly, but someone had just drawn a seven and Nesta knew that she had to raise her arms to the sky before the others or she would have to drink again, and although this evening was putting her in a good mood, she wasn't sure that her head would thank her in the morning. Elain ended up drinking.

When it was her turn, Nesta drew a nine and thanked every god present in that moment because if she had to find a rhyme for anything the others would say, she would surely throw up from the effort.

"I picked a nine," she said giggling, falling on Cassian, who laughed and helped her up, "and since I'm feeling rather nice tonight, I'll say orange," she slurred.

"You don't play like that," said Amren annoyed beside her, taking a sip from her soft drink. It was her turn to take everyone home that night.

Mor nodded, agreeing with the girl, "You can't take the one word that doesn't rhyme with anything."

Rhysand cleared his voice, "Sporange." he said at the same time that Elain screamed the same word. The boy brought his hand to his chest, opening his mouth wide, "I said it first."

Elain shook her head, pulling herself up and bending her legs underneath her, "No. That's not true." she said snickering, "I said it first."

Cassian burst out laughing, making Nesta's back flutter. She looked at him and winked, nothing sexy in that gesture at all and it only made the boy laugh more.

"Azriel tell him that I said it first." the girl complained, pouting. "Cassian tell him too."

"Nah ha, you have your family, they're with me." said Rhysand, getting up and staggering until he was between his two brothers. He circled both their shoulders and slapped Nesta in the face unintentionally.

"Ouch." she mumbled, pulling herself up and rubbing her nose.

Elain seemed on the verge of tears, "It's not right. I was faster than you." she practically screamed, "And I only have one sister here, it isn't fair."

Rhysand shrugged, "That's not my problem."

Their little argument went on for a few minutes before the boy surrendered and admitted that she was the one who said the word first, "But only because you don't have enough sisters for backup, otherwise we'd solve it physically," he concluded, winking at her. Elain giggled and Azriel muttered something about the physical part of the hypothetical fight that made Cassian laugh.

They all turned towards the entry of the apartment when they heard the door open.

"Speak of the devil," said Mor with a smile, "Feyruuh! Join us."

Rhysand had stood up and was smiling like an idiot, "Yes Fey-Fey join us," he repeated, approaching the small threshold.

Nesta saw the boy stiffening and immediately realized that something was wrong. She closed her eyes and sighed.

"Feyre," breathed Rhysand, "what happened?

From where she was sitting she couldn't see the hall, but even Amren, who had a perfect view of the whole room, had a hard look on her face. Perhaps she should have stood up.

The alcohol in her body did not allow her to stand up without the risk of falling. It was already much that she hadn't blacked out.

"Nothing, don't worry," said her sister, finally entering the room. Nesta could see her face and understood what Rhysand was referring to. Her eyes were swollen and bloodshot. She had been crying.

"Feyre..." she said, trying to pull herself up with Cassian's help.

Her younger sister raised her hand to stop her, "I didn't want to ruin your evening, I just came to say hi." she gave everyone a faint smile. Rhysand, next to her, held his breath. He suddenly seemed much more sober, more aware of what was happening. "I'm sorry... goodnight everyone." with this she turned around and walked out of the room. Mor moved to get up, but Amren placed her hand on her leg to stop her.

Elain was the first to break the silence, "That piece of shit." Nesta gasped hearing how much anger she uttered those words with. She turned towards her sister and before she could ask her, she had already started talking again, "I can't believe it." she stood up, swaying too much and falling on her knees.

Mor was immediately beside her, "Be careful."

"It's alright." she ran her hand over her legs and then looked towards Feyre's room sighing.

"Can someone explain what the heck just happened and why no one is going to see how she's doing?" asked Amren slightly annoyed. Rhysand was out of the living room before she could finish the sentence.

They all turned to Elain, who seemed to be thinking about what to say.

"I'm too drunk for this," whispered Nesta, massaging her temples, "Ellie can you please tell me if this is a life-or-death issue?" she asked again. She felt a hand on the small of her back and turned to Cassian, who looked at her with a sad smile on his lips.

Elain laughed without amusement, "No, of course she's not dying, it's always the same old arguments with Tamlin. She should just break up with him," replied Elain surprising everyone. It was very rare that her sister said something so sincere when it came to Tamlin. The only times she had done so she had risked ruining her relationship with Lucien.

"I don't think I should tell you the details, it's her business and I'm not here to gossip," said Elain after a few minutes in which everyone had started to clean up the mess they'd made, "All you need to know is that Tamlin is a piece of shit," she whispered the last part, as if she was afraid her boyfriend might hear her.

"Nothing new." Amren said, getting up and starting to pick up the cups scattered around the room.

They heard Feyre yelling something, but Nesta couldn't understand just what she said. They waited a few seconds, to see if they needed to intervene or not, when they heard nothing more Azriel spoke.

"Do you think we should tell her something?" he asked again, still sitting on the floor, tilting his head back so that it was resting on the couch. "I mean, it's already been a few weeks since I've seen her cheerful, I'm getting worried."

Nesta was surprised. It was nice to see how much Azriel cared for the youngest of them. Of course, she knew it was true, but it was rare for the boy to express his feelings so openly.

Cassian shook his head, reducing his lips to a thin line, "Not tonight," he said as he looked down the hall, "She's probably insulting Rhys in every possible way now. I guess it's a good way to cool off," he added when they heard Feyre screaming again. Rhysand answered equally loudly.

"Maybe we should get Rhys out, he is drunk after all," Azriel said standing up. Nesta did the same, following him into the corridor.

"They know that Rhys would never lay a hand on Feyre, don't they? Even if he is drunk. And angry." whispered Elain, even though they all heard very well. Nesta giggled and Azriel shook his head smiling. She was so drunk.

Cassian answered her, "No Ellie, it's not that. It's that drunk people tend to say things they don't really mean." they heard a whisper of agreement.

Azriel was about to knock on the door, Nesta right behind him, when it opened wide and Rhysand rushed out, shoving his older brother aside. Nesta couldn't see his face, but he must have been pretty upset because Azriel followed him right out of the apartment.

Nesta blinked a couple of times and then turned to her sister, who was pacing back and forth with her hands in her hair.

"Fuck!" cried Feyre. Nesta entered the room, closing the door behind her.

Feyre looked at her and grimaced, "What? Did you also come to tell me how to live?"

Nesta shook her head, crossing her arms, "I gotta be honest with you, I'm really drunk right now, so I'm struggling a little bit to understand things, but if you want to talk to me, I'm always there. You know." she said to her, sitting on the edge of the bed.

"Yes, yes. I know." Feyre murmured, "But right now I just want to sleep and be alone."

Nesta glanced at her and saw that she had mascara smeared on her cheeks. She had cried again.

They could not face this conversation now.

She sighed, "Alright, if you need anything call me, I'm sleeping at Cass's, but if you need anything I can be here in twenty minutes." she cautioned her as she got up. Before leaving, she turned to her sister and left a kiss on her forehead. "Don't worry, everything will work out. I'll be back for lunch, okay?"

Feyre frowned, "Why do you always treat me like a child?" she suddenly asked her.

Nesta was caught off guard, "What do you mean?"

"I'll be back for lunch. I can be here in twenty minutes," she said imitating her voice, "I don't need you to tell me your schedule, I can cook pasta, I can take care of myself." she pointed out, looking Nesta straight in the eye.

"I don't- Feyre, I was just letting you know that I'll eat at home, I wasn't implying anything. We live together, it seems normal to me to tell you about my movements," she replied, being defensive, "I didn't call you a child."

"Get out."

"Feyre-"

"I said get out." sobbed the sister, "Please."

Nesta tried to get closer when she saw that Feyre was crying again.

"Go away!" cried the other one. Nesta stiffened and nodded just once, saying goodnight and leaving the room.

Cassian was staring at her from down the hall with a worried look. Throwing a quick glance inside Elain's room, she saw that Amren and Mor were helping her change and would put her to bed before leaving, as often happened during these evenings.

She reached her boyfriend and when he hugged her, she let out a deep sigh, resting her head against Cassian's chest. "I'm sorry," he said, kissing her hair and holding her tight.

"Don't worry, we both know she's not mad at us. She better than anyone else." she looked up to him. Cassian moved a strand of hair from her eyes, placing it behind one ear. "Maybe we made a mistake, though, letting Rhysand talk to her."

Cassian chuckled, "Maybe." He leaned over her and brushed his lips against hers.

Nesta yawned in the kiss and they both laughed.

"Okay lovebirds, it's time to go home," announced Amren, putting on her shoes and helping Mor tie hers. The blonde was also in terrible condition.

Cassian broke the hug, but followed Nesta to her room while she changed and took things so she could change the next day, and then followed her to the bathroom, where she took extra tampons in case the ones at his house had finished. She strongly doubted it, as Cassian always worried about having an endless supply every time, but it was better to prevent.

"You're such a lost puppy." Mor laughed, looking at them, "Disgusting."

"You're just jealous cause you can't be with Manon every day," replied Azriel, walking back into the house at the right time, followed by a quiet Rhysand.

Mor poutted in a way that would make a three-year-old child look a saint and her eyes filled with tears. Amren threw her arms in the air, "Was that really necessary?" she asked exasperated, turning to Azriel, who apologized to her friend.

They all left the house, leaving the kitchen and living room relatively tidy, nothing an hungover Elain couldn't handle.

When they reached Morrigan's house, only Azriel and Amren went to escort the blonde home and make sure she went to bed.

Nesta took the opportunity to say a few words to Rhysand.

"It's not your fault if she reacted in that way," she said, placing her hand on his arm. God, the drunk Nesta was so affectionate. Rhysand looked at her with a wrinkled forehead.

"I know." he sighed, running a hand over his face and looking older than he actually was, "I just wish she understood how much she's worth. That Tamlin doesn't deserve her." he looked out the window, waiting to see the other two appear so he could get home as soon as possible and pass out in bed. "There may have been a moment in their relationship where things worked, but now it's getting too much."

"I agree." Nesta simply said. Rhysand didn't need her to comfort him, no. He needed Feyre to realize how much the situation she was in no longer benefited anyone.

***

Cassian slipped into bed next to Nesta and laid his arm around her waist, pushing her flat against him. She immediately relaxed and intertwined their fingers, carrying his hand on her belly. Cassian started massaging circles on her stomach, applying a little more pressure at the bottom to help her with the pain.

"Better?" he asked her, placing his head in the niche of her neck.

Nesta nodded, "Much better."

They spent a few minutes in silence like this. If he managed to tell her that he wanted to enlist, if he managed to confess to her his plans for the future and she accepted him, there would no longer be so many times when he would cuddle her. They would no longer be granted.

When Cassian was on the brink of falling asleep, with a thousand questions in his head, she asked him something.

"Hmm?"

"Tomorrow, you wanna go out for dinner with me?" she repeated, turning around so she faced him.

Cassian opened only one eye, "Like a date?" he asked, smiling tiredly.

"Sure, like a date." she answered him, tilting her chin up so that she could kiss him.

"Yes, I'll go out for dinner with you," he said returning the kiss.

"Perfect."

"I love you." he whispered to her, hugging her.

Nesta did not answer and Cassian fell asleep shortly after, dreaming of the day when he would make Nesta his wife.

acotar taglist (send me and ask or dm me if you wanna be added/removed)

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[typicalmidnightsoul]

ᴅᴏɴ’ᴛ ʙʟɪɴᴋ, ᴏʀ ʏᴏᴜ’ʟʟ ᴍɪꜱꜱ ᴍᴇ - Chapter 2

𝐻𝑜𝓌 𝓉𝑜 𝓀𝒾𝓁𝓁 𝓁𝒶𝒹𝓎𝓁𝒾𝓀𝑒

Hahahahha this is so late. Hope y’all still love me <3

What you’re going to get from this: Cassian wanting to impregnate Nesta.

Cassian woke up to 5 texts all from Jonah.

Is my sister ok?

How is she feeling?

Does she feel weird?

Goddammit Cassian answer!!

Ask her!!

Ok at least give me her new number?!

 Odd, Jonah didn’t seem this worried when he texted her last night. He rolled his eyes and texted her back.

 Calm down, she’s not even up yet I’ll go check on her now.

 He got up and went to Nes-his room. He knocked on her door.

“Nesta?”

“Wh-at?” She murmured groggily. He chuckled.

“I’ll get started on breakfast, come down.”

“Hm.”

He got out his phone as he climbed down the stairs,

 She’s alive, we’re having breakfast now.

 Jonah replied back with

ok take care of her. Tell her to call me, don’t let her drink in the morning.

Cassian sent a thumbs up back to him.

 He started on breakfast and by the time he was finished Nesta had come downstairs and was sitting at the table. His breath hitched as he looked at her. What she was wearing.

He shook his head in disbelief, as he sat down on the table placing Nesta’s pancakes in front of her he said,

“Jonah has been texting me like crazy, he wants your new number and you might as well give it to him. His inner brotherly instincts have been turned on.” He glanced up at her, “Any reason why?”

Nesta sighed putting down her coffee cup,

“I have 96 hours to live.”

“What?!”

“Probably why Jonah is getting worried.”

“What are we gonna do?”

“My mother wouldn’t send you if she didn’t have a plan.”

“What were you gonna do?”

“A friend of mine, Thesan, he is a doctor. Well a bit more than that.”

He looked at her and picked up his newspaper. She decided she wanted to ditch her clothes and instead of getting her own she took his shirt and worn her knee high black boots. Apparently she needed to take a shower anyway so instead of dirtying her clothes why not his. He on the other hand was shirtless which seemed to have no effect on her while walking around in his clothes definitely had an effect on him. She studied him.

“What?”

“I’m trying to figure out what would happen if you’re ex walked in and saw us like this.”

“My-wh-who are you talking about?!”

“Morrigan.”

“She’s not my ex.”

“The one night stand you’re still hung up over then.” She laughed,

“You’d try to hide me. Wouldn’t you?”

He grabbed her wrist pulling her closer, “No sweetheart I actually wouldn’t.”

“Well then what would you do.”

“You wouldn’t even be able to get out of bed for starters.”

“Yeah whatever.” She left to change.

Cassian grabbed her hand, “Give your brother a call.”

“Will do.” She said mock saluting.

As if Cassian had summoned him Jonah had called.

“Hey Jo-“

“Mom wants Nesta out of that safe house now, you have people tailing you. You need to get out, plane tickets are being sent to you now.”

“Got it.”

 Cassian nods at Nesta who heard the whole conversation. He gave a pointed look at his shirt.

She rolled her eyes, “You can have it back after I’ve changed.”

He choked, “You’re not wearing anything underneath that?”

She smirked at him, not offering any explanation.

 -------

Cassian was contemplating telling Nesta that Feyre was the one who came to him with the plea to save Nesta, but… no he couldn’t or Nesta would run away. And he couldn’t let her but this time it was for her own good. He turned his head towards the stairs to shout at her to get the heck downstairs until he got a text-no an alarm going off. Someone was outside.

Cassian pulled up the cameras, at first sight there was nothing, just a squirrel going up the tree… 3 times. On the exact fucking tree.

It was a fucking loop. Cassian groaned, honestly.

He ran up the stairs where he bumped into an absolutely stunning Nesta, but he couldn’t think about that now. He grabbed her arms and pushed her toward the library.

“Cassian, what the hell-“

“Hybern’s people are outside.”

“Wait what?!”

“They found us, god knows how.”

“Ok why are we going into the library?”

“Because there’s a secret passage in the library that leads through to the Cliffside over there.”

“Where do we go from there we’ll decide on the way.”

“OH WAIT! I need to get my duffel bag.”

He sighed, “Women.”

As Nesta sprinted in those high heeled boots and back.

They went into the library and he waved his hand over the side of a shelf. It gave way and moved allowing a passage way be shown.

They sprinted down, Nesta gaping at where they were. He had led them to what looked like a highway.

A black Ferrari rolled up to them and Cassian watched as Nesta’s eyes widened and as a familiar muscled figure got out.

 Nesta ran to her baby brother and Cassian revelled, as they embraced, how similar they looked even though he was her half-brother. As they let go, she looked up at him,

“Are you mad? That I left?”

As Cassian knew Jonah and Nesta were still in contact until a few weeks ago when she got more dangerous and pushed Jonah away, his rage was a sight to behold, he didn’t scream or shout but instead he went quiet and utterly still, his fiancé Caroline had kept in touch though and when Jonah found out… But Jonah would never be mad at Nesta, even if she betrayed or killed him, he wouldn’t be mad at her. Ok maybe he was exaggerating on the last bit because he knew that Nesta would disintegrate herself before she was responsible of even giving Jonah a paper cut.

Jonah smiled softly, “Never.”

Cassian gave himself an ‘I told you so’ look.

Jonah looked back at Cassian giving him an icy look, saying

“We should leave.” He looked at Nesta, eyes softening, “But you need to get rest, Caro’s been studying ‘The Cauldron’ and seeing as it can be classed as a highly dangerous virus. Thank god it’s not contagious, but you still need to get in the back and try to preserve your energy.”

