It was impossible to look at the full, rich lines of his dark red mouth without thinking: ‘This man eats meat.’ It was an inexpressibly carniverous mouth; a mouth that suggested snapping, tearing, biting, a mouth that was always half-smiling in a pretty, feline curve; and showing in the smile, hints of feline, tearing teeth, small, brilliantly white, sharp, like wounding little chips of milk glass. How beautiful he was, and how indefinably sinister.
Summary: You are Azriel’s mate of 150 years. Your home used to be Velaris until your sister mysteriously disappeared 60 years ago without a trace and it’s been your life’s mission to find her. That is until one day you’re back in Velaris for the first time in years to meet the new high lady and you get your first clue as to where your sister may be after all these years.
Warnings: mentions of missing child, mentions of death in child birth, implied sexual content.
Part 1 ↓
“Wait, Azriel has a mate?” Feyre gawked at her mate, eyes wide and mouth ajar.
“How did I not know this? I thought he was interested in Mor?”
“Azriel and Morrigan do have a strong love for one another. But not in a romantic sense. Azriel as been mated to (Y/N) for little over 150 years.” Rhys confirms, with a grin
“How come I haven’t met her yet?” Feyre asks, her interest peaked at this mysterious woman that’s never been mentioned to her—confused when her mate's grin falters.
“(Y/N) comes and goes. It’s hard for her to stay in one place for to long. When her and Azriel first mated he was around for a long time, a valuable member of the inner circle. About 60 years ago her younger sister went missing, she just disappeared one day. Little Sarah, was just a mere 16 years old—much younger than all of us. We never found her,” Rhys pauses, taking a deep breath. “(Y/N) can’t let it go. She won’t stay here long before she has to go back out and we let her go and just hope she’ll return home with her sister one day.”
“Oh, gods,” Feyre gasps, knowing if it were her sisters she would never stop looking either. “I can’t say I blame her. But 60 years? (Y/N) still has hope her sister is out there?”
That is silent, his eyes flicking down to the floor and Feyre feel a tug on their bond. A sad thing and she frowns.
“You all think she is?” She asks and Rhy sighs
“Honestly? I don’t know. I feel like anything is possibly until we know otherwise. Best case scenario she’s found and returned home. Worst case scenario we find out she’s…gone and we avenge her death in any way we can.”
“You all must have really loved her?” Feyre breaths, grasping her mate's hand.
“(Y/N)’s mother died giving birth to little Sarah. (Y/N) and Azriel raised her here in the House of Wind—we all did. When she was lost…it was devastating. We searched endlessly for years before we had to make the decision to stop. (Y/N) stopped for 3 years and stayed here with Azriel but she soon became restless. She needed answers about her sister and she couldn’t find them here. It was a hard day when she decided to leave. Azriel almost went with her but she talked him out of it, telling him he needed to stay here. He sees her more than we do of course, he’ll travel to her when he can. She only pops in here once in a blue moon, I think it’s too painful for her to come home to where she raised that child and not have her here.” Rhys explains, emotional and sympathetic. The loss of a friend and a child had to have been hard on them all.
“I hope to meet her one day, she seems lovely,” Feyre offers, and Rhys violet eyes meet hers lovingly.
“You two will be quick friends, just like you and Mor,” Rhys grins, and Feyre makes it a mental point to talk to Azriel—to check in on her friend knowing the situation he’s in is not an easy one to deal with.
——————————
2 Weeks Later
I slid through the shadows of the familiar halls I knew so well. I could hear voices and laughter drifting down the corridors and smirked to myself. Everyone was here, perfect. I looked up winnowing myself into the rafters, tucking my wings tightly and letting my body shift further into the shadows as it moved closer and closer to them.
Five people sitting around a dining table—only one missing. Food and wine scattered about as they talked and laughed. I grinned, lifting my shield just enough to let the shadows and house know someone was here before concealing myself completely again, watching as the three males at the table instantly became alerted to the presence of an unknown guest.
Mutterings of someone being in the house started and I laughed to myself jumping to another rafter. I half lifted my shield again, jumping to another rafter, all heads snapping above. Continuing until I was above one specific Illyrian before dropping down—gasps and shouts echoed around the room as I landed on his shoulders, shadows trying to wiggle past my shield to fight off the threat before I completely lifted it. Grinning down at my mate as I crouched on his shoulders.
“Long time no see,” I told him sweetly, bending down to kiss him.
“(Y/N)!” He exclaimed, reaching around to grab me and pull me into his arms.
Those shouts and exclamations turned into ones of my name and I laughed as my family gathered around prying me away from Azriel so they could get hugs of their own.
“You always did like to make a dramatic entrance,” Rhys grinned and I laughed as I hugged him, the second to last person standing around me.
I turned my attention to the female standing next to him hugging her as well, knowing exactly who she was.
“It’s so nice to meet you, Feyre,” I said, pulling back to look between her and Rhy. “I’ve heard so much about you from Az. I’m honored to finally meet you. I apologize for waiting so long to officially meet you.”
I take a step back, letting my mate envelop me in his arms once again.
“Oh, no apologies necessary, I’m glad you’re here now,” Feyre smiled warmly—her energy warm and inviting. “Will you be joining us?”
“Only for a bit before I drag my mate away,” I grinned up at him, the others around us laughing.
“I might drag you away first,” He growled, shadows tangling around us making me laugh.
The others snickered and made lewd jokes as they dispersed back towards the table.
