The Last Queen (An ACOTAR / Azriel fanfiction)

The Treaty

Whatever Azriel had expected, Daggerheart had managed to shock him. As well as the entire Hewn City.
As everyone had been expecting her to come barging in and demand that Fae leave her people alone, she had done the exact opposite.

The Morning sun was barely peeking over the clouds when Azriel had spotted a small dot on the horizon. Expecting some sort of disruption or a message from the Illyrian camps, where his spies were tracking down the source of rumors against his High Lord, he had flown up and had placed his hand on his sword.

The last thing he expected was The Last Queen, flying towards the Night Court on golden wings, all alone. He almost dropped his weapon when he saw her wings. Unlike illyrian wings, they were covered in feathers. The feathers looked like they would be soft to touch but the light bounced off them in a way that would be expected to happen to metal. The glow of the wings and the sun behind her illuminated her figure as she swiftly travelled over the cool breeze. Her hair were wrapped in a neat and elegant bun on top of her head but a few strands flapped about and got caught between her crimson lips. Instead of her white shirt, she had opted a dark turtleneck, perhaps because of the slight cold. The rest of her was the same - dark eyes with golden flecks; much like her golden wings, all the grace of a panther, dark hair, pants and boots that reached up to her knees. She had a single sword strapped down the length of her thing and no other weapon was in sight.

Azriel was fairly sure he did not breath until she stopped flying to regard him with cold eyes.

She stopped a few feet away from and hovered in the air.

Why was she alone in, what she regarded as, an enemy territory? Why was she flying? How was she flying? Where did she get those wings from?

All of his question were swept out of his mind when she opened her damned mouth. "Are you going to let me see your High Lord or shall we stay here until you stop oogling me?"

Azrile noticed he was indeed staring at her. He diverted his eyes from the glow cast around her face and towards the Court below him.

He had to focus very hard on his breathing to stop himself from.......
Stop himself from what? He didn't know. He just wanted to push her out of his brain, of his life. And hopefully, off a mountain.

He felt like his skin crawled as he could feel her walking after him towards the throne room. He didn't have the time to register that her wings were gone before they reached the Throne Room.

The inside was empty. Nobody was allowed inside today. Rhysand and Feyre sat on the throne. Cassian stood by the side where he was murmuring something to Morrigan but stopped when the door was opened.

They all sat straighter and Daggerheart swept one look across the room.

Then, before anyone could say anything, she directed her eyes at Feyre, "I am not your subject." The coldness in her eyes was gone but it was not replaced by warmth either.

A look of confusing passed over everyone's face before Rhysand acknowledged what she was saying and waved an arm.

Understanding dawned on them as a throne, a replica of the one Feyre occupied appeared and Daggerheart took her place upon it.

Of course. Standing below the dias would bring her to the same position as everyone who was  a subject of the Night Court and she does not serve Rhysand or Feyre.

Azriel saw everyone do a once-over at her painfully accurate posture, her stern eyes and her ankle that she had set atop her knee and realised that perhaps, Amren would have liked her.

She held her chin high, her entire presence oozing with authority and said, "I wish to make it clear that my goal was not to target The Night Court."

"We know that." Rhysand said from his place at the arm of the throne. "Your target was the entire Pyrthian."

Daggerheart raised her eyebrows, "You are?"

"The High Lord." He answered.

She glanced at Feyre. "I thought I had it wrong and the High Lady merely had a Lover."

Out of the corner of his eyes, Azriel saw Cassian barely holding back a laugh and a suppressed smile at Morrigan's face.

Feyre didn't seem to know how to answer that but Rhysand was quick, "We don't take lovers often. Is it a common thing in the Human Realm?"

"No." Daggerheart said, "It is a common thing for me."

Rhysand raised his eyebrows in amusement and Feyre carried the conversation, "We see that you have a problem with our spies in your land."

Daggerheart shook her head, "I have a problem with your kind in my land. You grew up in the mortal realm, you know the fear among people. You know about the recent war. The people are distressed."

Something changed in Feyre's expression, perhaps a human part she had left behind was remembering the fears it had left behind. Then, she asked, "But why our spies?"

"Because the Night Court was the only court that had done anything to protect humans. Five hundred years ago, you all faught for the freedom of the mortals. Now, again you have done it. I don't expect much from the other Courts because they faught because they had to. You chose to. If you have a selfish reason, I'm afraid I don't have the talent of mind-reading, but I can only suppose your goal is peace. "

Rhysand and Morrigan both seemed impressed. Feyre softened her features, "Our only goal is to bring things back to normal. If it can be achieved by making an alliance with you-"

Daggerheart cut her off politely, "I'm afraid humans are fragile. They have much to lose. And because they have much to lose, they can't be bought to agree with letting Fae on their land."

"Then what do you suggest we do?" Rhysand asked curiously.

"No more spies." She didn't look at Azriel. "We decide routes at which Fae can travel and restrict the movement. Fear is a strong beast. Once unleashed, it can take take the ugliest forms. I don't think either one of us is in any shape to risk an riot."

He was right, Amren would love her. So much so, she might trade books with her.

A long moment of silence passed in the room. Nobody seemed to know why that was a bad idea but they couldn't agree right away.

At last, Morrigan declared, "We will look at your offer carefully and a messenger will tell you what we think."

Not wasting a second, Daggerheart rose from her seat, "I suppose some of your nosy spies know where to find me."

Then, as if nothing had ever happened in the room, she marched out.