Memory Lane

Chapter Three

AN: While I think it's fairly obvious what I'm doing with formatting in this chapter, I want to provide a little clarity up top: This chapter is comprised of one shots based on canon moments from ACOSF. The quote above each section is your context for that particular memory.

C H A P T E R T H R E E

Gwyn had been distracted today—one eye on the other side of the ring. Cassian could only assume she was watching his brother, who had given Gwyn a small smile of greeting upon arrival. Gwyn hadn't returned it. Cassian cursed himself for a fool. He should have asked her if she'd be comfortable with Azriel here. Perhaps he should have asked all the priestesses about including another male, but especially Gwyn—whom Azriel had found that day in Sangravah.

-Page 406, "A Court of Silver Flames"

Gwyn hadn't seen Azriel in years, but she had never forgotten his face. It was a face so cruelly beautiful it appeared to be hewn from bronze.

    It was the first time she'd seen him without the spatter of blood across his cheeks or feral rage etched into his expression. She watched him carefully as she approached the ring and even when he offered her a polite smile of greeting, she still couldn't tell if he remembered her from that night... Surely he must.

    Do you remember me? Do you remember that night that you killed Hybern's men and wrapped me in your cloak?

    The question had haunted her throughout training. Had drawn her attention to him time after time when she should've been paying attention to her instructor. Cassian had caught her more than once watching his brother, but had said nothing.

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Something in Azriel's chest sparked upon sighting the priestess from Sangravah. Here she was again – whole and healed and alive. Attending a training where she would learn how to defend herself. An inexplicable sense of relief washed over him at the thought – at the notion that she would never again be defenseless.

    He regarded each of the females with polite nods as they entered the ring, but when Gwyneth Berdara approached, he couldn't help the small smile that spread on his lips – it stemmed from an ember of hope that glowed dimly within him. He had thought she may return the gesture, but Gwyn did not react to his expression, her face was instead, unreadable. Even Azriel's shadows couldn't seem to impart her feelings upon seeing him again – or rather, they refused to.

    The spymaster felt Gwyn's eyes upon him throughout training, he knew that Cassian had noticed as well. Azriel spared the priestess the embarrassment of catching her. Instead, he found that he rather liked her attention on him.

Why that was, he couldn't say...

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Gwyn let out a high-pitched noise that was nothing but pure excitement. Azriel, on the other side of the ring with the rest of the priestesses, half-turned at the sound, brows high.

-Page 464, "A Court of Silver Flames"

Azriel listened closely as his brother relayed his experience with the Valkyries, but turned his attention back to his charges, ensuring they safely executed the maneuvers he'd just taught them.

    The edge of his mouth twitched as that high pitched squeal replayed in his mind. There was something heartening and hopeful about seeing Acolyte Gwyneth Berdara so full to the brim with joy. Perhaps it was because in the priestess, Azriel saw a fellow survivor. If she was capable of such happiness, then so was he.