Hybern's Heiress (Shadowsinger Love Story)

Five

[Author’s Note: So in order for me to find the inspiration and the feel needed to write this fanfic, I’ve gathered Arwen’s pics and some of Az’s fanart. Turns out there's a bunch of gifs showing Arwen crying. I stared at them long and in my mind, Azriel be like ‘oml so cute my poor smol bean must protecc!’ and I decided to show a small fraction of this sentiment down below in the chapter. Bonus: Here’s a gif of Azriel’s smol bean crying! XD]

***

“Be good,” Arwen told Thamrin with a kind, maternal smile. “Don’t trouble Raisa so much, will you?”

Thamrin chuckled adorably; probably remembering the last shenanigans he and his little friend Tamina had done while being under Raisa’s care. But like a good boy he was, Tham nodded. “Alright nana.”

Arwen beamed as she hugged him one more time and landed a soft kiss on his chubby cheek. “I’ll pick you up at sundown, malthen lass nín.”

After a brief goodbye at her friend, Arwen tightened the cloak she had around herself and started towards the Market Squares where her work awaited.

The tiny shop in which she laid out her herbs product was small, barely enough to fit four or five customers. But it was clean and neat. The glass cabinet containing various salves, potions and medicinal powder was on the show, placed against the soft yellow painted wall.

Arwen silently thanked the ancient High Lord who build The City of Starlight, for even in Winter, the area around the Market Squares were warded with enchantment that kept the frosty air away. If not, Arwen would have frozen to death while trying to make her living in Winter.

During the cold season, the people of Velaris usually came to her apothecary for her tea mix. Arwen knew her regulars well and always made it her mission to make them feel welcomed. And with how much she earned lately, she even managed to throw in more discounts or extra items for her customers.

In between customers, she would work behind the curtain that separated her shop and her tight working area, crushing herbs, mixing them carefully into various potent medicines that she could sell.

With a deep breath, Azriel entered the small apothecary. The bell above the door rang, alerted Arwen of the arrival of another customer.

From outside, Azriel could see the feminine silhouette of the high fae working with mortar and pestle. Her movement graceful and unhurried, but the moment that doorbell rang, she rose to her feet and emerged from behind that soft white curtain with a warm smile that immediately dropped when she saw who her customer was.

The Shadowsinger seemed almost normal without his shadows surrounding him. Almost, for even without it, she could feel his power hidden under that magic dampener that he had on. Even the sight of the seven siphons he wore on his fingers would immediately warn anyone to steer clear. She locked eyes with that unreadable hazel eyes, caught off guard at his presence and had forgotten to say her usual greet.