A Court of Heart and Fealty | Rhysand

Chapter 29: Struck

Chapter 29: Struck

Galadriel didn't scream when she opened her eyes to find Cassian's face mere inches from hers. She was too tired to, but the shock of the sight made its way down to her feet which ached from the sudden rush of energy. She needed to go back to locking her door.

"That is not a sight I want to wake up to," she grumbled, grabbing the edge of her blanket, pulling it higher over her shoulders and turning away from the general. The soft, feather-filled pillow welcomed the weight of her head. Her bedroom was still dark—not even the barest of sun peeking through her closed curtains.

"Insulted and not amused," Cassian said. "Up. We haven't trained in over a week."

When she gave nothing but an incomprehensible noise of complaint, he stripped the blanket away from her. Met with a rush of chilly air, Galadriel loudened her complaining which turned to a shriek when his arms burrowed beneath her, hauling her over his shoulder. Blood gushed down to her face, heavy enough that she could hear it going past her ears.

They must have been a sorry sight if she had any neighbours nearby. She spat out gripes and groans as he barked at her heels to get ready. When, finally, they were outside, Galadriel theatrically draped herself across his arms, worming in them after he took to the air just to make his day worse. It was the first time she'd ever witnessed him, or Rhys or Azriel, stumble mid-flight.

"You'll pay for that now," he told her when they landed on the rooftop. She didn't doubt it. He barely let her have any respite, just enough for water and to return her breathing back to normal before he was pummelling her into a heap on the ground again, her muscles like jelly.

At the end, she fell into one of the chairs, oathing that she would never leave it again. Cassian went on with his own training. He'd usually take her back home before he did so, but her last punishment was that she'd have to wait.

Though, Galadriel hardly considered watching the Illyrian general punishment. Azriel arrived somewhere near the end of her training so he joined with Cassian, the brothers sparring. The sight mesmerised her, following the way their bodies obeyed them, muscle flexing with perfect precision, moving in an instinct so long ingrained in them that she doubted ever coming close to it in the duration of her life.

"That's a look I'm not unaccustomed to."

She had to physically tear her eyes away, turning her head first to look at Rhys. Unlike his brothers, he didn't wear his armour or looser training gear. No, the jackets and trousers said he had no intention of joining their morning training. "What's that?"

Rhysand smiled and sat on the edge of the chair next to her. "That look of admiration with a bit of fear. I could hear your mind buzzing from below."

Not knowing whether that was something to be embarrassed about or not, she shrugged. Muscles screaming in protest, Galadriel pushed herself up enough to sit straight. "It's hard not to look at them like that. Makes me realise just how easy Cassian goes on me when we spar."

"I'd like to console you by saying that he started where you are now, but I think Cassian was born quite literally kicking and screaming." They shared a quiet laugh and though Cassian appeared completely engulfed in his fight with Azriel, she didn't doubt he had enough space in his attention to listen to them. That he was capable of such a feat. "Any plans for tonight?"

Knowing what he was asking, she shook her head.

"We can have that dinner then. I'll pick you up around nightfall."

After that, her day went painfully slow. Each hour felt like it had been seized by the hand of a god, who strained against the natural flow. Even the sun burnt hotter as if it were trying to break free, to flee and chase the moon. Galadriel spent a few of those hours in her backyard, gently rocking the hanging chair with her toes, thinking about the sun and the moon and love. She understood what Mor said about romance, about the stories of angst and secretive fawning, but those were not the stories that Galadriel liked to read. She liked the simplicity of romance, the giddiness of love.