Lost in a Labyrinth - Azriel x Reader

Lost in a Labyrinth I - Azriel x Reader

Summary: Lonely and heartbroken after his near kiss with Elain, Azriel finds himself at the door to the most exclusive pleasure house in Hewn City, The Labyrinth, taking Rhysand’s cruel advice. What he expected to find was a pretty girl to warm a bed with him for a single night. But instead he finds something he never thought existed—his mate. A mate that is tangled up in something far more sinister than he could ever imagine. 

Warnings: smut (minors dni), reader is a prostitute

─── ⋅ ∙ ∘ ☽ ༓ ☾ ∘ ⋅ ⋅ ───

Part I

─── ⋅ ∙ ∘ ☽ ༓ ☾ ∘ ⋅ ⋅ ───

Stuck On You | Masterlist

Summary: Cassian can't seem to forget about you since the night you met seven years ago. He thought he would never see you again but when he does, he's determined to make you his. This time for good.

a/n :this used to be a sneak peak to one of the parts but as this series is completed, I edited it to be a masterlist (:

☪ = smut ☁︎ = fluff `♡´= angst

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ part one ☪

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ part two ☁︎ `♡´

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ part three `♡´

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷part four `♡´

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ final part ☪ ☁︎

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ solstice bonus ☁︎

Prologue

Pairing: Azriel x Hybern!Princess!OC

Summary: Nimue was a gift for the King of Hybern. His shining jewel, the perfect heir. However, she is clear about who the villain of the story is. When she saves her father's enemies from a tragic end, she realizes that now it's the Cauldron who has a gift for her: a mate.

Warnings: PTSD, description of injuries, bad language, the King of hybern (jumpscare), if there is anything more, please let me know.

A/N: so here it is, the first part. I really hope you enjoy it and that you get to love Nimue just as much as I do. Any kind of support is greatly appreciated! 🥰

Standing in the middle of that enormous training ground, Nimue counted the scars on her hands one by one: first her left hand, tracing each one with her right thumb; then her right hand, tracing each one with her left thumb. It had become a ritual, something that anchored her back to the physical world, slowly pulling her away from her daydreams.

Once again, she felt the weight of her body on her own bones, on her own muscles. A couple of deep breaths, and with the short sword in her hand, she began the series of exercises again. The same series of exercises as yesterday, the day before, and for the last twenty years.

Twenty years in which Nimue had grown accustomed to her new life. New, because she knew she had always been there, inside the Cauldron, and against her will those hands had torn her away from her place, her home. She had ended up in Hybern, locked in a castle and with a princess title she didn't know where it came from, as she shared no genetic bond with the man who called himself her father, the King of Hybern.

The King of Hybern, who with the Cauldron in his hands and desperate to conceive a powerful heir, had submerged his poor and naive concubine in the poisonous water of the Cauldron. The woman, pregnant with the king's offspring and terrified of disobeying the cruel king's orders, obeyed.

Thus, the liquid of the Cauldron separated skin from muscle, muscle from tendon, tendon from bone, and the poor woman who screamed dissolved like salt in water. Before the eyes of the entire court, the King had burned one of his concubines alive, and in return, a young girl had emerged from the Cauldron. Nimue, The Radiant, the daughter of the king, created by the Cauldron.

Nimue knew all this because in the depths of her bones, and only when she let her guard down, she felt the despair of her mother when she was submerged. If she closed her eyes and concentrated, she could feel her own muscles dissolving, melting, the bones crunching and bursting, the muffled screams, the life of the poor woman extinguishing.

That only filled her with rage. A rage that boiled inside her, in every fiber of her being. Sometimes she let it grow, let it spread through every drop of her blood, like poison disguised in wine: she shaped it to her liking, gave it the form she wanted. She shaped her rage into swords, laying waste to entire legions with her rage, burning entire forests with her rage...

One could only imagine that in the face of such destruction, her "father" would be angry. No one wanted a daughter who killed hundreds of soldiers every time she trained. However, the reaction was completely opposite: a smile, some congratulations, a pat on the back, a kiss on the forehead, a small hug...

Small displays of affection that Nimue drank as if she were dying of thirst. After all, he was her "father".

Children are meant to make their parents proud. Or that's what she told herself every night before falling asleep.

She stopped abruptly before finishing her last set of exercises and looked up.

Above her, in the corridor surrounding that enclosed training ground, courtiers of her father, guards, servants, people who stopped to admire her if they had the time, kept passing by. Sometimes they made comments about the natural grace with which her movements seemed to defy gravity itself. Every gesture of hers was fluid and harmonious, as if she were in perfect harmony with the universe around her. It was so, because after all, the world around her had come from the Cauldron. And she was the Cauldron.

