Dark Caress | Azriel

𝐅𝐈𝐕𝐄

𝐅𝐈𝐕𝐄 | Meetings

I was slowly growing to hate Azriel more than anything. He was making my life hard and I was pretty sure that it was on purpose. Everywhere I went, he appeared. Every meeting I was in, so was he and every dinner I had to go to as part of my royal duties, he was my guard.

If this was his idea of a joke, it was not funny in the slightest.

"Pay attention, Maiya!" My father's snappy voice reached my ears, causing me to turn back to the council meeting at hand. Mendax was present a report on the growing unrest between the courts and the humans, which was something I did not wish to listen to. In my humble opinion, this entire meeting should have ended hours ago, but we were still here.

I fought back a yawn, before snapping my mouth shut as Azriel walked in. A dark glare formed on my face, as he bowed his head and sat down across from me. My glare did not falter.

Azriel had not considered the problems that this might cause with him being an Illyrian, my brother's closest friend and my father's spymaster and my mate. It would be a recipe for disaster, and I would get the brunt of the anger. 

"Maiya. Your thoughts?" I smiled demurely at my father, before glancing briefly down at the notes that I had made during Mendax's speech of boredom. Mendax's political policy was that of suspicion and war, which were not helpful in our current time. In fact, it would be the cause of the destruction of our court and that wasn't something I would allow to happen.

"I believe that we should start preparing our forces for the war to come, both in the Hewn City and the Illyrian soldiers to the North. I'll oversee the Darkbringers and Rhysand can oversee the Illyrians." I began, cocking an eyebrow at Mendax, daring him to argue. My father was watching me, waiting for me to trip up and make a fool of myself. He didn't think I would be able to handle politics, on the account that I was a woman, so I was determined to prove him wrong. "We should send letters to the other courts, discussing potential treaties. It would be better to be on the side of the majority than that of the minority. It would also be better for future political relationships."

"Acceptable," My father's voice was monotonous as Mendax glared at me. He didn't want me to succeed. The better I was at politics, the less chance he had a marrying me. Father turned his sharp gaze away from me and onto the Illyrian warrior opposite me. "What do you have to report, Shadow-singer?"

Azriel stopped smirking at me, turning to look at my father as I kicked a shadow away from my foot with a scowl. My mate glared Mendax down, before nodding at my father.

"I agree with her highness. It would be wise to make a treaty with the other courts." A shadow curled around Azriel's ear, whispering more news to him. "The other courts are growing uneasy, as is the human world. Hybern seeks to keep control of the human population, and their slaves, but the majority of the courts seemed to be siding with the humans."

"What would you say is the best course of action?" Azriel seemed to listen to something else that was being said to him. He took a moment to consider it, before replying to my father.

"Siding with the humans. If we win, they leave our lands and we prevent them from coming back." My father seemed to consider this, as I rolled my eyes. "The Hybern commanders do not seem trustworthy and I doubt it would be advantageous to align the court with them."

"But Hybern has always been an ally of the Night Court." Mendax cut in, as I huffed. I disliked being in a room with the three men that I got along with the least, and all of this arguing was giving me a headache. "Surely it would be better to side with them than against them?"

"The strength that we have could make them see us as competition." I spoke softly, causing the men to look at me. "Maybe you weren't listening, Mendax, but I'll remind you. We'd be going up against the majority of the other courts, ruining the possibility of future treaties. You might not be thinking of the implications for the future, but I am. I'm not willing to risk my future because of some old treaty that you made up with the Hybern king years ago."

"Maiya." My father gave me a look, causing me to roll my eyes and turn away. "She's right, unfortunately. We'll follow that course of action. You're all dismissed."

I glared at the back of my father's head, before brushing past Mendax and Azriel and storming out of the room. Now that the meeting was over, I would be more than happy to return to the Hewn City, where I would not be bothered by annoying men.

"Maiya!" I paused, spinning on my heel to look back at my father. "There's a dinner tonight. You're expected to attend."

"Why?"

"Don't ask me questions, girl." He glared, causing me to stifle an argument.

"I'm needed in the Hewn City."

"Mendax can take over your duties."

"Mendax would be eaten alive by my legion. I'm needed their." I argued back. "Or at least let me pass my duties onto my second. He, at least, has the respect of his fellow soldiers."

I glared at Mendax as I spoke those words, causing the man to puff up, ready to argue with me.

"Fine, take Azriel." My father spat.

"I don't need him." Azriel was smirking now, causing me to grow angrier.

"You will take Azriel, girl, and that will be all I hear on it." My father met my eyes, staring me down, and reluctantly I relented, motioning for Azriel to follow me. The shadow-singer bowed to my father, before brushing past Mendax and following me away from the room.

"It seems like fate keeps putting us together, princess."

"The only reason you're here is because my father is scared that I'll overthrow him and wants me to go to a dinner to meet a potential future husband."

"If you don't want to get married, you can always say yes to the fact that we're mates." Azriel suggested, walking by my side as I batted a shadow away from my ear. "That would make this go away."

"Azriel, do you know why I was never married off?"

"No."

"I killed anyone who they might want to marry me off to." I turned to him with a cold grin. "Keep annoying me, and I'll do exactly the same to you."

"I'm your mate. You wouldn't." Azriel stated as if it was the simplest thing in the world.

"Try me."

Hiya,

So, it's been a while. I love Maiya to death to be honest and she is adamant about not wanting anyone, which is kind of fun. Poor Azriel had to keep putting up with her death threats, but he's just happy to be in her presence and able to tease her (would like to confirm he takes nothing she says seriously for the most part).

Let me know what you think,

Love Li xx