Aurora - You are my light (Ateez x reader)

TWENTYTWO

TRIGGER WARNINGS: Themes of rape, abuse, torture, pain, abortion (as part of a conversation)

SAN

The grand hall in the Elven castle, where we had just gathered, was filled with a tense silence. The silver light of the moon streamed through the tall, pointed windows and reflected off the gleaming, almost mirror-like marble floor. Two Elven guards stood by the large door, watching us warily. They apparently hadn't had much contact with pirates like us before and felt visibly uneasy in our presence, as if we might devour them at any moment.

We were led to a seating area with white sofas and chairs covered in furs. We made ourselves comfortable, though comfortable was hardly the word for it. It was more of a nervous shifting around. Seonghwa hadn't shared much from his conversation with Aurora, except that she was willing to hear us out. That was more than we could have hoped for, considering how much we had taken from her. Her horse, her freedom, her child, and nearly her life.

None of us could have predicted things would turn out this way when we struck the deal in Nerathia. She was supposed to be a hostage we would kidnap, keep captive on board, and eventually deliver to Nerathia alive. I chuckled darkly to myself. We had barely managed any of that.

And as if that wasn't bad enough for her, I had invaded her dreams and manipulated them without her consent. I had no malicious intent; on the contrary, I wanted to rid her of the nightmares from her mistreatment. But that, too, spiraled out of control, nearly landing me between her legs.

This was all such a messed-up situation. I exhaled in frustration. Yeosang, sitting between me and Wooyoung, was nervously bouncing his leg. He was the most visibly anxious among us. I gently placed my hand on his thigh, and he relaxed a bit under my touch, nodding his thanks to me.

"How much longer is this going to take?" Mingi finally asked, pacing back and forth across the hall. He still owed Aurora a massive apology for the incident in the dining hall. We were all on edge. Never before had we shared our code with anyone. Especially not with someone outside our crew. That was about to change. Consequently, our nerves were frayed. But I was counting on the captain; Kim damage-control Hongjoong.

Then the great door to the hall finally opened, and Aurora entered, accompanied by her Elven healer. She was actually here, and she was alive. It felt as if all the air had been sucked out of the room, as no one seemed capable of breathing. The guards exited the hall, letting the door close behind them. Slowly, the two women approached the seating area. Aurora was breathing rapidly, just like during the kiss in the ship's corridor, her chest rising and falling quickly beneath her black gown.

She looked stunning in it. It consisted of a multi-layered black blouse with a high collar, fitted at the waist, exposing a slim slit of skin at the midriff. The sleeves of the blouse were transparent and flared. The lower part was a black skirt, also layered. At the front, it reached just above her knees, while the back flowed into a transparent half-skirt that nearly touched the floor, softly swaying with each step she took. The elegant fabrics were complemented by various gold appliqués. It looked breathtaking on her. She looked breathtaking.

They stopped in front of the seating area, and Aurora gave a slight bow. Even now, she maintained so much dignity to uphold our customs, though I would understand if she had ripped the hair, skin included, from our bodies.

The captain immediately stood. "Princess Aurora," he bowed deeply, "We are glad you are alive." With a beckoning gesture, he pulled us all out of our shock and commanded us to do the same.

After everyone was seated again and Aurora had taken a seat on one of the recamiers next to the Elven healer, an awkward silence fell. Uncomfortable.

As expected, the captain was the first to collect himself and break the tense silence. "First, I want to emphasize and ensure that not a single word leaves this room," he looked at the Elven healer, who nodded in confirmation, and continued, "Aurora, we are here because we wish to offer you our deepest apologies."