A Court of Nightmares and Rejects

Chapter twenty seven

These people treated me as family, and I treated them as such. I tried my best to ignore Az's gaze upon me, and made my way further into the room, starting from the High Lord and High Lady. "This isn't exactly the best, but I tried to make this painting for you." I explained, already feeling my face heat from embarrassment the way Rhys's brows rose, a smirk settling onto his face. I dipped my hand into the bag and fumbled for the canvas, before drawing it out, and angling it away from Cassian's peering eyes.

Feyre gasped, but no remorse or disgust lay in them. But awe. I glanced at the painting peevishly. Feyre and Rhysand sitting together by the fire, grinning widely at each other, their eyes distant enough you could tell they were absent-mindedly speaking. Though flames still flickered in shadow across their stark skin, the room otherwise pitch black. Nyx clung onto Feyre's arm, his little body curled up across her lap and partly on Rhys, resting his small head on her thigh. Everyone wore black.

"Ciana... this is amazing! When did you learn to do all of this?" Feyre asked, stumbling over her words, I shrugged, my cheeks flaming now. "I've just been practising. I hope you like it."

"We do, we really, really do." Rhysand replied, his eyes skipping up and down the artwork, before gently taking it from my hands, him and Feyre examined it closer. "It must have taken you a while." Feyre murmured.

"A week, at most." I replied, trying to keep my voice steady and forcing my hands to not creep in to hide my face from pure embarrassment. "Thank you, truly, this will go up in our room." Rhysand said. I just nodded faintly, before turning to the boy near them. Nyx grinned at me, "Your going to be a lot like Cassian, Az and Rhys combined, and I do not like that thought." I muttered, so he couldn't hear. Feyre snorted as her fae hearing managed to pick up the words and she agreed.

I fished out another box and handed it to Nyx. He ripped the box open greedily, and shrieked. He held a sculpted wooden horse, painted to look realistic by the male I'd bought it from. "I love it!" Nyx exclaimed, admiring the angle in which the horse stood; in a leaping position, a small area of wood placed by it's hind legs to keep it stable. "Thank you, aunt Ciana!" I smiled at the name, blood didn't matter with these people. Family was family.

To Mor I gave her a glittering, short red party dress. To which she immediately smirked at then winked at me, downing another glass of wine. To Nesta I gave a long, informative scroll about Valkyries, which I had managed to find hiding among a small bookshop just on the outer edge of Velaris. Amren received earrings, each having a ruby in the middle, tiny diamonds circling the large gemstone, the female had grinned in delight.

When Cassian opened his gift his eyes widened, and his mouth dropped open. "You did not." I smirked, folding my arms firmly over my chest, "I think I did."
"Did what?" Mor demanded excitedly, wanting to see whatever present her friend was given. Cassian held up a dagger, and the room gasped. It had nothing to do with the dagger, it had to do with what was on it. Carved swirls and whorls of lines were etched into the blade, making their way down to the hilt, before wrapping around an encrusted red siphon.

"These are rare, Ciana, and not to mention expensive-" 
"Cassian, I am in no mood to return it. You deserve it, being the General of the armies. You've done a lot of work that hasn't been recognised." Cassian's throat bobbed, and his hazel eyes were raw as he took in the weapon. "Thank you. Thank you." I rolled my eyes, and moved on to Elain. Sure, it had been damn expensive, but I'd worked for it, and being apart of the Night Court's Inner Circle had added some benefits.

It felt like my voice stopped working when I got to Elain, I tried to clear it a few times, before giving up, shaking my head at her perplexed look. I handed her a book and retreated across the room, moving to sit on Az's lap again. His arms swathed around me. Boo, are you alright? 

See what I gave Elain. Also, don't be jealous of Cassian's present, because I got you one too. And something else.

His hands tightened on mine, and his eyes drifted to Elain. She held a book, about flowers. Lots of burstful, bright, alive flowers stood proudly on the cover. Through curiosity, Elain began flicking through the pages. She showed everyone teh Middlemist Red flower. I closed my eyes, listening to Az's heartbeat as I curled against him. His finger stroked soothingly on my back. Can you please say what I say next into your head out loud? I asked him gently. Of course, Sunshine. He replied, and I managed to smile.

I found that book when I was little, it was around when I first became fascinated in flowers. Az repeated it to the room, instead of saying 'I' saying 'Ciana' and 'she'. I thought you'd like it.

Elain's eyes softened, everyone knows shit happened when I was younger, and that it wasn't fun. "Thank you, it looks very interesting." The middle Archeron approved, her doe-brown eyes straying to the pages before her. This time when I cleared my throat, it actually worked. "Sorry." I muttered to no one in particular.

No need to be sorry. I rolled my eyes. I dislodged myself from Az, almost as soon as I'd climbed into them. "Your turn." I told him. It was his turn to roll his eyes, but he listened, standing in place. I scooted to where he'd occupied and he left the room. 

It turned out Nyx had been outgrowing his gloves, and he was very excited to find Az's present for it. Feyre and Rhys felt guilty they hadn't realised, but Nyx claimed quickly he'd only told Az. Paint was handed to Feyre, different colours of purple, to which she grinned. Azriel gave Rhys a simple crown, crafted to look like starlight, and Rhysand grinned at the new gift. Ancient twin Illyrian blades were handed to Cassian, and he chuckled about getting weapons every year. Nesta got something to do with Valkyries; a ribbon with her name itched onto it, enchanted to hover over the floor by a foot, so she could put it in her room. Elain was handed two new flower pots, a rosy pink and a vibrant orange. Amren screeched upon seeing a golden bracelet, able to be adjusted in size, large sapphires covering its surface.

Az strode towards me, before sitting beside where I was. Whispering in my ear, "I'll also hand you your gift later." My toes curled, and I nodded. Az leaned back against the backrest, casually putting a muscled arm across my shoulders. "Should we have dinner soon?" Feyre asked, "From the sounds Cass's stomach is making, I'd say he's famished."

"Is he ever not?" Amren asked, and we all snorted, including Cassian himself.

I grinned at my family, the only one that mattered and said, "Dinner sounds lovely."

A/N:

Thanks so much for 1.6K, 182 votes and 81 comments ! This means the world <3 I hope you're all enjoying the story, and possibly check out my other one, 'Stars of Wildfire', a crossover between SJM's amazing ACOTAR and TOG series :D

Please do give me some ideas for other stories, because I'd love to consider them !

Happy reading ilysm, keep up the votes/views/comments !!

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