Warning mention of torture/rape, not descriptive only slightly but they are mentioned.
Azriel POV.
The look Briar shot Rhysand broke my heart, their agreement. The cold rage and dread that came over me when they struck the bargain shot through me again. The four of us had taken up fighting positions in front of our High lord and his mate. I couldn't take my eyes of Briar, who stood slightly in front of all of us. Briar had frozen when the king had walked down, I could feel the terror rolling off her. I looked at her worried, she never really told us how she got captured, or even what kind of fae she was. The mysteries surrounding her were compelling but seeing her here now I realised the mistake we made. I had seen her terror, felt it even when we spoke about the layout of this place. I had questioned her on her powers, and how she got captured in the first place. Just like Feyre and Amren had done on several occasions in the past. But all she answered was that she would tell us if we got out alive. Or rather is she got out alive.
The same fear returning with every minute we were here, exponentially so now that the king had returned. Before I could register it coming, guards winnowed in at Briar's sides, and sharp pain hit my chest. Mors' scream shook me out of my shock, an ash bolt had buried itself into my chest. Jurian had fired it at me while I was so focussed on my mate. I hung limply between Rhysand and Cassian, the ash bolt sticking all the way through me. The king had claimed it was coated in bloodbane, making us follow behind him slowly. The guards had already taken Briar away, to the mother knows where. I spotted her the moment we were led into the throne room, even without my shadows I saw her. I couldn't do anything as some male was cutting her up, removing her clothing. She didn't make a sound or even move a muscle. ''Now that I have upheld my end of the bargain'' the king said, ''I expect you to hold up yours''. Rhysand went rigid, and Cassian snarled, I tried to lift my head to see what was happening but I couldn't. The poison in my system and the bolt in my chest were draining me, I couldn't even hold Briar's gaze.
''No'' Feyre breathed, the scents of Tamlin and Lucien hit me. ''No'' she said again. ''What was the price'' Rhysand said. ''You have my word'' Tamlin said. Feyre stepped a bit forward, ''What have you done'' she breathed. ''We made a bargain, I give you over, and he agrees to let my forces into Prythian through his territory. And then using it as a base as we remove that ridiculous wall'' The king said almost triumphant. ''Your insane'' Cassian hissed, still holding me up. ''Feyre'' Tamlin commanded her. But she didn't move from her position.
''You'' The king said, ''Are a complicated female to get a hold of. Of course, we also agreed that you'll work for me once you've been returned home to your husband, but is it husband-to-be or husband? I can't remember''. ''Tamlin'' Lucien muttered, ''I'm taking you home'' Tamlin said. ''There's that other bit too. The other things I wanted'' the king continued, '' well, one thing Jurian wanted. Two birds in one stone, really. The high lord of the night court dead, and to see who his friends were. It drove him crazy that you never revealed it during those 50 years. So now you know Jurian, and you can do whatever you please with them.'' We all went taut, moving subtly to our weapons. ''The last thing I really wanted was to have my toy back. I think the night court had enjoyed her for long enough, don't you believe Arlon'' The king called to the corner. I growled at the sight when I finally got the energy to lock gazes with Briar again. The male had cut her up thoroughly but shallow, a torture technique to keep fae alive as long as possible, and now he was… he has his way with her. My blood was already pooling at my feet, one wrong move and the poison would reach my heart. But I wanted to, I had to save her, if not. I couldn't think about what Rhys would do if we had to leave her. Cassian pulled on me harder, making sure I wouldn't move towards her. Briar saw, her eyes pleading, not to make it stop but for me not to do anything. She wanted me to keep out of it, to make sure I survived. I wouldn't look away, I don't care how much energy it costs if this is the last time I am seeing her then I won't look away from her, my mate.
I barely noticed the fighting going on between Feyre and Tamlin, blinding rage went through my body. The look Jurian gave Mor while holding his sword made my anger visible on my face. ''I'll go with you'' Feyre said, ''if you let them go''. Tamlin said something to her before lunging to grab her. Feyre winnowed back to us out of his reach, and Tamlin stumbled into Rhysands fist who had let go of me for a moment. Mor quickly replaced Rhysand, whispering to calm down. ''I don't believe it, your bride has left you to find her mate. The mother sure has a twisted sense of humour. Tell me, girl, how did you unravel my spell'' The king asked. ''I'm sorry'' Feyre said sincerely. Tamlin didn't believe it and hissed at Rhysand ''You, what did you do to her''. Then soldiers started to file in, Mor, Cassian and I focussed on them. Scanning their armour, features and weapons, calculating what the best way would be for us to escape. I shot a look at Briar who mouthed, ''Leave me''. I shook, exhaustion and rage taking over, I couldn't feel her, our bond silenced by the spell.
