a court of light and shadow

Chapter 20(Azriel)

It took everything to Azriel not to kill that male at that moment. The whole night he had eyes on Gwyn. Not because to make sure that she's safe- but he just liked to look at her. And when he saw how that male touched her— he almost lost it.
After they went back home, Gwyn was like a ghost.
"And then we came back." finished Feyre telling Cassian and Nesta. Their reactions didn't surprise Azriel; Nesta's snarl and Cassian's growl.
"What a bastard—" Shadowsinger didn't hear Nesta's full sentence because he went into the library.
To Gwyn's room. To check how she was.
Azriel stood at the door of her room, he raised his hand to knock but the sounds of her crying made him stop. Azriel's other handtightened on Truth-teller.
He was goin' to kill that male.
'Later' his shadows whispered, 'Now comfort her'
Azriel took a deep breath and knocked on the door. It took two minutes to open the door, and finally- finally he saw Gwyn.
"Oh... um- Hey," Gwyn tried to smile but failed. She wasn't wearing her nightgown thank Cauldron. He saw her beautiful eyes were red, also Gwyn's little pretty nose was red, too.
"Are you okay?" he asked too softly. Azriel's stood in the hall, and she was in her room. As if she realised, Gwyn quickly said, "Y-you can come in. It's okay."
She turned to her bed and let Azriel in.He shut the door behind him. When he looked at her she wasn't sitting on the bed, but on the floor. Her hands were covering her face.
A face that didn't deserve to be covered.
Azriel - without a word knelled in front of her. Gwyn was crying quietly.
It broke him.
"Why" she whispered. Azriel waited, he gently removed Gwyn's hands and put them into his. She shut her eyes. "Why I am training if I can't defend myself," her voice broke."You can defend yourself, Gwyneth." He answered quietly and softly. Tears were shining in her eyes, "Az, you- you don't understand... I- I didn't fight, I didn't even try to fight," she let out a sob, "Why I'm training then? Why-" Gwyn started crying harder, and Cauldron, this moment made Azriel felt pain. She looked at their joined hands, Azriel thought it was the moment when he had to pull out but she didn't let him go."Gwyn, look at me," he spoke so softly, "Look at me." Gwyn slowly looked at him in the eyes.
These beautiful eyes are full of pain, anger and fear - all together.
"Gwyn. You are amazing, truly. You at the training- I swear I've never seen stronger Valkyrie than you."
Gwyn's lips curled up, "Not even Nesta and Emerie?"
Az smiled back, "Not even them. You. And these panic attacks... just don't think about them. Only remember that no matter what I will be here to keep you safe." He said calmly never breaking her stare.
For a while, they sat in silence. Gwyn stopped crying, all this time Azriel was there with her.Then she did something unexpected;
She closed the distance between them, threw her arms around Azriel's neck and hugged him tightly.
Azriel went still. He even stopped breathing.
"Thank you, Azriel." She whispered against his neck. Her fingers touching his hair.
Cauldron—
Azriel slowly raised his hands and put them on Gwyn's waist, pulling her into him.
Breathing in her scent: jasmine and vanilla.
"I will keep you safe, Gwyn," he murmured against her hair. His shadows around them, pulling each other closer as possible.
Azriel could feel Gwyn's smile against his neck, and he swore at that moment: he will keep her safe forever.