A/N: Shoutout to all of those beautiful, incredible supportive and awesome people who encouraged me to write this Emeriel (Azriel x Emerie) one shot. I really like this crackship, and I’m hoping we see more of Emerie in the next acotar books.
With this, I’m officially in ghost mode till acosf and for some time after its release (probably a month). My askbox and dm are open for prompts tho! So feel free to send me any writing requests!!
Falling in Shadows
Azriel was lost.
Not lost as in ‘I don’t know the Cauldron where I am’. Not in the physical way lost.
No, Azriel was lost in the emotional way. Lost as in ‘What the Cauldron I am feeling?’
If he was to be honest with himself, he had been feeling like that for quite some time now. Ever since Cassian had asked him to go to that wooden building and spied a certain female through the clothier’s window.
Azriel was usually uncomfortable around other Illyrians. He sometimes forgot he too was one, his hatred for his people in some occasions being so unbearable he found himself a youngling once again, locked in that dark cell, denied the skies.
How could he be an Illyrian, feel like one, when his own people had cast him aside? Had tried to strip him of his heritage?
That was one of the motives he avoided going to Windhaven. But after that day he visited Cassian and Nesta — he was surprised to see how their relationship was going, despite the circumstances that had made Nesta go to Illyria — Azriel found himself looking for reasons to be in Windhaven.
All because of her.
Because of Emerie, the fierce owner of that clothier.
Once he had gotten inside the shop, Azriel had willed his shadows to fade — few were the Illyrians and Fae not afraid of them, afraid of him and his job in the Night Court — and tucked his wings tight. He knew how the Illyrian females were treated. How they were supposed to look down and not talk back when in the presence of a male. He didn’t want any other reason to scary the shop owner.
To his surprise, however, he was met with a different scenario. An Illyrian female who didn’t look down, was not afraid to speak her mind and didn’t cower in his presence.
Emerie didn’t even bat an eyelash at him or his shadows, not even glancing at his scarred hands when he handed her the money — an act he was already used to.
Azriel was in and out of the shop in less then five minutes.
He met her again some time later, having tea with Nesta when came back to Windhaven. They exchanged a few words and he got even more curious about her.
And then, before he had even noticed how, they had become friends.
Azriel would pass by her shop whenever he went to visit Cassian and would chat with Emerie, sometimes joining her and Nesta for tea — Azriel dragged Cassian with him when that happened, a little scared to be beneath the sharpe of gaze of both females by himself.
Not that he told Cassian, or anyone else for that matter, the truth. He’d rather swim naked in one of Windhaven’s deathly cold lakes.
Azriel had female friends, so it was not like he was embarrassed around Emerie because of that. Feyre was his friend, as was Elain — although Feyre seemed to think there was something between him and her sister, they were only on friendly terms. Elain was still processing what had happened to her, being Made and losing everything she had, not to mention Graysen. The man was one of the finest pricks he’d ever met, but love was not rational.
Azriel and Elain understand each other in some level, her being a seer and him a shadowsinger. But nothing more.
And then there was Morrigan. He’d been in love with her. Once. And he knew she didn’t see him like that.
His feelings had faded over time, leaving only respect and brotherly affection towards her. Azriel knew he sometimes overreacted when it came to Eris, but it was not due to a lover’s anger. No, he felt guilty of what Mor had been through, years ago. He was her friend and couldn’t help her when she needed the most.
His love towards Mor may have changed, but it still hurt to see that she was keeping something from him and flirted so shameless in front of him as to keep him away. Whatever it was that she had to say, he’d understand. So he’d wait, until she was ready to talk to him.
When it came to Emerie, however, he felt something. Something different. Something he could not quite place.
Azriel also felt fear.
Fear of what that feeling may represent. Of what Emerie thought of him. He had to keep himself in check around her, least he loose control of his shadows, who always seemed to get agitated whenever they were together.
Sighing, he shook his head to try and rid himself of these thoughts. He could feel an headache coming, and he had to wake up early to met Cassian and the Camp Lords for a meeting regarding the Blood Rite. He needed sleep.
