Chapter Two: Celebration
A/N: Thank you to those who reviewed so far. It's always good to get feedback, especially as this is a small fandom.
The celebrations for the end of Amarantha's reign took place in the Summer Court. Although Demetria was not overly pleased about having to leave the Autumn Court so soon, she knew that as Eris's wife, her presence at the event was required. Eris had chosen her dress for the occasion – a glittery silver one with a low V neck. Demetria wore it without complaint.
It had been delightful to see her cousin Kallias again, as well as his lover Viviane. She had seen some of them Under The Mountain, yet had missed their presence when she had been forced to accompany Eris and his family back to the Autumn Court. In her husband's territory, there was no one who would protect her.
"You have a bruise," Kallias remarked, causing Demetria to avert her gaze. "Eris?"
She nodded slowly, too ashamed to verbally admit the truth. Her father had tried to spare her Eris's wrath, but he was dead now. Kallias was a young High Lord, and he did not have the power or authority to prevent Eris harming her. Uncomfortable with the topic of conversation, Demetria set off to the drinks table and picked up a wine.
"Good evening." The man who spoke to Demetria was very tall and muscular, with dark hair and hazel eyes. It was his wings that caught her attention, marking him out as Illyrian.
"Hello there."
His eyes raked up and down her form. "Your dress is quite lovely."
"Thank you. My husband chose it for me." Demetria hoped her words would get her point across – that she was married, and not interested in flattery or flirtation.
The Illyrian arched an eyebrow. "Who is your husband?"
"Eris Vanserra," she replied. She wondered who this man was. He was clearly a member of the Night Court, and likely high-ranking if he was attending the celebration with Rhysand's entourage. Her answer didn't seem to deter him though, for he continued his attempts to flatter her.
"He is a fool to leave such a beautiful woman all alone."
Demetria tensed, uncertain what he meant. "Why should I not be alone?"
"Another man may wish to steal your heart." He winked, and she refrained from rolling her eyes at the remark.
She lifted her chin. "My heart is not so easily stolen."
"My name is Cassian." He caught her wrist gently, bringing her hand to his lips. "And you are?"
"Demetria." His grin made her frown. "Do I amuse you?"
Cassian shook his head. "Of course not."
Demetria glanced at Eris, who was still involved in conversation with Tarquin. That was for the best – he would not like what he saw. Her husband was an easily jealous man, which was why she feared Cassian's flirtatious behaviour. Yet she felt a thrill of daring, and turned back to face the Illyrian.
"What part of my dress do you like most, Cassian?"
He examined her again, the intensity making her blush. "It brings out your eyes."
"Is it because it glitters?" she asked. However Cassian's gaze was resting on her face, and Demetria suddenly knew precisely what he was looking at. Despite her fast healing and magic, the damn bruise hadn't healed well enough for it to be completely unnoticeable.
"Did your husband give you that bruise?"
The sudden change in topic made her falter. "Does it matter?"
His hazel eyes were fierce. "He shouldn't hit you."
"No," Demetria admitted softly, "But just because things shouldn't be done doesn't mean people won't do them."
Cassian reached out and touched her cheek gently, running his thumb over the bruise. Demetria bit her lip, shrinking from his hand. She couldn't let him show such intimacy toward her. She knew what her husband could be like, and Cassian's actions endangered them both.
"You shouldn't touch me like that."
Cassian smirked. "Do you dislike it?"
She shook her head vigorously. "My husband would be angry."
This time when Demetria turned to look to Eris, her husband was glowering in her direction. She turned her back on Cassian and approached Eris tentatively, stomach twisting in apprehension at the fury in her husband's bright amber eyes. She knew he would never lash out in public, but that wasn't to say he wouldn't in private.
"Demetria."
"Eris," she murmured.
"Why were you with the Illyrian bastard?" he demanded.
"He was just talking to me." Her reply was quick and her tone defensive.
Eris scoffed. "I doubt that. He is known for bedding many."
"I can see why." Demetria's eyes flicked up to meet his, feeling a sudden defiance rise up within her. "He's very handsome."
"Stay away from him." Eris bared his teeth, not seeming to like his wife's response. She wondered what it was about Cassian that had him so riled up. Then she remembered the name – Cassian was the Illyrian who had bedded Morrigan, the Night Court female that Eris had been set to marry. In a way, his actions had been a catalyst for Demetria's eventual marriage to Eris.
She shrugged mildly. "He likes my dress."
"You are not to go near him," Eris hissed, gripping her arm. "Do you understand?"
"That's not fair," Demetria protested, attempting to tug free but knowing that her husband wouldn't let her go until he was satisfied. His fingers tightened on her arm, and she knew he would leave more bruises on her pale skin.
"Do. You. Understand?"
"Yes." Her voice was small, tears brimming in her eyes.
Eris released her just as quickly as he'd grabbed her. "Good."
