A Court Of Moondust And Shadows (Azrielxoc)

hard work

    'You've been working for hours, Ray. You need a break.'

 It had been three days since Cassian's visit. They didn't have a chance to talk more or even finish their tea for the High Lord had called the male back because of some urgent business. Since then there had been no letter from the queen and n visit from the fae of the Night Court either.
  Nesta was pacing around the room, arms crossed over her chest. Next to her, seated at the study table was Rayna reading some papers, pen in hand. Since the fae weren't there she didn't bother to put on a dress or hide the weapons strapped to her belt. Her fiery colored hair was put up in a complicated braid Elain had done earlier in the day. A frown decorated her face as she wrote something down.

   'There is no time to spare, not when a war could be approaching.' Rayna answered, a bit annoyed as if they had had that same exact conversation many time before.

 Nesta stopped her pacing and sighed loudly.

   'What is there to plan about an attendance to a ball anyways?' She questioned.

 Rayna put her pen down on the wooden table, turning in her chair to look at her friend.

   'Killian needs to get that promotion and we need to secure it now.'

   'We might be going to war and you are worried about his promotion?' Nesta raised her brown, not understanding.

  'Because it's not any promotion. I am a great sailor and captain I'll admit but I don't own the harbor, I don't have full control over it. If a war is in fact coming we need to have the harbor so we can get everyone out. All the people we have been bringing in...having control over the harbor would make our jobs a lot easier and faster.' Killian explain, entering the room.

 The tension in Nesta's shoulders seemed to vanish as her eyes landed on the male. He nodded in her direction, a secret look passing between the two. Rayna was too focused on her papers to notice.

   'This ball is our best opportunity at gaining control over the harbor and all its ships. We need to be able to get how many innocent people out of here we can.' Rayna added.

 Killian went to rest his hand on the back of her chair, leaning in to read over her shoulder.

  'Learning the lords' favorite foods and places, the right clothes and many other things. We need to be perfect.' He stated.

  Nesta opened her mouth to say something else when Elain came barging into the room, her skin pale and eyes wide.

  'Azriel is here.' She whisper-yelled.

 Rayna was out of her chair and standing in an instant. Killian's back went rigid while Nesta pushed her walls back up.

 'Put everything away. I'll deal with him.' Rayna whispered, pointing to the papers on the table before rushing out the door.

°•▪︎♤▪︎•°

  Azriel wasn't sure why he offered to be the one to come ask about the letter status. He has tried to keep his distance since that night, but his curiosity won. He had never spent that much time with humans before. He didn't really feel a need to, but the woman, Rayna, was intriguing. His shadows refused to speak about her. He knew there was something he didn't know, a hidden truth. He could see it in her eyes.

  'Hello, thief.'

 He raised his head at her voice. She wore a simple red dress, loosely tied as if she put it on in a hurry. She descended the stairs quickly, pointing to the empty table her book was once on.