a court of light and shadow

Chapter 13(Gwyn)

Gwyn had no idea why Azriel left so quickly. For her, it was a bit awkward that he left her on the dance floor, for a moment Gwyn started at the door when Shadowsinger left. She was moving to the left dance floor too because there was no one to dance with.
But then she felt a soft touch on her shoulder, Gwyn tensed and half turned her head just to see who it was.
"May I ask you to dance with me?" asked the red-haired male gently. Gwyn saw the big scar on his handsome face, which was from eyebrow to his cheek. His metal eye was studying her. She realised he was still waiting for an answer. Gwyn nodded, a bit nervously. Male smiled and touched her waist- gently."You aren't a big talker are you?" he asked, they were moving slowly, she noticed from his shoulder that Mor was looking at them, Gwyn gazed at the male again.
"If there's a good listener to talk, yes I do." when he heard her response he smiled.
"You're Gwyneth, right? One of the Valkyries."
She nodded, "And you are-"
"Lucien. Emissary of the Night Court to human lands, at your service, lady." He bowed his head for a little.
"P-pleasure to meet you," Gwyn said. She didn't felt uncomfortable with this male, didn't flinched while dancing with him. Somehow she had a feeling that she could trust him.
"I- Have we ever met before?" Lucien asked, his eyes never leaving hers, "You seem familiar."
"No, we've never met before," Gwyn answered. She gasped quietly when Lucien spun around her, her hair touched his chest."Well, at least now we met. And do you know what I think?" he smirked, Gwyn couldn't help her blush, "What?"
"I think that we can be good friends."
Gwyn smiled, "You know I think the same."
"It would be a pleasure to know that there's a beautiful Valkyrie who can be my friend." He spun her round again, this time Gwyn laughed.
"Friends?" she asked and smiled. Yes, she still thought that they've known each other just for minutes but this male seemed to be a good person, so she agreed.
"I suppose when you want to talk, Gwyneth, I'll be there for you. That's why friends are for." He winked. They stopped dancing, Lucien smiled and put his hand to his chest as if he was saying 'it was my pleasure to dance with you' Gwyn's smile widen and bowed her head as 'thank you'
At that moment in the room walked Elain and after some seconds Azriel.Gwyn noticed how Lucien's jaw tightened at the sight of Elain looking at the Shadowsinger. Gwyn stepped closer to her new friend, she felt Azriel's hazel eyes on her but she didn't turn.
"Sometimes I ask myself," she could barely hear what Lucien was saying, his eyes on Elain, who was talking to Mor, "Will she ever looks at me the way she looks at the Shadowsinger...?"
And Gwyn understood. He was Elain's mate. She repeated his words in her head a couple of times.
'The way she looks at the Shadowsinger'
Was Azriel looking at Elain in the exact way she? But Elain was mated...
"She didn't accept the bond, did she," Gwyn asked Lucien quietly when they both were standing across the dancing floor, at the corner of the room."She didn't even reject it. But- I may have one eye metal but I'm not blind," he said, his voice shook, "I see how she looks at him. She doesn't even know me— doesn't want to know me."
"Why don't you give up? You can't be with someone else?" Gwyn asked, trying to find some comfort words to say to him.
"I can- but I can't be with someone when I know that I have a mate who breaths." He shut his eyes when he finished a sentence as if he regretted saying them.
Gwyn didn't ask him other questions, about why he said it or ask him to tell more.
"When you want to talk, Lucien, I'll be there for you." she smiled softly. Lucien tried to laugh, "I've known you for one hour and you're full of my problems, pardon me."
"Don't bother. Next time when you want to talk just tell."
"Maybe gossiping with some cup of tea?" he teased, Gwyn couldn't help her chuckle. She nodded.
She was right when she said that Lucien was a good person because he was.