Females were very rare in the night court's ruling family as it was, all either die young or end up forgotten in the abyss of history.
Rhysand ever thought he'd have to father one of these, in fact, he did't believe he even deserve to be a father, u...
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CHAPTER FOUR this is what it feels like
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Elayla Astraea Anwar was in trouble. She knew that fact and accepted it as the consequence of her own stupid decisions. She didn't regret sneaking out, truth be told, what she regretted was not using her powers to knock down the bully that dared tormenting someone younger than him.
Rhysand was sitting in the other side of the room, his jaw clenched in frustration and worry. "I am very disappointed in you for sneaking out, Elayla." He breathed out.
"I know," She mumbled, staring down at the ground. "I'm sorry, Baba. I didn't mean to scare you like that."
"Gods, kid." He sighed. "This isn't about ne getting frightened. You could've been hurt worse." He stared at her badaged head. "You could've..."
She knew that if she hit her head any harsher, she would've died. She dared lifting her eyes to meet his, and she saw it, that deep rooted fear he carried for the longest time. Her father was always scared of people dying. Her, Cassian, Azriel, Mor and even cranky old Amren. He couldn't stop worrying about every single one of them.
She hopped off the bed quietly qnd walked to him, squeezing him in a tight embrace. "Please don't be sad. I hate it when you're sad, Baba."
"I'm not sad, Little Love." He finally exhaled, hugging her just as tight. "You just had me worried." He rubbed her back gently. "don't disappear on me again, all right?"
"Hm." She nodded quietly, resting her head on his shoulder. The door knocked gently, before opening slightly on Azriel's familiar face. "The boy wouldn't leave, Rhys." He informed. "He's been sitting outside in the snow for hours now."
Rhys grunted in annoyance, but Elayla peaked curiously at her uncle. "A boy? What boy? Can I see him? Please, Baba." She pleaded with her father. "It's snowing, he'd be freezing outside."
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The boy did in fact manage to get inside, and he was very much freezing. Elayla stared up at him, amazed at how he was actually way taller up close, in his worn out Illyrian leathers and his pale, freckled cheeks.
She rarely ever saw boys around her age, or even girls for that matter, but she decided that he had a good face, a beautiful one even, if not for the worried creased between his eyebrows when he looked at her.
They were standing in the living room, Rhysand was following them with his eyes from the open kitchen. "Hello," She extended her hand with a smile. "My name's Elayla. What's your name, kid?"
She saw his lips curve iinto an amused smile. "Alaric." He shook hers, and she couldn't grasp why his hand was so much bigger and rougher than hers. Sure, he was two or three years older than her, but that still didn't make sense to her.
"Well, I brought you something," he cleared his throat, "For trying to help me, and getting hurt in the process." He handed her the small decorated green box.
When she unboxed it it, a paper butterfly swung from it, making her stare in awe, "Gods, this is so pretty, how did you make it?" She asked enthusiastically.
"My sister used to make them," he shrugged. "I'm glad you like it."
"But what if your sister wants it back." She protested, "It's so pretty, I can't take it."
His face fell a bit, making her heart twist. "My sister wouldn't want it back." He assured. "She's... gone." He admitted.
"Oh." Elayla fell silent. Gone, she hated how that word made him so sad. She felt the way it made him sad. "I'm sorry about that." She swallowed. "Do you... Would you like a hug?"
Alaric stiffened, staring at his dirty clothes. "You'd ruin your dress." He winced.
"Baba would get me a new one anyways." She shrugged, "And you need a hug more than I need clothes."
He stared at her dumbfounded as she took a step closer to him and hugged him tight, wrapping her arms around his torso. She was shorter than him, and much more talkative than he expected a princess to be.
The High Lord gave him a knowing look, and he immediately responded to the embrace, patting the younger girl's hug, and something strange felt inside, like a hole getting filled with a million blazing stars.
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AUTHOR'S NOTE
Hi again guys! I hope you didn't get bored of me just yet. So a little fluffy chapter before we start going darker. SORRY NOT SORRY.
Also if anyone is up for a bookish conersation, my Instagram account is zyranwrites7, I mostly post about my original works but yeah, I might share about fanfics too.
