#the same cauldron that loves our flower girl

[devi1sange1]

Two of the sister mountains have been explored. Two of the Archeron sisters have been explored.

One of the sister mountains has not been explored. One of the Archeron sisters has not been explored.

The math is mathing.

#elain archeron #pro elain #the math is mathing #the math feels simple to me but idk #also why was the cauldron on top of ramiel..? #what’s the connection there #the same cauldron that loves our flower girl

[kaimxri]

Means To An End

Lucien x Reader (she/her)

Part II Part III Warnings: ooc Azriel Wordcount: 3K A/N: I'm thinking of writing a part two to this depending on the reaction this gets:)

Azriel had been clear on the rules of our ‘relations’. We are not dating; we do not stay the night and we certainly do not discuss our feelings. Although, he has never been discreet about his own emotions. I almost believed my name to be ‘Elain’ with the number of times he moaned out for her during our nights spent together. I tried to bring it up one night, but his sharp glare cut me off before I could finish my questioning remark. I was simply just a body to warm his bed. Not someone with feelings. Of which I had gained for the spymaster.

Azriel would rather spend his time pining for a female who was clearly stringing him along than to look at me. The girl who had clawed her own heart out to make space for him.

When Azriel wasn’t inside me, he was avoiding me. Acting as though my very presence did not exist. Instead, his days were spent pandering to Elain’s every need. She called; he came. They spent time together tending to her garden. He would bring back seeds from distant courts. Even going as far as to breach Spring Court borders to retrieve flower seeds that he said would grow to compliment her eyes.

Her garden bloomed as did his love for her. They were a perfect contradiction, a perfect match. She balanced him out whilst he made her stronger. If it weren’t for Lucien, I am sure the pair would have bonded in some way. But alas the red-haired male stood in his way. At least he held some respect for her intended.

Though I am certain he curses the cauldron for giving what he believes to be his to Lucien.

When the night comes and she eventually brushes off his advances, he would crawl into my bed and pretend as though she felt for him as he did for her. Whilst I would pretend he felt the same for me.

Of course, I never said anything about our situation. If he knew of my feelings for him, he would end our arrangement before I could explain. Or if he already knew he never said anything. Perhaps that made him a bastard. To keep taking advantage of me when he knew I would hurt myself only to pleasure him. And perhaps that made me a fool. But I was in love. I knew his cold exterior was simply a front to keep others from prying too deep, but I couldn’t help but wonder what delights lay under his stone surface.

The little cracks he lets shine through during moments of unbridled joy bring me great happiness. The grins he lets slip when training with Cassian, the sleepy glaze over his eyes during his evening reading or even his little skip he does whilst running down the stairs on good mornings. He truly is the most beautiful male I have seen. And he does not see me.

The inner circle had noticed a developing distance between the spymaster and I but had not commented on it. Perhaps they didn’t know how deep our roots ran, how we spent our evenings only to act as if the other simply never existed. Or maybe they did know of the things we did behind closed doors. If they did, they probably felt some semblance of pity for me as they knew of Azriel’s affections towards Elain. But I didn’t want nor need their pity. I knew where I stood with Azriel, even though I wished I could be held a bit closer to his heart. Whilst the others are embraced in the warmth that is Azriel, I stay planted outside the stone walls of his being.

During the fourth month of this torture I found myself out in the garden in the dark of the night. Memories of that morning had bullied their way into my mind, leaving me restless and heartbroken. Mor had organised an evening out to Rita’s to celebrate having mentally survived our recent trip to Hewn City. I had spent all day preparing myself. Doing my makeup to perfection, braiding my hair in the way Azriel had complimented when we had first met. My dress was everything. The same sapphire blue as that of his siphons, shimmering in the light. The fabric flattered my body making me feel worthy.

I was practically skipping down the stairs of the town house, whistles from Cassian and Nesta reaching my ears making my grin widen more than I thought possible. Once I had reached the hallway, I had given a small twirl. Nesta showered me in compliments whilst Cassian touched the braids in my hair. My giggles died down and my heart skipped when my gaze landed on Azriel. His black shirt and dress pants hugged his frame, showing off the hard work he put into maintaining his body. As my eyes flew across the expansive pains of chest towards his godly face, my heart fell into my stomach. For Azriel had never even looked at me.

I had felt like a gem, until the second eldest Archeron sister appeared.

She glided down the stairs with the elegance of a doe. Everyone’s attention had fallen to her in her baby pink gown that hugged her slight frame. The colour of the dress amplifying the ruby flush crawling up her cheeks. Adoring word after word poured from Azriel’s mouth. Like a cascading waterfall of love, he was hoping for her to swim in the depths of it. Make her feel surrounded by his love and only his love. However, the presence of her yet-to-be mate hovering at her side dragged her from the waters of affection. Leaving her cold and unsure.

Oh, to be her. To have two males waiting for her to simply give a glance in their direction. If only she would choose already to spare them the inevitable heartbreak. Or maybe she would never choose. Simply keeping them both to herself. With tight enough leashes to have them wanting more but never being able to leave when her affections stray too far in the opposite direction. Not being able to take anymore, I winnowed to Rita’s. A half-baked excuse of wanting to get an early start on my night of drinking gaining attention from everyone but the man who unknowingly holds my heart in his hands.

The night droned on, the drinks blurred together. I barely remember dancing with an unknown fae male before a scarred hand is reaching for me in the crowd. Shadow enveloped me as lips fell upon my own. Barely registering the faraway look in Azriel’s eyes, as we fell into my sheets.

Before I knew it, it was over. Azriel had finished and left without a word. The last thing he had said was her name as he reached his peak. I was left in my wet sheets, holding a blanket to my chest. The interaction had sobered me. Moving around my room, blindly picking up my discarded clothing and re-dressing myself. I emerged from my bedroom and ended up on a stone bench of the garden in which Azriel had nursed his love for Elain.

“Why am I doing this?” I had thought out loud. Perhaps I had thought the Gods would answer me, give me advice on how to banish the male from my heart and my head. To give me an antidote to the heartbreak that is unrequited love.

“Why are you doing what?” The Gods had heard my indirect plea. I registered the voice as that of Lucien, Elain’s supposed mate. At least he would know what it feels like to love someone and not have them love you back.

“Funny you should ask Lucien; I don’t believe you of all people would have the answer.”

“Should that offend me? May I ask why I ‘of all people’ wouldn’t know the answer?” He sat next to me on the bench, shoulder to shoulder. I could smell the fae wine on him, but it was clear he was not drunk. Perhaps Elain had brushed him off too and he had left Rita’s early.

“Why do I love someone who does not love me back?” Silence followed. I did not expect him to answer for it was a difficult question. Even outside of a mating bond that has yet to be accepted. Many fae, even mortals, knew nothing of love. How one person can be so completely in love with another that sees them as nothing the same. It’s one of life’s great mysteries. I had felt slightly bad for asking Lucien that question as I knew my situation was nothing like his. At least I had a possible mate in the future for when Azriel inevitably rejects me. His mate however seems to be toying with the bond, leaving him in a grey area of hope and despair. We sat in the silence together for a while, staring at the stars hoping they would give an answer to our woes.

“Hope.” Was all he had said. The word lingered in the silence a while more until he stood and left me with nothing but a kiss on the forehead. I had stayed out not much longer than that. Making the decision to step back from Azriel. He had become a drug and I was addicted.

That night as I slept, I dreamt of my life free of Azriel. Perhaps I would find my mate. I would love him, and he would hopefully love me. We would be married and live our lives together. Maybe we would have a few children and we would get to see them grow into beautiful, intelligent adults. And I would never have to think about Azriel again.

Waking up that next morning I was filled with hope. Spending my day reading by the hearth. Romance novels, of course. Until Azriel walked in through the front door. His face was stoic, and he simply nodded his head towards the stairs. My resolve crumbled, and we ended up in my sheets yet again. I sobbed that night. For me, for my future. Would I ever be over Azriel? Could I truly ever move on? I came to the realisation that night that I could never move on from him if I saw him as often as I already did. I proved to myself today that I wasn’t strong enough to deny him the pleasure he seeks. Realisation washed over me; I need to get away.

It didn’t take me long to decide where I was going to go. The Day Court had always welcomed myself and my friends, Helion being a true friend at times. The court had also been my favourite place to be (besides Velaris) and felt like a second home. The warmth of Day would distract me from the now cold shadows that linger in the night, haunting my heart.

My bags were packed by the afternoon, but I wanted to wait until the next morning to leave. I was not brave enough to tell the others I was leaving so instead I was leaving a simple note. Not mentioning my deep feelings for Azriel, only a brief explanation that I was feeling overwhelmed and needed to deal with my emotions alone. That I needed space from them all and that I may not be returning. Leaving them all behind was going to be devastating but I needed to do this before I destroyed myself.

Midway through writing the note I was interrupted by a knocking at the door. Panicked that it was Azriel coming over to yet again take out his frustrations on me, I threw the papers to the side. Forgetting about my suitcases that remain leaned against my desk, ready for me to grab and leave when the morning comes.

“Come in” My voice was strained from hours of not using it. Cursing myself for sounding weak. As the door creaked open, it was not Azriel on the other side but Lucien. I silently thanked the Gods that it was not the male who was ruining me coming to seek me out.

“I had hoped to catch you before you went down for dinner. I wish to discuss our conversation from the night before last.” His posture was hunched, and his hands were wrung together. My concern for my friend grew and I ushered him inside and to my bed. We sat together for a while as I waited for him to unleash the thoughts swimming around his head.

“I too ask myself the same question you do. Why do I do this to myself? Why do I hurt myself wanting Elain when all she does is push me away?” My heart broke alongside his. He had leant his elbows against his knees and dropped his head. He looked so small. Lucien had never looked small before. Even when Elain started to initially show feelings towards Azriel, he always held strong. I had always admire him for his strength in the face of true pain.

“Well, it’s like you said Luc. Hope.” He scoffs.

“Do not make me laugh Y/N. We all know that if it weren’t for the bond, she would have rejected me and accepted the shadow singers advances by now. I am simply here because she pities me and does not wish to hurt me by rejecting the bond. I just wish she would get it over with so I can stop clinging onto this so-called hope.” His words had cut through me. As much as I had hated to admit it, he was right. If the bond had not happened Elain would be with Azriel by now. I would be free of him. None of this would ever have happened. When my eyes fall upon my friend again, I feel tears forming in my eyes. He had been through so much and out of all of my friends I believed he was the one who deserved true love the most. He does not deserve to be dragged along by this bond and a hopeless female.

“Well, why don’t you reject the bond?” His head shot up. Almost in shock that I had the audacity to suggest he destroy his one chance of having a soul twined mate.

“Are you insane, Y/N? Why would I do such a thing.”

“Well, it’s like you said. She does not want to hurt you by rejecting the bond. So, why don’t you do it? At least it would be on your terms as your idea and your choice to do so. To hell with her I say. She has strung yourself and Azriel along for a long time now and it is unfair to the both of you.” Lucien rolls his eyes at the mention of Azriel, almost as if simply just his name is enough to cause irritation to surge through his body.

“Are you saying this because you believe I should do this for myself, or because it would help out the shadow singer? I am not stupid Y/N I know of your affections for him.” His accusations make me almost enraged. If he wasn’t a heartbroken male on the verge of possibly having a rejected mating bond, I would have let loose and let him know exactly what I thought. Of how ridiculous that accusation is. Why would I want to push the man I love into the arms of another? Why would I want to remove the one blockade keeping him away from the one his heart desires? I do not want to do that.

“I am suggesting that for you, Lucien. You are my friend, and it pains me to see you go through this every day. Yes, I have love for Azriel, but does it not occur to you that this would be pushing him to Elain rather than to me? Do you think that is what I want? No. But I want to see you happy. You deserve it more than anyone I know and seeing you like this… Well, honestly my friend it is disheartening to say the least.”

We sit in another silence, as expected. Rejecting a bond is a big thing. Not a choice that you can come back from. If he were to do this, he would never have a chance with Elain again. Especially not with Azriel sitting and waiting for her to turn to him and tell him all he’s been waiting to hear. On the other hand, if he did this it would give him an opportunity to find a love of his own. One that has not been chosen for him by fate itself.

“If-if I did this. If I rejected the bond, what would I do then? I would have nowhere to go. I left Spring Court to be here with Elain. I’m not sure I’ll be welcomed back there. I’m only in Night Court for Elain and once the bond is rejected, I will not be welcome here either. Especially if I reject the bond. Could you imagine? She’s so frail still, I would be chased out of here and banished before I can even say the word ‘reject’.”

“Lucien… Just come with me. I am leaving tomorrow to go to the Day Court. I cannot be here anymore wallowing in these feelings as all I am doing is hurting myself day in and day out. We can leave and start fresh. Forget about the both of them. I know this is extreme, but gods I cannot do this anymore. ” His eyes lock with mine once more, moving back and forth almost as if he is trying to read me. I notice his gaze falling behind my shoulder to my packed bags leaning against my desk.

“Gods, I am so sorry Y/N. I’m such a selfish male I did not even notice those. You are truly leaving? Why did you not say anything?”

“Because I only decided to leave today. I am tired of being means to forget. I leave tomorrow morning, you are welcome to come with me.” He thinks for a few minutes, before slowly nodding his head at me.

“Okay. I will join you, Y/N. I will reject the bond and we will leave. Together.”

#acotar #acotar x reader #lucien x reader #lucien vanserra x reader #azriel #azriel x reader #azriel acotar #lucien acotar #acotar fanfic #acotar fanfiction #a court of thorns and roses #shadowsinger x reader #azriel shadowsinger #azriel fanfic #lucien fanfic #acotar fluff #acotar angst #vanserra

[the-darkestminds]

“Two of the sister mountains have been explored. Two of the Archeron sisters have been explored. One of the sister mountains has not been explored. One of the Archeron sisters has not been explored. The math is mathing. Also why was the cauldron on top of Ramiel? What's the connection there: the same Cauldron that loves our flower girl.”

I do understand some of it. Like the Cauldron loving Elain, and two of the mountains and two of the sisters, but I feel like Ramiel/Illyria still isn’t connected to Elain. And there’s nothing wrong with that. I really believe that Ramiel will be a main plot point in Azriel’s book (given he’s Illyrian) and tie in the Valkyries as well (and I think the Prison will also be tied in). Of course I could be wrong, but Ramiel/Illyria feels more like an Azriel/Valkyrie plot. Not even regarding ships, but just plots and arcs. If the next book is Azriel’s, then it would make sense, because we have unfinished business regarding Nesta, Gwydion, HOFAS, and all that.

If the next book is Azriel’s (with Gwyn as the other pov like Cassian had in ACOSF), it makes sense for Nesta and the Valkyries to play a big role considering what we were given with HOFAS. Not saying that it will solely be about Nesta, but I think the Valkyries stories aren’t over. Azriel hates Illyrians and it’s similar to how Bryce feels about the fae. Now I could be wrong and Elain’s book is next, but I think it’s actually Azriel’s. Regardless I’m excited for the next book.

You make some very good points anon! I don’t see Elain fitting in with Azriel’s arc. We already know she’s connected to the Koschei/Vassa plot and that has been set up for a while now. It could very well be his book next, especially considering the end of HOFAS and the bonus chapter in ACOSF. It did feel like she was setting him up to be the next main character. I think his plot will at least partially center around learning to accept himself and his people, maybe him coming to terms with his heritage, or making some great change to Illyria. But whatever his book is about I’m sure it will be exciting.

I just really want to see some progression with Koschei and Beron and Spring, so personally I am hoping Azriel’s book comes last because it feels like Koschei has been looming as a threat for a while. Also of course I’m biased because I want Lucien to get his HEA. Also more Lucien means I get to see more of Eris. 👀

And yes totally agree, I don’t think the Valkyries story is even close to over. I’m not sure why people would even want it to be over! I think they have so much potential for an epic plot and I’m excited to see where sjm takes it. Also I just love Nesta and Gwyn and Emerie so much 😩

#thank u anon #all good points #you might be right 👀 #pro gwynriel #pro elucien

[stargirlie25]

just saw someone on tiktok say Elucien aesthetic would be beautiful if Elain was a whole entire different women.

LIKE DID WE READ THE SAME BOOK? From what elriels gathered, Elain loves darkness,she will be high lady of dusk,she loves death,she wields a dagger at all times and she is a illyrian spy as if she did not refuse to wear illyrian clothes.

Using CANON Elain and Lucien, Elain helps flowers grow which would make sense for her to be with lucien because he is light and light helps things grow. He looks crafted from the forest whilst she loves nature. She likes to live a small peaceful life and lucien prefers to sit down and read in a peaceful quiet place. They both are underestimated. She gardens with gloves and he got her enchanted gloves because he somehow knows she likes to keep her hands clean. (she keeps her nails cut and wore gloves in acotar while gardening) They both literally throw up in regards to violence.

I was talking with an elriel in a comment section the other day and she said after i said Elain hates violence ´´Its called growth and Elain can learn to be strong when needed´´

The thing is, Strength varies in multiple different ways. Keep in mind Azriel does his job because it suits him. Does it suit Elain? No. You say it does because she keeps secrets and is quiet blah blah blah although does Elain Archeron want to stay in the shadows and hide? No she wants to make a clear difference. Literally Elain Archeron has never been in the role of a spy. She is not even foreshadowed to be one as Azriel.

Its sad, really. People who claim to be Elain stans will shape her and jab at her until she indeed is a whole different woman. They yap about how your anti feminism if you are not an Elriel buts its Elriels them selves changing everything about our girl.

The cauldron did not give Elain the dark,quiet,cold shadowsinger. The cauldron gave Elain her, her equal. The one who knew what she needed, the one who travelled a long distance because of Elains vision that no one really knew for sure was true, the one who gave her two gifts that perfectly align with what she would want:

pearls: She wore pearls on her hair just right before lucien gifted her pearls

Gloves: She hurt herself from not wearing the gloves lucien gave her because he knows Elain in fact does value cleanliness.

The one who spent time with her father who she loved so dearly.

Is it not ironic in ACOFAS ,Elain says Lucien does not know her yet he probably knows a lot about her!

The one who slaughtered his way across the battlefield to get to her.

The first one to give her credit for something she did while no one else did at the time.

The one who saved her younger sister from dying (multiple times)

Ship Elriel i don´t care but don´t pretend you are blind and cant see this.

#pro gwynriel #elucien #anti elriel #gwynriel #pro elain #pro gwyn #pro elucien #acotar #anti e/riel #pro lucien

[claudemblems]

Operation "Kiss the Girl" | Prologue: The Incident

Summary: Due to an unfortunate accident in alchemy class caused by Ace and Deuce, you end up getting turned into a mermaid. You only have three days to get your true love to kiss you or else you’ll stay a mermaid forever. Though that will prove quite difficult considering Azul has absolutely no idea you’re head over heels for him, but there's no need to worry. Jade and Floyd are willing to help, especially because they know Azul likes you, too. Let operation Kiss the Girl commence!