Sometimes, however, they made comments about the monster the King had created. An aberration.

With a flick of her wrist, her weapon disappeared into the air, she spun around, and left that training ground. She walked through the halls of the Palace, navigating intersections and crossing doors until she reached the very center of her home. The great stone cavern where the throne was situated. Even before entering, she could hear the voice of the King, and without entering the room, she listened.

"My patience is running out, filthy rats. If you don't know how to do your job, I'll have you thrown to the nagas, and let them do whatever they please with you, you pack of useless scoundrels."

Nimue entered the cavern, her gaze forward and her chin high, those airs of superiority she knew belonged to her. She walked among those present, who made way for her, feeling the hairs on their necks stand at attention in the presence of the princess. With a determined step, she approached her father, who only raised and lowered his eyebrows in response.

"What's the problem, father?" Oh, that mask of innocent girl that many swallowed. She might even dare say that sometimes, the King himself took her for naive, for innocent. When she was anything but, far from it.

She carefully observed the situation: before her father, and kneeling before the steps of the throne, were four of the six spies she knew her father had designated in Prythian, specifically in the Night Court. Among them, two bodies completely mutilated, almost unrecognizable. However, Nimue recognized them as the other two spies that were missing. She lifted her head and let the smell of blood penetrate her nose, savoring it on her palate. That's when she noticed the slightest hint of cedar and mist. She frowned and looked at her father.

"It's nothing, my sweet child. I'm just dealing with these useless ones," the King turned sharply towards those men, who, under the scrutiny of father and daughter, only sank deeper into their shame. With their heads bowed to the ground, they trembled so much that Nimue could hear the chatter of their teeth. "Do your job and find out everything. Everything. And if you have to kill that petty High Lord, you will."

Nimue did everything to hide her smile. She knew those four useless men stood no chance against that High Lord her father spoke of. She knew, because in the Cauldron, she saw the shadow of Rhysand: a vast pit, as deep as the greatest of lakes, and as black as darkness itself, so dark that Nimue saw her own scarlet eyes reflected in it.

By the Mother, Nimue doubted if her own father, without the aid of the Cauldron, would be a match for that vast darkness that undulated within High Lord Rhysand.

The King raised his hand, and with a gesture, all those present in the throne room bowed respectfully and left the without a word.

Nimue turned, ready to leave, but the King pointed at her and shook his finger. With the same hand, he made a gesture, as if pulling on a leash.

A leash that Nimue had worn around her neck since she had been torn from the Cauldron, and whose end her father held, with an iron grip. It was invisible, but when she even thought about how happy it would make her to leave the confines of the Palace, to see the world, she felt its weight around her neck, as if the King was her executioner and the leash his axe.

"Yes, father?" Her tone, completely compliant, made a fleeting smile cross the King's face.

"You will fight for me in this war, won't you, my dear?" he asked, voice so poisonous she almost gagged. Nimue felt her blood boil, her rage consuming her. "You will fight for me and win for me. I will release you onto the battlefield and you will descend upon them like rain upon dry earth. You will sow the fields with their blood, because that's what I've made you for, my Radiant jewel."

The marks of her nails digging into her palms turned into wounds, and when her magic closed them, she clenched her fists again, reopening them.

"Yes, father. I will be your weapon."

She felt the leash loosen, and with a pleased smile on his face, her father gave her permission to leave.

When she was out of the King's sight, Nimue imagined the thousand ways she would slit that old, rotten man's throat.

Azriel let out a sigh, his own breath forming clouds in front of his face.

What was that pressure in his chest? Where was all that irrational rage coming from, burning his chest and taking his breath away?

His shadows swirled around his shoulders, buzzing and whispering to each other.

He did everything he could, searching in the depths of his being for the calm he needed at that moment.

Yes, rage, rage. We are furious.

Yes, that's it, furious.

Azriel clicked his tongue and shook his head, trying to rid himself of the incessant fluctuations of his shadows. He seemed like a horse shaking itself to get rid of the flies that tormented it so much.

"What's troubling you?" Cassian asked. A playful smile on his face while his gaze was fixed on some point in the city spread out before them. "It seems like your shadows are giving you a hard time."

"Never," Azriel replied without hesitation. He sighed again, rubbing his chest with one hand, right where that pressure seemed like it was about to pierce his body. "I feel like hitting something, someone. But it's not my desire, it feels strange."

Cassian burst into laughter as he leaned on the balcony rail. He closed his eyes for a moment, sinking into that brief moment of peace and enjoying the sunlight, before turning to look at his lifelong brother.

