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#high lord eris
parkerslatte · 3 days
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Overlooked
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Eris Vanserra x Fem!Archeron!Reader
Warnings: smut. feeling left out. mentions of torture. inner circle being idiots.
Summary: For her whole life, Y/N Archeron had always been overlooked by her family. She was the eldest yet her mother only focussed on Nesta and her father was always with Elain. Though Y/N still had her younger sister, Feyre. But when Feyre is taken into the Spring Court, everything changes.
After being turned into High Fae, Y/N struggles to adjust to her new life. But no one ever comes to help her. For the most part, Y/N is alone and left to deal with everything by herself. When the Inner Circle is invited to Eris Vanserra’s coronation, Y/N attends with them and the moment her eyes meet the new High Lord’s, a mating bond snaps into place.
Eris offers Y/N and place to stay and the love and friendship she never had growing up. Together they heal from the hardships they grew up in and Y/N eventually finds her place in the world, with her mate by her side.
Word Count: 20,287
A Court of Thorns and Roses Masterlist
•••
Contents:
Part One
Part Two
Part Three
Part Four
Part Five
Epilogue
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A/N: I decided to make Overlooked its own Masterlist so I could organise my main ACOTAR Masterlist a little better!
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nocasdatsgay · 1 day
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From the Shadows the Beast Will Rise Chapter 5
Pairing: Azriel/Eris| Word Count: 2709| Chapter Rating: T| Warnings: None
Previous Chapter| Masterpost| Read it here on A03
Fic Summary: Months after that one encounter, Eris receives demand for a response to his summons to visit the Night Court. He ends up with warning for the future and a certain shadowsinger back under his skin.
Chapter Summary: The aftermath
A/N: I am a slow writer. I apologize this took so long
Gen Tag List: @hieragalbatorixdottir @mybestfriendmademe
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Azriel didn’t even bother to clean off the Truth Teller. Shadows protested as he used them to get back to Velaris. He ignored them. He ended up in the sitting room where everyone was waiting. 
“Beron is dead.” Az tried to ignore Nyx excitedly reaching for him and calling his name from the floor where he was playing. “The former lady said we should have a drink for her in celebration. Official confirmation will come in the morning.”
“Eris is High Lord?” Rhys asked. Azriel nodded. “And you helped?” 
“I let the former Lady of Autumn borrow my weapon. She and Eris did the rest.” 
“Good for her,” Nesta replied from beside Cassian. 
Nyx, realizing Azriel wasn’t responding, began to pout before whimpering and crying. 
“Az! Up!” Nyx started crawling to him, refusing to be ignored. 
“My hands are dirty, bud,” he said softly, stepping back.  “I’ll go wash them.” 
Feyre quickly scooped up her son and bounced him in her arms. Two shadows went to him and his cries turned to giggles. 
“She deserved to be the one to end him,” she said, going back to her seat. “After everything he’s done to her.”
Rhys hummed beside her. “I think the story will be different, officially. I doubt Eris will allow his mother to claim that kill.”
“This changes things with Koschei,” Cassian muttered. “Beron was his sole ally in Prythian. He might be after Vassa sooner than we expect.”
Azriel understood what Cassian was saying. But the adrenaline of the short lived battle was leaving him. The realization of what happened between him and Eris- his stomach was churning. 
“I’ll go wash my hands,” he muttered and left the room quickly. 
Azriel went into the kitchen. He cleaned his knife first. The water was grounding and as he washed the blood. His hands were next. Even with no blood on them, he still felt dirty. Shadows hissed at him to stop scrubbing. 
“Why aren’t you in Autumn?” 
Az started, turning to see Elain looking up at him. 
“My allegiance is to the Night Court.” Azriel replied immediately. 
She stepped closer. Once upon a time he would have welcomed her presence; longed for this closeness. Now it was just a reminder that the cauldron had other plans. He felt nothing. 
“You can’t hide from him forever,” she whispered. “I know from experience.” 
He turned off the water and grabbed a towel to dry his hands. 
“What did you see Elain?” 
She shook her head. “What happens now is your choice.”
She walked away and left him more confused than before. He picked up his knife and dried it. Cassian and Nesta both stopped by the kitchen where he kept wiping the knife to avoid moving. They bid him good night, saying they would see him in the morning. He didn’t stop them.
Talk to the High Lord. His shadows whispered. 
Azriel’s feet led him back to the sitting area. He found Rhys and Feyre alone, Nyx possibly taken to bed by his Aunt Elain. 
“Rhys, can I speak with you? Alone.” Az didn’t want to face this truth with Feyre just yet. 
Rhys and Feyre stared at each other, no doubt communicating through their minds. Az couldn’t look Feyre in the eyes after she nodded. Rhys beckoned him to follow and they walked to his office. When the door shut, Az realized he couldn’t look Rhys in the eyes either. It was obvious Rhys was waiting for Azriel to talk first. 
“I found my mate.” He whispered. 
There was a slight gasp. “I told you,” Rhys said with a joyous tone. “I knew you had one. Do we know her? Is she here or in another court?” 
Azriel was sure this is what drowning in air felt like. He glanced up and saw the joyous expression on his brother falter. Rhys stepped forward, his expression changing to concern. 
“What’s wrong? Is she with someone else? She’s safe, right?” 
“The cauldron is wrong.” Az replied, his voice cracking and tears spilling from his eyes. “The cauldron has to be wrong.” He tuned out his shadows protesting his statement. 
“Why would you say that?” Rhys’s hands were outstretched but he didn’t touch him. Not until Azriel told him he could. “You’ve waited over five hundred years for a mate, Az. How can-“
“My mate is Eris.” 
As if he had struck a physical blow, Rhys’s hands dropped to his side. 
“It’s a trick,” Rhys said confidently. “It would have snapped before now. Show me what happened in Autumn. We can look through your memories and find out where you were spelled.” 
Azriel shook his head. “My shadows confirmed it before I even felt it.” He sniffled, trying to compose himself. “I don’t want to lose you. I can’t lose you. I can’t lose this. I don’t know how it works when it’s two males but I will reject it. I can’t-“
“Look at me.” He forced himself to look into Rhys’s violet eyes. “You will never lose me. You’ll never lose us or Velaris.” 
“My mate is Eris, Rhys.” 
Rhys shrugged, picking at his shirt nervously. “We can work that to our advantage. Especially now that he is High Lord.” 
Anger washed over Azriel. “What do you mean? I’m mated to a monster! And you want to jump to advantages?” 
“I’m trying to make light of the situation, Azriel. What I mean is, you don’t have to reject the bond. Not unless you really wish to.” Rhys stepped back and leaned against his desk. “He’s not a monster, Az. Not really. I wouldn’t have made an alliance with him if he was. We would not have helped him if he was. And neither are you. I know that’s what you’re thinking even without looking into your mind. Like calls to like but not in the ways you assume.” 
“Then what am I supposed to do, Rhys? How can I tell Cassian? Tell Mor? I’m mated to the male who left her to die. Who calls Cassian all kinds of foul names. He even tried to steal Nesta.” 
Rhys studied him for a moment. “What does he think about the bond, Eris? Does he know?” 
“It snapped for both of us. He-“ Azriel thought about the confrontation he had before he left Autumn. “He said he doesn’t need or want a mate.” 
Rhys eyed him. “What did the bond tell you?” 
“That he was just as confused as me.” 
Az didn’t mention the deep longing he felt. Mostly because he wasn’t sure if that was truely from Eris or himself. He tilted his head as he thought about what to say next. 
“There were signs I guess. Signs I ignored. We might have been in a situation. Before.” 
Rhys raised a brow. He sighed, words falling from his lips out of guilt or need to confess. 
“I made a mistake. I might have- I have slept with him.” 
Rhys’s brows shot up further. 
“A few times.” 
“When in the deep hells did you fuck Eris Vanserra?” 
“First time was after a meeting. After, my shadows just took me to him.” Azriel replied meekly. “Did you know my shadows can have sex on their own? Found that out cause they went to him without telling me.”
“Your shadows fucked Eris by themselves? Without telling you? And yet you are shocked you are mates?” Rhys, to Azriel’s shock, was laughing. 
“This isn’t funny.” 
“It’s actually very funny. If someone told me my brother, my best friend, was fucking his enemy on the low, I wouldn’t have believed them. Cassian is going to lose his mind when you tell him.” 
“Rhys this is serious.” 
He ignored Azriel. “How far does this go back? Before or after the war with Hybern?” 
“After.” 
“Is that why you pushed to retrieve him from the continent?” 
“It was after that.” And yet, maybe deep down he knew even then. “That last meeting with Mor about a year ago. I followed him. My original plan was to kill him.” 
“And you fucked him instead.” Rhys nearly snorted. 
“Yeah. I did.” Az tried not to smile. But he could even admit there was some ridiculousness to it all.  
There was a lapse of silence and Rhys took a deep breath. “You know this compromises you as my spymaster. For Autumn at least.” 
“Why do you think I told you first?” 
“We need to bring Feyre in if we’re going to continue to discuss business. She is your High Lady. For now.”
“My allegiance is to the night court,” he repeated for the third time that night. 
“Not when your mate is a new high lord.”
Rhys called for Feyre through his mind. She came in and stood by Rhys. Az explained everything to Feyre in a much calmer tone, though her look of shock still made him feel guilty. For what, he wasn’t sure. Rhys interjected with the story of the shadows, all but demanding with a smirk that Azriel explain how his shadows went off on their own.  
Azriel pinched the bridge of his nose. “Rhys thinks this is funny.” 
“It is funny, Az.” Feyre giggled. She took a deep breath and looked at him sincerely. “By the gods I’ll not be able to keep a straight face the next time I see him.” 
Next time. Azriel wasn’t sure there would be a next time or what that would even look like. 
“Give him time,” Rhys said, as if reading his mind though his shields were up. “He has a court to get in order.”
“I still have to tell the others,” Azriel added with a grimace. 
“Only if you want to,” Feyre said sternly. 
He nodded. He wasn’t looking forward to what Mor and Cassian would have to say. He bid Feyre and Rhys good night and left the house, taking to the sky. He felt lighter, having told them. But there was still a weight in his chest, a sadness humming there. The worst part was he wasn’t sure if it was his own or Eris’s.  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
When Eris mended the wards after he took on the powers, he winnowed to his bathing chambers where he vomited up what little he had in his stomach. 
A mate. 
Azriel was his mate.
And Eris was High Lord now. 
The power humming under his skin made him want to claw it off. He got off the floor and rinsed off his face. Azriel was his mate. He didn’t even think males could be mated to other males. He didn’t dare look at his reflection in the mirror, afraid of what he would see. He turned his back to it and slumped against the counter. His mate was spymaster of the Night Court. 
This complicated everything. 
He mentally slapped himself. He didn’t have time to be pining. He was High Lord now. The next few days would cement his power and influence or ruin it beyond repair. He had a court to gather. He needed to find his brothers before they started up a rebellion against him. Things he’d been planning for over the centuries but now had to execute. He left the bathing room and prepared to leave his quarters when his door opened suddenly and his mother stepped inside. 
“Mother,” Eris started. He schooled his features like he always did. A lie fell from his lips easily. “Have you seen your sons? I haven’t found them yet.”
“Not yet. I wanted to speak with you.” Her hands wrung together in front of her “Your mate-“
“Do not call him that.” He nearly snarled. 
“Eris-“
“And don’t look at me like that either.”
He realized too late the tone he used, his mother looking away with a scowl. 
“You are high lord now, Eris. But I am your mother. Do not command me like that again.” 
Shame washed over him. “I’m sorry I’m- I’m still getting used to it.”
She nodded and sighed. “I came to tell you your mate returned to the Night Court.” 
“Good.” 
He moved around her, determined to leave his chambers. She followed behind him. 
“Good?”
“What do you want me to say?” He stopped at his door and looked at his mother. He watched her scan his face, no doubt to study the pain etched into it. “I am mates with a male. A lesser fae male! Father would-“
“Your father is dead. His opinions died with him.”
“You can say that but you don’t know what it’s like!” 
He raised his voice but he couldn’t help it. His mother didn’t understand. It wasn’t just his father but the whole court. The courtiers and noble families would never accept his rule if they knew. Just like his father would have executed him if he were alive still. 
“I don’t.” She reached out, placing her hand gently on his arm. “But there is a reason he came tonight. He saved my life. He helped you.”
He refused to admit it was out of obligation. Azriel was most likely sent by Rhysand due to their bargain. But saying that aloud hurt too much so he buried it and gave another reason instead. 
“And he will never betray his family. Not when they despise me.” His mother gave him a puzzled look. Eris replied softly. “You know they still blame me for Mor.”
His mother was taken aback. “That was centuries ago. You were a child.” 
“It doesn’t matter to them.” Eris shrugged, moving away from her grasp. “They see what they want to see. What they wanted to see was the male I was under father’s command.”
She scowled. “If they can believe Rhysand is a good male after the horrors he inflicted under the mountain, they can find it within them to believe you are one as well.” 
He scoffed at that but she wasn’t wrong. “I told Azriel the truth of what happened. I don’t think it matters. He would put his family first over an enemy he’s hated for centuries.” 
His mother gave him another look of pity. He couldn’t stand it but bit his tongue to keep from accidentally commanding her. 
“We have a court to address,” he brushed the front of his shirt to give his hands something to do. He needed to change, looking down at himself and seeing soot and burnt cloth. “And I need to find my brothers before they start a rebellion.” 
A glance at his mother, he could tell that accusation hurt her. But his brothers were Beron’s sons through and through.
“Promise me you’ll be fair to them,” she grabbed his arm again. “Please.”
“I will not kill my brothers without just cause if that is what you are implying.” She looked away, shame etched in her features. “They have a chance to prove themselves.” 
There was a beat of silence between them. 
“The body is still in the courtyard.” His mother whispered it, like if she spoke too loudly it wouldn’t be true. “I couldn’t.” She stopped and took a shaky breath. 
“Go find the Captain. He’s one of mine. He will handle it.” 
He ushered her out of his chambers. As much as he wanted to be there for her and remain while she processed this, he had work to do. Maybe she would forgive him in time. She nodded, still not looking at him. He didn't want to say it but he couldn’t let her be fully hopeless. 
“There’s a letter in our cabin, from Helion.” She looked up quickly, hope in her sad eyes that made Eris nauseous again. But he pushed forward. “It’s  unopened. The wards still respond to you. Go find the captain then I suggest you get the letter. It’s in the sitting room.” 
“What about the court?” 
“I will handle it.” 
She smiled at him, hope refreshed. He prayed that whatever Helion put in that letter, it would not disappoint her. One of them deserved some happiness and it wasn’t going to be Eris. She kissed his cheek and departed from him. He gave himself a few more moments alone. Mostly to shove down the hollowness in his chest. 
Eris Vanserra was High Lord of the Autumn Court now and he was about to make it everyone’s problem. 
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moonlightazriel · 2 months
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When no one hears your calls /// Eris X F!Reader
Summary: When the unbearable feelings of her mate start to mess with her life, Y/N decides to put an ending to their misery.
Warnings: Torture and abuse, Beron being the bastard he is.
Word Count: 3K
Notes: Yeah, i missed writing for my baby Eris. And I'm warning in advance that reader is Azriel's sister and he's mated to Gwyn in this, so please, if you don't stan Gwynriel, scroll past it.
Main Masterlist
She weeped, the feelings flooding her chest too overwhelming to keep controlled. It started with small waves of anxiety, increasing to pure agony, pain erupted through her chest. She tried to keep the tears from spilling, but now she sobbed, broken pleas for it to stop leaving from her parted chapped lips. 
“Tell me what’s wrong, let me make it stop.” Azriel begged his sister. Holding her broken frame in between his arms.
“It hurts so much Az, it’s not fair.” She managed to speak in between the sobs that got more hysterical. The shadowsinger just held her tighter, seeing her in such distress broke him, she has always been his greatest weakness. 
“Here, take this.” Gwyn offered, her warm hands holding a mug towards the female. “It will help you sleep.” Azriel nodded to his mate, taking the mug from his hands and bringing it to his sister’s lips. He forced the content down her throat, watching as the tea slowly worked, her body relaxed and the tears stopped and she fell asleep against him.
“Thank you.” He said, and Gwyn squeezed his shoulder in a reassuring grip. Azriel grabbed Y/N, taking her to the guest bedroom that Gwyn had set for her, placing her sleeping form carefully on the bed. The red headed female grabbed his hand, pulling him towards the living room again.
“I don’t understand.” He breathed. “She has had these episodes since the High Lord’s meeting, it doesn’t make any sense.” 
“Maybe she’s sick?” Gwyn suggested and Azriel shrugged. 
“I took her to Madja, and she’s been as healthy as ever. There’s nothing wrong with her besides that.” He looked towards the room, to the shadows guarding his sister as she finally rested. “I don’t know what to do.”
“We’ll find a solution Az, I know that.” Gwyn smiled at him, and he pulled the female for a hug. 
“I pray to the Mother that you’re right.” She kissed his temple and he closed his eyes, feeling the warmth of her love soothe his heart. 
⋆˙⟡☾𖤓☽ ⟡˙⋆ 
Whenever an episode approached, it always had small signs indicating it, the uncomfortable feeling in her chest, the rapid breathing and the dizziness like someone hit her in the head with full strength.
She hated that she worried her family so much, but not every time she was able to control how her body would react to it. It angered her how they would look at her with such pained expressions, how much Azriel wanted to help and she didn’t even knew how to ask for his help. 
So everyday, Gwyn would take her to the library and she would search the cause of her troubles, her nose glued to the pages for hours until her vision was blurry and her head was pounding. She never felt such agony, only when her half brothers and her father ripped her wings from her back, making a small cut and pulling it until the skin gave up and she blacked out due to the blood loss. 
It was Azriel shadows who helped them, sneaking supplies to their cell until they could get rid of the infection that almost killed her and healed his hands. She was glad for them and her brother, they saved her. She always tried to be as less of a burden as possible to not worry Azriel, but now she knew he was distressed about her situation, so she wanted to fix it, for her and for him. 
Shadows gathered in a corner caught her attention, she got up, despite not being able to hear them, they always tended to her and her needs. As she approached the shelf, the shadows disappeared, leaving only a copy of an old dusty book behind. She pulled the book out, blowing the dust off, sneezing a bit in the process. Allergic just like Cassian. 
She plopped herself in her seat again, scanning the book cover, no name, no nothing, this sparked her curiosity. She opened the book, in a fancy handwriter she could read “MATING BONDS: The complete guide for the matters of the heart.” She smiled at the title. 
Just like her brother, she was sometimes too shy to ask about things. Besides having her past lovers, mating bonds are something she was never that curious about. So she sat there, reading the whole thing with attention. If the shadows thought this book would help, she was sure it would. 
“Sometimes, strong feelings can leak through a one sided bond. And the other mate can feel it just as clearly as they would if the bond was shared by both mates.” That passage stuck with her, and she organised the books back on the shelf as she saw Gwyn approaching. 
⋆˙⟡☾𖤓☽ ⟡˙⋆ 
“How do we know if the bond snapped or not?” She blurted at the dinner table, the eyes of the inner circle turning to her.
