Acotar One-Shots

Amantium irae amoris integratio est - Nyx

Amantium irae amoris integratio est
The quarrels of lovers are the renewal of love

Words: about 3.1k words
Warnings: mention of blood, cussing, ANGST, a little bit of smut at the end

Y/Ns POV 

Its been years since I started training with the Valkirias. I was really young at the time, and I was alone, while now I have a family. Im an Illyrian, and I lived in a small village near Windhaven, in a small house with my family: my parents and my two sisters. I was the older one and I usually helped my mother with the housekeeping. One night someone entered our house and killed my parents. My mother screamed at me to hide my sister and I, before getting killed. I never managed to get out of my mind the blood that seeped out of my mothers neck, after that man slipped her throat.  The village leaders never investigated who did it, and we unfortunately hadn't seen his face. We went to live with our aunt, who always lived in our village, not far from where we were. She was terrible, doing everything but treating us with love and respect. Years went by, I accepted the abuse of that terrible woman in order to have a house to live in, if not for me at least for my sisters, until my first bleeding came, which marked the end of everything. My aunt wanted to clip my wings off, following Illryrian traditions, however fortunately I was able to escape into the woods with my sisters before she succeeded. The men of the village chased us and after a real hunt in the woods they managed to kill my sisters. I couldn't even run, taking their bodies with me, so I had to leave them there. I had never felt dirtier in my life than the moment I stopped the blood soaked bodies of my little sisters on the ground as I ran through the trees. To this day I still feel guilty for that act, for not being a good enough sister, for letting them die. 
I eventually arrived in Windhaven, sweaty and covered in blood, and I wasn't looking where I was going when I was met by none other than General Cassian and his wife Nesta. Immediately she had fallen to her knees before them, praying for their help. The woman had knelt down next to me and asked me what had happened, so I had tried to tell her the story through sobs and tears. She looked at me with compassion, while her husband seemed to become increasingly angry with my attackers. As soon as I had finished telling the story, the same men from the woods who had followed me had emerged from the forest, claiming the right to cut off my wings. The General had kindly told his wife to take me inside to a house not far away, and to give me some water and clean clothes. As the woman and I walked towards that building I heard the cries of pain of those men, so I tried to turn around but she held me down with an arm on my shoulder, telling me not to look. Since that day I have been under the protection of Nesta Acheron and her husband Cassian. 

After a few months, Nesta had taken the ride of training me with the Valkyrie, saying a little coaching wouldn't hurt. Now I'm one of the strongest warriors, and every night I dream of the day when I'll be able to return to the place where I was born and avenge my family, but for now there are too many ghosts inhabiting my past. In addition to training me, Nesta had also taught me how to read and write. I always saw her as a mother figure, as she always treated me as if I were her own daughter, and this was noticed and appreciated by the other members of the Dream Court, who liked to see her so loving and kind to someone. The only one who didn't appreciate her attention for me was Nyx, who was previously her aunt's ward, who now saw his position taken away by me. 

Nyx is a little older than me, but that certainly doesn't make him act any more mature, as he seems to be a five year old during our discussions, which happen very frequently. I can't deny that he's an attractive guy, with his purple eyes and black hair with purple highlights, like his father's, but it drives me crazy when he always wants to be right about everything, or he starts insulting me just because he's jealous that I'm better at something. There's always been a bit of rivalry between us, and Nesta seems to like that because it keeps us focused on doing our best, even if it often leads to fights or arguments between us. 
Azriel and Cassian seem to like it too, because every time they send us on a mission or make us train together, but after the last time Rhysand forbade the use of weapons while we are both around, because in a moment of anger I passed the blade over Nyx's head, making him understand that if I wanted to hit him I would have done it, but it was a little too close and I ended up spiking his hair.