Genre: Fem!Reader. Lots of pining.

Notes: Inspiration for the beginning of this story comes from this fic. This part uses the same characters and a similar plotline, but the other parts will follow the storyline of The Little Mermaid film. I hope you all enjoy! Part 2 is (hopefully) coming soon 💜

Just when you thought that your adventures in Twisted Wonderland couldn't get any more bizarre, Ace and Deuce were there to make sure you never experienced a single day of normalcy. Their antics didn't usually bother you, but this time proved different. In your anger, you found yourself tempted to grab them both with your shiny new tail and squeeze the life out of them.

Yes, tail. As in, a mermaid's tail.

"I told you to stop grabbing the other potions and follow the instructions!"

"I was following the instructions! You were the one who insisted on summoning another cauldron for yourself because you don't trust me enough to do a project with you!"

"Last time we were in this class, you tried putting sugar cubes into the potion mix!"

"Yeah, because you decided to substitute grass for flowers because you smushed them in your bag on the way here. I wasn't about to eat dirty grass!"

"Quiet down, you troublesome puppies!" Crewel ordered with the snap of a whip. "Quit your yapping and help your friend that's like a fish out of water...literally."

Ace and Deuce quickly turned their attention to you, panic beginning to flood their faces.

"Prefect..." Deuce whispered, a hand hovering above the scales on your arm. "I'm so sorry we did this to you. We didn't mean to, but we're sorry!"

"We screwed up big time," Ace sighed, taking a seat behind you and holding your shoulders to steady you. "We shouldn't have let our frustrations get the better of us. But don't worry. We'll fix it! There's got to be a potion we can whip up to turn you back human again!"

"There is no such thing," Crewel interjected, sending ice cold glares the duo's way.

"Are you serious?" Ace groaned. "There's no way this kind of thing hasn't happened before!"

"There have been plenty of humans that have turned themselves into mermaids, and mermaids that have turned themselves into humans, but none of them have ever wanted to reverse the process. In other words, once the transformation has been completed, it cannot be undone."

"Of course. Why would anyone want to go back to being human?" Deuce sighed. "Mermaids are beautiful and powerful. No one in their right mind would want to change back."

"Well, except our Prefect here. Unless you want to stay a mermaid? It's up to you."

Ace immediately zipped his lips when you shot him a terrifyingly angry look. "No, I do not want to stay a mermaid. I'm trying to get back to my world after all. You know, the one filled with humans."

"Professor, there has to be a way to undo it!" Deuce cried. "We can't let [Name] suffer the consequences of our mistake."

"Yeah, there's gotta be something we can do!"

"Well..."

"Well?!"

"It seems that True Love's Kiss is your only viable antidote."

Ace and Deuce turned to look at each other in what could only be described as a mixture of disbelief and confusion.

"True Love's Kiss?" Ace shook his head. "Why would that work?"

"Because it worked for the Little Mermaid." Crewel grabbed a bottle of water from his desk and motioned for you to pour some on your skin as he continued his explanation. "After taking a potion to turn herself human, she had three days to get the prince to kiss her. Otherwise, she would return to being a mermaid. When she received her True Love's Kiss, the Little Mermaid became a human forever. That is how the story goes, and so True Love's Kiss is the only way to stop the Prefect's complete transformation."

"Will it really work...?"

"It will. True Love's Kiss can break many spells, and it can fulfill the wishes of the heart. If the Prefect desires to stay a human, all she needs is for her true love to kiss her. However, the Little Mermaid only had three days to woo her prince. It's likely that the Prefect also has only three days before her condition becomes permanent."

"Three days?!" Ace and Deuce exclaimed, holding their heads in frustration. "How are we going to find her a true love that will kiss her in three days?!"

"You two are rather bone-headed puppies, aren't you?" Crewel sighed, smacking their heads with the potion brewing instructions. "What makes you think you need to find her true love?"

"Because she doesn't have one! She would have told us otherwise."

"Is that so? The look on her face tells an entirely different story."

Your face burned as you felt Ace and Deuce's eyes on you, the wheels slowly starting to turn in their heads. You couldn't bring yourself to meet their gazes. Instead, you readied yourself for the onslaught of questions that were bound to tumble from their mouths.

And, of course, that's exactly what happened.

"You have a crush on someone???!!!"

"When did this start? How did it start? Who do you have feelings for?!"

"Enough," Crewel hissed, directing his attention to you once again. "You can ask your questions after you find some water for the Prefect. I'll cover you with temporary invisibility magic so you can get somewhere undetected. We don't need the entire college knowing about the precarious situation you've gotten your friend into."

"Yes sir!" the duo said in unison.

With a wave of his wand, Crewel surrounded you with a curtain of invisibility. Ace and Deuce wasted no time in gathering you into their arms, heading straight for Ramshackle dorm. The questions could come later--and indeed, they would bombard you with them. For now, their goal was to get you to some water before you became a shriveled up mermaid.

Ace, Deuce, you thought to yourself, I'm going to make you both pay when this is over with.

#ty to my lovely beta readers 💕 #twst #twst x reader #azul #azul x reader

[theladyofbloodshed]

Chapter 12 - Don't be scared, it is mostly fluff

Winter’s grip had slipped enough to allow a bright day in Velaris. It was cold enough still that they needed to bundle up in coats and scarves – which Azriel took great care in tucking around Nesta’s neck and into the front of her coat, peppering kisses on her skin as he did.

The atmosphere had changed. From those first rays of sun that signalled the demise of winter, everybody seemed to have a spring in their step. Each market trader they passed whistled or called out a chipper hello. Children were out with their parents, tugging their hands along.

‘This is lovely.’

Although the late February sun was thawing the world, giving way to the beginnings of spring, Nesta still felt a little uneasy. There were a few looks as they passed. Some looked away then back as if piecing together bits of a story. The Cauldron born sister who’d been ready to die with the general… but was now walking along arm in arm with the wrong Illyrian. Sensing her tension, Azriel squeezed her arm.

‘Our love is ours. It belongs to nobody else.’

If Nesta had said she wanted to return to the apartment, she knew that Azriel would not question it. He’d even winnow them rather than prolong it by walking. It was nice to be out. Not to hide. The apartment had begun to feel like a jail with the four walls compressing in on them. Nesta could not run back to it at the first sign of discomfort. It could become their sanctuary again, a home filled with love. Nesta squeezed the arm she held a little tighter.

‘Where would you like to go?’

‘I have never really been anywhere here,’ Nesta admitted save for the few taverns when she’d been too lazy to cook and they offered hot food at a handful of coins.

Azriel led her along the winding streets, quietly mentioning places they could visit or shops she might like. Nesta was happy to listen. Happy for him to steer them along.

‘George has asked whether I can begin working alongside him at his office,’ Nesta said. Her elderly neighbour had stopped her in the stairwell, asking whether she’d consider the employment alongside his son for a real wage rather than a pouch filled with coins stuffed through her letterbox.

‘That’s great news. Still managing the accounts?’

‘Yes.’

Azriel leaned in to kiss her temple. ‘I’m proud of you. Well done.’

‘I haven’t started yet. I might be awful at it.’

‘I can still be proud of you. And you won’t be awful. Don’t say such lies.’

They walked to the opposite end of the city. It was the most Nesta had walked, ever. They reached a set of gates that were propped open with a wide path running through the middle. Despite the season, all of the flora around them bloomed with colour.

‘What is this place?’

‘A botanical garden kept thriving by magic.’

It was beautiful. There were even bumblebees gathered on the row of lavender growing, butterflies swooping in front of them as they passed from one flower to the next.

‘One of Rhys’ ancestors supposedly planted the first tree here for his love.’

Nesta pulled Azriel in for a kiss. ‘And why haven’t you planted me any trees?’

His lips brushed against her ear as he murmured, ‘If you’re a good girl today, I’ll bend you over the counter tonight instead, how’s that?’

Their sexual appetite had been suppressed at Rosehall. Nesta was almost too scared to even kiss him knowing his mother was in the same house. She was still mortified that Rovena had seen them both in bed together even if they’d been drowsy and not long opened their eyes rather in the middle of a scandal. They had certainly made up for it in the couple of days since they’d returned to Velaris.

‘I suppose that’s satisfactory.’

Azriel let out a noise like he’d been struck. ‘Satisfactory? That’s how you grade me?’

‘Would you like a full report afterwards, Spymaster? I shall judge your stamina, the effort, originality, and of course, how many times I receive my pleasure.’

They walked through an orchard where trees dripped with ripe, swollen fruit. Azriel pulled Nesta in with an arm around her shoulders. A slow, creeping smile made its way onto his face. ‘When I’m done with you tonight, you won’t be able to think about anything but me for a week.’

‘Don’t make such rash promises.’

Azriel blew out a breath. ‘You’re in a teasing mood today. That’s alright. Whatever you give me now, I’ll give to you worse tonight. When you’re on your knees begging me to let you come, know that you started this.’

Despite being in public, despite everything else, Nesta nuzzled her face into Azriel’s neck and let out a satisfied little groan. She ensured that her breasts pressed against him as they walked, with him guiding her steps. ‘You wouldn’t be so cruel to me. And your shadows definitely wouldn’t.’

Nesta had tried her best to reverse her teasing but the male was more stubborn than her. Azriel kissed her simply on the head. ‘You’ll find out tonight, won’t you?’

There was a small vendor in the botanical gardens amongst the waxy plants from hot lands. She sold cones of spiralling pastry rolled in cinnamon sugar and almonds then filled with cream and melted chocolate. Nesta's eyes had gone as large as saucers when she’d saw them. Azriel indulged her whim, choosing to watch her devour it rather than have one for himself.

‘Apparently, they come from Illyria. That’s how they flog them here. But I’ve never seen them there,’ he said as Nesta got stuck in gobbling the edges.

‘It’s so good.’

‘Nesta, stop moaning like this in public,’ he urged, subtly adjusting his trousers. Shadows wreathed the bench they sat on.

The sugar rush was worth it as Nesta ploughed her way through half of it in record time. It dripped onto her fingers. The cream ran down her hands quicker than she could lick it off.

‘Help me,’ she begged before sucking a finger.

Azriel sat with wide eyes. ‘We’ll get called exhibitionists if I help.’

Nesta had never allowed herself to be so undignified in public before. Chocolate was smeared around her lips, sugar had dropped all in her lap, and she had eaten it with absolutely no manners whatsoever. But Azriel remained opposite her on the bench, eyes sparkling with amusement at the state she had gotten herself into. He’d take all of her; even the parts smothered in sugar.

‘I didn’t know it would be quite so messy.’

Azriel gave her one of his rare, true smiles. It lit up his whole face. He was so beautiful, like a hero from a story given flesh. His arm went around her again on the bench to draw Nesta close. With a sigh, he said, ‘My Nesta.’

His body warmed them enough to remain on the bench watching the world go by. And it was nice to let the world move past them, unhurried and undisturbed. Today was a declaration to the world that they were together – and always would be. It would garner wings, no doubt, that the Night Court’s shadow singer had entwined himself with the Kingslayer and spread maybe even further than the court’s borders. But Nesta never cared for gossip. The only one whose opinion had any value was sat beside her with his head tilted against hers.

‘I didn’t know this place existed,’ Nesta admitted on their final amble through the bark-covered paths of the gardens. ‘I should have brought Elain here when she was struggling. It might have helped.’

‘It might have helped,’ Azriel agreed. ‘But what you did was enough. More than enough, Nesta.’

It didn’t feel like enough. Enough would have been stowing Elain safely into Graysen’s arms the second Feyre and the Night Court left their home in the mortal lands. They should have anticipated an attack from Hybern. Enough would have been wrenching herself free from the sentry’s arms and somehow saving Elain before she was pushed into the Cauldron.

‘Hey,’ Azriel said, stroking her cheek. ‘Regrets will eat you up from the inside out. Don’t feed them.’

***

Although both of them preferred the quiet solitude that came with their home, neither was willing to return to it that day. Now that they could be out together without needing to hide or fabricate a tale, it was bliss. After hours spent in every shop Velaris had to offer – including the lingerie one which Azriel was more than happy to spend a fortune in – they finally strolled back towards their apartment. This female had him entirely under her control. He’d follow her off the end of the world. And she was currently mentioning how much she had loved his mother’s cats, and how nice it would be to have one. Azriel gave himself two days before he was bringing one home for her.

‘Oh!’ Nesta stopped in her tracks, turning her face upwards. ‘I know this song.’

She caught his hand and led him down a narrow street to a grimy tavern where music seeped from the open doors.

It was bigger inside than it appeared from first glance, but each table was full of revellers including plenty of lesser fae. The band itself was made up of them; the music was traditional folk music full of fiddles and brass. None of it put Nesta off. Her face had loosened at the first few notes of music she’d heard and her expression had given way to one of relaxation.

They stood with their drinks against a wall. Azriel kept an arm around Nesta’s front as she leant back against him, sipping her ale without scrunching up her nose. Never would he imagine that Nesta Archeron would choose ale, let alone drink it without a fuss. It was cold and crisp. Nesta had slurped the foam top the moment it was in her hands.

Azriel could almost see all of those defences she built slipping away for him. He was privileged enough to see the Nesta who didn’t need to be prim and proper. If she belched in front of him that night, he’d probably laugh himself hoarse after her mess with the pastry. This was a Nesta who was allowed to try new things without judgement, to be the person she wanted to be. And he loved all of her.

When she finished her drink, Nesta didn’t burp. But she did do something else that surprised Azriel entirely.

She began to sing along with the band.

It was a popular enough song that hearing it for five hundred years had ingrained the lyrics to his own memory, but he didn’t even know how Nesta had come across it. She tapped on his hands that were around her waist. She swayed within his arms. Her body tipped back against his as the words spilled out from her lips.

Azriel was mesmerised by her.   

He crossed his arms over her body, keeping his scarred hands on her shoulders as Nesta tipped back her head to look up at him. She continued singing, a smile turning up the corners of her mouth as she did. Her voice was beautiful. Even when she forgot a line and snorted before starting again, Azriel could have listened to Nesta sing all night.

When seats had become free, they joined a table despite the recognition in the group’s eyes as they settled. Late into the night, Nesta had joined their conversations in between lulls of the songs then eventually Azriel did too. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been out in Velaris and spoke to its people in a non-official capacity. They stayed in that tavern for the entire night until the wearied landlord tossed them all out into the cold streets.

Full of ale and cheer, Azriel carried Nesta home in his arms. She refused flight, swearing her drinks would slosh too much in her stomach – and she was not in a hurry to get back to the apartment with winnowing.

‘I didn’t know you could sing.’

She squirmed a little. ‘Everybody can.’

He rolled his eyes. ‘It was lovely.’

‘If I’m to be a bard, it shall only be in taverns.’

‘I will sing to shadows and you can sing to wearied travellers over a tankard.’

‘A career I’m considering.’ Nesta looped her arms round his neck as Azriel continued carrying her.

With a smell of alcohol on her breath and a flush on her cheeks from the cold, Azriel had never seen Nesta so natural and carefree. She kissed his face in a pattern then he realised it was to the tune of the last song they’d heard, kissing on the beat.

‘I wish I could take you to the Spring Court. Historically, they’ve always been the best at music. Most of the songs we have in Prythian came from there.’

Nesta sang to him under her breath as she closed her eyes against his chest.

‘Or maybe we can get you an instrument.’

‘I play piano. Or I did. And the harp.’

The moment Azriel stopped walking, Nesta forced open her eyes. They were at their front doors of the apartment building – so was Rhys.

‘Why are you here?’

Gently, Azriel settled Nesta onto the ground and put his body in front of hers. He had been too distracted, hadn’t thought to check for any threats in his city. A hand stayed pressed to Nesta even behind his back as Azriel swept the vicinity for signs of Cassian.

Rhys held up his hand. ‘I just want to talk.’

‘We met yesterday.’

‘For work,’ Rhys said. ‘I don’t mean any trouble, Az, you know that.’

‘Then why are you here at this time?’

Rhys picked off lint from his jacket. ‘Because I’m trying not to go in your head and find you that way to give you space. But I’ve been here three times today and you’ve not been home. I just want to talk. To both of you.

‘We’ve been out,’ he said flatly. ‘I don’t appreciate you keep coming here, Rhys.’

It was Nesta who said, ‘It’s alright. We can talk inside.’

Her fingers linked with his and she brought Azriel’s hand to her lips to kiss it. Rhys remained watching their tender gesture then indicated for them to lead the way. Azriel kept his body behind Nesta’s. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust Rhys per se, but he wouldn’t risk Nesta in any way.

Azriel waited for Rhys’ lip to curl. For him to make a comment about the apartment – about its damp stairwell or cracked ceiling – but none came. He and Nesta had tried to make this one more liveable. Soon, they’d buy somewhere bigger where they had more space, maybe a library for her, a cushioned reading nook in the sun. Whatever Nesta wanted, Azriel would build for her.

They moved in synchronicity. Nesta always liked her cup of tea before bed, so she boiled the water while he prepared a tray for three. Their wild plans for the bedroom were already on pause after the night spent in the tavern. Nesta’s yawns filled the silence too. Azriel knew the moment her head hit the pillow, she’d be gone.

Rhys had made himself useful and lit the fire in the living room. He’d settled himself in the chair though he looked about as comfortable as if he were having a meeting in the Autumn Court.

‘These are good. Where did you find them?’ He said taking a second jam tart from the little plate on the tray.

‘Nesta made them,’ said Azriel as he settled beside her on the couch.

‘They’re not poisoned,’ she said with a flick of her brows.

‘You know how to bake?’

Nesta shook her head dismissively. ‘They’re very easy.’

‘She does know,’ Azriel said. ‘She can cook very well. There’s about six recipe books in the kitchen. And she has been learning with my mother.’

Rhys didn’t seem to know how to process that information. He had two females in his mind; Nesta, the sister of his mate, and Nesta the partner of his brother. He was trying to marry the two together. His violet eyes took in their proximity to each other nestled on the couch, how Nesta’s hand had snagged in his scarred one, how her thumb massaged one of the thicker scars following it like a valley on a map without revulsion.

‘Did you enjoy your time in Illyria?’

Nesta nodded in response but offered no more information.

The silence was painful. Rhys was trying at least, but there were long-running issues there between them that a couple of questions wouldn’t heal.

‘She wants a cat now.’

‘Your shadows want one, they told me.’

Rhys sat up in surprise. ‘They speak to you?’

Both Azriel and Nesta laughed. ‘No, she says they do to get what she wants.’

At that moment, one had decided to snake itself around Nesta’s shoulders then another in solidarity. It had never been this way with anybody. The shadows always unnerved people. They moved of their own accord and thrived in the darkness. Nesta loved it when they wrapped her up and Azriel heard her talking to them enough as if they were playful children.

