The Whispers of Shadows - A&A One Shots

solstice gifts

Bitter frozen wind and a flurry of snow beat against the windows. The fireplace was roaring with a fire that Aurora had ensured stayed lit. She and Nesta were curled against the hearth, a blanket laid over them as they read from the same book. It was just hours before the Solstice and Feyre's birthday. Aurora had done her best to decorate the estate for both festivities. Throughout the many years, she had learned that Feyre was not fond of her birthday. It had stemmed from the neglect and dismissal of her birthdays as a human. Aurora knew exactly what that was like, she didn't even know her own birthday, not even the month.

With Nesta and Elain's help, she had made sure to decorate to Feyre's liking and to gather her presents into the gallery room near Rhys's office. Elain had left with Mor to gather the males from their far too long annual snowball fight, and the two were just waiting for everyone to return. Feyre had been sent out into Velaris with a bag full of coins to choose her birthday gift by Rhys, who was told to keep her busy by Aurora.

"I'm hungry," Nesta murmured, closing the book in her lap. Aurora groaned in protest, grabbing the book from her and opening back to the page they were on.

"There's a kitchen full of food prepared for tonight, go snack from it," Aurora told her, zeroing in on the paragraph she had been reading. Nesta grumbled and threw the blanket from her legs. She stood and stretched, then padded out of the reading room. Aurora kept reading, humming to herself.

The door at the entry way opened, the sounds of paper bags and heavy boots evident. Aurora sighed, closing the book and laying it on the hearth before climbing to her feet. She and Nesta had put on gowns, something Aurora didn't wear often anymore. From her love of food and training, she'd put back on healthy weight over the years. She rarely wore gowns without some form of tights or long shorts beneath because she hated the feeling of her thighs rubbing together for too long, but tonight she had put on a dress that Mor had made for her a few years back as a Solstice gift. It was one that everyone claimed was Mor's only good gift she had ever gotten anyone.

"Hello?" Feyre called out from the entrance. Aurora hurried to the corridor, grinning.

"Happy birthday!" She squealed, wrapping her arms around the High Lady. Feyre laughed, nearly dropping her bags.

"I think birthdays are unnecessary at this point, Aurora. The only reason we celebrate mine is because it's on the Solstice," she argued, tucking the bags into her arms. Aurora shrugged.

"Still a reason to celebrate. What'd you buy?"

"Just some art supplies. I stopped by the studio to drop off half of them, but these are for me," she explained, struggling to lift her arms. "I'm just going to bring them to the gallery and then I'll be back." Aurora's eyes widened.

"No! I mean, I'll bring them up for you. Nesta is in the kitchen, go see what she's up to," Aurora said quickly, grabbing at the bags. Feyre gave her a confused look, stepping back so she couldn't grab the bags.

"Aurora... Did you put presents in there?" Aurora sighed, rolling her eyes.

"I wanted to wait until Rhys got back, but yes. Come on, I'll help you carry these." She grabbed two of the large bags and led Feyre to the large room next to Rhys's office. It was filled to the brim with paints and canvases, new and used. Aurora kicked the door open and laid the bags on the workbench along the wall. Feyre did the same and then turned to the window. Below it laid the gifts that Nesta and Aurora had worked together on.

"Oh, Aurora," Feyre gushed, walking up to the steel easel.

"Nesta and I made it. We paid the blacksmith to teach us how to melt steel and work with it. It's made from the abandoned swords collected from the battle with Hybern," Aurora explained. Feyre turned and looked at her with wide eyes.