“Well, it’s different for everyone and you would mostly just know.” Rhys said, looking at the female, the three Illyrians treated her like they were her brothers as well. So, the three have been looking for ways to help their little sister to get rid of those episodes. 
“What if the bond had snapped for me and I just didn’t know it was it?” She inquired again and Azriel turned to his sister, his shadows stopping to look at her curiously. 
“Do you think you found your mate?” He asked, eyebrow raised, who she thought she was mated to?
“I found this book that said that feelings can leak through the bond.” The couples nodded in agreement.
“Yeah, it’s very common.” Feyre replied.
“That’s the only explanation for what’s happening to me.” They all stopped for a second. “These emotions are not mine, but they’re strong enough for me to feel it.” Suddenly it all made sense.
“I pity your mate then.” Nesta said with sincerity, whoever it was, was going through great pain for her to feel it so intensely. 
“Me too.” Feyre agreed. “But as for the bond, you can feel like a tug in your soul, like no one else matters to you anymore besides that person.” The High Lady concluded. 
“Do you think you ever felt like this?” Elain asked and the female nodded.
“Yeah, I think I have.” 
⋆˙⟡☾𖤓☽ ⟡˙⋆ 
She couldn’t sleep, her mind filled with too many memories to rest. But one in particular caught her attention, and she closed her eyes, focusing on that memory until she could see it clearly.
“I didn’t know the Night Court had such beauties by their side.” His voice purred, and she turned around to see the well dressed autumn male. He had a smirk adorning his lips, his hair slicked back, leaving a clear view of his face.
“The autumn males aren’t that bad either.” She sheepishly replied, eyes glued to his amber eyes. Eris Vanserra was a dangerous male, as her family had alerted her, but what a beautiful disaster he was. Stealing her breath away and making her lose all of her focus.
“If you ever give me the pleasure of your company, I'll show you how bad we can be.” He winked at her, leaving her standing still in the hallway. It was Nesta who found her, looking at nothing, frozen in place as her chest sparkled with life, like she was taking her first breath of fresh air after getting out of her father’s dungeon. As she was finally free. 
She kicked the covers away from her body, not caring about her clothing as she winnowed away. It was him, he was what was troubling her so much. She just needed to ask him to stop whatever this was and she would go back to normal. The shadows covered her as she sneaked through the Autumn Manor. 
Everything was pitch black, and she just followed the shadows, taking her to the only illuminated room. She pushed the door open, spotting Eris by the bed, looking in a small mirror as he stitched a very ugly wound in his chest. His eye was purple and his lips were bruised. 
“Who did this to you?” She breathed, her hands shaking in anger, how could someone do it to another being? She saw how cruel people could be and she dedicated her time to protecting those who couldn’t protect themselves. 
“What are you doing here?” He asked startled, dropping the mirror from his hands and wincing in pain. Surprised to see her there, and even more curious to know why she was there.
“I came here to talk to you.” She walked closer to her. “Here, let me help you.” Eris raised an eyebrow towards her, what was happening? She picked the needle from his hands, her warm skin brushing against his, it was a nice feeling. He didn’t say anything as her soft touch rested against his heart, while her other hand worked on closing the wound.
She finished the stitches, reaching for the bowl of water, taking the cloth and with one hand she lifted his chin, eyes locked together for a second. She started to work on the dried blood that smeared across his lips and nose. He closed his eyes, leaning into her touch and letting her take care of him. 
“What do you want to talk about that was so important that you invaded my room in the middle of the night?” He watched as she got away from him, sitting in one of the comfortable chairs in the corner of his room. She pulled her legs close to her chest. 
“I wanted you to stop.” He leaned forward.
“Stop what exactly?” She took a deep breath.
“With your overwhelming feelings, it’s been a fucking trouble to me. But you’re clearly going through something, so if you ever need me, don’t hesitate to reach out.” Eris sneered.
“Why would I ever seek your help?” He watched as she got up, her expression serious as she held the doorknob. 
“Because who’s better to help you than your own mate?” And with that she left. 
⋆˙⟡☾𖤓☽ ⟡˙⋆ 
Mate. 
Mate.
Mate.
She was his mate. Her words got caught in his mind, she had no reason to lie to him. But he also had no reasons to believe her, he just did. He chose to believe that the female who came to him in the middle of the night and showed him more kindness than his own flesh and blood was telling the truth.
So when another round of torture was over, he winnowed to her house, he had memorized the address she had sent to him. He could barely hold himself together, so he almost collapsed on top of her as she opened the door. She looked like she had been crying as he managed to take a look at her face, and he wondered if it was his emotions that led to that.
“I didn’t know where else to come, and I didn't want to be alone.” She didn’t laugh nor mocked him, she just nodded and left the room. He could hear her, moving around in a hidden room, he wondered if she regretted offering him shelter. 
All the doubts died down in his throat when she came back, leaning to help him stand, guiding the way towards a bathroom. She sat him in her toilet and helped him out of his clothes. He sank in the water, trying to ignore the fact that he had to be naked in front of her, she looked like she was trying her best to ignore it as well.
“I put some numbing herbs, to help with the pain.” He nodded, feeling very thankful for her kindness. “And I have some of Azriel’s clothes here if you don’t mind. Yours are very dirty and could infect your wounds.”
“I would like that, thank you.” She nodded, getting out of the room and only appearing again to drop the clothes. Eris sighed, feeling his body relax and his wounds starting to close. As the water got cold, he got out. He felt weird wearing the Shadowsinger’s clothes but nothing about this situation was usual for him. 
“I figured you’re probably hungry.” She placed a plate in front of him, no one had ever taken that much care of him before. “I didn’t cook it, Feyre told me it's a way of accepting the bond.” She smiled and he could swear that all the pain and sadness was lifted from his chest with that bright smile directed to him. 
“Yeah, we don’t want you accepting this bond by accident.” Why would she want to accept a life tied to him?
“Yeah, we have to get to know each other first.” She giggled, taking a bite of her own food. “You don’t even know my favourite colour!” Eris laughed, feeling the sound reverberate through his chest, how long it was since he truly laughed with someone? 
“Do you plan on accepting?” He asked, testing the waters.
“To be honest, I think about it, but as I said. First we get to know each other, we think about the bond later.” Eris nodded. 
“Does your family know?” He dared to ask, assuming that they didn’t, or else Azriel would have already threatened him. 
“They do!” He looked at her in shock. “They weren’t happy at first, but they respect my choice.” 
“Did you tell them?” He gestured towards himself and her smile faded.
“Your secret is safe with me, it’s not my story to tell.” He swallowed the lump in his throat.
“Thank you, for everything.” She smiled again.
“Nothing to thank me for.” He grabbed her hand, rubbing circles with his thumb.
“I have everything to thank you for, you just don’t know it.” They finished the meal and she got up to do the dishes, he quickly pushed her away. “It’s the least I can do.” She nodded.
“I’ll get the guest room ready for you then.” That night Eris slept like he hadn't slept in ages, soaking in the comfort of her home and her affection. 
⋆˙⟡☾𖤓☽ ⟡˙⋆ 
Her fingers started to shake, and that wave of anxiety came, as overwhelming as ever, it has been a whole month that she didn’t feel it, but Eris still came up to her beaten every week, she knew he was holding back his pain for her. But today, it was just as unbearable as it was when he didn’t know about it.
She gritted her teeth, clenching her fists under the table. The dinner went nicely, everyone engaged in conversations and smiling. She couldn’t ruin it, not again. But it was too late, as tears started to stream down her face.
“Are you okay?” Gwyn asked. Concern lacing her delicate features. Y/N shook her head, a scream ripping past her lips and scaring the whole family, Azriel was by her side in a second, tending to her. 
“What’s wrong?” It wasn’t pain that filled her veins tonight, it was anger. The house shook with her power. She screamed in rage, if she didn’t act now, he was going to get killed. She grabbed the truth teller away from her brother.
“This ends tonight.” She announced before she winnowed away. The pain guided her, towards mouldy walls and putrid floors, the smell of blood making the air rancid. 
He groaned, the pointy blade opening his flesh as it was dragged across his skin. He tried to hold back his pain but it was too much tonight, the ash in the weapon making everything more painful. He tried to hang on for her, for the life he wanted to have with her, for everything they haven’t lived yet. But it was too painful to keep going. 
The cell door was forced open, with unruly hair, wet and red cheeks, holding a blade in her hands, his guardian angel came. The blade being pushed into Beron’s neck, blood splattering against her face. She pushed the blade to the side, Beron’s head being detached from his neck, his lifeless body collapsing to the floor. 
“Hey! Open your eyes.” She demanded, kneeling in front of him, cradling his face in between her hands, and in that moment, the bond in his chest sang with life, welcoming her unmistakable love for him. 
⋆˙⟡☾𖤓☽ ⟡˙⋆ 
The first thing he saw was the black curtains of her guest room. And the looming presence of the Shadowsinger himself, watching him intently. His body didn’t hurt anymore, all that was left was the warming feeling of the bond alongside his soul. 
“Where is she?” He asked, sitting straight up in bed, his muscles felt tingly from being in the same position for long.
“She’s out in town, getting some things.” Azriel sat in the chair facing the bed. “How are you feeling, Eris?” True concern filled his voice.
“I’m fine, she saved me.” He could never forget this.
“Use this gift she gave you to make her the happiest female alive.” Azriel said, and Eris knew this was the closest of his blessing he would ever get. “Keep her safe.”
“With my life.” The male promised. A door opened somewhere and her soothing voice filled the room.
“I’m home!” She announced, and it took her a few minutes to go to his room, pushing the door open, she watched him. Blinking the tears before rushing to him, jumping on top of him. He held her, and he felt  her lips pressed on his. His heart beated faster, as he retributed her kiss.
“Hey, stop that, that’s gross.” Azriel groaned, and she parted their kiss, laughing to her brother from Eris’s lap.
“You’re no fun.” She complained, showing him his middle finger. He rolled his eyes and left the room. “What do we do now?” She asked, but Eris didn’t want to think about the chaos that awaited for him at home, so he looked her in the eyes, sending all the love he could down the bond and asked.
“What’s your favourite colour?”
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florencemtrash · 5 months
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Flame, Shadow, Beast : Masterlist
Azriel x Reader x Eris
Summary: Years after Eris frees you from his father’s prison, you’ve managed to find a new love, new friends, and build a life for yourself in Autumn. But when a certain Shadowsinger stumbles upon your home, dragging in painful memories of betrayal and longing, you’ll have to face the things you left in the past and make choices about the future you want.
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Note: Let me know if you'd like to be added to the taglist! This fic will update every Wednesday evening starting October 25th
Prologue
Chapter One: Flame
Chapter Two: Shadow
Chapter Three: Beast I
Chapter Four: Beast II
Epilogue
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secret-third-thing · 6 months
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Eris Vanserra, Future High Lord of Autumn (Free Day) for @erisweek2023
If this art looks familiar, it may be because this piece was created by one of my super close friends @jessicafongarts (twitter / bsky), who is the cover artist for the Poison Ivy Comics for DC Comics!!! Thank you for letting me commission you even though you are constantly slammed.
She has not read ACOTAR, but I asked her what she thought of Eris.
When I read about him, I thought: He's like a mozzarella stick fried twice- Hot, looks good, but it'll fuck up your body and make you ask yourself why you keeping eating more.
I'm pretty sure a lot of us wouldn't mind. 👀
--
Please do not repost! Ty
Alternative Versions and Concepts Below
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danikamariewrites · 5 months
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My Poor High Lord
Eris x reader
A/n: I couldn’t get sick Eris with reader doting on him out of my head so here it is
Warnings: none
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You could hear Eris coughing from his office and you had had enough. He kept saying he was fine but you could tell Eris was sick. He just didn’t want to seem weak.
Beron had made the boys compete their whole lives. Which meant they weren’t allowed to be sick or back out of their responsibilities. But Beron is gone and you’re here now. And you were determined to make Eris take a sick day.
Stepping through the open double doors you stood in front of Eris’s desk with your arms crossed, tapping your foot at him. Your mate looked up at you with dropping eyelids. His skin paler than usual, making his freckles look more vibrant.
“You’re going back to bed.” You said with a commanding tone. Eris shook his head, sniffling loudly. “I’m fine y/n. Besides, this needs to get done or the vote will be postponed again. And I’m not giving Barkley a reason to undermine this bill.”
You swiped the pen from his hand, giving him a look that said you weren’t fucking around. With a violent cough causing his body to shake Eris finally conceded.
Once he was back in bed you kept him pinned beneath the sheets with a glare. “Can you get me the paperwork-“ “No.” you cut him off nonchalantly. “But-“ You cut Eris off with a frustrated sigh. “You made me High Lady of this court. I can handle it Eris. We’ve been over that bill a thousand times. Just rest, please. I need you to rest.”
You place a kiss on his warm forehead, “Call for me if you need anything.”
As noon rolled around you decided to check on Eris. You entered your chambers holding a tray with soup and tea for him. Shutting the door Eris stirred on his side of the bed. He groaned, stretching out his aching body.
“I brought you some food.” You sit on the edge of the bed, placing the tray on his bedside table. “Thank you, sweet fox.” Eris tried to take the bowl from your hand but you pulled away, clicking your tongue at him. He laid back against the headboard as you held the spoon out for him to eat.
Halfway through the meal a knock came from the door. Before you could tell them to enter an advisor shoved their way in past your handmaiden. The male bowed, “High Lord, I have urgent news-“ “I will handle it.” You interject. The male looks taken aback at your abruptness. “High Lady I appreciate but it is a matter for the High Lord.”
That always pissed you off. How advisors would brush you off like you’ve never done anything for the court. You stood to your full height, brushing down the skirt of your dress. “The High Lord is sick, as I’m sure you can see. He needs rest. Not advisors barging into his personal chambers. Let’s go to my office and you can fill me in on this urgent matter.”
You gesture for the now sputtering male to leave. Your handmaiden guides him out with a winning smirk on her lips. Turing back to Eris you see silver lining his eyes, his lips pulled in a tight smile. “You’re amazing and I don’t deserve you.”
“Oh love,” you bend down and kiss his cheek. “I’ll be back to check on you later.” Eris hummed and shifted back under the covers. Leaving your bedroom you put your High Lady mask back on, ready to rip into these advisors.
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ofduskanddreams · 6 months
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“𝐓𝐨 𝐓𝐫𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠”
art by mahpiyaluta_
I commissioned this piece to celebrate a fic that I happened to begin writing on a whim 365 days ago, a fic that has brought me so much joy and connected me to so many incredible members of this fandom. Thank you guys :’)
This is also for @erisweek2023 because the stars aligned and it’s the final day of the event. I didn’t even realize it was the fic’s birthday until after I’d commissioned this for free day, it was an extremely happy coincidence <3
You’ll find the snippet this art is based on below the cut ↓
CHARACTERS BELONG TO SARAH J MAAS. PLEASE DO NOT REPOST, REBLOGS ARE VERY WELCOME.
—✦ ° ·.* ✧ · ★ *.✦—
Eris took a long drink from his goblet before he replied, “I’ve given the stars a secret or two over the years, but I’ve never been offered a wish in return.” He gave Azriel a devilish half-smile. “Then again, I am Eris Vanserra—nothing about me is pure, least of all my intentions.”
Azriel snorted a laugh despite himself. “I guess that’s one thing we have in common then.” But he already knew that.
Eris held his goblet out toward Azriel, “To things in common.”
Azriel hesitated. The version of Eris standing on the pebbled shore, waiting for him to echo the words was so different from the one he’d thought he’d known and yet….
Cheeks inexplicably heating, he cleared his throat. The moment was laden with possibilities Azriel didn't dare acknowledge; he couldn't bring himself to look Eris in the eye. “To things in common,” he said, their goblets meeting with a metallic clink.
from What Lies Inside ch. 14: Turning Point
—✦ ° ·.* ✧ · ★ *.✦—
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trshtffc · 24 days
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I just don't see any good reason not to be under Eris Vanserra.
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thehighladywrites · 1 month
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— “ You really don’t know about him?”
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pairing: professor eris x reader
summary: who are your kidnappers and why do they want you? Eris enlists a secret weapon to find you and help him retrieve you back and get revenge on those who kidnapped you.
warnings: kidnapping, murder, torture, light angst, fluff, suggestiveness
amara’s note: this is so mid but pls enjoy💔 it’s not my best work but atleast the next chapter will have crazy smut bc eris teaches reader how to use a gun and there will be gunplay👀 also sorry that this was updated so late😭💗
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Eris was trying to stay calm, using his rational thinking but he couldn’t do it. There was no rationality left in him. He just wanted to know if you were safe, even though the chances were slim.
Eris's heart sank as he checked the app Feyre had mentioned. It revealed that your phone was at the lake near the school—a clear sign that it had been discarded before you were taken. His mind raced with worry, realizing that you were indeed taken and not missing.
He took a deep breath, allowing himself a moment to feel the last bit of his emotions before shutting them off and assuming his role. His worried eyes hardened, his chest steady, and his demeanor shifted into that of a commanding presence.
Feyre watched as Eris fished out his phone and, with a cold voice, instructed Shadow to track you down.
She was worried and didn't know what was going on. Who was Shadow, and where were you? How was Eris so calm? Wasn't he more worried about you?
Eris noticed the concern in Feyre's eyes and approached her with reassurance.
“Don't worry, Ms. Archeron. I'll find her. Brandon here will escort you to one of the rooms for safety while I locate her. It's not safe to be alone right now.”
Before she could ask any more questions, he turned and headed into his office. While he appreciated Feyre for being such a good friend to you, there was no time for conversation when you were missing.
Inside, Eris approached his bookshelf and pulled on the book you had taken from him—or rather, its replacement. With a soft click, the entire shelf moved, revealing an opening to his secret room.
Eris's mind was on autopilot as he descended the stairs and used his thumbprint and voice recognition to access the mechanically locked door at the bottom of the stairs.
Inside, the room was filled with high-tech gadgets, weapons, and screens. The warm light bathed the space, giving it an inviting glow, despite its purpose. It resembled a massive closet, with weapons carefully displayed on expensive velvet walls, their deadly potential disguised by their beauty.
Eris approached the weapons, securing a harness to his shirt as he loaded every compartment with hidden knives and guns. He then put on his coat snd gloves, getting ready to get you back no matter ehat.
His phone suddenly buzzed with a message from shadow,
Found her. Warehouse by the marina. Aprox. 35 men outside and 3 inside.
Eris pocketed his phone, silently praying for your safety as he got ready to retrive you.
Drip.
Drip.
Drip.
Your brows furrowed as you slowly regained consciousness, annoyed by the consistent dripping of water. Your vision was hazy, your head pounding, and the cold made your teeth chatter. You tried to rub your temple, but your hand met resistance.
Panic surged through you as you realized you were chained up, unable to move freely. You kept pulling, foolishly hoping the steel chains would break. Your heart raced as you took in your surroundings. You were on your knees, hands bound, with your entire body aching and your arms feeling numb. The sound of the chains rattling grew louder as you struggled against them, desperate to break free.