His feet, on the other hand, had other ideais. Before he knew what he was doing, they had taken him on the way to the small craftsman center of the camp, where Emerie’ shop was.
Maybe he could say he had thought of saying a quick hello, see how the things were going with her sells.
“It’s not that late yet. And I didn’t come today to see her. So a late night tea won’t hurt, right?” Azriel thought, trying to calm himself down.
He sent one of his shadows ahead to see if there was any light on the clothier, just in case. If it was off, he’d take it was a sign to leave it alone and go rest.
But when it returned, Azriel felt his blood run cold, and he quickly moved through the shadows to get there faster. And the scene in front of him made his heart stop.
The shop windows were broken, as was the door, and he could see some of the clothes thrown on the floor by the door.
Azriel heard screams.
Heard Emerie screaming.
He entered the shop to find her being restrained by a male, while two others ransacked the place.
Azriel did not fail to notice how the male holding her looked pissed. Maybe due to his bloody nose and black eye.
Azriel smiled internally. His girl would not go down without a fight it seemed.
“And just what do you think you’re doing” he said, announcing his presence.
Four pairs of eyes looked in his direction, and he got smug satisfaction at the clear fear that shined in the males’ eyes.
Specially when they saw Azriel unsheathing Truth Teller and gave free rein to his shadows.
However, in Emerie’s dark brown eyes he only saw relief.
“Close your eyes Em” he said.
And then Azriel exploded.
He had the two males pinned down by his shadows in no time, bounding their wings and squeezing their throats strong enough to leave them breathless.
And a little purple.
But the one that held Emerie... that one he would take his sweet time.
Appearing behind the male — which quickly released Emerie in hope to attempt an escape — Azriel slammed him down in the polished counter.
“What should I do with you” he snarled, bringing Truth Teller dangerously close to the male’s throat, making a thin cut in his skin.
“P-please,” the male whimpered “have mercy”
“Did you show mercy to her? Did you?!” Azriel shouted, pressing the knife harder “I should Clip you. I should Clip all of you and take my sweet time doing it”
He heard the other two males struggling against his shadows, trying to get away again. Azriel only whiled them to tighten their grip, and he swore he heard one start to cry.
“You will never appear here again. You will not bother Emerie any longer” he leaned down to whisper in the male’s ear “You will tell that to your other friends. To anyone who has ever messed with her. And if I hear that you came back — and trust me, I will — I will hunt you down myself”
“Are we clear?” he added, letting his threat sink.
“Y—yes sir” the trembling male managed to gasp through Azriel’s hold on his neck.
“Go” he said, freeing all three, who quickly left the place, running for their lives.
Azriel then turned to find Emerie with her eyes open, staring at him.
He froze. She had seen him. Had seen him act as the High Lord’s spy master. Had seen him being territorial and scary and—
“I think I’ll have to redecorate” was all Emerie said, her voice trembling a little.
Azriel couldn’t believe it. She had been attacked, her shop destroyed and she had time to make a joke.
He shook his head in disbelief and stopped in front of her, holding himself back to not touch her to see if she was hurt anywhere.
“Are you—”
Her knees gave out before he could say anything else, and he quickly caught her in his arms.
“You put your arms around me and I literally felt my kneels buckle, this is so pathetic” she scoffed, looking at the floor.
“Em...”
“I usually can handle it on my own” she shook her head “Nesta taught me some self defense moves. I can’t leave the shop to go for the training ring and I have no desire to be a warrior”
“This...this was the first time that more than one came” she added in a soft whisper.
Azriel felt a calm rage settle in his bones.
“This is not the first time something like this has happened,” he wanted to shake her until she got some sense in that stubborn head of hers “and you didn’t tell anyone about it”
“As I said, I usually can handle it” she snapped back, finally meeting his eyes “I was closing the shop when they appeared. I tried to fight back, but I only managed to punch one before he restrained me. If you hadn’t appeared I—”
She didn’t finish that sentence, bitting her trembling lip to keep herself from crying.
