Ice, steel and shadows -ACOMAF au

Amelia

I awoke with a feeling of confusion lingering- my bed felt very soft, and the room was perfectly dark, and warm enough that I had discarded my blankets. And someone was knocking on my door- my head hurt as I slowly sat up and blinked, remembering where I was.

An amnesia would've probably been preferable at this point.

"Come in." I tiredly said, not even bothering to ask who it was. I had fallen asleep with last night's clothes on, so they were ruffled and dirty. I desperately needed a bath.

The room's door opened to reveal a girl I was completely unfamiliar with: she was tall and thin, with extremely pale skin, almost transparent, dark blue eyes and long black hair. She looked like a phantom- in the best way possible, she was stunning.

"Can I help you?" I asked, as she was standing on the threshold. "Amelia is it?" She asked, her voice as soft as her exterior. "I'm Delilah, and supposed to help you with anything you need during your time at the Night Court." "Oh." I numbly said. "So Rhysand assigned you to be my servant?" The girl- Delilah- let out a snort- this time, completely unlike her exterior. "Sorry to disappoint, honey, but I am nobody's servant. Rhysand mentioned we would be having guests, and I offered to help out." My eyes slightly widened- if not a servant what was she? "Not Rhysand's mistress for sure, I'm not stupid. I- well, I was unhappy at my Court, seeked sanctuary here, and have been living here ever since."

My cheeks reddened- I hadn't realised I had spoken out loud. "Well, in that case...thanks. For offering to help me." She shrugged. "Rhysand said you're cool enough, and I'm dying to get a new girl friend. Mor is not around often and Nuala and Carrie do their own thing, mostly." I didn't know who Nuala and Carrie was, but I gave the girl a friendly smile.

"Okay. Well, um, could you show me the dining room?" She beamed- her teeth were straight, but the front one was a bit chipped. "Are you planning to show up like that? No offence, but I think you could use a shower." I let out a little chuckle- she was right. "Mind waiting then?" I asked- I didn't know if she'd insist on bathing me herself, like the servants at my court or the spring court did,  but I really hoped she wouldn't- "Yes, of course, I'll wait outside." She smiled, and stepped out, closing the door behind her.

I let out a breath I hadn't known I'd been holding.

I quickly undressed, entering the bathroom- it was gorgeous, almost fit for an empress, with a high ceiling and a tub so large it resembled a pool.

I let the warm water run for a bit, and added a few lovely-smelling oils before allowing myself to sink in and relax for just a moment.

I deeply sighed, massaging the tense points in my body- I could easily sleep in here, but I knew Rhysand would be really pissed if I was late to breakfast- plus, I wanted to see what he had in store for me. I forced myself to exit the tub and search in the closet for an outfit- everything was in Night Court fashion.

Airy pants and shirts that left my stomach exposed- I had to admit they were pretty and fashionable. I chose a pale green set, that was billowy and feminine, and after shrugging it on, with one last look at my room, I left the safety of it.

Delilah was, as promised, waiting for me, outside the door. She gave me a bright smile upon seeing me. "If I were you, I would've enjoyed the perks of that bathtub for a bit longer." I shrugged in response. "I wouldn't want to piss Rhysand off- yet." The girl giggled, as she started walking towards the stairs. "That's funny. He said you loved pissing him off. That's when I offered to help you, if you needed anything."

Despite myself, a laugh escaped me. "Not Rhysand's biggest fan then?" The girl shrugged again, a small smile on her lips. "Quite the opposite. I think he's a really good person, despite what some people may think. But that doesn't change the fact he's a major prick. And I know your story: he's been an even bigger prick to you. I'm surprised you accepted his bargain." It was my turn to shrug. "It's just one week. How bad can it be?" Delilah only smiled and I realised we were nearing the dining room.