Fear gripped you as you recalled being taken by a stranger. Your stomach churned with nausea, and you fought back the urge to vomit as the memories flooded back.
No, no, no.
This wasn’t happening.
Panic flowed through you, making it difficult to breathe. You attempted to stay calm, but the tears welled up in your eyes, and your body shook with fear. Alone in a huge and empty room, the air heavy with the scent of salt, you felt utterly helpless and started sobbing, head hanging low.
The sound of heavy metal doors creaking open pierced the air, causing you to lift your gaze with apprehension. Three men entered, their fiery red hair immediately catching your attention. The man in the middle crouched down to your level, a smirk playing on his lips as he tilted his head, his gaze examining you.
“Finally awake from your little nap?”
You looked at him, then shifted your eyes to the other two, one of them smirking, the other stoic.
“Why am I here? Who are you? I haven’t done anything.” Your voice was hoarse and broken.
His demeanor shifted instantly, his previous amusement at your situation replaced by disgust. His smile vanished, and his eyes darkened with disdain. He straightened up, towering over you, and looked at you with a look of disgust and hate, as though you were nothing but dirt under his shoe.
“You are here as leverage. You see, my cousin killed my father and I can not let that go unpunished, right?”
The two behind him snickered and shook their heads.
Your brows furrowed again, what the hell had this to do with you at all? No one you knew could possibly be involved in something like this. And you didn’t care how rude you sounded, these fuckers kidnapped you.
“So? That still doesn’t explain why the hell i’m here. I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
The guy in the middle, Sirius the others called him, narrowed his eyes at you, a smile creeping onto his face.
“You really don’t know, do you?”
Anger surged within you, and you were just about to snap at his cryptic words, not in the mood for riddles.
“Your little fuck buddy Eris did a very bad thing when he killed my father. He made me loose a lot of money and he needs to pay for it. Now, my cousin is a very hard guy to shake down, so imagine my surprise and delight when I discovered he had a pretty little thing hidden away all to himself. The perfect negotiation piece.”
You felt like throwing up. He couldn’t be serious. Eris, the man you love, the one you thought wouldn’t hurt anyone, had done something so terrible that these men were here to punish him for it. The shock of the discovery left you confused and disoriented.
“He killed someone?” Your words were nothing more than a whisper, struggling to make sense of the situation.
Sirius chuckled darkly, his eyes glinting with malice. “Oh, he has done things much worse than that, sweetheart. But don't worry, you'll get to see for yourself soon enough.”
Realizing that Eris might be walking into a trap, you summoned your courage and flashed them a defiant smile. “Well, if that's the case,” you said, “then you're fucked.”
The big one in the back, named Aiden’s expression grew even darker, his eyes narrowing at your boldness. “And why do you think that?” he demanded.
You shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant despite the fear coursing through you.
“If what you say is true, then I assume you’re not stupid enough to try to actually lure him here. If he really did kill your father then you know how dangerous he is. And not to brag,” you added with hint of more confidence,
”But the man loves me and will most certainly kill all of you for taking me away in this pathetic attempt at a kidnapping. Listen, just let me go and I’ll make sure he doesn’t kill you.”
You watched helplessly as they approached, totally ignoring your words, their movements calculated. Ignis, the scrawny one, grabbed a length of rope from a nearby crate, his expression cruel. “You’re good. I can see why he is so infatuated with you. But you’re not going anywhere.” he said coldly, his tone leaving no room for argument.
Before Ignis could make a move to bind you even more, a sudden gunshot echoed through the warehouse, causing everyone to freeze in place. Ignis stumbled backward, clutching his chest, blood seeping through his fingers.
“Shit!” Aiden exclaimed, reaching for his weapon but he was shot in the head aswell
Sirius lunged forward, a gleaming knife pressed against your throat. His expression was twisted with anger and desperation as he snarled, “If you move an inch, I’ll slit her fucking throat, Eris.”
Your heart raced as you felt the cold edge of the blade against your skin, a sob breaking from you as you realized Eris was here.
You cried, carefully breathing as to not get your neck sliced open. You watched as he carefully came out of the shadows with smoking gun and a deadly calm expression on his face. Eyes dead as his lips pulled into a smirk.
“You signed your own death when you kidnapped my girl.”
His cold and emotionless words made you shiver. He was was so different from the warm Eris you knew.
All your thoughts halted as Sirius pressed the blade harder to your throat, making you whimper in pain. You felt warm, wet liquid run down into your ahirt and you realized he had knicked you.
“You had my father killed and it made me loose millions. If you think i’m letting you or your whore get away-”
The blade on your throat dropped to the ground, as did Sirius’s body right next to you when Eris fired the gun straight into his arm. Eris stepped closer and shot both his hands, arms, legs, feet and just smiled.
“You don’t deserve a quick death. Normally, I’d handle you myself handle you but I’m on a bit of a time crunch, so I’ll leave you with him.”
With arms still bound above your head you coughed and then vomited at the feel of warmth of Sirius’s blood seeping into your pants.
Eris hurriedly made his way over to you, his hands steady as he ripped the chains from your arms, pulling you close to him. You collapsed against his chest, trembling with fear and relief as he whispered soothing words to calm you down.
After what felt like an eternity of tears and sobs, you finally managed to compose yourself, sitting up straighter and backing away slightly from Eris's embrace. Your voice was shaky as you spoke, the reality of the situation sinking in.
“So... you’re in the mafia or something? I mean, you just murdered three people in front of me, so I guess yeah.”
Eris's expression hardened, his features becoming stoic as he took in the gravity of the situation.
He glanced at you, his gaze softening as he reached out to gently touch your cheek, his thumb wiping away a stray tear.
“We need to get out of here,” he said firmly, his voice tinged with urgency. “I'll explain everything later, I promise. But right now, my priority is your safety.”
With a sense of determination, he helped you to your feet, keeping a protective arm around you, carrying you as you both made your way out of the warehouse, leaving the horrors behind you.
A man approached you both, dark haired, tall and blank look on his handsome face.
“I’ve secured the scene.”
Eris acknowledged the man with a nod of gratitude. “Your payment will be made in five minutes, good job. Sirius is in that room, I’ll leave you to it,” he said, his tone businesslike yet appreciative before leaving him to finish up as he carried you to the car.
At home, Eris helped you undress and get into the bath, staying nearby as he washed off the stress of the day. He was quiet but attentive, ensuring you felt safe and cared for throughout.
After you finished bathing, Eris handed you a fluffy towel and wrapped it around you gently, pressing a tender kiss to your forehead. He scooped you up in his arms, carrying you back to bed as if you were the most delicate thing in the world.
You snuggled closer to Eris, feeling a mix of fear and fascination about his involvement in the mafia. “I want to understand more about what you do, Eris. How did you get involved in all of this?”
Eris sighed, his expression growing somber as he recounted his family's history. “It's been a part of my family for generations,” he began, his voice tinged with resignation.
“My father was deeply involved in it, and his father before him. It's like a legacy that's been passed down, whether we wanted it or not.”
You raised your eyebrows in shock, “You’re telling me professor Beron was a mafia boss?”
Eris nodded gravely. “Yes. He built our family's empire from the ground up after my grandfather nearly lost it all. But he also brought a lot of danger and darkness into our lives. I did not have a happy or safe childhood. None of my siblings did because he always made us turn on each other and make us betray each other. It was always a scheme or plot going on because he wanted to pass the business down to someone worthy in his twisted mind.”
“And now I've brought that same misery into your life,” he says, his voice heavy with regret. “I should have left you alone. You don't deserve this. You deserve better than me. Someone who can give you the life you deserve.”
“You're wrong,” you respond firmly, looking into his eyes. “I choose to be with you, Eris. I know who you are now, and I believe in the goodness in you. It was scary, yes, but you didn’t kidnap me, they did. And now they’re gone, you protected me. Listen, I love you but if you ever suggest me being with someone else, I’ll punch you.”
Eris's eyes soften as he listens to your words, a mixture of relief and gratitude washing over him. He pulls you closer, holding you tightly against him. "I love you too, and I promise I'll do everything in my power to keep you safe. Never again will you go through what you did today. I will make sure of it." he whispers, giving you a kiss with tenderness.
You break the kiss when a brilliant plan come to mind. “You know if you gave me a gun, i’d be protected forever.”
Eris chuckles softly, his fingers tracing soothing patterns along your back. “Yeah,” he says with a teasing glint in his eyes, “you'd look pretty fucking hot with a gun. I’ll teach you how to use one of the simpler ones.” He leans in to press a gentle kiss to your forehead, his love for you evident in his actions.
“Perfect, I want you teaching me tomorrow, please.”
Eris smiles warmly at your enthusiasm. “Of course, I'll teach you everything tomorrow,” he promises. “But for now, let's focus on getting some rest. Tomorrow is a big day.” He tucks the blankets around you snugly, ensuring your comfort before leaning in to press a tender kiss to your forehead. “Sleep well, my love.”
So you do, in the comfort and safety of his warm embrace.
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🏷️: @danikamariewrites @daycourtofficial @teenageeggscissorslawyer @jeannineee @natashachelsea @candyjaypoppins @honeysuckle-daydreams13 @acourtofbatboydreams @nocasdatsgay @cyrygher @amara-moonlight @fell-in-luvs @hanitastic @culiehua @daughterofthemoons-stuff @itsphoenix0724 @vanserrasswife @rowaelinsdaughter @redbleedingrose @acourtofwhatthefuck @clairebear08 @hieragalbatorixdottir @rromani-witch @vellichor01 @mischiefmanagers @i-am-a-lost-girl16 @icey--stars @alysena2 @loneliestluvr @meshellexplosionmurder @whatthefuckshappeningrn @thelov3lybookworm @eminvelaris @v3lv3tf0x
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leafsandstarlight · 8 months
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Destiny's Battleground pt. 4 - Eris x Reader
Description: When the bond snaps for Eris during the battle against Hybern, he realizes that he would do just about anything for his new mate. Author's Notes: We finally have some peace!!! I really went for it here with all the things I'd like to see Eris do if he becomes High Lord! I hope you enjoy and thank you SO much for reading ❤️ Warnings: sexual content, mentions of alcohol use, references to previous domestic and parental abuse, pet names Word Count: approx. 9000 Minors do not interact.
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Eris POV:
The High Lord power looked good on Eris.  He wore the immense amount of power that thrummed through his being well.  In the immediate aftermath of defeating his father, as the power surged through him, it took every ounce of his restraint to not mount you and channel the vast tide of energy into fucking you.  Eris knew that the High Lord’s power tended to strengthen instincts, especially those to dominate, to control, but he hadn’t expected how it would intensify the way the bond ached in his chest. 
And when you rushed over to him and threw your arms around him as he knelt, Eris wanted to pin you to the floor of the Great Hall, to make you his.  But you were holding him, pulling his face to your chest in a way that could only be described as affectionate, and Eris refused to ruin that.  He wanted you to keep your arms around him, to never let him go. 
When you finally released him, seeming to remember yourself and the friends that watched you, Eris mourned the loss of your warmth against him. 
“Are you alright?” You breathed, and Eris was consumed by your scent, by the way your voice sounded as it lingered through the air.  Everything felt intensified as the power swept through him, tingling as it became his. 
“Give him some space,” Rhys warned, gesturing for you to back away from Eris.  “The transformation can be intense.”  And Eris was growling before he could stop himself.  How dare Rhysand talk to you.  How dare he give you an order.  For a moment, Eris wanted to use his powers to remind Rhys exactly whose mate you were, but he remembered himself.  That was not who he wanted to be.
When Eris finally raised his amber eyes, they were glowing as he searched for your face.  You were staring at him with careful, wide eyes.
“Eris,” you said quietly, and every instinct in Eris’s body told him to go to you, to get closer.  But he stayed where he was, and he felt as the power raged inside of him, the feeling consuming him.  
“You should go,” Eris grunted, his eyes flickering to Rhys.  He didn’t know what would happen next, what he might become, and he refused to put you in danger.  He needed to figure out how to control this new power before he let you anywhere near him.
Rhys nodded, understanding exactly what Eris was asking of him.  Cassian and Azriel will stay behind, in case you need assistance, Rhys told Eris mentally before he grabbed your arm and winnowed you out of sight.
The last thing Eris saw before you disappeared was your concerned eyes as you tried to fight off Rhys’s grip.  And then you were gone.
Reader’s POV:
When Rhys grabbed your arm, dragging you away from Eris and back to the Night Court, you snarled at him, temporarily overcome by your instincts.  You glared at him as Mor appeared beside you.
You were about to say some choice things to Rhys, who was looking at you apologetically, when Mor put her hand on your shoulder, anchoring you.
“He’s going to be alright.  He just needs time to get used to the power before he can be around you,” Rhys told you gently, the closest you’d get to an apology for dragging you away from your mate.  
You let out a deep sigh, forcing your body to relax.  Nodding after a moment, you knew that Rhys was likely right.  You had seen the darkness, the intensity, that raged in Eris’s amber eyes as the High Lord power overtook him.  The pull to submit to him, to consummate the bond, had become stronger as he transformed, and you could only wonder what the bond was begging him to do. 
“How’d it go?” You heard Feyre ask, breaking the tension that had settled between you. 
“Beron is dead,” Rhys reported, pressing a kiss to his mate’s cheek.  And something about hearing him say it made it all more real. 
You turned to look at Mor to find a small smile resting on her face.  Beron was dead.  You reached out a grabbed your friend’s hand, squeezing it tightly. 
Regardless of what happened next, at least you could all sleep a little sounder knowing that cruel bastard was dead.
Eris’s POV:
In the aftermath of his father’s death, Eris was hard at work in the Autumn Court.  The guards fell easily into line after Beron died, following Eris as though they hadn’t been complicit in his torture, as though they hadn’t stood by Beron through all of his cruelty.  Eris made sure they knew that he was the one they listened to now, that things would be different now that he was in charge.
Before he left, Rhys had tampered with the memories of anyone who witnessed their fight with Beron, erasing the Night Court’s involvement.  Instead, everyone believed that Eris had defeated Beron by himself in a fit of bond-induced rage after Beron had threatened Eris’s mate. 
Always mix lies with some truth. 
The first thing Eris did after he established control over his newfound powers was find his mother.  She was still kneeling in front of Beron’s body, eyes glazed over.
“Mother,” Eris called to her gently, easing her from her trance.  She looked up at him as though she wasn’t truly sure where she was, what had happened.
“He’s dead,” she whispered, her russet eyes widening at her son.  Eris nodded, understanding the weight of those words. “I–”
“You are safe now,” Eris interrupted, resting his hand on his mother’s shoulder.  “He can’t hurt you anymore.  He can’t hurt any of us.”
And when his mother started to weep, Eris couldn’t help it if a few rogue tears slipped from his eyes. 
His brothers all bent their knees to him in the Great Hall, albeit begrudgingly.  When they stood, Eris’s amber eyes were assessing them carefully.
“Things will be different,” Eris told them, voice tense.  It was both a promise and a warning.  There would be less cruelty, less violence.  If his brothers wanted to remain in the Autumn Court, they would have to learn to live without it.
“You all have a place in my court, should you choose it,” Eris noted, not bothering to keep the extent of his power hidden.  He figured it was better his brothers see it to ensure they never tried to turn against him.  “But if you wish to leave the Forest House, you may.  You can have an estate, some land, and do as you please with your lives.” 
His brothers stared at him with widened eyes for a moment before one of them broke the silence, “Who are you and what have you done with our ass of a brother?” 
Eris rolled his eyes, but his brother’s words softened something inside him. 
“We were all different under father,” Eris told them.  “I was not always a good brother.  I know I have been cruel at times–”
“At times?” One of his brothers called with a smirk.  Eris glared at him.  The disrespect.
“But, I don’t want to be like father.  I don’t want any of us to become father.  We have to be better.”  His brothers stared at him for a long moment before nodding, their eyes perhaps a smidgen less cold than when he had first called them into the Great Hall.  It would take time to unlearn the cruelty that Beron had taught them, the desire to fight amongst themselves, but maybe one day they all truly could become better males. 
Two of his brothers decided to stay in the Forest House, to help him run the Autumn Court.  The last, however, asked for a plot of land and an estate.  Apparently, he had taken a secret lover that not even Eris had been aware of.  A male.  And though these kinds of relationships were accepted in other courts, Eris knew that Beron would have killed his brother if he had ever discovered their relationship.  Eris made sure his brother received one of the nicer family estates, though he didn’t force him to introduce the male.  Not yet.  He would make sure to visit in the future, to ensure this male was worthy of his brother, of the Vanserra name.  Eris didn’t care that he was male, but he would make sure he was worth his brother’s affections.
But there was one last brother Eris had to deal with.
Eris made his way to the human lands a fortnight after becoming High Lord.  They had maintained relative stability within the court, likely due to the false memories Rhysand had planted and Eris’s centuries of developing strong relationships with the members of the court and prominent Autumn families.
As he approached the battered estate where Lucien chose to spend his time, Eris stuck up his nose at the very human scent that lingered.  
“What do you want, Eris?” Lucien asked with a glare as he led Eris to one of their sitting rooms. 
“I’m wounded, brother.  You always expect I’m after something,” Eris replied, his eyes flickering with cold amusement. 
“I’ve known you long enough to know you always have an ulterior motive,” Lucien said as he rolled his eyes. 
When Eris merely smirked back at his younger brother, Lucien continued, “I’m not interested in becoming one of your hounds, brother.” 
“Oh Lucien, you always see the worst in me,” Eris scolded, though he understood why.  Eris refused to let himself dwell on all the pain he had caused Lucien.  For if he let it in, he wasn’t sure he could have this conversation.
“I have plenty of scars to support it,” Lucien grunted, and Eris stilled, letting the amusement slide off his face for a moment. 
That was why he had come.  He had been cruel to many, but his younger brothers often bore the worst of it.  Especially Lucien, who Eris couldn’t help but be jealous of.  Despite Beron’s cruelty, Lucien had grown strong, capable.  He had all the markings of a High Lord’s heir.  There was a time Eris let that jealousy fester within him, let himself give in to Beron’s teachings. 
“I haven’t always been a good brother to you.  Not in the ways that matter,” Eris admitted after a long moment, his tone serious.
Lucien raised his eyebrow with a chuckle because he wasn’t sure he could think of a time Eris had been a good brother.  But the intensity of Eris’s expression, the strange vulnerability that shone in Eris’s amber eyes, had Lucien watching him carefully.  They simply sat in silence for a few seconds, observing each other.
“I came here to tell you that you are welcome in Autumn- in the Forest House or anywhere else you please,” Eris told him after a long moment. 
“And if I chose to never return?”
“Then so be it.  It is your choice.”  Eris noted with a shrug.  “But know that you have a home there should you ever desire it.”  And the words seemed to sink into Lucien for a long while.  Eris wondered how long it had been since Lucien truly felt as though he had a home.  The thought unsettled him.
