A Court of Shadows and Love [Continued]

Chapter 31

-Two Weeks Later-

"Beron has demanded a High Lords meeting, we are going to Dawn tomorrow," Rhys said as he walked into the sitting room.

"Let me guess, he wants to talk about what to do with me, because he sure as heck doesn't want to talk about the humans." I grumbled.

"Something like that," he said with a sigh.

"Guess I'll be going to find a dress," I said, standing.

"Shopping trip!" Mor squealed, grabbing my hand, and dragging me out of the door.

"We need something that connects you to the Night Court but also tells Beron, and the others, I'm an angel bitch, and there is nothing you can do about it." She said as we walked.

"So, a black and gold dress then?" I said, raising a brow at her.

"The gold would have to match your wings though," she said with a sigh, scanning my wings.

"Got any shops in mind?" I asked as I was dragged though the city.

"Of course!" She exclaimed before apparently getting fed up with walking and winnowing us to the shop front.

"Why didn't you do that to begin with," I grumbled, she just stuck her tongue out at me and took me inside.

"Morrigan!" An older male said, walking over to us.

"Hello Edger, Ivy needs a dress for a High Lords meeting, preferably black and gold that says 'I'm an angel and there is nothing you can do about it'" Mor told him with a wink.

"I think I might have just the thing," he told her with a smile before walking off to go and find the dress.

Five minutes later he beckoned for me to follow him and with a glance at Mor, I did.

The dress hanging in the changing room I was shown took my breath away even on the hanger.

I got changed into it and gasped as I took myself in, it was stunning, the gown was black with golden leaves embellishing the entire bodice then trailing onto the skirt.

The neckline dipped into a low v but was conservative enough that it didn't want to make me blush while my back was mostly exposed. I loved it!

"Ivy, come and show me!" Mor called from outside.

I walked out and she gasped.

"That's stunning!" she said, standing and walking round me to get every angle.

"I'm guessing you want me to get it?" I asked with a laugh.

"You better," Mor grinned, I just rolled my eyes.

The rest of the day was spent in silence, all of us mentally preparing for tomorrow.

"Are you sure you want to come?" Azriel asked me that night, I was tracing his tattooed chest again.

"I can't hide, I need to gain their respect, you know that" I told him, lacing my fingers through his.

"You never bulked," he whispered, looking down at our hands.

"What do you mean?" I asked him with a frown.

"I mean, you never looked at my hands with reproach, you didn't flinch away from my touch, you have no idea how much that means to me," he told me, running his thumb over the back of my hand.

"What happened to your hands Az?" I asked softly, tracing the scars.

"I was a bastard born to a camp lord; bastards are hated in the camps, so I was locked away in the basement. My father had two legitimate sons, both of them hated me. When, when I was eleven, they thought it would be a good idea to see what happens when you mix the quick healing abilities of an Illyrian with oil and fire. The other Illyrians heard my screams, but they didn't get to us quick enough to save my hands." He told me, voice breaking.

"Are they still alive?" I asked quietly.

"They are. Rhys may have broken their bones quite a lot, many times over. But he couldn't kill them, not without starting a civil war." Az told me quietly.

"Could I go and break a couple of their bones?" I asked, laughing a little.

"Would you like that to be your mating present angel?" he asked, running his fingers over my shoulder.

"That's a thing?" I asked, crap, I didn't have anything for him.

"It's ok, you don't have to get me anything," he said, reading my look perfectly.

"Let's think about this after the meeting," I grumbled closing my eyes and curling up against his chest.

"Come on you two! We need to get going!" Mor yelled through the door.

"Ok, we're up!" I yelled back.

I walked over to my dress and slipped it on, Az having to do it up for me before I began brushing out my hair.

Nuala came in and braided to top part of my hair, leaving the rest down then applied a little make up.

Once I was ready, I turned to Az who was looking very smart in his armour and siphons.

"I have something for you," he told me, smiling a little.

"Should I be worried?" I asked, crossing my arms.

"Never," he said, flicking my nose.

Her produced a simple gold band, sliding it onto my head so that it crossed my forehead and clasped into my hair.

"Now you really do look like an angel." He breathed and I turned to look in the mirror, he was right, the thin gold band pulled my whole look together.

"Thank you," I told him quietly, he just kissed the side of my head then took my hand, leading me downstairs. 

Ivy's Dress 

AU-

So I know that you probably wanted action of some description, so sorry about that, I promise there will be arguing and what not in the next chapter. 

I'm still not sure how I want to end this, having Ivy settle into the court of dreams seemed pretty appealing right now, but I still don't know. 

Any suggestions are appreciated. x