My chair next to Azriel’s was waiting for me. I sit and his shadows twirl around me lovingly as he fixes a plate for me—a glass of wine appearing in front of me at the snap of Rhy’s fingers. I grin at him happily snatching the glass up and downing half of it in a large sip.
The night is wonderful, I’m seated next to Rhy who’s at the head of the table, Feyre on his other side and directly in front of me. I enjoy getting to know her—Rhy’s mate. They fit together so well. I enjoy catching up with cassian and Mor, oh how I missed her. I was endlessly happy to be back with my family.
———————
The Next Day
I woke up before the sun rose. I didn’t sleep much the night before. After Azriel and I dragged one another out of the dining room and to our shared quarters we made love over and over again to make up for time spent apart.
I had missed him so much. His hands on my body, his lips on my skin, how he would stroke my wings, his scent, the way his shadows would caress my body as he slowly took me apart with his mouth and fingers before filling me up and our silent communication—a bond only mated pairs know. It was always the perfect feeling, being with him after so long.
I couldn’t sleep though, I hadn’t slept well in this house in decades. So, I got up and dressed, kissed Azriel’s forehead and headed out into the dim hallway. I made my way to the training deck, I needed to burn off some of my pent up energy—to my surprise Feyre was standing there, hands wrapped and a few strands of hair stuck to her sweaty forehead.
“High Lady,” I grinned as our eyes met, a pretty smile spreading across her own lips—she really was as beautiful as everyone said.
“I wasn’t expecting anyone else to be awake,” She says, pushing the hair off of her forehead.
“I don’t sleep well here,” I shrug and she nods, a look of understanding in her eyes that lets me know she knows why.
“Would you care for a morning spar?” She asks, gesturing to the opening.
“Oh hell yeah,” I nod excitedly.
We spar for hours. She’s good. I can tell she was trained by the boys—but I was able to teach her a few moves of my own. She caught on quick too—putting me on my ass only after a few tries of each move.
We bantered back and forth, playful jabs of sarcasm. It was nice. I used to love sparring with Mor, too…back when I was around long enough to actually train with her that is.
“Do you yield, high lady?” I sneer mockingly, dagger pressed under her chin as I straddle her chest, knees on her elbows pinning her effectively.
I’m keenly aware when there’s a presence of another but I don’t let it distract me, my attention focused on the woman under me.
“No,” She grunts, bucking hard enough to throw me off, sending the dagger tumbling from my hand. She’s on top of me then, forearm pressed against my throat. “Do you yield, (Y/N)?”
I tap the ground three times watching her grin form before she slides off of me, sitting to my left, both of us breathless. I let my eyes find him then, standing there arms across his chest looking gorgeous in the early morning sun—I can’t help but smile at him.
“I’ll give you two a few minutes,” Feyre says with a knowing smirk, pushing up and heading inside past Azriel with a smirk in his direction, too.
As soon as we’re alone he’s on me. Hands, mouth and shadows on every inch of skin he can get to. It wasn’t the worst way to finish off the morning.
Breaking apart only when Rhys called us inside, an urgency in his voice I hadn’t heard in a very long time.
An urgency that had every instinct in my body on alert.
As always constructive feedback is welcomed.
Summary
Signatories: House, (later Faction) Paradox and The Court of King George II).
Location: St.Giles's Inn, St.Giles in the Field, London.
Effective: 5th January 1752 to 5th January 1822.
Condition: Ratification by both parties.
Language: English and Modern linear Gallifreyan.
Goals
House Paradox
(Thought to be ambassadors for a significant power, an, "island colony").
1.Symbolic permission to establish the Eleven Day Empire proof of concept and bolthole.
2.Exploit the Protocols of Linearity by forging a permeant Earth-War time link to close off the War Time access points within the next seven decades to all major .T.S.W.i.H./.T.S.G.T.W. factions.
3.Bind House, (and later Faction) Paradox to the British capital forever.
Britain
1.Further funding for wars in France.
Terms
The 11 days rendered, "missing" by the switch to the Gregorian calender, (3rd to 13th September) purchased by House Parardox, (for which they would provide the ritual for) in exchange for a very large amount gold.
Events
.2/1/1752.-.3/1/1752.: The Godfather Lieutenant arrives at Plymouth by sailing ship to a brief reception before embarking on the one and half days journey to London by horse and carriage.
.3/1/1752.: The Godfather Lieutenant arrives in London at the roughly midday and rest from the remainder of the day, "resting after the journey" as demanded by social ettiquette and uncomfortable ride.
.4/1/1752.: The reception at St.James's Palace in which the Godfather Lieutenant performs a four armed, "Shadow Dance" and negiotiates the Compact's terms.
.5/1/1752.: The Compact is signed in the upstairs room of the St.Giles Inn at the Service's behest.
Quotes
"an opportunity to relieve the somewhat delusional from the burden of their unfathomably abundant assets", Prime Minister Henry Pelham, Never Give a Sucker an even Break: History's Dodgiest Deals.
So, it's been just over a year since I posted my first and so far only finished ArSen fic on AO3. How the FUCK has it been that long? It feels hard to believe that much time has passed (not gonna lie, I thought I would've written much more by now, but life has been a struggle lately and although I do have one decent WIP on the go it's been hard to feel like working on it).
Anyway, if for some reason you managed to miss me posting about it before and you find yourself in the mood for some Hilmes/Zandeh smut, you can check it out here. To those who already read and left comments and/or kudos, thank you, it means so much to me that you took the time to do that!
Also @tired-reader-writer, because I know we posted at roughly the same time I went to check and... Happy one year anniversary to Winds of Wolfsong on AO3!
