A Court of Golden Shadow || Elain x Azriel

Chapter 10 - Sleeping Beauty

Sighing, she turned back to the mirror, pulling out another curl.

"I didn't tell Feyre this, but I was emotional because of something between me and Azriel." Rhys appeared behind her in the mirror without her even hearing his approach.

"What kind of something was it?" His voice was measured, carefully chosen words she mused.

"Just.. well, I guess an argument? Or a misunderstanding? I don't know." She suddenly regretted her truthfulness.

Probably sensing her discomfort, Rhysand backed off, pivoting the subject slightly.

"Well, emotions are a sign that your soul is reaching towards magic when desperate for saving, or power, or a combination of both. In the future, be prepared for the magic to draw to you, ready to be wielded when you are in heated situations. Emotion is a type of magic that many do not acknowledge as such."

Nodding her head and pondering his words. Elain drew her eyes to the night sky, her head beginning to pound from the wine.

"I'll let you get some rest. Have a good night." Touching her shoulder lightly, Rhys vacated the room, leaving behind a trail of glittery night.

Crawling into bed, Elain tossed for a while in the heat, the wine pounding her temples.

Against her will, she felt her mind drawing her back into the alcove: back into the memories of Azriel, his scent warm on her skin, his muscles contracting as he pinned her to the cool marble wall. Elain's body began to heat, the feeling of his hand lifting her thigh to his hip, grinding into his ... ugh.

A long-forgotten memory surfaced, and Elain flipped over in the bed, throwing off the sheet and stared at the floral mural on her ceiling, which was sparkling dimly from the cool moonlight. She sighed as the memory danced in front of her, causing her breasts to peak.

They were enjoying wine around the fireplace– Mor, Feyre, and Elain– celebrating the completion of the riverside mansion in Velaris. The conversation had been turning increasingly silly and alarmingly inappropriate as the wine bottles emptied before inevitably turning toward the topic of wingspans .

Feyre and Mor had been comparing notes, drunk and screeching with laughter, determining that there was indeed a correlation between the span of an Illyrian male's wings and the length of... important male body parts. Mor and Feyre had almost moved onto another topic when Elain's quiet voice carried over from where she was sprawled, laying on a velvet settee near the fire, a drained glass of wine resting on the ground beside her dangling hand.

"I think Azriel has the largest wingspan." She whispered, opening her eyes and turning to face the females, a wicked smile curling on her lips. "I've seen him sunning them in the garden."

And at that moment, Mor and Feyre had turned toward each other, dissolving into another fit of screeching laughter, Feyre rolling off the couch, shoving into Mor as the blonde called over to Elain. "Maybe our Azriel has been showing off to you my dear. I think we need you to take one for the team... it's time to go on a scouting mission to confirm our intel. We could turn our research into a real scholarly article for Helion's library!"

And at the sheer absurdity, Elain had melted into laughter as well, falling off the settee and landing on her ass, Feyre and Mor an arm's length away, rolling on the rug, clutching her stomach, heaving and gasping with laughter.

Returning to the present, she found herself smiling, a hungry need forming deep within her body. She had half a mind to fantasize about him, pleasure herself, and just be done with this insatiable desire. But as she glanced down, drawing her hand toward herself, the moonlight glinted on her hand, catching on a small tattoo; the new addition to her pinky. A rabbit.

Ugh.

Elain opted for a cold bath instead of a self-pleasure session and finally fell into sleep, her dreams coming strong, swallowing her into rich imagery.

Revelers grinding up too close to her, Lucien's hot breath on her neck, Pegasi chewing up lilac bushes, Nyx crying, and an unearthly skeleton-like creature, rising up out of a murky lake, a crown adorning its bald skull, eye sockets completely empty, but somehow staring directly at her. She thrashed, trying to escape the vision, feeling pinned down and helpless as the being drew closer, and closer, until... she felt a soft cooling breeze spreading over her body, wiping the vision away.

She instantly relaxed, falling into the chilled air, murmuring words that only her heart would know.

ﾟ☆: *.☽ ─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ─── ☽ .* :☆ﾟ

He had felt her.

Tossing. Turning. Her body unable to find peace. His shadows had sensed it, attempting to comfort her, informing him that Elain was deep within a drunken dream state, having a nightmare, calling out in fear. Azriel had been trying to sleep as well, his mind playing images from the alcove in front of him, beckoning him into fantasy and away from sleep. Slipping into a shadow form and into her bed-chamber, Azriel came to her side.

Elain was glowing in pure moonlight streaming through the tall arched window, a hot breeze wafting through the night air.

She was sweating, and her foot was twitching under the heavy blankets, her eyes fluttering beneath her lids. He could see the whites of her eyes flicker as her eyes rippled, letting out soft beams of golden light beneath her lashes. Instinctively, he caressed her cheek, feeling her heart slow and breathing pace. She turned her face into his palm, taking a deep breath of his scent, before letting out a sigh, her hair coiled out above her swanlike neck.

Gods she was beautiful.

"Ah..." Elain cooed. Barely opening her mouth, whispering in her sleep. "Azriel." She said.

He froze. Did she realize he was here? He began to lift his hand away from her cheek when his shadows whispered that she was still deeply sleeping... just dreaming.

Dreaming.

He could relate to that. For he dreamed of her as well. But after tonight... seeing her with the fox... he knew that it was time to go.

It was time to say goodbye for real. No more touching. No more playful flirting. It was time to let her discover her future, and he didn't want to hold her back any longer. Stroking her soft cheek, he prayed to whatever gods Gwyn and her friends worshiped, asking that Elain Archeron be blessed. That she would discover a mating bond as loving as the ones her sisters enjoyed, and that she would above all else... be happy.

Kissing her temple gently, he drew back into the shadows, leaving her to slumber. A sleeping beauty.