“You are one headstrong and fearless female, you know that?” he said, daring to hold her closer.
“I was scared”
And to Azriel’s surprise she buried her head on his chest, gripping his leathers for her dear life, her body shaking with silent sobs.
“I know Em” he murmured, one hand caressing her hair in comfort.
His shadows closed the door and gathered the clothes on the floor, putting them on the counter.
“I’m going to take you upstairs, okay?” he asked softly, and Emerie just nodded her head.
Gathering her in his arms, Azriel climbed the stairs to the upper part of the shop, where Emerie lived.
He decided to place her on the sofa. He didn’t want to invade her personal space and walk into her bedroom.
He carefully sat on the sofa, adjusting Emerie in his arms so she’d be comfortable. By the looks of it, she wasn’t letting go of him soon.
Not that he was bothered by that.
“Em...it’s okay. You’re safe now” he tenderly raised her head, both hands cupping her cheeks and brushing away her tears.
“Thank you. For arriving when you did” she sniffed, but then reality seemed to fall on her “Why where you around here at this hour?”
Azriel felt the tip of his ears getting hot, and he almost faded back in the shadows.
“I wanted to see you” he mumbled, so low he hoped she had not heard him.
“What was that?” she asked, and by the way she was trying to suppress a grin Azriel could tell she had heard him loud and clear.
“I’m not repeating it” he said, feeling his whole face getting hot
Emerie laughed, and the sound of her laugh was enough to put Azriel at ease.
“I wanted to see you too” she confessed, looking deep into his eyes.
Azriel could swear his heart skipped a beat at her words.
“You did?” he softly asked, afraid this was all a dream and he’d soon wake up.
“Yes” she said, and tenderly took one of his hands on hers, not flinching at the scars on them “I wanted to hear your voice”
She kissed his fingers.
“I wanted to see you trying to come up with topics to talk with me”
She kissed palm.
“I wanted to see your shadows acting all agitated and you trying so hard to control them thinking I’ll be bothered but,” Azriel took a sharp breath when she kissed his wrist “they’re not a bother. I’m not afraid of them. I like them”
Azriel was falling. He was spiralling down into himself, all the way to his shadowed heart.
“You like them?” he asked so quietly, fear lacing his every word.
“I do. They’re part of you Azriel” she interlaced their hands “What is there not to like?”
Azriel felt like crying. He felt like crying because for the first time someone outside of his family had looked at him and actually seen him.
Not a monster who killed and spied and tortured for his High Lord.
Not an Illyrian who was a traitor to his own race.
Not the quiet friend who was satisfied to be in the shadows.
Not a protector doing his duty.
Emerie saw him.
She saw all the good, the bad and the awkward Azriel so desperately tried to conceal.
And she was not afraid.
“Can I hope then?” he dared himself to ask, resting his forehead against hers “Can I hope you feel this? This feeling that I can’t quite place?”
“You can” she answered “Because I hoped you felt the same thing”
Azriel still did not know how to name this feeling between them yet. But he was sure of one thing.
He was dying to know what it was.
And Emerie would help him in every path of this discovery.
•
Emeriel Tags: @julemmaes @angrypotatofairy @illyrianwitchling @moe8 @thewayshedreamed @ko0mbayamylord @rosegoldannie @fourshizzle149 @arin1030 @elide-lochan-salvaterre @the-bookish-deer
Fixed Tags: @sayosdreams @thewayshedreamed @sjm-things @perseusannabeth @arin1030 @caotica-e-quieta @vidalinav @swankii-art-teacher @ireallyshouldsleeprn @duskandstarlight @greerlunna @thegoddessaltenia @dayanna-hatter @verypaleninja @awesomelena555 @courtofjurdan @allilal @sensitiveillyrian @moe8 @illyrianwitchling13 @silvernesta @bri-loves-sunflowers @queenestarcheron @imwritingthesewords @vasudharaghavan
{I ended up creating an Emeriel tag list, so please let me know if you want to be added in either the Emeriel or my Fixed Tag list}
