A Court Of Moonlight And Shadows (An Azriel/ACOTAR Fanfiction)

Chapter 4

"Oh, fuck you."

"Thanks. "

"I hope we both fall to our deaths."

"If you don't shut up, I will make you fall to your death."

See, the ocean wasn't that far, but as Feyre had warned Azriel, Arcane was stubborn and refused to fly with him until he had to fling her on his shoulder and fly. She thrashed around until he was at a considerable height and she turned pale.

"Oh, you're going to drop me? Me? You?" She laughed.

"Why are you so unpleasant to me?" He rolled his eyes. "You were so nice to everyone. Mor thinks you're an angel. Don't get me started on Feyre."

"Excuse me?" She scoffed. "I'm perfectly fucking civil to you as well."

"Sure you are." He grumbled.

"Ah, ground." She sighed when they neared the coast. "Sweet, sweet ground." He put her down and she clasped her hands, looking very pleased. "So solid under my feet."

She glared at Azriel. "You." She jabbed a finger at his chest. "If you ever make me fly again, I will turn you into a pig and feed you to Sulatana."

He put his hands up, "I will do whatever it takes for me to get you to do your job."

"I'm not one of your spies. I'm your High Lady's sister and your only hope at protecting this pretty city." She narrowd her eyes and crossed her arms across her chest. The wind was fast near the ocean and her skirt bellowed gracefully behind her as her dark hair fanned across her face.

Her heavy-lashed eyes were a little watery from the sting of the air but that didn't stop her from giving Azriel a glare that would surely make a few people in Illyria shake in their boots. She could lead an army with that look on her face.

He, personally, would have followed her into the battlefield and towards his death without thinking twice.

"You are sending me on a suicide mission. I think I can take a few liberties." He shrugged.

She laughed, "I'm not sending you on a suicide mission. You are doing that in return of my favour and also, if you're good enough to be "the best illyrian", surely you can bring me my measly item." She smiled. "Just a trinket."

"A trinket. " He scoffed. "Come on. Inspect the tear." He gestured towards the edge.

She turned around and he caught the scent of Lavender for a brief second. When her skirt kept getting wrapped around her legs, he remarked, "Maybe don't wear skirts to seasides the next time."

She smiled the smile she apparently had reserved just for him and said, "I can murder you and your entire family while donning this skirt. Shut your whore mouth."

Azriel choked on air and watched her climb a few rocks to reach the tear. She reached towards something he couldn't see and he thought she looked like a goddess summoning thunder. Like she could bend the wind and rule the skies. Her silver dress and pale skin blended with the grey sky and she might have striked down the entire city if she wished.

He remembers asking himself what he would do if something happened to Velaris, if the city was destroyed, when Hybern attacked it. It would have been a bigger blow than what he could have handeled in the moment, perhaps. He might have worn that grief and shame on his forehead for the rest of his existence. Now the thought was once again growing in his brain and his chest was weighing down with it.

"So, Prince of Velaris?" He hadn't noticed when Arcane climbed down from the rocks and walked towards him. She tugged at his arm. "That's a nice title."

"Nice for a bastard born." He shrugged.

"That's unfair. " She turned around and walked backwards. He prepared himself to catch her if she fell. "Your father decided to have a child with your mother even though they were not married. Or he was, just not to her." She  tucked her hair behind her ears. "Why do you, the child, get to wear a badge for that? You weren't at fault. You didn't choose to be born."

He realized he had never thought that way. "I don't know. That's just how things are."

"And they're wrong. Don't call yourself that again. Why must you go along with all the people who are wrong?" She patted his shoulder and turned, stumbling over small rocks scattered here and there. "Let's walk back. I'll puke all over you if we fly again."

He silently followed her again. Her clothes swayed with every footstep like liquid moonlight. When  they walked inside the city and Azriel was pulled out of his thoughts, he noticed people watching her. Their eyes were not even straying his way. He almost always went unnoticed but this time it was different. 

Arcane absorbed the attention that he deflected. She was the colour on his blank canvas. The moon on his dark sky.

He almost smiled as she skipped her way to the front of a shop. "Sultana would love this!" She pressed her palm against the glass on the outside.

"I think it's always wise to keep a panther happy." He remarked.

"She is happy when you're not around." She shrugged and batted her lashes prettily. "She hates you."

"I noticed that when she tried to rip my face off." He nodded.

"Maybe you should give her that then." She wrapped her delicate fingers around his scarred hand and pulled him inside. He looked at the stark difference between their entwined hands until the shopkeeper presented Arcane with the shiny cat toy.

"What if she tries to eat my hand?" He asked, his voice a little raspy.

"Don't worry, I'll be there." She took the neat brown packet from the counter and turned, handing him that toy. "She's basically a big cat. Cats have no concept of future." She said as she pushed him out. "It's just today and the jingly toy."

Needless to say, Sulatana tried to bite off Azriel's hand.