Rhys gave a wan smile as he watched. ‘Have you told Nesta?’

‘Yes.’

The fingers in his hand grew cold as they reached the reason for Rhys’ unexpected visit.

‘What is your decision, Nesta, on the mating bond?’

For an unknown reason, Azriel’s heart beat faster. There was a fear that Nesta might suddenly change her mind. Decide he wasn’t worth this. As if she was afraid to tell him the truth for fear of his reaction.

‘I do not want it. My heart is Azriel’s.’

He braced himself for the fall out. For Rhys to try and persuade her otherwise. For Nesta to drive her heels into the ground with her stubbornness and refuse to hear another perspective.

Rhys only nodded. ‘I will speak with Helion. He is best-equipped to sever it. Sorry for disturbing you so late. Thank you for the tea – and the jam tarts.’

‘You can take the rest, if you want,’ Nesta said hesitantly.

‘They are poisoned, aren’t they?’ There was lightness in Rhys’ tone and he kept his expression soft enough for Nesta to see the joke.

‘Next time - now I know what you like.’

 Azriel saw him out, if only to ensure it wasn’t a strange trick and Cassian was waiting in the corridor to ambush them and spirit Nesta away. He shut the door behind him, sensing Rhys would also want to speak privately.

‘This is a mess, Az. It will destroy Cass.’

‘And what would it do to Nesta to be in a bond that would make her miserable?’

Rhys nodded. ‘And you. She was singing, wasn’t she, when you carried her?’

It was almost criminal to admit to Rhys that he had seen Nesta singing as Azriel brought her home like a princess.

‘We’re happy.’

‘I know. I can feel it from both of you.' On instinct, his eyes flicked to Azriel's ruined hands. Yes, he'd seen how Nesta hadn't pulled away from them either. 'It’s unexpected – but I’m so happy for you, Az. Really. I know how much this means to you.’

‘You’re not going to persuade us to give into the bond?’

His high lord shook his head. ‘Nesta and Cassian aren’t even friends at this point. Why would I sacrifice the happiness of you two for the chance that the bond might work out when all signs point to it not working? I love Cass, I do, and I wish things could be different for him.’  

‘But you support us?’

In the dim hallway, Rhys clasped a hand on his shoulder. ‘I had doubts, I won’t lie. I saw you in the gardens today. Then the singing. I haven’t been good to Nesta, I’ll admit that I’m blinded by my love for Feyre. But you are good for each other. I’m glad you’ve chosen each other. To make amends, I’ll handle Cassian.’

@chosenfamily-valkyriequeens @theleafpile @loysydark @rarephloxes @wannawriteyouabook @mis-lil-red

#nesta vs the buffer

[queenofonions]

A Time to Heal

Summary: Fred and George visit Shell Cottage when they learn Luna has been injured. platonic love fic

The sound of tinkling windchimes alerted Fleur to an arrival at the apparition point outside the wards of Shell Cottage. She passed her wand over her bubbling cauldron for a quick stasis spell and crossed quickly to the window at the side of the house to see who it was. She smiled with relief to see Fred and George sprinting swiftly over the sand and met them at the door before they even had a chance to knock.

Once inside, Fred handed over the package of herbs she had requested. Fleur thanked him with a kiss to both cheeks and quickly returned to her cauldron to lift the stasis spell. Sorting through the herbs, she located the mugwort, measured out the correct amount and added it to the potion. When it began to fizz she lowered the heat and covered the cauldron with a heavy lid; a swirl of her wand set an alarm charm over it to alert her when it was finished brewing.

The twins were silent as they watched her work and when she began setting up several more cauldrons for more potions, they seized the moment to interrupt and cleared their throats at the same time.

It was George that spoke up. "How is she?"

Fleur looked at them and the naked worry on their faces made her heart clench. She went to them and took a hand from them both in hers and squeezed.

"She is recovering well." She smiled gently at how they sagged against each other in instant relief. "I have treated her injuries; not many and not serious," she quickly assured them to forestall the questions she could see them ready to fling at her.

"I am sure she would enjoy a visit from you both. You go in and I'll bring in some tea in a few minutes." She squeezed their hands again, but as they turned away she remembered Luna's current condition and stopped them. "Oh and do not be alarmed by her appearance. The Bruise Balm I have just put together will help them fade once it is ready."

The twins looked at her for a long moment and Fleur was struck by the ferocity gleaming in their eyes. Bill had told her about how deeply his brothers cared for the girl. How they looked on her as not only another sister, but a kindred spirit.

Fred reached into his trouser pocket and pulled out a small round tin with the Wheezes logo emblazoned on the lid. "We have that covered. Our Bruise Removal Paste is ten times better than a Balm. We'll sort her out and leave it with you."

With that they turned toward Luna's room and Fleur let them go to their friend. She ran a hand through her hair and huffed a quiet laugh, then returned to her kitchen to make tea.

Luna sat up against the headboard of the bed, leafing through an old French wizarding magazine Fleur had lent her when she heard a jaunty knock on her door. Her large blue eyes lit with amusement when she recognized the cadence of "Hoggy Hoggy Hogwarts" and called out for the twins to enter.

George entered first, judging by the bandage around his head, but she would have known it was him in any case; she never had any trouble telling the brothers apart. Fred followed, tossing a small tin from hand to hand. She wondered idly if he wished he had three so he could juggle them.

Fred and George were very accomplished jugglers and she'd often found them practicing on the grounds of Hogwarts, tossing various objects between them, often to a large crowd of wide-eyed first years. They'd always start with three and call out for someone to toss them something new until they dropped one. The highest count had been nine before they famously departed the school.

"Good morning," she smiled and lay the magazine on her lap, open to an article about the Lavender Fields of Provence. The colors in the pictures had long faded and the flowers no longer moved as they once did, but there was still a faint scent of lavender that drifted up from the pages that she found very soothing.

The twins greeted her in turn, their voices somber as they took in the wicked purple bruise that spread across her left cheek. Luna could see their eyes zero in on the dark red center at her cheekbone. "It doesn't hurt anymore. Your brother was able to lift the curse and Fleur makes a lovely pain potion that tastes of blackberries. She should share the recipe with Madame Pomfrey; she uses licorice in hers and I'd rather endure a great deal of pain than any amount of licorice."

Luna tilted her head and considered her statement. "Unless I was dying, I suppose. I could endure a bit of licorice in order to stay alive."

The twins nodded in agreement, as they also loathed that particular flavor, then repeated in tandem the one word that had caught both their attention.

"Curse???"

Luna nodded. "Bellatrix Lestrange was wearing a cursed ring when she hit me and it wouldn't stop bleeding until Bill found a way to remove it."

George smiled in genuine admiration. "He's a clever one, our Bill."

Fred held up the tin of paste and waggled it in his fingers. "Clever, yes, but it takes true genius to create such wonders as in our new line of Wheezes Medicinals, the first of which will heal that right up."

Luna took the tin and twisted it open to reveal a creamy yellow paste that smelled of marigolds. She quickly closed the magazine on her lap and set it aside, not wanting to mix the scents. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, letting the warm, citrusy scent permeate her sinuses.

She opened her eyes and found a hand mirror held in front of her face by George, so she dipped two fingers into the paste and applied it to her cheek. The paste sank into her skin and the change was almost immediate. As the bruise healed it shrank in size, changing colors from purple and red to green and blue, then yellow and finally to the smooth healthy pink of freshly healed skin.

Fred frowned at a bit of redness that persisted where the center of the wound had been but supposed that was to be expected from a cursed wound.

Luna patted the spaces on either side of her and invited them to look at the magazine with her. George put the mirror back on the bureau where he had found it, along with the tin of paste and he and Fred happily joined her.

Fleur levitated the tea tray to Luna's room, but paused outside the door when muffled conversation turned suddenly to bright laughter and hearty chuckles. The door was slightly ajar, so she carefully peeked around it and smiled at what she saw.

Fred and George pointed at the pictures in the old magazine, and as none of them could read French, provided their own brand of witty commentary on what the articles were about. They finished each other's sentences, as they often did, and so fluidly that Fleur could only marvel at the synchrony of their minds.

But the true marvel was the beaming, giggling girl between them. The paste they had brought had done wonders to heal her face, yes, but it was themselves and the loving friendship they shared between them that had performed the true healing that day.

AO3 (pen name Xedra on AO3)

#harry potter fanfic #fred&george&luna #platonic love #luna lovegood #george weasley #fred weasley #during deathly hallows #shell cottage #fleur delacour #hurt/comfort #i made this #my fic #xedra

[greenthey]

Tűz

Conversations with an Ancestor 🔥🍲🏞️

Tűz

Fire

You are fat and beautiful like me

And androgynous like me

Though your skin is brown

Your long dark hair curls around your chin

Hard (cleft), soft (a landscape for short dark hairs)

You are the heart of me

When I was 16

Lost in my own hair

Would the curls tell the others how I felt?

If they took apart the DNA strands and learned to read them

No one did

Once upon a time

I pulled cards for you

I pulled the Ace of Cups, and Anger

And I posted the Ace of Cups

But not Anger

To my curated Instagram

I wanted it to be a mistake

But our feelings are never a mistake

Now I walk across sidewalks of broken bottles to get to you

Tűz

Fire

I know you sat at it

Outside your wagon

And you read cards

For the gadjo assholes and bitches

Who came to hear but not listen

I almost step in front of a moving car

But I don't

For I know the white SUVs and trucks of my monoculture will not stop for me

And yet you stopped for me

And you waited at your fire, Tűz

Even when I was the white SUV on the way to brunch

Even when I was the white truck ruining the shape of the hill

I go to the coffeeshop

I drink their coffee at your fire

Dark brown and bitter because I don't deserve sweetness

Yet

I ask you questions

How do you feel?

I hold the space

For the pain that must loop back on itself

My Love, my Ancient, my Ancestral one

Tűz

Sitting by your fire

Waiting

For the girl with the long hair

And the boy who was afraid to speak

To return

And breathe your voice back to life

Thank you, thank you, thank you

The Raven will drop nuts on my head if she needs to

Can I stay?

If I am a good descendant

You ache and hunker by your fire after tending it

For the practice is the sacred part

You move like my aunt, with the fat in your upper body creasing you

The downward turn of your lips is familiar to me too

Bitterness

When people came to hear and not listen

You are chuckling now

I thought about getting a 4-pack of ginger beer at Aldi and then didn't

Maybe it was supposed to be for you

I will imagine it for us, anyway

The sweet carbonation

I don't know how the bier and the bort tasted in the lands you breathed in

You deserve ginger

Did your mother cook carrots in cardamom?

And sing you to sleep?

Did she abandon you like I have abandoned myself?

Your hand moves over the fire now. Black, cast iron, cauldron

I didn't see it before

For your self-veiling work is impeccable

Your hand moves counterclockwise

A curse or a spell?

You see me looking and realize you did not mean to weave the Mal thus

You were just moving away from me, fear

Were you veiled from yourself?

Should I go?

Yes, but not for your sake

Because I am ready to hold your flame

But not sprinkle spice in your pot

I know you are here, under the stars

I will return for the lessons

Bottom of the deck: Validation

(there's the rub)

A card for me: Sadness

A card for Tűz: Courage

Blame. I would like to bind it from me. 🙅🏻

To Martha the Elder: tell me about blame.

Queen of Bolers rx 🖇️ Two of Chivs

When the mothership of my own fire is upside down

The air becomes water quenching me

The tobacco spits lies instead of truth

We did not take responsibility for our own actions

Blame is a two-edged sword

Cut the other, cut yourself

For we were not meant to hold each others' swords

Though the cups may pour back & forth again

And the fire wants to be shared, to grow huge and tumescent

And the Earth beneath us is the same

I try to channel myself (Orin 🌲💮)

That tall white pine

I don't look like him yet

He is fragrant with vanilla and cedar wood

He roots firmly only where he wishes to be

He holds space for me on the forest floor

Where no one else can sit with me

Because it is mine

Cut the deck.

Strength in Reverse 🦁🗡️🩸

“You don't need to be this strong.”

Turn her upside down.

The returning Hermit shines his yellow light

On Strength, the infinity loop of fear & love

Why are you covering flowers?

Where are you covered in gold? (unfold)

(Do not try to domesticate the 🐻)

What else?

It is sacred not to know

It is sacred to howl at the moon

#ancestor work #tarot journal #op #Tűz #3 of swords

[dennou-translations]

Violet Evergarden: Booklet 3

Please feel free to message me about possible corrections. If you can, consider supporting the creators by purchasing the official releases. If anyone is feeling generous: Ko-fi | PayPal. ( ╹◡╹)っ’･*

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At that moment, I found myself thinking, “Aah, maybe if I disappeared, if I vanished right now, nobody would notice.”

Once I thought this, I could no longer think of anything else.

Before I realized, my hands and feet had moved. I slowly moved my whole body and left that place behind.

Nobody called for. Nobody tried to stop me.

Which was why I was now hiding. I was in a corner of a maze of roses in the royal palace of this forest kingdom.

I looked up at the sky. It was overcast. The air was a little heavy, so there was a chance of rain.

Was anyone looking for me by now? No, they might not have noticed. I could bet a hundred of Drossel’s white camellias that they hadn’t. “That wouldn’t be a bet,” someone said from within my mind.

——What will happen to me if I just stay here like this?

I tried to think calmly. Firstly, I would get hungry. My body would get bitten by insects. The sky was looking shady, so rain might come pouring down on me. I would get a fever from the cold, and then... and then... and then...

The power of my imagination was scarce, so the scenario ended there.

Stretching out my dress’s sleeves and removing my long gloves, I plucked the grass with a bare hand. Picking up some rose petals that had fallen to the ground, I threw them into the air even though they would not fly too far. I looked almost like a child trying to contain her bad mood. Most likely, if anyone saw me, they would wonder what on earth the queen of Fluegel was doing.

Why had I grown up to be like this? All I ever did was think big of small matters and be in a state of chaos. It was such a weak mindset, which people most likely wouldn’t expect to come from someone born in a family that was meant to rule a country.

“Members of the royal family are actually not supposed to expose their original selves. Under no circumstance should you forget that you must act with dignity and be a role model to your subjects.”

Even though I had already become a wife, I behaved like a little girl.

“However...”

I had experienced a romance like the ones that young girls dream with.

“...from my long time working in the court...”

I fell in love and won my beloved lord over.

“...these have been the most memorable Public Love Letters. Yes... in a good sense.”

After running and running, I was now living the aftermath of that.

My name is Charlotte Abelfreya Fluegel. Already a year had passed ever since I married off to Fluegel.

   Charlotte Abelfreya Fluegel and the Forest Kingdom

   Drossel and Fluegel – no matter what could happen to these two nations in the future, they had me as their intermediary princess. If I happened to die in this rose labyrinth without anybody ever finding me, I wanted someone to remember that.

As to why things had turned out like this, I’d have to rewind my life a little to explain. I had to mix up the cauldron of time that made the hours pass.

How far back was I supposed to go?

That beautiful golden-haired girl. My favorite. The ghostwriter who had become a mediator for my romance.

Rewinding to the times of Violet Evergarden’s Public Love Letters would be going back too far. It should be a bit later. Perhaps the appropriate would be around the time when I, who was once the third princess of Drossel – that beautiful country where white camellias bloomed in copious amounts –, went away and changed my surname. Yes, right, that was adequate enough.

Fluegel was a neighboring country of prosperous forestry. I was married to the man who had the priority rights to succeeding its throne. Letting go of everything that I had cherished until then, I married off.

I had transformed from a girl into an adult. Although my appearance hadn’t changed much, that was my status.

My husband was Damian Baldur Fluegel. He was the person who possessed the rights of succession as the next monarch at the beginning of our marriage, but a few days ago, he had inherited the throne from his father and become a king both in name and reality. In other words, I had become the queen as well.

Probably the worst queen in history. After all, I had run away.

   Let me try to trace the rewound time with exact precision.

Fluegel’s capital was a city of fresh greenery, which had a castle erected in the depths of a forest. Said royal palace couldn’t be considered sturdy or showy, but it was in perfect harmony with the nature, endowed with a calculated beauty. Unlike Drossel, a country that maintained itself through the tourism industry, Fluegel had much of its national interest shouldered by its forestry. Drossel’s national flower was the white camellia, while Fluegel’s was the red rose.

The two countries were separated by a large river, but one would be tempted to wonder how they could be so different.

Differences were by no means a bad thing. After all, Lord Damian and I had met because we had been raised in such different cultures. That was exactly why I became attracted to Lord Damian’s… albeit artless, uninhibited personality, which was so unlike that of the royals from Drossel and other nations...

Yes, “differences” were not bad. But the so-called “differences”... how should I put it? When they weren’t tolerated, instead viewed as an absence of profits and effort, they would turn into a really bad thing.

Most likely, that was what made me the way I was now.

Was this an excuse? It might be. But that was how it was. That was it.

At first, my life in Fluegel didn’t go well.

Becoming used to even small differences in habit was extremely difficult for me, which caused the chamberlain to sigh often. He was someone who deserved respect for having taken care of Lord Damian’s personal matters for quite a long time.

There was no mistaking that I was in a position higher than his, but I soon understood that he looked down on me. One could tell as much by things such as the movements of the other’s eyes and their attitude.

The chamberlain would tell me: “That is not the way we do it in Fluegel”, “This is for your protection. You will be criticized otherwise. Now, fix yourself up”, “I have said this several times, but...”

I didn’t think I was some idiot. I believed myself to be the kind of girl who could do well if I put my mind into it. But I had to admit that I was a very unstable crybaby.

The differences such as the ones that the chamberlain talked about were, for example, the order in which people were seated at meals, how to lift my dress when hopping into a carriage, and other minute details like that. If I were told such things back in Drossel, I was positive that I could internalize it in the first try. After that, I definitely wouldn’t repeat the mistake. But the moment I tried to do it in this foreign country that I wasn’t familiar with, being watched by the monitoring eyes of someone that didn’t have me in his favor, I ended up failing. It was almost as if I were inducing the failure on my own. What was this phenomenon?

The chamberlain most likely knew this as well. He knew it, and even then he would sigh and speak in a detached manner while watching me go pale. There was nothing good in it for either of us, yet we would find ourselves repeating this vicious cycle.

To be honest, we were so incapable of getting along that the desire to jump off from one of the Fluegel castle’s windows as retaliation surged from within me. However, I had no choice but to keep going. Because I was a newcomer and that person was an elder.

If I didn’t get used to this, it would be the end of me.

Right, and there was also the tea party. The flow of the Cauldron of Time had finally returned to the present.

It all had begun… from the chamberlain suggesting that if I, who had become the queen, held a tea party, I would certainly make myself known as someone who shines like the stars in the night sky. He gave a long speech about my authority as a queen being this and that. That detestable chamberlain.

