A Court of Light and Fire

Prologue

Author's Note:

Hi lovelies!! I have been a lover of fanfiction for years now and this is my first attempt at my own story so go easy on me lol. This story WILL have smut in it, however it will also be a very slow burn. If you as the reader are anything like me, I freaking L I V E for the smut and romance parts of fanfics and fantasy stories. 

The majority of the events in this story take place after ACOFAS, and will include a lot of the original characters from the OG series. There will be one or two instances where I change aspects of the ACOTAR canon/history simply because it fits better into my story. I will provide warnings when we get there and sorry if this upsets folks. This is my fic so I'll do what I want. Hehe

Now on to reading about our favorite bat boy and his wingspan<3

--------------------------------------Approximately 500 years ago-------------------------------------------

POV: Azriel

The war had been long, ugly, and brutal. After seven years of fighting, of tirelessly strategizing and rallying forces and securing alliances, the destruction of Prythian had finally ended on the bloody battlefield not even 24 hours ago. Azriel and the rest of the Night Court's Inner Circle still had not had a chance to rest with the ongoing negotiations involving all of the High Lords. Only a day since the war ended, and already a treaty had been written to build a wall that would forever separate the fae and human realms of Prythian.

When finally the Treaty was signed and the negotiations were concluded, Rhys, Cassian, and Azriel made their way back to the bloodstained fields where so many of their soldiers and friends had lost their lives. Not a sound could be heard aside from the occasional caw of a crow as it circled overhead, no doubt in search of its next meal.

"Rhys this can wait until morning. You need rest. We all do," Cassian argued as they searched through the bodies for any signs of life or survivors and began to make arrangements for burials. So many bodies covered the ground that they had to snake by in jagged zigzags and watch where they stepped at all times, lest they trip on a limb or dropped sword.

"Anyone still alive out here won't make it until morning. A snowstorm is headed in as we speak."

Azriel could hear the exhaustion in his voice, see it in his haunted face. They had all drained themselves of every drop of magical strength in their bodies. The seven siphons Cassian and Azriel each wore were sitting empty and useless on their bodies. For hours they searched and searched, occasionally finding a soldier still breathing and calling for an equally exhausted healer to examine their condition until the sun began to sink low in the sky. Azriel was assisting a healer in treating a deep leg wound on a young boy no older than 17 when he saw movement in the corner of his eye. He had to squint to make out the figure of what appeared to be a little girl with odd looking white wings and bright red hair. In the limited light he could barely make out any facial features other than her piercing blue eyes.

She has to be what, 7? 8? The hell is a little girl doing here? He thought as he scanned the field for anyone the girl might have been with. He looked back to where the girl had been standing and was alarmed to find her gone – as if she had vanished into thin air or never existed at all.

"Hella, did you see that? The little girl over there?" he called to the healer still working on the soldier with the hurt leg.

"Huh? Little girl?" Hella looked around and saw nothing aside from Azriel standing there looking confused. "There's no one out here. You've probably been awake so long your mind is playing tricks on you. I can finish up here. Go rest." She turned back to her task healing the boy's leg, a concentrated scowl on her face.

"But are yo-"

"If you don't shut your trap and go lay down for a while I'll put you to sleep right where you stand and have Cassian carry you back."

Azriel gave a dejected "hmph" and checked one last time for the little girl before making his way back to the camp. Maybe I am starting to see things.