{Welcome to the Night}

Auriella didn't know what to expect when she arrived.

She had heard of the Court of Nightmares before, hearing of the terrible things that happened there. It was said that the inhabitants did not take too kindly when fae from other courts entered their domain. They were rumored to be violent and harmful, but they were extremely loyal to the High Lord of Night.

But the place where Rhysand had taken her was not close to terrifying.

The High Lord and Daughter of Dawn arrived in front of his home, overlooking the beautiful land of...

"Welcome to Velaris, Auriella." He tells her.

As the sun shined down upon the Court of Dreams, Auriella could not tear her eyes away from the beauty that it was. She looked down upon the city, seeing the different colors and taking in the tightly knitted land. Homes and businesses were close to one another, making the brick-built streets packed with citizens of the Night Court.

Rhysand's home stood on a small hill, tall enough to see the land in its entirety. Auriella couldn't help but feel overjoyed, finally breathing new air and getting away from home. She didn't know how desperate she was until tears streamed down her face.

Auriella quickly wiped them away, turning to Rhysand, who also had his sights set on his home. "In all honesty, this was not what I expected." She says to him.

He chuckles, "Given what you have been told, it doesn't come as a surprise to me. I kept Velaris hidden. When Amarantha had captured all of the High Lords, my home was the one thing that I needed to protect, along with my people. This was something that I didn't want Amarantha, or anyone, to know about." He explains.

"And what made you reveal it?" Auriella asks.

Rhysand looks over to her, "My High Lady. She wanted us to reveal our true selves. She didn't want to hide behind a mask as I have for hundreds of years. We both agreed upon it," he takes a deep breath, "and now we are here."

The Daughter of Dawn smiles, "It is truly breathtaking, Rhysand." She tells him.

The High Lord of Night motions for her to follow him, "Speaking of my High Lady, I would like for you to meet with her. She is currently awaiting our arrival." He says.

Auriella becomes rigid for a moment. Even if it has been four years since escaping Under the Mountain, there were still open wounds that never mended.

Feyre's actions were one of them.

The memories of her friends and Clare still haunted Auriella's mind, remembering everything that they had gone through. She remembers Feyre plunging the daggers in Marcellus and Poppy's chest, seeing the life leave their eyes. She remembers hearing Clare's screams throughout the cell blocks, seeing her body come back worse than before.

Auriella shakes herself out of her thoughts. This was her time to face her, to start healing her broken mind, and to let go of everything that still lingered from the past.

She nods at Rhysand, mustering a smile. "I would like to meet her too."

The guards in front of the House of Wind open the tall oak doors, revealing the grand foyer. Auriella and Rhysand walk in, immediately overwhelmed with the tantalizing aroma of baked sweets and prepared food.

A small giggle sounded from down the hallway, making its way towards them. A grin took over Rhysand's face and he knelt down. The little Illyrian baby waddled down, making his way towards his father.

Auriella had forgotten about Rhysand and Feyre's new addition that came into the world ten months prior. A beautiful baby boy with black hair and piercing violet-blue eyes that could put anyone into a trance. The High Prince of the Night Court, Nyx.

He went into his father's arms with a heart-wrenching smile, nestling his head into the crook of Rhysand's neck. He stared at Auriella. She waved at him, making him smile before quickly looking away.

"I never said congratulations. He is extremely handsome." Auriella says.

Rhysand smirks, "Everyone says that he mostly looks like Feyre, but I don't see the resemblance," he holds his son in the air, "he is my exact replica." He coos.

"You'll never get over it, will you?" A voice says. Feyre.

The High Lady of the Night Court stands in the threshold of the foyer, looking to her family, before setting her eyes onto the Daughter of Dawn. She was dressed in one of the finest gowns Auriella had ever seen. It was colored the deepest black, shining like starlight from the neckline down to the hem.

Auriella bowed her head, "It's a pleasure to meet you, High Lady of Night." She says.

Feyre walks towards her with a smile placed on her lips. She holds her hand out, "And it is an honor to finally meet you, Daughter of Dawn."

Auriella shakes her hand, "Please, no formalities. You may call me Auriella." She says.

Feyre nods, "And you may call me Feyre." She tells her.

Rhysand scoffs, "And you may call me starving because I am hungry. Where the hell is everyone? Has Cassian arrived yet?" He asks, still holding Nyx in his arms.

The High Lady shakes her head at him, "Emerie is upstairs getting ready. But I'm sure the others will arrive soon." She turns to Auriella once more, "Would you like to have a drink with me? I am in desperate need of one." She offers.

Auriella laughs, "I'd be delighted to." She says.

Feyre leads Auriella through the House of Wind, heading towards the dining room. As they are walking, the Daughter of Dawn admires the beauty of the house, seeing many handmade paintings. Some were good while others were atrocious, but she would not dare say those words out loud.

Once they entered the room, Auriella's nose filled with a delicious scent. She saw the long table already set as if it were a feast for a king. She felt her stomach grumble, it had almost been a whole day since she had eaten anything.