"I think we should call Madja. The spirit of Amren seems to have gotten into you and we'll have to get rid of it before you start giving us all dirty looks," he said, with a serious expression all of a sudden.

Azriel looked at him, raising an eyebrow and then sighing, ignoring the usual delusions of the Illyrian.

Both let the topic pass when they heard footsteps coming from inside the house. Cassian crossed the balcony threshold first, and while Azriel enjoyed a few last seconds of calm and sunshine before going back inside, he felt a pain in the palms of his hands. Stabbing, throbbing.

How strange, it had been a long time since the old scars on his hands had caused him sudden discomfort.

He would ask Madja for some ointment.

Because that's what it was, right?

As Cassian and Morrigan's voices echoed in the dining room, Azriel continued to prolong that moment of stability as much as he could. He felt like he was on the edge of a precipice, about to take a step forward without looking at what lay beyond. So as long as he could, he would enjoy those rays of sunshine, that scent of home, those views of the city they were rebuilding after Hybern's attack, hearing his friends laugh, and knowing that this was his place.

He went over the plan day and night since he and his family had conceived it: arrive, enter, break the Cauldron, and get out of there before the King even realized that they had snuck in.

It was perfect. There were variables, of course, but for the hundreds of unforeseen events Azriel had imagined, hundreds of solutions had been devised. It was perfect, and he trusted the plan.

But he felt so out of sorts...

Rage, it consumes us. It burns us.

Rage, rage.

It wasn't him, it wasn't his rage. He felt his own skin, his body, filled with emotions that weren't his. Like a container of some chemical mixture about to explode.

By the Mother, maybe he had eaten something strange at yesterday's dinner. Or perhaps it was the wine afterward, or maybe the countless drinks that followed at Rita's...

Because that's what it was, right?

gust & flame - masterlist

Eris Vanserra has been a prisoner in his own home since the day he was born. He has done what he had to in order to survive and protect the few he loves. And he is playing the long game. Waiting, waiting, and waiting for the right time to make his move, to usurp his wicked father and become High Lord of Autumn Court. But things become even more complicated when a human girl drops into his life. Perhaps Eris can wait no longer to take his throne.

--- takes place after the events in A Court of Silver Flames

Autumn bonds (part 1) - Eris x Reader

“Where are you going?” The strict but loving question from your older brother reached you just in time before opening the front door of the river house. 

“Out.” You answered dryly, knowing full well that this would not satisfy his need to be sure of your wellbeing in the slightest. He tilted his head ever so lightly and smirked. You rolled your eyes, “can I please go out to have a cup of tea in the city, almighty high lord?” A laugh escaped his lips and he nodded amused, before stepping closer and giving you a hug. 

“I’m not trying to keep you prisoner, y/n. I just want you to be safe, you know that, right?”

“‘Course I do, Rhys. I’ll be careful.” He let go of you hesitantly. 

“Don’t forget, we’ll have company tonight. Autumn’s high lord. I’d prefer for you to stay in your rooms.” You gave him a tight lipped smile and a nod in agreement. Your brother disappeared and you made your way out of the stunning mansion. Most courts knew of you and how you had resurfaced, seemingly out of thin air. For now he persisted in you not meeting any of them, to keep your identity hidden for just a while longer.

It’s been months since Rhysand and the rest of the family found out that you were in fact not dead, as they’ve been led to believe for centuries, but alive and living close to the wall in Spring Court. You lived a relatively normal life there, not knowing of your heritage or your powers. During a mission, Azriel found out that instead of killing you back then in the war-camps, they took you back to their court, putting you with a family of lesser fae, in case they ever needed you as leverage against the high lord of the Night Court. You tried not to think of it too often, the trauma still echoing heavy through your bones. Your life has been turned upside down, but for the better. The family that raised you never took much interest in you and being here, in Velaris, your home, it was soothing. And although Rhysand wasn’t too fond of you exploring a little more of what the city had to offer day by day, he understood. He tried his best not to limit you, while keeping you safe and sound.

The walk along the Sidra was beautiful and every time you strolled past it you wondered, if one day it would get old, maybe even bore you. For now at least, that seemed impossible. You inhaled the unrivaled smell of the city of starlight and felt tears prick your eyes. 

When you reached your favorite café, you ordered a steaming cup of tea, leaned back in your chair and let the warm rays of sunlight caress your face. Oblivious to your surroundings, you began scribbling away in the golden notebook Rhys gifted you shortly after moving into the river house. It helped you when anxiety and gloomy thoughts came pushing in on you like two invisible walls.

