Chapter 6: VELARIS
After everything that had happened already today, I just wanted to be alone. So I asked Nuala to draw a bath for me, and I settled in for a long soak. If there was only one good thing about magic, it was that for some reason the water in the tub never went cold. I had no idea how long I was in there for, but when I was finally done and went to grab my clothes — they were gone.
"Nuala," I called, and the handmaid came back from the shadows. "I can't find my clothes."
"Yes," she said, after a pause, "I took them to launder but unfortunately they were too fragile, and now they need to be repaired, or replaced. I'm sorry. They just fell a part."
I cringed, knowing I'd been wearing out the same clothes for multiple months, of course they were damaged. I should have tossed them the second I got free from Jurian.
"It's alright," I said, "You don't need to repair them, I'm going home soon, I hope. Is there something I can wear in the meantime?"
She nodded, and went over to the dresser and started pulling out some Nightcourt clothes. They were a little— less than I was used to wearing. Dresses with high leg slits and plunging necklines, and very thin mesh, and all in black and dark blue. "Anything a little more, Mortal Realm?" I asked, as I picked up something that resembled lingerie. Morrigan and Feyre wore Nightcourt gowns that were sensual, and they looked beautiful and powerful, but that wasn't really my style.
Nuala called for Cerridwin, and they both began to go through the dresser and the closet. The closest they came up with was a breezy black harem pant embroidered with gold stars along the waist paired with a long sleeved mesh top. When I put it on, a few inches of my torso was exposed above my bellybutton. Thankfully the shirt at least had a high neckline, although with the thin mesh you could still see my skin that wasn't covered by my black bralette. So although I was mostly covered, it was still very bizarre to see myself in the mirror wearing anything like this. If my sisters could see me now— I shuddered to imagine what they would think.
I thanked the handmaids for their time, although they knew I was uncomfortable. They promised to find something better for me in town, which was thoughtful.
I was still annoyed with Rhysand, and reluctant to leave my room in case I ran into the faerie again, but eventually I was bored and hungry enough that I wanted to get something from the kitchen.
"Princess," I heard Cassian call down the hall as soon as I left my room. Begrudgingly, I stopped for him.
"You look-" he said, as his eyes fell on the ridiculous outfit I was wearing.
"That's enough," I cut him off, and turned to walk back into my room to change, or just never come out again.
"No, no," he said quickly, following me. "I'm sorry, that's what I'm trying to say. Just one second, please."
I rolled my eyes but stood with my door open so I'd be ready to go inside and slam it in his face if he continued to irk me. But instead, Cassian surprised me. "I- I wanted to say that I'm sorry for what I did earlier today. I shouldn't have threatened to drop you in the ocean. For what it's worth, I wasn't going to do it. It was just a joke because I was angry, but I took it too far. And it was wrong, and I'm sorry."
I could feel he was being sincere, so I closed my door behind me and nodded. "Thank you for that."
"Azriel told me that you almost drowned as a child," he said. "If I'd known, I wouldn't have done that, I swear."
My brows furrowed slightly. "Did Azriel ask you to apologize to me?"
Cassian's back straightened at that suggestion. "No. I'm stubborn, but not so stubborn that I can't tell when I owe someone an apology. And I knew right away, the look on your face," he shook his head. "I shouldn't have done that."
"It's alright," I said quietly. "And, I should apologize as well. I shouldn't have used my magic on you. Rhysand was right, everything about that plan was stupid, and you were trying to stop me. And I was just mad-"
I bit my tongue before I could say more, but the faerie knew where I was going with that thought. "Because I killed your friend," he said.
My heart ached at the thought of Marcus, of the sword plunging into his gut in our final battle. How I'd just left him there.
Very stiffly, I nodded.
"I'm sorry," he said, his voice much softer than I'd heard from him previously. "I've also lost friends in battle, I know that pain."
"I know," I started, an effort to steady my voice, "I know it's not your fault. We were attacking, we would have killed you if we could. I don't- I'm trying not to blame you for defending yourself and your friends."
