A Court of Shadow and Melodies

Chapter 1

100 Years Later (Character is now 117 y/o)

"Ari dear, can you run that plate to table seven, and then grab table four's drink order?" Ozias called from the kitchen.

"On it." I replied loudly enough to be heard among the noise of the kitchen. Walking the three plates over to the table, I smiled and handed them their food. The little girl with the older fae smiled and hid under her mother's arm. "And how is my favorite little fae doing this afternoon?" I asked her.

She sat back up and looked at me with a wide grin. "Ari, I am already 7 years old, I'm almost a grownup like you!"

"Oh I don't know about that Gia. I think you still have a little bit of catching up to do" I comment winking at her adorable self. "How is everything else, anything I can grab for you?" I ask her parents. They smile but shake their heads. "Ok well let me know you need something, promise Gia?" She nodded her head quickly before digging into her food. I walk over to the other table, take their drink orders, and sit down when they have everything they need.

"Thanks for coming in a helping out again Adi. We couldn't have kept this place open without your help all these years. So as a thank you, we got you a little something." Estelle told me while handing me a guitar. My eyes fill with unshed tears, and I get the biggest grin on my face.

"Oh... I can't believe it." I whisper maintaining my composure. "I cannot accept this." I look to both of them, shifting my gaze between the two of them.

"Oh yes you can. This is the least we could do" Ozias said. I leapt up from my chair and wrapped them both in a hug. The tears started descending onto my face, but I quickly tried to wipe them away. "We can't wait to see what you do with it." I nodded, speechless for the first time in a long while. I let go of both of them and grabbed the guitar that had been placed on a table before our hug. I looked it over, not even trying to hide my smile. "Go home for the night, we can handle it for the rest of the night." I smiled, thanked them both again, and speed-walked home.

Once I got in the door, I ran into my room and grabbed my notebook filled with song lyrics. I grabbed the pick in the bag and began strumming out some chords. It feels like only a couple minutes before I realize the sun has set, and I decide it is time for dinner. It doesn't take me long to make dinner for myself and I decide to go for a walk around town. As I walk around, I find myself pulled towards a club on the outskirts of town. I had been here a couple of times with a friend, but that was a long time ago, before she found her mate and went with him back to the Winter Court. Don't get me wrong, I miss her, but I knew that we were only friends because we were both lonely. As I get into the club, I take a seat at the bar, admiring the dim lights and musicians testing the sound. There aren't many people here yet, which I am grateful for. I finish my first drink and order another one. This time, mind travels to the conversations around me. One catches my ear, and before I know it, someone is poking my shoulder. I calmly turn my head to find two females.

"Hi, are the seats next to you taken? We are trying to escape some awkward conversations with those strange males over there." The first female asked. I smiled and invited them to sit.

"Don't worry, I work at a diner in town, and those males are the least of your worries, they're just a little shy." I reassured them.

They quickly looked relieved. "Oh good, you're from here. We travelled here for the band that's playing tonight. We hear them in our home court, and heard they were playing here tonight. They're really good. I'm Renna, and this is my friend Aoife, we are from the Day Court."

"I'm Ari, its nice to meet you." I said shaking both of their hands. "So you have heard this band before? How many times?" All it took was that single question and I could sense the beginning of a beautiful friendship. I kept worrying throughout the night that they would have to leave and go back to their court the next morning, but Aoife assured me that they would be staying for a while and planned on travelling throughout the courts of Prythian. After the band was done, we stayed and talked around the bar for a while. I didn't realize how nice it could be to talk with people my age about problems we all are facing.

"So, if you both could do anything in any court, what would it be?" Renna asked, glancing between Aoife and myself.

"Easy. I would become a violinist." Aoife said before taking a sip of her drink. My eyes got wide. "I play a lot of instruments, but that's my favorite. I want to travel and play music for people."

"Shut up, you play?" I asked in a loud tone, surprised. Her eyes got wide.

"I love it, do you?" She asked matching my enthusiasm.

"Well I play a little guitar, but I really like singing." I commented. Her smile grew wider. I turn to Renna, "You play?" She smiled and nodded.

"Piano, but I have only been playing for a little while. After I saw the band in concert years ago, I wanted to start playing. I actually met Aoife at a concert, that's how we became friends." Renna grinned while glancing at her friend.

We sat and talked about music for another hour until the bartender came around and told us it was time to finish our drinks and close our tab. After we pay our debts and run to the bathroom, we all exited. Once we started walking down the street, I could feel the presence of a couple of fae behind us.

"Hey guys, I think we're being followed, once we turn that corner, hide in the store entrance, got it?" I whispered to my new friends. They both nodded. Once we turned the corner, they ran to the store entrance and I turned around, ready to defend my friends by whatever means necessary. As soon as the two fae turned the corner, they froze in their steps.

"Gods above guys, what the hell is your problem. Take a hint." I said once I realized who it was. Deo and Tarryn stood there looking like they were caught stealing from the cookie jar. I frowned at them and put my hand over my heart trying to get it to calm down.

"We are really sorry Ari, but we had to make sure you and the others were going to get back safe." Deo said in a quiet tone. Reuel only nodded to confirm his response.

"Why didn't you both just come up and ask to walk us back. I see you both every day at the diner, I'm not that scary, am I?" I asked them. They shook their heads.

"I think the red-head is my mate." Tarryn spoke out in such a manner that it took me a moment to understand what he said.

"Aoife, Renna, they aren't gonna hurt us." I call to the two females hiding.

"Oh good, for a sec-" Aoife starts, but quiets down when she meets eyes with Reuel. I can see the mating bond snap in place for the both of them. Renna must not see it, because she grabs Aoife's arm and shakes it while loudly calling her name. Reuel take a step forward, growling, but Deo holds him back. I step over to Renna and grab her arm, forcing to let Aoife go. Aoife's arm slowly descends to her side, and she takes small steps towards him.

"Hey why don't we all go back to my place for the night. It's late, and I don't know if the girls have a place to stay. I have a spare room they can stay in if you two want to crash in my living room." I offer to my new-found friends. Eventually, they all agree, and I lead everyone back to my place. We found out that the boys also play music, Reuel plays the drums while Deo argues that playing bass and singing is sexier. We decide that we would start getting together to play music a couple times a week.

Little did we know that this was the beginning of something that would change our lives forever.