Nesta rolled her eyes, “Fine.”

Cassian got in the passenger seat and smiled as Jonah fussed over her.

  They rode in silence and only when Nesta was deeply sleeping did Jonah speak,

“What is your issue with my sister? What do you want with her?”

Cassian looked up from his phone where he was reading the briefings from his well… team leaders..?

“Excuse me?”

“It just strikes me as odd that you agreed so quickly when Mom asked you.”

So even Jonah didn’t know that Feyre was the one who asked him.

“What is your issue with me Jonah?”

“My issue is that I don’t know what’s happening between you two… one second you hate her then the next your trying to impregnate my sister!!”

Cassian was utterly gobsmacked. He physically couldn’t bring himself to-

“Wait, wait, wait you think I’M going to-“

But don’t you want to? Cassian tried to hush himself, You want to have kids with her. You love her don’t you? Jonah’s right isn’t he?

Jonah was gaping at him.

“I was right! You are trying to-“

Nesta groaned in her sleep, and Cassian imagined that moan in a different position with him on top of her, his mount on her bre-

“Get that look off your face that’s my fucking sister.” Jonah hissed.

Cassian dragged his hands over his face, “Jonah its not what it-“

But Jonah was ranting to himself, “And what pisses me off the most is that it’s not one sided, Nesta actually sees something in-“

Cassian flinched, “Wait. It’s not one sided?”

Now it was Jonah’s turn to look gobsmacked, “The fuck? You really didn’t know?”

Cassian inwardly grinned, changing his mind on where he was taking this conversation. He had to face Jonah one day, why not now?

“Listen Jonah, if Nesta wants to have sex with me she will, if Nesta wants to have kids with me she will, you know why? Because she’s a strong and independent woman and if she wants to me to pin her down then hell if I stop her.”

Jonah gaped at him, and Cassian knew if Nesta wasn’t in the car Jonah would purposely drive this car into another one and kill both of them. Pure rage contorted his features and he braked so hard that Nesta jolted awake.

“What-what are we-we there? What…” She looked at Cassian’s smug face and Jonah’s enraged one,

“Were you two fighting again?” She sighed.

They both seemed to realize that Nesta was awake and turned,

“We were arguing about…football,” Jonah provided, Cassian raised a brow as Nesta dropped back down and said,

“Boys.”

 “She has enough on her plate as it is, she doesn’t need us fighting on top of it.” Jonah whispered.

Cassian nodded and as Jonah started the car he said,

“I respect you Jonah, for caring for her so deeply.”

Jonah didn’t respond but he swore he saw a ghost of a smile on his lips.

They only drove for another 10 minutes before they stopped again and both got out.

“Mrs Archeron,” Cassian nodded at her as she sat in a prison chair eyes red as if she’d been crying. He moved his hand so Jonah could also see the phone screen.

She looked up, “Cassian I request you to take Nesta into Illyrian territory, effective immediately, Jonah you will drop them off and leave, there is something that needs to be done. Can that be done?”

He nodded but Jonah protested, “Mom but-“

Adelaide only looked at Cassian, “Cassian Nesta is now yours. Do what you need.”

The call ended.

Jonah raised stormy eyes at him, “Illyrian territory is lethal! You can’t take her there if someone-“ he dragged a hand through his hair, “They are a one of the most lethal gangs I have ever come across.”

Cassian said quietly, “It’s my territory. And if anyone if even breathes in a wrong way next to her, I will rip them apart with my own hands.”

 Realization dawned on Jonah, and he suddenly felt half his size,

“You’re…you-you’re HIM.”

 Cassian smirked, “shall we?”

 As they got into the car, Jonah said,

 “I respect you too Cassian, for never letting her fire die out, for being the only one who dared get past her walls.”

 Coming up next:

 Cassian slammed her into a chair,

“Sit the fuck down.”

She breathed raggedly standing up, despite his orders,

“You may be…him, but you don’t order me.”

She didn’t know who moved first but suddenly his mouth was lashing against hers, reminding her of a symphony of steel, she groaned into his mouth, as her hand slid against his thigh.

The second she took the knife out of the strap on his thigh he turned her around and slammed her against a pillar.

He pushed into her back and she could feel his arousal against her ass. He pried the knife away from her,

“Do you want to hurt me Nesta? Hmm?”

The knife clanged to the floor.

He took her hair, bunching it in a fist and moving it away from her ear.

His breath tickled her ear, “Don’t try me Nesta. I’m not known to be gentle and you’re on the verge of snapping my patience.”

Someone came behind them, “Sir you’re needed.”

He stepped away from her, reluctantly letting go of her hair and motioning to a man near him “take her to my room and make sure she does not escape.”

Tags:@skychild29 @aesthetics-11 @perseusannabeth​  @wannawriteyouabook

[lunavadash-creates]

A Nightmare

I have never written a short story like this but I love Shay and he deserves some love, alright? Also, I tried to avoid putting a name for s/o so you can, I don’t know, identify? I’m just not sure about putting y/n here.

Words: 2177

           The night was unusually calm and silent, very different from the ones she used to spend at the sea. For the past few weeks, she was lulled to sleep by the gentle rocking of the Morrigan, surrounded by loud sounds of waves crashing against the ship, laying under the deck with fellow crew members. She has been a Templar for a few years now, with a title inherited from her father, respected scientist, who devoted his whole life searching for the artefacts of ancient civilization, who ruled the world before humans. She followed his footsteps, focusing on research but in a little bit more practical way – she never wanted to end up locked in a laboratory or any other place, the sea was calling her like a siren’s song and there, surrounded by endless blue, she finally felt free and able to uncover the secrets of the world.

This was probably the reason why she couldn’t focus on her book now, it was too calm in that little inn they all stayed at. Haytham went somewhere, she had no idea where. He only announced that he will be back in two days so the crew could rest. Shay was sleeping in a room next to hers and the crew was probably having fun with brawls, women and alcohol. They deserved that fun after that few weeks of constant sailing and fighting.

           Finally, she let out a deep sigh and put the book down, determined to catch at least few hours of sleep, but just when she was about to give up in the arms of Morpheus, she heard some strange noise. She immediately sat up, reaching for a dagger and listened, trying to find out what was going on. She heard that sound again, like a muffled moan, that was coming from Shay’s room. Straightaway she dashed out from her room and went straight to his. She was no fighter, but there was no time to make a solid plan when her captain was in danger! She opened his door, ready to attack intruder, but the only thing she saw was Shay, sitting on his bed, panting heavily, his upper body was naked and covered in sweat like he just had the most exhausting fight in his life, but he was alone, there was no danger. He looked at her confused when she barged in and for a second, they were looking into each other eyes, trying to understand the situation. Shay soon moved his gaze at her dagger and rose an eyebrow. A little bit ashamed she hid it behind her back. She realised how stupid she was, with that little dagger she could have done nothing.

           “I thought you were in danger,” she said silently, trying to explain herself.

She came closer to the man and put her weapon on his nightstand before she decided to sit down next to him. “You had a nightmare, hadn’t you?”

She had no idea what was driving her, she probably should just turn around and leave but something kept her in the room… he remained her of all those times when she had to deal with nightmares on her own. She had no idea that he was going through something similar and felt she should be there for him

           “Don’t worry, lass. Go back to sleep, it’s nothing,” he said, moving a little bit back. She was the last person he wanted to be seen in such a vulnerable, pathetic state.

The woman didn’t move a bit, instead, she just sighed again. Shay never told her the story about what had happened in Lisbon, she only knew that the city collapsed due to the earthquake and that Shay somehow was blaming himself, was it possible that it was the source of his state?

           “I had terrible nightmares when I was little. My brother used to scare me with stories about monsters from the closet or under the bed, that were going to catch me by my ankles and kill me or take me directly to hell. When my mom was still alive, I rushed to her room almost every night but after she passed, I had to deal with it on my own...”

           “I’m not afraid of monsters,” he said harsher than he wanted, interrupting her “I still hear that sounds. Crashing building, screaming people who were dying under the rubble of the city, people burning alive, trapped, children looking for parents! That is not a stupid story, that’s my reality!” he looked away from her. He never intended to burst out on her and soon he felt ashamed by his behaviour. He ran fingers through his hair and took a deep breath to calm his nerves. All those things were still hunting him in dreams, the whole Lisbon, the artefact, assassin’s and their stupid, useless creed that caused death of thousands of people. It was too much for one person and yet, he was forced to carry a burden of that tragic event.

He used to believe in the creed. When Liam saved his life and gave him a chance to do better, purpose in life, Shay was so devoted to their cause. He wanted to change the world, make it a better place for everyone and the thought that he could do it with the artefact was like his dream coming true. But now he knew that it was just pure arrogance and foolishness and the assassins were just seeking for power and vengeance, there was no nobleness in their actions, just a pure greed. Yet as much as he understood it now he still felt terrible at the thought that he had to kill every person he used to consider them as family.

           “Shay, it’s alright” she assured him, not offended by his outburst, she saw his nervousness and never expected that the amazing Captain Cormac, ex-assassin will be just a broken man. It was a strange discovery, but it didn’t change anything for her, she still was intrigued by him. But his memories… she couldn’t even imagine things he went through. She looked in his eyes only to find endless pain, sorrow and regret in them.  She couldn’t blame him, he was betrayed by his brothers and forced to do something terrible, at least that what she thought.

           “Let’s just deal with your nightmares. Come here!” she said with a warm smile and before he could react, she simply wrapped her arms around him. If he needed a distraction, she was ready to provide it for him. Shay was nice and warm, and it was great to feel his naked skin. What could she do? She was just a simple woman, taking pleasure from looking at a handsome, half-naked men. Shay hesitated and, in the end, didn’t hug her back. He was just so surprised by her actions. They weren’t too close, they respect each other, talk sometimes but it was all connected to their job. Even if he was curious and found her attractive he was well aware that there was no place for romance during their mission. At the same time he felt that something was changing slowly, maybe because they were finally alone, Haytham was far away and crew was having some fun in the city. They had the opportunity to get to know each other better.

           “Lay down, I will stay with you. Haytham will be angry if you’re tired after he graciously allowed us to rest for those two days. And I cannot focus on my study when you are so loud here”

           “Wait, you were awake the whole time?” he was visibly surprised, he thought that she was just sleeping soundly. He frowned at her shrug and shook his head; it was past midnight for sure. ‘I will be fine. You should go to sleep, Haytham needs your work and he will kill me if I keep you from it”

           “Mr Cormac lay down and do not disobey me,” she said suddenly very serious, imitating Haytham’s voice and his British accent, she even clasped her hand behind her back, making Shay laugh a bit. Honestly, he never expected something like this from her, she seemed to be so devoted to the order and Haytham. And yet, here she was, making fun of the Grand Master. But it worked and for a while, Shay managed to forget about all things that bugged him. His smile, a little shy but honest was worth making fun of Haytham. The woman smiled back at him, feeling like ice between them began to break.

           “You have to practise that British accent of his,” he said, still grinning while looking at her serious expression. She was a terrible Haytham, but still, it was quite adorable that she made an effort to raise his mood.

           “Honestly, Shay. Lay down” this time he listened to her and lay down on his bed, quite curious what she was planning to do. Did he hope that maybe she will stay with him for the night? That would be nice, especially that she was wearing nothing but a nightgown.

           “Oh no, no, no. I’m lying next to the wall. If you are not afraid of monsters you will gladly take care of them for me if they appear, right?”

           Again, Shay laughed, this time louder, hearing this demand and submissively moved, making her place on the bed next to the wall. She lied there and move a bit, to make herself comfortable, only then she brought him closer and closed him in her warm embrace. She used the fact that for the first time she saw him with his hair loose and immediately buried her hand in his dark locks, scratching his scalp gently. She wanted to touch them for so long, but she couldn’t ask before, it would be too awkward! But now she felt no shame in doing so, his hair was soft and nice, and Shay looked just so different without his ponytail with red ribbon.

           “You never told me how you dealt with your nightmares…”

           “Oh… I just imagined that I’m lying in bed with someone, handsome, dark-haired prince,­­­­ for example, who will slay monsters with his sword and keep me safe. But now, close your eyes” she cleared her throat before she spoke again “Once upon a time, long time ago there was a big, beautiful castle that hid a very dark secret…”

           “Wait, are you going to tell me a fairy-tale?” he asked surprised, looking at her with disbelief like she was some kind of madwoman. He frowned, not sure if he should be angry that she was treating him like a baby or happy…? That she cared?

           “After a nightmare, I couldn’t sleep, because when I closed my eyes saw all those scary things…I had to distract myself. Besides, it’s a nice story…”

           “Eh… fine” he sighed deeply, pretending that he was indifferent, but honestly, he felt happy.  He moved a little, to find the perfect spot for himself, then put one shoulder around her waist, not sure if it was right, but she was hugging him so tightly, that it was the most comfortable position.  She made him bury his face into her neck and Shay knew that if he wanted, he probably could bury himself in her chest, he was just so close to her breasts but didn’t want to destroy that moment of theirs. That was a thin line he didn’t want to cross, at least for now.

           He closed his eyes and let himself relax. He felt her heartbeat, a little bit faster than it should be, her scent was just so nice and sweet. The same scent she was leaving all around Morrigan, when she was walking around, he had no idea what perfumes she was using but they fit her perfectly. Surprised he found out that she also perfectly fitted his arms like she was made for hugging.

           “Once upon a time, a long time ago there was a beautiful castle that hid a terrible secret. A young prince lost his father due to war, his mother abandoned him to carry on with the fight at the battlefield, so the prince had been risen by an evil fairy, who tried to seduce him. She failed and decided to punish him, by turning him into a beast…”

           In no time she heard gentle snoring and smiled to herself. Shay was fast asleep; his hug became much tighter like he really was ready to protect her from everything. A little smile and his peaceful expression were enough for her to know that she managed to help him. So, she just hugged him tightly, and put a gentle kiss on his temple, she couldn’t resist his charm, even when he was asleep.

“Sleep well my prince,” she whispered before hiding her face in his hair. In no time she fell asleep. they both had no nightmares, they just crossed a strange border, something that was holding them back. And it was just the beginning of their very own fairy-tale.

[pikapeppa]

BLESS ME WITH YOUR OTP: Fenris/Rynne Hawke

Tagged by @midnightprelude, who devised this lovely meme, and by the divine @faerieavalon and @serial-chillr! 

Tagging forward to @schoute @lethendralis-paints @levikra @johaeryslavellan @solas-disapproves @aban-asaara @myfeyrelady @alyssalenko @obvidalous @mrscullensrutherford @hellas-himself @tristanacer @tryvyalsynnes @thevikingwoman @elbenherzart @stella-minerva and anyone else who might like to play!

Rules: answer as many of the following questions as you want, and add art/screenshots to show off your OTP! (Note: I filled this out like an interview with the babes, but you don’t need to do that; you can just straight-up answer the questions. Do it in whatever format you prefer!)

I will fill this out for Fenris and Rynne Hawke in the times of the Inquisition, which you can read here on AO3.

(Art by @schoute​!!)

[The interviewer sits alone in Ambassador Montilyet’s office, nervously waiting for the Herald of Andraste and the Champion of Kirkwall to arrive. They are running late. Eventually their approach can be heard; they seem to be having a lighthearted argument.]

Fenris: ...this is the last one. I won’t do this again, Hawke, I mean it. Hawke: But you always tag along when I do them! Admit it, you enjoy these interviews. Fenris: I enjoy hearing your foolish answers. That’s all. Hawke: [laughs] I don’t know whether to be insulted or flattered by that crack.

[The door to Ambassador Montilyet’s office swings open. The Champion of Kirkwall sashays into the room and plops herself down comfortably on the floor in front of the fire. The Herald of Andraste enters more slowly and seats himself beside her. After an awkward moment, the interviewer shifts onto the floor as well.]

Hawke: Welcome to Skyhold! All right, go on and be nosy. We’re not shy.

Do they fight often? If so, what is their dynamic like?

[Hawke immediately bursts into laughter.]

Fenris: Who put you up to these questions? Was it Dorian? He enjoys inciting this sort of petty drama. Hawke: To answer your question, we don’t fight. We enjoy spirited debates. Followed by very spirited make-up sex.  Fenris: Hawke. Hawke: It’s true! All right, being serious, I think we argue nicely. Right? [looks at Fenris] Both of us get to speak our minds and be heard.  Fenris: Yes. [looks at interviewer] I will admit that I am more likely to get angry. Hawke: That’s true. And I’m more likely to make a lewd joke when he’s trying to be serious. Fenris: Also true. Hawke: But we always kiss and make up. [She pauses and grins.] And then we— Fenris: Hawke.

Who is the most skeptical of the two?

Hawke: He is. Fenris: I would agree. Hawke: Ever the optimist, that’s me. Especially when it comes to people. I usually assume people aren’t assholes until proven otherwise. He’s the opposite.  Fenris: That’s not… [pauses] In fact, you’re right. That is true.  Hawke: [winks at interviewer] I’m not as stupid as I look. 

Who would be most likely to suggest a night of dancing? 

