A Court of Golden Shadow || Elain x Azriel

Chapter 30 - Rosehall

And at those vows, Azriel casped, his emotions completely overtaking him as he lunged toward her, pulling her perfect waist tight to his, holding her with his entire strength as another sob broke through his chest, his eyes squeezed completely shut, allowing his hot tears to cascade onto her golden-brown hair.

There was not a reply that would match her declaration, no way he could even form a sentence out of the millions of emotions he felt coursing through his body.

All he could do was kiss her.

So he did.

He kissed her deeply, parting her mouth, hungry for her taste, hungry for every part of her. He felt her respond, her passion matching his, their tears mingling as the rain began to spittle slightly on their hair. He kissed her with every pent up ounce of ferocity he had been taming within him, grasping her tighter than he ever had allowed himself to, and realizing that he would never, for the rest of his life, let her go.

"I—I love you Elain." His broken words were a whisper against her warm lips, breathing the truth against her skin.

She drew away slightly, and Azriel's eyes searched hers, their arms locked around one another, unable to let go, unable to even speak.

It felt as if something magical and pure and radiant had exchanged between them, bonding and knitting their souls together in a way that he had never experienced in his five centuries.

Elain loved him.

And Azriel loved her.

He felt the truth implant within him, a resolve deep and unchanging, a new goal to defend and to protect— a new purpose for his existence.

He spoke again, his voice completely shredded with emotion. "Whatever might happen... whoever may try to tear us apart... I am never letting you go."

Elain smiled at him, a playful expression dancing in her eyes as she spoke. "Though the fae may carry me away, my heart belongs to yours, my Lord."

Azriel raised an eyebrow, cocking his head as Elain's words turned into a lilting song, the sweet soprano filling the cold clearing. "Through valleys and whips and fishes and ships, I'll sing myself to shore. On your wings I'll quietly give, our hearts our minds together we'll live."

The last note fell from her lips as Azriel realized it was the first time he had heard the song in completion. "Together we'll live." He spoke the lyrics solemnly, almost like a vow as he closed the gap between them, resting his forehead to hers.

"Together we'll live." She repeated, her voice harboring a smile.

He drew back, squinting at her slightly before looking up at the starscapes above, a misting of rain still falling from the heavens. "I want to take you somewhere." His low voice fell over the both of them as he dropped his face down to hers, watching her nod slowly, still tight in his arms.

Azriel closed his eyes, gathering his shadows to him as he inhaled her scent, the honey and jasmine, once acrid, now sweet in his nose again.

"It's somewhere I've wanted to take you for a long time." He breathed the words into the space between them as he began to winnow, traveling along the shadows, yet leaving the darkness behind.

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

"Where are we?" Elain glanced up at Azriel who was still holding her, her whisper echoing around the stonewalled room.

They were standing on a rug of some type of bear fur in the darkened room lit only by warm fae lights, revealing a four-poster canopy bed with silky white linens and blankets. There was sparse furniture in the rest of the room, a neatly organized desk, some nightstands with books and papers, and three large bay windows on each wall curtained by long midnight blue silk curtains. Striding over to the farthest window over the luxurious rug, Elain saw that the room looked out over a rose garden with impossibly large blooms swaying gently in the moon and starlight.