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Azriel listened to Illia cry. He listened to her mother, The Lady of the Winter Court, whisper sweet nothings in her ear. His mate, one he felt he didn't deserve, was crying and he hated it. He hated the sound of her pain. Winter court guards out for routine patrol walked past the shadowsinger. It was dark out and his shadows coved what the night sky couldn't. After a couple hours of standing there listening to her cry's, she stopped. Azriel waited a couple minutes to make sure she was asleep before he began his flight to Valeris, the city of starlight.
When the male arrived at the house of wind, Cassian was busy sharpening his blades in the sitting room. Rhys was gonna kill him for that he thought. Mor walked in with a glass of wine dressed as elegantly as always. She took one look at Azriel's distraught face before pulling him into a hug.
"What happened? Why do you smell like pine and roses?" Mor thought for a second before pulling out of the hug and shoving him. "You smell like Illia, why do you smell like Illia?" She looked at him, analyzing every breath he took. She smelled like wine, Mor always smelled like wine. Azriel looked into her eyes, hoping she would just let it go. Thankfully the conversation was interrupted by Rhys.
"The Letters were just sent out to the other courts" He grabbed Mor's wine glass on his way to the embroidered couch beside Cassian, who was currently trying to hide his blades in the couch before Rhys caught him sharpening them on his favorite rug. Once he plopped onto the couch, he laid his head on the back and closed his eyes before bringing Mor's wine to his lips. Everyone stayed silent until Rhys asked the question Azriel had been dreading all day.
"Az, what's the report on the winter court?" Rhys opened his eyes to looked toward the male he called his brother. While everybody's attention was on Rhys, Azriel slipped into the shadows hoping to avoid this conversation entirely, sadly the high lord had other plans.
"The future High Lady has not mentioned the incident yesterday. It appears the only evidence that we were even in the Winter Court is today." Azriel said quietly, his shadows thickened. Evidence of his stress about the situation.
"What happened today Azriel?" Rhysand said, more on edge than he was at the start of the sentence.
"Illia took showed me around the winter court and the high lord found out" Everybody in the room flinched, including Azriel himself. These are the four warriors who fought in the war, brute strength and attitude rolled into each and everyone in that room. But the mention of the High Lord of the Winter Court had them all on the edge of their seats. It wasn't that they were afraid of him, they were more afraid of the monster he could raise. Illia has always been a kind child, too warm and bright for the frigid winter court. When Amarantha came to power, her and her mother were locked away in the tower, which was hidden from Prythian by Kallias power. The future High Lady had been raised with kindness and bravery under the protection of her fathers wards. Not with a cold heart and blistering power like her father. Although, Rhys believed Illia would grow into a power that could rival his own one day.
They all felt the shift in the air, Illia was the most powerful pureblood fae there had ever been. The cauldron had provided Prythian with something that could protect them if the night court grew out of control. Rhys had long suspected. They all sat in silence contemplating what to say next.
"You smell like Illia because your her mate, aren't you?" It was Mor who spoke. All she got in return was a swift nod. It was Cassian who stood from his lounging postion to congratulate the other winged male. Rhys looked between them both.
"Well this complicates things. Does her father know?" another swift nod from Azriel before he turned to make he was to his bedroom, trying his best to escape the conversation entirely. Half way down the hall. he heard Rhys mutter something to Cassian about his carpet. Making Azriel smile.
Hello! Sorry its so short but I'm super uncomfortable writing from third person point of view with Azriel. I just enjoy the inner circle so much that I don't want to mess with their chemistry. Anywho, This was mainly just to show the importance of Illia and her purpose. Also I feel like everyone would be more excited for him if it wasn't so.. unnatural? I don't know if that's the word to use. They want to be together but in order for them to work, one of them has to give up apart of themselves. To me, truly loving someone means to love every part of them. You can't love the part of someone that takes them away from you.
