#moonsrisen

                hewn  city  was  no  stranger  to  the  second  in  command.  arah  often  interacted  with  aldrich,  despite  her  dismay,  in  order  to  keep  their  court  of  nightmares  under  control.  or  as  much  control  as  they  could  muster.  still,  from  time  to  time,  they're  granted  visitors.  whether  to  bask  in  the  total  anarchy  of  the  night  court  or  to  send  a  subliminal  message.  today  seemed  to  be  both.  it's  hard  not  to  miss  his  presence  when  it  commanded  a  room.  there's  silence  in  each  step  he  takes  across  marble  flooring.  the  sheer  terror  that  follows  in  his  footsteps  even  draws  aldrich  to  a  close,  silence  encompassing  them.  though  she'd  been  in  his  presence  far  too  often  to  know  who  exactly  had  returned  to  the  night  court.  she  meets  his  strides  easily,  scarred  vision  focusing  on  the  lengthy  silhouette  that  stood  before  her.  the  court's  silence  an  invitation  to  the  grand  show,  a  show  that  many  had  been  waiting  for  since  his  departure.      ❛  you're  not  welcome  here,  ❜      her  voice  held  so  much  authority,  often  taking  a  tone  similar  to  that  of  her  high  lord.

               it'd  taken  her  years  to  emerge  from  the  depths  of  the  library.  after  careful  coaxing  from  the  night  court's  emissary  and  its  prince,  sabine  was  able  to  find  herself  outside  the  confines  of  her  sanctuary.  it  was  peculiar,  though.  while  the  library  had  windows  for  sunlight,  there  was  something  different  about  feeling  the  sun's  rays  directly  on  skin.  sabine's  head  raised,  eyes  closing  to  revel  in  the  warmth  that  now  coated  her  paled  features.  though  she  was  far  from  home,  she  never  felt  an  ounce  of  fear.  for  this  was  neutral  territory,  the  mountain  was  a  home  to  all.  and  it'd  been  the  first  thing  on  her  list  of  things  to  see  after  leaving  the  library.  what  she  didn't  expect  though,  was  to  recognize  a  scent  that  she  knew  to  be  gone.  that  she  thought  had  washed  away  with  the  sins  of  that  night.  no  longer  does  she  bask  in  the  sun's  glow  but  her  eyes  are  widened  with  surprise.  her  heart  leaped  in  her  chest  at  the  fae  before  her,  a  spitting  image  of  her  sister.  or  who  her  sister  would've  been  had  she  lived.  because  there  was  no  way  that  her  sister  had  been  alive  this  entire  time  and  not  come  home  ...  right  ?

              his  wings  fan  out  as  he  strides  into  the  room,  hands  pushing  the  wooden  doors  open.  his  violet  siphons  blazing,  as  if  to  display  his  fury  that  raged  inside  of  him.      ❛  so  you  just  let  her  go  ?  ❜      his  tone  was  harsh,  not  one  that  he  normally  used  on  the  family  that  took  him  in.  not  on  the  man  who  he  considered  his  brother,  who  he  fought  and  killed  to  find  on  that  cauldron  forsaken  mountain  during  the  blood  rite.      ❛  you  just  let  them  have  her  like  brood  mare,  ❜      deep  down,  he  knows  cade  has  no  real  responsibility  in  zora  leaving  but  he  was  so  easy  to  blame.  he  was  right  there.      ❛  what  happened  to  family  ?  what  happened  to  FOREVER  ?  ❜      the  volume  he  used  bounced  off  the  walls.      ❛  first  kole,  now  zora,  who's  next  ?  arah  ?  me  ?  after  all,  we're  all  expendable  to  you,  aren't  we  ?  ❜

               ❛  stumbled  upon  a  lost  doe  on  the  way  home  tonight,  ❜      the  term  doe  used  loosely.      ❛  she  reeked  of  you.  care  to  explain  ?  ❜      she  wasn't  aware  that  her  high  lord  had  been  fraternizing  with  humans  now.

               ❛  as  i  was  saying,  the  autumn  court  could  truly  benefit  from  having  an  alliance  with  us.  ❜      though  the  frustration  is  clear  on  delicate  features  after  the  first  sign  of  rejection.  surely,  they  weren't  coming  across  as  desperate  now,  were  they  ?      ❛  if  i  could  just  speak  directly  with  iris.  ❜

               ❛  was  the  night  court  as  vicious  as  they  make  it  out  to  be  ?  ❜      hands  resting  atop  her  barely  swollen  stomach.      ❛  forgive  me  for  not  being  able  to  escort  you  there.  ❜

               he  towers  over  her  with  great  height,  aksel's  arms  crossing  over  his  chest  as  he  surveys  her  frame.  tries  to  ignore  the  havoc  that's  being  wreaked  around  them.  a  normal  occurrence  for  the  general,  but  a  sure  shock  to  the  outsider  in  front  of  him.      ❛  wasn't  aware  that  petre  now  sent  children  to  do  his  bidding  ?  ❜      his  brow  quirked  in  confusion,  studying  every  bit  of  her  on  display.  though  there  was  nothing  childlike  about  her.  he  wouldn't  voice  that.  the  screech  in  the  back  isn't  acknowledged  by  him.      ❛  anyhow,  welcome  to  the  court  of  nightmares.  ❜

               ────  he'd  whisked  into  the  townhouse  as  fast  as  he  could,  squeezing  his  wings  in  so  they'd  make  it  across  the  threshold.  aksel  knew  he  only  had  but  a  few  minutes  before  their  impending  doom.      ❛  hey,  cade,  got  a  second  ?  ❜      a  smile  lifted  his  cheeks,  one  that  could  be  recognized  from  the  ten  thousand  steps  between  them  and  velaris.  one  full  of  mischief  and  nerves.      ❛  d'you  remember  that  redhead  that  you  banged  a  few  years  back  ?  ❜      deft  fingers  aimlessly  searched  for  something  to  hold,  grabbing  onto  an  orange  and  peeling  it  anxiously.      ❛  how  obsessive  would  you  say  she  got  ?  ❜      he  leaned  against  the  countertop,  admiring  his  high  lord  as  his  senses  stayed  alert.  any  second  now,  that  redhead  would  be  busting  through  the  door,  rage  and  anger  that  was  fueled  at  nobody  but  the  night  court's  general.      ❛  because  odds  are,  she's  about  to  be  here.  ❜