Shadows like mine

Epilogue

Azriel watched as Mor uncorked a bottle of wine with her teeth and spat it across the room.
    Aurora followed her example.
    As did Nesta.
    It seemed like the three of them mastered the art of drinking even more the past few months.
    Spring turned into summer and that faithful day of the Curse Breaking was far behind them.
    Sometimes it felt like they never had to deal with it.
    And about the living... Aurora was a wonderful Fae when it came to that. Even though Azriel wasn't as outgoing as his mate, he always was at her side.
    He wanted her to live. Every hour, every minute.
    She went to parties, she sang and danced and read and went shopping... Azriel was always near. And if he couldn't, one of his shadows lingered around one of her own. Even when he wasn't there, a part of him was.
    "Are you coming to the service with us after our training?" asked Nesta and she took a sip from the bottle.
    Somewhere deep inside of him, Azriel was very happy that Aurora drank out of a glass, not the bottle itself.
    "I sure am," his mate said with a smile and her eyes sparkled.
    Since the Break, her eyes never stopped sparkling. Her whole body seemed to sparkle, even more if Azriel looked at her. She would become light itself whenever the Dawn greeted them, smiling at its daughter of Light, accompanied by shadows.
    Shadows like his own.
    "Well, before you go training," said Feyre and she took the bottle from her sister, took a sip as well. Rhys was too stunned to say something—Feyre hadn't drank a single drop the last few weeks.
    "There is something else we must do."
    Aurora looked at Feyre, then at Azriel. Like he had something to do with it. His face showed nothing, nor did his mind through the bond as she was sniffling around for clues.
    Of course he had something to do with it.
    He didn't need to tell her.
    "What is it?" They all found out that Aurora couldn't stand surprises. She was too curious. Even after all these months, they found nee aspects of her character.
    Turned out, she was a great baker. She made the best cookies Azriel ever ate.
    Well, when she finally learned how to bake.
    "You will see tomorrow," promised Azriel and gave her a kiss on the head. "We leave very early."

Azriel landed in the palace on top of the highest hill.
    Aurora had turned white somewhere during the flight. Then green. She didn't get sick during the flight, but as soon as she realised what was going to happen, she panicked.
    For the last three hours, she had been panicking.
    "I can't do this," she said and tried to stand on her own, but her legs were shaking too much. She bent over, on Azriel's arm and took deep, shaky breaths. "I can't. I can't. I'm gonna throw up."
    "If you are, make sure to aim at some of those plants," mentioned Rhys and he nodded at one of the big plants.
    It was still night out, but the twilight appeared within minutes.
    "Shut up," mumbled Azriel with a warning tone, as sharp as Truth Teller. He took Aurora's hands and made her stand up straight. "You will be alright."
    "I fucking hate you for doing this," she said and she entered the stages of almost hyperventilating. "I do."
    Azriel only smirked and shook his head. "I communicate with your nerves, you'll be fine."
    Walking around, Aurora tried to keep herself from screaming, running or throwing up. Maybe all of them at the same time. Who knew.
    Azriel let her walk around, just like Rhys.
    But Aurora couldn't escape what was coming. She stopped dead in her tracks when the Dawn rose above the Court.
    The Court she was born in.
    Azriel loved the Dawn in the Night Court. But this... this was beyond everything he had ever seen when the sun rose.
    The sky was a canvas which the sun painted with many colours. A deep purple got mixed with a soft pink. The hills and the palace, woods and fields, all got their own colour. A deep or soft stroke of the sun was making the Dawn Court around them magical.
    The fog of the morning rose, turning gold in the light.
    And Aurora... She hid her face in her hands, not able to watch. Her skin shone, reacting to the Dawn. So did her eyes when she finally opened them again, now filled with tears.
    "I wanted to meet you," said a man behind her.
    Aurora turned to the man with confusion. Her mouth fell open and before he was able to say anything, she fell to her knees.
    "I'm so sorry," she sobbed and hid her face again in front of her High Lord, Thesan.
    The man with the bright brown skin and golden eyes looked doen at her, but didn't do anything.
    Azriel and Rhys kept their distance. Because this was her moment.
    It was time that Aurora found her peace with the Dawn Court.
    "I'm so sorry for what I am," cried Aurora and she tried to hide her shadows from Thesan's eyes. "I am everything the Dawn Court can't have. I'm so sorry for never being able to fulfil my purpose in your Court."
    Aurora sobbed and Azriel watched with a pain in his heart. But then he realised that the pain he felt, wasn't his own.
    Aurora's heart ached and ached and ached.
    "Aurora," said Thesan and his mate calmed down enough to look up to him. "You were named after the Dawn. Why doesn't that make you worthy?"
    "I..." she started. "I am repulsing to your Court. I never was worthy."
    Thesan shook his head and held out his big hands for Aurora. Trembling and hesitating, Aurora grabbed them and stood up.
    "The black hair, the shadows, being born in the night..." he said and wiped away Aurora's tears. More came. "They don't matter, my daughter of Light."
    Confused Aurora blinked. "What?"
    "They're signs, Aurora," Thesan continued. "Signs that you had a home, somewhere far away from here. Signs that you are something big."
    His eyes brightened up the room and Aurora bowed her head for him.
    "My daughter of Light," he said again, "appearances and birth don't matter."
    Thesan let his hand rest on her aching heart. "The Light within you matters."
    And the Light in Aurora reacted to Thesan's touch. Fire, fireworks, stars and the sun... nothing was more bright, more pure, than the light that shone from her heart.
    Her heart, finally at peace, without the aching.