A Court of Shadows and Thunder // AzrielxOC SlowBurn Romance, ACOTAR FanFiction

Chapter 25 - Unspeakable Act

Brianna blinked, and it took all in her to not react to what Viviane just asked of her.

No... she couldn't possibly know about her, could she? Brianna tried very hard not to glance at Azriel, though she could very well feel how tense he had grown to be, like his shadows too had stilled momentarily. It was so very subtle that none had taken notice of the shadowsinger's change of demeanour, making Brianna question why she could feel it so.

"You'd like to know of my curse?" Brianna made herself ask, eyeing Viviane like it was nothing but a strange request.

And some part of Brianna calmed down when Viviane bobbed her head animately.

"I'd like to know all about how your people were first cursed, and then how you were all cured of it," Viviane told her, and Brianna fashioned a smile upon her face, just as she could sense Azriel relax a little.

"You'd like to hear the entire tale?" Brianna asked her, and didn't miss how Kallias leaned forward in interest too. As did Azriel, who now looked curious to see where this conversation might go.

"Will you tell it?" Viviane prompted, "It sounded oh-so-wonderful when Dorian told it, but I'm sure you are quite the fascinating storyteller yourself."

Brianna bit the inside of her lip. Not that she was hesitated to repeat such a tale, but only that she was trying to piece together the story she had heard countless times over and over in her childhood.

"It's a story best told around a campfire, for it is one that most Syrens tell to their faelings to make them behave," Brianna started to say, and she could have sworn Viviane held back a squeal of delight at her words. So Brianna went on, now diving into a new role of a storyteller, "Long ago, when the world only just begun to come together, when the Mother spilled the Cauldron's contents to create Prythian and the fae lands. While she had allowed the Cauldron to create all sorts of faeries, the Mother decided that she wanted to take part in the creation of some too. So, out of the clouds in the sky, she fashioned my people, giving them only the best of qualities, with beauty and strength that rivaled that of gods. They were unmatched completely, immortal, loving, peaceful and kind, nothing like the rest of the world at all. Voices sweet like honey, irresistible to all that looked upon them, such beings were the Mother's most precious creation. And so, she created a land for them, three islands where they may live and prosper, away from the rest of the world-"

"The Strofades," Kallias chimed in, finishing Brianna's sentence for her. She gave him a nod in confirmation.

"But the Cauldron wasn't pleased by the Mother's creation of something that wasn't made from the Cauldron itself," Brianna continued, "There is as much good just as there is as much bad in the world; one cannot exist without another. And so, the Cauldron decided that, if ever one of the Mother's creations would go against their pure nature, if they would fall into the darkness that could never be erased from within them, then they would turn into creatures of their nightmares and be forced to surrender to such a fate."

"And that is the Syren's curse," Viviane added in, and Brianna nodded to her. Though, out of the corner of her eye, she didn't miss how Azriel watched her, so very closely. As if, by telling this story, he would piece together more information about her that he'd deem valuable.

"What had come to be known as the Syren's curse, began with Aello," Brianna said, just like Dorian had once told all the High Lords before, "She was known as the purest of all Syrens, for she was also the daughter of the gods of the skies and seas. She was the most beloved, the most sought after female in all of the isles, for she had the voice of a songbird that made all males fall in love with her, and all females envy her. But no male could ever win her heart, she could never be swayed by trifle affections. Her heart belonged to no one, except for her mate."