The beginning of Gwyn and Azriel

Apart Of Your Symphony

  Everything became magic that week and Azriel could never get enough of it.

  He wanted the world to pause for a moment...

  He wanted to learn every single detail about her...he wanted to live in her eyes.

  Because for a moment, he forgot about the curse...about the world, and felt true exquisite happiness.

  The Shadowsinger did not know that this kind of happiness ever even existed.

  He just wanted to keep on living in it.

  Now, they once again strolled through the orange trees, but this time, their hands were clasped so tight lightly.

  He whispered something in her ear that made her throw her head back and laugh uncontrollably. Azriel could not stop staring at her glowing face in the sunsets...he could never grow tired of it.

  And when Gwyn tilted her head back, staring at him with those teal eyes, he closed their distance.

  The feel of her lips, he would die happy just to feel them once again.

  But she stood, a whisper away, with a smirk painted on her face.

 "You are going to have to work harder than that, Shadowsinger," she chuckled and then turned. Gwyn began to run through the passage of orange trees.

  Like a complete, giddy, youngling, Azriel ran after her.

  He also could not hide his smile as he chased her.

  His shadows swarmed around him like a wave, also giddy with excitement.

  And when his arms caught her, wrapping around her waist from behind, she also squealed like a youngling.

  Azriel could not help it, he brought his lips down to her throat, and lightly kissed.

 "You are making me break a sweat, Priestess," he said along her skin. He could feel her pulsing blood underneath and was tempted to bite.

  But Gwyn twisted in his arms, sliding her hands up his chest, towards his roaring heart.

 "I never thought you were worried about sweating?" she tilted her head.

 "Hm, wouldn't you like to know," Azriel pushed them closer.

  And it was as if she could no longer handle the teasing either because Gwyn pulled his head down and kissed him passionately. 

  He quietly moaned in her mouth, but tried to dismiss it. He wanted to be gentle with their kisses..he did not want to pry, or take advantage.

  But tonight, her mouth was parting, her breath was heavy. 

  Tonight, her fingers became wild as she rubbed up and down his chest, like she was memorizing the feel of him.

  Then Azriel felt her tongue and had to step back.

 "New tricks, Priestess?" he asked breathlessly.

 "I am a quick study, Shadowsinger," she pulled him back to her.

 "I do not doubt it for a second," his nose grazed her own nose, rubbing gently.

 "But we would not want to get too heated out here...where any eye could spot us."

  Gwyn had decided a few days ago that should would prefer their relationship, or whatever was between them, to remain a secret for the time being. She wanted to sort out her own thoughts and feelings before anyone made a judgment of her. Azriel, of course, agreed and gave her space, but then she was dragging him out of his room every moment to be with him.

 "Nobody comes to this section," she added with a smirk, her hands trailing up to his neck.

 "Hm," he mumbled.

 "You are right...it is not about being caught," Azriel pulled away for a moment, so that he could gaze at her for his next line.

 "I am worried that if I feel your tongue..." he paused.

 "It will be very," he pushed her flush against him, "very", he trailed, "difficult to stop tasting it."

 "You are wicked, Spymaster," she bursted out laughing.

  And Azriel was stuck frozen once more, watching her completely entrapped by happiness.

  He became serious again.

 "Your laugh..." he swallowed.

 "Your laugh is a symphony to my ears" he laid a hand on her cheek.

 "And I want to apart of your symphony," he whispered, just for her...just for them.

  Gwyn leaned her cheek against his palm, her eyes almost shining with fresh tears.

 "Azriel...you are my song."

  He could have sworn his body caught on fire with those words alone.

  And as they retreated back to their separate rooms for bed, he could not wipe his smile off his face. 

  He bent to hold her hand up to his lips, "Until tomorrow, Gwyneth," he kissed gently. 

  Gwyn's breath caught when he stared at her like that.

  He could smell her-

  No.

  Azriel would lose his mind if he started thinking about her like that. He needed to remain patient and attentive.

  With a silent nod to his beautiful mate, he entered his room, alone.

  Azriel could barely sleep as he lay staring up at the ceiling. His mind was too busy replaying every encounter...every touch.

  But it was the guilt that ate him the most.

  The guilt of not known that she was his mate for all these years.

  The fact that he wallowed in ridiculous self-pity while she had been there the whole time...in pain.

  She had been right under his finger tips, but he was too busy with his ridiculous infatuations.

  His blood roared at the thought of that.

  Maybe if he had taken a step back, away from Elain, away from the lust....he would have finally seen the truth.

  But he had been so alone...

  Azriel wanted to wipe it all away and just live in their happiness...but it was always there, that lingering darkness.

  And as he tried to suspend the shakes, he wished that she was beside him...in his bed. But he would never force himself in her space, or force her to come into his.

  Azriel agreed that she would only come to his bed from her choice.

  And he would wait.

  Wait for a damn eternity.

  Because he would never be worthy of her symphony.

  His shadows were now trying to sooth him. 

  Think of her, only her, they seemed to whisper in his ears.

  And so he did.

  Every night, he slept with the thought of her.

  When morning came, he was ready to spend another day with her. However, Azriel could feel that she was not in her room, or out with Tamlin.

  He wordlessly made his way to the living, where the whole group was assembled.

  Gwyn held a note out to him.

 "They want us back in the Night Court."