The beginning of Gwyn and Azriel

DISHONOUR

  Azriel squeezed his drink until the glass exploded. "Absolutely fucking not."

  He barely recognized his bleeding wrist because he was already up, on top of the table.

  Then he was moving, ripping his sword out, and charging.

  Towards...Tamlin.

  Azriel did not know where that blazing rage arose from, but it was a new sensation.

 And as he drove his sword down...it was met with another.

  Azriel looked up to see that Lucien held his sword against his, their metals clanking against each other.

 "I will rip out his throat," Azriel growled as he stared down the Fireling.

  Lucien bared his teeth, pushing his weapon harder.

 "Why? Because you have some freakish claim on every single woman in this court?" Lucien yelled out.

  And then they began to fight...truly fight.

  The guests all gasped and made way for the men as they plunged in every direction. Plates and glasses were falling aimlessly.

  No one dared to step in between them.

  Nothing could suspend the sheer force of their blows.

  Fire vs darkness, in a never ending battle.

  But Azriel was a warrior, and it was only time until Lucien's moves would weaken. 

  After several minutes, Azriel had been correct.

  He had Lucien on the table, his back pressed against the cloth, blade to his throat.

 "This is not your fight, Fireling," Azriel spit.

 "It has everything to do with me," Lucien gashed Azriel's arm with one of the forks. That second of surprise allowed Lucien to be free and stand atop the table.

  Azriel jumped onto the wood, holding out his weapon.

 "Stop this, now!" Elain hallowed at the men.

  And at that, Lucien gave the Shadowsinger a look , "Oh, it seems she only speaks when it comes to you."

  Then they began their battle on the table, atop of the dinner and desert.

  People were screaming.

  Rhys was barking orders.

  But they did not stop.

  Lucien had that fire in his eyes and he needed to let it out...after so many years of regression.

 "Maybe Gwyn should choose me to participate with her in Calanmai," Lucien chuckled breathlessly.

 Azriel froze at that....

  He saw red....

  He became uncaring from the entire world...

  And then Azriel said the words that were formed completely out of disgusting spite and jealousy.

 "Your own mate did not choose you, what makes you think Gwyn will?"

  There was a moment of silence.

  Lucien threw his sword and it trashed on the floor wildly.

  And then he punched Azriel bloody.

  The Shadowsinger stepped back from the full impact...

  Lucien had put all his power into that blow, and Azriel could taste iron in his mouth.