Hawke: [laughs and holds up one hand] That would be me. Fenris: She often suggests dancing. Every night, nearly. Hawke: Can you blame me? [turns to interviewer and gestures at Fenris] Look at him. You haven’t lived until you’ve seen that body dance. Fenris: Fasta vass.

What would they do if the other was injured in battle?

[They immediately sober and look at each other. Then Hawke smiles at the interviewer.]

Hawke: Are we talking little cuts and scrapes? Those happen all the time. Occupational hazard, you know. 

[She falls silent for a moment; meanwhile, Fenris’s frown is deepening. Then Hawke looks at the interviewer once more.]

Hawke: If Fenris gets badly injured in battle, then I’ve failed at my job. Fenris: Hawke–  Hawke: I make excellent barriers. I’m a decent healer, and I’ve been working on improving my wards. If he ever gets badly hurt, it’ll be because I wasn’t there. Fenris: [takes her hand and glares at the interviewer.] Let’s move on.

How do their fighting styles complement each other?

[They both seem to relax.]

Hawke: Very well, I think! I hang back and – well, I told you about my barriers. I mostly handle the protection while he tears people apart.  Fenris: It was not always this way, though. You and your blasted fireballs…  Hawke: [brightens and laughs] That’s true. I definitely used to be the first one to throw a fireball. I mean, I used barriers back then too, but I was definitely a get-them-before-they-get-you sort of girl. [shrugs and looks at Fenris] I think this works better, though. It’s safer. Fenris: Yes. It is.

Do they want children? Does it frighten them? How many do they want? 

[They look at each other, and Hawke grins.]

Hawke: [laughs] We haven’t really thought about it. Bit difficult to imagine carting a baby around when you’re running from the Chantry and then arguing with the Chantry and then fighting a blighted undead magister, you know? I’ll tell you though, if you want to talk to someone about kids, you should talk to Morrigan. I know that ‘mother’ is not the first thing you think when you lay eyes on her – I mean, phwoar, I don’t know if you’ve seen Morrigan — but she’s a great mother. And raising Kieran all on her own! And with her own mother being, um, a piece of work, shall we say? Madness, I’m telling you. How she managed all by herself… 

[While Hawke is speaking, Fenris is watching her in silence. When she trails off with a nervous giggle, Fenris looks at the interviewer.]

Fenris: We haven’t thought about it. What is your next question?

What happened when they took them home to their families? If their families aren’t in the picture anymore, how do they feel about it?

Hawke: [laughs] Maker’s balls. So when my mother first met Fenris– Fenris: She seemed polite at the time. Hawke: That’s generous of you. She was marginally polite. But when you weren’t around, she was all, ‘Rynne, what are you doing running around with that elf boy…’ [clicks her tongue, then rubs her nose.] She would have come around eventually, though. I’m sure she would have. Fenris: [squeezes her hand] Carver and I got along. Hawke: [brightens] You did. That’s true. Carver really looked up to you, especially at the end there. [laughs] He liked you more than me, that’s for sure. Fenris: [quietly] That is not true. Hawke: [shrugs and smiles] Bethany and my father would have liked you. Fenris: I’m sure you’re right. I would have won them over with my choreographed dance routines. 

[Hawke grins at him, then bursts out laughing for reasons the interviewer isn’t sure of. She wraps her arms around Fenris’s neck and kisses his cheek.] 

Hawke: I love you.

[Fenris smirks, and his ears turn slightly pink.]

How does each person show affection towards the other?

Hawke: Well, I am very hands-on, as you can see. [She is still hugging Fenris. She looks at him.] And you don’t mind, do you? Fenris: No. I don’t mind. [The interviewer notes that his arm is around her waist.]  Hawke: [to the interviewer] He’s the wordsmith, though. I’m the handsy one, and he’s the one who says all the lovely romantic words. But that’s all you get to know about that. [winks]

Who cries the most? Who is better at comforting?

Hawke: [groans] All right, fine, I’m the one who cries more. But I fucking hate crying. It’s a waste of time and handkerchiefs, and it makes me look hideous.  Fenris: [frowns at her, then looks at the interviewer] She is very good at comforting.  Hawke: Hardly! I always just say dumb things and try to make dumb jokes.  Fenris: [quietly] That is not true. Hawke: Well, you’re great at comforting. You say all the right things and give the best hugs.  Fenris: [very quietly] As do you.  Hawke: [smiles at the interviewer] We’ll call this one a tie, shall we?

Who is the bigger flirt?

[They both speak at the same time.]

Hawke: I am. Fenris: She is. Hawke: [laughs loudly] But I only ever mean it with him.

[dolphin-bouillabaisse]

GO-ctober Prompt, 19

Inktober except without the ink, and with drabbles instead.

Prompt #19 - Sling

(previous | next | beginning)

(find it all on Ao3)

(Note: This is set pretty much years after the Apocanope, and they’re all settled, and being friends, and Crowley can, sometimes, in the quiet moments, even admit it’s all very nice and he likes it (and them), even if it feels out of character from time to time.)

“Oh, for fuck's sake.” Aziraphale and Anathema could hear the exasperation in Crowley's voice from the nursery all the way to the living room.

“I was just trying- this is very new, okay?” Newt tried to protest (he'd learned to be a bit more forward with the two powerful entities Anathema called their friends, but a deathglare from Crowley was still enough to silence him).

“So's the baby, and you're gonna break her if you keep at it like that. And what you're doing is not new, we had those in Mesopotamia, you humans should know how to do it by now.”

Anathema gave Aziraphale a quizzing look, who could do nothing but shrug. Not a very re-assuring thing for a new mother to see (or hear) after leaving her baby alone with its father and a literal demon (even one she trusted without a doubt) for the first time.

“Here, let me do it. You have to pull it over this way, and then twist it.”

“That's what I tried to do!”

The voices from the nursery continued, and Anathema leant over for a whisper. “What exactly are they doing?”

“Oh, don't worry dear, I'm sure it's-”

“Tadah!” Newt came through the door with arms outstretched, a proud smile on his face. The baby swaddled in fabric across his chest gave a slight gurgling sound, as if to join in.

“Oh!” Anathema's worried face lifted. “You figured out how to use the sling!” They'd gotten it as a gift a week ago, and it had laid unopened next to the changing table ever since.

“There's not much to figure out, these things are old as anything.” Crowley came in after Newt. “You humans just forget some of the best basics and have to rediscover them all the time.”

“At least they're always willing to learn.” Aziraphale interjected as Anathema nodded.

“Exactly. That said, would you mind showing me how to do it too? In case Newt forgets again.”

“I'm a bit surprised, to be honest.” Anathema mumbled to Aziraphale as they were cleaning up the kitchen after tea. “I wouldn't have expected Crowley to be the one of you two to know about babies.”

They both looked back into the living room, where Crowley was swaying around with the baby in his arms while Newt was on the floor, trying his best to put together the crib Anathema's mum had sent over, and which they hadn't had time to built before the baby came (so far, she had been absolutely content to sleep in the large, flat, padded carrier his parents had gotten them).

“I mean, I know he's good with Adam and the others, but a baby is a whole different thing.”

“Oh, he's good with all ages, dear.” Aziraphale's smile was endlessly soft, and Anathema knew she would never see it on his face other than when he was talking about Crowley. “For as long as I can remember, Crowley's always had kids.”

A short pause, a questioning look, and Aziraphale was left stammering. “No- not like that, I mean, he hasn't had- only humans- I mean- he's always cared for children, is what I mean.” He cleared his throat. “I mean, I like children, too! But he's always been more, well, hands-on. Is that the right phrase?”

Anathema nodded. There was a lot to unpack here, but it was neither the time nor the place to ask her usual bout of questions about their past.

Their eyes went back to Crowley and the baby instead, who was currently busy covering Crowley's designer jacket with drool, and Aziraphale remembered Crowley in tunicas, in medieval gowns, in thick woollen cloth, in blazer and pencil skirt, always in the same pose, a quietly gurgling baby in his arms.

–

3 am, and the phone was buzzing. Aziraphale only grumbled as Crowley sat up to answer it.

“It's the witch, angel, I can't just ignore it.” He mumbled before tapping the green phone button (a sentence Aziraphale knew all too well by now, considering he heard it almost every other day, when Anathema called or messaged with questions, with worries, with anything she didn't dare bring up to anyone else). What followed was, as always, a series of hm's, aha's and okay's before he sighed and leaned back into bed.

“Is her belly really firm?”

Pause. An answer from the other end. Aziraphale could see a grin building on his face.

“Make her fart.”

“Crowley!” He could hear Anathema even through the phone.

“No, I'm serious. Get her to fart somehow. If that doesn't help, go to A&E, but I promise you it will.”

He hung up after a bit more from the other end of the connection Aziraphale couldn't make out, and snuggled back down into his angels side.

“Admit it,” Aziraphale smiled, even if being woken up at 3 am by a panicked mummy was not his idea of a good night. “You really like this.”

“What?”

“Anathema coming to you with all her questions.”

“Well, I am pretty smart.”

“And you love helping out with the little one.”

“Well, she's a kid.” Crowley buried his face in tartan pyjamas, but Aziraphale could tell he was smiling as well. “What's not to love?”

–

“I know this is very last minute, but would you mind babysitting Mory tonight?” Anathema's voice was almost apologetic as she stood in the bookshop, the baby in one arm, a bag of supplies in the other. Newt, next to her, held a few bags more. “Newt's mum said she'd take her, but she got sick, and we can't cancel-”

Crowley'd already lifted the baby out of her arms. “You wanna pick her up later, or in the morning?”

“Oh, we'll come pick her up later, don't worry. And thank you!”

Crowley grimaced as she put the bag down to place a peck on his cheek. Aziraphale got a smiling wink. “We'll bring some of those pastries as payment, okay? And maybe some wine?”

Aziraphale smiled over the edge of his book at the little scene unfolding on the sofa in front of him. The baby had been fed (by Crowley), bathed (by Crowley, with a little help from him), changed (by Crowley), and was now soundly sleeping and snorting (on Crowley, who was lying on the sofa in his usual sprawl, only now with a tiny human on his chest, and Aziraphale was surprised to notice it was not that unusual a sight for him). The demon shot him a glare that very clearly said what he was not willing to say out loud, lest he wake up the baby.

“Are you gonna be able to hand her back to Anathema, dear?”

Crowley snorted and sat up, carefully placing the baby in her carrier. “I always give them back, don't I? No baby stealing from this demon.”

“Of course.” Aziraphale tried to return to his book, but there was something still stuck in his mind. A wrong turn of phrase he'd used weeks ago, a thought that had crept in.

“Have you ever... I mean... did you ever want one you don't have to give back?”

Crowley stared at him, which didn't make the situation any less uncomfortable.

“You know what I mean.”

“You're asking me if I want to have a baby? Is that really your way of bringing this up?”

“I was just- I was thinking about it, well, not it, more about you-” the stammering was not helping him get his thoughts out, and Crowley's amused smirk wasn't either, “I just realised that as far back as I've known you, you were always a caretaker in some way. You love children. It's not such a leap of imagination, isn't it? That you might want to keep one?”

“Aziraphale.” Crowley sighed, a short pause looking at little Morrigan still snuffling and moving in her carrier. “I do love children.” Another pause, before he looked back up again, a smile on his face that was luckily far less sad than Aziraphale would've expected it, albeit not a happy one either. “But can you imagine the chaos- logistics not withstanding, just, the whole implication of us – and the morals of it? Really, no.” Crowley ended his sentence, which hadn't really said much at all, but more than enough for Aziraphale to understand. He nodded. “I'm perfectly happy being the nanny.”

Aziraphale looked at him, as he brushed over the whisps of black hair on Morrigan's head, and he could tell. He was perfectly happy.

--

“Okay, so I have a question.” Anathema was bouncing the pram up and down, much to Morrigan's squealing delight. She'd just woken up, which was pretty much the only reason why she wasn't already on Crowley's lap, where she usually ended up during any of their meetings. “And I trust you'll tell me if it's really inappropriate, or insulting.”

“Sure.” She'd bombarded Crowley with questions ever since Morrigan had been born, and both of them with very different questions long before that, and only about 20% of those had been inappropriate, so that wasn't anything new.

“And we can absolutely change the wording if you want, besides, Newt and I don't really believe in the- the original religious aspect of it anyway, we don't need the whole ceremony, but it's a tradition, and I think it's a good one, and he agrees-”

Aziraphale sneaked a smile in Crowley's direction as she blabbed on, and was not surprised to see it returned. They both knew where this was heading.

“Anyway.” Anathema interrupted herself long before either of them could and picked the baby up out of the pram, handing it over to Crowley almost immediately. “Newt and I wanted to ask you if you would be Morrigan's godfathers.”

“You mean that's not what we've been doing already?” Crowley's voice was mocking in a way Anathema knew all too well, and she answered it with a grimace.

“You are impossible.” The grimace turned into a smile as the baby began slobbering over Crowley's hand holding her upright. “But I suppose you're right. We would just like to make it official, then.”

“We'd be honoured, Anathema.” Aziraphale tried to give the situation a bit more gravitas, which was a fruitless endeavour with these two. Anathema was already rambling, only spurred on by Crowley's nodding replies.

“But you have to know, we don't want it to just be a title-”

“Yeah, I agree.”

“You're already babysitting a lot, and we might have to ask for more favours in the future-”

“As always.”

“And we'd want you there for birthdays, too, and first school days and graduations and-”

“Sure.”

“And she's going to bug you when she gets older, and she'll have a lot of questions-”

“Well, we're pretty used to that, she's your kid after all.”

A toothy smile, and Anathema finally stopped and sighed with a smile on her own.

“Alright. Don't know why I was so worried about all that.”

Later, as Aziraphale and Crowley were left standing in the door, waving after the pram rattling down the street, the angel couldn't help but smile as he took the demon's hand.

“Godparents. What a lovely surprise.”

“Not really a surprise, angel.”

“I know, but still.” He squeezed his hand, leant on his shoulder. “It's very sweet of her.”

“We'll get a chance to do it right this time, I guess.”

“Oh, dear. You've been doing it all perfectly well for centuries.”

[fightevilandthengetblownup]

FIC: Death Like Virtues (Has It’s Degrees)

---

The sky was dark, pitch black and iridescent in it’s blackness, despite it being just after one in the morning on November 1st and usually reflecting the lights of the city below it; and that was when she knew she was in trouble.

Looking above her, the sky shimmered to itself and pulsed, the flight of thousands of millions of crows blocking out the clouds, the sky and even the moon itself over the graveyard. Their wings beat in unison, and Jo found herself covering her ears as the voices of each and every one of the birds let out a call, creating a cacophony of screeching that could have been misconstrued for thunder.

She turned her wrist, double checking the time and splayed her fingers out as she tried to count forward. Five hours ahead would put it at just on sunrise on the 1st. Sunrise on the start of the celebration of Samhain. In Ireland, it would have already began.

The start of October had found cows slaughtered in a 60 mile radius of the graveyard. Cattle had begun to be found strewn across the few farms bordering the area, and then as the month progressed there had been report after report of other animals from dogs and cats to rabbits and all birds other than the inky black crows being found slaughtered as well. Blood had flowed in backyards, homes and on the streets alike. And overhead, Boston had been watched over by murder upon murder of crows.

Jo had been drawn to the graveyard itself after the disappearance of several men and women over the last week last seen heading towards the area, and then the bodies of three women had been found in the cemetery itself. They had been rested against or on top of the grave markers for their children. All three women had had their chests torn apart, shredded through the breast as if by claws or teeth, and their ribs cracked open and emptied as if to house something small inside. Reading the police records had been gruesome enough to make her shudder.

The call of the cries above her pulled her out of the reflection as she was swooped and caroled forward. Pressing onward and trying to duck away from the raking claws of those birds that flew down close enough to her, the blonde was pushed forward down the grassy slopes behind the cemetery and found herself twisting her ankle as the ground evened out unexpectedly at a dried river bed. Following the path of the long missing water flow, she found herself no longer swooped but the sound loud above her from the black winged creatures.

It wasn’t until she’d gotten to town and looked into the murders and disappearances more that Jo realized what she thought she was dealing with. Small baby spirits that haunted and hunted for those responsible for their deaths or simply accosting lone wanderers out in the night. They were typically known within Scandinavian lore, but had spread across the areas of Europe with the Vikings so long ago. Babies murdered or abandoned by their mothers at birth without their rights shared or a successful burial - the myling - would enact revenge on their mother through death or cause the death of those they convinced to return them to sacred ground for their right burial. Jo had come to the cemetery that evening prepared to dig a shallow grave and return the small but heavy creatures to the earth, but had realized how far she was from the end of this hunt as the crows had swarmed upon her like an inky shadow as she’d splashed Holy Water over the top of not only the monsters’ grave but the three real grave-sites.

She’d been pushed and guided from there, and ��stumbling along the dry river bed, Jo struggled to pull twigs and leaves and dirt from her hair as she rounded a bend and spotted a lone figure at the meeting point between this dry creek-bed and the next river.