When it was clear Lucien would say nothing else, Eris stood.  He wanted to say more.  He wanted to tell Lucien that he was sorry for his role in Jesminda’s death.  He wanted to apologize for the sneering and the taunting he had thrown at Lucien when they saw him afterwards.  He wanted to tell his youngest brother that he had never wanted him dead, that he’d made sure he was safe in Spring.  But Eris didn’t let the words leave his tightened throat.  There would be other opportunities for those apologies; he would let Lucien grapple with this single olive branch before he tried to shove the rest down his throat. 
As Eris moved towards the door, he spoke gently to his brother, “At least come see mother, if nothing else.  She misses you.” 
When Lucien nodded, an almost imperceptible movement, Eris felt as though he could finally breathe again.
When Eris returned to the Forest House, he felt drained.  He had suppressed these emotions for so long that as they all finally emerged, they weighed at his heart. 
“Where have you been off to?” His mother asked, giving Eris a warm smile.  She looked more alive than he had ever seen her, the vibrance returning to her skin and auburn hair.  It reminded Eris of how much he truly hated his father, seeing the effect of his cruelty towards his mother.
Eris shrugged, “I figured it was time I pay Lucien a visit.”
“Oh?” Eris’s mother hummed carefully; her interest piqued. 
“I told him he was welcome in Autumn should he like to return.”
His mother smiled at him, a warm and precious thing.  She reached over and placed a hand on his cheek as though to show her gratitude, her pride.
“Mother,” Eris broached carefully after a moment.  When his mother’s russet eyes slid over to his, Eris continued, “You need not stay in the Forest House or in Autumn, for that matter, if you don’t want to.”
“Are you asking me to move out, my son?”  His mother asked, a spark of something unidentifiable lingering in her eyes.
“No – no of course not.”  Eris said quickly.  “You will always have a place here if you want it, but I want you to know that you can do as you please, go where you please.  You mustn’t think that you’re a prisoner here anymore.”
His mother was quiet for a long moment, ghosts of his father’s wrath lingering in her eyes.
Finally, she said, “I have business here in Autumn that I must take care off, namely waiting on that wonderful mate of yours to return–”
“Mother–”  The former Lady of Autumn gave her son a smile as she waved off his warning.
“But then, I think there are some old friends I’d like to visit.”  And she smiled, softly, the warm light from the windows draping over her auburn hair. 
Reader’s POV:
As soon as Cassian and Azriel returned from Autumn, having ensured the transition of power had gone smoothly, you were there, staring at them expectantly.
“Hello, sweetheart, what a surprise,” Cassian greeted with a grin, ruffling your hair as he approached you.  You shook him off, crossing your arms with a stern look on your face.  You wanted answers, information. 
Rhys had been vague every time you asked how it was going in Autumn.  He always reassured you that Eris was well and that you had nothing to worry about, but you wanted proof.  You wanted to speak with someone who had seen your mate with their own eyes.
“He’s fine,” Azriel told you, reading your mind.  You nodded, trying to believe him.
“Eris is still the same old asshole, don’t worry,” Cassian joked, and it loosened something within you.
“And there weren’t any challenges to his power?” You asked.
Azriel shook his head, but Cassian was quicker to respond.  “No, apparently Eris is shockingly well liked within the Autumn court.  Respected, even.”
You rolled your eyes, but you knew Cassian was telling the truth.  You had seen it with your own eyes when you visited.  Eris had spent his long life cultivating good will with those who could be useful within the Autumn court, had charmed them as best he could.
You let out a sigh before smiling at them both, feeling more at ease now that you knew Eris was at least settling into his newfound power.
You wanted to see him, had felt the bond’s push within you since Rhys had initially pulled you away, but you knew that the following weeks would be difficult for Eris as he figured out exactly how he wanted to rebuild Autumn.  You figured you should use the time to figure out exactly what you wanted from him.  A part of you wanted to see what he’d do with his power, if he truly was the male you had begun to believe he could be.
So you ignored the aching bond in your chest and the various invitations you received from the Autumn Court, giving yourself time to navigate these new waters.
Eris POV:
As the equinox festivities commenced, Eris felt hundreds of eyes on him.  The Autumn Court had been abuzz with whispers of their High Lord’s mysterious mate since Beron’s death.  He knew the nobles and the court ladies were waiting, rather impatiently, to see who this mate of his was.  She must’ve been beautiful if Eris was willing to kill his father for her, he heard some of the ladies whisper as he passed.  He had merely smiled to himself because you really were. 
But Eris kept them waiting.  He gave you the space you had requested all those nights ago, devoting himself to rebuilding Autumn to avoid obsessing over the lack of contact. 
Eris had committed himself to trying to change the way females were treated in Autumn.  It would be a slow process to undo the centuries of conservative traditions that made females the property of her mate, whether or not they truly wanted it.  Eris figured that if you rejected the bond and he let you go without a fight, it would certainly support this effort.  It would set a shockingly different example than the one his father set.
So Eris refused to give in to the ache that still lingered in his chest, begging him to seek you out.  Though he made sure to send you an official invitation to all Autumn Court festivities and events in case you ever needed a sign that he was waiting for you.
As he sat on the Autumn throne, Eris watched the sea of colorful dresses swirling in front of him on the dancefloor, trying to ease the way his chest ached from your absence. 
But then, he felt it.  Eris felt the way the bond buzzed, the way the chord connecting you to him hummed in his chest.
When his amber eyes looked up, there you were, standing at the front of the Great Hall in a beautiful forest green dress.
Eris wasn’t sure if you were real or part of his imagination, but his feet were moving before his brain could process anything.  He had to be close to you, had to go to his mate.
When he finally made his way through the crowd and was standing in front of you, Eris felt as though his heart might burst.  You were as beautiful as ever, your eyes shining at him.
“You came,” Eris voiced, an uncharacteristic air of disbelief filling the space around you.  You smiled at him, bowing your head ever so slightly.
“I was invited, was I not?” You asked, your eyes filled with mirth.
“You’re always invited, fawn,” Eris told you with a smirk.  His eyes roved over your face greedily, taking in every slight difference in your appearance from the last time he had seen you.
You raised your eyebrow as you mused, “How different from how you greeted me last equinox.”
Eris hummed in agreement, he hadn’t forgotten the shock and fear he had felt when he had seen you last year in his father’s court.  But now, it was his court.  Not a soul would dare hurt you for fear of their High Lord’s fury.
“Dance with me?” Eris asked, his lips forming a smirk. 
You said nothing for a moment, your eyes shifting to the dancefloor behind Eris.  Then, you gave him a small smile.  “How could I refuse, High Lord?”
Eris nearly groaned just from hearing you call him High Lord.  He hadn’t expected what that would do to him, how it would make blood rush to his groin.  Willing himself to calm down and not sport an erection in the middle of the celebrations, Eris led you to the dancefloor.
As he pulled your body close to his, his large frame engulfing yours, Eris whispered against your ear, “You know, you can always refuse, fawn.”
You met his amber eyes as he led you in the dance, his every movement perfected.  “I know that, Eris.”
“Are you saying you want to dance with me?”  Eris asked with a quirked eyebrow as though the idea of you voluntarily electing to dance with him was scandalous.  You supposed the version of you who was here a year ago would’ve thought it was. 
“And if I did?”
“I would say we’ve come a long distance from where we were the last time we danced,” Eris told you, anchoring your body against his with a warm hand on your hip. 
You let out a soft chuckle, your chest rumbling slightly against him.  “I suppose we have.”
Neither of you said anything for a long moment, content with enjoying each other’s scents and proximity. 
“The court has been eager to meet you,” Eris said finally, not able to tear his golden eyes from your beautiful face.  Rhys had told you the story that had been spread regarding Eris’s defeat of Beron, how it was all because of Eris’s mate.
“I’m sure they’ll be disappointed to find out that I’m from the Night Court,” you laughed, feigning disdain.
“You could never disappoint,” Eris told you with a smile, though his amber eyes were nothing if not genuine.  You were ashamed how deeply you blushed.
“You haven’t told anyone?” You wondered aloud. 
“My brothers and my mother.  And the guards, they’ve been instructed to ensure your safety,” Eris told you, and you nodded.  “But I assumed you would want it to be discrete.  Especially if–” Eris let his voice trail off.
“Especially if, what?”  You asked, cocking your head to the side as you danced.  You watched as Eris mentally cursed himself for the words he had let slip. 
Eris let out a pained sigh.  “If you decide to reject the bond.”
You watched his expression carefully, noting how the words seemed to eat at Eris.
“Would you let me walk away if that’s what I decided?”  You asked carefully. 
“You are free to make your choice,” Eris told you, his eyes burning with intensity as he took in your reaction.   
When you said nothing in response, he continued, “I will not stake a claim over you unless you want it, unless you want me.”  Eris’s nose dipped down your neck, slowly tracing across your sensitive skin as though he was planning exactly how he would claim you if you gave him permission.  The thought made you shiver. 
“Eris,” you breathed.  He looked up at you with widened, wild eyes as though he was drunk on your scent alone.  The way you said it, the almost whimper that lingered in your voice almost encouraged him, but after a second, Eris remembered himself.  He shook his head, forcing himself to put space between you. 
As the music faded, Eris stepped away from you and bowed his head politely at you, his every movement dripping in regality. 
“My lady,” Eris said as he bowed his head to you, the picture of refined court manners.  You gave him a smile.
“Off to woo your people, High Lord?” You asked, with a teasing smile and Eris wondered if you knew exactly what kind of effect your use of his title had on him.
“There are always more fae to charm,” Eris mused, giving you a smirk.  Then after a moment, he offered, “Would you like to accompany me?  I could introduce you to some members of the court.”  Eris was vaguely aware that he was holding his breath as he awaited your answer.  He expected you to turn him down, to not want to spend more time with him.
Instead, you gave him a small smile and said, “I’d like that.”
As Eris led you from conversation to conversation, a guiding hand on your lower back, something akin to ease settled over both of you.  It was almost comfortable, standing in each other’s presence, listening to each other charm the members of the Autumn Court.
When Eris caught your eyes on his lips as he spoke to one of the members of a wealthy Autumn Court family, he smirked back at you, despite the flush that covered his sharp features.  If any of the fae you spoke with noticed the way he stood a little too close to you, the way he could barely pull his eyes off of you, they politely said nothing.
Reader’s POV:
You could barely keep your eyes off of Eris as he moved you through the various groups of Autumn Court fae.  He charmed each group easily, projecting a kind of confidence you had never seen Beron wear.  Eris was smart, he knew what motivated each fae, how to get them to covet their High Lord’s favor out of respect and admiration rather than fear.  As you saw how he maneuvered various nobles, reaffirming loyalties and introducing you as a guest to the court, you found yourself wondering what it would like if you were always by his side.  You wondered what it would be like if Eris introduced you as his mate rather than a guest from the Night Court. 
For the first time since Eris had rescued you on that battlefield, you could envision a life with him.  You could imagine yourself standing by Eris’s side, helping to make the Autumn Court a better place.  You could see yourself being happy with him, building a life together.
The thought warmed you as Eris walked you back towards the chambers you would be staying in.  You smiled to yourself, taking in his inviting scent.
“I’ve been meaning to ask,” you said when you arrived in front of your door.  Eris raised an eyebrow at you in question, so you continued, “This room is different than the one I stayed in last time.”
“Is there a question, fawn?”  Amusement lingered in his amber eyes.
“Is it?”  You asked, not daring to fully form the question that was on your mind. 
“It’s yours,” Eris hummed in agreement, confirming your suspicions.  “Should you ever want it.”
The room itself was breathtaking.  It was massive with a large bed and breathtaking oak furniture.  Each piece was hand carved, with small leaves and stars carved into the wood.  The walls were lined with large windows overlooking beautiful trees of orange and green, and there was a quaint sitting area in front of a beautiful fireplace.
“If it’s not to your liking–” Eris started to say, rubbing the back of his neck as though he might’ve been embarrassed.  That simply wouldn’t do.
You reached over and placed your hand on his arm, stopping him.  “It’s perfect, Eris.” 
The smile he gave you in return, as though your praise meant everything in the world to him, lingered in your mind as Eris left you at his door to cross the hallway and enter his own bedchambers.  You wondered if he had specifically ensured that your chambers were located directly across from his.  But as you bathed and laid on your soft bed that night, the only thing on your mind was the feeling of Eris’s nose against your neck and the way his scent darkened ever so slightly whenever you called him High Lord.
You tossed and turned in your bed, wondering if Eris was sound asleep in his chambers or if he felt it too. 
After what you assumed must have been an hour rolling your bed, unable to find sleep, you finally sat up with a huff.  You didn’t know exactly what you plan was as you pulled your robe over your night clothes and padded across the hallway towards Eris’s door.  Before you could think better of it, you were knocking, each knock echoing in the empty hallway.
You waited a moment, and when Eris didn’t open the door immediately, you were about to turn away, but you heard the large wooden door creaking open in front of you.  On the other side stood Eris– clad in a loose cream tunic that exposed most of his chest and beige linen trousers.  He was captivating in the soft fae light of his bedchambers.
“Yes?” He asked with a relaxed smirk, eying you up and down.  His gaze lingered on where your robe landed, exposing your legs.
“I couldn’t sleep,” you told him, cursing yourself for showing up at his door without knowing what you intended to say.  You braced yourself for him to tease you, but his taunts never came. 
Instead, Eris pulled the door open for you, gesturing for you to come inside.  You followed easily like a moth to a flame. 
“I’ve been told it’s impolite to show up at someone’s room unannounced at late hours of the night,” Eris drawled when you were standing inside his chambers, taking in his warm scent.  A fire raged in the fireplace, bathing the room in warm orange light.
“Is that so?” You asked, playfully raising your eyebrows.  “I seem to remember that you didn’t mind barging into my chambers unannounced last equinox.” As the words fell off your lips, you felt yourself blush, remembering exactly where Eris’s arrival in your chambers last year had led.
Eris seemed to remember too, his eyes darkening as his gaze lingered on your red lips.
“If I recall correctly, you didn’t seem to mind my imposition then,” Eris said with a sneer, but you could see the lust dancing in his golden eyes.  The scent of the room shifted slightly, turning more fiery as you rolled your eyes at the new High Lord of Autumn.  He was correct, of course, you certainly hadn’t minded when he showed up at your room at those nights ago and ravished you. 
“Were you sleeping?” You asked, trying to divert the conversation away from your previous encounter.  You could already feel arousal pooling in your core.
“No,” Eris admitted, his lips forming a slight smirk.  “Someone has been sending their frustration down the bond.”  You felt your cheeks heat as you rubbed the back of your neck.  You hadn’t realized you had been projecting your inability to fall asleep through your connection with Eris.
“I’m sorry, I had no idea,” You admitted.  “I would hate to ruin your beauty sleep.”
Eris glared at you, but you could see the amusement in his eyes.  
“I do have a court to run, you know,” he replied in a lofty tone.
“So, I’ve heard,” you fired back playfully.  “Well, I wouldn’t want to bother you and keep you from all your important High Lord duties.  I’ll make sure to keep my frustration to myself and let you get some sleep.” 
You turned to move towards the door, but Eris blocked your path.
“You’re never a bother,” Eris told you firmly as he loomed over you.  “Stay.  Have a drink with me,” Eris offered, gesturing to the fine crystal decanter that sat by the fireplace.
You nodded, and when Eris motioned towards the leather couch in front of the fireplace as he grabbed two glasses of liquor, you took a seat.  You were grateful he had been awake when you knocked on his door; his presence soothed something inside you.  You hadn’t realized just how unsettled you were by yourself until you found yourself close to Eris.
“For you, my love,” Eris said as he handed you one of the glasses.  Your eyes widened at the endearment, but Eris barely seemed to register it as he sat down next to you.  Was that what you were to him?  His love?  You couldn’t help but wonder.  A part of you wondered if you’d realize that that’s what Eris had become for you too if you thought too much about it.
“Did you enjoy yourself tonight?” Eris asked as he brought his glass to his lips.  You couldn’t help but admire how kissable his mouth looked as you followed the motion.
“The celebrations were lovely,” you replied truthfully.  And the celebrations were lovely, but you couldn’t deny that your favorite aspect of the night had been the amount of time you spent with Eris. 
“So was the company,” Eris told you with a wink, causing you to roll your eyes.  Though, you felt your cheeks heat helplessly.
“You have done well, Eris,” you told him after a long moment.  You meant it.  The Autumn Court felt warmer, safer, in Eris’s custody.
“There’s still more to do,” Eris noted seriously, and you could tell that he was nowhere near close to finishing his reforms.  You wondered what other noble plans he had to improve the court.
“There will always be more to do,” you said with a sigh, remembering all the different issues that constantly arose for Rhys.  You reached over and grabbed Eris’s hand, his eyes following your movement.  “But you’re already making the Autumn Court a better place, I can see it.”
Eris didn’t say anything in response for a long moment, his amber eyes not leaving yours.
“That’s all I ever really wanted,” he finally admitted, his voice barely above a whisper.  You wondered if he had ever admitted that to anyone else, if he had ever shared how good his heart really was.
You smiled faintly at him as you took a sip of the spiced liquor Eris had given you.  Eris’s eyes tracked the movement of your throat.
“Until you, of course,” Eris added, his voice almost husky as he watched you catch a drop of liquor that remained on your lips with your tongue.  You felt yourself blush at his words, their implication, and the heady lust that filled Eris’s eyes. 
“You blush so beautifully for me, fawn,” Eris said, and you were about to roll your eyes at him, but his expression was so filled with lust, affection even, that the words got caught in your throat.
“Eris,” you breathed, your brain unable to formulate any other response when he was looking at you that way. 
And then Eris was pulling the glass of liquor out of your hand and pinning you to the leather of the couch, his typically lithe body larger, broader now that the High Lord power coursed through his veins.
“You know, I’ve been thinking about this ever since the last time,” Eris murmured as he loomed over you, capturing your body perfectly between his strong arms.
You smiled at him, your wit struggling to fight through the wave of strong arousal that was surrounding you. “You think of me often, Eris?”  Your words only barely sounded like the taunt they were intended to be as you stared up at your mate.
“I think of you ceaselessly, darling,” Eris admitted, the words almost ripped from his chest as he leaned down and captured your lips with his own.  You moaned against his lips, pressing your lips against his eagerly. 
Despite the thick scent of Eris’s desire, his lips were soft, gentle against yours.  He fisted a hand in your hair; his warm body pressed against yours perfectly.    
And then Eris was pulling away, his eyes lingering on your reddened cheeks and slightly parted lips. 
“Fuck, you look so perfect beneath me,” he growled as he cupped your jaw in his graceful hand, tracing his thumb over your parted lips.  You sighed at the feeling, lost in the feeling of his skin against yours.
As Eris smiled down at you, you didn’t think of the bond once.  You weren’t lost in your mind wondering if what you felt for Eris was genuine or just a byproduct of the bond.  No, you had finally come to terms with the fact that what you felt for Eris was deeper than the connection the Mother had gifted you.  You had grown to care for him, to enjoy being around him, and you certainly desired him.
Where the first time you had slept together had been like a dam of emotion and lust finally breaking, both of you lost in the rush and adrenaline of your discovery of the bond, this time, Eris took his time ravishing you.  He pressed gentle, sweet kisses down your body until you were mewling out, desperate for more.  He traced his lips, his tongue, his teeth across your neck and clavicle, marking you as his.
