Starlight

1

The wind blows against my skin; silky, midnight black hair blending in with the starry sky above. My wings stretch against it, feeling every breeze as the ground races below me. The mountain comes into view, I can feel him waiting inside, feel her standing beside him. I smile and gracefully soar in through the window as she shuts the door behind her. My hair almost blends in with the black of my silk dress as I grin at him.

"I can tell by anger seething from her that things went well." I say, he shoots me a look that would terrify many. "You call in your bargain after all this time, why?" He begins to walk down the hallway, I follow closely behind him.

"I heard her crying out for someone to save her. So I did." He tells me, not glancing behind him.

"Pleading for rescue? On her wedding day?" He suddenly stops, turning to face me.

"You should have seen her, Celesta. He is letting her waste away inside that manor, its no wonder she so desperately wanted to leave." I press my lips into a line as I study his face.

"And you're going to allow her to return there after this week has come to an end?" He doesn't answer before disappearing, only the shift of a winnow to show his disappearance. I let out a breath and make my way to my own bed chambers. As I prepare for bed, his voice enters my mind.

How did it go? Were you able to see her before she made her way to bed? I smile as I answer him. No, she was already getting ready for bed by the time I arrived. Rhys seems uneasy, though he'll never show it with her around. He says she looks sickly, I can only imagine what being in that court is like. What she's enduring. I can hear him sigh through the bond between us. Get some sleep, I'll be returning to you as the sun rises tomorrow. I love you. My body becomes warm at the thought of his face after so long apart, so soon will his arms be around me. I love you, Vossan.

I climb into the softness of my blankets as exhaustion envelops me.

...

"Celesta, my love." His voice purrs in my ear, a gentle hand brushes the hair from my closed eyes. Dreary and hazed from sleep, my eyes flutter open to see his beautiful face. Skin tanned, hair dark as the night swept out of his face, I have not forgotten the green eyes that loose my breathe when I stare too long. I simply lift the blanket as a smile takes over my face and he climbs into my arms, pressing himself as close to me as he can. The shadows emanating from him ease as he relaxes against my skin. "How I've missed you."

"I could not bare another day from you, my mate." I say, pulling back to look at his face once more, resting my hand on his cheek.

"My starlight." His dreamy eyes meet mine as he leans in to place a kiss on my brow, my cheeks, my nose, and finally my lips. My body melts at the taste of him, at the touch I'd been longing. We sit in each others embrace for a long time before I run a hand through his hair and let out a breath.

"Has Azriel returned too?" I feel him nod against my shoulder.

"There is much we must tell you and the High Lord, along with the court." I grin.

"I suppose that means we should begin the day." He squeezes me in protest and I laugh against him. "Come, my moon, Rhys has brought a guest." Against my own desires, I pull from his grasp and rise. He watches my body closely, studying every curve as the black lacy nightgown falls back into place.

"I did not expect him to call in his bargain so soon." I pull a long silk gown of midnight purple from the armoire and take notice of Vossan's full attention as I slip the nightgown from over my head, I grin at him. The gown slips over my head, falling into place along my body. The hem falling over my shoulders and loosely showing my collarbone, the sheer sleeves flow around my wrists. I leave my hair flowing down my black, weaving clips that mirror stars into two small braids.

"Neither did I." I walk to the bed and place a gentle kiss on his lips. When I pull away, he catches my wrist, demanding more. I laugh as I lay another kiss on his lips, and another, before he deems himself satisfied and stands with me. "I think it's best only I meet our guest this morning. It may be startling to behold the both of us." He bows to me and grins.

"Of course, princess." I shake my head as he follows me to the door, falling into smokey shadows and slipping between my legs, appearing behind me at the door. He uses his magic to spin me around and leans in close, bracing a hand against the door on either side of me as his breath tickles against my ear. "This time apart has been long, my mate, don't think our next meeting will be so innocent." I smile at his demand and brush my lips across his, refusing to let them meet. He watches me carefully as I allow my breathe to slip into his parted mouth.

"I'm counting on it." I meet his eyes once more with a smirk before winnowing away.

...

I feel her, smell her, before I see her seated at the breakfast table beside Rhysand. He was not exaggerating when he told me she was wasting away within that manor, the Feyre from Under the Mountain has been replaced by a shell of what she once was. Her body almost made of only bones, the bags under her eyes deepened and colored purple. I take careful, gentle steps inside and smile at her.

"Hello, Feyre." I say, my voice smooth as the singing willow trees. She looks to me in confusion, but no fear clings to her eyes.

"Feyre, this is my younger sister, Celesta. My only surviving family." Rhys says, I smile at him.

"Younger only by one single year, thought
he makes it seem much more." I say, lifting a fork to poke into one of the fruits that lay before me. "I do believe Mor would bring you a slow death if she heard you call me your only family."

As if on command, the chipper, blonde haired girl bounds into the dining room with the smile that never seems to disappear. I return it as she turns to take in the savior sitting across from me.

"Feyre, I've been anxious to meet you." Mor says, sliding into the chair beside me.

"And this is Mor, my cousin in the loosest terms." Rhys says, throwing her a sly grin that she returns with an eye roll.

"Do not let him scare you, Feyre. If you'd rather keep company with someone other than Rhys, don't be a stranger." Mor says, piling her plate with food. Feyre looks back at me, her eyes sharp against mine. 

"I didn't see you Under the Mountain." She says, a hint of venom behind her voice. My eyes flash as that familiar burst of power grows in the room. It spindles around my legs as heat grows within my throat, the taste of smoke filling my mouth. Then, from beneath it all, the soothing hand of Rhysand wraps around my mind and allows me to push back down that rush of power as quick as it came. But she felt it, the fear in her eyes tells me all that I need to know.

"She would not have allowed you to see me, I'm afraid. I was locked away very tightly within the walls of her palace." I say, attempting and failing to keep the ice from my voice. I gently stand and set my napkin on the table, meeting Feyre's gaze with a smile. "Vossan calls to me, I must go. It was nice to meet you, Feyre." I look at Rhysand one more time, his pleading eyes full of apology as they meet mine.

Celesta- is all he can manage before I throw my wall back up and smoothly walk from the dining room.