When you looked up from the full pages you had bared yourself to, the sunlight already started fading into night. Shit, he’s gonna kill me. 

Half running you furthered through the city, determined to make it back home before the high lord arrived. You decided to take a shortcut that would lead you through a less busy alley next to the main street. something your brother certainly wouldn’t have agreed on. Halfway through the narrow passageway you turned your head around slightly towards a sudden noise while continuing your speedwalk, when you crashed harshly face first into something. Shock, then realization; someone not something. Someone tall and handsome and… 

You recognized him in an instant. The red hair, the muscular body, arrogant smirk and elegant poise: Eris Vanserra, the high lord of the Autumn Court. He held you by both forearms, bending down slightly trying to keep you upright and from falling.

“Oh gods, I’m so sorry!” you stammered. 

“Don’t worry, I’m fine.” He briskly said before regaining composure. The gorgeous male cleared his throat, adjusted the lapels of his bronze colored jacket and the curl that softly grazed his forehead before turning his attention back to you.

“How about you watch where you’re…” he didn’t finish the sentence he started, the bitter undertone in his polished voice fading. Eyes open wide, mouth still parted from the words he spoke before, he stared at you. 

“I can’t apologize enough, high lord, I’ll take better care next time.” 

Eris didn’t answer, only nodded and strode off as fast as he could. Cauldron he’s beautiful, you thought before snapping back, noticing what little time you had left to make it to the house before he did.

It took merely a second of you standing in front of the impressive residence you lived in, when you heard the flapping of wings close to you. Cassian slammed into the floor beside you, ready to take you inside.

“Hello princess, at your service!” He mockingly bowed to you and hooked your arms together. You rolled your eyes at him as you started walking.

“Did you have a nice day?” For a short moment you contemplated telling him about bumping into the high lord, but something inside you chose not to.

“Yes, I actually did. I really do love it here, you know.” At that he gave you the warmest smile. Cassian and Azriel had become brothers to you just as much as Rhys had been and while their annoying protectiveness felt overbearing at times, it also gave you a sense of security and family you’d never felt before.

He guided you into the foyer, as if you needed a chaperone to take you inside your own home, gave you a kiss on top of your head, then left. Rhysand was marching towards you before you’d even fully made it into the house.

“You’re late y/n.” 

“I know, I forgot about the time, you know how it is.” You tried sounding as nonchalant as possible.

“No, I actually don’t. But you’re in luck, Eris is late.”

You understood what was asked of you and made your way to your room. 

•• ━━━━━ ••●•• ━━━━━ ••

After the maid made sure you had a full plate of soup, you finally went to bed, but sleep wouldn’t come. Instead, images of the beautiful autumn male flashed through your mind. The thought of how gently his hands held your forearms gave you goosebumps. 

Hours passed and eventually you got up, sure that the meeting must be over by now. Reading was your usual recipe for getting tired, so you made your way towards the library. Getting closer to the meeting room you started hearing voices. Oh no, they’re still talking.

You turned on your heel not wanting to interrupt whatever was so important that it made the two mightiest high lords of Prythian consult with each other  into the far hours of the middle of the night. Almost around the corner, that’s how far you’d made it before the doors swung open. Rhys saw you first and let out a long sigh. You stared back at him apologetically, wrapping your arms around your frame. At least I’m wearing a robe above my nightgown, you spoke into Rhys’ mind and his mouth lifted upward. 

“Eris, meet my sister.” Rhys said. Eris simply stared at you again and stepped closer, hands folded behind his back. You drew in a slow breath, watching his every move.

“Lovely to meet you.” He spoke and halted, waiting just a moment to see if you took notice of him obviously wanting to pretend you hadn’t met just hours before. His hand reached for yours in greeting and you grabbed it way too hastily, almost eager to feel his warm touch. A flicker of amusement laced his sharp features. 

“Likewise.” was all you could get out, while your handshake lingered. And just when your hands started separating again, it hit you like a slap in the face. Your body went rigid as an all consuming surge of feelings rolled through you and your chest rose and fell with rapid breaths. A mating bond. He was your mate. My mate.

Eris gave you a warning look while a calming feeling reached you through your newly formed connection and you knew he felt it too, but this was not the place. In your peripheral vision you saw your brother furrowing his brows and let go of Eris' hand. 

“Do you have a name?” He asked, seemingly to distract from the sacred moment that was happening right in front of everyone. 

“Y/n, my name is y/n.” you replied. Eris turned to Rhysand and began to say his goodbyes. Ever since he became high lord of autumn, their relationship had gotten better. From what you’ve picked up, he tried to make up for the cruel reign his father had brought upon his court for centuries. 