Wiping her eyes, Demetria stormed from the room in a swirl of glittery silver skirts. Eris's behaviour had left her shaken. Whilst she understood what he was worried about, he did not have the right to manhandle her. Yet he had done it may a time before, and would continue to do so again.
Sana sighed happily as she looked around the room, her white and gold dress glinting under the bright lights. She was ecstatic to see so many gathered, and she could feel the thrum of happiness and relief that pulsed through the room. Her arm was linked to Thesan's as he moved about the room, chatting to old friends as he went. She was too busy admiring the various decorations to pay much attention to mindless conversation, though she was beginning to find herself getting thirsty.
"It's nice to see all of the courts together here." She commented to him, pushing a stray piece of hair from her face.
Thesan nodded in agreement, resting his hand over hers as it curled around his bicep. "It is."
"I'm going to go and get a drink. I'll find you later." She smiled, planting a quick kiss on his cheek before walking over to where various drinks were scattered across a table.
"Have you tried this one?" Sana looked up as she grabbed a glass, examining the man who had spoken to her. He was attractive, with striking eyes. The dark wings gave away where he was from, although her eyes were more drawn to the shadows that moved around him.
Sana raises an eyebrow, picking up a glass and examining it. "No. I haven't. Is it sweet?"
He shook his head before taking a sip of his own glass. "Not really."
"You're with Rhysand." It wasn't hard to put two and two together, and she had seen Rhysand around throughout the evening. She sipped her wine before going back to examining him, a small smile reaching her lips. "My name is Roksana."
"I am Azriel."
Sana offered an arm to him, finding herself intrigued and wanting to know more, though she didn't think it a good idea to speak right next to the refreshments. Azriel took her arm, following as she led him outside, a smile gracing her features.
"It's a pleasure to meet you."
"You too." Azriel smiled back, raising an eyebrow as she continued to examine him closely.
Sana lifted her hand towards her neck, gesturing the shadows curling around him. "How..?"
"I have my gifts." Azriel explain as he watched her. He wasn't used to people so close, but there was a calming aura about her that he couldn't help but feel drawn to.
"They're..." Sana wasn't quite sure what to say as she moved her hand through the shadows that moved over his shoulder, watching them flow around her hand. She had never seen anything like it in her years, and had only heard of those who were one with the shadows. "They're beautiful."
"Thank you." Az watched as she drew her hand back, sipping her wine and glancing out over the balcony. "You are Thesan's sister?"
"I am." Sana glanced over her shoulder at him, finishing her wine. Her brother and her looked similar enough, although she looked more like their father than her did, making her features slightly more angular and less soft compared to his.
"What brought you to the celebration?" Az questioned as he finished his own wine, leaning against the rail beside her.
"I thought it would be a fun evening." She had hoped that seeing everyone enjoying themselves would allow her to feel something other than pain and sadness, and she had been correct. Even if there was a strong feeling of intoxication in the air. "Why are you here?"
"To observe." Az explained, shifting his wings as he felt a breeze move around them. "I know a lot about most of the people here."
"And what do you know about me?" His comment sparked a flicker of curiosity within her, and she raised an eyebrow as she angled her body to face his.
"You took over from Thesan when he went Under The Mountain." Azriel began. He had heard she had been in charge while her brother had been away, although something about her gentle demeanour made him uncertain as to whether she had wanted to. "You've sought no alliances."
Sana shook her head. She had considered it due to the war, but she also knew that her brother was their true ruler, and if he didn't wish to pursue alliances, then she saw no need to either. "That is Thesan's decision."
"Do you interact much with the other courts?" Azriel questioned. He didn't know a whole lot about the Dawn court, only that they managed to stay out of trouble with the other courts for the most part.
"We try to." Sana knew that her Court were always more likely to side with the decisions made by the other solar courts, but they also managed to stay neutral in many of the dealings between the courts. She followed Azriel's gaze when she heard him sigh, assuming that the other Illyrian was a friend of his. "What is it?"
"Cassian is flirting with the Winter girl. Which is not smart, considering her husband is cruel and easily jealous." Azriel shook his head, with no doubt in mind that Rhys would have some stern words with Cassian later.
"She deserves better than that brute. I can feel her unease from here." Sana sighed heavily. She had turned out most of the emotions that were moving throughout the room, but the strong feeling of discomfort coming from Demetria was hard to ignore. She turned back to Azriel as the two of them moved inside again. "Were you Under the Mountain?"
Azriel shook his head. "No. I was in the Night Court."
"I have heard your Court is a cruel place." Sana remarked. She had never been to the Night Court before, but the rumours of the cruelty and depravity that occurred there were known throughout the different courts.
"Many courts are." Azriel knew that their court could be cruel, but the others were cruel in their own different ways.
"I'd like to think we are an exception." Sana smiled.