There was something familiar, and niggling at the back of her mind as Jo moved forward still - the cries of the crows and sound of wings beating at the back of her head pushing her on - until the figure turned and the eerie feeling settled with recognition.

"Why have my girls brought you here, young one?" The words sounded as bored and disinterested as the last time Jo had heard that voice. The redhead stood with one foot sunk into the water of the slow flowing river and the other upon the dried creek bed without a care to the thick, dark mud clogging to her boots. "How did you get past my little babes?"

Jo felt herself drawing closer, hand resting on the hilt of her knife that she knew wouldn't work against the goddess of death, but it felt reassuring to do so anyway.

"I thought mylings were from Scandinavian lore, not Irish, Morrigan." She found herself answering as she approached, the threat of wing beats above her gone now that their Mistress had been made aware. "I baptized them and returned them to the ground."

"Oh silly, my home has many myths and has many ties. And I myself may just be very like my favorite children," the lilt of the woman's voice was sweet to hear but Jo knew the danger she was in as the goddess' eyes focused upon her face. There was a moment before the edges of her mouth twitched up into a smirk which sent chills down Jo's spine. "And much like yourself, little Joanna. I may be a little bit of a thief."

She found herself flushing at the way the goddess' eye ran across her, head tilted to the side as if considering her for a long quiet moment.

"Well, if you could, uh, not raise tiny murderous babies here in America - that'd be much appreciated."

"You would know all about things raised from the dead, now wouldn't you." She could tell it wasn't a question as the goddess turned her attention back skywards, the dimmed sky suddenly breaking to allow a strong stream of moonlight straight towards the redhead as if bathing her in the cool light. The dark misty sleeves of her gown were kissed by the moonlight, and the voluminous ballgown darker than ink and shimmering like the crows wings above them. "Well, they weren't drawing him anyway so I guess no harm in your disposing of them, little hunter."

Jo bristled at the phrase, crossing her arms under her chest and looked about herself for a long, silent moment. She should escape now. She had taken care of the evil baby monsters that would kill and kill and kill had they been left unchecked, and now all there was was a very dangerous goddess and a ton of crows. Nothing so bad she couldn't hike back up the hill, slide into her car and walk away without interrupting whatever the goddess was planning. There were no innocents around to die, so it couldn't have been all bad.

Her mind made up, Jo began to shift her feet and turned to head up the riverbank before jumping.

“Where do you think you are going, little hunter?”

“I was-”

“No no, I’ve decided I need you here.” The Morrigan stared back at her, the slight incline the woman was standing on now suddenly immediately before the hunter instead of where Jo had seen her. “I’ve decided that I very much would like you here, he is quite a showman, so perhaps the extra eyes would help.”

“Uh..” Jo found her mouth suddenly feeling dry as she blinked back at the blue eyes of the goddess - a cold breeze coming off of the river behind her and licking at her back - and found that terror rolling over her the last time she saw the redhead. It had been an unpleasant experience, however somehow the death goddess had been nothing but a little eerie and strangely unnerving rather than the horrible gut wrenching jabs from some of the others that had been present. “What...who... who are you waiting for?”

“Yes, quite a showman, this should do quite nicely.” The goddess said in lieu of an answer, her eyes focused sharply upon the blondes face a hand reached out and stroking one of those long fingers across her cheek and down her jawline. There was a beat before the Morrigan dropped her hand and tugged the silver chain and pendant from underneath the dark sweater the hunter was wearing with a curious look on her face, before asking quietly “You have a husband, don’t you?”

Jo felt herself flush immediately at the words, her cheeks and ears burning hot. “I, uh-”

“How quickly can you get him here?”

“I’m not-”

“Scratch that, I’m sure I could locate him easily enough. You humans are so easy to find when I need you - just pull those little strings of your entwined fates.”

“He’s not a human.” Jo blurted the words out, biting down on her lip as soon as the words left her mouth, taking a full step back into the dry bed to try to get away from the other woman’s hold.

If Jo had thought the goddess had unearthly speed before, it was proved then at the hand wrapping back around her arm and then a following one tugging a hair from her crown. Goddamn Gods and their supernatural abilities. The redhead stared at her imperceptibly before she began twisting the blonde strand around her fingers and looking through her splayed fingers up at the moon as if deciphering something no one else would be able to see from the single hair.

“Oh right, he isn’t isn’t he, interesting.” The Morrigan murmured to herself, continuing to twist and turn the hair about her fingers before she released Jo’s arm as she began to plait the strand in on itself. It was as if the piece grew longer and longer as she worked it over, and Jo found the hairs standing up on the back of her neck at the look the goddess began to give her. “Very interesting. Perhaps he would be suitable though.” There was a beat before Jo watched as her hair went up in a dark flash of smoke. “Now, please get him here.”

“No.” Jo shook her head, stepping back from the other. There was no way that she was going to be doing that. “No way in Hell.”

“Bring him here, little hunter.”

“I said no.”

“Now.” The word was hissed and the sound of the screams from above rang out alongside her voice, before the hand was back around her arm, fingers tight and the black, elongated nails digging into her skin. “Call him here, now.”

Jo gasped at the tight grip, both hands scrambling to tug and pull at the hard hold upon her. There was a long moment before the goddess released her with a shove, tossing her upon the dried ground at her muddy feet.

“Now, little hunter, before I lose my patience.”

“What...what would it even help?”

There was a laugh, that sounded colder than the wind and harsh like her crows, before the goddess replied with a cold, cruel smile upon her lips. “My man needs an audience, and I have only so much time before I lose my temper with both you and him.”

Hissing, Jo rubbed at her elbows as she looked up at the goddess who gave her a sharp nod before stepping over Jo’s prone form and returning to stand in the join of the waterways with her hands held high once more - moonlight bathing her and making an image as if torn from the cold, sharp works of art that she had inspired.

A moment later, Jo had pulled her phone from her pocket and sent off a message with her location and that she was stuck with ‘a crazy fucking death goddess that’s doing some shit’ and not to come but to check in in a few hours, and hoped in equal measure that the shadow would show up and smoke them away or not show up at all at the warning.

Next second, there was a hand held out to her from her left, and Jo bit back a groan at realizing that it had not been the latter.

“Hold on tight,” the words were whisper quiet as she grabbed a hold of his hand, however the next second the hand was gone and Jo found herself pressed against the ground harshly by some invisible force. Turning her head to the side, she saw Grey’s face pressed into the ground the same as her.

Groaning, Jo turned her head to the other side and found herself face to foot with the booted foot of the goddess. “Such interesting thing he is.” There was a chill in her voice, the Irish lilt sounding colder than Jo had heard so far as the redhead moved around her - mud kicked up beside her face as the goddess moved and splattering across her cheek and hair - towards the shadow. She shifted slightly to watch the iridescent material of the ballgown sweeping across the ground before the goddess stood above the other. A jerk of her hand pulled the man upwards onto his knees and Jo found herself scowling watching, wishing she hadn’t messaged him at all as the pale fingers tilted the other’s head up towards her. “So very interesting a thing, aren’t you little monster?”

“Who the-”

“Be careful what you say, or I might just peck that tongue out of your mouth.” The Morrigan cut in sharply, her tone as cruel and sharp as the crow calls circling above them. She tilted his head to either side before plucking a hair from his head and dropping her grip - the shadow forced back into the dirt beside Jo with a groan and glare.

Spinning her fingers as she had with the blonde strand still in her other hand, the goddess looked towards the sky through the growing and growing length of the dark hair. “Huh, interesting. You’ve gone and bested me as much as your bonnie lass, haven’t you little shadow?” The hair twisted dark around her pale fingers in a web that the length never should have reached, before she moved both hands together with a frown. “Definitely gone and stolen so many deaths from my tally taking over that pathetic little man. And changed his fate it seems - would have had him in six years without your interference.”

“What do you mean?” Grey’s words were gritted out this time, and Jo could see his fists grinding into the dirt. “Who are you?”

There was a releasing of the force upon them at that point as the goddess turned her back and moved towards the joining point of the rivers - her hands twisting in front of her face as she twined their hairs together and continued to mutter under her breath something about “troublesome hunters” and “changing strands” - as Jo clambered to her feet again.

“Jo.. What-”

“The Morrigan. Death and Fate.”

“Well, let’s not stick around too long then.” Grey moved to her side again as they’d both found their footing and reached a hand out for her before then vanished away as Jo closed her eyes.

Feeling ground beneath them, Jo blinked in surprise to see them standing in the same area but now in the middle of the join of the river and creek in front of the goddess instead of home like she thought they would be.

“Please do not try that again,” The voice was harsher than the usual lilting tone or crow’s scream, as the redhead held her hands above her head as the pair of them stared in confusion and concern as the shadow grabbed a hold of Jo again and vanished again. This time they appeared closer still, barely six foot from the goddess who was now looking at them rather than towards the sky, a cold scowl formed across her face. “You have one last strike before I go for the sacrificial approach for my love.”

Jo could feel the hand on her waist tighten for a moment as if she could feel the thought process of the shadow behind her, tossing up the chance that the third time would be the charm to get away, before there was a horrifying sound echoing through the area - something reminiscent of the crack of lightening, the harsh twang of an untuned harp and the roar of thunder - that rocked through her to clash in her chest painfully.

“That should not be necessary, wife dearest.” The voice was soft after the loud clanging sound had echoed and bounced away, but on it’s own it was just a gentle rumble. The scowl on  the pale goddess’ face shifted immediately from the cold looks to a glorious smile - still cold and dangerous as steel behind it at the sharp teeth and cutting jerk of her eyes to the approaching figure. “You know we’re getting a little old for blood sacrifices and needless violence these days, Moors.”

“Perhaps, however you should learn to be prompt if you wish to avoid them in future.” The simpering tone belied the coolness underneath as the Irish goddess turned to face the strange man approaching the trio, her skirt swished in the small pull of the water as as the tall, lanky man approached - a twang of a harps approaching alongside the rush of water coming along the dry creek bed he moved along towards them. The Morrigan’s skirts swirled and rustled in the rising water, floating out about her like the wings of her familiars. “I never thought you cared much to avoid such bloodshed however.”

“I believe you’ve made enough this month though, darling wife. Were those horrifying babes truly necessary?” The man - clearly the god the goddess had been trying to attract, if the building static of the air at his arrival was anything to judge by - came to stand, towering over the three of them at a lofty height, before the goddess with a discerning look upon the scruffy face as the wind whipped up around his cloak and mass of hair. Jo felt her own hair tugged up and swirling about her head in the maelstrom of the circling winds coming from both gods as the hand around her waist tightened again.

She couldn’t fight down the snort of amusement though at the disapproving look and equally fierce scowl being shared light lightening between the two gods as she took a step back in time with the shadow at her back. Grey’s arm was careful but firm around her and she could feel his pulse racing under her fingers wrapped around his wrist as he tugged her back a few steps as the heavy rush of water swirled in time around their calves and growing to their thighs as the other pair continued their stare down.

That was until two sets of bright eyes flashed in their direction and Jo bit down on a groan as she winced realizing that her amusement had been loud enough to be heard over the howling yet quiet winds.

“Did you not appreciate the babes either, girlie?” The question grabbed at Jo’s attention as the man at her back tugged harder and hissed out an almost feral sound as the god turned from the furious looking goddess to approach them. “They are quite disturbing, aren’t they?”

Jo did not trust herself to speak, nodding her head sharply before she stepped back another step in time with the other behind her, drawing out of the rushing water and onto the muddy embankment.

“But not scary for you, I can imagine, little girl.” Normally the term would make her seethe, and she could imagine the tempered distaste flashing across Grey’s face as she stepped up beside him - her eyes flashing to his own and biting down a smile to see exactly as she expected. However coming from what was clearly a much, much older being than the lanky figure he portrayed, that fury was settled. “Especially with that beside you.”

“Hey-!” Grey snapped the word out before cutting himself off at the objection, as if unable to stop from reacting but catching himself as quickly as possible. The unknown god’s head swung to look at him instead, a cock of his head and the slowly dying winds settling the mass of curls about the Irish man’s face as he raised a brow.

“I can see why my lass decided that you two may interest me. In fact, I am very interested - well done, dearest wife.”

“Oh, so that’s the only reason you came this morn’? Because of a little girl and a little by-product?”

“After last years meeting? Yes. Yes, my dear, I only came to see this years additions.”

“How dare you!” The Morrigan screeched, the sound of crow calls rising with her voice harsh and cruel, and Jo bit down a smirk at the splashing of the water as the shorter woman stalked forth towards the other god.

There was the sound of thunder and crows as once, screaming through the air as the god turned back towards the other - his furious and beautiful wife, if Jo could pick the idea correctly. The pair began shouting, screaming and screeching in part in a language more musical than wrathful as the look upon the Morrigan’s face - the shadows sinking her eyes deep and disconcerting and the red of her lips dripping as if black ink or dark red blood was pouring with each word, while the other god’s back was taunt and the slight glow and crackle of lightening could be seen zapping and arcing between his hair from behind.

At the gods’ distraction with one another, the hunter found herself struggling up the side of the now raging river - much wilder and deeper than it suggested from how the other pair seemed to still stand at peaceful anger in ankle deep water as the torrents rushed around them instead - with a careful hand from the other.

Getting to the edge, Jo found herself shaking her head of the mud and water that had swept over her hair and left it a damp, stringy mess around her face. “So, uh, what part of check in a few hours did you miss?”

“You wanted me to leave you with that crazy bitch?” Grey’s eyes were wide and pale in the dull moonlight as he stepped closer to her, pushing hair back from her face with a concerned look as he hissed back quietly. “Who knows what she’d have done to you!”

“It was goin’ fine. Sorta.” She shrugged a shoulder, leaning into his chest with a sigh of relief however. The night had been long thus far, and as she felt chill in the air as if to warn it would be longer still. Jo let out a huff of frustration as she heard the shouts in that strange dialect - something much older than what she was sure was still used in their foreign land today - get louder and then quieter again. “How long you think this is going to take?”

“Their gods. They have forever, don’t they?”

“Think we can make a run for it without her zappin’ us back?”

She could feel the rumble of a laugh in his chest, though she could feel it was tighter and harder than his usual one - more an awkward reaction than actual amusement, before the gentle tug that came with the intention to smoke away grabbed her. Next second they weren’t even a foot further away from where they started and the shadow let out a disapproving growl. “I would say that we can’t, no.”

“Was worth a try, hun.” Jo replied, clutching a hand against his shoulder as they stumbled to right themselves with a quiet sigh that they were stuck waiting on the whims of the fairweather goddess.

“See?! See!” There was a shriek cutting through the air from the rushing rivers at that point, and a sudden decrease in the water height until it was as if there had never been any - a dry creek bed without any signs of water from the hot dry months before. The Morrigan’s pale, black nailed finger was pointed straight at them and Jo felt the stiffening of the other before he shuffled to be between her and the goddess’ judging finger. “See that, husband dear! That is what we should be like, and you didn’t even give me one year!”

“You want to be like little mortals?” There was amusement in the voice as the tall man approached the other immortal. Jo stood on her toes and almost bit back a smile as she spotted the man mimicking the shadow’s positioning - arm around the waist, hand just barely tangled in the tips of hair, and head tilted to press against the top of head - on The Morrigan. His height made a mockery of it all, and Jo barely held back a snort of amusement at the fury flashing over the goddess’ face. “You want us to have such fleeting lives? To be like mayflies - here one moment and gone the next? You want to have hair like straw and cheeks like roses?”

“How dare you suggest-”

“Dearest wife, you always have the fiercest tempers.”

“Mother help us if she shows it.” Grey’s voice was quiet over her ear and Jo wasn’t able to stop the quiet giggle this time as she caught his eye - a slightly fierce look to the shadow’s face that she had only seen a handful of times when it was at their worsts.

“Ah! They speak!” The god’s voice rang out before the next moment it was closer than the dry creek bed as two large hands gripped a shoulder each and pulled the pair apart. The cold look on Grey’s face twisted darker still as the unknown god gripped his shoulder tightly - Jo could see the force was harder upon the other’s shoulder than her own, feather light even against hers and gripping tight enough to twist the fabric of his hoodie on his. “They can glare too. What fire in him, my dear wife, you found such an interesting trinket for our anniversary.”

“Let go of her.” The words were growled out as the long fingers of the god twisted some more in the meat of the monster’s shoulder.

There was a laugh at it from the god. “Such fierce little thing, I guess I should though you’d be prepared that my jealous, vicious wife will probably destroy her the moment I do.”

Grey’s throat bobbed in a tight swallow as he looked between the god and the goddess, her standing and staring with a cool and serene look upon her pretty face but darkness swallowing the air around her red hair. There was a long moment before the shadow shook his head gently, eyes drifting back to the god’s warily.

“Good choice, my man, good choice.”

“Let me go then.”

“Let you go? Now why would I do that?” The clear humor was evident as the god turned fully to pin him with a bemused look instead. Jo bit down her own scowl seeing the green eyed god rake a look across the other for a moment, before the side of his lips twitched up in a half smile. “My lovely wife might get angrier still at my paying attention to you, you’re just as pretty as the both of them aren’t you.”