I did like tea parties, but even after being in Fluegel for a year, I wasn’t able to find myself anyone that I could consider close to me, so I frankly didn’t like the idea. I hadn’t gotten myself anyone to be on friendly terms with, so rather than a display of my power, wouldn’t this be deemed as more of a public execution for me?

Ever since I had arrived here, I was in the position of a foreign princess who had a political marriage with Lord Damian, so both the royal family that I had joined and the people who took care of me were somewhat distant… To make things worse, I was the very person who had tainted the traditional event of the Public Love Letters. People were wary of me as an unprecedented princess.

I had seen that Fluegel had a liberal aspect to it and wasn’t too bound by formalities in comparison to Drossel, but when it came to the royal family, that was a different story.

Whenever I passed the corridors of the royal palace, I could hear one name being whispered. Everyone would have faint smiles on their faces. “Baby Princess” was what they called me.

The one who came up with it was Lord Damian’s younger sister or something. Indeed, I had childish facial features and I was the girl who had married for love, so there was no helping that I would be mocked like this.

Receiving a nickname and having it made into a title meant that it was ingrained in people. Once a knight earned himself an alias, others would expect him to have a conduct that was worthy of it. In that same manner, no matter what I, Charlotte Abelfreya Fluegel, might say… I lived in Fluegel as the princess whom everyone would giggle at.

Whenever I made a mistake, “it’s because she’s a child”. If I happened to rush towards Lord Damian, “it’s because she’s a child”. Whenever I said anything, “it’s because she’s a child”.

If there was some magic spell that could turn me into a twenty-year-old right now, I would have taken it. It’d be great if I could instantly grab ahold of my dignity in a way that nobody would complain. But that was something that people had to be awarded to through the years, along with their efforts...

I might have been the Baby Princess today as well – the day of the tea party.

The chamberlain was in awfully high spirits, which one way or another was an omen for misfortune. I was watching from my bedroom as the elderly man briskly instructed the people around him.

From the room where I stayed with Lord Damian, I could see the castle’s garden, the rose maze that started from the garden’s entrance veering to the side, and the castle town. Back when we had just married, we used to often gaze outside the window together, but now we couldn’t even talk for more than five minutes.

Ever since succeeding the throne, Lord Damian was truly busy. He would be working while I waited for him in our room; by the time that I woke up, he would be by my side without me having realized it; as I stretched the creases that formed between his eyebrows while he was dreaming, he would wake up all of a sudden and then head off to the royal office again.

I was depressed since morning, because why did I have to hold a tea party while my husband was working so indiscriminately? But, well, this was also part of my duties. It was important for me to mingle with other women from a social status similar to mine. The trust earned from them would help not just me but also Lord Damian.

Those who controlled factions also had control of politics. Yes, yes, I knew that much. I had to do this exactly because things weren’t going well. In order to level up my speech skills, I had to start from taking up a stance. As my position was becoming worse, if I could get around here well, I would increase my authority in the royal territory without having to recreate myself.

I understood the reasoning behind this. What the chamberlain said was correct. He was implicitly telling me to do right, and I was the one at fault for not managing it...

The tea party was held in the garden outside at the arranged time.

There were people that I hadn’t seen ever since my wedding ceremony, whom I greeted while turning my head around at an incredible speed. Whenever someone sprinkled the subject of political affairs here and there, I’d throw it back at them with a smile, literally tearing apart and flinging away whatever came at me on repeat. Although the scene actually looked like a peaceful conversation, under the surface, I, the queen, was being evaluated, so this was a battle.

I thought I had done a really strenuous effort up until the middle of it. Instilling the impression that “My, so maybe the Baby Princess isn’t a bad person and is surprisingly smart when she talks?” was quite a success. The signs that I could make them deem me as worthy of standing by Lord Damian’s side were becoming visible. However, the very moment that Her Highness, the King’s young her sister, appeared in the tea party, everything I had set up crumbled down at once.

She was pretty late from the scheduled time – rather, she suddenly showed up when it was already ending.

Although she was close to me in age, she had a very adult appearance and was an awfully beautiful person. Renowned as one of Fluegel’s talented women, she was also involved with the National Assembly, and told us that she had rushed over because the meeting had ended just now. I had not yet been allowed to attend the meetings even though I was the queen, so I was terribly jealous... and a little miserable.

Of course, whatever had been discussed there became the topic, which Her Highness told the women present, explaining in a simplified manner. What a wonderful person she was.

Regardless, it felt like this was going to end as Her Highness’s tea party, even though it was mine. Well, that was okay too. Rather, it might be easier if there was someone to take the initiative to talk like this. I had a bug where I couldn’t speak very well to people whom I wasn’t close to, so I decided to leave it to her.

Despite this being a tea party, I hadn’t eaten anything, so I had the feeling that I would get hungry in the evening. I wondered what we would have for dinner.

Just like that, half of my soul disappeared somewhere else, so I didn’t notice that the subject had changed from state affairs to the next successor to the throne.

“Queen, are you listening? If things continue the way they are, there will be no helping it if a concubine is appointed.”

Since I hadn’t noticed it, I couldn’t react right away, even as I took the tremendous brutality of those words to the face. This had happened just a moment ago, so I didn’t remember very well what kind of reaction I’d had. I had the feeling that I had responded with a somewhat sluggish reply such as “aah” or “eeh”... much like the way that living creatures cried for the first time upon being born.

I could immediately tell that Her Highness wasn’t satisfied with my answer.

“It is because you are so laidback like this that the King has to fight the national affairs alone. You still intend to be here as a guest, not doing what you have to do, so everyone has to hold back and nobody can speak up their opinions. Talk more. Be more useful to the country. Most important of all, it has already been a year, yet nothing has been reported to us. Are you seriously discussing the succession with the King? If this goes on, someone will suggest a concubine for him.”

With such words thrown at me in sequence, I—I had... I had a thought. That perhaps she was trying to make me lose heart. Wasn’t I being attacked right now?

I looked around. Nobody attempted to open their mouths in order to defend me. There was no one. I had no one.

All of them were waiting for my reaction.

I knew this situation. I knew it very well. I wasn’t being treated as a person at the moment. My personality was being denied as well. The dignity that should be granted to the human being named Charlotte wasn’t being taken into account.

However, I didn’t break. Why?

Because I was used to being neglected.

“Yes, I am truly doing a poor job. I believe it is as you say.”

I was smiling.

“However, it has not yet been decided what will be my part of the work and what will be the King’s, as we are in the process of deciding on it as a couple.”

I was smiling mockingly.

“Now that I have talked to all of you like this, I have concluded I should propose my thoughts to the parliament slowly, little by little.”

I was... smiling.

“I was the princess of my country. But now, I am the queen of Fluegel. I did not intend to be here in the position of guest, but it is true that I was restraining myself. But is that not the same for all of you? I am aware. Everyone has been... well, surrounding me from a distance and looking after me. I was fretting, as it would have been better for you to tell me more directly if there was anything wrong... By all means, I would like to have a frank exchange of opinions with you in the future... and I hope that we can help each other... as fellow women.”

This was laughable.

Her Highness was appalled. So was everyone else. She must have spoken so conflictingly due to thinking that it was sure to make me start crying.

I wanted her to stop saying such stupid things. I was the former third princess of Drossel. Did she know what kind of country that was? It was a country where it was okay for women to become political tools. We were by no means granted the position to act freely like she did. As the shadows so-called “women”, we had no choice but earnestly do whatever we could.

I was born in a country were women were consumed and worn down. To top it off, I had been raised mostly by courtiers, away from my biological parents. I hadn’t seen my mother in forever.

Exhausted as a result of her marriage of convenience, Mother had Father build her a palace and secluded herself in it all day long every day. She did show up at the wedding ceremony, but she hadn’t even sent me a single letter after I had married off. She had probably already forgotten that she had given birth to me.

But that was the country I had been born in. I had been raised by one of this country’s strong women – a carefully selected, tough woman. This person patiently educated me, even though my aptitude wasn’t good. She explained things to me over and over again. She scolded me a lot. She taught me so that I would be able to marry anyone and live anywhere. She had also predicted that a situation like this might happen. So she told me how to act during a quarrel with other women.

That was why I smiled at times like these.

My looks weren’t bad. I was no idiot. I knew what effects I would bring about if I smiled. There was little that I could do, but I was going to be the one firing the best shot here.

I was a crybaby. I was a weakling. I was lonely.

However, I had been taught well. No matter what, I couldn’t lose in times like these. I knew that much.

I had been protected through the erasure of my personality.

   That day’s tea party was over right then, and thanks to the chamberlain saying that it would soon be time to bring it to a close, it ended well.

At a later date, my feud or whatever with Her Highness would become a rumor around the royal palace, but that was a story of the future. In any case, it was over for now. Therefore, I was extremely relieved.

The chamberlain let me return to my room unusually early and consoled me with a “you must be tired”. “You were excellent today,” he told me. Enveloping my shaky palms in his hands, which had wrinkles just like Alberta’s, he warmed them up. “No matter what happens, do not forget that you have one ally,” he said.

From that, I understood a little something. That he, indeed, worried about me in his own way. I wasn’t fond of his way of doing things, but he had struggled as much as he could in order to do something to improve my position.

He had seen what I had gone through today, so he was commending my brave fight. I had been subjected to violence today. I had been told such terrible things. Even though I—I...

I was in love with Lord Damian.

Both Drossel and Fluegel were aware of this. The citizens of both kingdoms knew it. And yet, aah, how embarrassing. But everyone knew.

I was in love with that person. I was in love.

“You have not sired a child after a year, so there might be need for a concubine. Therefore, if such a woman appears, you should accept it,” she said, despite knowing how much it would hurt me.

I was told off. I was told off by the younger sister of the object of my affections. That was what she said to me.

“Thank you, but please, let me be alone.”

I still managed to keep my smile up, but as soon as I drove the chamberlain out of the room, the tears overflowed torrentially and I couldn’t stop them.

There should be things more painful than that out there in the world. I looked like a fool for crying because of something like this. But right now, I was feeling like the most pitiful person in the world. I wanted to return to Drossel. I wanted to go home to Drossel.

No, that wasn’t it. No, that wasn’t it. No, that wasn’t it.

I wanted to go back to the person who would always allowed me to cry, no matter how much I did so. The person who would stay by my side.

“Alberta...”

I wanted to go back to Alberta.

I knew it was stupid of me. But when I thought that a day might come when Lord Damian, my husband – the object of my affections –, would take another woman aside from me, it was so painful. My chest hurt – it hurt so much that it was hard to breathe. So I couldn’t contain my cries.

I wondered what had gone wrong.

Was it because I had started clamming up, since the chamberlain would always hammer me down by saying, “That kind of unheard-of behavior is not allowed here”, so I couldn’t speak the way I wanted to? Or was it because I was late to find out that not assertively addressing the royal family was bad manners, since I was in a position where I had to wait for people to talk to me first back in Drossel?

Perhaps it was everything.

Apparently, Fluegel hadn’t taken in a princess from abroad in the last sixty years, so maybe it was already difficult for them to accept a foreign object like me in the first place. Things would probably have been different if I were a great woman – yes, a woman like Her Highness –, yet I had nothing but tears. Still, was I such a horrible person that I had to be told such things?

Aah, nothing – just nothing. Nothing was working out. It might be that nothing would go well from now on too.

This thought swiftly made its way into my heart.

All of a sudden, I was able to clearly hear the sounds around me. The noises of someone walking, the whistling of the wind outside, my own breathing. The way that the tears fell down as they dripped from my eyelashes, the way that I was suddenly looking at myself in a holistic manner.

Yes, perhaps things would never work out from now onward. If so, then...

Then, shouldn’t I run away?

Several questions – such as to where, with whom and to do what – came to me, but I ignored them. I had probably broken down at that point.

I dropped my own heart, which I had been cherishing as much as possible in order for it not to break, onto my feet. I had the feeling that I heard a clank when doing so.

——Maybe nothing would ever go well in the future.

If so, then no matter how much I exerted myself, it would be useless.

——Maybe nothing would ever go well in the future.

I had to run off to somewhere.

——Maybe nothing would ever go well in the future.

Nobody was going to protect me.

——Maybe nothing would ever go well in the future.

After all, this was a foreign country and Alberta wasn’t here. The only one who could protect me was...

——Maybe nothing would ever go well in the future.

The only one who could protect me was myself.

——Maybe nothing would ever go well in the future.

I had to run away.

——Maybe nothing would ever go well in the future.

I had to run.

——Maybe nothing would ever go well in the future.

If I stayed here like this, I... I might seriously jump off the window.

Once I thought this, I somehow felt like I couldn’t breathe anymore. When I came to my senses, I had left the room.

The courtiers were busy cleaning up the tea party in the garden. The chamberlain had also gone outside in order to instruct them. If I came out of the room without making any sounds, nobody would chase after me right away. When I went into the corridor, there was a soldier, but he was only meant to see whoever entered and exited the place and wouldn’t follow me since he wasn’t my bodyguard.

If it was now, perhaps no one would notice if I disappeared – if I happened to vanish. Once I thought this, I could no longer think of anything else.

Before I realized, my hands and feet had moved. I slowly moved my whole body and left that place behind.

I continued down the stairs and trotted through a passage that relatively few people used. Even then, I did pass by some people, but they didn’t seem to pay any mind to me. To begin with, they might not even have the conceptualization that the queen was running through the halls alone.

It wasn’t like I wanted someone to call for me. However, no one did. No one tried to stop me.

Which was why I was now hiding. I was in a corner of a maze of roses in the royal palace of this forest kingdom.

I looked up at the sky. It was overcast. The air was a little heavy, so there was a chance of rain.

Was anyone looking for me by now? No, they might not have noticed. I could bet a hundred of Drossel’s white camellias that they hadn’t. “That wouldn’t be a bet,” someone said from within my mind.

——What will happen to me if I just stay here like this?

I tried to think calmly. Firstly, I would get hungry. My body would get bitten by insects. The sky was looking shady, so rain might come pouring down on me. I would get a fever from the cold, and then... and then... and then...

The power of my imagination was scarce, so the scenario ended there.

Stretching out my dress’s sleeves and removing my long gloves, I plucked the grass with a bare hand. Picking up some rose petals that had fallen to the ground, I threw them into the air even though they would not fly too far. I looked almost like a child trying to contain her bad mood. Most likely, if anyone saw me, they would wonder what on earth the queen of Fluegel was doing.

Why had I grown up to be like this? All I ever did was think big of small matters and be in a state of chaos.

This wasn’t the married life I had envisioned. I did think there would be hardships, but – how should I put it? – I thought they would be rather different. I thought they would be something easier to grasp.

I honestly didn’t know what I was fighting against. Her Highness probably hated my guts, but if I were asked whether she was my enemy, I would say she wasn’t, and I wasn’t mistaken about that. I did think she was cruel, though.

What was I fighting against? What was I scared of? I kept on being intimidated by vague things that I didn’t understand very well and shutting off my typical behavior, and while I was so frightened, my evaluation from the people around me declined, thus I had come to the point of fleeing.

What was I fighting against? Why was I fighting? Why was I...

Why?

Why was I all by myself right now?

   After that, I cried myself to exhaustion and fell asleep. Perhaps it was an extremely deep sleep, as I didn’t wake up even when night fell. Nobody realized that I was gone, so there was no ruckus over it.

Therefore, I was able to stay asleep forever.

While sleeping, I had a dream. I dreamed with the people of Drossel. Also, Violet – she appeared in it too. My favorite girl.

She looked at me as I cried and said, just like before, “You are such a crybaby.” She also said, “I would like to cease your tears, but I do not have a handkerchief with me.”

I told her that I didn’t need one and hugged her, asking her to stay by my side instead.

I realized that, while I was crying on Violet’s chest, she had turned into Alberta. When I thought, “It’s Alberta”, the tears overflowed even harder.

I appealed to Alberta. No matter what I said, no one listened to it seriously. No matter what I said, people would make faces, as if poking fun at me. No matter what I said, my situation never improved. No matter who I looked at, nobody would help me. No matter who I looked at, nobody was my ally. No matter where I searched, you wouldn’t be there. No matter where I searched, you wouldn’t be there. No matter where I searched, you... you... you...

“It’s because you’re not here, Alberta, that I’m so very weak.”

Even a crybaby like me would be able to act high and mighty if you were there. I would’ve been able to maintain my dignity as a princess. But now I was everyone’s bootlicker. This wasn’t me.

That was why my heart broke and, yes, I dropped it on the floor.

“Alberta, did you not see my heart somewhere around here? I need it... I need it...”

If I didn’t have it with me, Lord Damian would—

   “Were you waiting for me to search for you?” a husky voice whispered.

That was when I woke up.

Just like that one time, the Full Moon was looming over the night sky. The stars and moon were so beautiful in the blooming season of roses.

In a dreamy state of mind, I blinked. The tears spilled again. When my husband saw me weeping, he embraced me as if to hide me from the night sky.

“I will report to the soldiers that she has been found.”

“I don’t want any fuss. Leave us for a while.”

When I heard the voice of the chamberlain as well, my consciousness finally returned to reality. He had said “soldiers”. This might have turned into a big deal. But right now, I didn’t think it would be too scary even if my heart were destroyed. “Is that so,” was all I thought.

This marriage might really be done for now.

Once Lord Damian shooed him, he put his coat over me and crouched down. He gripped my hand, guiding me and carrying me in bridal style.

“This makes me look like a child.”

“No. You’re my wife, aren’t you? And a princess.”

There wasn’t anything else I wanted to do, so I just nodded and did as I was told.

The two of us went through the maze of roses. There was probably someone watching over us. The light of a lantern swayed in the distance as a guide.

“Do you want to divorce from me?” Lord Damian muttered out of the blue with a quivering voice, leaving me in shock. I didn’t understand very well what he was saying.

“Lord Damian, if you want to do so...”

“That’s not it, Charlotte. I don’t want to break up with you... but I was wondering... if you might be thinking of doing that, right now...”

I wasn’t sure what he was talking about.

“Ralph, the chamberlain... has been telling me all this time. That if I were to take the hand of a princess from another country for the first time in sixty years, there would definitely be criticism. He told me to make sure to protect you when the time came.”

What was he saying?

“At first, I thought I was nailing it. I stayed by your side, so that no one could even try to say anything inappropriate to you...”

What was he... saying?

“But then I had to succeed the throne... there were tons of responsibilities stacked up in front of me, and I started looking only at those stacks... I didn’t even realize that you were in such a painful spot. It’s not your fault. I’m the one who isn’t ruling the country right, and for some reason, that’s being taken out on you. Stupid, isn’t it? It’s ridiculous. Everyone thinks it’s okay to do this to you just because you’re an outsider.”

——You’re not the one to blame. I’m aware of my own defects too.

“I also heard about what happened today. It seems you acted dauntless, even though my sister said something truly foolish to you...”

——You’re not the one to blame. Lord Damian. I know it. I know that you look sour every night when you sleep. You’re doing your very best. You’re doing your best every day – every single day. I know that. You may be ten years older than me, but you’re also...