“It’s late, why don’t you stay in one of the guest rooms and we continue where we’ve left off in the morning.” You heard Rhys’ suggestion and had to try everything in your power not to faint on the spot from the mating bond pulsing through you. You wondered why nobody was able to at least smell what had happened between you and Eris, but shook the thought from your head, too scared somebody could actually hear it.

“Thank you, I’d like to take you up on that offer.” He politely replied and gave you a nod, then strode off with Rhys, Cassian and Azriel. Azriel turned around one more time though and gave you an unreadable look, which you returned with the most innocent smile. You sprinted back into your room, fully overcome with emotions and a desperation to speak to Eris that threatened to knock you straight off your feet.

Pacing back and forth, you tried to reason with yourself. 

Calm down.

Your mate is a high lord.

What if he doesn’t want anything to do with me?

Your family would never allow it, Rhysand would never allow it.

You were in the middle of an extensive inner dialogue when Eris suddenly appeared behind you. A shriek almost left your throat before you caught it. Both of you were panting, looking at each other in silence for what felt like decades.

“I felt it earlier in the alley, when we collided.” He simply said to you, voice like a crackling fire. You played with your fingers nervously, trying to control yourself.

“Rhys, I’m not sure if he… Do you think he knows?” Was all you could think to reply. He moved towards you in the most graceful way and suddenly you couldn’t help but question if he was disappointed. 

“He doesn’t. When we walked into the hallway and I saw you I glamoured the smell of the mating bond as fast as I could.” He closed the remaining gap between you and tugged a loose strand of your hair behind your ear.

“What should we do now? I mean, if you even want to do anything. I’d understand if you don’t want to… do anything, I was just thinking… I don’t…” A playful smirk appeared on his lips and his eyes followed yours as you glanced at his mouth, then quickly looked away.

“I’m sorry, I’m rambling.”

“Don’t apologize, it’s okay.” He reassured you, then continued. “Everybody always keeps saying how overwhelming a fresh mating bond can be, but gods, this is beyond my imagination.”

He turned away from you and sat down on the edge of your bed, watching you intently as you still stood in the middle of the room. “You’re beautiful.” The words seemed to have almost accidentally slipped from him in a whisper. Your legs started walking by themselves as you stalked in his direction. Every fiber of your being wanted to touch him, run your fingers through his hair and over his glorious body.

“I should go, I don’t want Rhysand to get suspicious.” He got up hastily, his thumb brushed over your hand while he passed you and you gasped. Before you could say anything, he was gone.

•• ━━━━━ ••●•• ━━━━━ ••

In the morning you got up earlier than the sun, sleep hadn’t come and you wanted to take a bath and at least comb your hair before seeing Eris again. You weren’t even sure if he’d be having breakfast in the dining room or in the kitchen, or how early the meeting would start, but you needed to see him again. After getting dressed and encouraging yourself not to hide in your room until he was gone again, you carefully stepped out the door into the long hallway. 

The kitchen was empty when you arrived and relief and disappointment flushed over you simultaneously. Your shoulders relaxed and you grabbed an apple from the fruit basket on top of the marble counter when a gravelly male voice startled you.

“Good morning, princess.” You jumped and found Cassian leaning in the door frame that connected the kitchen with the spacious dining room.

“Gods, you scared me Cass.” 

“Since when are you up so early?”

“I couldn’t sleep.” You replied dryly.

“Got something on your mind?” His tone was teasing and panic rose inside your chest. Does he know? 

But before Cassian could continue digging any deeper, Azriel walked in and greeted you with a tight lipped smile. Eris and Rhys followed, the latter brushing a swift kiss on your temple while walking by. Don’t stare, you scolded yourself, wanting to make sure not to gawk at him. 

The group of males made their way into the dining room, but Azriel stayed behind, his back turned to you as he closed the wide doors to the adjacent area.

“Okay, what’s going on here?” He asked, assessing you with a deadly stare.

“What are you talking about?”

“Something is off.”

“Why don’t you ask your shadows?” The shadowsinger showed no sign of emotion.

“I’ll figure it out anyway, so you might as well tell me now.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Az.” You took a huge bite of your apple, hoping to buy yourself some time by chewing.

“Last night in the hallway was not the first time you and Eris met. Why do you know each other?” Chewing sounds filled the room and you almost took another bite when one of Azriel's shadows effortlessly took the apple out of your hand.

“Alright, I might have bumped into him yesterday on my way back home from the city. That’s it.” His eyes roamed all over you and you visibly stiffened.

“Then why did you pretend you didn’t know each other?” He asked and you scoffed in reply.

