The Whispers of Shadows - A&A One Shots

coming to terms

Aurora didn't spend much time with the High Lord anymore, but she savored her time with him when all others were gone. The male was only a couple decades older than her, and she saw him as a brother. Cassian was at the Illyrian camps to overlook the female's training progress, and Azriel was in the Hewn City to watch over Nyx as he hosted his own Court as heir.

Aurora couldn't help but feel like somehow, Rhysand had organized this night for them. He had told Feyre to take her sisters and Mor to the cabin to enjoy a night together, yet he somehow knew Aurora would refuse to go. He had invited her to the estate for dinner.

The nightmares of her past had been more apparent in recent months and she hardly slept. Aurora felt nothing but guilt for dwelling on her past when she was surrounded by love and family. She hadn't gone to daily training and had refused to leave the house most nights. Her mate had offered to escort the heir to the Court of Nightmares when Aurora normally did, and must have mentioned his worries to Rhysand.

The Shadowsinger tried to distract her from her mind in the ways that he knew best, offering to please her until she forgot any worries at all, but in the recent two months, she hadn't accepted any of his offers. It made him sick to watch her torment herself over things that she had no control over and the things that she did control. Aurora refused to turn lights on, never ate more than a few bites of her meals, didn't leave the bed to bathe or relieve herself until Azriel made her.

She didn't think it bothered her family so much, but now, under the High Lord's gaze, shame filled her empty stomach. She wore a gown that Azriel encouraged, he had combed and braided her hair as she slept, and left with a letter from Rhysand on the pillow beside her.

"How have you been?" Rhysand's voice tore Aurora from the depths of her mind. Her tired eyes lifted to his, her fork scraping against a full plate.

"I've been fine, and you?" She asked in no more than a whisper. She hated the pity that filled his deep eyes. More so, she hated the sigh that left his nose.

"I can see your lies, Aurora. Tell me about it, I can help you," he offered, leaning back in his chair. How strange it was to sit at the opposite end of the table from him, directly in his eye line. Aurora swallowed thickly and returned her stare to the roasted chicken and vegetable before her.

"I'm fine," she repeated. Another sigh filled the empty room and the sound of a chair scraping against the floor. Aurora looked up to see Rhys standing as he filled two wine glasses. He took them both into his hands and jerked his head to the side in a motion that told her to follow.

With her own sigh, Aurora pulled the cloth from her lap and dropped it onto the plate before shoving her chair back and following him on silent feet. She felt as though she were in trouble with a father figure.

Rhysand led her to the sitting room and sat on the couch rather than his usual armchair. Aurora followed and sat beside him, taking the wine from his hand. She sipped on it for a few moments, closing her eyes to push away the nausea it gave her.

"Talk to me, Aurora," Rhysand ordered, voice softer than his usual tone of authority. She didn't meet his eyes, just pulled her legs up onto the cushion and stared at the snow beyond the windows.

"About what?" She asked. There was a moment more of silence and to fill it, her nails ran along the stem of her wine glass.

"Let's start with how I haven't seen you in months. You love to train, yet you haven't stepped foot in the ring. Why?"

"I haven't felt like it," Aurora whispered. She felt like this was an interrogation and now she cursed her mate for bringing her here.

"Explain to me why you haven't 'felt like it'," he spoke again, changing his voice to sound moody when he quoted her. She shot him a glare and it earned her a pitiful attempt at a smile. She clenched her jaw and returned to watching the snow fall.