A Court of Love and Devotion - Novellas

The Biggest Threat in Prythian

Before Aria was born, everyone joked about the prayers they made to the Gods.

"It's both of them," Emerie had said. "Cassian and Nesta, in one tiny person...with wings." The Illyrian female batted her hands on the side for emphasis. She'd looked at Amren and asked. "I don't mean to be judgy but is that allowed? There's gotta be a law against it somewhere."

Nesta had slapped her friend's arm but chuckled all the same.

Gwyn had then looked at her mate. "Maybe put out a word of warning whenever that child goes on an outing in the city. So people can run for cover?"

Azriel had thrown a look at Cassian and said : "Her father being mister 'I only wrecked one building', I think it might be safer to just evacuate the city."

Cassian had flattened his brows at his brother, one hand on Nesta's swollen belly. Her own hand was on top of his, her fingertips stroking his skin mindlessly.

Yes, everyone had made jokes about Aria and who she may turn out to be. Most of these jokes had turned out to be true and Nesta sometimes wished she'd taken them more seriously.

Nesta's pregnancy had been a dream. Sure, there had been the occasional nausea and discomfort, but overall she'd kept a very good memory of those ten months. It was the afterward that had been more difficult.

When she was a baby, Aria decided that if she wasn't sleeping, no one was sleeping. All babies woke up every few hours to eat, that was normal. But even after those days were over, she would often wake her parents without need to be changed or fed, but simply because she was awake and probably bored.

And grasping their attention by cooing or even crying wasn't enough. No, throwing her toys at her parents was a much preferable option.

There was a wooden pegasus Nesta had bought before the birth of her daughter that she'd adored once. But she'd developed a hatred for the toy after having it thrown at her face one too many times.

To top it all, Aria had been quite advanced for her age, especially considering that fae children took a bit longer to develop. Of course, Aria had started walking at only 9 months old. Meaning she started running a few months later. Often away from her parents, with something in her tiny baby hands that she wasn't supposed to have. Like her father's weapons, for example.

And that baby ran fast too, all while laughing like a maniac.

But it was when Aria started to fly that Nesta had her patience truly tested. As well as her heart strength. Because Aria didn't simply take off like most sane winged people did. The little girl lived at the House of Wind, so she obviously preferred to throw herself from the balcony or the training pit and only catch herself when she was about to be splattered on the ground.

Then proceeded to laugh like a maniac again.

No matter how many times Nesta scolded her or threatened to bind her wings or anything at all...In the 23 years that Aria had been alive, she'd always enjoyed freefalling.

Aria might be a grown woman now. A Valkyrie and a Carynthian. But Nesta was her mother, she would always worry for her.

And she would always scold her as well which was something she was about to do as she waited for her daughter to fly back up again, arms crossed. A grown woman but still a child at heart. Aria definitely got that from her father.

The young female landed with a grin on her face. The grin turned into a look of feint innocence as she saw her mother.

"You know, you really make me question my morals," Nesta told her as she tapped her foot.

"How so?" Aria asked.

"Well, with all your freefalling nonsense, I'm starting to think that maybe wing-clipping isn't such a horrible crime after all." She pursed her lips at her daughter.

Aria put her hand on her heart dramatically and gasped. A low chuckle came from behind Nesta and sent shivers down her spine. Her mate wrapped his arms around her from behind and squeezed. "She's fine, you mother-hen. She knows what she's doing."

Nesta turned her head to him. "What if she doesn't catch herself in time? What if something hits her?"

"Something could hit me while I'm flying," Aria shrugged. "Then I'll also be free falling, but this time out of control."

The thought had Nesta clenching her jaw. She huffed as she looked back at her daughter. "You need to go get ready. Rhys is winnowing us in Windhaven in an hour."

"Of course, mommy dearest," Aria said sarcastically.

"And lose the attitude..." Nesta threw at her flatly.

The female made it to the door when she turned back to her mother with a smirk. "I can't lose the attitude, it's a gift from my mother."

Cassian choked and brought his fist to his mouth. Aria disappeared inside the house and Nesta tried to contain her smile as she turned to her mate. "Laugh, I dare you," she crossed her arms.

Cassian clamped his lips but his shoulders shook, betraying his amusement. So Nesta pinched his arm before going inside.

***

The females in Windhaven did train. It was the mentality that was slow to change. Training became accepted only under the condition that the females did it as mere exercise and not to become warrior.

Very few participated in the Blood Rite and none had won it since Gwyn and Emerie 25 years ago. Well, until last month when Aria and Catrin touched the stone and became Carynthian.

Devlon had been fuming that day, to Nesta's delight. It became very difficult for him and the other lords to find excuses as to why females weren't meant to train.

Catrin was busy in another Illyrian village, her father had insisted on coming with her, though. Because Azriel still hated the Illyrians and that wasn't about to change anytime soon. So Rhys had asked Aria to go to Windhaven with her mother and the female had squared her shoulders and nodded sternly.

"Did you come to give me a scolding?" Devlon asked flatly.

"Depends. Have you done anything to deserve a scolding, Lord Devlon?" Nesta angled her head in defiance.

"The girls are training."

"But not as much as the boys. Besides," Nesta put her hand on her daughter's arm. "They haven't yet received a lesson from the newest female Carynthian."

Devlon flared his nostrils as he looked at Aria. It took all of Nesta's restraints to remain calm and not claw at his face. "Isn't she too young to train anyone?" he nodded at Aria.

She walked up to him, unbothered. "I could return the question. Aren't you too old now? You should be retiring."

Devlon grimaced as he looked her up and down. "You think you're something special, don't you?"

"I have my mother's attitude and my father's temper," Aria explained with a smile. "Amren always called me the biggest threat in Prythian because of it. And I always strived to live up to that expectation." Aria stepped even closer to the male. "So you'll excuse me, Lord Devlon, but my time is too precious to be wasted on an ancient male with outdated principles. The world began changing the day a human woman was turned into a High Fae. My aunts and my mother were signs of the Gods that a new era was on the rise and anyone who tried to stop them perished. So if you want to keep your title and the power that comes with it, it's time you start evolving. The world is not going to wait for you, lord Devlon."

Aria carried herself with the nonchalance only a young person could have. It made Devlon see red. But he didn't retort, didn't even make a move as if he remembered who her parents were. Who she was destined to be.

Aria whirled on her feet, faced the female trainees and clapped her hands, dismissing Devlon completely.

"Alright, ladies. In the ring, we have a lot to catch up on."

Nesta chuckled as she watched her daughter train the new recruits. "That's my girl," she muttered. Aria looked over her shoulder and beckoned her mother over to help train the young females.

Nesta smiled as she joined her.