Nyx | Carpe Noctem ✓

Chapter 38: The Snowball Fight

*POV changes; a bit of mature content*

∙ Rhysand POV ∙

"Ready?" I asked my son's girlfriend. Her eyes aglow, she eagerly jumped from one foot to the other. Happiness radiating from her, Madis flashed me a big grin, her wool hat pulled down to the middle of her forehead while clapping her gloved hands eagerly.

"Then let's go....This is our fort and I normally wait until they attack and then fire back," I explained to which she laughed loudly, throwing her head back. I strutted forward after giving her an amused smile and crouched down behind our fort. The pain in my knees had started again as well as my overall condition wasn't the best but I would not show it. It was one of the most important and best days of the year, I would not ruin it for anyone.

Glimpsing over the wall of snow, I suddenly felt her tug on the sleeve of my Illyrian leathers. I glanced back at Madis. She looked at me with big eyes.

"Thank you, Rhysand. I know that technically Nyx brought me here, but still thank you. For letting me stay here, including me in your family and...becoming a family for me. I have never felt anything like that before and it is such an overwhelming feeling to finally have people or a family that cares," she breathed out, her eyes glazing and a single tears slipping over her cheek. It still broke my heart when thinking about what she had already been through at her young age. In my crouching position I quickly moved my arm around her shoulder and pulled her close to my chest, squeezing her tightly. She shuddered and I heard her sniff.

"I have to thank you, Madis. For how happy you make my son. Every time I see the joy on his face, the joy you bring him...I couldn't be more thankful that he has you," I told her, meaning every single word.

I heard her sniff loudly once again, both of us completely ignoring that the others were already eagerly attacking each other.

"I love him a lot," she mumbled, slowly lifting her gaze and looking at me with big, teary eyes and again my heart warmed. Yes she did. And they also shared a bond stronger than love, but it was his choice when and how to tell her.

"I know. And also know that he loves you a lot." To this she flushed bright pink, grinning at me and suddenly turning face to look past the wall from where a noise sounded. The noise was a cursing Cassian.

"Are we going to beat their asses now?" she then chuckled and I nodded, removing my arm from her shoulder.

"I am very happy to have you in my family, Madis. We are totally going to beat their asses now!" I told her when both of us formed snow balls in our hands. She grinned once again before I counted and both of us started running out of the fort to attack. I was quite surprised when her snowball perfectly hit Cassian. She even caught him by surprise. He startled, spinning around and stared.

"I would not have done that, young lady," he shouted, darting a ball at her which she ducked under with quite an ease. I laughed loudly not noticing that my own son darted a ball right towards my head. And it hit me, even my ear was filled with snow. And of course he laughed—roaring from the bottom of his heart.

"How dare you do this to your father, the High Lord!?" I heard Madis exclaim and just a second later a snowball exploded on my son's head. Azriel, Noora and Catrin were also fighting each other, Catrin using her cousin as a shield. Eve fought against Balthazar, tackling each other to the ground non-stop. The snowball fight went on for hours, all of us drenched in sweat and but still restless.

"I would not have done that!" I suddenly heard my son shout, his face covered in snow. He wiped the white snowy coat of his face and stalked towards Madis who nearly rolled on the floor, giggling and laughing. Again my heart warmed seeing her laugh and smile, something that she hadn't been doing when we first met her.