“Eris, fuck,” you whimpered, lost in the feeling of his mouth.  You felt more than saw his returning smirk, and it was all you needed to remember yourself and tear the night shirt that he was still wearing off his body to reveal planes of muscle. 
Eris followed your lead, removing your night clothes from your body.  Though, every move he made was slow, unhurried as he let his fingers dance over your bare skin.  Every brush of his fingers left you shivering, silently begging for more.
When you were finally bare in front of him, Eris groaned, his hands and mouth retaking their rightful place on your body.  Eris pressed searing kisses down your abdomen, sliding down the couch so that he was looming over your center.
As he locked his eyes on yours, he brought his wicked mouth to your core, pressing wet kisses against you.  You groaned at the feeling, calling out your mate’s name. 
“You taste divine, fawn,” Eris told you, his voice low and raspy, before he continued licking your core with uniform, practiced licks.  You didn’t dare to think about the other females he had practiced his technique with, not when he was devouring you so exquisitely.
Before you knew it, Eris was tearing you apart with his mouth, sending shockwaves of pleasure through your abdomen.  You cried out – a mix of Eris’s name and curse words falling from your lips.
“Eris,” you moaned when your pleasure finally subsided.  Your mate was staring at you with wide, darkened eyes as if you were the most delicious thing he had ever consumed. 
“You are incredible,” Eris murmured as you pulled him back down and pressed a passionate kiss to his lips.  The taste of yourself on him drew another moan past your lips.
“I need you inside me,” you told him, pressing kisses against the long column of his neck.  Eris groaned in response, seemingly overcome with the arousal that lingered between you.
Driven by your words, Eris was pulling you against him until he lifted you off the couch and into his arms.  He kissed you ardently as he carried you over to his large four-poster bed.
“I’m going to take my time with you, love,” Eris promised as he pinned your hands above your head gently, your fingers intertwined. 
And he did just that.  He pushed into you slowly, savoring each thrust of his shaft inside you as he murmured sweet nothings against your neck.  You weren’t sure how long it lasted, how long he pulled you apart with his cock, but you were completely overwhelmed by the sensation, the warmth and adoration that spread through you.
When he was about to finish, Eris released his grip on one of your hands, bringing it to cup your cheek gently as his golden eyes met yours.  His gaze was locked on yours as he spilled inside of you.
Eris held you in his arms for a long while after you had finished, tracing gentle circles across your skin as you both recovered your breathing.  Finally, when he was content that you had both regained your breath, he stood leaving you cold and alone on the bed. 
You were about to huff in displeasure when he quickly returned with a warm damp washcloth.  He washed you gently, brushing rogue pieces of hair out of your face gently as he pressed soft kisses to your shoulder.
When he was finished, you felt his amber eyes weighing on you.  You gave him a languid smile, content in your bliss.
“Do you want to talk about it?” Eris asked carefully, his expression slightly guarded as he observed you.  You understood his meaning without him needing to say more.  The last time you had done this, you had left him the following morning, not seeing him again for months.  As you watched his features constrict slightly, you wondered how deeply your quick exit had wounded him.
You grabbed his hand from where it rested on the bed and squeezed it gently, letting a smile grace your bruised lips.  You brought your other hand up to caress Eris’s cheek. 
“Not unless you want to,” you hummed, not taking your eyes off of Eris.  “But I would like to stay.”
Eris gave you a sly smirk, but you could see the subtle relief that swept over him.  “In my bed tonight or in the Autumn Court?”
“Why not both?” You teased, brushing your thumb over Eris’s cheek bone.  He leaned into the contact.  “I was hoping to stay in Autumn for at least a few more days, if you’ll have me.”
“You are always welcome here,” Eris told you, and it was as much a promise as it was a statement.  “Both in Autumn and in my bed,” he continued with a wink causing you to let out a soft laugh. 
You fell asleep that night in his arms– exactly where you wanted to be.
In the morning, you woke to find yourself wrapped up in Eris, his arm wrapped loosely around your waist.  You let out a contented sigh as the soft morning sunlight streamed through the windows.
Eris must have heard you wake because his eyes opened slowly, taking in the world of the living.  For a moment, he tensed, his body stiffening against yours until his gaze found your eyes.
You smiled at him.  “Did I scare you?” You asked with a soft laugh.
“No,” Eris brushed you off, his voice groggy from sleep.  “I’m just glad you’re still here,” he continued after a moment, unguarded in the morning light. 
You took him in for a long moment, enjoying the way his typically perfect hair was mussed from sleep.  Then, you rolled over so you were pressed up against Eris’s toned chest, your chin resting on your hands as you peered up at him.
“Me too,” you told him, smiling lazily at him.  Eris smiled back, and he looked as though you had given him a gift– as though you staying and admitting you were glad you had stayed was everything he had ever needed.
You stayed like that for a while, neither of you daring to leave the warm embrace.  Finally, Eris pressed a gentle kiss to your forehead before sitting up, begrudgingly starting his day.
“Would you like to eat breakfast with me?” He offered hesitantly, pulling on a shirt.  You almost pouted as he covered his bare skin, though the scars that still marred the long line of his back caught your eye.
“How could I say no?” You teased, but Eris gave you an impatient glare in return.  You smiled, placing a hand on his cheek gently as if to smooth away his scowl.  “I’d like that,” you told him.
The two of you had an elaborate breakfast in one of the smaller dining rooms, chatting easily as you ate.  Eris seemed more at ease than you had ever seen him, as though something had settled in his soul. 
“I have some duties I must attend to today, but perhaps you’d like to have dinner with me later?”  Eris asked carefully as he walked you back to your chambers, his features trained into forced neutrality, but you could see the weight of his invitation in his eyes.  You couldn’t bring yourself to tease him, not when it looked like your answer might make or break his entire day.
“That sounds lovely,” you told him with a smile.  You could see the tension ease in his body as you answered, his hand gently placed on the small of your back, gently guiding you as you walked.
When you arrived at your chambers, Eris left you to change with a smirk and a nod goodbye.  “Avoid spying on my court, will you?” He sneered as he headed towards his door, his eyes glimmering with amusement.
“I would never,” you told him with a playful wink.  As you entered you chambers, Eris’s returning chuckle lingered in your ears.
Eris’s POV:
Eris couldn’t focus on anything other than you for the rest of the day.  For the first time since becoming High Lord, Eris hated having so many duties.  He wished he could spend the day wandering around the Forest House or warming his bed with you.  Instead, he gazed wearily at his advisors who were helping him set up more equal profit-sharing programs for the farmers of the Autumn Court.  It was a project Eris was passionate about, had wanted to implement for decades, but his mind lingered on your smile.
Finally, it seemed as though his advisors recognized that his mind was far from them and released him from their monotonous rambling.  By the time they were finished, it was already evening time, and Eris left the meeting chambers in a hurry, eager to seek you out.  
He found you loitering in one of the hallways, transfixed by one of the many stained-glass windows in the grand compound he called home.  Your scent filled his lungs– sweet and steady and delectable.
When you heard him coming, you turned, smiling at him coyly.  In the colorful light of the stained glass, Eris thought you could have come straight out of a painting.  But it was the fact that there was no hatred or distrust reflecting in your eyes that took Eris’s breath away.  Instead, you looked at him like you might care for him, as though you might actually return his feelings.
“All done with your High Lord duties for the day?” You called, your voice welcoming Eris home.
“Finally,” Eris snickered, coming to stand beside you in front of the stained-glass window.  He trained his amber eyes on it, wanting to appreciate what had drawn your attention.
You smiled at him, your eyes twinkling with amusement, and Eris had to fight the urge to drag you back to his bed.  Later, he would.  But first, he promised you dinner.
“Shall we?” Eris asked after a moment, offering you his arm.  You nodded, wrapping your arm around his.  Eris loved feeling the warmth of your skin penetrate through his sleeve.
Eris led you down the hallway, and you didn’t even ask where he was taking you.  Instead, you seemed content to be led by your mate.  How different the air between you had become since you initially discovered the bond. 
Eris brought you not to a dining room, but to the grove located within the Forest House.  He had asked the staff to set up dinner for you there, surrounded by the colorful trees.  It was his favorite place in the Forest House, perhaps in part because it was the first place the two of you had spoken without any vitriol or resentment bleeding into the conversation. 
“Did you do this?” You asked, your forehead furrowed slightly.  Eris tried to read your expression, hoping to ensure that you weren’t displeased.  He shrugged as though he hadn’t been planning this moment, this gesture since the moment he met you.  “Or should I say, did you get the servants to do this?” You asked with a smile. 
Eris bristled slightly, but your smile put him at ease.  “The staff may have physically set it up, but it was my idea.”
“It’s lovely, Eris,” you told him quietly, squeezing his hand.  He felt himself relax slightly, releasing tension he hadn’t realized he had been holding.  Your approval made all his planning and obsessing worth it. 
Eris pulled out your chair for you– his centuries of etiquette training shining through.  A servant appeared, offering you both wine before they brought out the first course. 
“I saw your mother today,” you told Eris as you ate.  Eris raised an eyebrow in interest, encouraging you to go on.  “She seemed brighter than the last time I was here, healthier.”
Eris hummed in agreement.  He had noticed it too.  It was as though a great weight had been lifted off her shoulders. 
“I’m glad you saw her; she and my brothers have been eager to spend time with you.”  Eris was surprised he had been able to have any time alone with you given how desperate they seemed to meet you. 
“We could have eaten with them tonight,” you noted, taking a sip of your wine.  
“Selfishly, I wanted you all to myself tonight,” Eris admitted with a shrug, something like awe settling within him as he realized how easy it had become to tell you his true motivations.  Soon he would subject you to sitting through a meal with his family and formally introducing you to his brothers, but he wanted to savor these moments alone with you.  “Besides, if you truly plan to stay in Autumn for a little while longer, there will be time for them to get to know you.”
You smiled at him, but said nothing in return, seemingly content to enjoy the meal the staff had prepared for you.
After a while of the two of you enjoying comfortable silence, you finally said, “Eris?”
“Yes, my love?” Eris hummed, the endearment slipping from his tongue easily.  He took a moment appreciate the beautiful flush of color that had settled over your face.  
“I’d like to try,” you told him quietly, your eyes reflecting the fae light that illuminated the grove.  Eris quirked an eyebrow at you in question, inhaling slightly.
“You’d like to try what, fawn?” Eris questioned, praying you meant what he thought you meant.
He desperately needed you to say it out loud.  
You smiled softly at him, grasping his hand.  “I’m not making any promises that I’ll accept the bond right away or anything, but I think I’d like to try to make this work between us,” you told him, your words filling Eris’s soul with something he never knew he desperately needed.
He stared at you for a long moment, not able to hear anything over the rapid beating of his heart.  You were looking at him as though you cared for him, as though you loved him.
“Good– that’s good,” Eris replied, his wit failing him as he realized that he might finally have everything he had ever wanted.  His eyes were widened slightly as he tried to tamper down the rush of exhilaration that flew through him.
“Is it good?” You asked, raising an eyebrow playfully.  Teasing him, you were teasing him.  If he wasn’t overwhelmed with his own emotions, with the joy at knowing that you wanted a future with him, Eris might’ve scolded you for toying with him.
Someday, Eris would figure out how to tell you how he truly felt about you, how much he loved you.  Someday, the words might come easily for both of you.  But for now, Eris simply said, “Yes, fawn, I am very glad you’d like to try.”
You leaned over, pressing a kiss to his lips, and Eris wasn’t sure how he had gotten so lucky.  His family was safe, healing, and you were sitting next to him, kissing him.  He didn’t believe that he deserved it, but he was grateful to the Mother for all she had given him.
After a long moment, you finally said, “I’ve been thinking.  I’d like it if you came to the Winter Solstice celebrations in Velaris this year.”
“I’m not sure that will be pretty,” Eris noted.  “Your friends do still hate me.”
“They’re coming around,” you admitted with a laugh, your fingers intertwining with Eris’s.  “But either way, I want you to come.  I want you there.”
Something about those words– the idea that you wanted him to be a part of your life, that you wanted him– made Eris’s heart sing.
“If you want me there, then I’ll be there,” Eris mused, tracing his thumb over your hand gently.
And for the first time in a long time, with you by his side, Eris felt as though he might finally have some peace.
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@lizziesfirstwife @vellichor01 @waytoomanyteenagefeels
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Hi, I absolutely love everything you write 😭 So I wanted to ask for something, if you're interested ❤️‍🔥 The request in question would see Azriel partner with a twin sister of Eris Vanserra. The plot I had come up with (feel free to change it to your liking) was that bed grew up with Eris, obviously, but Beron ordered Eris to kill her sister to eliminate doubts about who would be Autumn's heir after Beron, because he obviously didn't want to take the risk of a woman sitting on the throne. Eris obviously didn't kill her sister, but left her hidden in the forest and She always grew up alone. Until the marriage proposal between Eris and Morrigan arrives, and Morrigan, fleeing the arranged marriage, finds Eris's sister in the forest and threatens to hand her over to Beron. if Eris doesn't let her leave. And so Eris makes the deal and frees Morrigan (as we saw Az going to get her). Feel free to create how Az finds it. And I would love it if you didn't write a mean Eris, because I really like him 😭 and I think he would be a kind brother to his twin sister 😭❤️‍🔥
Sorry if this was too long or the story didn't please you, or it was confusing, I'm using the translator, so there must be an error. Sorry 💗💗
Trapped mate.
Azriel x f!Vanserra!Reader
Masterlist.
Warnings; mentions of death, blood and abuse.
Thank you! I hope this is what you had in mind! Feel free to send more requests I really enjoyed this one.
Everyone believed that Lucien was abused and despised by Beron because he probably wasn’t his son, and they were wrong it sure was one of the reasons but not the main one. The main one was that Beron was/is a horrible creature filled with hatred and malice and you were the living proof of that. You are Beron’s daughter and yet he despises you. You were born one minute later than Eris, and the moment the healer announced “female” Beron’s smile turned into a scowl and he left the room without one glance at you. Growing up he never showed you any interest and this resulted to you clinging onto Eris. Your brother became the only male idol in your life. You did everything together, he was the only one who gave you affection and love and you knew that he would risk his life for you, as a matter of fact he already did it 124 years ago when Beron realized that you were a possible heir to his throne and freaked out ordering Eris to take you in the forest on a ‘hunting trip’ and kill you, then say that you had an accident. You knew your father, he could order anyone else to do this, but he wanted to toughen Eris up, he wanted to make Eris like him -a monster. But your brother was and still is good and he loves you more than his own self, he says that you are his other half, the light in his soul. So, he took you to the forest and hid you in a cabin he owned there, and found a witch to cast a spell so no one could ever find the cabin. You grew up there alone, Eris would visit you once a month because he didn’t want to raise suspicions if he frequently disappeared, and Beron watching him like a hawk since he never showed him your corpse wasn’t making his visits any easier. The last time he came he informed you that the witch who cast the spell was dead, and he needed to find another one to keep you hidden, then he begged you to stay in the cabin no matter what.
.𖥔 ݁ ˖ 🍁 🍂 ☁️˙✧˖°
You were cooking when a scream echoed through the forest, it sounded like a female, another one followed more heartbreaking than the other, she sounded hurt and frightened. You placed the ladle on the counter and removed the kettle from the fire, your worry and curiosity taking over as you walked towards the door. You cracked the door and peeked outside, no one was there. You opened it further and stepped outside and then you saw her, a naked blonde female covered in blood, a note was nailed to her womb. You gasped and ran to her, she flinched back when she saw you. “Its okay you’re safe, don’t worry I got you” you said softly and wrapped her arm around your neck, helping her to your cabin. You laid her on the couch and hurried off to find a cloth and a bowl to fill with warm water. After gathering everything you needed you went back, she was watching your every move. “I’m going to clean your wounds” you informed her and knelt in front of her.
“You look like Eris” she whispered, and you froze. Could you reveal the truth to her? What if she went to Beron? Your silence confirmed her suspicions and she gasped.
“You are Eris’ twin sister… you didn’t die” she exclaimed.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, I have never seen the lordling” You wrinkled your nose at the title, but you needed to sound convincing.
She stared at you and hissed when you removed the nail from her womb. “You need to see a healer” you informed her.
“I can’t go out there, Eris is probably looking for me” she replied.
“Why?” you furrowed your eyebrows. She pointed to the note, and you read it, you gasped and leaned back. “You are his fiancé?” you asked wide-eyed.
“Ex fiancé… anyway thank you for this I just need to rest and then I’ll be on my way” she said and leaned back letting you clean her wounds.
.𖥔 ݁ ˖ 🍁 🍂 ☁️˙✧˖°
You were searching your closet for clothes she could borrow when the sound of horses’ hooves crushing the fallen leaves filled the silence. You straightened your back and peeked through the window. Eris.
The blonde female raised from the couch and looked at you. “Its okay” you told her and moved to stand in front of her. “I’m sorry” she mumbled and before you could ask why the door burst open and Eris strolled in, his eyes widening when he noticed the female behind you. “What is she doing here?” he asked you. “She was hurt and frightened Eris, because of you” you narrowed your eyes. “I couldn’t leave her out there she would die”.
“You just invited a wolf in your house” Eris growled, and the female smirked.
“Now that you are here my beloved, I’ve already reached to Rhysand, and he knows about your sweet sister. Azriel is coming to get me and if you even try to stand in my way, Rhys will inform your daddy about his daughter’s resurrection.”
Your eyes filled with tears as you watched Eris’ hurt expression. What have you done? You moved away from her, the clothes you found dropping at her feet. Eris pushed you behind him and spoke.
“Okay get dressed I will escort you there”. “Oh there’s no need for that, he is coming here.” She shrugged and got dressed.
You were sitting on the armchair hugging your knees, Eris was pacing and Mor -as Eris informed you- was sprawled on your couch, the smirk never leaving her face.
Suddenly darkness swirled in front of your door and a winged figure appeared, when the darkness disappeared the most handsome male you have ever seen walked in. He was tall, his body broad and strong and his face… his face was angelic even though his expression was made from sin and ice. His hazel eyes stared at you, and you swore you could see all the stars inside them. You almost moaned at the sight, and then you felt it, a thread binding your soul to his and it snapped.
He flinched and his eyes widened.
“You’re my mate” you whispered.
Eris and Mor blinked, their eyes moving between the two of you frantically.
“Oh no no no no” Eris laughed sarcastically.
The male turned his attention to him. “Your sister is the only reason I’m letting you live Vanserra” he growled. “Let’s go, Cassian is waiting at the border” he offered a hand to Mor and when she reached him, he guided her outside flared his wings and they were gone.
You were standing in front of the armchair, staring at the door. You were frozen in your spot.
“Did he just leave?” you asked.
“Yeah, but he is coming back, Azriel is way too stubborn to let go of you. We need to leave.” Eris said and grabbed his coat.
“Eris wait…” he stopped and looked at you. “What if I go with him? I have no life here, I’m alone… Beron doesn’t have to know, I will stay hidden.”
