Click for enlarged images. We know events occurred between the war and UtM like Cassian trapping Lanthys or seeing Bryaxis, but no information on dates. As you can see from the third picture, the bulk of ACOWAR occurs over a single month.
Azriel: The Spring Court wants to know what kind of weapons we are bringing to the meeting of the High Lords. I'm letting them know it's private information.
Feyre, looking over Azriel's shoulder: This just says "fuck around and find out" in calligraphy.
Summary: Ever since Feyre arrived at Velaris, they have only ever known Azriel a stoic and mostly serious. But once his wife comes home, she sees a different side to him.
A Court of Thorns and Roses Masterlist
â˘â˘â˘
Feyre watched as Azriel stood by the window. His shadows moved over his shoulders and around his ear as if whispering something to him. The expression on Azrielâs face was his same neutral one that only ever seemed to change the smallest amount. And only ever in the presence of the Inner Circle and even then there would only be a small hint of a smile.Â
It was late at night and everyone was enjoying a relaxing night with a few bottles of Rhysâs expensive alcohol. So far, Azriel hadnât moved from his place at the window, his back was rigid as if he was expecting something, though that was the only indicator that he was. His face was his usual stoicism, giving nothing away.Â
âAz, are you ever going to get away from that window anytime soon?â Cassian complained.Â
Azriel turned his attention to Cassian and scowled. âIâm busy.â
âNot busy enough to spend time with the people you love,â Cassian teased.Â
âAz, sit down, you wonât miss anything,â Rhys chimed in.Â
With a final look through the window, Azriel walked over to the rest of the Inner Circle and sat in the armchair. His back was tense and he was not fully relaxed. Ever since Feyre had known him he had always been somewhat alert to everything.Â
While everyone continues with the card game, Feyre couldnât help but pay more attention to Azriel than to the game. Like Feyre, Azriel didnât seem to be paying any attention to the game either. Instead he stared at the table in front of him completely lost in thought.Â
Elain, who was sitting on the floor beside Mor, looked up to Azriel. âItâs your turn,â she said.Â
âOh,â Azriel said before picking a card out of his hand and placing it on top of the pile.Â
âThat isnât a card you can even put on top,â Cassian complained.Â
Azriel rolled his eyes. âDoes it matter? You change the rules when youâre losing anyway.â
âI do not!â Cassian exclaimed. âI take this game seriously.â
âUntil you are losing,â Nesta mumbled under her breath.Â
Cassian began to argue back, clearly becoming outnumbered in his argument. Feyre only watched on with amusement.Â
However everything was quickly interrupted by a new voice, one Feyre had never heated before, cut through the argument.Â
âI leave you all alone for a few years and everything goes to shit?âÂ
Everything goes silent as everyone stares at the beautiful female who had just entered the room. Before Feyre could even process everything, Azriel threw his cards back down on the table and rushed up to the female.
The female giggled in delight as Azrielâs arms wrapped around her and swung her around. Feyre looked at her two sisters, each of them held the same expression she did. Confusion.Â
What shocked Feyre the most about the situation was the bright and wide smile stretching across Azrielâs face. She had only noticed now that he had dimples.Â
âI missed you so much,â Azriel mumbled.Â
âIt has only been a few months for you,â the female replied.Â
âThat is too long for me. I always wish for you to be next to me,â Azriel replied and pressed his lips against the females. His arms circled her waist, making sure there wasnât a single gap between their bodies. The female threaded her fingers through his hair, causing Azriel to sigh in delight. Feyre couldnât help but feel surprised by this display of affection from Azriel.Â
Feyre leaned back against Rhys. âWho is that?â
âAzrielâs mate and wife,â Rhys answered.
