Chapter One: From Shadow

A/N: Hi all! Welcome to our ACOTAR fanfic. The pairings are Azriel/OC and eventual Cassian/OC. Reviews are always appreciated!

It had been mere days since they had arrived back in the Autumn Court following the fifty long years they had spent Under The Mountain. Demetria had been very young before Amarantha – only seventeen years old, and freshly married to Eris Vanserra. She was still young by high fae standards, and still becoming accustomed to her husband's court, which she had never been to before their marriage.

"Demetria." Eris strode into the room, examining his wife as she ate her dinner. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine," she murmured.

Their marriage had been one of convenience – and an alliance, between the Winter and Autumn Courts. Demetria had been precisely what Lord Beron wanted for his eldest son and heir. She was a demure and delicate creature, with silver-blonde hair and pale blue eyes. A true Winter beauty, with the timidness and gentle manners that would make Eris a fine wife. The girl had been terrified of him at first. Sometimes, she still was.

"Can I help you, husband?" she asked as Eris sat across from her, taking care to keep her tone even so the words did not come across as sharp.

He leaned back in his chair. "I merely wish to make sure you are alright."

"Of course." Her brow furrowed into a frown. "Why wouldn't I be?"

Eris and Demetria's marriage had been civil at best. She had never been under the impression that her husband would love her. Her sole purpose was to obey Eris and have an heir by him. Five years ago, their union had produced a child – their daughter, Holly. Although Eris had been slightly disappointed – his mother had only ever had boys, after all – he did love his daughter dearly. The little girl had never known anything other than Under The Mountain, something Demetria was hoping to rectify.

"You are quiet," Eris noted as his wife silently continued her meal. The comment caused her to look up from her plate.

"Am I not always?"

He shook his head. "Not this quiet."

"I am not overly familiar with the Autumn Court." Demetria chose her words carefully, as always. She knew that risking Eris's wrath was not wise, and her husband was known for his hot temper.

"We can visit your cousin," Eris suggested, but Demetria shook her head. Although she did eventually want to visit Kallias in the Winter Court, she did not want to disrupt their child. There had already been enough disturbance in the young girl's life with uprooting her and moving her to the Autumn Court.

"I just want Holly to settle in first."

Eris nodded. "Of course."

Demetria continued to eat as her husband watched. His attention was a little unnerving to her. Typically, Eris did not pay her attention unless he wanted something. He clasped her hand in his as she finished her food.

"You're being unusually affectionate," Demetria remarked, causing him to press a kiss to the pale skin of her cheek.

"I care for you."

She frowned slightly. It was perhaps the most emotionally based thing Eris had ever said to her. He had made no secret of the fact that their marriage was a loveless one, yet now he claimed that he cared for her? Perhaps he had changed Under The Mountain. Perhaps they all had.

"You have an odd way of showing it."

"Come." Eris gestured, and Demetria rose gracefully. "You need sleep."

Her gaze was suspicious. "Why are you being so kind?"

"Is that not allowed?" he asked, the hint of a smile curving the corners of his lips.

"Your kindness is rare and your cruelty is common." Her words were no less firm for their softness. Eris was not a man prone to displays of gentleness. He treated Demetria with respect, but little more than that. She was the mother of his child and hopefully, his eventual heir.

"Go to bed." It was not a question, but a command. "I will join you soon."

Roksana ran her fingers through her hair absentmindedly as she looked out over the clouds. Everything that had happened with Amarantha had been draining on all of the Courts, and she was glad that her brother was returning, it was as if a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. She sighed heavily as she paced back and forth by the window, playing with her hands. She looked up as the large door that lead into the foyer swung open, and Thesan stepped through with a grin plastered to his face, though she could see the tiredness behind his eyes.

Sana didn't wait a moment before she launched herself into his arms, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck and pulling him close. "You're alright. I was so worried."

"Roksana." Thesan smiled against her hair as he wrapped his arms tightly around her waist, feeling a wave of warmth and calmness flood through him as her magic washed over him. "How have things been here?"