“I-”

“Yes, I suppose she might just decide to off the both of you. Such a vicious little bitch of a woman that one.” A long, haggard sigh came from the god himself as he glanced over a shoulder towards the goddess as she moved slowly up the embankment in her waterlogged skirts. His hair seemed to move on its own according, bouncing and then flattening as he caught the goddess’ eye into what Jo thought would be described as ‘depressed curls’ rather than the bouncy look they had had before. “Why I needed her assistance in that godforsaken war, and what it’s cost me.”

“You were losing, my love, and you will continue to pay for my support here after.” The lilt of her words were so beautiful compared to the coldness of her delivery. “My sweet, stupid Dagda. You’ve no head for battle plans even if they say you do.”

“If it were as easy as magic-”

“And yet I am better at that than you too, my husband.”

Jo found herself rolling her eyes at the pair, and scowled as the god’s fingers dug into her shoulders a little tighter than they had before as the goddess approached to stop her tugging away from them both. The name the goddess said meant little to her - something to tuck away and look into later on when they were out of the bind they were in - but the sour look on The Dagda’s face definitely meant he did not hear it often unless it came with the same ridiculing tone it came in now.

“Really? You believe you are better than myself, do you dear?” The god’s hair sparked with the crackle of lightening again, and Jo could see the way Grey tugged back away from the licking sparks as far as possible with a disturbed look on his face. “You think you are better than the god of the druids? The first of the druids? You think your witchcraft is a match for mine?”

“Of course, my dear stupid Dagda.” The Morrigan smirked up at him from by his elbow, and Jo took the distracted frown of the god to tug free and scurry the four feet across to the shadow’s side instead. Getting caught between gods was never pleasant, and she had not enjoyed it the last time at all. Wrapping her hand around her man’s arm, Jo found herself glancing between the two gods - towering and otherworldly, despite the clear differences in height and size they towered equally as the winds picked up and black feathers caught the wind and into both of their hair. “You may be the king, but I am your queen and I control the winds of fate.”

“In that case, let me see if I can’t prove my position above you again, my dear wife.” There was a look, an almost wicked glee and amusement upon the god’s face as the hood of his cloak flapped upwards in the wind to cover the crackling sparks of his hair and from underneath it’s shadow, Jo could see a glowing silver to his eyes as the god dropped the grip upon the shadow’s shoulder.

Next moment, he had both hands wrapped around the pale talons of his goddess-wife’s and slipped his fingers around her fingers. Jo watched the goddess’ eyes open widely and excitedly for a moment - a look she was sure that she herself had regularly whenever her hands wrapped in those she held now - before a horrible darkness crossed her face as his hands pulled back away from her.

“You fucking-”

There was a laugh, it boomed with the sound of thunder as the god held his hands sky high and Jo could see the two thin strands of hair wrapped between his own fingers - only by the gold shine of her own being able to identify the cause of the goddess’ rage. “Let’s see you undo this, you horrible creature.” The Dagda hissed back at her as a crack of lightening shot down to his hands, obliterating the two strands. “Now off you two go, while I give my darling, disgusting wife a talking to.”

Jo frowned slightly in confusion before the shift of scenery caught her off guard, stumbling into Grey’s arms as the dry dirty riverbank was replaced by the worn floorboards of their hallway and the walls of their hall replaced the tree line.

“What the fuck was that?” The words came out in a rush over her head as Grey held a steadying hand to her back. “Jo, how the hell did you- You said it was some kind of evil babies, not a god!”

Jo let out an awkward laugh at the tone before smiling up at him with a shake of her head. “Well, it started out that way for sure.”

“You got trapped by a goddess!”

“Yeah,” She let out another laugh, more warm and confident than the first as she pulled back a step. “That happens sometimes.” Jo quickly held up a hand as she watched him open his mouth to rebut her, smiling ruefully. “Maybe next time I’ll actually be prepared for it?”

---

[the-beastslayers-queen]

Magic and Moonlight: Chapter 24

Here I am with chapter 24. Tagging: @queenofthearchitect @biforbecky2belts @balorsbitxh @mrsambroserollinsacklesmgk @mox-made-me-do-it @sassyspacedust @afauss2009 @calwitch and @never-sawft-princess If you want to be tagged, hit my inbox. Enjoy!

My feud with Colby was going great. Kane has been hounding him at every turn and I was enjoying every second of it. Despite our feuding, Colby and I still rode together between venues. But today were on our flight to get started on the European tour before Survivor Series. Since Colby and I were feuding, we were on the same tour and heading to Dublin, Ireland for the first stop. Our plane had just touched down and Colby and I were waiting for our luggage.

“Are you excited for this tour,” Colby asked as he grabbed our bags from the luggage claim belt.

“I am,” I smiled as I took my bags from him before lacing our fingers together to go to bus queue where we’d be gathering with other superstars on our tour team, “I didn’t get to enjoy the last tour since I was out pregnant with Tyler.”

“You’ll have a blast I promise,” he smiled as we joined back up with Cesaro and several other stars from the locker room, “Do you have a match during the first show?”

“Yeah I’m going against Naomi,” I replied, “I heard you have a street fight with Kane. You’re going to do great.”

The show was well under way and I had already had my match, which I won. I was now on the stage, mic in hand, and Colby was in the ring. I was going to tear Colby apart before his title defense against Kane in his street fight.

“Seth, you really are carrying the company on your back,” I chuckled a little, “Because it clearly is so easy that a simple idiot like you has been able to stay champion from sheer dumb luck and cheap tactics. I don’t think you deserve to be the top guy of the company. And Kane is going to fix all of that tonight.”

With that, Kane entered the arena and took to the ring. He dominated the match for quite a while. Soon Colby had him set up to take a huge spot they had planned before we made the trip to Dublin.

Colby was on the top rope and Kane stood on the middle rope. Colby went to do a sunset flip, a move he has done hundreds of times without an issue. But this one ended up differently. When came down behind Kane, his foot hit the matt wrong and he collapsed hard. Colby had to use the ropes to stand back up. He somehow was able to pick up Kane and send him through the table set up in the middle of the ring.

Colby continued on through his match, even landed the pedigree to finish the match and got the pin. He stayed curled up on the matt as the ref handed him his title back as the trainers and doctors came into the arena to check on him. I opted to stay back in gorilla so they could attend to Colby to make sure he was okay. I could tell he wasn’t.

A trainer slung Colby’s arm over his shoulder and helped him to the back. The moment Colby got to the back I took his title as he was led further into the backstage area to the trainer’s room. I stayed with him in the ring, just watching helplessly as the trainers checked over his knee.

“Alright, so we’re going to need you to get to the hospital in Cardiff to get checked out,” the head trainer said as he got Colby a pair of crutches, “Until we know what’s going on, ice your knee and don’t put any weight on your right leg.”

“Thanks guys,” Colby thanked the men as he got up from the table and I led him out of the room, “Let’s go get a shower and head to the hotel for the night.”

Colby and I found out that he had nearly completely destroyed his knee. Colby had torn his ACL, MCL, and the meniscus of his right knee. Colby was sent back to the States and down to Birmingham, Alabama to get surgery to repair the damage. This left me alone on the tour. I was not allowed to join him on his trip back home.

“All alone again I see,” I looked up from my plate as I was sitting in catering before Raw would air, “No loverboy to look after you.”

“Dean,” I sneered at him, “Come to make easy picking of me. I have no time to deal with you.”

I went into his mind and gave him aneurysms over and over as his rapid healing mended the damage I was causing him, giving him a very painful headache. Roman came over to comfort him as I stopped his suffering.

“Try to attack me again and I will turn your fur inside out,” I threatened as I walked out of catering.

Tonight, I was going to be relinquishing Colby’s title on his behalf as a way to call a truce between us. I knew this would more than likely cause Colby to be removed from the Authority when he returns, but everything was up in the air at the moment. All I knew was that I would have to end my relationship with the Authority eventually.

“Sorry I’m late, Stephanie,” I greeted her as I entered the ring, holding Colby’s title against my shoulder, “I had to find Seth’s title.”

“That’s okay,” she replied, “I can’t blame him for wanting to hide the title. But seeing as he will be unable to defend his title for the foreseeable future, he has to relinquish it. So with a vacant title, we will have a tournament and the final round will be held during Survivor Series, where a new champion will be crowned.”

Roman ended up winning the WWE title at Survivor Series and tonight was the Raw after Survivor Series and I was going to make my break from the Authority tonight. I was now nowhere closer to getting my hands on Morrigan and I had no use to work with the Helmsleys anymore.

“Roman we want you to join with us,” Stephanie proposed to the big Samoan, “We could help you stay atop the mountain and stay champion for a very long reign.”

“You can’t be serious,” I interrupted as I came out of gorilla, “The moment you get a new champion, you completely forget about Seth. He didn’t get injured on purpose. I will not stick around to watch you burn me out of the Authority too.”

“Then so be it, Casey,” Stephanie looked at me, “Consider yourself out. You interrupt any of our plans, and I will see you punished in any way I see fit.”

I decided to get into the ring and I slapped her. I was not going to make this easy for her to just ignore me. I was going to be a thorn in her side on behalf of Colby as he stayed at home with Tyler while he worked on recovering from his injury.

“Casey,” Hunter yelled at me as Stephanie cowered behind him, “Consider yourself suspended for the next thirty days. Now get out of my ring!”

I smirked as Roman wound up for a Superman punch. Hunter followed my gaze and turned towards Roman, leading to Roman hitting him right on the jaw. I high fived Roman, making it known I had made peace with him. I climbed out of the ring and made my way backstage.

I went into my locker room and I checked my phone to find that I had a missed call from Colby. I called him back immediately as I began to pack up my things to get out of the arena for the night before getting on the first plane out to Davenport to return home to my two favorite men.

“Hey Thea thanks for calling me back,” Colby greeted me, “I was watching you in the ring and I am so proud of you. That slap was great. I think I saw Steph’s head spin.”

“I had to do right by you,” I replied, “Even if we were feuding. Anyway, seeing as I’m suspended, I’m going to be getting on the next flight home in the morning. And then I’ll be home with my two favorite boys.”

“I can’t wait to have you home,” he laughed, “Then I don’t need to have my mom over every day to help me with Tyler and baby me all day.”

“You do know that I will baby you when I get home, right,” I asked him.

“It’s different when it’s coming from girlfriend and not my mother,” he countered, “I feel like I’m six-years-old again.”

“Don’t worry,” I chuckled, “I’ll be home very soon. But for now, I’m going to let you go so I can go find my rental car and get to hotel so I can get some sleep before my flight tomorrow. I love you, Colby.”

“I love you too, Thea,” he replied, “Stay safe and I’ll see when you land.”

I finally landed in Davenport and I was so excited to be reunited with Colby. I missed him ever since he had to stay home due to his injury. I hadn’t be away from for this long since before Tyler was born, even then he was able to visit me nearly every week before tours would start.

I dragged my bags behind me as I went over to the carpool lanes where I was going to be meeting up with my mom to get a ride home. Holly opted to stay at mine and Colby’s place to help look after Colby and Tyler before I got home and I would take over.

“Hi mom,” I greeted my mom with a hug as I got to her car, “Thank you for coming to pick me up from the airport.”

“Not a problem, Thea,” my mom kissed my forehead before taking my bags and loaded them into her trunk, “Now let’s get you home. I’m sure Colby will be happy to see you again.”

The ride home was quick and I was happy to see that my boys were in the living room to greet me. Colby was standing, using his crutches to stand as he held onto Tyler. I immediately took Tyler into my arms and earned giggles and coos from my little boy.

“Welcome home, babe,” Colby hobbled over to me and planted a kiss in my hair as I held Tyler between us, “We both missed you terribly.”

“I can imagine,” I hummed as I set Tyler down to let him crawl around on the floor before I wrapped my arms around Colby’s waist, “How are you holding up?”

“He’s been a moaning pain in the butt all week,” Holly called as she came out of the kitchen, “Welcome home Thea. How was your flight?”

“Mom really,” Colby groaned, “Ignore her, that’s what I do.”

“That’s why I have to do this all the time,” Holly pinched him on his bicep and earned a whimper out of Colby, “I’m going to head home. If you need anything, Thea, give me a call.”

And like that, she was out the door. I helped Colby over to the couch and propped his leg up on the coffee table to get him comfortable before I tucked into his side on the couch. I hummed as I basked in the feeling of being home at last.

“So what do you want to do,” I asked Colby as he wrapped his arms around me.

“I just want to relax and maybe watch a few movies with you,” he replied, “I’m exhausted from not being able to sleep due to the pain in my knee.”

“Do you want me to heal your knee,” I asked him, “That way you won’t be in so much pain.”

“No,” he replied, “I’m more than willing to let my knee heal the normal way. I like having a chance to be at home for a while. I get to finally be home with my son.”

“That’s fair,” I replied, “At least let me ease some of your pain okay.”

I channeled a calming aura into the room, aiming to ease his pain. I set the aura to linger through the entire house and to stay around without draining me of my energy. It was an advanced spell I picked up from taking care of my own bumps and bruises from being in the ring.

“Now,” I got up from the couch to grab Colby’s Xbox controller and the TV remote, “How about you pick out a movie and I will make us something to eat.”

[iamrheaspeaks]

per·i·pe·tei·a 2

Erik x OC! (Morrigan)

Word Count: 1.9k

Bold text: Erik

Regular text: Morrigan

Warnings: None

A/N: Idk why my crazy self just had to include DTG knowing I hate it but here’s a reminder DDHHMM(Z)MON meaning (day, 24 time, local, month). Here’s Part 1 if you need a refresher. As always lightly proofread/ edited 💋

The Beginning:

150847UMAR

Target: Morrigan James

28yo 61.23kg

Identifiable Marks:

•Raised lateral scar/ left shoulder above armpit

•Roman soldier’s uniform shoulder pad tattoo/ left shoulder cap

•Emperor’s Crown tattoo/ behind right ear

•Tiny cat silhouette tattoo/ inner right wrist

Occupation: Case Manager/ Human Services

Mission: Deep Cover Surveillance

Morrigan flies out of her apartment to a used Mitsubishi Galant. It’s black on black minus the silver tire rims and front grill. She’s supposed to report to work at 0930. Morrigan stops at the coffee shop five blocks up the road while I hang back outside. The windows of the coffee shop are large enough for me to see everything from inside the Standard Issue Saab Truck they gave me. When she finally emerges Morrigan is balancing 6 cups of coffee and large brown paper bag. After finally maneuvering everything into the car she finishes her trek to work. She’s definitely something.

March 15 9:35am

Target: Erik Stevens/ N’Jadaka Udaku

30yo 225lbs

Identifiable Marks:

Keloid scars/ Range unknown

Occupation: Special Ops / Deep Cover

Erik arrived in town late last night. Judging by the looks of it he’d spent most of the night staking out my apartment instead of sleeping. A man determined. Something told me when his file hit my desk that Laila wouldn’t be the right one for the job. She is lethal and a hard-ass however, Laila can’t control her switches when angry or cornered. She’d blow the mission in an instant and this has to be long term. Erik won’t open up if the trust isn’t there. Plus, judging by the way Laila keeps staring out the window I made the right decision sending him after me instead. It’s 9:45am when Erik finally pulls off down the street, no doubt headed to his cover job. ‘Have a good first day Professor Stevens.’

151936UMAR

Morrigan and two female coworkers are having drinks at a Mediterranean Wine Bar named Porto. It houses a lot of culture-based décor. Antique knick-knacks and brightly colored, hand-painted tiles could be seen all around.  Not wanting to draw too much attention to myself it took awhile to scope out a good seat. The bartender serving the back of the house must’ve been new. She kept over pouring portions and confusing drinks. If it wasn’t for her being so personable I doubt anyone would come back to Taylor. I could see all the exits and most of the patrons from where I sat. Morrigan seems normal. Most of my surveillance of her so far just yielded information I already knew. Basic job, raised in a two-parent household, doesn’t appear to be living above her means. Definitely not a threat. ‘Why are you so important?’

March 15 7:40pm

Laila, Claire and I try not to let on that we see Erik keeping a watchful eye from across the bar. We discuss where best to take the residents on their day out after the weekly house meeting. Like most teens they liked the mall except Landon, he hated everything about the place and would often decline going all together. Which left one of us stuck at the residence with him watching the same bad comedy movies till our ears bled from the sound of his shrill laughter. Lately I didn’t mind because it gave me time to brush up on Erik before his arrival but one could only take so much.

 Present:

071725UJUN | June 7 5:25pm

“I don’t know what you think you know bu–”

“Erik Stevens. Born in the ghettos of Oakland, CA. Mother died in prison and father murdered.” She paused noticing Erik’s demeanor shift slightly. If she didn’t have his attention before Morrigan certainly had it now. “Got bounced around after that but, for the most part stayed on the straight and narrow. Immediately shipping off to Basic Training in the Navy and later graduated M.I.T. with a PhD in Engineering. Am I right so far?

“All common knowledge baby girl.”

