The Love We Deserve - Azriel x OC

Little Warrior

I tailed Mor and Feyre back into the house after being winnowed for the second time today. A strange experience but a hell of a lot quicker than walking.

Laughter sounded from the hall, and I caught sight of Azriel and Cassian talking to Rhysand. They had fighting leathers strapped to them and looked like they had just come back from training. I tried not to stare at the gleaming skin and wet hair but gods it was hard.

Shadows drifted from their master across the wooden floor towards me and I smiled slightly, reaching down to allow them access to my arm where they settled on my shoulders.

"Almost didn't recognise you there LW" Cassian's grinning face made my eyebrows raise.

"LW?"

"Little warrior" I shook my head in amusement.

"I'm not little"

"to me you are" he stepped closer, holding his hand above my head and then comparing it to his body "little"

The eye roll was automatic. I'd taken down soldiers his size, albite none of them had wings.

"is that sass I sense?"

"Careful Cass, she'll put you on your ass" Azriel snorted, hazel eyes gleaming as he looked at me. "Did you sleep well?"

"very, thank you" the way the sunset ghosted through his wings lighting them pink was intriguing and my head tilted as I admired them.

"Jealous?" Cassian teased, shaking his wings out, almost knocking Azriel in the face as he did so, causing the shadow master to scowl and bat him away.

"they're beautiful" I admitted, "completely different to feathered"

"Were they fighting with you? Day court?" Rhysand asked and people began taking seats at the dining table.

"yes. A handful of friends." I took a seat opposite the shadow master "they were also very proud of their wings, constantly asking me to preen them" shaking my head gently despite the ache.

"they let you touch them?" the words almost flew out of Cassian, and the others looked similarly shocked.

"I couldn't exactly treat them otherwise"

"treat them?" Feyre repeated with furrowed brows.

"you were a healer" Azriel realised and I nodded.

"something like that." I agreed reluctantly, tucking my hands into the sleeves of the soft sweater. "our previous healer, Bradie, I was close to him in the beginning. I shadowed him and when he-" the word wouldn't leave my mouth "- I had watched how he worked. the responsibility was passed to me"

"and it was enough? Just to watch how he had healed others?" Mor pushed carefully and I traced the pattern of the wood with my eyes.

"you pick it up as you go. Trial and error."

My gaze lifted as food appeared across the table, meat and vegetables, anything and everything.

Plates began to fill, and I questioned what I would be able to stomach. Despite my light breakfast, it had been the most food I had eaten in a long time so I couldn't risk overdoing it and being sick later.

I buttered a roll, selecting some broccoli and carrots and scooping them onto my plate.

"My weapons, you have them?"

Rhysand met my gaze across the table, nodding shortly.

"Would you like them back?"

"It's okay for now. I just wanted to make sure they were safe"

I didn't fancy accidentally killing any of the fae if I woke up from another nightmare.

"Maybe you should join us for training, Greenie"

My whole face twisted with distaste at the nickname and Cassian chuckled as he chewed on a forkful of meat.

"yeah didn't think you'd like that one" he agreed "but I'm serious. It would be interesting to see how you fight. Right, Az?"

"You could've given her a day to settle in" the shadow master muttered to his friend and his shadows tickled my neck lightly, making me twitch in my seat. My fingers brushed them back before his hazel eyes met mine "there's no rush, but if you would be interested, the offer is always open" his mouth opened to say something else before he caught sight of the whisps of black poking out from beneath my hair, face tinging pink "I'm sorry"

"don't be" my lips tilted up slightly, "they're curious little things"

"so it would seem" his eyebrows furrowed before a question sprung to mind and I turned to Rhysand and Feyre.

"the wo-fae from earlier, who helped me dress," I began "what are their names?"

"Nuala and Cerridwen" Fey answered, "did they scare you?"

"I think I probably scared them equally. They don't dine with you?"

"they don't eat"

Now it was my turn to be confused.

"they don't eat?" I echoed, leaning forward slightly "they aren't dead, are they?"

Laughter broke out across the table and Azriel was the one to answer me.

"they're half wraith, shadow creatures. So they have no need for food, although they do find it therapeutic to bake" he explained, and this prompted more questions.

"are you half shadow?"

"no" the smirk teased at his lips.

So he was a fae with shadow abilities? Interesting.

"what time does training start?"

Cassian beamed at my question, but I was quick to state that I would strictly be watching, at least for the first session.

"so you can find our weaknesses?" Azriel quipped and I scoffed.

"Like it would matter if I knew. All of you would be a hard fight. Especially with the wings"

"you've been studying us" Mor stated, and I shrugged.

"not intentionally. It's more of a force of habit. But I assume you all do the same."

"intentionally" Cassian winked; it reminded me of one of the soldiers back at camp who constantly winked at everyone. A huge flirt but a decent male all things considered.

"I wouldn't Cas" Feyre warned with a smirk, eyes flicking to me "I've seen what happens to males who flirt with Alex"

A grin spread across my lips before I could stop it, the memory vivid.

"pray tell" Rhysand twirled his fork around his plate curiously.

"A few boys from the village invited me to an evening of...entertainment shall we say." I recalled, "I refused, and that evening they found me bathing in the river."

"I heard the screaming all the way from the house" Feyre chuckled, taking a sip from her glass "they all came running back, naked as babes and covered in red power which seemed to render them blind"

At the appalled faces across the table I chuckled quietly.

"Temporarily. They had tried to join me in the water, luckily there were Red Eyes to hand, and they were unfortunate enough to get closer than I liked"

"so you blinded them?" Mor smirked, raising her glass to me. "fair fucking play"

"temporarily" I murmured, eating a part of my roll.

"does that happen to all the males that flirt with you?" Azriel asked and I smirked.

"only the ones I don't like"

"I'll keep that in mind"

I felt my cheeks flush lightly under his scolding gaze, returning my attention back to my plate.

Gods he was attractive.