Rhysand took his seat at the head of the table, while Feyre sat on the side next to him, taking Nyx into her arms and sitting him on her lap. He reached for anything that seemed remotely entertaining, including the gleaming utensils that immediately caught his eyes.

Auriella sat on the other side, her heart thundering out of her chest. She willed her mind to remain calm, but there were too many thoughts all at once.

She couldn't help but ask herself if she made the right choice. This was her first time being away from her family, being in a different court by herself without knowing anyone except for Feyre and Rhysand.

"So, what are your first impressions of Velaris so far, Auriella?" Feyre asked, pouring wine into two cups, handing one over to her.

Auriella smiled, "It's beautiful. I must say it was nothing like I had imagined, but far better. It's tough to picture it, especially when you have been told your whole life that the Night Court is a horrible place to be in." She tells her.

Rhysand chuckles, plopping a carrot into his mouth, saying nothing.

"Well, seeing as you will be spending time here, I would like to show you around, if you are comfortable," Feyre says, taking another sip of her wine.

Auriella nodded, "Of course. I would love to get to know more of your court. My father would not believe a word I say, but I'll tell him about it anyway." She says.

Suddenly, another person walks into the room. Auriella turns her head, seeing a dark-hair slender fae walk in. Her eyes were a cold silver as if they could stare into the very soul of a person. The female was undeniably beautiful, wearing a simple black dress, her arms, and neck covered in different colored jewels.

"Ah, Amren, how delightful of you to join us. You wouldn't happen to know where the others are, do you? It seems like everyone wants to be late today." Rhysand says.

Amren rolls her eyes, "I don't keep tabs on those idiots, Rhys," she plops into her seat away from everyone, picking up a strawberry from the plate, examining it for a moment before taking a small bite. She looks to Auriella, a smirk appearing on her lips.

"Oh, would you look at that? The famous Daughter of Dawn in the Night Court? I can't say I'm surprised. I knew this day would come soon enough, where you would come to find answers for yourself instead of others doing it for you." Amren says.

Feyre takes a deep breath, "Amren, we don't need to talk about this right now. Let's just have a simple conversation." She tells her.

Amren chuckles, "My High Lady, we might as well have this conversation now. She cannot deny what she is. A Shadowsinger. An extremely unusual one at that. Even in her weak state, I can see her shadows floating around her." She says.

Weak.

The word sent a jolt of anger through Auriella, but she willed it away. She gave the Second Commander a small smile, "I do not deny what I am. However, I am curious as to why I have it. Also, I do appreciate you and Cassian's help." She tells her.

Amren scoffs, "Cassian practically fell asleep every time we went to the library. He would rarely look. Whenever he would, he would most likely look at the pictures on the pages instead of reading the words." She says, plopping a blueberry into her mouth.

"Sorry, I'm late... where is everyone?" An Illyrian female walks into the room.

The woman was beautiful, her dark skin glowing in the light that came into the room. She wore a red silk dress, which perfectly hugged her body. Her wings were scared down to the center tendons, clipped. She made her way to the seat next to Auriella.

"Auriella, this is Emerie, Cassian's lover," Rhysand says.

Emerie smiles at the Daughter of Dawn, "So you were the guest everyone here was raving about. The servants roamed around the halls, preparing for your arrival." She says, reaching her hand out for Auriella to shake, which she does.

Auriella was surprised. She hoped it didn't show. "I don't know if I should be honored or not. Seeing how big the house is, I can't imagine how long it takes to clean." She says, making Feyre chuckle.

Soon, Morrigan and Nesta walk in. Auriella remembered them from the High Lords meeting three years ago. Yet, they still looked the same. Attractive and deadly.

The Third Commander plops down into her seat, her heated stare on the Feyre's sister, "Sometimes, you make me want to rip your head off and dump your body into the Sidra. Don't ever provoke me like that again." She snaps.

Rhysand stares at her, "Do not impurify my waters." He tells her.

Feyre's eyes narrow, ignoring her mate's words. "What the hell did you do now, Nesta? You both cannot come back here without doing something that enrages the other." She says.

Nesta walks over to Feyre, kneeling down to coo at the High Prince, who quickly reaches for her. Feyre lets her sister carry him, bouncing Nyx in her arms. "I wanted to duel against her in the mountains, but it seems like she wasn't in the mood," Nesta says, smiling at her nephew.

Morrigan finishes an entire bottle of wine, clanging it onto the table. "If you and I were to duel against each other, I would kill you. Now, I don't have a problem with that, but my High Lady would not approve of my actions." She says.

Nesta ignores the words from the commander, sitting next to her sister, and let Nyx play with the rings on her fingers. Auriella could practically sense the connection between them.

Auriella suddenly remembers Perseus. She turns to Rhysand, "Are you sure you don't know where Cassian is? Perseus is with him."