Sana drew back from their embrace, linking her arm through his and leading him towards his room. She could feel that he needed rest, even if he didn't want to admit it to her. "As well as can be expected. We suffered minimally compared to other Courts."

"I suppose that's good." Thesan smiled tightly, looking about the place. It was quiet, and he had no doubts Roksana had warned their residents to steer clear of him for the moment, which he was thankful for.

Sana opened the door to his room, touching his arm lightly as he walked in. "I've missed you."

"I missed you too." He smiled, kissing the back of her hand.

Sana smiled at the gesture, gripping his hand tightly in her own. "You should rest."

"I will." He assured her with a chuckle. He had definitely missed his younger sister mothering him.

"If you need help sleeping, let me know." She reminded him, although they both knew he didn't need a reminder of her magic. It had been constantly surrounding him from the moment he had walked through the doors. It was a like a warm hug after everything that had occurred.

He nodded before raking a hand through his hair. "I will."

Demetria had many beautiful dresses. One of the benefits of being wife to the man who would one day be High Lord of the Autumn Court. It helped to have something to do to occupy herself, a distraction from the horrors she'd witnessed Under The Mountain. Being in the Autumn Court wouldn't take away those memories, particularly not the brutal death of her father.

Little Holly sat on the bed, watching her mother with wide blue eyes. They were the one feature she had inherited from Demetria – her red hair and freckled complexion were far more reminiscent of Eris.

Eris stalked in, and Demetria could tell her husband was in a temper. She did not know what had roused his ire this time, but his anger made her cautious. He was not averse to taking his fury out on her, as she had discovered early on in their marriage. A quiet girl by nature, Demetria had taken him raising a hand to her in silence.

"What's wrong? You are in a mood."

"I am fine." Eris looked to their daughter, who had become alert at her father's approach. "How is Holly?"

The child beamed. "I'm good!"

"Are you enjoying it here?" he asked, smiling when she nodded vehemently. "Good."

"Hopefully her father's behaviour will improve now." The words left Demetria's mouth before she could stop them, and she immediately wished them unsaid. It was true that Eris had been callous Under The Mountain, and she hoped being back in the Autumn Court was enough to cool his temper. However the Autumn Court was capricious at best, as Demetria was quickly learning.

"Excuse me?" Eris got to his feet, walking over to his wife as she bit her lip and remained silent. He towered over her, watching as she shrank away under his heated gaze. "What is that supposed to mean?"

Holly, sensing the growing tension between her parents, leaped off the bed and scurried out of the room. Demetria was heartbroken that even at such a young age, Holly had witnessed her father strike her mother. The little girl often hid or ran away when Eris lost his temper. He would make it up to her with sweets, but he never made it up to Demetria.

"Only that you could be very unkind," she said quietly.

"Unkind?" Eris growled, and she knew that she had said the wrong thing again. He struck her across the face, causing her head to snap to the side. "I protected you Under The Mountain. You should be more grateful."

"I am grateful," Demetria said softly, her fingers rising to her throbbing cheek.

Eris's amber eyes burned. "Then act it."

Demetria nodded mutely, sitting on the bed and tugging her knees to her chest. What had she expected? That returning to the Autumn Court would mean her husband's violence to her may lessen? Sometimes, she felt just as naïve as she had been when she had first married Eris. After a few moments he composed himself, casting his gaze to where she had begun neatly assembling her dresses.

"You are settling in well."

"What makes you say that?" Demetria's small frame was tense. She knew that saying the wrong thing could lead to another blow-up.

"You seem happy to be here."

"I suppose so." Demetria mulled it over, before voicing her thoughts. Eris's claims of protection were not untrue, however he had not been her sole saviour. "You were not the only one who protected me there."

Eris scoffed. "Who else supposedly protected you?"