“Azriel is an illyrian bastard… you are way too good for him.” He growled.
“I don’t care! Cauldron, you sound like our father right now” you groaned. “Do you want me to stay trapped here? Alone and miserable…”
Eris let out a sigh “you are right… but I won’t get to see you again” his voice was barely above a whisper.
“We will find a way for you to visit” you approached him and grabbed his hands. He nodded and pulled you in his arms, leaving a soft kiss on your forehead.
You heard the beating sound of wings and removed yourself from Eris’ embrace. Azriel landed in front of the cabin.
“Even if I don’t like this… you should take her with you, she is on her own here and if Beron finds her, he will kill her.” Eris spoke and Azriel nodded. He offered you his hand and glance at Eris. “I will take care of her, don’t worry”
And with that you walked in your mates embrace, looking at your brother hopefully not for the last time and wishing for a better life far away from your father – Beron.
Requests are open!
Edit: I forgot to write this before, I don’t think I will ever be able to write a mean Eris… I mean he is so hot, maybe I wouldn’t marry him but I would totally fuck him… I’m completely obsessed with Azriel but I would totally cheat on him with Eris 🫢
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parkerslatte · 1 month
Text
Overlooked | Part Four
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Eris Vanserra x Fem!Reader
Word Count: 3k
Warnings: smut at the beginning. 18+
Summary: Y/N and Eris’s wedding day is approaching fast and Y/N has some final preparations to make.
A/N: There will be a fifth and final part that I cannot wait to write!
A Court of Thorns and Roses Masterlist
Part One | Part Two | Part Three | Part Four | Part Five
•••
The morning was peaceful and quiet, birds chirped happily outside the window. A light breeze shook the branches of the tree looming near the window. Everything was peaceful and content. Save for the moans and slapping skin that filled the grandest bedroom in the Autumn Palace.
Y/N clutched onto Eris tightly, shameless moans slipping past her lips. Her whole body was alight, everywhere Eris touched burned so beautifully. Their skin was glistening with a thin layer of sweat that soaked into the sheets they were tangled in. Ever since the two had woken that morning, they had been lost in the pleasure they provided for one another. Not once did Y/N wish she were anywhere else. If she was told that she was banished from stepping out from the bounds of the large ornate bed, she wouldn’t complain. 
Eris kissed the corner of her mouth and trailed his lips down her neck. Y/N only arched her body into his. While one of his hands was planted on the bed next to her head, the other was inked with hers. An action that made Y/N turn into a puddle the moment he did it. Still, fingers were intertwined. 
From the way his thrusts seemed to be getting sloppy, Y/N could tell Eris was close. And so was she. For too long she had been on that edge, wanting nothing more than to tip over the edge. But she wanted to go over that edge with Eris. 
Digging her nails into Eris’s shoulder’s, Y/N threw her head back. “Eris…keep…keep doing that.”
The pleasure was almost too much. Y/N had never been with anyone before that made her feel the way Eris did. He always knew where to touch her and how to touch her. On the days where all she needed was comfort, he made sure that he was gentle with her and made her feel so loved. And on the days where all she wanted to be was fucked hard, Eris obliged. Even on the days where she wanted to take control, Eris let her and happily took whatever she gave him. 
“Y/N,” Eris panted, lips now hovering above hers. “I am close, my love.”
“Me too,” Y/N said breathlessly. She wanted nothing more than to come.
Eris crashed his lips to hers as his thrusts increased as he chased his release. With only a few more thrusts, Eris came, biting down on Y/N’s lip. As soon as she felt that first spurt within her, Y/N moaned loudly as she came, thrusting her own hips up. Eris’s thrusts slowed as he slowly came down from his high. Y/N opened her eyes and looked into Eris’s. The pleasure on his face still remained and she was sure that she shared a similar expression. 
They breath mixed together as the pleasure in their bodies gradually subsided. As Eris pulled out of her, Y/N moaned softly before sighing in contentment. Eris pulled Y/N into his side and brushed her hair away from her face. 
Y/N watched his movements with loving eyes. She wasn’t ever sure her heart was capable enough for one person. But here she was laying in the arms of her mate and soon to be husband. 
“What are you thinking about?” Eris questioned, his hold tightening on her body as if he couldn’t get enough of her.
“Just about how much I love you,” Y/N said, pressing a kiss to his chest. “And how beautiful you are.”
Y/N didn’t miss the way his cheeks tinted the lightest shade of red. No matter how many times Y/N tenderly told Eris how beautiful he was, he would always get flustered. She loved it. 
“I was thinking that we have a bath,” Eris asked. “As much as I loved our adventures in this bed this morning, I would like to clean the sweat from my body.”
“I agree,” Y/N said. “We have a wedding to finish planning.”
Eris groaned. “Why couldn’t we have a small-scale wedding again? If one more person comes up to me to ask what colour I want the tablecloths, I am going to set the whole hall on fire.”
“Because, my love, you are the one who insisted on having a grand wedding,” Y/N said.
Eris lifted himself from the bed, gently dragging Y/N with him. “It is only because it is what you wanted.”
“It was,” Y/N replied. “But I would be happy to marry you in a shack.”
Eris rolled his eyes and climbed out of the bed. “You should have said something. We would have been married weeks ago.”
Y/N stood up and placed her hands on Eris’s firm chest. “In all seriousness, Eris. Thank you. Having a beautiful wedding was all I ever wanted when I was a child and now you are making my dream come true.”
Eris tenderly cupped her cheeks. “Sweetheart, if it were possible, I would make all of your dreams come true.”
Y/N leaned into his touch. “You already have, my darling.”
A smile bloomed on Eris’s face and he leaned down to press his lips against Y/N’s. He could feel the bond between them fill with the love the two of them shared and it only made Eris feel lighter on his feet. Just that feeling alone could put him in a good mood for the rest of the day. 
“Let’s go and have that bath now,” Y/N said. “I don’t know about you, but my legs ache quite a lot.”
Eris laughed and linked their fingers together, pulling her along to their bathroom. 
***
Y/N lay in between Eris’s legs and her back rested against his chest as the two simply relaxed in the hot water. If she was being completely honest with herself, she was fighting the urge to go to sleep. The feeling of Eris’s fingers gently massaging the shampoo into her hair was the best feeling she was sure she would ever feel.
“I managed to control my fire,” Eris whispered into her ear. 
“I noticed,” Y/N answered, shuffling a little causing the water to splash. 
“That means you are beginning to control your own powers,” Eris stated. “I’m proud of you.”
Over the past few weeks, Y/N had managed to put a name to her powers, or even a description of what they can do. They amplify others. Originally, Y/N only thought that Eris magic only reacted to her because of the bond, but once they tested it out on Eris’s mother, fire roared to life with just a simple touch of her hand against his mother. 
Eris was sure that there was more to her power but Y/N didn’t want to focus on that at the moment. Of course she was happy to have powers, when her family never thought she did, Y/N had proved them all wrong. But her focus was on Eris and the wedding that was coming closer and closer, only a few days away. 
“When the wedding is over and our honeymoon, can we return to practicing with my powers,” Y/N asked. “You mentioned that there might be more to them.”
“We can do whatever you wish,” Eris said. “And it will get me out of those boring meetings I am forced to attend.”
Despite Y/N being High Lady of Autumn, there were still some officials that didn’t respect her title and treated her like filth on the bottom of their shoe. Eris had slolwy been flitering them out as he still needed to make sure he wouldn’t accidently cause an internal war within the Autumn Court. But Eris had asked that Y/N not attend the meetings until he had gotten rid of the officials that always opposed her and were disrespectful of her. 
Y/N reluctantly agreed but would always send Eris a whole page of notes of things she wanted to be brought up in the meeting. Eris always complied with that request. 
Y/N rolled her eyes playfully, tilting her head to look at her mate. “I’m glad that I’m nothing more than an excuse to you.”
Eris chuckled and brushed his lips across her shoulder. “You are so much more than a reason, love. You are the entire reason this court is running as smoothly as it is. All of those ideas you write out for me to bring up at meetings make a large difference in the court.”
“You are also to thank for that,” Y/N responded.
“Oh please,” Eris said, “it’s definitely more you than me. You’ve been High Lady for a little two months and you have already changed this court for the better. There are children, females and males who look up to you.”
“They look up to you too,” Y/N argued. 
Eris shook his head. “They still see me as the spiteful, cruel, insufferable male I was when my father was alive. That’s probably what they will always see me as.”
Y/N frowned, turning around in the bathtub, causing the water to splash around them. “But you are the furthest thing from that.”
Eris avoided eye contact. “I’m being completely honest when I say this, Y/N, but it is not far from the truth. I was cruel and horrible for centuries. People never looked me in the eye in fear for what I would do.”
Y/N cupped his cheeks, his stubble rough against her palms. “Eris, listen to me when I say that you are the most incredible male I have ever met. You are not cruel. You are not spiteful. You are not insufferable. You are the furthest thing from those things. Sure, you put up that facade but you did that to protect your family, and that speaks volumes. You endured so much torture at the hands of your father just to keep the ones you love safe. My love, your heart is so large and it is honestly a shame not everyone gets to experience it.”
Eris closed his eyes and leaned into Y/N’s touch. “I only wish for you to see the amount of love in my heart. It is all reserved for you, every single drop of it.”
Y/N surged forward and pressed her lips against Eris’s. There was a sense of reassurance within the kiss and it was these types of kisses that made Y/N fall in love with Eris all over again. However, Y/N pulled away, a smile toying her lips. 
“You are perfect, Eris Vanserra,” Y/N muttered, lips ghosting over his. 
“As are you, my love,” Eris whispered before firmly pressing his lips against hers. 
The two stayed in the bath until the water was cold.
***
A small gasp left Y/N’s mouth as he stared at her dress in the mirror. It was everything she had ever imagined it would be. The golden fabric seemed to glow as she moved. The dress flattered her immensely, extenuating every part of her body which she loved. She could only imagine Eris’s reaction to it. It made her want to move the wedding a day forward. 
“Do you like it, High Lady?” the seamstress asked.
“Please, call me Y/N. There is no need for formalities,” Y/N said, offering the seamstress a smile. “Your work is incredible…”
“Aliana, High- Y/N,” Aliana replied. 
“Aliana, your work is truly remarkable,” Y/N said, admiring the gown in the mirror.
“Thank you, Y/N,” Aliana said.
“Where did you learn to make dresses like this?” Y/N asked. 
“My mother,” Aliana replied. “Though she was miles better than me. Her work shadows mine.”
“If they were anything better than this they must be something of legend,” Y/N exclaimed. “I would love to see them.”
Aliana’s gaze saddened. “They were all destroyed. By the previous High Lord. He- he was angry that my mother could not create a suit in time for him. He broke her hand and banished her from this court fifty years ago.”
Y/N frowned and gently took Aliana’s hand in hers. Aliana flinched but quickly relaxed. “I am so sorry, Aliana. Do you know where your mother is now?”
“She’s in the Winter Court. The High Lord has been kind to her there,” Aliana answered. 
“Have you seen her since she was banished?” Y/N asked. 
Aliana shook her head. “I haven’t. I can’t afford to leave the court and the previous High Lord always kept me busy. I have had some free time since his passing though.”
Y/N lost herself in thought for a moment. “Would you mind helping me out of this dress, Aliana?”
Aliana’s eyes widened. “Don’t you like it?”
Y/N’s eyes softened. “I don’t like it, I absolutely adore it. I just need to deal with some matters with the High Lord.”
Aliana nodded. “Of course.”
“And Aliana?” Y/N said as she began to help Y/N out of the dress.
“Yes?”
“Come to the wedding tomorrow,” Y/N said. “I don’t have a formal invitation to give you, but just mention at the door that I allowed you to be there. I will set a seat for you.”
“I couldn’t possibly attend!” Aliana said, her curls bounced wildly as she shook her head.
“You could, you are the one who made this dress after all,” Y/N said. “It would be a crime if you weren’t there.”
“I don’t know,” Aliana said, fiddling with her fingers. “It wouldn’t be right. I am simply a seamstress, I don’t belong in court. Especially a wedding as high class as yours.”
“Aliana, listen to me, I do not care about class or what you do for a living. This night is not only a celebration for Eris and I, it can be a celebration for everyone. It gives everyone a chance to see how the changes taking place in court are for the better,” Y/N explained. “I want you to be there. Not even as a seamstress who made my amazing dress, I wish you to be there as my friend.”
Aliana stilled for a moment before smiling shyly. “It would be an honour.”
Y/N smiled and squeezed her hand gently. “It will be an honour to have you there.”
Aliana helped Y/N out of her dress without a fuss, Y/N didn’t mention the fact that she had seen Aliana wipe away the few stray tears that fell down her cheeks. Once the dress was off and back upon the mannequin, Y/N bid Aliana goodbye, not before making her promise that she would attend the wedding. 
***
The moment she was home, Y/N found herself walking to Eris’s office. He would only be there or in their bedroom, he was not preparing any last minute wedding preparations until Y/N was by his side. 
“Eris,” Y/N said, a hint of urgency to her voice. 
“Yes, my love?” Eris said, looking up from the papers on his desk. 
“I need you to contact Kallias immediately,” Y/N stated. 
Eris’s eyebrows furrowed. “Is everything okay?”
“Everything is okay with me, but my seamstress, Aliana, told me that her mother was banished from the court fifty years ago,” Y/N explained. “She hasn’t had the chance to see her mother and I wish to bring them together again.”
“Why was she banished?” Eris questioned.
“She could not create a suit in time for your father,” Y/N said.
At the mention of his father, Eris gripped the pen in his hand a little tighter. Y/N hurried over to him and draped herself across the back of his chair, hugging him close. Eris immediately dropped the pen and caressed Y/N’s skin, leaning back into her touch. 
“She made her way to the Winter Court and I wish to lift her ban and invite her to the wedding,” Y/N said, pressing a kiss against Eris’s cheek. 
“I will write to Kallias at once,” Eris said. 
“Thank you, my love,” Y/N said. “I would do it but I am not sure if other High Lord’s will take me seriously yet.”
“Of course they do,” Eris said. “They probably take you more seriously than me.”
Y/N chuckled slightly before pulling away from Eris. “I can’t wait to marry you.”
“I can’t wait to marry you,” Eris replied, pushing his chair back.
Y/N felt the gentle caress of his hand against hers before she felt Eris tugging her until she was situated in his lap. Her arms immediately wrapped around his neck. 
“I get to call you my wife,” Eris whispered softly. “My mate and my wife, the love of my life, the most incredible female in the world, how am I ever going to introduce you to people?”
Y/N smiled. “You could always list all of them. And possibly add a few more.”
“Your head is going to be too big to walk through that door,” Eris teased. He looked at Y/N before his face suddenly became serious. “But thank you, Y/N. For giving me the love I never thought I deserved.”
Y/N gently pressed her lips against his and felt the way Eris melted into her body. “Thank you, Eris. For not only helping me get out of the Night Court, but for making me realise that I deserved more.”
Eris’s only response was to surge forward and press his lips against hers, harder than before. All of the love and emotion, Y/N felt it all and it was the most amazing feeling. 
As Eris’s lips left hers and began to pepper them down her neck, Y/N pulled away and Eris groaned. With a chuckle, Y/N climbed off his lap. “We can finish that later. Now I need you to write to Kallias and make sure Aliana’s mother gets her by tomorrow. I have some other things I need to attend to.”
“And what would those be?” Eris asked.
“I have some more invitations to give out.”
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nocasdatsgay · 24 days
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You’re gonna look at me and tell me mama’s boy Eris Vanserra, who probably watched his mama struggle cause you know Beron ain’t shit, wouldn’t take his babies to meeting with him so his spouse can rest?
You’re gonna tell me he wouldn’t use a nursing pot (aka a bottle) if it meant his spouse could have a moments peace?
And you KNOW he would light up any male who questioned him or made a comment about it. He’s high lord. He does what he wants and what he wants is to be a better male and father than Beron ever was.
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fever-fluff · 4 months
Text
Part I - Quick as a Fox
word count: 2.3k (not proof read)
will contain spoilers for the ACOTAR series
“What could Rhysand possibly need that would be out here, Shadowsinger.” Lucien’s voice was thick with disdain, swatting another branch from the thick brush they walked through.
“Scared of getting you breeches a little dirty, Lucien? Doesn’t seem like you do well in the dirt.” Azriel’s sneer was no better, and the innuendo about Elain did not fly past Lucien so easily.
“Believe me, its not the first time I’ve gotten it on my knees, maybe you’d like to hear all about my time in the garden last week-” Lucien was quick to block the fist aiming for his gut, but it threw him off balance all the same, soft ground beneath him not much to grip.
Azriel came at him again, “Shut your filthy mouth, Vanserra.” Lucien just laughed at the male’s brazen behaviour towards the female he’d tried to snatch for himself. It had been months now since the last solstice, and the catastrophe of the necklace had caused a rift between Azriel and Elain that Lucien had, without regret, used to his advantage. Elain was mated to him, and he’d agreed to Rhys’ wish of not inciting a blood rite  over the shadowsingers obvious display of disrespect.
He had not pushed Elain in the slightest with his affections, but he had made it clear they were there. And after finding a bitterness under all that façade of sweet, Lucien had coaxed it out. It turned out she had more in common with Nesta than they’d all first thought, and he relished in the fire when she let it out.
The two tumbled as they fought, both to engrossed in getting another blow to the others face when they stumbled down a concealed ridge. They had separated just as the reached the bottom, and went to got at it again until Lucien noticed what they’d fallen into.
“Mother above”
Azriel looked to what was behind him, sucking in a breath and the grove of statues they’d landed in. “What the damned is this place?” walking around, the two noticed now that they were not statues, but petrified bodies of fae of all kinds. Lucien stopped in front of a certain one, loosing a shudder as he recognised the face in front of him. “I can’t be…”
Azriel joined his side, analysing the kneeling figure in from of him. The arms were twisted as if two fae had hold of her while the magic took effect. A sneer crossed her features, and he felt a shiver as he though of what it might have looked like in flesh. There was pure hatred in those eyes, and the snarl of her lips was something that he’d only seen on the most animalistic of his kind. Though she looked to be high fae, with pointed sharp ears, her demeanour was something he’d place in a wild beast.
“We need to free her.” “Are you mad?!” Lucien had already turned and began sifting through his sack, pulling viles as he went. “Lucien, who the Hel is she?!” he started mixing different liquids together, the mixture turning all different shades of different colours too quick for Azriel to catch.
“Someone who may be able to help.” “Hah…?”
Before Azriel could stop him, Lucien poured the new potion on to the top of the statue, and waited as it took effect. It was a simple reversal but depending on the depth of the initial fae's magic when she had been petrified, the time to undo the curse was debatable.
So they sat a respectable distance apart, and watched the statue like hawks. The sun had started to dip in the sky by the time they noticed the stone slowly shift, and a pale complexion took its place. Her chest began to slowly rise and fall, and a flutter of her eyelids became stronger as the hours passed on.