Morrigan lets out a laugh, "I didn't even see you there, Daughter of Dawn. Now I see why Rhys was rushing us to get back here quickly. Sorry to keep you waiting." She says.

Auriella shakes her head, "Don't apologize. I can understand that you all must be busy. Hell, there are days where I was stacked with paperwork that I had to miss important meetings to get it all done." She tells her.

"Ah, yes. The Daughter of Dawn is practically equivalent to a High Lady, but with many limitations. Is that correct?" Morrigan asks.

Auriella shrugs, "That is one way to see it. Because my brother and I were adopted, we are not able to become heirs of the High Lord or Lady title. Instead, we were named the Daughter and Son of Dawn, legally doing work for our court and handling certain situations. Those titles give us limited power, yes." She explains.

"And who is this Perseus? Is he a guard of yours?" Feyre asks.

Auriella chuckles, "He is my wolf. I take him everywhere I go. He supposedly arrived with Cassian, but I have yet to see either of them." She says.

Emerie's eyes widen, "What if this wolf of yours is eating him alive?" She asks, panic rising to her face.

Amren scoffs, "Good riddance," She mutters, drinking her wine. Morrigan rolls her eyes at her, a smirk making its way to her mouth. Rhysand purses his lips, stifling a laugh. Feyre covers her mouth, doing the same as her mate.

Auriella shakes her head, "He isn't violent, only when provoked. When we left, he was perfectly fine. Cassian took him without a problem." She says. Emerie lets out a breath, drinking her water.

For a moment, the entire table stays silent, everyone grabbing food from the table and starting to eat without everyone present. Auriella felt a pang go through her chest. She wondered if Azriel knew she was there, wondered if he cared.

She opened the shields of her mind, hoping that there would be a response from him. A word. A feeling. Anything. But there was nothing but silence.

What if he didn't want to be in the same room as her? What if he was angry at her for showing up in his court without notice? Did he even want to get to know her? Was there someone else?

As the thoughts circled in her mind, Auriella heard barking come from down the hall. Cassian stormed into the room with Perseus at his side. The wolf immediately ran to Auriella, sitting on the floor beside her, his breathing heavy. Auriella fills a bowl with water, placing it down for him to drink, which he does.

The general stood at the end of the table with nervousness clearly plastered on his face. He looked at Rhysand, "Um, Rhys, we have a slight problem with Azriel." He says, wiping the sweat off of his forehead. Auriella snaps her attention to him.

The High Lord of Night takes a deep breath, "And what kind of problem could he possibly have? He wasn't tasked to do anything today." He says.

Cassian grinned, "No, not that kind of problem. It's the kind where he would like to have a strongly worded conversation with us both, mainly with his fist in our faces." He tells him.

Feyre rolls her eyes, "What did you both do to him now? He is the least problematic of the two of you and yet, you both find some way to make him pissed off his mind." She says to them.

Rhysand stands from his chair, smirking, "Sometimes, the Spymaster can be irrational when it comes to a certain," he looks to Auriella, "topic that wears heavy on his mind."

The Daughter of Dawn felt heat rush to her cheeks. It seems that her mate did not know anything about her arrival. But was he avoiding her?

"Where is Azriel?" Rhysand asked, heading towards Cassian.

The general smirks, "I tied him up to a tree. He is currently thrashing as we speak. I can tell you that it was not easy at all." He tells him.

"CASSIAN!" A loud male scream bellowed from outside. Azriel.

The High Lord and the general quickly made their way out of the dining hall, leaving the women confused. They all looked at one another, laughing to themselves, except for Auriella, who only smiled at them.

Without command, Perseus ran out of the room, barking, following the men.

"Perseus!" Auriella exclaimed, standing from her seat, and running after him. She saw him stop, turn into the foyer, his barks echoing throughout the house. And once she made the turn... her heart stopped for a moment.

Azriel was right there, kneeling down in front of Perseus, petting him. He smiled at the wolf, who licked his face over and over as if he knew him.

Auriella felt herself become rigid. Three years.

Three years had passed without seeing his face, without speaking to him through the bond, without having any sort of contact with each other at all. And now, he was there in front of her, handsome and strong as she remembered him.

And when their eyes locked once again, Auriella wasn't sure she was breathing. If this was some sort of dream that the spirits had dragged her into, she wanted to wake up, to be back in the Dawn Court. But she knew it wasn't.

It was him.

I hope I see you again.

The Spymaster slowly made his way towards her. Auriella steeled herself, not wanting to show the vulnerability that this moment had brought down upon her.

His hazel eyes bore into her, showing longing and relief like he had waited for this moment as much as she did. It took everything within Auriella to not burst out in tears. Instead, she reached her hand out to him, smiling.

"Spymaster," Auriella breathed, "I'd hoped we'd see each other again."

Azriel gently took her hand in his scared one, lifting it up to his lips, planting a light kiss. His eyes were on hers the entire time, even when his touch became absent. Auriella's eyes brimmed with tears.

A smile tugged at his lips, "As did I."