A court of water and worlds

Chapter #43

Azriel's shadows cleared and they were on a random sidewalk.
Gwyn was still giggling even as Azriel released her.
"By the mother, I will never be able to unhear that," Gwyn said, cringing.
"At least you don't live with them," Azriel said, frowning.
"So that's just a normal thing that happens— you know never mind don't answer that," Gwyn said trying to forget what she just heard.
Gwyn suddenly felt the excess power from the sword start to take over.
"You ok?" Azriel asked, looking her over.
She shook her head and asked, "Is there a lake anywhere near here?"
His eyes lit with understanding and he nodded, holding out his hand for her to take.
She did and he laced their fingers together and guided them over to a lake.
She quickly muttered her thanks, discarded her shoes and stepped on the lake.
The moment her foot hit the water she felt relief from all that built up energy, she turned to Azriel who was looking to where her feet met the water.
"I don't understand how that works," he said with a slight awe in his voice.
"Come here," Gwyn said, holding out a hand for him to grab and he looked up at her confused.
"Gwyn I can't water walk," he said, crossing his arms over his chest.
She sighed in annoyance, "yes I know, but if you hold on to my hand I can manipulate your surface tension therefore allowing you to."
He was reluctant, "you can really do that?"
She nodded, "when my mother taught me and my sister how she often had to do it for us when we lost control so we didn't fall through."
She smiled at the thought. There were so many good memories. Through all the grief, sometimes she forgot.
Azriel took off his boots and Gwyn walked closer to the waters edge.
Every time she water walked, it seemed she was getting better at maintaining control and holding the power more steadily.
She hadn't used her powers much in the past two years but getting back into it was good, she was getting control back.
Still, there was the one power she refused to test out, she never even told her mother about it.
How would she have even gone about telling her mother she had Indomitable Sexuality.
Though her mother likely had the power as well, and Gwyn and her mother were close but Gwyn was always too embarrassed to ask.
But if she could go back, she would ask... cauldron, if only she could go back and see her mother just one last time. Her face had started fading away from Gwyn's memory a long time ago and all she can remember is the outline of her and her eyes.
Her mother's eyes were similar to Cartin's eyes, very black but her mothers were black in a way that was a very dark purple.
Catrin.
would her face start to Fade from Gwyn's memory as well?
Gwyn grimaced, not being able to stomach the thought.
Azriel took her hand and in her mind she imagined a Shimmering veil of surface tension where Azriel's foot hit the water. She made it sold and he didn't fall through.
She looked up at him to find him looking down at his feet.
"Gwyneth, if you let me fall through this water I will drag you down with me," he threatened and she tried to smile.
She guided him across the water slowly, very slowly.
He was very reluctant and was holding Gwyn 's hand very tightly.
His shadows snaked down his body and circled around his feet.
One even swirled around their joined hands.
"See, it's not so bad," she said, her voice becoming very soft.
Using her powers in a way that wasn't rushed, I made a twinge of sadness pierce her heart.
"Yeah," he agreed, "it's not that bad."
He fell a little forward setting himself off balance and his wings flared to steady himself.
She looked at his wings, really studying them.
She thought maybe...
He caught her staring and chuckled nervously. A bloom of pink also spread across his cheeks.
Was he embarrassed? Apparently it was very easy to make the shadowsinger flustered.
"Ok," Gwyn said carefully, "now that I have you where I want you—"
"Gwyn," he interrupted narrowing his eyes at her, "don't don't do what your thinking—"
"Here's the thing Az," she said still holding his hand but taking a step away, "I have been waiting to hear you sing for like months—"
"Gwyn—"
"And since you haven't I have to retaliate, so... unless you start signing I am going to drop you in. The water."
"Really?," he asked fury laced so intensely in his eyes. it took all of her effort to hold his stare.
"Really," she assured, pulling her hand out of his.
"Gwyn, this is stupid, I'm not going to—"
"Five," she started to count down.
He stayed silent and continued to glare at her.
"Four... three" she continued and he opened his mouth to say something, then closed it.
"Two," Gwyn smiled, "you really are a stubborn shadowsinger," and she let the shadowsinger fall through but not before he grabbed her arm and pulled her down with him.
They were near the edge of the lake so it wasn't very deep.
Gwyn sat up and wiped the water from her eyes, "you asshole!" She yelled jumping on him.
He pinned her hands to her side, "what do you mean asshole, you were the one who let me fall in!" Azriel said defensively.
"Well, I didn't think you were actually going to fall in, you have wings, you know. Or did you forget you could fly?" She asked, wiggling trying to get her arms free.
"Gwyn," he sighed, "I can't take off on water, it's unsteady terrain, I might be able to stand on it but if I applied force by pushing on it to take off I would fall through."
"Whatever," Gwyn said, "stop being such a baby, it's water."