“You’re right, allow me to share with you what else I know. And I knew before I found your box. Good hiding place by the way.” Morrigan giggled at the last part. It may have been underneath the floorboards but the box was literally in plain sight. Undetected until just the right moment. “You’re the lost Prince of Wakanda. N’Jadaka Udaku. The abandoned child that wants to burn the village to feel its warmth.”

Erik’s jaw and fists tighten. It’s one thing to relinquish control, it’s another entirely to question if it was ever his to give. “But you forget, I know who you are too.”

“That’s where you’re wrong my love. You know what I needed you to know, let me properly introduce myself. Morrigan Ebert. Born in the small town of Cromwell, CT. I was raised by The Major, the only thing I know about my real parents is they died in a car wreck.”

“The Major? Nabs kids and turns em into Sleeper Soldiers right?  What does The Major want with me?”

“Sleeper Soldier? That’s a first” Morrigan scoffed. “And nothing, he’s merely apart of my backstory.”

“You really tryin my patience.”

“Stop interrupting me and maybe you’d learn something!” Morrigan could tell Erik was surprised by her tone. Never having had that voice of authority used on him by her. “I thought this would be more fun but now I’m kinda bored. Look. Everything I told you is true. But maybe you’ll be more willing to believe it if I tell you my other name. The Djinn.”

Erik shifted in his seat after that. Either this chick was fucking crazy or she was who she said, which would mean that he’s been the one at a disadvantage. Erik was more comfortable believing the first one. He knew Morrigan. She’d look for her phone while she was talking on it. Climbed on the fucking counter tops to get shit from the top shelf. Morrigan coddles adult children for work. There’s no way this is the person he’d been secretly searching for. The person that could get Erik that much closer to his goal. How could he be sleeping with the likes of one of the most sought after, dark wish granters and not know it?! He sat in silence and waited for Morrigan to continue her monologue.

“Before you, the only person to know my identity as the Djinn was The Major. I don’t actually meet the people whose wishes I grant. It’s best if people don’t know who I am. But I knew as much as they fiend for the opportunity, none of my charges would truly be up to that task that was Erik Stevens. And I was right. That flash drive–” pausing to point at the piece of metal and plastic still plotted in the crevice of his jeans “holds all the details of your revenge. Your fantasy. And as much as I would love to help you overthrow the Wakandan government I don’t believe that’s what you deeply desire.”

“You really expect me to believe that shit? ANY of that shit? After you JUST told me you one of the kids Major made? That you had me from jump? Nah! Now I know you reaching. You don’t know shit about what I want!”

“First of all, I have no doubt that revenge is what you want. What I said was it’s not what you deeply desire. Those are the types of fantasies that I grant. Your confidence in the old ‘too good to be true’ mentality is what makes you a victim of it. Everything I just told you made me The Djinn. What better person than someone who was raised to be anyone and blend in everywhere? Or do you feel that because you know The Djinn’s track record that it couldn’t possibly have been orchestrated by the frail woman that curls up to your side in bed at night? Like I said before. Everyone has their weaknesses.”

Morrigan allowed Erik to sit there with his thoughts for a moment. She was analytical. And calculated in a completely different way than him. It wasn’t enough to know what a person’s next move was. Morrigan wanted to know why they did it. The root cause behind it. And if that was the case then what the hell had she gathered about him? If revenge wasn’t what Erik deeply desired then what was?

“I really can’t see ya little ass doing shit I’ve heard about the Djinn but putting that aside for a moment” sitting up placing elbows on knees he looked at Morrigan with piercing eyes, “Tell me. What is it that I deeply desire?”

Morrigan licked at her bottom lip while holding Erik’s gaze. “You want the same thing as every other black boy from the hood Erik. A way up and out of the pit. Just on grandeur scale because you know you were made to be more. However death and destruction has taken you as far as it can with that task. You just don’t see it yet. If you really want to expose the truth and prove your birthright you need to try a different approach. That is a wish I’d grant.”

“Mmhmm. So what you get out of this?”

“You in my bed of course. Although. I’d understand if you wanna sleep down here tonight.”

“No grand fantasy of your own you chasing after, Djinn?”

“I was the Djinn before you got your famous moniker. You don’t think the first wish I granted was my own?” Morrigan challenged with quirked eyebrow. “Despite what I said to you the first night I invited you in, I fell long before you showed up with that brooding face of yours.”

~ ~ ~

Morrigan was staring down into the most captivating pools of chocolate brown as they stared back up at her while she balanced on one foot. She wore a smile on her face thanks to the victory of taming the beast in her bedroom. Even if it were only for a moment. Morrigan ran her hand down her frame before breaking away at the hip of the leg that rested on his shoulder. Using her thumb to stroke his jawline tenderly before gripping Erik’s chin. Slowly rubbing her index finger over his Adam’s apple coaxing a groan of appreciation out of him as his nails dug into her thighs at the scent of her essence getting stronger.

~ ~ ~

“I would fall from grace just to touch your face.” Erik hummed silently under his breathe in time with the memory of that night. “Convince me. Prove to me that you’re the Djinn.”

“Alexis. Your Teacher’s Assistant. She’s one of mine.”

“The girl that damn near took me down running out my office when I shut the light off on her?”

“Her mom used to lock her in the closet for extended amounts of time to keep her from tainting her brother’s innocence. The older her brother got, the more intense her punishment.”

“Wait? The Closet Slaughter. That was you?! The Djinn isn’t even credited for that.”

“Yes, that was me. And it wasn’t done for credit.”

“I see...Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.”

Morrigan couldn’t help but chuckle before correcting, “Actually Erik, in Corinthians, the devil wasn’t transformed into an angel of light. He was disguised as one. But thanks for the compliment.”

“Well as helpful as this encounter has been I’m still seeking vengeance baby girl.”

“Then leave. Find someone who has no problem serving up the vengeance and death you seek. Wishes are for the living.”

Tags: @savagesensitivity @cancerianprincess @another-imaginesblog @loosewindmill @bidibidibombaclaat @muse-of-mbaku @chaneajoyyy @itsangeludaku @eriknutinthispoosy @im5ftbutmythroat66 @theunsweetenedtruth @blackpinup22 @fonville-designs @wawakanda-btch @scrumptiouslytenaciouscrusade @nickidub718 @dabluestsky

[queenklu]

So You Think You Can Dragon pt15: THE END

Part 1&2 | Part 14

I can’t believe we’ve made it. 

Int. Night Before the Battle:

Morrigan: What if I told you there’s a way to make sure the demon dies and it doesn’t kill you or Alistaire or Cannonfodder McDeadsoon (the third grey warden he doesn’t even go here)? 

Magnus: Heck yeah, sign me up! 

Morrigan: Fantastic, all you’ve gotta do is bang me.

Magnus: 

Morrigan: It’s genuinely no big deal, we’ll just conceive a child and then the demon when it’s looking for a host will jump into this infinitessimally small not even barely a cluster of cells 

Magnus: and then....you miscarry right and it’s dead that....way.......? 

Me: I can’t believe this game is sort of endorsing abortion but o--

Morrigan: Oh no the baby will be fine and grow up big and strong and definitely probably not evil? probably? 

Me: What in the FUCK is HAPPENING

Magnus: Okay but I feel like we’re glossing over the fact that I’m REAL GAY

Morrigan: does Zevran want you to DIE TOMORROW or bang one chick tonight? ;)

Magnus: I think we both know the answer to that but I still wish this game gave me the option to ASK

I let Morrigan know this is a garbage decision and I don’t want to do it, and she says the only other option is if she bangs ALISTAIRE. JFC. HEIR TO THE THRONE, DUMB AS A LABRADOR AND TWICE AS LOYAL, A L I S T A I R E

Magnus: Uhhh buddy? do you....wanttobangmorrigan?

Alistaire: da fuq

Magnus: you’rerightpretendineversaidanythingnevermindbye

Alistaire: Thank GOD you were joking HAHAHAHA

Me: oh my god what the FUCK do I do I AM NOT READY TO BE A FATHER

So. In the most cringe worthy bullshit thing I ever had to do in this whackado video game....for the good of THE WORLD.....I.........slept *gag* with Morrigan.

“that sure is the face of a guy who isn’t being coerced into sex” -- no one

I....just............Dragon Age why

Note: I did almost do all this bullshit for nothing bc some guy was all “Who do you want to bring with you on the last boss battle?” and i’m like “WYNNE” bc I figure we’ll need healing Real Bad and then Morrigan’s like “All that for nothing?? Well I’m gonna LEAVE THIS BATTLE RIGHT NOW” and i had to go back a save point -.-

Oh. You Know What Else I Found Out. In The Last Battle. 

I HAVE BEEN DELETING SKILLS TO FIT THE MOST IMPORTANT ONES THE WHOLE!!! TIME!!!!!!!!! I THOUGHT!!!! WE HAD FINITE!!!! SLOTS!!!!!!! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

“This is fine.” - Magnus

It only took me losing the first fight several times to realize there was a little box in the corner where I could call for help from the dwarves/men/elves who’d promised to help. Also with Morrigan’s lightning storm spell taking out all of the darkspawn grunts who walk into it and immediately die, so. Morrigan WAS good to have in the fight. 

AND ALSO the last battle had BASICALLY CANNONS and the dragon mostly held still and just got...shot. But not before chomping Grey Warden Cannonfodder McDeadsoon. 

I’m...honestly I’m just assuming the spirit thing worked and the demon jumped into Morrigan’s microscopic baby??? The graphics were real unclear. She also super bounced as soon as the fighting was done. 

And then...it was over. 

Alistaire offered me anything in his power, which was nice, but also not the bi-curious makeout session Magnus was hoping for. Wynne’s gonna stay behind and help him be king, which is GOOD, boy needs all the help he can get. Leliana’s off to fake!France, Sten is back to his homeland, asshole dwarf is going to drink himself to an early grave, and Zevran...

FLASHBACK TO THE BATTLE: 

Zevran: So...you’re not taking me with you? 

Magnus: I’ve got three slots, two of which have to be Morrigan and Alistaire, the other one has to be a tank, babe, and I think we can all agree that ain’t you

Zevran: True. Still, I would have fought with you...to the end. 

Magnus: Hey Zevran? I love you.

Zevran: [A DIRECT QUOTE] “Ah. Cruel to the end.” *moonwalks off to fight*

Me/Magnus: ....why 

END FLASHBACK / PRESENT DAY: 

Zevran: I’m probably going to get killed by Crows one day, even though we killed everyone who knew about me deserting, so I should probably move around a lot to keep that from happening

Magnus: ...kay

Zevran: But you’re going to stay here, right?

Magnus: Not without you.

Zevran: Then we stay. And we fight anyone who comes at us together, yes?

Magnus: *with heart-shaped tears dripping from his eyes* y-yeah *sniffle* 

What’s his name, Magnus’s brother who’s wife and kid got slain at the start of the game: Hey bro

Magnus: Who in the fuck are you

CREDITS ROLL:

AND LO, THE KINGDOM WAS MOSTLY OKAY. THE DWARVES WERE STILL MORONS WITH A BROKEN SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT THAT CRUMPLED IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE NEW KING DIED. BUT THINGS GOT NICER FOR THE ELVES IN TOWN, AND ALSO KIND OF FOR THE WOOD ELVES BUT A LITTLE BIT LESS. ALISTAIRE WAS A GOOD KING, WHICH SURPRISED EVERYONE. MORRIGAN WAS NEVER SEEN AGAIN (OR WAS SHE) AND SHE WAS MAYBE PREGNANT (WHO SPIED ON US). UHHHH NOBODY ELSE GOT MENTIONED. I BET THEY DIDN’T WANT TO TELL ME THAT ZEVRAN AND I DIDN’T WORK OUT IN THE LONG RUN. LOOK I KNOW HE’S WILD AND FREE AND ALSO NEEDS ALL THE THERAPY. OH AND I GUESS THE CIRCLE’S DOING OKAY. DAGMA THE DWARF GOT A SHOUTOUT BUT NOT STEN OR LELIANA. HISTORY FORGOT ABOUT THEM I GUESS. THAT’S BULLSHIT. ANYWAY. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE ACADEMY, AND ALSO MY DASH FOR PUTTING UP WITH THESE RAMBLING RECAPS OF A DECADE-OLD VIDEO GAME. I’D LIKE TO PLAY THE NEXT ONE NOW THAT I’M AN ~EXPERT.~ AND I GUESS SINCE THE GAME DIDN’T GIVE ME MUCH OF AN ENDING I’LL GIVE MAGNUS ONE MYSELF: HE LIVED A GOOD LONG LIFE, LONGER THAN ANYONE EXPECTED, AND WHEN HE AND ZEVRAN LOVINGLY PARTED WAYS HE FOUND A GOOD OL’ BOY WITH WAY LESS BAGGAGE AND LIVED HAPPILY EVER AFTER, AND ONE TIME ALISTAIRE GOT DRUNK AND SMOOCHED HIM AND GOT ALL BLUSHY AFTERWARD BUT DECIDED THEY’D BE BETTER AS FRIENDS. 

THE

END

[emeriethevalkyriegirl]

Nesta Archeron (Harry Potter AU)- Chapter 27 (The Dragon Egg)

Summary: Exposing the truth about Tamlin is a must. But nothing like a short baby dragon break won’t change.

January 24, 2002

8:42pm

Yeah, sneaking out of your Hogwarts house in the middle of the night isn’t really the best idea. Especially when you know that if you get caught, all of your Hogwarts points will be taken. But for Nesta, Emerie, and the Bedara twins, that wasn’t the case.

All four girls had concluded that they need to talk to Eris about what they’ve found. They would’ve done it sooner but classes have been getting harder and harder to pass. Not to mention being in a classroom where the Professor is a stone-cold eye staring brute.

Nesta and her friends were not in front of Eris’s hut that was just in front of the Forbidden Forest. Nesta knocked on the door. “Eris. It’s me, Nesta.” Almost immediately, the door opened to reveal Eris. He looked down on the girls in confusion. “Eris, we need-”

“Sorry girls. I’m unavailable right now.”

“But-”

“Not now girls. Maybe tomorrow.”

“We know about the Sorcerer’s Stone.” they all said, sending a terror of fear down Eris’s spine.

Sighing through his nose, Eris reluctantly let them inside. The was a bit smaller than the last one. It had a fire place, coffee table, a couch, a rug, a bathroom, and a tiny kitchenette.

Eris waited until the girls took off their cloaks to speak. “Are you girls seriously still on this case?”

“Eris, we know Tamlin’s after the stone.”

“And even if he was, why would he steal it?” Eris asked, as Nesta sighed this time. “I said it before and I’ll say it again: Tamlin is one of the teachers protecting the stone.”

“One of them?” Nesta questioned as Emerie facepalmed. “Of course. That means that they’re other teachers protecting the stone too.”

“You got that right, young Illryian. Waste of time though. Nothing’s getting passed Fluffy.”

“Why’s the pot rattling?” Gwyn asked, pointing to the pot that was cooking on the fire.

Everyone turned to her direction. Indeed the pot was rattling, It was making a rather tapping sound too. Eris laughed. “Just in time.”

Eris put his bare hands inside the pot and pulled out a giant golden egg. Eris quickly placed the egg on the table, the girls following him as he walked. The egg was still making the tapping noise.

“Um Eris, what’s that?” Nesta asked, looking at Eris like a lost puppy.

Eris would’ve answered her but Gwyn beat him to it. “I know what that is. But, how did you get it?” she asked as Eris answered with a broad smile. “I won it. From a stranger actually.”

The egg’s tapping rhythm became faster and faster. The egg burst apart causing the other’s to scream a bit.

The girls looked and what they saw, left them utterly speechless.

It was a dragon. A baby dragon. His wings were leather like Emerie’s and his leather coat was golden with a few brown patches.

After a moment of silence, Emerie was the first to speak. “Is that...a dragon?”

“That’s not just a dragon. That’s a Norwegian Ridgeback.” Catrin explained as Eris scratched under the baby dragon’s chin. “Hey there, Norbert.” The girls covered their mouths to muffle their giggles. “Norbert?”

“Laugh all you want, girls. It’s a good name.” Eris defended as Norbert accidentally burped, causing a fire ball to burst in Eri’s face. “GAHH!” Eris yelled, sending the girls into shameless giggles.

Eris was about to comment on how they should all be in bed, but he stopped short. “Who’s that?” he asked as Nesta turned her head. She caught a flash of black hair and pale skin. It was a person. The person also had wings on her back, so she was an Illryian. Nesta caught onto her shocked face before she ran off into the night. “Morrigan.”

[sarah-bae-maas]

A Court of Hearts and Darkness Chapter Twenty

It’s been over a century since the epic and bloody war against Hybern, but a new, unprecedented horror lies in wait to threaten everything the Inner Circle holds dear.

At a mere 17, it seems that the only one who can save them is the Heir to the Night Court, Feyre and Rhysand’s daughter Eleana, but as a creature so vile promises to kill everyone she loves, she must combat the urge to succumb to the darkness herself. The key to success lies hidden within her mate, the bastard born Kaden, who is as oblivious to the bond as her Court is oblivious to the war on the horizon.