“Stop treating me like one of your… subjects.”

“Believe me y/n, I’m not.” 

The doors opened again and you sent a silent prayer to the mother for saving you from the interrogation.

“Are you coming, Az?” Cassian asked.

The spymaster followed him, but somehow you sensed that the conversation was not over. Not wanting to push your luck, you retreated back into your room.

•• ━━━━━ ••●•• ━━━━━ ••

Hours passed by and you waited and waited, hoping Eris would winnow to you again. You barely knew him, but you missed him. Gods damn mating bond.

You were about to grab your things and go into the city, hoping for some kind of distraction, when he abruptly stood before you. 

“Hey.” You said.

“Hi.” He grinned sheepishly. 

“I was hoping we'd see each other one more time before you left.” The words left your mouth before you could intervene and your cheeks stained pink.

“Likewise.” He mimicked your reply from last night. You rolled your eyes and chuckled, the air around both of you instantly getting lighter.

“Don’t make fun of me, this is my first mating bond, excuse me for being nervous.”

“The first one, huh? Are you planning on exploring more?” He asked jokingly with a slight underlying possessiveness. 

“Very funny, you know what I mean.” 

Comfortable silence lingered between the two of you as you both took in the sight of your mate.

“I meant what I said yesterday. You really are beautiful.”

“Thank you.” was all you could say, but you weren’t even sure it was audible.

“I have to go back home.” You couldn’t help the somber look that creeped onto your face as you thought about how long you’d probably not be able to see him.

“I’ll write to you and I’ll come back as soon as I can, I promise. Unless you don’t want me to, of course.” He said. 

“No, no, I do, I want you to, please.” You hated the pleading tone in your voice, but Eris tugged on the bond to comfort you.

He turned around, ready to leave, winnow away.

“Eris!” you quickly said before he departed, he froze.

Without any control of your limbs you made a few steps towards him, grabbed his annoyingly attractive face and crashed your lips into his. Surprise rushed through the bond, then pleasure and happiness. His strong arms snaked around your torso and pushed you into him. The kiss got more heated and when he parted his lips lightly to invite your tongue, you didn’t hesitate. After a while, Eris paused to get some air and rested his forehead on yours. 

“Gods, you drive me insane y/n.”

“Likewise.” You said once again and the most captivating, honest laugh escaped the high lord, who was always known to be rather serious and before his fathers death, even cruel.

“Believe me, I don’t want to, but I really have to leave.” He put a soft, warm hand on your cheek and his thumb brushed over your flushed face. One more kiss was placed on your swollen lips and when you opened your eyes again, he was gone.

I hope you enjoyed it! I'm really excited for the next parts and just to be writing again! Let me know if you'd like to get tagged. <3

||The Thread of Fate|| Part Fourteen

"I was saving that peach for this morning."

"Then you should've told me last night. How was I supposed to know it was yours?"

"Because I didn't eat mine last night. You were right there when I put it away."

"For all I know, you didn't want to eat it."

"Who in their right minds wouldn't eat a peach?! Its the best fruit there is!"

"Which is why I ate it!"

And so the argument continued, words flying back and forth across the breakfast table. Iroh sipped his tea contentedly, enjoying the warmth of the beverage. The little argument didn't bother him, really it would bother him if Orora and Zuko weren't arguing first thing in the morning.

Thinking that perhaps he should step in, lest Orora freeze Zuko for the rest of the day, and she would do that, Iroh cleared his throat, catching both their attention. "I believe you owe Orora a peach Zuko." He stated calmly, prompting his pupil to shoot a smug smirk in the scowling Prince's direction.

"She can get one herself." He grumbled, standing up. Orora pursed her lips in annoyance, but chose to remain quiet. She wouldn't be letting it go that easily, but for now, they were already getting late for work.

Best to pick up on it later.

Iroh couldn't help but chuckle at the look of intense concentration on Orora's face. He knew exactly what she was planning, he just hoped her revenge, should she choose to seek it out, which she would, wouldn't make Zuko too annoyed.

Then again, it was rather nice to see Zuko display emotions other then anger, anguish and hopelessness. For too long he had watched his nephew despair over the loss of his home and his honor. But ever since Orora came into their lives, Iroh had seen significant change. One that made him realize that perhaps the boy Zuko had been before he was banished, was still somewhere inside him.

And as they stepped into the teashop to begin work for the day, he caught his nephew shoving a peach into Orora's hand before stalking off to look for his apron. His young pupil stood still for a few moments, eyes darting from the fruit to the door where Zuko had disappeared.

