Bloom and Destruction (ACOTAR - Elain + Azriel)

Chapter 20

Elain

    I stand before the court, Azriel at my side. Everyone stares at me, lesser and high fae alike. I clear my throat and step forward. "Good morning," I smile at them. "As I'm sure you all know, Tamlin has passed and the caldron passed his power to me."

"What's going to happen now?" Someone calls out.

I roll my shoulders and lift my chin a bit higher. "As of right now," I suck in a deep breath. "I will focus on rebuilding this court. With the help of my sister, the High Lady of the Night court."

"Feyre curse breaker," someone whispers.

"Feyre the assassin," someone else hisses back.

"The High Lady did what she had to do for the good of Prythian," I defend. "You all would not be breathing if it were not for her." They quiet down at the comment. "My first order of business here, in the Spring Court," I look to Azriel. He nods once. I turn back to face my now subjects. "I am abolishing the tithe."

A few claps and cheers erupt from the crowd. "Enough," Azriel calmly commands. They do as he says and turn their attention back to me.

"Much like other traditions, in a weeks time, we will have a celebration. A party to just be. All Courts have been invited, all fae are welcome. I'd love for you to join us to meet my family, myself, my mate," I gesture to Azriel. "It's a time of healing and it starts with us."

    The people of the court clap and cheer for a moment before I nod a dismissal. I smile at a few younglings running toward me. "Hi," the small girl giggles.

    I squat down to their height. "Hello there. My name is Elain, what's yours?" I reach a hand out.

    She places her hand in mine. "I am Eliza."

    "What a beautiful name," I smile. "What's yours?" I turn to the boy.

     He reaches his hand out to me. "I am Ezra."

     I shake his hand. "Well, Eliza and Ezra, what can I do for you?" I look between the children.

     They exchange a look and then back to me. "We wanted to know if you would stay in our Father's inn while the manor is repaired," Ezra speaks quietly. I look behind them, no sign of a parent in sight. "He doesn't know we're asking you."

     "Ezra! Eliza!" A man's voice shouts. Azriel steps to my side as a short, plump man pushes through the crowd. "I'm so sorry, Lady," he bows to me.

    I stand up. "No need to be, they are lovely children, sir..."

     He shakes his head with a huff. "My apologies, Lady. My name is Backus," he bows deeply at the waist.

    "High Lady," Azriel corrects.

     I place a hand on his bicep. "It's very nice to meet you, Backus. Your children are adorable," I offer him a smile. "This is Azriel, my mate.  He will be sworn in as High Lord after our wedding ceremony."

    Backus and the children bow to Azriel. He nods to them. "A pleasure, my Lord," Backus smiles softly.

    "Daddy, we asked Lady Elain to stay at our inn while the manor is under repair," Eliza tugs on her father's hand.

    His eyes go wide as he looks between Azriel and I. "I apologize, I know-"

   Azriel cuts his ramble off. "We would love to, Sir Backus."

I smile up at my mate and lace my fingers in his. "We'll gather our things and make our way there soon," I say to the plump male.

His eyes go wide and he takes another bow. "Th-thank you, Lord and Lady. I shall have the nicest room prepared within the our. Come, children," he ushers his younglings away. They wave to Azriel and me as they take their leave.

A water wraith stalks towards us, Azriel's grip tightening on my hand and his whole body tenses. I run my thumb along the back of his hand as a shield settles around us.

"High Lady of Spring," she hisses with amusement. "Lord of Shadows." She bows to us. Azriel stares blankly at the wraith. "My sisters and I offer our help with the... renovations at the manor. As a way to apologize and pledge our allegiance to you both."

Azriel just nods. I smile at the female. "That is most generous of you, thank you."

    Cassian monitors the lingering crowd from a distance, Nesta opposite him doing the same. Her eyes lock on the wraith stalking away from us before she rushes over to check on us. "Did she do anything to you?" She takes my hands and looks over me. She then turns to Azriel. "Are you all right?"

     "We're fine," Azriel mumbles, staring off into the distance.

     "She offered her help to rebuild the manor," I offer my sister. She just nods and looks to Cassian. "We should gather our things and head to the Inn," I turn toward Azriel.

    He nods. "I'll grab it," he doesn't waste a heartbeat before he's off to grab our bags.

    Nesta turns back to me. "Azriel promised Rhysand to stay at the River House until he is fully recovered," she whispers as Cassian stalks towards us.

     "That was before I became High Lady," I snap. "And if Azriel so chooses, he can go home."

     "No need to bite," Cassian teases. I roll my eyes at him. "Az will do what he wants, Rhys knows that. Rhys also knows that after the ceremony, he will be sworn in as High lord and will have to be here."

"I will be sworn in as High Lord consort," Azriel's voice rings out behind me. "I will not have the same power Elain has."

A swirl of dark wind brews a few feet ahead of us. Rhysand appears and immediately heads toward us. "High Lady," he bows to me. "May I have a moment of your time?" I nod, excusing myself from Cassian, Nesta, and my mate. I follow Rhys to the small clearing that sits out of Fae earshot. "How did it fare?"he asks as he stops and turns toward me.

     I clear my throat. "It went well, I spoke with a few subjects. They seem to hold no animosity toward me." I look down toward my feet. "I was worried they'd resent me for... Tamlin," I say quietly.

     Rhys shifts on his feet. "Feyre and I have the upmost confidence in you and we will be here every step of the way." He offers me a gentle smile as my gaze meets his. "Speaking of, we have a gift for you." I furrow my eyebrows in confusion. "I'd like you to grant me access to your mind to show me exactly how you want the manor to look and I'd like to magically renovate it for you," he gestures to the tall, crumbling home behind me.

I glance back to it. "I-I don't know what to say," I sputter. "Thank you so much, Rhys." I turn back to the High Lord of the Night Court. "But could we do that in a few days? I'd like to stay in a few of the Inns in the towns, I'd like to get to know my people."

     A grin spreads across his face. "You are much like Feyre in many ways, but so elegantly different. I, personally, cannot wait to see what you do with this Court."