With the help of her cousin and warrior Felix, the son of the famed Nesta and Cassian, they will try to save everything they hold dear, hopefully before the darkness takes them all.

(previous to this chapter, acowar had not been released. So, as you can imagine, there are some slight differences. Thank you for your support either way!)

Link on Ao3 Masterlist

1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10 11 12  13  14  15  16  17  18  19 

***

-Chapter 20-

All Kaden could hear was a loud ringing in his ears. He couldn’t move, and twigs stabbed into his skin like miniscule knives. His skin was hyper aware of every feeling on him: the individual blades of grass, the warm breeze, tiny insects skirting over his flesh. For the life of him he could not open his eyes. They were so heavy, and the harder he tried the more difficult it became.

He succumbed, again, to unconsciousness.

_____

At Rhys’ message of a miracle, Mor abandoned her post at Velaris. She left the guards where they were on the slight chance something could go wrong, and then fled to where the rest of her family was residing. Rhys had been unclear about what happened. The baby, Theodosia, was stillborn. And then, only minutes after but what felt like a century, she cried. And cried and cried and cried.

And she was alive.

Mor didn’t understand, so as she burst into Felix’s home the first place she went was her husband. He was in the guest room Nesta had given birth in, and he was standing pressed to Rhys. Rhys had Laya in his arms, his daughter sickly pale. Feyre was kneeling next to Nesta and Cassian who held their baby girl, and standing in the corner was Elain with Quathryn in her arms.

Felix was nowhere to be seen.

Azriel looked up at her entrance, his shoulders slumping as he greeted her by embracing her to him tightly. Mor returned his hug and kissed his mouth quickly.

Outside.

A single whisper in her mind, and from the stiffening of Azriel, he must have heard it too. The voice belonged to their niece, and Mor looked at Eleana with an eyebrow raised. The girl really didn’t look good. She was shaking in Rhys’ arms, and he face had lost most of its vibrant colour. Mor saw Laya try and speak, but her mouth could barely move. Rhys was smoothing back her hair, probably mistaking her weakness for fear or fatigue.

Kaden’s outside.

Azriel looked confused at the words, so Mor patted his shoulder and whispered she would go look. She hadn’t seen Kaden since he’d done his trials with the Elite, but Azriel had sent her a message before this whole debacle telling her how wonderfully he had done. In celebration, she bought him a new suit, one as fine as what the male members of the Inner Circle would wear to a formal event.

She winnowed to the veranda and started to look for Kaden. He would likely be around the back, so she leisurely walked around to find him. She was happily humming to herself, but choked when she was met with the sight of him sprawled on the grass unconscious, his nose bleeding and his wings limp.

She rushed to his side and rolled him onto his back. She pressed her ear to his chest, listening for his heartbeat and breath, and when hearing them nearly sobbed in relief. Her hands went to his face, and she pushed back his hair, and shook him slightly.

“Hey there,” she whimpered.

He groaned in response, and her heart leaped at the sound.

“Don’t talk, okay? Just let me – let me heal you a little bit.” She surged her magic through him, but it didn’t seem to be doing anything. Kaden was still clearly in pain. The only thing she succeeded in doing was stopping his nose bleed.

“Mor?” He rasped.

She shushed him and continued with her work, growing more frustrated.

“The baby?” Kaden’s voice was as dry as the desert, and he managed to move his hands enough so he was holding the bottom of her dress.

“It’s a little girl.” She was on the verge of screaming for Azriel, but she didn’t want to make a scene.

She was considering running inside long enough to grab Rhys so her cousin could heal her boy, when three figures approached her from the darkness.

She growled at them but cut herself off when she saw it was just Felix and two of his Elite. “What happened here?” She hissed.

“I don’t know. He’s fine though, just burnt out.” Felix said as the two figures stepped forward to grab Kaden. Mor snarled at them until they raised their hands and backed off. Felix, however, wasn’t having any of that.

“Go inside, Mor. I’ll deal with this.” He said calmly.

“You don’t tell me what to do.”

“If you stay here with him Rhys will come looking for you, and what do you think he’ll do when he does? I assume you’ve seen Laya, which means you know that she is one step away from joining dear Kaden on the floor. What do you think the High Lord would do if he found out it’s because his daughter was being used like a puppet by a male that he does not know? Worse, who do you think left him like this? Kaden was taking care of Quathryn, and now she’s in the arms of Elain. Leave, Mor. I have this handled.”

The two Elite did not dare come closer to the Morrigan. Felix rolled his eyes and stepped forward, pushing away her hands and lifting Kaden up by under his arms. He hauled Kaden over his shoulder with one arm supporting him, the other waving to create wards around them. The other two males drew their swords and flanked Felix protectively.

“Where are you taking him?” She seethed.

“Somewhere safe.”

“He is safest with me.”

“If you left people would get suspicious. Luckily for me, the only one who would notice my absence is Eleana.”  He cocked his head to the side and started backing away.

_____

At some point in the night, Eleana had fallen asleep. When she awoke, she was tucked into Felix’s bed with her mother was reading a book next to her.  At hearing her wake, Feyre put down her book and smiled at her daughter. She put a hand on her forehead and kissed her cheek.

“You’re still running a fever.” She clucked.

“A fever?”

“You had your father worried last night. You fell asleep standing up. Luckily, he was there to hold you. I think you’re sick.”

Eleana’s whole body was aching, but she knew it wasn’t because she was ill. It was because of the way Kaden used her body last night, the bond between them still so blurred that she was also feeling the effects of his burnout.

“How’s Nesta and Cassian?”

“They’re over the moon. What we saw yesterday…” Feyre let out a loud breath. “I’ve never seen anything like that before. Maybe Thea is just showing early signs of magic? I don’t know, either way we’re all very grateful.” Feyre stood up, straightening her jumper and brushing off her pants. “Breakfast?”

“Where’s Felix?” Eleana countered. She couldn’t bear the thought of eating right now, her stomach churned at the thought. She needed to see her cousin though, to make sure he was alright and to make sure he was helping Kaden.

“He went to the share houses this morning with Quathryn. Little Thea was up all night, quite the lungs on her, and Quathryn was getting irritable. Hopefully she can have a nice nap before she comes back and is officially introduced to her new sister.”

As much as it pained her, Eleana say up and swung her legs over the bed. She was immediately met with an array of dizziness, but she didn’t let it stop her from standing. “I’m going to skip breakfast and go visit Felix. I’ll see you later.”

She went to walk, but Feyre grabbed her elbow to make her holt. “If Felix is upset you call Cassian straight away, okay? You don’t have to deal with his emotions on your own.” Feyre kissed her forehead quickly. “You can skedaddle now, Laya. I’ll save you some pancakes.”

Eleana smiled at her and walked away. She waved to her family as she walked in the longue room, intending to leave right away. Rhys insisted on hugging her first though and making her eat at least some fruit. Mor stared at her and looked like she wanted to say something, but she didn’t. Considering Eleana had told Mor to get Kaden last night and she was now here, Eleana doubted the topic of conversation would be about anything but that.

Eleana used what little energy she had to fly to the share houses. When she arrived, she went to the children’s home, knowing Felix would’ve taken Quathryn there to sleep. She walked in, and was instantly greeted by children milling around preparing for their day – hired staff following them and helping. There was a strange congregation outside one of the doors, a bunch of them on their toes with their ears pressed against the door, some holding weeds they’d mistaken for flowers.

Eleana stood behind them and knelt so she was the same height as them. “What are you listening for?”

They jumped at the sound of her voice, but looked happy to see her.

“Felix came last night!” One said excitedly. “And he brought Kaden, but he’s feeling unwell. We want to help him feel better.”

Eleana nodded. So, coming here with Quathryn was a front. Good to know.

Eleana thanked them and tried to go inside.

“Excuse me Lady Eleana, will you please give Kaden these? We picked them just for him this morning.” The voice of the small girl was timid, and it made Eleana’s heart warm. She held out a handful of weeds, and Eleana graciously accepted them.

She went into the room and was met with the sight of Kaden buried under a multitude of blankets, Quathryn sprawled on top of him, snoozing away. Her mouth was open and she had started to dribble, but Kaden didn’t notice. He was too deep in conversation with Felix.

Eleana cleared her throat to get their attention, and their gazes snapped to her.

“Laya.” Felix smirked. “There are Elite surrounding this whole building and yet none of them thought to warn me you were here. I’m not sure what to think of that.”

“Last I checked I out-ranked you.” She joked.

“That may be true, but I also have them guarding my home, and Mother knows it’s full of very powerful, very tired, very highly ranked fae.” He stood up and gave her a hug before picking Quathryn up from the bed. She whined slightly, but as soon as he pulled her closer to his chest she stopped. “I’ll leave you two be.”

He left the room, cheering and then quick hushes from the children outside happening in his wake.

Kaden was looking at her with pain laced on his face, and she wasn’t sure if it was from last night’s ordeal or because he felt guilty.

“I swear I didn’t know it was you, Eleana. I’m so sorry. I would never invade your mind like that. I – I don’t know what happened.” He gushed.

She didn’t reply right away, but rather started striping away the many layers of blanket covering him.

“What are you doing?” He asked her.

She stayed silent, and when she had peeled back the blankets and he was before her in nothing but a pair of short bottoms, she climbed in next to him. She laid her head on his chest and hooked her legs on his, wanting to be as close to him as she could. It took a few moments, but he curled around her too and snaked his arms to hold her body tight.

“What are you doing?” He asked again, his voice now a whisper.

“I’m sleeping next to the man that saved my cousin’s life, whom I love very much.” She kissed his chest and closed her eyes. All she’d done lately is sleep, but she thought she deserved it.

“Is that how you truly feel?” He ran a hand down her back, and when it came up again it had slipped under her shirt to touch her skin.

“Without a doubt – indefinitely.”

_____

Eleana supposed it was about time she did something productive with herself. She had bathed Quathryn and clothed her in a new outfit, and even snuck off to Velaris to get Kaden some more clothes from Azriel’s house. Felix had left to go meet his new sister properly, but the Elite were still stationed at his home on the off chance something happened. They were very discreet though. You wouldn’t know they were there unless someone told you.

She and Kaden left the share house together after helping give lunch to the children, all of them so enthusiastic when it came to Kaden. They absolutely adored him.

As they walked, no particular destination in mind, Kaden kept giving her weird glances. She had shut him out from her mind, needing to have it to herself for a while, so she had no idea what it was about. He would come clean eventually, he always did. He kept opening his mouth as if to say something, but always promptly shut it when she glanced his way.

The silence wasn’t terrible, just calm.

They walked into the market, buying some shawarmas. Eleana underestimated how messy it would be and groaned every time the garlic sauce dripped down her front. Kaden would just laugh and reach forward to help her clean herself. At one point, he ran his thumb across her bottom lip and popped it into his mouth, tasting it straight from her.

They rounded into an alley to get away from the crowd. There was a courtyard ahead, and you could easily hear a commotion going on. Eleana’s curiosity led her to follow the sounds, and Kaden’s affections for Eleana caused him to follow her.

In the courtyard were two Illyrians, one normal male and, surprisingly, one of the Elite. They were making snarky and lewd comments towards a group of females who looked to be in an aerial unit.

The member of the Elite was Alistair, a male significant in Eleana’s past, and Kaden stiffened at her side. She disregarded it though, she had no time for their feud when the three males were making the women so obviously uncomfortable.

“Hello, how are you?” Eleana approached one of the woman, wedging herself between the female and the sleaze talking to her.

The female looked relieved at the sight of Eleana. Eleana somewhat recognized her from training, but the female clearly knew who she was.

“I’m quite well, Lady Eleana. What brings you here?” She held out her hands which Eleana took in her own. There was nothing better than women standing by other women, except being friends with them.

“Had to get my man some food. Males are rather grumpy when they’re hungry, wouldn’t you agree?”

“Definitely.”

They smiled at each other, but the moment was ruined when Alistair placed a hand on both their shoulders.

“Now this is what I want to see. Tell me, are women this friendly when they share beds? I’d be willing to watch if you showed me.”

The other male roared with laughter, and Eleana curled back her lip in disgust.

Eleana didn’t regret her brief time with Alistair, he was far less cocky before he rose in ranks in the Elite. Since then, he had been insufferable, and that was one of the main reasons their tryst hadn’t lasted. That, and she was a young fifteen-year-old and he was older than her mother.

“Oh Alistair, if only women had as little self-respect. I don’t know what’s smaller, my tolerance for your behaviour or your dick. Both are rather miniscule.” She wanted to hiss it at him, but she kept her poise because she knew delivering it like that would have a harder blow.

The women had gathered behind Eleana and the female she had just conversed with. You could tell from their weary faces that they were just here to rest in between sessions, and that the males had been bothering them for a while.

“Why are you even here?” Eleana asked Alistair. “The Elite have been summoned and sanctioned.”

“We’re taking it in twelve hour shifts. Weirdly enough, not once did I see Kaden there. You putting it up Felix too? Why else would you have gotten first row so quickly? Must be wondrous in bed.” Alistair winked suggestively at Kaden.

Kaden didn’t blush or falter. He remained as he was, not deigning to respond.

“Leave, Alistair. Nobody wants you or your friend here. Just let them eat. Not everything has to be about conquests.”

One of the women behind her squeaked as the other male skirted around the group to pinch her behind. She hit him away, but her fighting skills were inconsequential compared to his. The females had trained to be assets in the air, not on the ground – something her parents had been battling tooth and nail to change for a century.

“Stop it.” Eleana thrust out her darkness and tied his arms with it. He grunted and tried to escape, but it was futile.

“It is their duty to us. We men keep them safe while they raise the children. It is the least they can do.” The shackled man sneered.

“What they do with their body is no duty, and is entirely up to them. I suggest you leave immediately.”

“They don’t have to want it for us to take it.” He remarked, a revolting smile on his face.

Eleana was flabbergasted. Did this man just insinuate that he had the right to rape a woman?

Maybe she could have controlled herself if he had just been an ass, but that – that – she didn’t need her magic at full strength to punish him.

“Draw your swords.” She nodded at the females to step back, and with fear in their eyes from years of being unjustly preyed upon by men, they did. They were a young unit, still trying to find their way in a sexist society, and Eleana couldn’t fault them for their feelings. They were not weak.

Alistair and his crony laughed. “Really, Eleana? You’re going to take us both on? As fun as that sounds, I’m not in the mood.”

“Neither were they when you decided to think with your dick instead of your mind. Draw your swords, or I’ll fight you without them.”

Alistair snorted but they did as she asked. Alistair seemed fine, but nerves had started to wind their way into the other one who she had let free of her magic. She didn’t need her darkness to beat them without mercy.  

Alistair went to say something else, but before he could she kicked him square in the chest, so hard that he faltered back. She followed her kick by shoving the hilt of her sword in the temple to the male on her left. He blocked it, but that only gave her enough momentum to step forward and elbow him so hard in the nose the bone cracked. She then quickly, but with much ferocity, punched him in the throat.

He snarled at her, but she sidestepped his oncoming punches. Alistair approached her from behind, so she tucked the next swing from the male, turning slightly on her heel so she could pinch Alistair’s thigh. Her fingers clenched so hard that even through his pants his flesh tore.

He gasped in pain, but she didn’t stop there. She swung a hard uppercut into Alistair’s jaw, and then slashed her sword at the male. There was a satisfying swish as her Illyrian blade slashed through his shirt and left a bloody cut across his stomach. If she had angled her sword even a little more, she would have gutted him. She would give no killing blows today though. She would only use enough severity to teach them a lesson. She was a woman, and she was strong and proud and no male would ever effect that.

The male backed off in surrender, raising his arms and dropping his blade. Crimson blood was flowing freely down his torso, and he probably needed to seek urgent medical care. If only Eleana cared enough to summon a healer.

At the sight of his friend backing off, Alistair did the same, making a clapping noise that in training meant your opponent was tapping out.

“Piss off.” Eleana barked.

The two did as they were told, and skulked away.

Eleana smiled at their retreating backs and turned back to the females. “I’m sorry to disturb yo-”

“Who taught you to fight like that?” One asked with nothing but awe in her tone.

“Mostly my cousin, Felix.”

Their faces slightly dropped at her answer, and she wondered why.

“Oh. We were hoping it might be someone who could teach us. Felix Warbringer though… I could never approach him. He’s too,” she waved her hand, “superior.”

“That’s not the case at all.” Kaden stepped up beside her, but a respectful distance away. “Felix would welcome you if you asked for extra training. He would do all in his power to ensure you had the best possible.”

“One of those males was Alistair, is he not in the Elite?” Another woman asked. It was a valid question. How could you respect a commander whose soldiers treated people like that?

“Alistair has already been demoted.” Kaden answered her. “Not just that, but Felix has the upmost respect for women and their value in the camp. I doubt Felix was aware of Alistair’s attitude, and when he finds out justice with be duly served.”

She looked at him sceptically.

“Tomorrow Felix is set to rearrange the Elite from the outcome of yesterday’s events. You should approach him afterwards. Tell him I sent you and what you want. If he can’t help you, he will do everything in his power to find someone that will. I promise.” Eleana suggested.