Finally, she rolled her eyes, a gentle smile playing about her lips. Slipping the peach into her pocket, she began her tasks for the day.

Iroh shook his head, smiling to himself. It was obvious how the both of them cared for one another, and yet neither were willing to take the next step. Perhaps because of their views, views that had been thrust upon them by the world.

A Fire Nation Royal, and a Water Tribe Noblewoman.

A love that was never meant to be.

Huffing to himself, Iroh began to go over the many many teas he had stored on the shelf behind the counter.

He had allowed them both the dignity of working everything out themselves, but if they were going to be too stubborn about their nonsensical views, he would have to step in.

They were far better together then they were apart, he had seen and experienced it firsthand.

Perhaps an opportunity would arrive soon, that would help push both teenagers together.

Season 1

☾ Prologue ☾ Chapter 1 - Welcome Avatar ☾ Chapter 2 - Encountering the Sun ☾ Chapter 3 - Dangerous Gale ☾ Ch 4

Season 2

҉ Ch 5 ҉ Ch 6 ҉ Ch 7 ҉ Ch 8

Season 3

𖤓 Ch ???

Aftermath

⋆ Ch ???

The Handsome Stranger

Rhysand x Priestess!Reader

Summary: You had fallen for the High Lord, it was inevitable. However, he was clearly in love with another, and now he had come to ask you the one question you had dreaded to hear. 

Warnings: brief mention of abuse, mild angst with a happy ending, a big misunderstanding, believed-to-be unrequited feelings, friends-to-lovers

Word Count: 3079

Author Notes: This was inspired by one of my favorite television series, The Vicar of Dibley. The show is much more comedic than this story is, but it still helped me formulate this. The story title is borrowed from the episode that inspired this. Some of the dialogue towards the end is as well, and some of it has been re-worded to fit ACOTAR more seamlessly. Special thanks to @azsazz​ for encouraging me to write this. 

Not many ventured to the temple, too afraid of what peace they would disturb. It was a benefit in your mind; it meant that you could read and take care of your daily duties without anyone bothering you. Usually your days were spent in a comfortable quiet, though it appeared today would not be such a day. 

“Hello?” A voice like velvet asked, causing you to sigh. You had just sat down to start the next chapter in the book you’d been reading and had really hoped to avoid dealing with anyone. You closed your book and moved to the sanctuary, doing your best to smile and give off an air of warmth and kindness. The smile on your face faltered when you noticed a beautiful fae standing before the altar, his blue-black hair tousled and his eyes closed in what appeared to be prayer. 

Part of you wondered whether you should leave him to his privacy but then he asked, “Are you one of the priestesses here?” He’d noticed you. You opened your mouth to respond then abruptly shut it when his eyes opened and orbs that were almost violet in color met yours. “Well?” 

His tone implied that he was annoyed and you wondered whether it was really worth your time to get involved with him. Unfortunately, it was your duty as a priestess to aid any who came to the temple asking for assistance. “Yes I am,” you answered at last, “Was there something I could help you with?” 

“We’ll see.” Oh, you did not like the arrogance that rolled off of this male. The two of you stared at one another in an unspoken challenge to see who would speak next. “Shall I get to the point?”

“If you’d like me to assist you, I think that would be wise.” A look of amusement flickered across his handsome face and you did your best to keep your own expression neutral as he continued to stare at you. 

“You’re very direct.” His statement left you unsure; was it meant to be an insult or a compliment? Regardless, you still held his gaze, waiting for him to state his reason for being at the temple in the first place. The silence stretched on, but you refused to be the first to break it. 

Stubborn too, I see. I could use that.  

The stranger’s voice crawled its way through your mind and your eyes widened. How had he done that? All at once you felt a stab of fear. He was a daemati; he could tear your mind apart with ease if you weren’t careful. 

Clever girl.  

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💜 starshine 💜

Rhysand x Reader

part I part II part III part IV part V part VI

summary: by luck or fate, Rhys stumbles upon a stranger.

notes: this has been swirling around my mind for ages.

______________________________________________________________

When the wards were breached, I raised my head.

A tingle went down my spine as I felt the presence, powerful but wavering, and for a second, I could feel golden light rise around me and power hum under my skin, ready to take on any intruder.

Every Time We Touch | Azriel x reader

Part II to Just a Little Crush, but can be read separately

Summary: Azriel gets with his crush, the lucky bastard.

A/N: I’ve been wanting to write Az with a virgin for ages, so I put it to a vote and the people have spoken in this poll. I tried my best to keep the cringe to a minimum haha let me know what you think! 