The moon had taken its place in the sky, and both males had drifted off into the land of the unconscious until they heard harsh coughing. The statue, now skin, moved achingly while the faes body returned to normal. Lucien cautiously moved towards her with a canister of water, “Fox, its alright, we’re not here to harm you...” The slap of the canister from Lucien’s hand was quick and strong, too strong for someone who had atrophied for mother only knows how long now. What was even more miraculous was the speed she moved towards the brush to their right, finding a small stream to gulp out of heavily. Azriel made to move on her, but Lucien held his hand up as a signal to wait, “don’t spook her, unless you don’t like having limbs anymore.”
Once she’d had her fill, she turned her eyes to the two of them, and he could have sworn they flickered between a serpent’s slits to the fae oval. As she spoke, her voice cracked from years of disuse, but he could hear the power she could wield it with, “I suggest you both start talking before you have no more tongues to do so.”
Azriel’s responding growl was low, truth-teller now grasped in his hand as he etched closer to her, “you shouldn’t make threats you can’t follow through on, bitch. In your state, this is going to go only one way. With your throat at my bla-”
Too fast. Way too fast for someone only after waking from such a long prison did the woman lunge for Azriel, snapping at his wrist with both hands and knocking the knife from his hand. He didn’t have time to reach for another as her body morphed, twisting into muscle and scales, wrapping round his body and wings and tightening instantly. She’d wrapped the latter half of her body round him like a snake, leaving her upper body in the fae state and sneered when he choked for air as she squeezed, “what was that? Sorry, I cant hear you over your own spit.”
“Fox, let him go, please.” Lucien had backed up, hands in surrender. Her gaze moved to him, and the recognition that lanced through her eyes did nothing to ease the grip she had on Azriel’s body. “I never thought I’d see a child of autumn beg for the life of an Illyrian.”
“There’s a lot of things you don’t know. But the High Lord of Night won’t take it well if you kill his spymaster on my watch.” Finally, she eased herself off, and Aziel gasped for the precious air he’d missed. She’d put a reasonable amount of distance between them all, still on guard with how the serpentine part of her body coiled like a spring. Once he’d finally reached his feet again, she started looking for answers, “How long have I been asleep? How do you know who I am?”
“If my brother’s words are something to go off of, half a century, maybe more.” Lucien flashed her that goddamned smile, “I’m Lucien, Beron’s youngest son.”
That didn’t seem to placate her like he’d hoped, and Lucien wasn’t quick enough to move away from her attack. Talons retched from her fingernails, and she had him in her grip before he even had a chance to realise. “I suggest you keep his name out of your mouth, child, before I really do rip out your tongue.”
“He’s telling the truth, he’s a Vanserra.” Azriel wouldn’t make it in time to stop her if she made for his neck. She snorted, “And what makes you think I would believe a word that comes out of your mouth, Shadowsinger.” Shit, she’d caught on to his shadows. He pulled them back from the two, holding up his hands in the fashion Lucien had before. “You know who I am?”
“Everyone knows the little toy the High Lord of Night uses in his arsenal of weapons, though congrats on the promotion. Spymaster seems fitting for your type of… constitution.”
She’s turned her attention back to the redhead lying beneath her, “If you are telling the truth, my lord won’t be too happy if I slit this lovely, tanned neck of yours. So, I suggest you both stay where you are until I am far enough away to not turn back and change my mind.”
“wha-”
She was gone before the two could blink.
“What in gods damned was that, Lucien?!” Azriel’s anger was far beyond livid. But the autumn male simply stood, rubbing at his neck, still feeling the ghost of her claws on his skin.
“Her name’s fox. She’s been missing since before the war. One of the most dangerous fae Beron ever had under his control. He used to tell me stories of her, to scare me into going to bed.”
“And you didn’t think waking her would be a bad idea, considering she has no clue who you are?!” Lucien winced under his tone, “I thought she’d smell that we were related, nothing gets past her senses. But I suppose I really didn’t think…”
“Rhysand is gonna be pissed, you realise this?” Azriel started to pace. If they really had released something like that with no safeguards, nothing to stop her from returning to Autumn, they could be in for a lot more trouble with Beron than they first expected.
“Yea, I know.” The two made to go back to Velaris, winnowing silently.
Quick. Quick as a fox. You need to be fast, faster than anything that might catch you. His voice rang in your ears as you sprinted through the thicket, four paws pushing silently off the ground at each lurch of your body. Come on, fox. I know you’re faster than that. The hounds are going to rip you to shreds if they catch you, I wont hold them back. Gods, you needed to run. If you were still in the grove, that meant you were only one court away from Autumn, the winter court.
Sure enough, a border of ice and snow came into view, and the fur you wore changed from the fire red of his hair to the white of winter. They’d never feel you breach the border; animals came and went as seasons changed, even in the eternal courts. And your winter body would blend you into one of them long enough for you to pass through unnoticed. You’d run, run as fast as you could until you reached him.
Five hundred years you haven’t been watching from the shadows. Watching and waiting. You knew the day they took you he wouldn’t look for you. You had failed him, had gotten caught. You are my fox, quick and sly. But if you get caught in a snare, there will be nothing I can do to stop the hunters from claiming their game.
Hours had passed until you reached the land of Autumn, and your body returned to the red that you never forgot in your imprisonment. It was all you could remember of him, that and his cruel disposition. You had forgotten his eyes, but never the feeling as they landed on you with cold contempt.
You made for the cabin on the base of the mountains. You knew he’d keep it warded. And all you had to do was cross the threshold and he’d come for you.
Being encased in that stone should have turned you mad, but the hot anger you had been laced with for the change had kept you burning with sanity. You would be no good to him if you’d freed yourself and come back with no wits. So it had burned, for year upon year, until the red head idiot decided he knew who you were and released you.
He hadn’t smelt like Beron, you’d checked. Lady of Autumn, sure, but Beron was no where in his blood. You wondered what happened there.
The cabin was in sight when you felt your legs give out. Shifting back, you wobbled on fae legs to the front of the porch. But you couldn’t sit. If he came and couldn’t remember you, you’d have to make fast work at fleeing before he decided you were a threat to his oasis.
It didn’t take long for the beating of hooves and the pounding of paws to reach your ears. Light flickered in the distance, one lone torch among the forest of orange and yellow.
Standing steady, you raised your head as the face you’d forgotten became clear. Gods, now that it was in front of you again, you realised it had never left you. It haunted your dreams, your nightmares, and every waking moment you sat kneeling in that grove. You'd only forgotten that it was real, and not a figment of your trapped mind.
Nothing was said as the hounds came charging, ready to tear whatever decided to breach their master’s property. But the wave of scent you let wash over you had them stopping in their tracks. Now unsure of whether you were truly the threat they were first ordered to rid.
“State your business, before I am no longer lenient with my dogs’ lag.” He voice sounded harder than you could think to remember. You hated it, wondering what he'd done in the time you were gone to sound like that. But you bowed deep, knee hitting the wood beneath you in reverence, “my lord.”
You didn’t dare lift your head, couldn’t bear it if you looked up and saw nothing of recognition in his eyes. But the sharp inhale, small enough that only you would ever hear it, loosed the fear filling your chest. “Fox?” you smiled.
“It’s been a long time, Eris.”
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florencemtrash · 4 months
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Flame, Shadow, Beast : Beast I
Azriel x Reader x Eris
Summary: Years after Eris frees you from his father’s prison, you’ve managed to find a new love, new friends, and build a life for yourself in Autumn. But when a certain Shadowsinger stumbles upon your home, dragging in painful memories of betrayal and longing, you’ll have to face the things you left in the past and make choices about the future you want.
Warnings: Some Inner Circle slander. Angst... like a lot of it. And a family dinner that goes horribly wrong.
Flame, Shadow, Beast: Masterlist
Masterlist of Masterlists
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Bryaxis left you to find Eris. You were sure of it. 
That is good, you thought, as you wiped away your tears and picked yourself off the floor. 
If Azriel was able to enter Autumn unnoticed, you’d both need to reevaluate the security around Forest House and send a strong message to Rhysand that your thin alliance did not mean Azriel was permitted to enter and leave at will. 
You swallowed your tears and collected your breath just as Eris rushed into the house like a tornado, scooping you up in his arms and searching you over with frantic eyes.
“I’m alright, Eris.” You murmured into his soft hair, breathing in his scent and finding it eased your aching heart, “He didn’t hurt me.” 
Bryaxis followed in behind the High Lord, gave you both a nod and ran out again, this time in the form of a falcon. He was going to make good on your promise. If Azriel wasn’t out of Autumn by now he was as good as dead.
“Physically, you mean.” Eris said, lowering you to the floor and pulling you close.
You sighed, leaning against him. He pressed a kiss to your forehead.
“I worry about you in all ways, Y/n. But I confess, if he was able to best you in a fight I’d be surprised. I’d bet my money on you any day.”
You laughed without humor. Your mind went to business, as it always did when you wanted to ignore your true feelings. 
“We should talk about defenses. I don’t like that he was able to enter Autumn unnoticed. Did you feel anything at all? Any disturbance?”
Eris’s jaw tightened. He knew what you were doing and wanted to take the time to talk through what you were feeling. But the look in your eyes told him now was not a good time. 
He shook his head, “Azriel’s powers have always been clouded in mystery. My father spent years trying to keep him out. Clearly he wasn’t successful.”
“Once Bryaxis is back, I’ll ask that he keep guard - at least for a short time. Spread his power out over the borders. He’s built from the same darkness that seeps out from the Night Court and might have a better chance of sensing when things are wrong.”
And so are you. You crawled out of that darkness and survived. Eris’s eyes said, but you didn’t like to dwell on that truth often. 
Years spent as Beron’s prisoner had changed you - made you more like the Shadowsinger than you cared to admit. Frustratingly it hadn’t made you any better at sensing when he was in your house and in your court.
“Good. I’ll speak to Halvor about increasing the guards posted around Forest House and the borders. We’ll keep it discreet and have Halvor winnow them.”
“And check for any missing guardsmen. He was wearing Autumn Court armor and either had to have stolen it or had it made himself.” You held out the patch of leather in your hand, discretely cut from the folds of his hood when you’d been speaking. Large enough for Myrah to scry with.
“It’s a good start.” Eris said, smoothing back the wrinkles in your forehead that came from irritation. He pressed his lips to your forehead, murmuring, “Talk to me, my love. And not about business this time.” 
Your fists clenched and unclenched, anger brewing inside of you. But not all of it was directed at the Shadowsinger.
“I just-” You huffed, “I didn’t know he was here. I didn’t sense him. I thought the next time I saw him it would be on my own terms. That I’d be more prepared.” You kicked at the ground, sending one of your abandoned knives skittering across the floor, “Instead I froze.”
“Bryaxis didn’t seem to think so. He told me he’s never seen you punch anyone that hard.” You frowned at him, but the pride and satisfaction that twinkled in his eyes melted away some of your sadness, like the first rays of spring on winter frost.
You dropped your gaze to the floor, “He said he and Rhysand were the only ones to know about the deal.” Flames flared to life in his eyes, like someone had shone a light through amber stones. “He asked to visit with the others. In Autumn.” 
Eris nodded slowly, carefully. He didn’t like this, didn’t like this at all. 
“Is that what you want? To see them again?”
You missed some of them more than others. You missed Cassian’s boyish humor, Nesta’s blunt honesty, Feyre’s love for all things creative, and the bright light that Mor seemed to carry around with her as easily as a torch. You even missed Amren, who’d come to tolerate you well enough in the few years you’d spent with the Inner Circle. 
But Rhysand and Azriel… You would have missed them the most if not for what they’d done. Rhysand who you’d once seen as a brother, and Azriel, who you could have fallen in love with so easily if he hadn’t constantly pined over other females. Perhaps you had fallen in love with him at one point. Maybe that’s why it hurt so badly to see him again.
“I…I don’t know.”
“You don’t have to make the decision now.” Eris said, tilting your chin up with gentle fingers, “But I would like to ask you one thing.”
“Since when do you ever ask for things?” You said, trying to lighten up your spirits by toying with your lover.
He shook his head, “I am a very greedy male. I ask for many things from you - your time, your love, your attention.” 
“And what would you like to ask for now?” 
Eris hesitated.
“For you to move to the Forest House. Today. I’ll send for the rest of your things in the morning.” 
“Today?”
“Today.” You looked around the house. It had steadily been emptying the last two months, coming with you to the Forest House in bits and pieces as your once nonexistent visits to Court became more and more regular. It was all part of the plan to introduce you to Court life and prepare you for the role you’d one day take at Eris’s side.
“I thought you wanted to take time. Prepare things better-”
“I know. I know that was the plan. But I’d feel infinitely better with you under the roof of Forest House with me… with me.”
“Azriel doesn’t know about us yet. The other courts don’t know.” You said. 
Eris had always been so careful, so cautious concerning you, paying the townspeople for their silence, spreading rumors of visiting pleasure houses and flirting with the bolder females in court to disguise the one person who warmed his bed. You didn’t want him to feel rushed.
“I know.” Eris steeled himself. The scars on his back flexed uncomfortably, pulling and stretching at his flesh with memories of the past, “I don’t want to be afraid of that anymore.” He said, “I’ve lived in fear my whole life, unable to protect the ones I love. You know this. I can do it now, with you standing next to me.”
“I just… I want to make sure you’re not doing this against your will because of what happened today.” You said it sincerely. Eris was all about plans and safety and heavily disliked straying from them.
Eris froze and then laughed, a full-bodied laugh that shook his sturdy frame and surprised you.
“What did I say?” You asked. When he didn’t answer, continuing to laugh, you slapped his shoulder, “What did I say?! Tell me!”
“Oh, my love.” He sighed, stealing a kiss, “I’m not asking you to come home with me because of the meddlings of another court. I’m asking you because I want you there.” 
You blushed furiously, color flooding into your cheeks.
“Don’t look so surprised.” He said.
“I’m not surprised! We’ve talked about this.”
“We have! We’ve talked about this in great detail.” You glanced around the room. It had stopped feeling like home some time ago. Home was where Eris was.
“Today?”
“Yes.”
“As in right now.” 
“Well I would give you time to pack whatever you think you’ll need for the next day. I’m not a brute.” 
It was your turn to laugh, wrapping your arms around his neck and kissing him fiercely on the lips. He tasted like cinnamon and cloves. 
You packed a small bag of your most treasured belongings - few in number as most had already been brought to the Forest House - and then you were off. Bryaxis would find you wherever you were and you would be able to sense if anything was wrong with him. Even now you felt his power near the borders of Autumn where he prowled about on his mission. But Azriel was long gone from the Autumn Court.
The Forest House was bustling with energy when you arrived, fae of all shapes and sizes bowing to you and Eris, carrying baskets of bread, honeysuckle, walnuts, and pumpkins against their hips to bring to the kitchens. 
Myrah, Halvor, and Aurelia - The Lady of Autumn - were there to greet you.
Myrah bowed deeper than the rest, grinning from ear to ear as she took your belongings and ran them to your room. She had served Lady Aurelia dutifully as a blademaiden for over fifty years, and now she would serve you with just as much fervor.
“My Lady.” You said, bowing your head. 
Aurelia’s scarlet hair and amber eyes were a twin to Eris’s and she smiled at you with a light that had never fully dimmed during her marriage to Beron. Lucien might have been her favored son - the one born out of love and passion - but Eris was the most like her in appearance and she thanked the Mother for that every day.
“I’ll have none of that.” Aurelia said, grasping you by the arm and forcing you to stand upright. She ran her thumbs over your cheeks before dipping her head towards her son and leading you away for a proper meal and rest.
So it went for the next few months. You dove into your court duties during the day, attending meetings with Eris and Aurelia, court dinners, and pouring over reports by the warm light of the fires that filled every room in the Forest House. Your evenings were dedicated to your research in the libraries with Bryaxis curled up comfortably in your lap. And your nights were filled with Eris, whispered words under satin covers, hands resting comfortably against your back and thighs, silken strands of red hair between your fingers.
You ignored the letters that arrived on your desk from the Night Court for as long as you could. Nesta had even made her way through Winter to visit you in person, only to be turned away at the border personally by Myrah. 
That had been the call for you to finally invite them to dinner at the Autumn Court.
The blademaiden, soft and swift as wind and more resilient than iron, brushed through your hair carefully, weaving thin leaves of gold into the braids until your hair gleamed when it caught the light.
Bryaxis was partial to her, puffing his chest out from his seat on the vanity until Myrah stopped her work to give him a quick kiss on his little black head.
“I think you might be his favorite person.” You quipped, smiling at her through the mirror as Bryaxis continued to sit ramrod straight, waiting for another display of affection. Myrah obliged, scratching him behind his ears as he closed his eyes and rumbled in satisfaction. 
“Pffft. Everyone knows he’d go mad if you so much as chipped a tooth.”
“Teeth are important! It’s less impressive when you snarl at enemies with a gap in your teeth.” 
Myrah snorted, finishing your hair and wrapping her arms carefully around you. Her hair was similarly arranged with silver instead of gold to better match her gray-blonde hair and steel gray eyes. She looked like the thunderclouds that rolled over the hills before rain. 
You patted her arm before moving over to the full length mirror, carved from a single slab of wood to look like birds in flight. Your breath caught in your throat. The wine-red dress hung from your frame as light as air, threaded with black and gold around the careful beadwork so that you rustled with light and energy. You looked otherworldly.
Myrah brought her hands to her lips, glowing with pride and happiness. For years she’d seen Lady Aurelia wilt and endure. It was good to know you would not suffer the same fate. She’d sooner die than let anything happen to you. Even Bryaxis was impressed with your appearance, shifting between shadow and flesh as he regarded you with a molten eye.
A knock on the door drew your eyes away from your reflection. Aurelia stepped inside with an ornate wooden box in her slender hands, looking like a living flame and crossing the room on light and even steps.
“How are you feeling, my dear?” She asked gently, putting the box down and taking your hands in hers. Myrah bowed and took her leave, taking up her position outside the door. The folds of her skirt concealed a gleaming silver sword and no shortage of other weapons. 
Bryaxis also followed, rubbing against Aurelia’s ankle with a gentle purr as went.
You took a deep breath after the door shut.
“Nervous.” You said honestly, “More than I would like to be.”
“That’s understandable.” Aurelia said, surveying the curve of your dress, your neck, and ears and nodding. “You look powerful. Myrah did well. Not that you needed the help.” She whispered the last few words like a secret, as if concerned the female outside would overhear and find offense. 
You smiled.
“But, I think you’re missing a few elements.” 
You blinked, smoothing your skirts and looking around. You hadn’t thought you were missing anything.
Aurelia opened the box, compartments springing outward like the unfurling of alocasia leaves. Rows upon rows of jewelry, some delicate and some that weighed as heavy as stones, were laid out neatly. 
You blushed furiously.
“Eris didn’t-I mean this is too much”
Aurelia tipped her head back in laughter, hair swaying across her graceful back like the flickering of candlelight against a window. 
“Now that you are here I am sure Eris will spare no expense. But these are from me.” 
With patience and a careful hand she helped you pick out a thin pair of bracelets that snaked up your arm like the veins of a riverbed, golden cuffs that accentuated the length of your ears, and finally a dainty necklace of amber and gold.
