When hearts meet

Chapter 21 ~ the maiden and the thief

The stars shimmered in the dark sky as clouds shoved in front of them. Dark, gloomy clouds that brought heavy rainfall. But it wouldn't fall till the morning would peak through, Azriel knew.

He let out a deep, heavy sigh as he brought his whisky to his lips and took a sip. He leaned his arms on his legs and stared out over the small garden of the townhouse. The wind ripped at his hair, but not hard enough for him to be annoyed. It was actually a nice breeze, a tender caress. He was tired, it was far past midnight, but he didn't feel like sleeping.

Sometimes he was a walking paradox, even to himself. He needed sleep, he craved sleep, but he didn't go to bed. Because he knew that if he lay there, looking at the ceiling, his mind would start racing and he knew it wouldn't stop till the morning arrived.
So he preferred the darkness of the night over the suffocating darkness of his bedroom any day. At least the stars were here.

"Look at you, sipping a drink all by yourself." A feminine voice chirped.

Azriel did not turn around, he knew who it was, he had known she'd been on her way the moment he had heard her confident and light footsteps on the second floor of the house.
He could've walked away, but he somehow knew she would track him down nonetheless. And he wasn't feeling like hiding tonight.

"Want one as well?!" He asked softly, not looking up to Aelin as she sat down next to him. She seated herself at least a meter away from him, and he was grateful for the distance.
Azriel poured the golden liquor into a crystal glass and gave it to the queen.

"Can't sleep?" She said as she downed the drink in one go. Azriel couldn't help but chuckle and filled her glass once more, giving her the bottle with it. Aelin grabbed it and smiled. "I can't sleep either." She mused.

Azriel looked at her and found clarity and openness in her golden ringed eyes. "Would you like to share your thoughts?" He asked politely. "Maybe I can help you?"
Aelin smiled softly and nodded. "I bet you're a good listener, so here we go." She cleared her throat and placed her glass down.

"I've seen war, I've fought it, from a very very young age. I've seen more horror on the age of ten then most children do. Now, I made a vow to myself, to never put my children through such misery. I want to prevent that from happening at all costs." Aelin said and inhaled before she continued.

"But I cannot help but think that my vow will end soon. Mainly because I know Ciana will fight for you all, with you against the Lord of stupidity."
Azriel couldn't help but chuckle softly as she spat the last two words with so much fire that it was a miracle the stars did not burn brighter.

"I will fight for you and your family, my entire family will. But-- Ciana has never seen real battle. We all have. I wish I could spare her the horror, the nightmares, the tremors, the fear it brings you." She sighed and deflated a bit and Azriel looked in front of him, wrapping his wings tighter.

"Life is a balance between light and darkness. We can neither only face the sun and ignore the dark. It will always be both that makes the story of our lives. I understand, that you want to spare your child. But Ciana too, will face darkness, Aelin. No matter if that's soon, or in a later stadium of her life."

Aelin gazed at him and he stared back with just as much intensity. He raised his hands, the scars evident in the light of the moon. "My scars are a part of who I am. I have accepted them. You have yours to bear, mental and physical. Now tell me, are you facing the darkness or the light?"

Azriel could see she was thinking, but she quickly answered: light.
The shadowsinger nodded. "You've faced tremendous darkness but still your days are full of light. Which means, that no matter what kind of darkness Ciana will face one day, she'll see the light as well. How could she not?! With that flame in her heart?"