The beginning of Gwyn and Azriel

Exiled Enough

  Gwyn could feel the excitement in the city.

  Starfall was tomorrow night and she had been giddy with the idea of it all.

  But she was mainly floating from remembering the last few nights with Azriel. He had held her, caressed her...listened to her. His patience was something she admired dearly.

  But, she mostly admired how he would watch her as she spoke...especially when she shared what kind of future they would have.

  She was high off the feelings....feelings of what? She could not distinguish them.All Gwyn knew, was that every creature on the planet deserved to feel the way she did. 

  That was her thought as she went to visit Tamlin on their weekly visits.

  He was beaming when he saw Gwyn climbing up to their spot.

  They quickly sat themselves in front of the rising sun, nestling in the warmth of it. And as Gwyn turned her head to stare at Tamlin, she felt a hollowness in her chest.

  She knew, that deep down, he had once felt such love for Feyre...and had it all ripped away. Gwyn could not imagine feeling so intensely and having it torn apart.

 "Tamlin..I-" she paused.

 "Yes, Gwyneth?' he smiled.

 "I am going to ask Rhysand to allow you to come to Starfall tomorrow.."

  He bowed his head into his paws, "I do not think that it such a good idea...I am not allowed in Velaris.."

  Gwyn shook her head, "Maybe he can make an exceptions if I ask."

 "As much as I would like to come, the High Lord of Night and I are not on good ground."

 "You could be my guest..."

 "Gwyn-"

 "I want you to come!" she stood.

 "I want you stop being in this exile! You are my Father and I am sick of traveling all this way just to see you.."

  There was a silence.

  That was the first time that Gwyn had called him her father.

 He lifted from the ground and stood straight in his beastly form.

 "I will speak to Rhysand then...I will tell him that my daughter wishes to spend Starfall with me."

 Gwyn smiled, "Tell Lucien as well."

****

  As she made her down the hill, Gwyn felt a weight lifted off her shoulders. She wanted to delve in the positive aura that surrounded her.

  She wanted a clear mind.

  She wanted to be swarmed with positivity.

  And with that, she asked Azriel to drop her off at the lake house.

  Gwyn's knuckles brushed on the door and Feyre opened with a friendly smirk.

 "Is Elain home?"

 "I will go call her," Feyre left her at the entrance.

  Gwyn fumbled with her fingers as she began to pace the marble foyer. Then she heard soft footsteps on the stairs and turned to see Elain in pink gown.

  She trailed down the steps like a dancer, her feet moving gracefully on the marble.

  Then they were standing face to face.

 "You called for me?" Elain asked.

 "Yes, would you like to walk with me?"

  Elain nodded and led Gwyn to the back porch, where they could indulge in the garden that Elain had been working on.

 "I wanted to apologize for hitting you...I do not, in away, condone female violence," Gwyn started.

 "And I do not want any heavy tension between us," Gwyn added.

  There was silence as they gazed at each other.

 "No...it should be I that should be apologizing," Elain whispered, sitting on one of the stone benches.

 "I am the one who caused such a hideous tension.." she lowered her head, unable to meet Gwyn's eyes.

 "I have been a mess for several years...but that does not excuse my behaviour. It does not excuse me touching your mate."

  Gwyn went to sit beside her, not sure what she could say.

  Elain parted her lips, "I was forced into this world and then I was forced a mate..."

  Gwyn let her spill her truths.

 "I thought I was in love with another, but it was just some silly infatuation," she paused.

 "Then with Az...he was so kind to me...so thoughtful...and I wanted to believe that I had a choice with who I wanted to be with."

  Gwyn felt that wicked green envy when Elain spoke about her m-

 "And I was so stupid," Elain murmured.

 "We all make mistakes," Gwyn assured.

 "I was stupid to do that to you and Azriel...I was stupid for rejecting my mate."

  Now Gwyn truly felt bad.

  That Archeron sister had just been lost in the new world she had been thrown into.

  Then Gwyn remembered how Lucien had been in the forest...how he called out for Elain in painful gasps.

 "I have invited Lucien to come to Starfall..." Gwyn started.

  Elain lifted her gaze to Gwyn, "He probably won't want to come and see me again.."

 "Why do you say that?" Gwyn's brows furrowed.

 "Because when I rejected him...it had not been a pretty scene...he had even gotten on his knees," Elain sobbed out into her hands.

 "He said he never wanted to speak to me again.."

 "Oh Elain, I am sure he just meant that in the spur of the moment."

 "No, I was horrible. I called him pathetic...I said I was in love with another male."

  Well, shit.

 "I do not think I should say this but," Gwyn trailed and Elain lifted her tearful eyes back to her.

 "When we trekked the forest and witnessed our deepest fears...Lucien's was the fear of losing you.."

  Another tear melted down Elain's face.

 "I think you should speak with him, but give him space about it," Gwyn paused.

 "Because I think he is finally healing and  he deserves it all."

  "I just wish I had not been so stupid...because we could have been healing together," Elain whispered.

  Gwyn lay a gentle hand on her back.

 "Sometimes you do not need another to heal...sometimes it is just you working everyday to better yourself."

  Elain finally looked at Gwyn...like she was staring at her for the first time.

 "I always saw Azriel loving passionately in the future...and I had a wild belief that it would be me who received his love...but I had been blind..."

 "Because now all my visions make sense.." Elain paused.

 "I do not think another person, but you, could be deserving enough for his love."

  Gwyn's heart warmed from it all.

 "And what does your sense tell you about your own mate?" Gwyn asked.

 Elain smiled softly, "My sense tells me...that things may change on Starfall..."