A Court of Light and Darkness

Eleven: Freesia

Fear. Agony. Darkness. Sadness. Disgust. Anger.

Freesia was swirling with feelings as she stood in the middle of the dining hall, Azriel in front of her, staring into the eyes of her brother, Eris.

He had stood there, doing nothing, as her father had dragged her from her bed and thrown her into the dungeon. Had lived under that roof for centuries and had done nothing for her. Hadn't even visited her.

She hated him. From the bottom of her broken, withered heart.

"Hello, sister." Eris smirked at her, his paper white teeth gleaming. She wanted to punch them in.

But she was frozen in place. Her limbs stuck in a state of shock and horror that she could not waver. She would be on her knees by now, her legs given out, if not for the sturdy body in front of her holding her up as she gripped Azriel's arm.

"Rhys. What. The. Hell." Azriel said again, an anger in his tone that made Freesia pity the High Lord for being on the receiving end of it.

"Azriel, I thought you and Freesia would be out for another hour. I'm sorry that you didn't have time to prepare for this, Freesia, but I'm glad you're here. There is some information that you need to know that Eris has shared with us." If Rhys was fazed by Azriel's anger, he didn't show it. His face was a perfect resemblance of calm and almost cruel, except for the softness in his eyes that showed as Freesia met his gaze.

"What ever he has to say, he can go shove back up into hi-"

"It's okay." Freesia whispered, stopping Azriel short as he turned to her, blocking Eris's view of her with his wings. His shadows enveloped them, and she knew no one could hear them as they stood face to face now.

"You don't have to do this. You don't have to see that son of a bitch ever again." Azriel said, his voice soft, but filled with hatred toward the red headed male behind him.

"It's okay." Freesia lifted her palm to his cheeks, rubbing circles on his skin. "If he has information I need to know, then he can say it, and then leave." Her hand shook as she took it from Azriel's face. He took it in his own, lifting his shadows as he gave her a look that said- I'll be here the entire time. The second you say the word, we leave.

Azriel turned back to face the table, his fingers still wrapped around Freesia's. She focused on that contact. Her skin on his. His thumb rubbing comforting circles. It was the only thing that gave her enough strength to follow the Shadowsinger over to the table, and sit in a chair between Mor and him, straight across from Eris.

She looked at Mor. Her best friend was wringing her fingers under the table as she bit her lip, a silent plea for forgiveness in her eyes.

Freesia gave her a look that said- It's okay- and placed her hand over Mor's, giving a squeeze and then releasing and looking back to Azriel, who was now glaring so deeply at Eris, she thought a hole would burn into his skin.

"So what exactly do you want." Freesia said, gathering as much strength she could muster in herself to not fall apart at the mere sight of her brother, his eyes now on her own.

"I came from the order of our father, well my father, to tell you that he does not care that you are here. He will not try to take you back. And could care less about what you do with yourself." Eris's words rang through Freesia's body, her face going limp as she took in what she had heard.

"What- what did you just say?" Tears stung in her eyes. But she willed them not the spill.

"It would appear, sister, that both you and Lucien are the sire of Helion, High Lord of Day Court, and not Beron." Eris's smirk was the only thing keeping Freesia from sobbing, leashing her to the anger building in her soul.

He went on, "It seems even after father discovered their affair, they had still continued to see each other in secret. And of course the mistake had occurred once more. With you."

The world tilted as Freesia grabbed the edge of the table to stay upright.

"So- what your saying is- Beron is not my father." Freesia's anger boiled in her blood, threatening to spill over as she spat, "The High Lord of Autumn. The male who entrapped me in a gods-damned dungeon for five centuries, isn't even my sire." A cold, humorless laugh slipped from her lips.  "And my real father is a male that doesn't even know I exist."

Her vision blurred, turning the figures around her into smudges of light and movement. She did not remember her name, where she was, who she was. All she knew was anger.

She faintly felt the hand of someone on her knee, a soothing motion of circles being traced onto her skin. A name echoed from someone far away, too far for her to care.

Again, the name beckoned, the voice a familiar sound in her ears.

"Freesia. Freesia, can you hear me? "

Azriel. The name shot into her mind, feeling familiar as well. Like she had known it her whole life. Like it was- it was her mates name.

Freesia's vision came back, the room before her  focusing back in her eyes.

Her hands were braced on the table in front of her, palms down. Everyone was staring at her, wide eyed, waiting for her to say something.

"What happened?" Freesia whispered, eyes drifting to her mate as she lifted her hands from the table. She stopped mid motion, her eyes focusing on where her hands had been.

Glowing white hand prints laid on the surface, slightly engraved into the fine wood. Her palms showed no trace of the light illuminating from the table.

"Mother Above." The High Lady whispered, leaning her elbows on the table to get a better look.

Azriel's slight intake of breath was the only sign of surprise from him. His face was unreadable as his thumb stroked her knee lightly.

Eris chuckled from his chair, leaning back as he examined what she had done. Freesia's anger returned quickly, snapping back into her blood like a wildfire.

"Get. Out. Now." She spat, standing from her chair. "You have said what you wanted. Now you can go, and I never have to see your wretched face again." She started to turn for the door, ultimately exhausted from the encounter and barley holding in the sobs threatening to escape.

"Wait." Freesia stopped, her back now turned on the red haired male. "I also came to warn you—Your power. You have kept it dormant for 500 years. Never using it or releasing it. It's building up in you. You can feel it, can't you? The aching in your joints. The constant pressure on your lungs. If you don't start releasing the pressure, it'll crush you. Destroy you."

Freesia turned back to her brother, stripping all emotion from her eyes. All expression from her body and face. "I'm sure you can see your way out."

Freesia turned, and walked out the door.