A Court of Light and Darkness

Seven: Freesia

       The stars were bright in the sky above, casting an enchanting array of color around her as she laid on the roof, looking up. She had found this place soon after coming back from dinner, Mor leaving her to go run errands. She had grown inpatient in her room and went to explore.

After seeing the view at the highest point of the House, she had gone down to what she had assumed from the shadows leaking from the door, was Azriel's room and left a note to meet her there to talk about what had happened at dinner.

She had an idea about what had passed in between them as they locked gazes, but was still confused on what it meant exactly. She was about to ask to talk to Azriel in private at the restaurant, but was quickly shut down as a word shot into her mind, telling her they would talk later.

So there she lay, waiting for her mate to find her to talk about, what, she didn't know. Freesia heard the door leading to the staircase going back into the House open swiftly. Followed by a pause of footsteps, then someone walking towards where she sat.

She continued to look up at the speckled sky as a dark figure sat next to her, laying in the same position on his back, as she did. Her heart started to beat faster as she tried to figure out something to say. Finally, she took a deep breath, breaking the silence.

"I haven't seen the stars for so long. The ones here are brighter and there are more than I've ever seen at one time." She turned to take in the male laying next to her. Azriel turned his head as she did, locking eyes with her.

"They call Velaris 'The City of Starlight'. Some here sleep during the day and wake at night to live through the beautiful night." Azriel sighed, taking his eyes from hers and watching the sky once more.

"I can see why." Was all Freesia said. Her mind was spinning with questions and blank spaces as she fumbled to find a way to start the conversation they came to have.

"We- we should probably talk- about.. It." Freesia stumbled out, wringing her fingers. Azriel sat up, placing his forearms on his raised knees, still looking up to the stars. Freesia followed him, tucking her legs up to her chest, wrapping her arms around them, and resting her head on her knees.

"You don't have to- have to accept it. If you're not ready or don't want to." Azriel said, his voice quiet and thoughtful.

"I don't know what I want, yet. I think we should get to know each other and figure it out as we go." Freesia said slowly, thinking about what she would say before saying it. "I have a lot of scars. A lot of anger and sadness in my life right now, and I don't want to drag you down with me if I fall." She admitted, silver lining her eyes.

Azriel turned to look at her as a tear fell from her eye. He lifted his hand and wiped the tear from her cheek, keeping his hand on her cheek before pulling away. She hadn't flinched at his touch but couldn't stop the sudden confusion as she felt the roughness of his palm on her skin.

She slowly reached over and grabbed Azriels wrists, pulling them to her and turning them palm up into the starlight to see. Scar tissue and jagged lines covered the inside of his hand, trailing to his wrists and stopping.

"How- what happened to you?" Freesia looked into the spymaster's eyes, sadness lacing her tone.

"My stepbrothers- they didn't like me well. My father had kept me in a cell most of my childhood, giving my brothers free reign to do as they pleased to me. One of them decided to light my skin on fire one day-" Azriel stopped as Freesia covered his palms with her own, clasping her fingers around his wrists. 

"I'm so sorry." She whispered, tears forming in her eyes. "You were locked away, too?" She asked, understanding in her face.

"I guess we aren't so different." Azriel whispered.

They sat there for most of the night after that, talking about everything and nothing. Around three in the morning Freesia drifted back to her rooms, light on her feet and a smile on her face. Her exhaustion didn't hit until she landed on her mattress and snuggled into the blankets, closing her eyes and sinking into a dreamless sleep.

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     The next few days went fast for Freesia. Her and Azriel had talked a few times after the night on the roof, but he had been gone most of the time for trips to the Illyrian Camps and basic Spymaster errands.

So Freesia spent her time with Mor and Feyre and sometimes Lucien but he seemed to be in the human realms most of the time. Freesia loved to go to the music filled streets of Velaris. Before she was locked away she had studied music with her mother. Mastering the violin, piano, and singing.

She hadn't picked up an instrument in five centuries and had only hummed old folk songs in her isolation, but she still loved the beautiful sounds of a bow scraping the strings and the old Prythian songs that told a story in different languages.

That's where she was now. Sitting in an outside patio with a glass of water in front of her, the setting sun casting over the waters as she basked in the surrounding sound of a female singing with a piano and fiddler.

The female was beautiful. With long blonde hair that draped over her shoulders, stopping below her chest. Her dress was white and flowed to just above her knees, shaping her curves perfectly. She sang a slow song. Freesia didn't speak the tongue it was in but she could tell it was sad. She didn't mind it though. It somehow relaxed her, made her feel less alone with her saddened heart.

She was so lost in the flooding music that she didn't notice the dark figure until he dropped into the chair next to her. Freesia jumped at the sudden movement, her eyes shooting to the male sitting three feet from her.

Azriel smirked at her as he leaned back in his chair and rested his ankle on his knee. He wore all black, per usual. His black black tunic was unbuttoned at the top, exposing the top of his chest. Freesia struggled to keep her eyes off his body and on his face.

She smiled at him brightly, turning fully towards his chair. "What are you doing here?" She asked, lifting her legs off the ground and tucking them in front of her in the chair.

"I had some free time so I decided to see what you were up to. I didn't realize you liked to sit alone and listen to sad music." Azriel faked a yawn to hide the growing smile on his face as Freesia hit his shoulder, pretending to be offended.

"I enjoy what I used to be good at." She said, looking back towards the singing female. "I used to play both those instruments and sing as well as that female." She said, a soft smile on her face as memories of playing her violin for her mother and singing for Mor ran through her head.

"Why not do it again?" Azriel asked, still looking at her face.

"Fear of failing, maybe. I cant seem to bring myself to try." Freesia admits, looking back into Azriels eyes. She had tried that day, actually. Walking into a shop that sold and rented out instruments of all kinds. She had just wanted to try one out, not actually purchase one. But as she neared the piano forte placed in the center of the store, she froze. She couldn't go any closer to it and eventually turned and walked out before the shop owner could say anything.

"Well-" The Shadowsinger said, leaning in closer to Freesia. "If you ever feel like you are ready, I would love to hear your music." He said gently, placing his hand over Freesia's that laid on her knee.

"So, what do you want to do with your free time, Shadowsinger?" Freesia purred, leaning in towards Azriel so that there were mere inches from each other.

"I have an idea." He replied, a grin spreading across his beautiful face.