“I’m... I’m pathetic. It’s fine if you complain. Yet you haven’t uttered a single grumble to me until now. Not to Ralph, either. We basked in the fact that you were holding back and nobody took notice of it. And so, we cornered you. Until you ran away, just like that.”

——You’re also still so young.

“I’m... pathetic... I cornered my own wife...”

——So lost, so scared.

“...to the point that she ran away... barefoot.”

——And shaking.

“Charlotte, have you come to hate me already?”

——Aah, Lord Damian. So you cry too, huh. For some reason, I used to think that you didn’t shed tears. I wonder why. You were a moonlit prince for me, so I thought you didn’t cry. But I see. That’s right, even you...

“I like you. I want to stop your tears.”

——Even you have a crybaby side.

After Lord Damian had said so, I realized for the first time that I was barefoot. I had the feeling that I was wearing shoes when I left the room – I wondered what had happened. He told me that someone had looked for and retrieved them. For how long had they been searching for me? If it was enough to make this man cry, then they must have searched everywhere.

Needless to say, I was such a handful of a woman. However, my heart, which had broken apart and scattered away, began setting itself in motion little by little. I could feel it regaining its warmth.

The reason might be that, for the first time ever since I had married him, we had now finally become a couple.

He asked me if I had anything that I wanted to do or that I wanted him to do. I told him that I wanted to see Alberta. He told me that he understood. He then asked if there was anything else, and so, I told him something that everyone had laughed at. We were had gone through a lot to be married, so I wanted to do something for both of our countries. I proposed that we build an orphanage near the national borders. Lord Damian didn’t laugh. He told me it would be great.

“Let’s think things out together. I regret not talking about this before because I thought it might be a burden to you. From now on, let’s have proper talks, the two of us. About happy things, sad things, painful things. I want you to talk to me. And I also want you to listen to me,” he said. He then kept on asking if there was anything else...

Lastly, I asked him to lock me up in the palace if he ever found himself a concubine. He got angry, saying he would never have one. We couldn’t be sure. It seemed we had no knack for child making. A concubine might be necessary. Lord Damian said that even then, he didn’t want one.

And then... And then... And then... What was it again?

I buried my face into Lord Damian’s neck. It had his scent, which always made my heart race whenever I sensed it.

“Hey, maybe I want to kiss you right now. My face is a mess because I cried a lot, though. Would you do it even with a wife like this?” I asked.

Lord Damian laughed while crying. “Even if you cry, you’re my lovely wife. Of course I’d do it.”

Overjoyed at these words, I shed warm tears.

When we kissed, as expected, it was a bit salty. My heart throbbed.

“I’m still in love with you, but what about you?” I asked, making sure to sound as if any answer would be fine.

Unsurprisingly, Lord Damian continued making a tearful face. “I actually only fell for you after we got married. So my heart’s beating really fast right now.”

“I see. So our feelings are mutual. That’s amazing,” I said, impressed.

“Then, what did you think it was until now?” he asked.

“A one-sided love,” I answered sincerely.

“Don’t you hear when I tell you that I love you every morning before I leave our room?”

“I do, but I thought it was some sort of flattery...”

“I’m not such a pro at that. When I like something, all I can say is that I like it. I’m very honest. You found that out on your tenth birthday, right?”

“How nostalgic... I’ve been in love with you all this time since then.”

I was living the aftermath of that story. I didn’t know whether it was a happy or sad one. But I would live, live and live. And this would probably go on forever. I was on my own in this royal palace.

But I wasn’t all alone.

“Damian, do you love me?”

“I do, Charlotte.”

I was living here, in this forest kingdom.

#violet evergarden #veedit #fyeahvioletevergarden #charlotte abelfreyja drossel #charlotte abelfreya fluegel #kyoani #kyoto animation #damian baldur fluegel #akatsuki kana #takase akiko #novel #my translation #violet evergarden booklets #charlotte abelfreya fluegel to mori no oukoku #charlotte abelfreya fluegel and the forest kingdom

[xxreader-writerxx]

Study Buddy (Part 2 I guess)

Fred Weasley x Fem Reader

Warnings: Smut, NSFW, fingering, oral (female receiving), unprotected sex, exposition, and cursing.

Y/N= Your Name L/N= Your Last Name Y/H= Your House

You walk into where you and Fred usually meet, his dorm taking off your jacket still stressed from Hermione’s interrogation. You get shoved against the wall lightly, feeling his warm lips on yours. “Hi Freddie...” You giggle when he finally lets you go. “Hello darling...” He says while playing with your blouse buttons. “Woah woah woah… Where’s the work?” You ask, smiling goofily matching his smile and he moves over to show you his desk. You look at his papers which have close to chicken scratch writing all over it. He massages your hips standing behind you with his chin placed on your shoulder humming as he fights the urge to leave hickeys all over your neck.

“This problem is wrong.” You point out a few and he sighs. “Just the tie then? Or like halfway unbuttoned? Or cuddles?” He asks and you laugh nodding. “Fix the problems and we can cuddle.” You tell him and he nods turning faster than light to his papers. You watch as he bites his lip as he tries to correct them. He finally finishes and you nod smiling. “Perfect.” You tell him, kissing him quickly as you take off your shirt beneath his view. “What’s that for?” He asks, smiling. “You did finish your work. Just rewarding you.” You mumble going in for another kiss as you both lay down. As he wrapped his arms around you falling asleep quickly from his insane day of Quidditch you couldn’t help but remember how it all started.

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

I sit eating my favorite meal at the Gryffindor table laughing with my friends, Hermione, Ron, Harry, Lee, and Angelina. I’m in Lee and Angelina’s year but I never really made friends with anyone else in my year. Lee keeps trying to introduce me to the Weasley Twins every now and then but I either choke up last minute or get busy. The Weasley twins are the hottest people, and sadly the most troublesome, in our year. I can tell the two apart from a scar on Fred’s eyebrow but we’ve never truly met. I have classes with both but we haven’t talked. I’m the top of my year and I was always on time for class so me and them never really ran in the same circle. They rather prank and be wild. I love a good prank but I rather study.

I head to potions and the twins have already created havoc. The room was filled with a smoke and I realized it from the smell right away. I cover the bottom of my face with my sleeve running over to the cauldron which has a lot of already sleeping students next to it. I throw a lid on it and use a vacuuming spell to get rid of the leftover smoke quickly. I make a batch of the counter potion and put it in a spray bottle. I walk over to the first few students spraying it on them. I get to the end finally spraying the potion on Professor Snape. Everyone is awake and coughing. I go over to the culprits checking if they're ok. “Hi?” Fred says and I shush him checking for any lung harm. “That was dangerous.” I mumble and he nods rubbing his eyes. “George. George, wake up.” I say shaking the other twin. He pops his head up and looks at me quizzically. “H-How did you know who was who?” He asks, still groggy. “It's fairly obvious.” I mumble still in Healer Mode. “And who are you?” He asks as I move on to the next student. “Y/N L/N” I spit out and they nod. “I can handle this Y/N” Professor Snape instructs and I move so he can handle them.

“Now...” I say turning to the two boys. I slap their heads and they groan, rubbing their heads. “That was an idiotic thing to do. You are lucky I got here in time. If I didn’t that sleeping potion would make your lungs stop working and numbing your body. Let alone the others in the room. You better apologize and I will be writing to your mother.” I start to ramble but get cut off by Fred smirking. “You’re cute when you’re angry.” He says smiling and George nods. “Very kissable.” He agrees and I blush against my will. “Listen flattery won’t get you anywhere. Your mother Molly will be hearing of this.” I say and they whip their heads to see me. “Y-you know our mother?” George says now nervous. “Yes. I visit a lot you two are just too insane to notice.” I spit and they look at each other then me with their eyes squinted. “Oh my god- Y/N?! The no-boobs Y/N?! Well you certainly- Grew.” Fred says and I give him a death stare. “Sorry.” He mumbles and I nod.

I walk over to Snape and check his pulse and everything since he cannot do it himself. I nod curtly stepping away and he fixes his collar. “Good job Y/N/ 150 points to Y/H, 115 points from Gryffindor.” He reports and I nod going to my desk. Instead of my usual partner I get greeted by Fred who is smiling wildly. “Yes?” I ask and he shrugs. “I like this seat.” He explains and I nod.

We finish our class and Professor Snape calls me up. I walk over and he points at Fred. “He and George are falling behind. They have potential but waste their time doing pranks and jokes. Could you help Fred do work? I will give you extra credit. Me and his teachers think you and another girl are the best for the two. Top of your years of course.” He explains and I nod. “Yes sir. I will definitely get on that, no extra credit needed.” I say making him raise an eyebrow. “The joy of teaching of course.” I mumble and he nods questionably.

***

A few hours later I’m banging on Freds door. He opens the door only wearing sweats and I cover my face with papers. “Sorry. Thought you were my roommates.” He explains shyly grabbing a shirt off of the ground out of the millions of piles. I look around with my nose scrunched at the mess. “I always love getting that reaction. Helps the ego.” He says looking at the mess before him.

“Anyways...” I say and turn, giving him the books. “Read these. I have noticed your usual reading rate is around 160 pages per minute. But when you like the book it's 300. Try to meet me in the middle. I also noticed you dog ear pages. When you do that its bad for the book. Bookmark. Now what I think we will start off studying potions and finishing that workload. When you finish that we do transfiguration. Then some DADA homework. And-” I stop myself seeing him walk over to his bed reading a pranking magazine. “What are you doing?” I ask and he looks up at me. “Zonkos.” He points out showing me the magazine. “I know that… Why are you reading it?” I ask sitting down moving his legs. “Work.” I point out the books and he nods. “Read em all.” He explains. “What do you mean?” I ask and he laughs. “I read 'em. How do you think me and George make those potions? We know our shit, it's just the work we don’t bother doing.” He explains. I nod grabbing the magazine earning an upset groan. “How bout each workload you finish you get to read an article.” I propose and he groans getting up.

A few minutes later he’s finished and snatches the magazine from me grumpily. I smile reading the work. It's perfect. Some mistakes but it was only the hard stuff. I smile hugging him lightly and I back away quickly realizing I just hugged Fred Weasley. “Sorry.” We both say and chuckle. “Ok. Next piece of work.” I say and he groans, giving me the magazine. “This counts as slavery” He points out and I shake my head laughing. “I did want to say, your laugh is my favorite.” He says and I look at him confused. “Just because I didn’t remember you doesn’t mean I don’t notice you. You aren’t stuck up like most of the smart kids. I always liked that.” He tells me and I blush. “Just do your work you flirt.” I say blushing and he winks grabbing his quill. “Only flirt with the pretty ones.” He says and I blush more.

He finishes all his work after about two hours the whole time we joked around and laughed. I get up to leave but he stops me smiling. “Want to stay a little longer?” He asks and I kiss his cheek sweetly. “Gotta study myself.” I say and see he’s now blushing. “You studied this entire time.” He tells me and I laugh. “I have advanced classes, always gotta study.” I explain and he nods his smile only dropping a tiny bit. “Maybe later.” He says with a wink. I walk out blushing and sit next to Hermione who laughs at my state.

***Fred POV***

I walk over to Ron with George. We grab his collar from behind lifting him up and bringing him into a nearby storage closet as he yells. “WHAT THE BLOODY HELL!” He yells at us and we look at him annoyed. “OH GODRIC- MIONEEEE- L/N- SOMEONE BLOODY HELP ME THESE TWO ARE GOING TO HURT ME I KNOW THE LOOK!” He yells banging on the door. We grab his collar again earning a shriek. “CALM DOWN I JUST HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT Y/N YOU TWIT!” I yell over his screams and he looks at me confused. “Y/N? What about her? She came over last christmas.” He explains and we look at each other slapping each other’s arm. “Why the hell do we not remember?!” We ask each other and he shrugs. “Fred was snogging some girl and George was drunk and high.” He explains and we look at each other annoyed.

“So what are your questions?” He asks and we nod. “We need the insider information. The pretty girl that he’s been drooling over is actually Y/N. She’s tutoring Freddie Boy and he’s got a crush.” George explains and I blush hitting his arm. “Do not.” I say and he scoffs.

“Do too.”

“Do not!”

“Do too!”

We start shoving each other and Ron stops us. “What the hell do you want to know?!” He asks and I nod. “Stuff like her favorite flower, favorite food, favorite everything.” He asks and I nod. “Well- She likes Blue Irises, but she’s allergic. Her second favorite is roses, she loves when guys know the meaning behind them too. I remember you read up on them so go with that. She doesn’t have a favorite food but if you want to be alone with her she’s always in the library after dinner. Tell her you wanted some extra study time or something.” He explains and we look at him skeptically. “Why are you telling us this?” I ask and he opens the door a little and points at a table in the Great Hall. “Malfoy’s making moves on her. I much rather Fred than him.” He explains. I watch as she giggles with Malfoy smiling besides her. “He’s probably just trying to use her. She’s hot as hell and smart too.” Ron admits and we nod.

“Well that isn’t happening.” I say and conjure a bouquet of light pink, peach, and coral roses. I walk over to her table and hold them up for her. She looks at them putting a hand to her chest. “Oh my god Fred what are these?” She asks, smiling and I smile back warmly. “I just wanted to say thank you for helping me with my school work.” I explain and she smells them smiling. “So the pink is for how sweet you are for helping me. Then the orange means appreciation because I really do appreciate it. And finally coral means friendship.” I say lying on the last part. She chuckles taking the coral one and smelling it. “Coral actually means desire but this was so sweet!” She says hugging me tightly. I smile at the short girl trying her best to wrap her arms around me and look at Malfoy as he sneers at me. “So Draco… As I said I’m now tutoring Fred, and have been for bout a week, so sadly I can’t tutor you. But maybe when his grades get up I’ll help with yours.” She explains and quickly kisses his cheek. I feel as if I just got a bludger to the chest and I keep my composure.

***Y/N’s POV**

I’m studying inside the library when I hear scuffling at the doors. I walk over to see Fred fighting Ron and George as they shove him into the library. I laugh quietly watching as they shove him inside. I can’t make out what they’re saying but they finally get him inside. They talk for a few seconds and Ron grabs his shoulders then slaps him a few times. He stands up nodding and they leave. He tries running out but they shove him back inside and I laugh a little louder. It gets his attention and he fights them harder making me feel a little upset. I walk over as he fights them and tap his shoulder. “If you’re afraid of me you can just say that.” I tell him and he looks down at me blushing. “N-no no no. I just don’t want to be studying but they’re forcing me.” He explains and I nod.

“Want to study with me? The library’s a little stuffy so I was just about to head to my dorm. If you’d like I would love it if you’d join me.” I ask shyly and he looks down at me smiling. “Well… Don’t want you to be lonely...” He says and I laugh holding my hand out. I drag him to my dorm sitting on my bed.

After some time of studying I catch myself looking up at him even though his back is turned to me he’s hypnotizing. I watch his strong arms move from one book to another or how he would lean his head back all the way. I rub my thighs together lightly as I try to take my mind off of it but I soon realize I have a mirror right in front of him. He spins around in his chair looking at me with a smirk. “Watcha doin?” He asks and I shrug acting innocent. He nods turning around chuckling.

***

A few days later I’m tutoring him in a classroom as he sits at the desk and he finally gets annoyed. He pushes all of his books on the ground getting my attention. I turn and see him walking up to me smiling flirtatiously. “I have been staring at your ass for way too long for that to be allowed.” He says and I blush furiously. “What?” I stutter and he grabs the side of my face kissing me. I give in to the kiss holding the back of his head and he slips his tongue past my lips. I moan lightly at this as he picks me up massaging my ass. He sets me on the desk when he finally retracts his head, placing his forehead to mine. “You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to do that.” He whispers out of breath. I kiss him again and feel his hands start to undo my polo. I place my hand on his chest and he looks at me worried. “W-we shouldn’t be doing this...” I mumble and he kisses me lightly. “We don’t have to, but I do think we totally should.” He says and I chuckle. I kiss him again and pull away stopping myself. “Godric why do you have to be so hot?” I ask and he shrugs smiling.

“What if...” He starts. He walks over to his desk and taps it. “Each piece of work done. One article of clothing. Then you're still doing your job and we still get to have fun.” He proposes and I chuckle shyly. He picks me up from the front desk placing me on his with my legs on either side. “Well?” He asks again and I bite my lip. “We would be breaking the rules...” I mumble and he laughs as if I said the funniest joke ever. “Like I care. Now. One piece for one piece of clothing?” He asks and I finally give in nodding. He kisses my thigh and I feel it go all the way to my core.

He rubs my thigh absent-mindedly as he works on the paper. He finally gets the first one done and hands it to me as he unbuttons the polo I have on. I check it and place it behind me. “First one done.” I say as if my shirt wasn’t off and he wasn’t eyeing my chest. “One kiss?” He asks and I laugh kissing him. He starts kissing down my neck and I finally stop him, handing him the next piece of work. He gets that done quicker than ever and tries taking off my bra but I stop him. “Underwear last.” I tell him and he nods, kissing my thigh again sending shivers through my entire body. He helps me shimmy off my skirt and throws it on the ground. “Godric you are beautiful.” He mumbles looking at me with a hunger I’ve never seen before.

He finishes another assignment at record speed. “Are you sure darling?” He asks before taking off my bra. “Please.” I mumble and he nods taking it off. He keeps his eyes on my chest making my cheeks turn pink. “Darling… You are gorgeous.” He tells me, kissing me roughly. He massages my chest making me moan. He drags my hips to fall into his lap as I feel contact with my aching clit and his trousers I moan louder into his mouth. “I know darling..” He mumbles as he moves to my chest sucking on my nipple and massaging the other. “Freddie...” I moan as he leaves hickeys on my chest. I remember the work and almost don’t care but making him wait would add so much more fun.

I give it to him sitting back in my place and he groans hitting his head on the desk lightly. “You are murdering me here.” He mumbles and I chuckle massaging his head lightly. He picks it up, moving his work back on the desk. Every now and then he’d glance at my chest smirking and working harder. He finishes the homework, giving it to me and I read it over slowly. He finally grabs it viciously and slamming it behind me, making me jump. “Darling please take off those horrible panties before I cut them off.” He tells me and I nod quickly. I shuffle them off and he flicks his wand to silence and lock the room.

He tugs my hips to the edge of the desk kissing my inner thigh. He moves to right above where I want him to be kissing it and I whine lightly. “Aw darling… Would you like me to lick your pretty cunt clean?” He asks and I nod furiously as he finally licks all the way from my entrance to my clit and lightly swirls his tongue around it making me moan. He starts eating me out (is it obvious I don’t know how to word it-) and rubbing my clit as I moan his name over and over again. He pulled away right before I was about to come, leaving me to let out a whiney moan. He kisses me lighty and pulls away chuckling. “Sorry I just can’t take the trousers right now.” He mumbles softly. He gets up taking his clothes off and I watch biting my nails lightly.