âWhat?â Feyre exclaimed. âNone of you have ever mentioned her before.â
âThat was Azrielâs decision,â Rhys replied, filling up his glass. âYou see, Y/N works as a researcher all over the continent for me so she is rarely ever here so none of us can protect her. Azriel has made a lot of enemies over the years and if he were tied to her, she could be put in even more danger.â
âWhen was the last time they saw each other?â Elain interjected.Â
âFor Azriel a few months ago,â Rhys answered. âThose two weeks just before Solstice when Azriel wasnât here, he was on the continent with her.â
Feyre watched as Azriel buried his head into Y/Nâs neck, holding her against him tightly. Feyre smiled at the sight.Â
âIt has been at least two years since the rest of us have last seen Y/N,â Cassian chimed in. âIt would be nice of her to greet the rest of us.â
Y/N pulled away from Azriel to smile at everyone else. âGive me a break, Cass. If you were to go without a hug from your mate in a few months, you wouldn't be jumping to greet everyone else first.â
âShe knows about us?â Nesta asked.Â
Cassian nodded. âWhenever Azriel meets up with her, she always asks about you all. Apparently she has been excited to meet you all.âÂ
Feyre watched as Azriel and Y/N walked over to join the group. Azrielâs gaze never left Y/N for a single second. Feyreâs gaze shifted down to their joined hands. She hid her smile behind her glass.Â
Y/N quickly greeted Rhys, Cassian and Mor with a hug and she gave a small nod to Amren.Â
Azriel sat down on the armchair first and as Y/N was about to sit in the arm of it, Azriel pulled her down so she sat in his lap instead. His arms locked around her waist as his chin rested on her shoulder. Feyre was sure she had never seen him look so happy before, so at ease. The smile on his face was one Feyre had never seen.Â
âIt is great to finally meet you three,â Y/N said, her gaze flicking between Feyre, Nesta and Elain. âThis one here,â she said, reaching to cup Azrielâs cheek, âhas told me a lot about you.â
âIt is great to meet you,â Feyre said with a smile.Â
âSo now that introductions have finished,â Cassian begins, âcan we get back to the game now? I was about to win.â
âIs that because you changed the rules halfway through the game?â Y/N teased.Â
Cassian rolled his eyes. âYou know what, Y/N. I donât think I missed you at all.â
Y/N chuckled. âWe both know thatâs a lie.â
Azriel laughed along with Y/N and placed a soft kiss to her shoulder. He looked completely different to the stoic and serious shadowsinger Feyre was used to. With Y/N, Azriel seemed like a completely different person. The tension had vanished from his body and his shadows, which were once sliding over his shoulders, were now caressing Y/N legs and arms. One of his hands caressed her thigh while the other threaded with hers. Feyre could see the goosebumps appear on Y/Nâs skin wherever he caressed.Â
Azriel whispered something into Y/Nâs ear which caused her to turn to him, smiling wide, her lips hovering just above his. The glimmer in Azrielâs eyes was prominent as he looked at her. It was as if she hung the stars. There was so much love and tenderness in his eyes that it could only be described as something out of a romance novel. She had never seen him look so at ease before. It was if everything else had melted away and the only thing left was Y/N.
Feyre couldnât help but feel giddy at the sight.Â
âHow long have they been mates for?â Feyre asked Rhys.Â
âNearly three hundred years,â Rhys replied, wrapping an arm around Feyre. âThey have been married for longer, the bond snapped nearly fifty years after they were married.â
âThey seem happy,â Feyre said, her eyes not shifting from where Azriel and Y/N sat.Â
Rhys smiled at his two friends, friends he considered family. âThey are. Azriel is always his happiest when Y/N is around. He always has been ever since they met.â
âWhy does she go away for long periods of time?â Feyre questioned. âIt feels like torture when Iâm away from you for too long. I cannot imagine being mates to someone for three hundred years and only being able to see them every few months.â
âThat is the way it has been through their whole relationship,â Rhys explains. âThey both knew what each other did for a job and neither of them wanted the other to give it up.âÂ
âHow long is she back for this time?â Feyre asked.Â
âI hadnât asked,â Rhys said. âBut I have a small feeling she will be here for a while this time.â
Feyre frowned. âHow so?â
âBecause if I know anything about Y/N, it is that she would never decline a glass of my finest wine and so far she has declined every glass Mor has offered her,â Rhys observed.Â
Feyre looked at Rhys excitedly. âDoes that meanâ?â
Rhys smiled. âThey havenât said anything so I assume that they wish to keep the news between them for a little while longer.â
Feyre smiled over at Y/N and Azriel. She caught Y/Nâs eye. The beautiful female only sent a wink Feyreâs way, a clear indication that she had overheard her and Rhysâs conversation.Â
âAz, itâs your turn,â Nesta said.Â
Azriel throws all of his cards onto the table. âI think I am done for the night.â
Cassian groaned . âReally?â
âReally,â Azriel said. âI want to spend time with my gorgeous mate and wife.â
Cassian chuckled. âThat is only an excuse because you are losing,â the general teased.Â
Azriel rolled his eyes and swooped Y/N up in his arms. Her arms locked around his neck. âIf you need usâ actually donât even try to contact us at all.â
Y/N threw her head back and laughed as Azriel carried her out of the room. Feyre could hear them laughing loudly even when the door was firmly closed behind them. Feyre leaned into Rhys and linked her fingers with his.
âI am happy for them,â Feyre said, her eyes staring at the door where Azriel and Y/N had left.Â
Rhys kissed the top of Feyreâs head. âMe too.â