Nightfully ;Azriel

41

Althea laid besides Elain as she cried. She rubbed Elain's back in soothing circles. "You'll find someone better." she tried but Elain just cried even harder at that sentence. She winced and turned to Nesta  for help who just looked at her in visible fury. Obviously not at Elain but at her ex fiance who had rejected her so harshly. 

Althea waited till she was asleep until she sat across from Nesta. "How are the witches." 

Althea jumped at Nesta's sudden question, she swallowed a lump in her throat. "We had some losses," she started wringing her fingers, "but the rest are doing fine." 

"Amara, she died?" 

She nodded watching Nesta carefully. Her older sister had known Amara as Ms.Robins, her mentor down at the village. They were always civil with each other, Amara being one of the only older women who treated Nesta kindly. Nesta sighed. "She was a good soul." 

Althea played with the siphon on her elbow, taking in the dim glow of the purple light. "She died bravely." she hadn't tried fighting, she went in that cauldron as if she knew what the future beheld. 

Nesta nodded her head tensely before changing the subject. "You and Azriel..." she looked at Althea through her lashes, "I'm assuming you're on better terms." 

She felt her face heat up at Nesta's suggestive tone. Althea managed a weak smile, as Nesta approached her taking in the Siphons. "I guess." 

Nesta  raised a perfect brow. "And you were given these because...?"

Althea blushed again. "Because according to Nora, I can't control my abilities fully." she scowled at that and as Nesta tugged her arm nearer to her. They were silent for a few more minutes as Nesta finally moved back to her seat, overlooking Elain. "She'll be fine." 

Nesta stayed silent. 

***

Althea had not been invited to the battle at the summer court and she was glad. She had enough battles for the rest of her life but she was saving her energy for the main battle. Instead She made her way to the medic tents where med witches were setting up spare pieces of cut linen, hot water which were warmed by the fire. She saw herbs and numbing potions being bought in bulk. 
The Illyrian's remaining at the camp were not happy once they saw them finally arrive but they remained silent, Nora had arrived alongside them and she kept her updated about what happened, with the Nolan Estate and with Jurian who was actually on their side. She listened Intently alongside Wren who sent out instructions to the med witches who she was in charge of. She left Juniper at the Dawn court alongside the other children and women who did not want to fight, or were too old too. 

"Many men will die tonight." She said simply, she gestured to the witches. "Our job is to ensure that some of them live." 

Instead, Morrigan and feyre arrived at the encampment and announced that the camp would be moved to the edge of the battlefield. The witches packed everything almost instantly and were the first lot to be taken to start healing the injured at the battlefield. Feyre refused to take her siblings until they were the last so they wouldn't see the bodies. She understood but it wasn't her first battle, and it wouldn't be her last. Once they arrived at their new camp site she offered her three sibling tentative nods before making her way to the medic tents. There were barely any bodies where they stood yet Althea could see the blood splattered floor, how the mud squelched beneath her boots. 

Even though her hair was in a ponytail it wasn't enough to keep her cool. She twisted her hair into a bun before she set out to help. Althea still hadn't received her gift from the cauldron, not that she ever tried but if there was one thing she noticed was that she healed, quite quickly. She wondered if she could use it on others. She licked her dry lips and set out for the first man closest to her. She watched as the witches held their hands above the injured bodies, and how a soft light seemed to emerge from them. Althea mirrored their actions and held her hand above the injured spots, and pushed deep within until she felt the tug that was hidden beneath the layers of electricity.