He kisses me finally and I stop him before he sits down. “I-I’ve never. Ya know...” I mumble and he kisses me. “We don’t have to if you don’t want to.” He tells me and I shake my head. “No I just want to warn you...” I explain and he kisses me softly. “You sure?” He asks and I nod, biting my lip. He sits down and moves me slowly on him. It hurts at first but Fred’s kisses helped me and the pain turned quickly into pleasure. I nod and start moving when he gives me the go-ahead. I feel his hands guide my waist as I go up and down against his dick. He chuckles, kissing me, moving one of my hands that are clutched to his shoulder to my stomach, smirking. “Feel that? I shouldn’t even fit” He chuckles and I nod kissing him roughly. I feel him massage my ass with one hand still guiding me with the other. He moans my name, moving his head back. I feel myself get close as he keeps moving me sucking on my chest. “Freddie ‘m gonna come.” I mumble and he nods kissing my shoulder. “Go on. I want to see your cum spill on my lap.” He mumbles and I nod, continuously going up and down.

I moan out his name loudly when I finally come all over his dick and he lightly praises me. I keep going until I feel him cum inside me and I fall into his arms exhausted. “So… Do I get out of tutoring now?” He jokes and I laugh lightly. “I will not succumb to your seduction.” I mumble and he laughs. I feel his chest rise and fall violently from laughter and I just hum in ecstasy.

We get dressed and he stops me blushing lightly. “Is this… an only one time thing?” He asks and I laugh. “If you think you will take my virginity and it being a one time thing I will hex your cute ass.” I tell him and he smiles pulling me in for a long kiss. We sit down facing each other and I grab my notebook. “Whatcha doin?” He asks and I click my pen. “We need rules” I tell him and he nods.

“Ok so You follow the school rules, I follow yours. You don't, you don't fuck me for a week per rule broken got it?” I ask caressing his cheek as he melts into it smiling goofily. “Yes ma’am...” He mumbles and I write it down. “Let's also make the clothing=work. Not all the time, just when I’m tutoring you.” I tell him and he nods happily. We continue making rules while he rubs my wrist lovingly.

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

I get snapped back to reality as Fred is giving me a light backrub to soothe the tension from Hermione’s questioning. “Right there darling...” I mumble and he moves a little to go to where I was pointing. “What were you thinking about?” He asks and I nod as he tries his best to massage my back. I smile at the question and rub his hand. “When we got together four months ago.” I mumble and he chuckles. “That was a many blow and hand jobs ago.” He jokes and I slap his hand laughing. “Can’t believe they still haven’t found out! Like should we tell them already?!” I ask and he laughs shaking his head. “It's funny watching them prod and wonder.” He tells me. I hear the door rattle and George mumble a spell. I jump to the floor and roll underneath his bed quickly. Should I make a part 3 where they get caught? So sorry if its bad

#fred weasley #canon #george weasley #fred and goerge weasley #fred and george #hermione granger #ron weasley #Fears #hogwarts #gryffindor #hufflepuf

[bowdawn]

prompts Elucien with Elain saying this to Lucien: “ of course i noticed. i notice everything about you. ”

My feet could almost touch the floor of the river. Lucien had taken me out from Velaris for a picnic, and to show me some flower that only grew at Spring Court.

I quite liked our courtship. He was sweet, and attentive. He was funny, smart and witty. He had annoyed me relentless at first, pushing me until I would either break or walk away.

He was the only one that really challenged me after I was turn. And the one only that really listened. I had thought that Graysen had seen me, only for Lucien to prove me wrong. Graysen saw the version of me that would fit to his wishes and life. Lucien saw me.

I have no doubts that at first he did that only due to our mating bond. But I also had no doubts he recognized the hurt and pain he had once felt, and he decided to help because Lucien was just like that.

I was quite sure that I love him. Despite the mating bond. He managed to twirl himself into my heart and mind like no other could have. And I was perfectly content to have him for the rest of my eternal, endless, ageless, life.

Should he have me of course.

Something tugged on my toes and I yelped, taking them out of the water. 

Lucien laughed a little a far from me. "I told you some fish might try to bite your feet."

I hugged my knees into my chest, leaving my feet far away from the water as possible. "The fishes from Velaris don't try to eat my toes."

Lucien barked another laugh. He stood a little deeper in the water, pants and shirt rolled up, fishing with bare hands. It made me hot and bother just to look at him. The smirk on his face showed me he knew all about it.

"They also don't taste like this too." On a fluid and quick motion, Lucien reached under water and grabbed a big fish. This wasn't the first time I've seen his trick, so I could contain my gape and clap at my mate proudly.

"Great, I'm hungry." 

I made my way back to our picnic blanket and Lucien lazily made his way as well. I picked the fishing knife and a cloth - items I had to start carrying on my picnic basket due to his tendencies of hunting - and offered them to him.

Quietly Lucien cleaned the fish while I built the fire, just the way Lucien had taught me, preparing the big leaf he found earlier, and filling it with the spices we usually liked. Lucien gave me the fish, and I placed it on the leaf, packaging with care before putting on the top of the fire.

While the fish was baking, he stretched his hand to me. "Let me see your feet."

Heat floated all over me as I shook my head, but Lucien only stared at me. "I'm fine, the fishes didn't bit me so hard."

Lucien only wiggled his fingers. I knew of his healing magic, and I knew that I could ask him anytime I wanted. Today was not the case for such treatment.

"You won't stop bother me until you've see my toes." It was a fact more than a question.

Lucien grinned at me. He could fuss so much at times. "I will kiss each of them to heal." And even as he said I could feel my skin blushing and shivering all over again.

I offer him my both of my foot and he inspected with more measure than he should have. A image flowed in my mind of a little girl sitting in front of Lucien while he checked her injuries with that same attention.

I clipped our bond shut. Allowing us to stay in the present, as I knew our future would still be there for us. I didn't fight the smile that creeped into my face, I couldn't wait for that time to come. And if my visions were any promise, Lucien and I would have our hands full.

He indeed kissed - ever so gently - each toe, making me giggle with the tickles. First the right foot, then the left. He held my left a little too long, brushing his fingers around my ankle.

"Does it stills hurt?" He asked me without stoping his examination.

"What?"

"Does your ankle still hurt? From when the Cauldron spit you out? You landed badly on your left ankle. And sometimes I can see you limp for a step or two, or you hiding a hiss."

I smiled at him. "Actually, it hurts from when I was a child and ran away from my mother to be a witch in the woods." 

Lucien smiled at me, kissing my ankle as well. I felt instantly the breeze of his magic surround it. "A witch, you said?" 

And I nodded my head."I didn't see a huge tree root and fell, but my left foot was stuck. I was lucky I didn't break the bones, but from time to time I feel the phantom pain from it. Or at least that's what Madja says." 

He stood up, only to turn the fish around on the fire, and flopped back down beside me. I didn't resist and brushed my finger on the scar of his eye. "Does the metal eye still bother your lids sometimes?" 

He only stared at me.

"You twitch your eye sometimes, when you read too much, or didn't slept well. You will even pull the lid up so you can move the eye out of the place that was annoying you..." I bent over and kissed his eye, wishing I had the same power as he did.

"You've noticed it?" His question left his lips no louder than a whisper, the sound broken.

"Of course I noticed, I notice everything about you." And it was the truth. Even before I loved him, even before we were friends, on a time all I wished was to be back to human, I would always noticed everything of him.

My mate.

His arms circled around me and I lay my back on his chest. He kissed my ears, as he had done many and many times before. Then he took my hand and kissed it too. "Marry me?" 

Even as I heard his question, my heart was too loud. I turn around and look at his face and know he was serious. I can feel the tears prickled my eyes as I crushed my lips to his. "Yes." I said between kisses. "Yes, yes, yes."

"I love you Elain, more than I could even imagine loving someone." His kisses didn't stop, and I never wanted them to. "

I love you too Lucien." It was all I could manage to say between them.

Finally, Lucien scoped me and carried me until I'm siting on a low three trunk. "I've done it all wrong. My big mouth has a life of it's own." I frowned as he rambled. Slowly, never taking his eyes off mine, he lowers to his knee. And even if I already said yes, my senses overflow again. Smiling, Lucien held a velvet box between his hands and when he opened a beautiful amethyst and pearls ring sat in the middle. "I love you Elain Archeron. And I want to share my whole life with you. Will you marry me?"

My smile broadened and I brushed my hand on his hair. "Lucien..."

"Yes?"

"The fish is burning."

"Cauldron's boils me."

#elucien #my writing #elain archeron #lucien vanserra #elain x lucien #lucien x elain #send me prompts

[kaimxri]

ACOTAR WIP

I’m still not sure who to write this for (Cassian, Eris or Lucien) so any suggestions are welcome:D

Now posted !! link here—> Means to an End ---------------------------------------------------------- Azriel had been clear on the rules of our ‘relations’. We are not dating; we do not stay the night and we certainly do not discuss our feelings. Although, he has never been discreet about his own emotions. I almost believed my name to be ‘Elain’ with the number of times he moaned out for her during our nights spent together. I tried to bring it up one night, but his sharp glare cut me off before I could finish my questioning. I was simply just a body to warm his bed. Not someone with feelings. Of which I had gained for the spymaster. Azriel would rather spend his time pining for a female who was clearly stringing him along than to look at me. The girl who had clawed her own heart out to make space for him. When Azriel wasn’t inside me, he was avoiding me. Acting as though my very presence did not exist. Instead, his days were spent pandering to Elain’s every need. She called; he came. They spent time together tending to her garden. He would bring back seeds from distant courts. Even going as far as to breach Spring Court borders to retrieve flower seeds that he said would grow to compliment her eyes. Her garden bloomed as did his love for her. They were a perfect contradiction, a perfect match. She balanced him out whilst he made her stronger. If it weren’t for Lucien, I am sure the pair would have bonded in some way. But alas the red-haired male stood in his way. At least he held some respect for her intended. Though I am certain he curses the cauldron for giving what he believes to be his to Lucien. When the night comes and she eventually brushes off his advances, he would crawl into my bed and pretend as though she felt for him as he did for her. Whilst I would pretend he felt the same for me. Of course, I never said anything about our situation. If he knew of my feelings for him, he would end our arrangement before I could explain. Or if he already knew he never said anything. Perhaps that made him a bastard. To keep taking advantage of me when he knew I would hurt myself only to pleasure him. And perhaps that made me a fool. But I was in love. I knew his cold exterior was simply a front to keep others from prying too deep, but I couldn’t help but wonder what delights lay under his stone surface. The little cracks he lets shine through during moments of unbridled joy bring me great happiness. The grins he lets slip when training with Cassian, the sleepy glaze over his eyes during his evening reading or even his little skip he does whilst running down the stairs on good mornings. He truly is the most beautiful male I have seen. And he does not see me.

#acotar #acotar x reader #lucien #lucien x reader #lucien vanserra x reader #eris x reader #eris vanserra x reader #cassian #cassian x reader #azriel #azriel x reader

[echotzzz]

My love, Elain Archeron

When Elain was first introduced in the ACOTAR series, i immediately love her so much i dont know why but i just did and when i knew that she’ll have her own book it makes me feel really happy. But when i came across some people that hate her for her character saying that she is weak and boring it makes me feel really sad as how could anyone hate this kind girl. Elain is potray as kind, sweet, feminine throughout the series from every character perspective thus why readers believe this are the only traits that Elain could give.

I believe there is more in Elain that we havent seen yet and i couldnt wait for it to reveal in her book. Now i want to justify and give my own opinion to some comments regarding Elain these few days and this is my own opinion feel free to correct me.

1. Archeron family poverty period

People kept saying that she doesn not contribute much in puting food on the table and i agree to that. But she contributed in other way that she able such as being the glue of the family. Living in poverty after being in environment that considered luxury is very sad and depressing and she still could put on a smile and being the brightest person thats she is in front of her family. She could have been angry and outspoke about her feeling but instead she bottle up and continue her life the best she could and that is a strength that not everyone could have. The issue about not helping Feyre hunt imo is maybe she was scared and not as brave as Feyre and in this case it is possible (not everyone could be brave ) and she even admitted it and said that she failed Feyre and felt guilty abt it. or maybe she needs to be this girl that are presentable to society that do girly stuff in order to secure the marriage with grayson and in the process could improve her family social status because married to a Lord family is a big thing back then. But after turned fae, we could see that she bcoming more brave eg: stabbing hybern, learn spy stuff and stand for herself no matter what. I think this is the character development sjm wants Elain to potray and we will see more in her book. And one more thing, so what if she want to plant flower instead of vegetables?? to say that she is useless for doing things she loves is bs. what if gardening is her only coping mechanism during the poverty and her source of happiness to survive life in order to not fall apart.

2. Lucien and the mating bond

Some people said that she is a bitch for not saying thank you to Lucien during solstice and WHY IS THAT? she does not owe him anything not even a thank you. what if she felt really uncomfortable with Lucien is because everytime she sees him or if he is around, he could remind her the day she was thrown in the cauldron, the traumatic experience when everything she have was taken from her forcefully eg, humanity, engagement to grayson and Lucien have been part of those process. Maybe to even speak to him make her really uncomfortable that she need to stay far away from him and have the urge to leave when he is in the same room. We will never know what a trauma could do to a person and i hope in her book she will overcome her trauma and have courage to look him in the eye and reject the mating bond bcause SHE HAVE EVERY RIGHT AND SHE IS HER OWN PERSON and no one should accept a bond that is forced to them even irl eg. arranged marriage. I have no hate against Lucien as he have never been cruel to anyone and the hybern act is because he is associated with Tamlin but still . I hope Lucien will not invoke the blood duel and to find the person that could love him unconditionally and that person is not Elain.

The only reason i ship her with Azriel is because SHE WANTS HIM AND HE WANTS HER PERIODTT. I dont know what is the standard for a person to be ‘deserve’ for someone is there a certain criteria that is needed?? Two heart that is lost finally found comfort in each other and in the process grow to be a better person. To be the light in the darkness and be the darkness that could challenge and bring out the most potential in yourself that shit is beautiful and i want to find a partner that do just that. The argument abt ability to produce child, being sexually desire SO WHAT? as long they both want each other in their own will and able bring each other happiness is all that matter. Imagine the joy for both Elain and Azriel when they could be finally together and just thinking abt that makes me wanna support their relationship even more.

So for people that hating Elain for her character is really up to you coz everyone have their own opinion but please give a chance to see other side of her because there are reason for sjm give her only 4 paragraph in each book. Maybe all our assumptions and misunderstanding would be answer when her book come out. I believe we only see like 40% of her and we could see the rest in her own book. Please give Elain a chance and stopp hating on her just because she being herself and spread love within this fandomm. The main message in the ACOTAR is healing, self love, forgiving and accepting others and we as the fans should take those massages in our daily lives as well😘😘

#elain archeron #azriel x elain #elriel #elain azriel #pro elain #azriel #acosf

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Voluptas Noctis Aeternae {Part 6.10}

*Severus Snape x OC*

Summary: It is the year 1983 when the ordinary life of Robin Mitchell takes a drastic turn: she is accepted into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Despite the struggles of being a muggle-born in Slytherin, she soon discovers her passion for Potions, and even manages the impossible: gaining the favor of Severus Snape. Throughout the years, Robin finds that the not quite so ordinary Potions Professor goes from being a brooding stranger to being more than she had ever deemed possible. An ally, a mentor, a friend... and eventually, the person she loves the most. Through adventure, prophecies and the little struggles of daily life in a castle full of mysteries, Robin chooses a path for herself, an unlikely friendship blossoms into something more, and two people abandoned by the world can finally find a home.

General warnings: professor x student, blood, violence, trauma, neglectful families, bullying, cursing

Words: 5.2k

Read Part 1.1 here! All Parts can be found on the Masterlist!

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"Are you actually going to tell them the entire story?" Snape asked curiously once the girls' footsteps had faded entirely, turning to Robin with a not-smirk.

"Nah… I will tell them exactly what they expect to hear. Spells and plants and old castles and spooky dungeons. They have no use for anything that happened in between." Robin shrugged with a sigh, swinging her backpack back over her shoulders now that her jacket was gone.

"Clever."

"Did you expect anything else?" She smirked, giving him a smug look along with it.

"I wouldn't dare to."

"It seems I've taught you well after all."

"You're insufferable."

"Obviously." Robin laughed, leaning her head to the side and motioning down the hallway. "Let's get the Siazella to Professor Sprout, and the moss to the lab."

"Eager now, are we?" He smirked in return, without even attempting to hide his humor.

"Would be a true pity if I was eager only now." She teased right back, then sighed with a softening smile. "On a serious note, I actually can't wait to be back in our own dungeons. It's been a long day."

"In that case, lead the way."

To their luck, Professor Sprout was still in her office when they reached the greenhouse. It took a minute of explaining what exactly their matter was, but after that the herbology teacher was all smiles and excitement. Robin handed her the flowers, unshrinking them, and while she explained their specifics to the professor, Snape merely listened with a minorly amused and majorly proud expression on his face.

Robin for her part was surprised by how easily it came to her to talk to Sprout like an equal, which she probably shouldn't be doing, but the herbology professor didn't seem to mind, and actually took on a similarly proud expression to the one Snape displayed. Still, in an attempt not to completely overstep her boundaries, Robin merely stated the facts about the Siazella, carefully giving her own theory about how to best grow them as well, and then let Sprout take it from there. Shortly afterwards they bid their goodnights, agreeing that Robin would come back tomorrow afternoon to check up on the flowers.

When they finally made their way down into the dungeons and towards the lab, Robin felt like she hadn't been down here in ages. Like they had been gone for weeks. But it wasn't even ten o'clock in the evening when they finally entered the dark laboratory once again, and thus not even 24 hours since she'd last been in here.

The fire in the fireplace was lit in an instant, as were the candles spread around the room, and sooner rather than later, the room was filled with a soft comfortable light and a pleasant warmth. Robin sighed in contentment when she dropped her backpack onto one of the tables, summoning up the box with the moss while Snape threw his robes over the other table as he usually did.

"I suggest we do half and half." She mused, pushing the moss into the middle of the table before she also got out her notebook and a pen. "Gives us the widest range of possibilities to work with, in my opinion, but you'll probably know better."

"I agree, actually." He sighed, in tiredness not in annoyance, and went ahead to separate the moss into two piles. "Do you have a specific preserving technique in mind or may I suggest one?"

"No, go right ahead, the choice is all yours. I've done my part for today. The rest is up to you now." Robin smiled, and handed him one of the empty jars from one of the shelves even before he could ask for it. It was an every-day procedure to dry plants, and Robin knew enough about it to be one step ahead already. They would dry half of the moss, and then preserve the other half in whatever way he saw fit.