The women looked at each other, a smile beginning to grow on all their faces.

They agreed, and Eleana said her goodbyes before leaving them. As her and Kaden started walking again, he gave her more of the funny looks from before. She was about to demand answers, but first he said, “Eleana, can I talk to you in private?”

She cocked her head. “We’re in a market. Maybe we can go to your tent? I don’t know anywhere else that would offer privacy.”

“I do.”

_____

He winnowed them to a field opening in the forest. Nearby was rushing waterfall, a large lake and stream rushing off it. The trees were all willows, and the grass hadn’t yet dried from the harsh summer heat. Eleana smiled at the sound of nearby birds and insects, and breathed in deeply the fresh, unstained air.

“How did you find this place?” Eleana kicked off her boots and socks so she could wiggle her toes in the soft grass.

“This is where Felix taught me to swim.”

“I didn’t know Felix did that.”

He shrugged like it was no big deal, and then turned his back on her.

Eleana thought he was about to say what he had been holding in all day, so she let him stand while she sat and combed her hands through the grass.

And then,

And then,

He turned so quickly his wings blew a gust of air in their wake and knelt in front of her. His hands cradled her face, and he pressed a gentle kiss to her lips.

He kissed her.

So slowly, so tenderly it was like they had all the time in the world. The kind of kiss he would’ve given her if he had been raised knowing how to love, the kind of kiss that was so filled with passion it made her heart ache. The kind of kiss that made her shed a tear, because he knew, very well, that if he kissed her it meant that she was wholly his, and he was hers in return.

He pulled away, but only far enough to rest his forehead against hers. He was panting slightly, and his hands were shaky on her face.

“Kaden?”

“I already knew it, but then you stood up for those girls, and I knew I needed you more than this. That I couldn’t bear it if I lost you just because I was impulsive with my magic or reckless with my feelings. Or if you moved on and I never got a chance to tell you how I felt, and tell you how stupid I’ve been when it comes to you. I was so worried – so worried about what might happen to you if you were with me. But Cauldron have mercy, you can defend yourself. You don’t need me doing it for you.”

He pressed his lips against hers again, and then made due with kissing away the tears on her face.

“I’m not sure what you mean.” She said slowly. She wanted to hear him say it, needed to know he wasn’t going to change his mind.

“What I’m saying is that I love you too, and I can’t imagine facing this ruthless earth without you beside me. Can’t live without your darkness, and your light, and your love. I love you, Eleana, and I will show you until the end of my days how eternally grateful I am the Mother gifted me with you. I am grateful for every single moment in my life if it means that I ended up here with you.”

She was still, and she was in disbelief. Was this real? Or was this the most horrific nightmare she’d ever have? Would she wake up and no longer have him?

She wrapped her arm around his neck, but didn’t kiss his lips. Instead, she nipped at his neck and earlobe, a gentle rumble letting loose from her throat. “Show me,” she purred in his ear.

He obliged.

He put his hands under her thighs and hitched them forward, making her lay on her back. She giggled at his touch, her legs now wrapped around his waist while he loomed over her. He folded his arms across his body and slowly took off his shirt, knowing she would enjoy the view. He chucked it away, and she let her hands wander free across all the dips and curves on his muscled abdomen. She leant forward, and kissed the skin just below his belly button, sucking until she left a small bruise in her wake.

When she was satisfied with her work, she dismissed her wings so she could take off her clothes easier. She went to get her shirt off, but stopped as he grabbed her wrists. “I’ll do it.” His voice was gruff, and he stared at her like he was going to devour her whole.

She nodded and let her arms fall. He disrobed her slowly, letting his fingers skim her body as he took in her appearance. When it came to her pants, her heaving chest completely bare, he let his fingers wander and graze sinfully over her core, but never quite hard enough to be anything but teasing. She squirmed on the ground, not satisfied with only seeing his torso.

“I need more of you,” she whispered.

“You can have it all.” He was still on his knees in front of her, and deftly removed his pants. She could already see his was straining, but as his length sprang free from its constraints her heartbeat thundered. Oral sex was not something she enjoyed giving before she met Kaden, but there was something about knowing that she would pleasuring him, and only him, unselfishly, that made her mouth water at the sight of him.

Her hand idly started stroking him, and his eyes rolled back in pleasure and he emitted a low, wonderful noise from his throat. She started taking him in: the wonderfully broad shoulders, the wavy blonde hair, the strong jaw line, his powerful thighs. And was that his tattoo? She knew of its existence, he had told her as much, but he had never let her see it. It was inked on the exact place she had bitten him that night in the stable, and it had gotten infected as soon as he’d had the tattoo done.

She continued her work on him with one hand and moved closer to see it. The puncture marks from her teeth had scarred, and were surrounding the tattoo like a border. The tattoo itself was a lovely rose that colours ranged from black to red.

Dark Rose – the name he had appointed her with their first night together.

“Ah, yes, that.” He cleared his throat and she could see a blush blooming on his neck and chest.

She moved so she was on her knees in front of him, and stopped her stroking so she could cradle his face in her hands. “I love you.” She kissed him.

“I love you too,” he moaned against her lips. “I’m sorry I took so long to realise. But fuck I love you.”

“I would’ve waited a century for you, Kaden. An eternity.”

He kissed her again, and then gently pushed her back so she was flush against the grass. “Bring back your wings.” He murmured.  

She did as he told, and stretched them out beside her. He looked at them ravenously, and wasted no time in hitching her legs over his shoulders and thrusting into her.

She was soaked for him, but the sudden sensation was still like a bolt through her. She cried out, not caring how much noise she made as he pulled in and out of her. He was quick with his thrusts and had his hands around her calves as he held her legs up. One of her hands was braced behind her head, tearing up the ground in an attempt to grab something, while her other hand deftly started to work the bundle of nerves at her core. It was not the first time her fingers had strayed at the thought of the male in front of her, but this was the first time she could actually watch him worshipping her while she touched herself.

Between the stimulation inside her and her fingers, it was only two minutes before her walls were clenching around him and she was screaming his name. He moved her legs off his shoulders and back around his body. He came forward and smothered her screams of pleasure with a rough kiss, his cock still moving inside her.

“Today is all about you.” He nipped at her jaw. “Whatever you want it yours.”

“I want you.” She breathed.

“How do you want me?” He removed himself from her completely and she whimpered at the loss of his warmth. “Do you want me like this?” He kissed down her chest, taking his time when he came to her peaked nipples. He teased them with his teeth, licking over the small hurts whenever he switched sides. “Or do you want me like this?” He kissed further down her stomach, taking care to leave love marks behind. She loved how he was marking her – wanted to have the marks on her body to prove this was real. “Or is this better?” Her back arched and she choked on a gasp as his tongue took a single swipe up her core, smoothing from her entrance and ending with a kiss to the skin just above her clitoris.

“I want you – I want you to um, Oh Kaden.” Her breathing was heavy and she fisted his hair with her hands.

“How about that last one?” He dove back into her, feasting on her. He unwrapped her legs from around him, all the while drowning in her. He moved her legs apart so she was spread wide before him, and as he swiped up her again his fingers prodded at her entrance. Her wings tingled with the sensation, and she found herself moving them against the grass to release some of the tension in them. They were begging to be touched, and if she ever regained back the ability to speak real words she was ask Kaden to touch her there.

Her legs were quaking, unable to control her body’s movements. Kaden knew exactly what to do with his tongue. And his fingers… her body curled every time they did.

“Do I taste good?” She joked just before her body convulsed again.

He lifted his head away from her and smirked. He moved up her body, his movements predatory like he was about to eat her alive, and gave her a messy, open-mouthed kiss, his tongue tickling the roof of her mouth and brushing against her own. She could taste her juices on him, and was not repelled by the flavour. Kaden certainly enjoyed it. He kissed her jaw, and then growled lowly in her ear, “Get on your back. I can tell from a mile away you want me to focus on your wings.”

She happily did so, stretching herself out so her ass was in the air. She turned her head to him, and he had a smirk plastered on his face. She stuck her behind out more, teasing him, and drew in a deep breath as he lightly spanked her.

“We’ll get to that later.” He purred. He licked then kissed the red mark on her, Eleana squirming in delight.

She laid flat and rested her head on her arms.

Firstly, he ran a single finger along the base of her wings, and then followed it immediately with his tongue. As he explored every crevice of them with his fingers, he made note of where she moaned the most so that’s where his mouth could go next.  

Eleana had never found completion from just her wings being caressed, had never let a male touch them the way Kaden was, but in a few short but very, very agonizing minutes, her body was shuddering as she climaxed again. She had to bite her arm to refrain from screaming his name, but he reached around and pulled her mouth free – wanting to hear his name as she called it from her lips.

Bless whoever decided multiple orgasms should be possible – whoever gifted them to the holy female body.  

Kaden stopped playing with her wings there, and Eleana was dismayed that he hadn’t come yet, not even once.

She turned over again and beckoned him forward. He braced himself over her casually, content to take his time. When he kissed her next, it wasn’t rough. There was no clashing of teeth or wrestling of tongues. It was still passionate, but slow-burningly. He was not hurried with her, and as he kissed her he caressed her cheeks with the pads of his thumbs.

“Kaden?” Eleana said as he worked his way down her neck.

“Mm?”

“Will you still love me tomorrow?”

He stilled at her words, and looked her in the eye as he said, “I will love you for the rest of my immortal days, and then again as I brace the Other Side while I wait for you to join me. I will love you until Velaris is nothing but ancient ruins in a world where the name Prythian is a myth, until the Wars are nothing but stories in the expanse of time. I love you, Eleana. I’m sorry I kept you waiting, but I needed time to find out who I was before I could commit to you. There is still so much I have to work on, but it would be my honour if you were at my side while I did.”

She wrapped her arms around him and clutched her to him in a hug. He buried his face in the crook of her neck, and breathed in her scent. The scent that was now marvellously entwined with his own.

The blasting heat of the sun rained down on them, and they were both becoming slick with sweat. Neither minded though, not if it meant they were close together. Eleana took off one of the many glamours on her magic, and let the light simmering under her skin shine the way it had been begging to since the first throb of her core caused by Kaden tasting her.

He started to kiss her skin again, making his intentions of feasting on her clear as the sky, but Eleana stopped him.

“Are you tired? We can just lie here, I’m happy if you are.” He rested his head on her stomach. He was lying comfortably between her legs, and looked awfully good, and cocky, while doing it.

“That’s not it.”

He looked up at her with his onyx eyes. That look alone made her core start to glisten again, and she knew it would take but one touch from his mouth to be screaming again.

She fingered his hair, lazily pushing it back and forth. “I want you to take me as hard as you can, until you’re roaring my name loud enough for the whole court to know you’ve claimed me. I want you to unleash yourself on me, and I don’t want you to stop until I’m a whimpering mess and you’re completely and utterly satisfied. Do you understand?”

His eyes were alight at his command, and he leant back until he was on his knees before her.

“As hard as I can? I don’t want to hurt you.”

“Destroy me, Kaden.”

She could see goose bumps start to line his flesh, and saw his throat bobble as he took in her words.

“Okay. On your knees, then.” He watched her she did what he said. She turned to face away from him and settles on her elbows on knees, a lovely arc in her back from where she presented her behind to him.

His hands rested on her behind, and he leaned over and kiss the base of her spine. The anticipation was killing her, and she shifted in suspense.

She wasn’t expecting him to lower his lips to her again, but let out a loud moan of pleasure as he did. He went on for what seemed like eternity, but eventually replaced his mouth with his quick fingers. His lips didn’t stray far though, but moved to kiss the surrounding parts of her body. He was kissing her behind when suddenly, without warning, he bit her ass hard enough to draw blood.

The feel of his teeth in her flesh made her body ache with pleasure, and her moan was pure animalistic fae.

He didn’t give her a chance to recover when he sheathed himself in her, rocking her body forward and making her breasts bob. She braced herself on one arm and used the other to kneed herself, eyes fluttering shut at the feel of his mighty length inside her.

Kaden snapped his hips back and forth and he reached a hand forward to tangle itself in her hair and pull it. It meant she wasn’t rocking as much, and her throat was delightfully bared, and the feeling of him holding her in place like that was incomparable.

He groaned her name as his tempo became faster, and his prayers of her name matched her cries of his.  The hand that wasn’t ravelled in her hair was roaming her body, and came to rest on her exposed second hole. That area of her body had remained untouched by a man, but her curiosity had her thrilled at the prospect of him entering there too. He stopped his thrusting for a few seconds, but only long enough to get his wandering finger slick with her juices, commencing again as soon as he deemed his fingers wet enough. It didn’t take long; her body was rushing for him. His pace was slower this time, and as he played around her other hole she squeaked in glory. Then unrushed and without hesitance, he pushed a single finger inside her.

She gasped at the sensation of him filling her two ways, and her breathing became heavy as he moved his finger in time with his member. The feeling was… a new one, to say the least, but not unpleasant. There was just something about her being so full of him, that made her core ache.

His pace became quick again, and he growled with pleasure. Eleana was panting beneath him, begging him to go faster, and harder, and to consume her.

Between his pounding and his fingers, she was a trembling mess. She was so weak from fulfilment she could barely hold herself up. Her body was relishing in it, and her head hung low as she yearned and simpered for more. Kaden let her hair go, instead holding her hips so they aligned perfectly with his. His progress became slower, and from his twitching in her she could tell we was close to completion.  

She was close to a third, or was it fourth, fifth orgasm? She’d lost count, when he pulled out completely when they were both on the precipice. She involuntarily whined at the loss of contact, and let out a surprised ‘Oh!’ when he flipped her over again so she was sprawled on her back. He lowered into her without explanation, this time more gentle and tender than anything else from the day.

He didn’t need to explain it to her, because she could see the reasoning written on his face, and felt it mirrored in her heart.

Kaden wanted to look at her when he came, wanted to see the way her mouth uplifted slightly before turning into an uncontrollable smile as little sounds escaped her throat as she climaxed. And she wanted to see him, her beautiful mate, as he roared with ecstasy when he found utter completion.

_____

Kaden rubbed at Eleana’s back, laughing at the green grass stains that covered her skin. Before, he had been too distracted to notice it, but oh, was it quite the sight. They had decided to swim in the small lake to cool themselves down, and Eleana had started to get uncomfortable from the sticky feeling on her back.

After they had made love in the water, her legs around his waist as she rested their cheeks together and rode him, they decided they should also clean off. It was clear what they had been doing, and Eleana didn’t want to go anywhere near her family smelling of sex.

Kaden thought that was fair enough.

“How’s it looking back there?” Eleana asked him.

He lightly pinched her thigh. “Looks great to me.”

“I meant my back.” She snorted. She bobbed down in the lake and swam away from him and closer to the waterfall, only her head above the water. This place would always be an oasis for him now, and never would he forget what they had done here today.

“I guess this makes you my lover.” She grinned.

“I’ll be anything you want.” He called to her.

She laughed and ducked under the water. She would come up again eventually, she could stay under there for hours between her water and wind magic. The first time she had done it she was under for five minutes, and Kaden freaked out. She’d apologized, but also laughed at his reaction.

He swam to the edge of the water and hitched himself up on a rock that jutted out over its surface. His legs were still in the calm rush, but his body was now fully exposed to the mercy of the late midday sun. He closed his eyes and basked in it.

He heard scampering from behind him, but wasn’t fazed. You couldn’t go to the forest and expect to not see any animals.

Eleana popped up again, and he waved at her. The smile she gave him in return was so full of intimacy and adoration that Kaden mentally kicked himself for not biting the dust sooner to just be with her – regardless of any consequences. The last few hours with her had been full of such joy, and the thought of him having that for all conceivable time to come… It was a happiness he never expected to have.

“Hey, Kaden! Guess what?” She shouted.

“What?”

“I love you!” She sang to him.

He splashed water at her. “I love you too. Now come sit with me.”

She glided over to him, and settled herself between his legs but still in the water. She rested her head on his knee and closed her eyes. She was still very tired, and would hopefully sleep well enough tonight that no nightmares plagued her.

The rustling in the trees became louder, and Kaden glanced that way to see an inhuman, weathered hand snap back into the underbrush, a present left behind. Kaden smiled to himself – the creatures of this forest really couldn’t help themselves, could they?

He reached backwards to get what was left behind, Eleana lifting her head at the movement.

“What is it?”

“You’ve received another gift, my lady.” He handed her the two gifts.

They were strange rings, both black stone with no ornamentation. They could’ve been necklaces, but they looked more like collars than jewellery.

Eleana weighed them in her hands, slight frown on her face. “Do these feel strange to you?”

She gave them back to him to inspect, and he had to agree with her. He couldn’t name the feeling, but now that he was centring his attention on it he couldn’t help the sick feeling that overcame him. He also noted that the stone, although black, was a different one than usual.

“I think we should leave.” Eleana said under her breath. She grabbed his hands and winnowed them back to where they had abandoned their clothes. They threw them on and disappeared back to camp.

Leaving the collars behind.