“This one looks different from the others.” You said, tracing the thin chain against your chest, “It’s beautiful.” 
Aurelia smiled, a quiet sadness in her eyes. “It wasn't made in Autumn.”
“Where was it-” You paused. A knowing look passed between you two. “I understand.”
The clock chimed. A gentle ring that made your heart beat faster. It was time. The Night Court would have arrived already - if they decided to be punctual that was. 
“I suppose it’s time.” You said, offering your arm to the Lady of Autumn. 
“One more thing.” She said, grasping your shoulders so you stood face to face. The crown glittered in her hair - a thin band of gold from which grew garlands of paper thin flowers and maple leaves interwoven with redwood. It was said to have been made by one of Autumn’s Old Gods, a powerful relic that spoke of traditions past that the people still honored.
It rested on your head now, laid there by Aurelia’s slender hands.
“Perfect.” She said with a smile, tilting your head up with two fingers beneath your chin.
“I can’t-I can’t wear this.” 
“You can, and you will. Your Lady commands it.” She took your hand in hers, squeezing it with all the love of a mother, and led you out the door.
Myrah was vibrating with excitement and kept stealing glances as the crown on your head. Bryaxis curled up around her shoulders as she trailed after you and the Lady of Autumn. 
Eris and Halvor were already waiting by the steps to the great hall - Halvor in his general attire, and Eris looking like the heart of Autumn in a resplendent suit of bronze, gold, and scarlet. He stilled when you approached, eyes darting to the crown in your hair and softening. His mother only nodded, giving you both her silent blessing.
“You look beautiful.” He murmured as you took his arm.
“As do you.” 
Halvor coughed and Myrah rolled her eyes.
“You also look wonderful, Halvor.” You said, shaking your head with laughter.
He bowed deeply, “Thank you, My Lady.” 
You blushed. With the Lady of Autumn’s crown resting in your hair and the unofficial title rolling off Halvor’s tongue like it was the most natural thing in the world, it all felt like too much. 
Eris squeezed your hand in reassurance, flashing you one last smile before he would have to let the mask of the High Lord slide over his face. 
“Ready?”
You nodded. “Ready.” 
You descended the steps, Aurelia and Myrah (and Bryaxis) to your right and Halvor to Eris’s left. They were the beginnings of a proper court. An Inner Circle of their own. Eris swallowed the emotion, the gratefulness for everyone who stood with him, for another time. 
Still, he was looking at you when you all made your appearance and the Night Court’s conversations died in the air. 
Nesta, Cassian, Mor, Feyre, and Azriel all stood to one side of the table. Cut from the trunk of an ancient elder tree, the rings spoke of the passage of two thousand years. You felt insignificant in the face of all of that history, gripping Eris’s arm for reassurance as you led the way down the last flight of stairs. 
“Welcome to Autumn Court.” Eris said, voice cold and emotionless as he swept his arm out to the side and dipped his head ever so slightly. Everyone in the room followed suit… everyone except you. You weren’t going to waste a single moment on pleasantries when you could drink in the sight of your old family… if they had ever even been your family.
Nesta noticed, never taking her eyes off of you as she searched you head to toe, lingering on the glittering crown on your head with barely concealed surprise. 
The sight of it was a dagger through Azriel’s heart, twisting and turning without mercy as Eris placed his hand at the small of your back. Protective, cautious, and ready to winnow you away at the first sign of trouble. 
It should have been him standing beside you. 
Rhysand was conspicuously absent as you’d expected. There was no way he’d drag the core members of the Inner Circle to Autumn and leave Velaris vulnerable. But perhaps it was better this way.
“Y/n.” Nesta said, breaking the awkward silence that followed. Her voice came out strangled with grief.
You blinked in surprise at the emotion in her voice. There was a hollowness beneath her eyes where dark shadows gathered, thinly covered with makeup to make them less noticeable. 
Your teeth ground together to hide the trembling in your lips. 
Nesta. Beautiful, sharp, and terrifying Nesta. Nesta who you’d dragged home from bars, stumbling and wasted. Nesta who you’d screamed at and cried with. Nesta who would never, ever let anything happen to the ones she cared about. 
“Nesta.” You said carefully. You looked at Eris and he gave you an almost imperceptible nod. 
Go on. This is for you. His eyes said. 
You let go of his arm, stepping forward like a boat slipped off its mooring. 
“Cass,” He smiled at you, warmth flooding his chest when you still used his nickname. 
“Feyre,” Her eyes glittered with starlight.
“Mor,” She let out a shaky breath.
You steeled yourself for the last, familiar face.
“Azriel.” He stood there, still as stone while his heart raged inside him.
“It’s… it’s good to see you all again.” The words flowed out of your mouth more easily than you’d expected and you found there was a great deal of truth to your words. 
The last you’d heard, Feyre was suspected to have given birth to another child - a girl this time. The gentle roundness of her figure and glow of her smile confirmed it. And Nesta and Cassian had married, twin rings of silver flashing on their fingers. Marriage was insignificant in the face of the bond they shared, but you were happy for them nevertheless. And Mor… Mor was as bold as ever, daring to race across the room and gather you up in her arms in a tight hug.
“I’m so sorry. I’m so so sorry.” She gasped, burying her face into your hair and breathing in your familiar scent. 
You stiffened in her arms.
Halvor’s arm shot out in front of Myrah, her hand hidden in the gathers of her skirt and resting on the knife strapped to her thigh. She was a coiled spring, ready to launch herself at anyone who dared touch you. It wasn’t until you slowly relaxed and returned Mor’s embrace that Myrah allowed herself to loosen, flashing a scowl in Halvor’s direction. He only smirked and winked at her.
“We didn’t know. Please believe me. Please come home.” Mor whispered the words for you and you alone. 
Come home.
You closed your eyes, breathing in deeply before peeling the female off of you. You didn’t try to ignore the pain or betrayal that flashed in her eyes when you stepped away and floated back to Eris’s side. 
“Please, sit.” You tapped Eris’s arm and with a snap of his fingers, mountains of food appeared on the table in front of you. Any other day your mouth would be watering at the sight, but today your stomach only clenched with nerves as you and Eris took your seats at the head of the table.
Feyre and Mor sat across from you at the other end, Azriel to their right and seated next to Aurelia and Myrah, and Nesta and Cassian to their left. The Lord of Bloodshed scowled at Halvor, who only smirked and dropped into the seat beside him. 
If anyone wanted to attack their High Lord and Lady, they’d have to tear through Halvor and Myrah to do it.
Aurelia was a blessing as always, pushing the conversation through the usual, pleasant motions even when tension hung thick in the air. 
How do you do it? You wondered, as she managed to draw a quiet laugh from Feyre’s lips. 
The High Lady of the Night Court wore a deep, wine red dress so dark it was nearly black. Only the warm light flickering from the three fireplaces and the faelight chandeliers dangling overhead hinted at the color of the fabric. Somehow you knew it was Feyre’s way of showing her support for you. 
She was shocked, as was everyone, when you’d appeared at the steps looking every bit like a High Lady beside Eris. And the love in his gaze hadn’t been lost on her. He looked at you the same way Rhys looked at her.
“How long have you been living here?” Feyre finally asked gently. 
You’d hardly touched the roasted quail and walnuts in front of you, carefully following the conversation and wondering who would be the first to ask you the questions they were all dying to know the answers to. You weren’t making things easy for them, sitting on your small throne of cedar and gold that was the twin to Eris’s seat and looking as impassible and aloof as a bronze sculpture.
Everyone’s eyes focused on you. Eris shifted ever so slightly in his seat, angling his body towards you and leaning on his hand with a carefully crafted expression of boredom on his beautiful face. 
“Eight years. Almost nine now.” You said, swallowing a bite of food with difficulty. The Inner Circle froze, the sounds of singing cutlery falling silent.
“Eight years?” Cassian said, his face paleing. 
Nesta’s grip on her fork and knife tightened, knuckles turning white as the silverware struggled not to bend. 
“We didn’t hear you were alive until four months ago. If we’d known…” Feyre’s voice faltered.
“You would have visited sooner? Don’t bother yourself with that. I didn’t want you to know. I wanted to be left alone.” 
Azriel seemed to shrink in his seat when you said that. After all, he’d helped set this all into motion. 
“So what changed?” Mor asked, almost accusingly. It was the first time she’d spoken since embracing you and the sting of your rejection hadn’t dissipated over dinner. “You’ve moved into the Forest House. Been seen at court. With him. If you want to be left alone, to stay hidden, you’re doing a terrible job of it.”
Before Eris could spit back a reply, Halvor growled threateningly, banging the table with his fist. “I’d watch my tone if I were you.” He said as smoke rose from between his fingers. 
If it was any other court they were dining with, Eris would have warned Halvor to control his temper. As it was, he only gave a minor nod of approval to his brother. There were many things they disagreed on, but one thing was certain - they’d both protect you to their last breath.
“You’re being awfully silent, Eris.” Mor spit out, completely ignoring Halvor and Eris’s rightful title. 
“Mor.” Feyre hissed in warning. 
Your eyes turned dark.
Eris swirled the wine in his goblet, taking a careful sip and making a point of looking languid and unimpressed. 
“I don’t have anything to say.” He paused, “Actually, that’s a lie. I have much I would like to say to you. Choice words that your precious Inner Circle wouldn’t appreciate hearing.” He looked at you, eyes softening as he downed the rest of his wine, “But tonight’s not about me.” 
“Y/n.” Mor said, half in anger and half in desperation, “Stop this and come home. You don’t belong here.” 
“And why should you have a say in where she belongs?” Myrah said. Her normally soft and lilting voice was low and deadly, “You were the ones who abandoned her in our court to die. Does the story sound familiar to you, Morrigan?” 
“Mor,” Cassian and Feyre both reached for her hands, but she ripped out of their hold, standing up with an ugly groan of her chair as it was sent toppling backwards. 
Her chest heaved with fury, fingers twitching for a weapon that wasn’t there. 
Myrah matched her anger, knife sliding into her hand with ease as she pointed it at the blond-haired female across the table, “Who’s the villain now? Or will you do what you’ve always done and blame it on my High Lord?”
The tension in the room finally snapped.
Mor screamed in fury, launching herself across the table. Before Myrah could land the first blow - a wild glee in her eyes - Azriel leapt up from his seat. He angled himself in between the two females, wrapping his arms around Mor’s waist and pulling her away as she continued to fight back and scream bloody murder. 
Feyre’s jaw clenched, slamming against Mor’s mental shields. Her commands to stop fell on deaf ears.
“You bitch! I’m going to kill you!” 
Myrah beckoned her forward, daring Mor to try. 
At some point in the chaos of it all, Bryaxis had changed form, taking on the shape of a bear and climbing onto the table beside Halvor. Cassian pushed Nesta behind him, his already pale face blanching further as he recognized the monster that bared its teeth at him and his mate. 
“THAT’S ENOUGH!” You slammed your hands against the table and stood up, your powers exploding outward in a rush of darkness and dampening the powers of everyone in the room. Everyone except Eris.
He stood up slowly and moved to stand behind you, one hand resting on your waist. His touch grounded you.
He’d felt your power before. He understood it. And he would not stand in the way of it. He would not stand in the way of you. 
And he would not let you stand alone.
Mor stilled in Azriel’s arms, gasping as the suffocating nature of your power lifted off of her. Everyone slowly recoiled back into their seats. 
Bryaxis returned to your side, inky eyes surveying the scene like a hawk.
“I invited you here so you would know that I am safe and well and happy. Not so you could insult and threaten my family. If you want to continue like this, you may as well save us the trouble and leave.” 
Mor took in a shaky breath, face hidden behind her golden blond curls, and went silent. 
“You should have told us.” There was no saving this evening, and Nesta finally took the opportunity to say her piece. “You should have told us you were alive. We would never have left you here alone. We would have brought you home.” 
“Don’t you dare, Nesta.” You seethed, “Don’t you dare make me out to be some traitor. I never told Beron anything. No matter what he did to me. No matter what he threatened to do. I never betrayed you.” 
Nesta’s eyes were two thin chips of ice and the knife she’d kept in her hand snapped in two, clattering to the floor. But the cold anger she harbored in her heart was not aimed at you. 
“We didn’t know.” She said, “I nearly killed Azriel and Rhysand when I found out what they’d done.” 
Azriel flexed his shoulders, feeling the memory of Nesta’s blade stabbing through the scar there. She’d aimed for his heart. It was only because Cassian intervened that he’d been spared. Now he wished her aim had been true, maybe then he would have been spared the look of heartbreak on your face now. 
“What kind of an excuse is that?! If Beron had asked for anyone else in the Inner Circle none of you would have dared to even entertain the idea of a trade to get Elain back.”
“There was no other choice.” Mor said weakly, trying her best to defend Azriel as he had always defended her. 
The mighty Shadowsinger looked like death next to her. Still and empty.
He’d never been quite the same after handing you off to Beron. When Elain had been returned to their family safe and sound and curled up in his arms, it wasn’t the joyous reunion they’d been hoping for. 
Azriel had left a piece of himself behind with you, something he’d never managed to get back.
“THERE’S ALWAYS ANOTHER CHOICE!” 
The rage and heartbreak stirred within you. Never gone. Never forgotten. Only contained. 
“You would have gone to the ends of the earth to protect your own. You would have burned the world to the ground rather than agree to a trade of lives.” 
Your eyes narrowed in on the High Lady, someone you’d once respected and would have died for.
“Feyre. What would you have done? Hmmm? What would you have done if Beron asked for Mor, or Cassian, or gods forbid Nyx in return for Elain?”
Feyre’s confidence faltered, the mask of the High Lady cracking and splintering under your forceful gaze.
“What would you have done?”
“I… I would have-” Her voice broke, “I would have given myself or died trying to find another way. I never… I never would have done what we did to you.” 
“I would have done it.” You whispered. “If that’s what you’d asked of me. If that’s what needed to be done, I would have gone to Beron willingly to help you.” 
Eris closed his eyes at the admission. It burned him to see you like this. Pieces of his heart cracking along with yours. He wanted nothing more than to winnow you away from this place. From these people.
“It was my fault.” Azriel said, stepping into your line of sight and hiding his High Lady behind him. His hazel eyes bore into yours, begging you to listen to him. “I was the one who told Rhys to agree to the trade. I was the one who convinced him not to tell anyone until it was too late. If you are to blame or hate anyone, blame me. Hate me.” 
Your lips trembled, eyes burning with unshed tears as you took in shaky gulps of air. You should have hated him. You should have wanted to bury him beneath the force of your power, steal away his breath, and kill him where he stood. And with the way he looked at you, propped up by longing and shame and hope, you knew he would let you. 
If you pulled out a sword, he’d kneel down and bend his neck forward. If you tackled him to the floor and beat him bloody, he’d smile to have you so close to him again.
It was a terrible, unfortunate thing that the fiercest kinds of hate existed only a hair’s width away from the fiercest kinds of love. Because the truth was you didn’t hate him. No matter how much you’d convinced yourself that you hated him, it wasn’t true. You loved him. And that was a far, far worse thing.
The bond snapped into place for you so suddenly, so much like a blow to your chest that you stumbled back, crashing into Eris’s solid form as he wrapped his arms around you. It burned in the deepest parts of your soul, filling you with a warmth and light that should have comforted you but instead only made you cower.
“No.” You gasped, curling into Eris’s chest and ignoring the looks of horror from everyone in the room. 
Azriel was kneeling on the floor, one scarred hand clutching his chest as he felt the fullness of the bond rear its mighty head. 
It was everything that he had ever wanted. He could feel you on the other side of the bond as naturally as he felt his own being and you were bright and warm and lovely and fierce. You were more overwhelming than a winter storm. More devastating than an earthquake.
He thought he was going mad. He wanted to kill Eris for holding you like that - for holding his mate. But… you looked so scared. Scared of him. 
“No. No. No no no no no no.” You repeated over and over again, burying your face into Eris’s shoulder as Aurelia flew to your side, murmuring words into your ear that you couldn’t register.
“Y/n.” Azriel’s shadows were flying around him now, reaching out to you and desperately sliding up your arms and legs. Through the bond you felt it all - his shame, his self-hatred, his longing... His love.
Your power shot out in a wall around you at the same time that your mental shield slammed closed on the bond. His shadows beat back against your power and against the barrier you’d placed around your mind. You could still feel him there at the edges, begging to be let in. 
 The table shook and groaned, bottles of wine tipping over and crashing into waves of red over the floor as Cassian, Nesta, Mor, and Feyre slid backwards. 
Azriel stood his ground as best he could, half-crawling towards you against the whirlwind of your power. You faintly heard him roar your name over the sounds of the room tipping and turning. 
You were afraid to look at Eris. The one who’d given you a home. The one who’d promised you the world by his side. The one you loved and the one who loved you more than anything. 
Eris held your clinging form to him, fire exploding from around him and wrapping around his family members in a protective circle as Feyre, Cassian, and the rest called out to you, begging you to listen to them.
“Get out.” He roared. You trembled in his arms, clutching him tighter, but his words were not for you. “Get out of my house. Get out of my court or I swear to the Mother I will burn you where you stand.” 
His words, dangerous and unyielding, echoed throughout the room. 
Cassian pulled Nesta to his chest. 
“Nes, we need to go. Nes… She doesn’t want us here.” 
Every part of her being screamed at her not to leave you again, but Cassian was right. You didn’t want them here anymore. So after one last look at you, she took her husband’s hand and disappeared without a trace. 
Tears streamed down Mor’s face as she and Feyre shook Azriel, murmuring to him to get up. He stared, slack jawed and unrecognizable as he looked at you with more feeling in his expression than anyone had thought him capable of, silently begging at you to look at him, just once.
Feyre shook her head at Mor, grabbed him by the shoulders, and winnowed them all away. 
<- Previous Chapter Next Chapter ->
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Author's Note:
This was a really tough chapter for me to write because I wanted to get the nuances of all the characters correct and give everyone their own 'moment' during the dinner scene.
I want to make clear that I really like Nesta and Mor as characters and just because I write them be more 'hostile' towards Reader and just because Myrah attacks Mor and invalidates her past trauma does not mean I dislike them or have any hate for them.
*(And by 'Myrah' I mean me because... you know... I wrote the damn thing)
They're both complicated characters and I don't always condone the actions of the characters/versions of characters I write. It's just part of the fanfiction writing process that sometimes characters you have a lot of love and respect for have to become the antagonist in another person's storyline.
I just wanted to leave a note about that because I think Nesta and Mor get a lot of unfair hate from readers and I don't agree with that.
Thanks for reading and thanks for listening to my Ted Talk.
Love,
Florence B.
P.S. I know this chapter is pretty long (I think it's 6,000+ words) but I didn't want to disrupt the momentum by breaking up the chapter. Forgive me. Or don't.
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secret-third-thing · 6 months
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Day 5: Blood Duel
So excited to have commissioned @janearts for this delicious sketch of Eris! (But make it Edwardian/Victorian) I am OBSESSED!!!
@erisweek2023
Please do not repost
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