Word count: 6900

Warnings: SMUT (18+, loss of virginity), we return to bashful and infatuated Azzie, my favourite kind of Azzie <3

-

For the hundredth time tonight, Azriel's eyes flickered to the huge clock Rhys had installed above the mantlepiece in the dining room of the House of Wind. Ten minutes. He'd be late if he didn't leave within the next ten minutes, and he felt his patience fade a little more with every second Rhysand's guests spent languidly poking at their food without a single care in the world.

"Azriel," Cresseida, the Princess of Adriata, the capital of the Summer Court, spoke from where she sat between Cassian and himself. "You don't mind, do you?"

Azriel blinked. He hadn't paid even a lick of attention.

warm hands. (mako x f!reader) rewrite.

hello everyon!! a while ago i wrote a request called warm hands that got deleted by tumblr when i tried to edit the post on mobile :/ i’ve been on this hellsite for years and it still sucks but ANYWAY. as a thank you for supporting me and also as an apology for not updating lmao i wanted to repost a better version i wrote <3 much love to u and to mako

She turned to the man standing just a few feet away from her, surprised at how familiar his face had looked. His jet black hair, thick eyebrows, and golden eyes were from somewhere, but (Y/N) couldn’t place if she had dreamt about someone like him or had actually met him.

It would bug her the rest of the day if she didn’t say anything to him, so she had. “Excuse me,” She said, lightly touching his arm to get his attention. “Sorry to bother you, you just look really familiar to me.”

He had stared down at her silently, his brows furrowed, and in normal circumstances (Y/N) would have felt absolutely mortified…

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Eris Vanserra Fic Rec Library 🍁❤️‍🔥

these fics are a mix of Eris x reader, Eris x OC, and a few general Eris fics with no pairing. if you've never read an Eris fic before, I highly recommend starting with the first rec below (gust & flame) because that fic made me fall in love with him. enjoy ✨

by @invisibleanonymousmonsters

by @theostrophywife

by @acourtofmenandthirst

by @leafsandstarlight

Dream Girl Evil - Eris Vanserra x Archeron!Reader

---

Nesta watched her twin on the balcony of the House of Wind with a curious gaze. There was something about how you held yourself tonight that made Nesta think there was something wrong with you. You usually loved being the life of the party, much to Nesta and your other two sisters’ dismay, and drew people towards you like a beacon on a foggy night. But lately, the shine your presence usually brought to parties had dimmed to be barely distinguishable from the faelight in the room. 

You absentmindedly picked at your nails while leaning against the railing of the balcony, wistfully contemplating your existence, Nesta guessed. You were deep like that. Always contemplating the ramifications of actions, whether they be your own or the ones of others. Nesta was about to step towards you when Cassian wrapped an arm around her waist to pull her into the conversation he was having with whomever it was. She glanced back at you before moving her attention to the man talking to her mate. 

And you felt it. Thank the Cauldron for that little gift, you mused to yourself sardonically. While Rhys and Feyre may be able to read the thoughts of everyone in the room dumb enough to not put up mental shields, you were able to feel the intentions of people. You could feel gazes on you, not because you were paranoid, but because your powers picked up on their intention to try and figure you out. You could feel Nesta physically pull her attention away from you and direct it to someone else. You wondered what was worse – hearing every thought in the room, or knowing people’s intentions without any context. 

Almost as soon as Nesta’s attention moved from you, you felt another gaze slink from the bottom of your spine to your neck and draw closer to you. You could almost hear the smirk that followed those polished footsteps. 

“All alone, princess?” Eris asked condescendingly. You barely looked over your left shoulder to see him from the corner of your eye take the place next to you. 

Gossamer - Eris Vanserra x Reader

masterlist

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She was beautiful, Eris thought, as he watched his wife twirl their daughter around. She had always been beautiful to him, but in the last five years they had been free of his father's wrath, she had simply glowed with life.

The High Lord of Autumn couldn't help but think back on how different their lives had been then, and how thankful he was that things had changed for the better.

.a court of ash and smoke | masterlist.

pairing: lucien vanserra x fem!reader

summary: five years before feyre archeron ever stepped foot in prythian, another human girl found herself in the spring court. but the trials and tribulations of her time under the mountain left her with nothing but a certain red-headed high fae emissary, who had once resented her entire presence, to help and guide her.

series warnings: 18+, minors DNI, smut, non-con, dub-con, suicide, suicidal thoughts, ptsd, character death, canon-level violence, slight enemies to lovers.

🩸 book two: a court of fate and fortune 🩸

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❤️ indicates smut

please remember to reblog, like, and share a comment if you enjoy this series - it is always appreciated by writers to see their hard work valued.

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