Sound of silence

Part 22

Altheas pov:

The day began normally down here, i ate breakfast and began my training. I had come so far with my chaos, i was starting to understand it, it was a apart of me after all.

"Someones here." I heard banvrak grumble, i watched as his horned shadow fled the room, sighing i followed behind heels clicking against the floor.

"WHO DARES COME HERE?!" I rolled my eyes at his dramatic outburst. Slowly i followed him out into the court yard.

"Who's there?" I asked him, his shadow floated around the large cave landing beside me.

"Two illyrians, two females, and another male possibly illyrian." Banvrak stated.

"Let them in. Their family." I told him. Reluctantly he did so and as the minutes passed my family came into view.

"Come, dinner is being surved." I greeted and began walking inside watching as banvrak surveyed the group. All of them, azriel, cassian, rhys, feyre and nesta where wearing illyrian leathers and had weapons strapped to their bodies but i paid them no mind. They wouldn't use them here, i couldn't let them.

"Althea." Feyre called to me.

"We have much to discuss sister. Lets eat and talk." I called back leading them into the dinning room. I took a seat at the head of the table gesturing for them all to sit down. I also changed the chairs for cassian and azriel to accommodate their wings.

"You where right about these illyrians allie cat, they are quite beautiful." Banvrak purred from his shadow.

"Im never wrong." I shrugged watching as the all raised a brow at me. "Ive told banvrak about you all, it helped to pass time." I shrugged.

"Why didn't you send word to us?" Feyre asked.

"I wasn't allowed. I needed to focus on getting better." I said.

"At this point I don't know what that means." Feyre grumbled.

"You all have been through hell and back this past couple of years, some of you much longer. Yes i know you'd do it again to help me but this was a battle i needed to fight alone." I stated.

"That battle cost me a crystal chandelier from the summer court." Banvrak grumbled.

"That was an accident i promised to replace it with a better one." I called out as his shadow rounded the room.

"If you had just told us." Feyre pleaded.

"You had enough to worry about, high lady." I said. "I did fine on my own feyre, im not your baby sister anymore." I stated, yes feyre was five minutes older than me so i was seen as the baby of the family.

"You are still my sister, family comes first." Feyre stated.

"I know, i just don't want you all looking at me like you are now." I slightly raised my voice annoyed. "Im not made of glass, and you all have been treating me like it."

"We just wanted to protect you." Rhysand said.

"I didn't need your protection, i can handle myself." I replied.

"We know, and we know we should have fought harder to try and help you, we shouldn't have treated you how tamlin treated me. It was wrong of us." Feyre said. "I should have tried to teach you myself, or amren should have. Instead we left you alone, forced you to come here."

"There was no other way. But its over now." I shrugged.

"So will you come home?" Azriel, his voice so strained like he had screamed for hours.

"In three days." I nodded.

"What. why?" Cassian butted in.

"I made a bargain. Two months down here while i train, and them i have to visit at least once a month. He just wanted a friend." Just like the thing feyre made a bargain with.  And she nodded understanding.

"Do we atleast get to meet banvrak?" Cassian asked.

"That depends if he stops being moody." I grinned.

"Im not being moody." He grumbled back.

"Then come out, They may not be as open minded as i am but they will try, i promise." I said, they all nodded trying to help me.

"Fine." He grumbled, i watched as his shadow disappeared into the hall way. Slowly he walked through the large doors moving his head to avoid hitting his horns. He had dressed himself in a black tunic and trousers covering most of his red flesh but his black nails and red skinned hands and face where still on show.

I watch as everyone jumped back in their seats slightly and their hands slowly inched towards their weapons, in an instant i raised my hands and froze all their movements.

"Do not even think about it. He is your host. Do not judge him for his appearance. I thought you all to be better than this." I seethed, slowly i let them go and they all looked pale to the face.

"Our apologies, you where not what we were expecting." Rhysand apologised. Nodding they all relaxed in their seats.

"Now you know why i reside here. Your reaction was to defend yourself against me, because i look like a beast. I was surprised when allie cat here didn't bat an eye lid at my appearance." Banvrak took a seat facing me with a dip of his head.

"My sister spoke of you. The horned man, a shadow who haunted altheas fate." I watched as nesta spoke, she was sat exactly beside him. "I am grateful for what you have done for my sister, i will gladly take her place in visiting you if she ever is unavailable."

"It was a pleasure to have a friend. It would be nice to get to know you nesta." Banvrak said.

"Why did you shut me out? Do you know how many days and nights i spent trying to find you?" Azriels strained voice caught me off guard.

"I had to, i know you just wanted to help but you couldn't, not this time." I whispered.

"What do you mean, not this time?" He asked.

"You've all saved me, our family has all saved me at some point, this time someone else had to help. Feyre gave me a family, one she may have been hesitant to join but without her I wouldn't be sat here. Rhysand gave me a friend in the dark, when we both needed it most. Mor, she gave me a voice when i had forgotten my own. Cassian gave me strength, not just physically but mentally. Amren gave me confidence, in myself and those around me. Elian gave me kindness, kindness that can forge strong allies. Nesta, nesta gave me caution, be carful who you trust and to question everything. And azriel, you gave me hope, that even in the darkest of days there is always light at the end of the tunnel."

They all sat with silent tears in their eyes as i spoke. They had all saved me when i needed it most but now it was someone else's turn.

"Banvrak has given me control, i no longer fear what the cauldron gifted me. Im finally in control." I added, i gave banvrak a small smile and he nodded in thanks.

"I can let you go now, our bargain is complete. I've taught you all i know, you've taught me more than i could ask for. Go home, althea." Banvrak said, i felt it then the bargain tattoo left my upper arm.

"I had grown fond of that tattoo." I frowned, banvrak chuckled and returned the tattoo no bargain attached.

"You should stay." Azriel said. "I realise now, you didn't just come here because you wanted control of your gifts, you where here to show that the world is changing and that people like Banvrak may begin to step out of the shadows."

"Banvrak is always welcome in our home. I give him full access to velarise." Feyre added.

"Are you sure? I am quite happy to stay down here." Banvrak said looking around his guests.

"You helped my sister. Its the least i could do." Feyre smiled.