Nightfully ;Azriel

39

Even in the summer the camp was damp and wet. She felt humid and hot as soon as they landed. Azriel held her in his arms a couple seconds longer, staring down any of the males that had their eyes laid on her before he finally allowed her to walk. "It's hot." she complained to him. On their way to the camp her siphons glowed a pretty purple which made her grin. 

Pretty and bad-ass she was afraid. Her pink hair was the main attraction once again. And as somebody whispered witch with fear her smile widened. "I think I'll be safe here." 

Azriel looked down at her in amusement as they approached a familiar group. "They think witches are bad omens." 

"It's true, then. The wall came down." She overheard one of the men ask with a tinge of annoyance. 

"A temporary failure," Rhysand crooned, he was still in his fine clothing from the meeting with the highlord. 

As the group turned to look at them a smile slipped onto her face. Feyre was the first to rush forward, she held Althea's hand in hers. "Are you okay?" she mothered over her, checking for any injuries. Rhysand looked at her outfit with a knowing gaze before he turned back to the illyrian man barking orders coldly.  Cassian gave her a thumbs up before he too went all cold adding his own instructions and clarifications. But Azriel who just stood there with an emotionless gaze as if he hated being there at the camp.

"I'm fine." she responded. "But the wall..."

Feyre went still as Rhysand approached. "You saw it happen."

She nodded recalling the event a few hours prior. "The king of Hybern was there, he sacrificed Amara to the cauldron to bring down the wall."  Even through all the commands she still saw the other illyrian men throw disgusted looks at Azriel and anger bubbled in her chest. 

"What is that," The man Rhysand was speaking to before asked as he finally took them in.

Nesta merely stared at him, one hand clamping the edges of her gray cloak together at her chest.One of the other camp-lords made some sign against evil.

"That," Cassian said too quietly, "is none of your concern." 

"Is she a witch."

Althea snickered no way did her own sister look like a witch more than she did. Feyre was about to say something but Nesta answered back a very flat, "Yes."

A few of the illyrians winced. "She may act like one sometimes," Cassian clarified, "but no—she is High Fae." 

"She is no more High Fae than we are," the man countered.

"I'm a witch." Althea spoke, insulted on behalf of her sister. She managed an upturn of her lips. "Guard your tents during the night." And once none of the inner circle corrected her the illyrians went silent in fear.

From the corner of her eye she saw the rest of the group manage to smile as well, including Azriel who seemed to grow smug. 

"Keep them both away from the females and children." Mor let out a snort that made the Illyrians stiffen. But she shifted, revealing Elain behind her. Elainwas just blinking, wide-eyed, at the camp. The army.

"Let's find something warm to drink," Feyre announced to the three of them who just nodded. Althea gave Azriel one last nod before she followed her sisters to the tent where Feyre was leading them to. Nesta never once looked away from the Illyrian men which made pride blossom in her chest while Elain kept her gaze on the ground in front of her. She watched with amusement as one man winced at her smile, as if she'd hexed him. 

Once they entered the tent Morrigan threw herself at one of the couches nearest to her. "Welcome to an Illyrian war-camp, ladies. Try to keepyour awe contained."Nesta drifted toward the desk, the maps atop it. 

"What is the difference," she asked none of us inparticular, "between a faerie and a witch?" 

Althea froze as well, she never once thought of that question. "Don't ask me, I've only been a witch for less than a year." 

"Witches amass power beyond their natural reserve," Mor answered with sudden seriousness."They use spells and archaic tools to harness more power to them than the Cauldron allotted—anduse it for whatever they desire, good or ill."

Althea added in her own input. "They also have abilities such as sky, fire, earth, water, or healing atop of that." 

Morrigan nodded at her. "That's right." 

Feyre watched her. "Siphons?" she had a teasing smile. 

She nodded as coolly as she could yet she herself was still as surprised as them. "Will—will many of these soldiers die?" Elain asked carefully.

Nesta answered back coolly. "Yes."

At Elain's wince Morrigan changed the subject.  "Whenever you're ready, Elain, I'll glamour you." 

"Will it hurt?" Elain asked. 

"It didn't when Tamlin glamoured your memories," Nesta said, leaning against the desk. 

Morrigan still said, "No. It might ... tingle. Just act as you would as a human." 

"It's the same as how I act now." Elain began wringing her slender fingers.

"Yes," Feyre said, "but ... try to keep the vision-talk ... to yourself. While we're there." she addedquickly, "Unless it's something that you can't—" 

"I can," Elain said, squaring her slim shoulders. "I will." 

Morrigan smiled tightly. "Deep breath."Elain obeyed. She blinked, and it was done. She only just realised how dull they looked as humans. At the dullness of their skin, of their hair and eyes. This Elain seemed much more plain, ordinary. 

Elain studied her hands, turning them over. "I hadn't realized ... how ordinary it looked." 

"You're still lovely," Morrigan said a bit gently. 

Elain offered a half smile. "I suppose that war makes wanting things like that unimportant." 

Morrigan was quiet for a heartbeat. "Perhaps. But you should not let war steal it from you regardless."

Elain went with Rhysand and Feyre not long after. While Nesta, Azriel and her went with Morrigan. She only then remembered the mortal summer heat, how disgusting it had felt on her skin. She remembered the times where she was so close to throwing herself into the lake that took up the further end of their estate because of the heat. She turned to Nesta who seemed uncomfortable herself.

"I forgot how disgusting the heat was." Nesta muttered to her which she nodded at.

Althea shook her head, as she took in the Nolan Estate which seemed more like a prison than anything else. "I never thought we'd be back here." she turned to Azriel and Morrigan who seemed tense. "I doubt they'd talk peacefully." 

Azriel agreed silently. 

She went on. "If anything, I'm pretty sure there's tunnels that lead into the estate, I remember Benjamin telling me, that's where he used to sneak out from." 

Elain said to the guards, to the dozenarrows now pointed at her slender throat, "Tell Graysen that his betrothed has come for him. Tell him... tell him that Elain Archeron begs for sanctuary"

That's how they ended up waiting beneath the shade of an oak tree, as a guard mounted a horse before galloping down to the manor. Feyre turned to Elain. "How did you even meet him if he's locked in there." 

"At a ball, his fathers." 

"I've seen funerals that were merrier." Nesta said.

Althea agreed. "First and last party i attended." 

Elain cut them both a look. "This house has needed a woman's touch for years."

Azriel kept a few steps away, little more than the shade of one of the oaks behind them. But Morrigan andRhysand ... they monitored everything. The guards whose fear ... the salty, sweaty tang of it grated onevery nerve.But they held firm. Held those ash-tipped arrows at them.Long minutes passed. Then finally a yellow flag was raised at the distant fortress gates. We bracedourselves.But one of the guards before us grunted, "He'll come out to see you."