"I am going to drown you," Azriel said seriously which set Gwyn into a fit of laughter.
"Gwyn," he said trying to get her attention, "it's not funny, I'm actually going to drown you."
She couldn't stop laughing.
"Shut up," he said, covering her mouth with his hand joining in on her laughter.
Gwyn used the opportunity to break out of his hold and run back to the grass.
——-
"Where are we going?" Gwyn asked Quickening her pace to match his.
They were currently walking the streets of Velaris, now dry, thanks to Azriel's shadows.
Gwyn was a little reluctant to go out in the open streets but decided she wanted to try.
Plus she would much rather be walking the streets of Velaris, than back at the house.
Azriel said they would likely be at it for a while.
Gwyn didn't really understand that, it had already been an hour. How could it possibly take longer than that?
She shook off the thought.
"I figured we needed a break, with all the swords and death gods stuff. So," he continued, "we are going to Ciao's."
Gwyn gave him a confused look, as if that was an answer.
"It's a bakery," he added to clear Gwyn's obvious confusion.
"Wait," Gwyn said smiling, "you are taking me out to get food and not talk about anything life threatening. Is this a date Az?" She teased.
"No," he said, drawing out the word.
That disappointed her for some reason, why did that make her sad. Of course this isn't a date.
"If I was taking you out on a date, it probably wouldn't be to a bakery," he added and Gwyn Curiosity grew.
"Well, if you were on a date what would it look like?" Gwyn asked, interests peaked.
"What?" He asked as they continued to walk down the rainbow.
"Like what would a normal date look like?" She asked again with absolutely no shame.
"I just want to know I've never been on one before," she added quietly.
Obviously she had never been on a date. She had lived in a temple with priestesses her whole life. Before a couple years ago she had only seen a handful of men.
Though when she was younger she did play with boys because there are many boys there, but they usually leave by the time they reach manhood.
"Ok," he sighed, "I— well I haven't gone on many dates myself but—"
"What?" Gwyn asked, astonished, "You're like five hundred years old, how have you not been on many dates?"
"Well," Azriel sighed, "you might find it hard to believe Gwyneth, but most people are afraid of me."
She nodded and asked, "so you've— well, you've been with a woman before, right?"
Yes this question was personal but she was curious.
He chuckled and she felt it vibrate through her body.
"Yes, I have been with a woman before. That's the easy part," he said which made Gwyn even more confused.
How would that be the easier part?
She realized too late that she had uttered those words out loud.
He laughed this time, a bit nervously.
"Umm, well, it's hard for me to talk to people I guess."
"You talk to me just fine," she said as they approached the bakery.
He turned to look at her before opening the door.
"Well, not all people are you Gwyneth," he said, shadows dancing around his temple.
—-
"You are such a hopeless romantic!" Gwyn said as Azriel shoved another piece of cake in his mouth.
"I am not," he said, pointing his fork at her.
They had been sitting at a table inside sharing a piece of strawberry cake.
"You just said that your ideal date would be a picnic under the stars."
"I'm from night court, we basically live under the stars," he said defensively.
"Ok," Gwyn said, taking another bite, "let me ask you one question... Do you know the constellations?"
"Yes but—"
"Hopeless romantic," Gwyn interrupted and Azriel sighed.
"Do you know any constellations?" He asked and Gwyn shook her head.
They finished the cake and he took her hand and walked outside.
Velaris was pretty much empty now because it was close to dawn but not quite.
He walked with her over to the middle of the rainbow and sat down and pulled her down with him.
Gwyn giggled, but went along with what he was planning.
He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and whispered, "lay back."
The intensity of his gaze rendered her speechless.
Those eyes were going to kill her. They were the softest brown infused with green, as if he held spring inside. They were like the forest floor and gentle flowers, somewhere to rest and breathe.
She did as he commanded, not breaking eye contact.
Gwyn watched as he laid down next to her.
"Does that hurt your wings?" She asked breathlessly.
Azriel grinned and said "I don't mind."
Azriel picked up Gwyn's hand and pointed using her fingers
"That right there," he said, "is called Orion, also known as the hunter constellation."
Gwyn felt flushed from where every part of their skin touched.
"There are seven main stars, Alnilam, Alnitak, Bellatrix, Betelgeuse..."
Gwyn lost focus as she felt his breath on her neck. He still held her hand and used his thumb to make sweeping strokes against the back of her palm.
Her breathing came out all shaky.
His body heat felt like all the warmth Gwyn could ever want, ever need.
"This one over here," he said leaning more into her, "is called Monoceros. It has four main stars..."
Gwyn again lost focus, struggling to keep her eyes open—-
Azriel sat up abruptly and Gwyn eyes shot open at the loss of his heat.
She sat up and found an Illyrian land right beside Azriel.
Azriel shot to his feet and helped Gwyn up as well.
"What is it?" he asked the warrior.