"My father. My cousin." Kallias had done everything in his power to keep Demetria from being harmed, as had her father. However whilst they had kept her safe from Amarantha, neither of them had been able to protect her from her husband's wrath.

"Hardly."

Demetria was not quick to anger. Hers was a slower sort of fury, one that rose cold and icy. Her hands clenched into fists at Eris's dismissal. Her father had died attempting to rebel against Amarantha, a noble cause if any.

"Don't insult my father."

"He did little to protect you." Eris's voice was mocking, as though challenging her to deny it. "He almost had you killed."

Demetria lifted her chin, eyes narrowing. "My father is braver than you could ever be."

Eris snarled in anger and Demetria tensed, bracing herself for another slap. The words that followed surely felt as though they hit her just as hard as Eris.

"He got himself killed because he was too proud to keep his mouth shut."

She shook her head vigorously. "You're a coward."

Eris's jaw clenched and he hit her again. Demetria could not help the tears the welled in her eyes and she sniffed, wiping them away. She hated the way he spoke of her father, when all he had tried to do had been protect her. He had died a noble man, which was more than Eris could say.

"I will not have you speak to me like that," he hissed.

"I'm sorry for disrespecting you," she murmured.

Eris appeared pleased by her subservience. How quickly she fell back into the role of the timid little wife. After the incident involving Morrigan, he had wanted a bride with less spirit, a bride he knew would be pure. Demetria had been innocent and obedient when she had married Eris. Her innocence was long gone now, but her obedience still remained…for now.

"Good."

"Thesan. Sana." Sana looked up from her food as Alfonso walked into the hall. She smiled as he walked straight to Thesan, kissing his lover's cheek before sitting down beside him. He had been a great help to her while Thesan had been absent, and she was glad to see the two of them reunited.

"How are you, my love?" Thesan questioned as Alfonso began eating, his wings tucked in neatly behind him.

"I am well." He smiled, resting a hand over Thesan's. "How are you adjusting?"

"Well enough." Thesan sighed, reaching for his cup of wine and taking a long sip. "Any exciting news while I was absent?"

Alfonso shook his head as he reached for his cutlery, eager to dig into the food in front of him. "None."

"Well, things were eventful there." Thesan explained, pushing the food around his plate. He already knew his sister would be looking over him with concern, not that she needed to. "The other courts are not doing too well, at least from what I hear."

"Especially the Winter Court." It had been a tough time for all of the Courts, but they had not suffered equally. Roksana considered herself lucky that the Dawn Court had lost very few people, and none of them were children.

Thesan nodded. He had heard of what had happened, and it had worried him that his Court was going to suffer the same fate. "They lost a fair few children."

"Twelve of them." Alfonso shifted in his chair, his wings ruffling. "We could not aid them. Not without risking ourselves."

"They've at least made an alliance for themselves." Thesan noted, having heard Eris marrying Demetria in order for the two Court's to secure an alliance between themselves. It was a smart move, but one that was not necessary for the Dawn Court. They had always managed to remain as neutral as possible, and that was how they wish to keep it. "Fortunately I don't have to marry anyone off, my natural charm alone can achieve that. Amarantha is gone now, in any case."

Sana frowned at the mention of her name. "We need not speak her name again."

"We need not fear a name." Thesan reminded her as he pushed his plate from in front of him, having had enough of a meal for the day.

"I do not fear her name. It is a reminder of what we have lost." Sana explained to him, finishing her wine and glancing over at Alfonso. "I do not wish her darkness to spread even in death."

"We need to repair the damage she caused here." Alfonso remarked, although Thesan and Sana both knew he was referring to any damage that she had inflicted on his lover emotionally.

Sana smiled at the two of them as she got to her feet, walking around kissing the top of both of their heads, letting the warmth of her magic flow over them. "I have business to attend to. Enjoy your time together."

"Very well." Thesan smiled, watching as she walked out.

Alfonso waited until she was out of the room before turning to Thesan. "She did well:"

Thesan nodded, feeling a swell of pride rush through him. "I would believe that."