''I'm not going with you'' Feyre spat at Tamlin, ''Even if I did, you're a spineless stupid fool for selling us out to him. Do you even know what he plans to do with the Cauldron''? ''Oh I am going to do many things with it'' The kind said, ''Starting now. As Feyre unleashed herself, I couldn't help but curse. I was feeling weaker by the minute. ''oh, look at that a child of all seven courts. ''The king said, ''So alike yet not-alike at the same time. What were you planning to do with the Cauldron and the book? Destroy it? Use the Cauldron? You could do so many things with them.'' Our silence said enough, as the king continued ''You will tell me soon enough''. ''I didn't make a bargain with you'' Feyre spat. ''You didn't, but your master did'' The king said. Our rage must have been palpable in the room, this old horrible way of thinking. Feyre threatened the king and Tamlin, but the king just looked slightly amused. As the doors opened and four queens walked in, the king said it would be in her best interest to behave. Feyre's sisters were bound, still in their nightgowns, being dragged by the guards.
Sweet Elain was sobbing, while Nesta had clearly put up a fight still struggling against the restraints. Even when she took us in when she saw what Briar was going through. ''You made a big mistake going after the book'' The king said, ''I was content to let it be, that was until your forces started snooping about. It was then that I thought, who better to be my liaison to the human realm than my newly reborn friend, Jurian. He had just finished the long recovery process and longed to see his former home. He was more than happy to make a visit—the brave and cunning Jurian who suffered so badly at the end of the war, now my ally.'' The rest was all a blur, my hearing and sight started to give out. Even as he commented on my attempts to infiltrate his and the mortal queen's courts, I couldn't do anything not even snarl back. ''I'm done with her'' Arlon said throwing Briar in the middle of the room. The Attor and his cronies jumped into her before any of us could pull her to us. ''Leave her'' The king said, no latter did the monster holding her throw her down a few meters before us. She was bleeding hard, cuts all over her body none of them profound. They were in the places where it would cause the most pain, or bleed the hardest without killing. I observed her mangled body, she hadn't made any sound during any of the torturous cuts the male-created nor his sexual assault. When I got to her neck I froze, a collar, they put a collar on her. She locked eyes with me, mouthing something, tears streaming down her face. ''Don't'' she mouthed, ''Live'' and "I know''. She kept doing it over and over again, even when her pool of blood mixed with mine.
''Show us. Demonstrate that it can be done, that it is safe'' The eldest queen said, shaking me from my mate. ''why do you think I had asked my dear friend Ianthe to see who Feyre would like to spend her eternity with. Oh, I asked them; first, they found it too much to betray two innocent women, but Ianthe had no problem with it. Consider it my wedding gift to you two.'' The king said. ''I think she was waiting until you got back to tell you'' he continued, ''But why do you think she thought I could break the bargain. Why she had so many musings about it.'' A shock went through the room, Ianthe, the high-priestess, had sold out Feyre's sisters. I fought against Mor and Cassian, who just held me tighter.
I had to get to Briar, she would be caught up in it as well, I needed to helpt Elain and Nesta. As the king rambled on further explaining Ianthe's part in it, and even the role Elain and Nesta would play. ''I suggest you brace yourself'' The king said. Cassian twisted his wings flaring, protecting Mor and me from further damage. Rhysand shielded Feyre with his. Cassian screamed in pain as his wings were shredded. Mine got hit by the aftermath but not nearly as bad as his. Mor didn't get hit as she is behind both of us. As the light subsided, I saw Briar standing, a formidable stone foundation lay in pieced before us. She dropped down, her back and legs shredded similar to Cassians wings. All of us were on the floor, even as Feyre hurled her knife at Tamlin. The soldiers cut of Feyre from Rhysand and Briar from me. Mor was on her knees next to Cassian, before she launched herself at the king. But before she could land a hit, she froze, and her knife clattered to the floor. ''What a powerful queen you are'' The king said, ''what a prize''. I snarled at him, at his disgusting view of females, '' don't touch her''. Mor was next to me in a heartbeat, fear in her eyes. But it was only when Feyre was grabbed, and Rhys tried to grab her that the king moved the poison closer to my heart. Making it harder to breathe as I cried out, the pain became too much. I was weakening by the minute, the poison doing its job no matter how much blood I lost it remained. I couldn't even find the strength to look at Briar, I didn't register any what was going on; it was all a painful blur. I only found the strength to look at Feyre after the king had released the poison. She pleaded us to take her home, even though Tamlin thought it was directed at him. She looked at each of us as if saying goodbye, asking us to take care of her sisters through Rhysand. I found Briar right before Mor and Rhysand winnowed us away, she was sobbing almost pleading for Rhysand to do what he promised, but it would take too much energy. She then starting mouthing to me ''go'' and ''I know'', the last thing I saw before we winnowed was ''I accept''.
a/n I hope you guys are still enjoying it all, I feel like i am losing the details now that i am following the books story line, so i will be going back once the entire storie is finished to edit etc. Also who has any guesses to what her powers really are/parentage, and how she got captured. I know of course, but I would love to see you guys' guesses to what I am planning.
The next couple of chapters will once again have torture/rape scenes, possibly flashbacks of her inprisonment etc. Also if you guys want more Azriel and Cassian POV.