While Snape took care of the to be dried patch for now, Robin wrote a label for the jar and stuck it onto the glass, then a minute later sorted the finished thing with the moss in it into the shelves with the ingredients. Drying really was easy and fast, no thinking involved. The preservation process however took more effort.

The idea was to place the moss into a larger jar, which then they would fill up with a potion for long term storage. That potion however they needed to make first, and thus they both got started on cutting up the required ingredients. Before long the preparatory work was done however, and all that was left to do was waiting and adding things into the cauldron in the right order and at the right time. So far so good.

After a day out in the cold, the many flames' warmth that now filled the small room soon made Robin feel too warm for once, and she thanked herself for wearing layers that could be taken off individually. Sighing, she stepped over to the side where she wouldn't knock things off the tables, and grabbed the hem of her jumper to pull the thick fabric over her head at last. What she unfortunately hadn't considered was that the t-shirt she wore underneath was a loose fit. And that said t-shirt would ride up along with the jumper.

At first she didn't even take notice of the situation, but when she simultaneously heard a small gasp from off to the side and felt the direct heat of the fireplace in front of her brushing against the skin of her stomach, the situation became abundantly clear with a start. Her arms snapped back down to her sides in an instant, while an unstoppable heat rose to her face. Oh bloody hell… If anyone could be more awkward, she didn't know how. At least she was facing the fireplace, squeezing her eyes shut and clenching her jaw, and not looking at Snape who was standing a few steps to her side, and that was the only reason why she could suppress the burning embarrassment enough to make another attempt at shedding her jumper. Holding her t-shirt down, this time around.

Then she took a deep breath to fight the heat on her face, dropping the stupid piece of clothing into the corner she was facing, and finally turned around as if nothing at all had happened. That usually worked well with him, just pretending that certain things hadn't even happened. But as it seemed, she wasn't so lucky this time.

Snape stared at her in a mixture of embarrassment and discomfort, but mostly in concern and surprise. Definitely not what Robin had expected… annoyance, disgust, indifference perhaps… but why on earth did he look so worried?!

"Is, uh… Is everything alright?" She asked with a small frown and a slightly too high pitched voice while crossing her arms over her chest for a moment. But she just couldn't stop fidgeting and thus she went to trace the scar on her neck with her fingers once again. At least she was wearing a rather pretty lacy bra and not one of those granny ones… as if that would make it any better! She suppressed the urge to roll her eyes at herself. Her brain did weird things when tired.

"Your side." He finally said with a very much concerned frown. "It seems that your fall did leave a mark after all."

"What?" Now Robin frowned as well, glad to abandon the awkward situation so very quickly even if in replacement for a confusing one.

"You promised you were fine, and yet your entire right side obviously is not." He explained pointedly, and Robin's eyebrows rose in surprise. Before she could think better of it, she took a glimpse at the damage, and indeed, her entire right rib cage as well as what she saw of her hip was starting to colour deep violet. Oh great…

"I promised that I believe I'm fine, which is the truth. I'm feeling perfectly alright, actually. This looks far worse than it really is." She said when she looked back up at Snape with a small shrug. "It doesn't even hurt. I wouldn't have noticed had you not pointed it out."

He kept frowning at her, but the look of betrayal vanished from his face at least, and Robin wondered once again if he had always been so very concerned about her wellbeing. Perhaps she was seeing more of it now because they actually were something like friends at this point. The thought made her smile, and her smile in return finally got him to stop frowning.

"If you say so." He mused, moving around the table in time to add the next ingredient to their potion. "You would tell me if you ever found yourself being any less than fine, wouldn't you?"

"Of course I would." Robin replied sincerely, giving him another smile that hopefully didn't reveal just how touched she felt by his words. Maybe it was the overwhelming tiredness that was slowly taking a hold of not only her body but her mind as well, but she felt incredibly cared for in that moment. In a way she hadn't ever before, with no one else before.

"Good."

"I know you won't, but…" She said then, halting in her movement of picking up her notebook from the edge of the table, "Just know that it goes both ways, yes? You can talk to me about anything at all, should you ever find yourself not repelled by the idea. I'm right here."

He froze for a moment, in the same way he had back in the study when Robin had told him that his presence was comforting to her, but soon enough this tension melted away again and he returned her gaze in the same way as always. "I know. Thank you."

"Anytime."

Smiling, and perhaps a bit surprised at how easily he had accepted her words, Robin grabbed her notebook and then sat down on the ground by the fireplace, sighing deeply. Sitting at last; what a wonderful feeling. While waiting for the potion, she might as well start noting down the minor alterations she had to make to her theory after today's excursion. Five minutes of scribbling down quick notes and small reminders of what she would still need to look up later however, she started to yawn. Once, twice, five times, eight times… until the words on the parchment in front of her started swimming together suspiciously. Sighing, she placed the notebook down by her side. Geez, she was tired… the day truly had taken its toll. Her eyelids felt heavy as lead, and her head was almost too heavy to keep upright.

"Tell me something." She yawned again, looking over to Snape who had sat down at the table with an equally tired expression. "Anything. Please… I'm falling asleep."

"Perhaps you should retire to your room then."

"And leave you to do the work and suffer alone? Hell no!"

"You truly are too stubborn for your own good." He sighed, but quite obviously was too tired to argue with her. "Ask me something then, if you want me to talk."

"Alright…" Robin chewed on her bottom lip for a moment, trying to think of a question that would be appropriate and not all too teasing for once. They both were too tired for that. "Why do you always wear black? I mean… only black."

"Habit."

"And how did that habit develop?" She rolled her eyes, stifling another yawn.

"As a student, I eventually took to wearing black whenever I could because it was easier to hide the blood stains."

Now that got Robin's honest attention, and she frowned up at him in surprised concern. "What? Why on earth was that something you had to worry about?"

"I wasn't as fortunate as to get rid of my tormentors like you did, before… matters degenerated." He replied in a surprising amount of honesty, especially since it obviously wasn't an easy topic for him. "Perhaps I simply wasn't as adept back then as you have proven to be."

"I…" She didn't know what to say. Nothing she could say would change the past, nor would her pity do anything but embarrass them both. "Perhaps I was just lucky enough to have you to help me, that's more like it. I am everything but adept at dealing with people."

"You seem to be doing just fine with your roommates. They undoubtedly adore you."

"Yeah, but I'm their adult friend, as they like to call it. A big sister. Not an equal." She sighed, and rubbed her eyes to perhaps get her eyelids to stay open a little while longer. "It doesn't matter, I appreciate them and they appreciate me. We're good. Tell me something else. Something funny."

"I'm hardly the person to ask in that regard."

"I have absolutely no idea what you mean by that." Robin grinned to herself lazily. "You're the funniest person I know. Your humour just takes a while to understand."

"And you believe to understand it?" He quirked an eyebrow at her in amusement.

"Obviously." She replied with a smirk, upon which he just had to return the very same gesture. "You always tell me serious stories. Tell me a funny one for once."

"I would rather drown myself in a cauldron."

"Oh come on… I insist."

"Fine." He was surprisingly quick to give in and yield to her request, and Robin felt affirmed in her suspicion that he had never truly meant to decline her in the first place. A warm rush of pride welled up in her chest, and a smile came to her face as he spoke on. "What have you heard about the man who I superseded as potions professor at this school?"

"Not much. Actually, I don't even remember his name… something odd which reminded me of snails."

"Close enough; His name is Horace Slughorn. A peculiar man, with a rather twisted idea of making himself important in a carefully woven net of dependency and liabilities. Either way, he had a way of picking favorites. Students who excelled in classes, who had a promising future ahead of them in a field he deemed profitable for himself, or who simply were born into influential families. He hosted various festivities for those individuals, which I can assure you were dreadfully mindless and generally far more interesting for those not invited. Logically, the ones not in his favour did not take particularly well to the exclusivity of his attention and assistance. Which, precisely, is why at one point in my sixth year, a few students decided to mess with him. They brewed a decent enough Veritaserum after stumbling upon the recipe, and poured it into his tea just before potions class one day. It was pure chaos. He had to lock himself in his office until the effect had worn off, or he might just have spilled all of his plans and secrets to the prying ears and eyes of his students. I still remember the horrified look on his face when he realized he could speak nothing but the truth… I believe he always carried an antidote with him after that day."

"I can very well imagine. Just fabulous…" Robin chuckled, having closed her eyes halfway through the story when they had become too painful, too heavy to keep open. "I assume you were part of the group of students he favored?"

"Unfortunately. We weren't particularly fond of each other though."

"You were the one who gave those students who pranked him the recipe for the Veritaserum, weren't you?"

"I will never admit to such a thing." He replied after a second of silence, pointedly innocently, and Robin had to smirk. She'd definitely caught him right there.

"That was a fun story, by the way." She said instead, yawning again. "I enjoyed hearing it, thank you. Isn't it, the time for the… uh… next thing in the… in the potion now?"

"Indeed. Would you like to or shall I?"

"Feel free to. Don't even remember..." Robin mumbled, unable to open her eyes or lift a single finger at this point. Even talking seemed too much of a hassle now that her mind was barely still awake. The warmth of the fireplace to her right was making her drowsy more and more, and the soft bubbling of the potion, a comforting rhythmic pattern, was only adding to it.

And then there was Snape's voice, muttering under his breath about something she couldn't make out clearly, which was wrapping around her senses like a calming blanket of safety and comfort. Just like that, his voice was what finally pulled her over into the realm of sleep.

… … …

A soft rustling of fabrics, a quiet mewl. Warmth. Labored breathing. The sizzling of a dying fire. Movement.

Robin's eyes fluttered open for a broken second, lids still heavy and unwilling, and she dug her face deeper into the scratchy fabric balled up beneath her head. The sounds that had woken her up reached her ears again, and she shifted on the hard ground, hugging the fabrics wrapped around her even more tightly. That smell… it was so familiar. So comforting.

Her eyes fluttered open once more upon a new crackling close by, and they stayed open at last. The things she was feeling, was noticing, were starting to make sense at last, as her tired mind processed her surroundings. She was lying on the ground in the laboratory, close to the fireplace that was barely even lit at this point. Her jumper had been placed beneath her head as a pillow, and she found herself wrapped up in a cloud of black fabric. The colour, the smell… her mind filled with impressions of Snape. Her heart skipped a beat, and she couldn't help hugging his robes even more tightly around herself. Good gods… she felt overwhelmed with love and affection in an instant.

A sharp intake of breath, a barely audible whine. She wasn't alone.

Robin turned onto her other side upon the sound, urging her tried muscles to function for the small movement at least. The laboratory was mostly dark, filled with silver moonlight more than with the dying fire's golden glow. She first spotted the large jar high above her on the table further down in the room, filled to the brim with a bluish liquid and the almost black moss at the bottom. Her heart squeezed together for a second; he'd finished the potion, finished their work for her. Relief and thankfulness took over her mind for a moment, crawling through the tiredness into her cocktail of unsuppressed emotions.

Then her eyes fell onto something far more interesting, and she couldn't help but stare with every speckle of awe she found within herself. She really wasn't alone after all. Not far away from her, the faint light that had lingered illuminated the sleeping form of none other than the potions' master himself. Robin held her breath for a few long seconds, observing his distressed expression, the subtle movements of his closed eyes, the frown on his face.

He must've been leaning against the shelf on the wall behind him before falling asleep, just like she had hours ago… Now however he was lying on the ground as well, his head resting on his arm while the other was stretched out into the open space in front of him. His dark hair was splayed out on the stone beneath him like black rivers, always the contrast to his pale skin, especially in the soft silver moonlight. Robin couldn't help being inevitably and utterly mesmerized. This was the person she was in love with, the person she did love so very much, and she had never been prouder of her heart for that judgement.

And yet, when he made another heartbreaking sound that might be born of pain or fear alike, Robin found herself more lost than ever in return. He must be dreaming, tormented by his own mind, and as much as she yearned to, there was absolutely nothing she could do about it. At least nothing that he would not behead her for once he woke up. Well, that wasn't true… she could simply wake him up in this instant. She should wake him up, should return to her room and he to his. But what difference would it make if he was having nightmares here with her or alone in another place? The thought pained her no less, rather more even. No, she wouldn't wake him up, wouldn't leave him alone. But she also couldn't watch him suffering, not if there was a chance that she could –perhaps– make it better in another way.

Robin took a deep breath, pushing past her nerves and worries, and finally scooted herself closer to him. Not much, not enough to be next to him entirely… but enough so that when she stretched her arm out towards him as well, her fingertips touched his. She would never dare to be so bold as to hold his hand, not now, not like this, but the light touch of her fingers resting against his would be alright for the moment. For both their comfort.

For a moment, Robin focused on the lingering touch, focused on letting her own calm and comfort ebb through her and carry over to him from there. After a while, the frown on his face eased up and his breathing slowed down in accordance, to the point where he almost looked entirely at ease. Without the mountains of facades, Robin couldn't help marveling at how vulnerable he looked. Almost like that one time, that one moment a long time ago… she indeed had never forgotten that look of rawness and intensity on his face. Neither would she forget this one now.

Even though he looked so peaceful now, Robin kept her hand right where it was when she closed her eyes once more. They would both move away eventually, long before morning… he would never need to know. But she would grant herself this one dream, this one time of falling asleep next to him. Even if that happened to be two arms' length apart.

… … …

When the heavy cloud of sleep lifted from her mind again, and she slowly rose from the deepest unawareness, the first thing Robin noticed was something warm by her side. Without thinking, she instinctively tried to curl around it, savouring every bit of warmth she could gain.

"Robin…"

She hummed in return, smiling softly at the familiar voice, but didn't move in the slightest. Her mind was at perfect ease, telling her that she was right where she needed to be.

"Robin…" He repeated more loudly, and she did wake up just enough to notice that he couldn't make himself sound as annoyed as he was obviously trying to. "Wake up now, will you?"

Finally she opened her eyes, and once she realized that she had curled around Snape in her still half asleep state, she sat up immediately and pushed herself to an appropriate distance.

"I, uh… Sorry for… that." She croaked out, pushing her hair out of her face as she stifled a yawn.

"Good morning to you too." He merely replied, quirking an eyebrow at her in subtle amusement. "It really is ridiculously difficult to wake you up."

"Perhaps you're just doing it wrong." She replied before she could help it, but once the heat rose to her head half a second later, she hid her face in her hands. "Ugh, my brain isn't fully awake yet. I'm so sorry… again."

"Don't be. I find it rather amusing, to be honest."

"You do?" Robin frowned at him in mild doubt while he rose to his feet with a surprising grace for… whatever time it was. All she knew was that rays of sunshine were falling through the small window by now, creating soft illusions on the stones beneath her.

"Obviously." He answered with a small smirk, which Robin could barely see as he walked over to the other side of the small room.

"Thank you for finishing up the potion last night, by the way, even though I imagine you must've been rather tired as well. And thank you for staying, instead of just leaving me here. I hope you at least slept well, despite the cold floor, and, well, my presence." She finally said with a surprisingly insecure chuckle, while she also rose to her feet, picked up his robes that had slipped off her shoulders, and then straightened out her own clothes after placing the bunch of black fabric on the table.

"Indeed, unusually well even. The ground was a nuisance…" He mused, then added more quietly, "But your presence was not."

"That's… good." Robin found herself smiling down at the ground for a moment, then finally remembered how to human and moved to pick up her jumper. "I did sleep well too, actually, but I'm still way too tired."

"Likewise. However, we are already more than fashionably late for breakfast, and I believe you have made an appointment for after the meal."

"Right…" Robin sighed, closing her eyes for a moment, before she tied her jumper around her hips instead of putting it back on. "Perhaps I should just skip breakfast and go change before tutoring."

"I would prefer for you to have a decent meal for once. An apple and a candy bar hardly count in that regard."

"Well, you won't stand out negativity, looking just like any other day, with your same outfit as always! But people might actually notice that I didn't spend the night in my own room if I'm looking like yesterday's messier version." She protested, then tied her hair into a ponytail to give her fidgeting hands something to do. It would at least help with the mess her hair had turned into overnight.

"If I remember correctly, nobody saw you yesterday other than your roommates and Pomona. As for her, she usually cannot even remember having prepared herself a cup of tea five minutes after making it. And as for the former, I believe you have quite the authority over them. Simply do what you do best."

"Which would be?"

"Playing their game by your own rules. Outsmart them; you are quite brilliant at that."

"I don't know… doesn't change the fact that I probably look like a scarecrow." Robin sighed, but she had to agree that an actual meal sounded amazing right now. And she did see his point in it as well.

"You look perfectly fine, Robin. Stop worrying over nothing." He replied while he placed his robes back over his shoulders like he so often did, but this time it made Robin's heart skip a beat. How did he mind so ironically little that she'd been wrapped up in it all night?! It was as if he'd forgotten about it, or perhaps he simply didn't care. He didn't seem bothered by it in the slightest either way.

Thus she picked up her remaining things, stuffing the notebook and pen into her backpack, and then followed him out of the lab a moment later. They made their way up to the great hall quickly, in companionable and mostly tired silence, until they parted for the first time in over a day before entering the hall. Robin went in through the main doors, Snape through the one to the side that was closer to the head table.

The very moment Robin sat down next to Cas and across from Jorien, she knew that this conversation wouldn't be as easy as Snape had made it seem. She'd been gone the entire night… obviously they would be curious!

"Hey there, stranger." Jorien greeted her first, with a small smirk on her face. The girls had finished eating for the most part already, while Robin just now got started to pile foods onto her plate.

"Hey guys…" She sighed with a small smile she just couldn't get rid of. "Ready for some tutoring after breakfast?"

"Oh no, we're not doing that." Cas intervened immediately, staring at Robin with a smug smile on her face. "We are not talking about us until you spill where you've been all night. And don't even try to tell me you came back to our room in the meantime, because I know you didn't."

"No, you're absolutely right, I didn't come back to our room last night." Robin shrugged with feigned ease, taking a bite of her toast. "I was in the lab. We worked on a potion that felt like it might very well take forever, even though it wasn't particularly complex. When I think about the preparations, my legs hurt just from the memory of standing at that table for ages... But anyway, all is finished by now, and I'm left feeling very much tired."

Both girls seemed sincerely surprised by Robin's easy and honest reply, and that was exactly what Robin had counted on. If she just pretended that it wasn't a big deal, that she was happy to share all those irrelevant details, they would lose interest without realizing the extent of matters she wasn't telling them.

"So you were just in the lab with Snape all night?" Cas sighed, and once Robin nodded with an innocent expression, her sigh turned into a groan. "How boring is that! I was hoping for something unusual… a secretly passionate romance with a handsome prince, or seeing as it's you we're talking about, at least some kind of adventure. Not just an all-nighter, and the same old."

"I think both Snape and I had enough adventure throughout the day yesterday… We were glad to be back in the lab with the 'same old' as you call it." Robin shrugged it off, enjoying the scrambled eggs even though they had long gone cold and soggy. But any food was good food right now.