Demetria's pale blonde hair shimmered as she brushed it out so that it fell down her back in a sleek curtain. The door opened and Demetria set the brush down as Eris crossed over to her. He didn't seem to be angry about Cassian approaching her the other night anymore. She recognised the look in his eyes as he looked her over. She knew what he wanted from her.
"Good evening."
"Eris," she murmured.
Her husband crossed over to her, taking her face in his hands and kissing her deeply. Demetria responded with slight reluctance. She knew that Eris wanted to have her because of his jealousy, because he suspected another man desired what was his. Eris pulled her close against him and picked her up, setting her down on the bed and peppering kisses down her neck.
Demetria let her head fall back, moaning softly. Perhaps she disliked her husband's behaviour, but he occasionally knew how to coax pleasure from her. She reached up and tugged Eris's shirt over his head, running her hands down the freckled skin of his chest and making him groan.
Eris wasted little time on foreplay. He left marks on her neck and touched her breasts before undoing his pants. He ensured Demetria was pleased enough, before he focused on himself and what he wanted. He pushed her dress up to her waist. Demetria watched him, biting at her lip as Eris crawled on top of her and slid inside her.
Eris gripped her hips and set a hard, fast pace. Even in the early days of their marriage, he had not been overly gentle with her. He was usually more focused on himself. High Fae did not conceive easily, but Demetria had been very fertile, judging by how Holly had been born less than fifty years into their marriage. Eris had wanted to conceive a son and heir Under The Mountain, considering all that was happening, but he had gotten Holly instead.
Demetria wrapped her legs around Eris's waist as he continued to thrust. She raked her nails down his back, hard enough to draw blood. Eris gave a low groan, burying his face in Demetria's neck as he moved deeper inside her. She rocked her hips against him. His hands were on her breasts again, groping at her hard enough to make her shift uncomfortably.
Despite Eris's roughness, Demetria felt a low heat rising within her, and her moans intensified in volume. She didn't always reach her climax, but when she did it was a wonderful feeling. The tingling heat grew stronger, and Demetria gripped Eris's shoulders hard.
"Eris…" she gasped.
Her husband gave a few more deep thrusts that made her cry out in pleasure, before he reached his own climax with a grunt. After a few moments he rolled off her, their shallow breathing the only sound in the room.
Demetria pulled down her dress, rolling over and examining the finger-shaped bruises, only just starting to yellow, on her arms. She was the object of Eris's wrath and lust, and she hated that he was just as prone to striking her as he was to touching her. She remembered the gentleness of Cassian's fingers on her cheek – and immediately wished she could forget.
"Stop that." Azriel sighed heavily as he looked over to Cassian, who had been pacing for close to an hour.
Cassian paused for a moment, shooting a scowl in his friends direction before going back to his pacing. "No."
"What's the problem?" Azriel questioned, putting down the book he had been attempting to read. Cassian shrugged his shoulders before pausing his pacing again, looking out one of the ceiling high windows that allowed them to see the entirety of Velaris. "Something is considering you're pacing like this."
"I'm angry at how Eris treats his wife. I'm not sure why, I just am." Cassian snapped, sitting down beside Azriel and raking a hand through his hair. He wasn't sure why he was so enraged with how Eris was treating her, especially because he doubted she was the only woman to receive that treatment, but he couldn't seem to get the thought out of his mind.
The comment piqued Azriel's curiosity. He knew of Eris's temper, but he did not think the man lowly enough to abuse his wife. "What do you mean?"
"She had bruises." Cassian informed him, the thought of it making his blood begin to boil again.
Azriel sighed heavily as he looked over his friend. "You barely know her, and it is bothering you a lot."
"He shouldn't treat her like that." Cassian growled, getting back to his feet.
"I agree with you." Azriel nodded, a thought crossing his mind as to why Cassian would be so worked up about the whole situation. "Is she... your mate? You're very caught up on her, and I doubt it's just because you think she's pretty."
Cassian clenches his jaw before turning back on his friend, determined to steer the conversation away from the topic Azriel was insisting on. "Who was the woman you were speaking with last night? You don't normally let them get that close."
"Her name is Roksana. But why are you turning this on me?" Azriel was growing more suspicious of Cassian's feelings due to the change in subject, not that he minded discussing Roksana. He had enjoyed her company the night before, and had found her to be quite pleasant.
"Why did you let her get so close?" Cassian pressed, having noticed just how close the two had gotten. Usually the shadows surrounding him weren't accepting of others, but she had been an exception to that. "She was touching your shadows. It's unusual."
"She was sweet." Azriel frowned, not liking the direction that Cassian was taking the conversation. "Are you going to flirt with her next?"
Cassian shook his head, a grin forming on his face. "Hm. I do not think she is interested in me."
Azriel smirked, seeing an opening to get under Cassian's skin again. "It doesn't seem like Demetria is either."