"I think you're the first person to ever spend more than 24 hours in a row with Snape, happily." Jorien snickered, and Robin let her eyes flicker to the head table for a second, only to see Snape looking as indifferent as ever while he was talking to McGonagall. Actually, McGonagall rather was talking to him for the majority of it. Robin smiled at the sight, and then turned her attention back to her roommates.

"I think she's the first person who survived more than 24 hours with him!" Cas snorted in return, lazily swirling pumpkin juice around her glass. "I don't know how you do it, Robin… Two hours per week is quite enough for me."

"You're getting it all wrong, guys… He survived 24 hours with me. That's the real challenge." Robin smirked at them with a wink, and both girls laughed.

"Well, there's no disagreeing with that. Especially when you're being so very strict about literally everything! Do you still insist on tutoring after breakfast?"

"Obviously."

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[adenei]

Teddy and Victorie on a date and Ron just so happens to bump into them for the 3rd time in a row

Hi anon. Thanks for the ask!

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

Date Crashing

Ron walked into his and Hermione’s favorite Italian restaurant. It was their go-to place in London when they wanted to reminisce their trip to Italy where Ron proposed all those years ago. They were planning to celebrate their anniversary and Ron was meeting her at the restaurant. He wanted to surprise her with a bottle of wine that would be ready and waiting for her when she arrived. 

As the hostess showed him to his table, he noticed a familiar pair at another table across the room from him. Luckily, they hadn’t noticed him because they were too busy being all lovey-dovey with each other. Ron decided he’d make an attempt to ruin their evening after he ordered Hermione’s favorite cabaret. 

It was becoming uncanny with how often Ron was bumping into Teddy and Victoire. The first time was at the Burrow in Ginny’s old bedroom, where he’d interrupted their snog. Then he caught them out at the Leaky Cauldron last week, and now it seemed Teddy had chosen to take her out on a nice, romantic date. Well, at least he was trying. He saw how their eyes shone as they smiled and talked and he wondered if that’s what other people saw in him and Hermione before they were too stupid to realize they were in love with each other.

The waiter cleared his throat and Ron looked up. “Er, sorry,” he said.

“It’s fine, sir, can I get you anything while you wait?” he asked.

“A bottle of the Bordeaux Cab, please. My wife should be joining me shortly,” Ron said.

The waiter nodded and gave him a look as he looked from Ron to the table he’d been staring at earlier.

“Oh, don’t mind that. That’s actually my niece over there on a date with her boyfriend. Had no idea they’d be here tonight.” Ron explained as the waiter nodded in understanding. When he walked away, Ron got up to say hello.

“We really ought to stop running into each other like this.” Ron said as he approached.

“Uncle Ron! What are you doing here, of all places?” Victoire asked. She was clearly shocked to see him.

“I could ask you two the same question,” he said with a chuckle.

“Oh, well, Harry suggested this place when I asked,” Teddy said with a blush.

“Ah. Did Harry also mention that he, Ginny, Hermione and I love this place because it reminds of the trip we took to Italy back in ‘99?”

“Er, no, he didn’t,” Teddy said as Vic laughed.

“Yeah, Hermione and I come here for our anniversary every year.”

“Oh, I forgot! Happy Anniversary, Uncle Ron!” Vic and Teddy said.

Ron pretended to look appalled. “How could our flower girl AND our ring bearer forget our anniversary. I’m insulted,” he said with a smirk. 

“I was only a baby, Uncle Ron,” Victoire said with an eye roll.

“Yeah, and I wasn’t much older,” Teddy agreed. “I think Aunt Hermione’s here!” he said as he waved to her.

“Ah, yes, well I won’t bother you on your date anymore. Vic, you’ll let me know if Teddy doesn’t treat you right?”

“Of course, Uncle Ron,” Vic said.

“Good! And maybe you and I should compare schedules so I don’t keep crashing your dates, Ted.” Ron laughed as Teddy and Vic looked slightly embarrassed. Now, I’ve got a date of my own to get to. See you Sunday!” He said as he walked back to his table to greet Hermione.

#romione #tedoire

[thespianbooks]

A Court of Nightmares and Starlight //Chapter 6//

(Chapter one) (Chapter two) (Chapter three) (Chapter four) (Chapter five) (Chapter six) (Chapter seven) (Chapter eight) (Chapter nine) (Chapter ten)

(tags: @thron3ofbooks, @df3ndyr, @courtofjurdan, @art-e-mis, @herondamnn, @the-third-me, @im-still-trying-here, @emikadreams, @paytin77, @mis-lil-red)

“Are you absolutely sure it's a boy?” Rhys asked me as we lay entangled in bed, his ear pressed against my bare stomach and his hand splayed just below my navel.

I giggled as I ran my fingers through his raven locks. In the week since I announced my pregnancy, he asked me different versions of the same question. His hands also seemed to have become permanently glued to my stomach; along with his ears and lips. Every chance he had, Rhys would try and get as close to the baby as possible—which I welcomed, absolutely content with how devoted he was. The morning after Starfall, Rhys insisted we visit Madja’s clinic in Velaris—determined to learn anything and everything there was to know about pregnancy and what it would entail for me. The healer happily obliged, and informed us both of what the next eight and a half months would look like. Not only was a high fae pregnancy longer than a human’s, but as with other fae ailments, any symptoms and risks I faced might be amplified.

There were the normal symptoms I was already accustomed to: nausea, vomiting, fatigue, and others I would soon face: backaches, swelling in my hands, face, and feet, and occasional headaches. Hearing about those symptoms didn’t cause any alarm, they were common and unfortunately came hand-in-hand with creating a new life. Madja also said that every female experienced her pregnancy differently; some had severe complications and had to be on strict bed rest, while others hardly experienced anything other than a few minor discomforts. I hoped for the latter of the two.

It was hearing about the risks, which included a small chance of bleeding that could lead to a miscarriage while we were still in an early phase, that made me nervous and caused Rhys to enter in a full-blown defensive mode. Any prior protective behavior he was experiencing before now intensified with his innate need to safeguard me and the baby. Madja assured us that this behavior was expected and normal between mates; with females in such a vulnerable condition, a male’s instinct was always to protect his mate and their offspring. To his credit, Rhys offered a sheepish grin along with an apology in advance. Having already witnessed what he was like after we were freshly mated, and how he managed to reign himself in, I knew most of it was beyond his control.

However, I welcomed some of his coddling after my unpleasant symptoms returned a day after our visit with Madja, and fluctuated throughout the week. The extreme fatigue seemed to be a permanent state I would stay in for the duration of my pregnancy, but I pleaded to the Mother that my nausea spells would soon cease. It was torture being unable to leave my room for periods of time throughout the day. Unfortunately, there was no predicting when the queasiness would hit, so for the time being I would have to bear with it and hope none of the others would notice and wonder why my seemingly mysterious illness still remained.

Rhys and I decided to hold off on revealing the news to our friends and my sisters until we were out of the realm of possibility for a miscarriage. Madja reassured me that the chances were slim and divulged that although it was difficult for high fae to conceive, it was also difficult to lose a pregnancy. In spite of my relief, I didn’t want to take any chances and asked the healer for all recommendations on how to stay as healthy as possible.

So, along with the prenatal herbal teas she initially prescribed, she also ordered that I immediately put a halt to my morning training sessions with Cassian—which Rhys whole-heartedly agreed with, much to my chagrin. As much as I enjoyed being active, however, I knew fainting after only a couple of minutes of basic punching forms was a sign that I should be taking it easier. My body was now working overtime to provide not only for myself, but for a baby that was growing more and more by the day. Instead, Madja suggested I take more time to rest and relax, to allow myself more free time for leisure activities like my painting. Knowing my concerns, and guilt, over becoming stagnant, Rhys promised my duties as High Lady wouldn’t be affected—which left me relieved.

However, as much as my mate knew how capable I was of tending to my regular duties as High Lady, I couldn’t help but be amused at how much he insisted on spoiling me. He now reserved the right to tend to my every want and need; whether I was weary or not, Rhys began to wait on my hand and foot under the guise that since I was carrying his child, he would carry everything else. I appreciated it most whenever I was feeling particularly nauseated or drained, but I drew the line whenever he tried to spoon feed me my meals—I still maintained my irritation for it, no matter how much of a mother hen he was going to be for the duration of my pregnancy. I also valued it on morning’s like today when I had awoken with little to no desire to leave the comforts of our bed—whether it was from my overwhelming fatigue or not.

“Yes, the Bone Carver appeared to me as our firstborn. A miniature version of you,” I answered with a sigh of mock exasperation.

“And you’re sure this mini-me didn’t happen to actually have long hair or maybe more feminine features? It is dark in the prison, afterall, maybe you missed a couple of details,” he tried to reason, raising his head to look at me.

“I showed you what he looked like,” I laughed.

“Ah yes, but I saw through your eyes Feyre darling. So to clarify the vision, I have to rely on the original source. In this case, that’s you,” he said, his grin positively feline.

I grabbed a pillow and smacked him with it as I laughed, “Smartass.”

His grin remained as he braced himself against my stomach playfully, “Careful darling, you’ll hurt the baby,” he teased.

I rolled my eyes and hit him again as he laughed, “It’s a boy. Maybe the next one will be a girl.”

“Next one?” He asked, his violet eyes lit up as they met mine with raised and amused brows.

“We’ll see. Let’s focus on our son first,” I said.

His chuckle reverberated through me as he pressed his ear to my still-flat stomach. Despite no growth progress being made on my pregnant belly, he was obsessed.

“I want him to know I’m here,” Rhys answered before I could ask; double checking to make sure that my mental shields were intact.

“He knows,” I said as I continued to brush my fingers through his hair. “He was calling out to you for weeks before either of us realized he was there.”

During our visit, I had Madja explain the mystery behind the faint glimmer that fluttered between us. The ancient inkling that existed between mates as a confirmation that they had successfully procreated. Rhys was in awe of the information, and hoped the glimmer would remain throughout the months. So far, my little glimmering baby was silent—perhaps reveling in finally being noticed.

“Still, it’s never too early to bond with my son,” he said with a grin as he pressed a chaste kiss to my stomach before subsequently moving from his spot and hovering above me. “Are you feeling well enough to have breakfast with everyone, or shall I bring you breakfast in bed?”

I sighed as I held his arms, lightly tracing the pattern of his tattoos as I debated, “I could honestly sleep for another couple of hours. You should go, let everyone know I’m okay,” I answered.

“I’m beginning to run out of excuses to explain why their High Lady has been so inclined to not leave her room.”

I hesitated, realizing how hard it actually was to keep up the deceit. A part of me knew Mor was suspicious of something already, having guessed Cauldron-knew-what on Starfall. The others I couldn’t even begin to guess what assumptions they made.

“Should we just tell them?” I asked. “I know we wanted to wait a little while longer, but it just doesn’t feel right to keep giving excuse after excuse.”

Rhys nodded in agreement, “I’m pretty sure Cassian and Azriel know something, but they have too much respect for your privacy to pry it out of me.”

I laughed and sighed tiredly, “Do you think they’ll be excited?” I asked.

He smirked, “Well I don’t think they’ll be disappointed.”

I rolled my eyes and pushed him away before sitting up as he chuckled. He caught my wrist carefully before I could get up from the bed, “I think they’ll be more than happy to hear there will soon be a new member of our Inner Circle,” he said.

I smiled, “He’s going to be spoiled, isn’t he?”

“Rotten, my love.” He replied as I laughed.

X

I didn’t realize how nervous I would actually be until we sat down for breakfast. Our morning routine was proceeding as normal—everyone gathering in our grand dining hall, another room I was particularly proud of in the estate. I planned for it to be large enough to fit all of us comfortably, and took extra consideration for the Illyrian brothers and their mighty wings.

I took comfort in seeing everyone in their customary morning moods; Amren and Mor chattering over a new line of jewelry on display at their favorite shop at the Palace of Thread and Jewels, Elain displaying a book of pressed flowers she had been collecting to Azriel—who actually requested to see it the night before, and Nesta keeping a watchful eye on the pair while Cassian engaged her in some kind of boastful conversation. I was actually surprised to see how close they were sitting together without Nesta having a sneer on her face. I tried to remember the last time it was she even looked at him with a sneer at all.

Getting distracted, my love? Rhys asked down the bond.

I glanced at him and took a sip from my glass of orange juice. What, should I just blurt it out while they aren’t paying attention?

Why not?

I paused. Really?

If you don’t, then perhaps I will.

I blinked and opened my mouth to say it, but when the words refused to come out, Rhys grinned mischievously before simply turning in his seat and said, “Feyre darling is pregnant.”

Everyone’s eyes instantly turned to me and I blushed under their collective gaze. There was quiet for little more than two heartbeats before Mor and Elain’s high-pitched squeals met the air and the sounds of chairs scraping the floor filled the room as everyone moved. Mor was the first to reach me as she threw her arms around me in a warm embrace.

“Oh, I knew it, I knew it!” She cheered as she hugged me and my eyes burned as she pulled away, Elain wrapping me in her arms next.

“I can’t believe it, Feyre, you’re going to have a baby!” she exclaimed, and out of the corner of my eye I saw Azriel and Cassian congratulating Rhys with clasps on the shoulder.

I laughed aloud when Cassian wrapped an arm around his shoulder and wrestled him around, “I knew you had it in you Rhysie!” he exclaimed as Azriel nodded his approval.

Just as the shadowsinger turned his attention to me and took a step in my direction to congratulate me, Rhys was out of Cassian’s hold and in his path—blocking him from getting to me with a deadly snarl on his lips.

Cassian barked a laugh and slapped a hand on Rhys’s tense shoulder, “Is this a second version of that mating bond rearing its ugly head?” he taunted.

Before Rhys could turn that snarl towards Cassian, I touched his other shoulder gently in an attempt to calm his feral temper. Almost instantly, he relaxed as his gaze drifted to my stomach and shrugged Cassian’s hand away.

“Madja warned us that this might happen,” I said, “But I’d prefer you two not destroy this room.”

“We can always have it out in the training pit later, Rhysie.” Cassian goaded, cracking his knuckles with a wicked grin.

Rhys squared his shoulders as his hand came to rest on the small of my back, “I’m fine here.”

“A typical male guarding his offspring,” Amren said coolly, and I was grateful for the attempt to lighten the animosity that briefly began to brew. “Congratulations girl. It’s about time our group is graced by a youngling’s presence, it’ll be a welcome change around here.”

“How far along are you?” Nesta asked, and I was surprised to see her standing beside Cassian, not realizing she had made her way over during the hostile interaction with Rhys, instead of attempting to shield Elain.

“Almost three months now,” I answered, my hand coming to rest on my flat stomach. “I found out the day before Starfall.”

“Aha! I told you!” Mor cheered as she turned to Cassian and Azriel.

Cassian swore under his breath and Az dipped his head in acknowledgement, and I balked. “What’re you talking about?”

“We all made a bet on how long it would take for you guys to announce it. I gave it a week, Cass bet two, and Az bet you would be half-way along before you told us. Which means I won!” Mor sang excitedly.

“I lost the minute his darkness over here didn’t shout it from the rooftop after you told him,” Amren revealed nonchalantly, motioning to Rhys.

“Wait, you all knew?” I asked, bewildered.

“Are you kidding? I smelled it on you the minute we came back from the mountains,” Cassian admitted, “I’m surprised Rhys didn’t, with him being your mate and all.”

“To be fair, a part of me did know, but until Feyre was fully aware herself, I wasn’t going to raise any suspicion,” Rhys said nonchalantly, and I could feel his attempt to tame his preternatural instincts in order to avoid giving into Cassian’s baiting.

“So, this wasn’t really news then?” I asked, unable to hide my disappointment.

“It was for me,” Elain interjected, grabbing my hands gently with a smile, “I had no idea, and I’m so happy Feyre.”

“I didn’t know either,” Nesta added, and I was astonished to see a formal look of support on her lovely face.

Elain embraced me again as my eyes burned. They were all happy for us, and as Amren mentioned earlier, a baby would soon be welcomed by everyone here. I tried not to let the tears fall as I imagined my son being held in each of their arms. I sniffed as I stepped back from Elain’s arms and blinked in surprise when I saw Amren, Mor, Azriel and Cassian standing together before me and bowed with their hands over their hearts—just as they had done years ago after Rhys and I were newly mated.

“Our vow of service and protection is extended to the child you carry; our future High Lord of the Night Court.” Mor explained before I could question them.

“Or the future High Lady,” Cassian said with a wink.

I glanced at Rhys as he slid his hand back onto the small of my back, and without the need to communicate through the bond we knew we would keep that revelation a secret.

“This is normally a tradition sworn to the High Lord, but seeing as you are our High Lady, and the one who is actually doing all the work, we pledge our vow to you and your child.” Amren continued.

My heart tightened and my face flushed as they all stood as one, their hands still on their hearts. I captured the image in my mind, imagining what colors of paint I would need later and the exact canvas I would use to commemorate this moment forever. Sworn protectors of the Night.

“Thank you,” I said, my voice still thick with the unshed tears.

Mor grinned and came up to envelop me in another hug, “Your emotions are going to be all over the place now! You don’t have to worry about holding back, we all understand,” she crooned and I laughed with a sob.

“I’ll admit, I’ve never really been around pregnant females outside of the ones in the Illyrian camps, but I’m willing to learn,” Cassian reassured.

“We all are,” Azriel added.

I sniffed and wiped at the few tears that escaped, “I guess we’re all experiencing this for the first time,” I said.

“I’ve at least held a baby before,” Mor said proudly.

“Before it burst into tears and reached back for its mother,” Rhys remarked with a smirk, earning a glare from the golden-haired beauty.

“Hey, I’ve held a baby before,” Cassian defended. “You forget, I’ve taught younglings how to fly. Sometimes that required holding them when they cried.”

“Your idea of holding a youngling included patting them on the back until they calmed and tossing them, sometimes in mid-air,” Azriel smoothly cut in.

“That happened once, and it was an accident!” Cassian barked.

“So, you dropped a baby in mid-air?” Mor asked.

Elain gasped in horror at the thought, causing Amren to burst out laughing and Nesta rolled her eyes as Cassian fumbled over his words to try and defend his actions. I squeezed Rhys’s hand as my heart swelled and his eyes met mine with an easy grin, his free hand coming to rest on my stomach—happy to finally be able to do so in front of everyone. I returned his grin when that familiar glimmer fluttered excitedly beneath his touch, our son happy and no doubt feeling right at home with his family.

#feysand #feysand babies #rhys x feyre #feyre cursebreaker #feyre archeron #feyre darling #feyre x rhysand #nessian #nesta archeron #elain archeron #high lady feyre #high lady of the night court #high lord of the night court #high lord rhysand #illyrian #illyrians #illyrian babies #azriel #mor #amren acotar #acotar #acomaf #acowar #acofas #acotar fanfiction #acofs #a court of thorns and roses #a court of mist and fury #a court of wings and ruin #a court of nightmares and starlight