He nodded, brown hair falling in unkempt strands. "Thanks, Dellia," he said. Then he took a step back and I saw that mischievous grin spreading across his face. "But now that we are friends, I have to say, you look absolutely-"
I held up my hand to stop him. "Tread carefully, or you will find yourself six feet underground again— regardless of what Rhysand has ordered of me."
Cassian's grin didn't fade at all but he did hold his tongue. "Fine. I'll say you look ready to hit the town. Let me make it up to you— for the threatening to drop you in the ocean part— and I'll take you to the city."
"For what?" I asked, suspicious. Cassian rolled his eyes.
"For fun? You have had fun before right?" He gestured to one of the windows in the hall that was pouring in golden hour light. "The sun is setting and Velaris is best at night, this is Nightcourt after all."
I didn't know why I was feeling reluctant to leave. It was more than my general distrust of fae. Maybe guilt at the idea of enjoying myself after experiencing so much trauma? Did I even know how to have fun anymore?
Cassian rolled his eyes. "I haven't had a lady turn me down in a century, I'll have you know, don't break my streak."
I bristled. "If you think there is anything other than two platonic acquaintances walking around the city happening, then you will be disappointed." I gestured to the window. "Well, let's go then. I want to see what Velaris has to offer."
But before Cassian could carry me off, I pointed right at him. "And no funny business while flying. No wing cramps. No wind gusts. No nothing."
"No promises," he said, and quickly grabbed me before I could stop him.
From the sky, the city looked magnificent. I'd never seen a city from the air before, but I couldn't imagine that anything in Scythia looked quite as wonderful as Velaris did. There was a winding sapphire river rippling through the city, large enough to support merchant vessels. And the buildings seemed to be bright and colorful and well-maintained. It was clear that Velaris was a prosperous place.
Cassian landed on a street near the river just as the sun vanished behind one of the rolling green hills. But the moon and the stars were bright, so bright here in Nightcourt that even at twilight I didn't struggle to see.
"This is the artsy part of town," Cassian said when he set me down. "We call it the Rainbow of Velaris. Lots of galleries and artisans and tradespeople."
I could hear music, and see the through the big windows of the shops. There was a dress maker, and the dresses on the mannequins were absolutely exquisite. And next to that was a shop with dramatically large tapestries and rugs. And beyond that it looked like a potter.
"After you," he said, and I started to walk down the street, window shopping.
"Is this where you're from?" I asked Cassian as I peered through the windows, and he shook his head.
"No, I was raised in an Illyrian war-camp."
"What is that?"
"Illyrians are warriors, so we send our young to learn to fight in war camps. I was actually born in one. I didn't move here until after the war, when Rhys became High Lord, and he asked me to be his general." Cassian shrugged. "But it is nice here, I'd certainly have had a different childhood if I'd been raised in Velaris."
A war camp, that didn't sound fun. It certainly explained his gruff demeanor, and honestly also his mischievous streak. He reminded me a lot of my guards, many of whom started off as mercenaries that I'd befriended while traveling around the realms.
"What are you thinking about?" The faerie asked when I went quiet.
"Nothing," I said, because I thought it might hurt my heart to explain.
"So, you're a princess, but you also are a merchant," Cassian said, his tone questioning. "What were you selling?"
"All sorts of things," I said. "Mostly luxury goods, like jewelry or decor, art, wine and smokes. I also funded a few fishing businesses, ships, horse ranches, some expert blacksmiths-"
"Weapons?" Cassian asked, surprised. "What do you know about weapons?"
I raised my eyebrow at him, like it was a challenge. "What, you think only 'Illyrian warriors' know anything about weapons?"
"You don't even have a weapon on you," he said.
"I did when I was taken, it was a 8-inch stylet." I quickly blocked from my mind that I'd lost that weapon when Jurian had forced me to stab my own aid and one of my guards in the heart with it. "Made with steel from the Ibris mines, which produce the most pure iron in the Mortal Realms. The blacksmith who made it was a 6th generation swordmaker, and his great-great-great-grandfather perfected a technique that folds soft iron and hard steel together to create a blade that is flexible, but the core is strong." I tilted my head at him, and said sarcastically, "I'm sure someone like you with your great big muscles has broken a few swords in his day, right? The swords I was selling don't break."
Cassian's face was hard, like knew he was wrong but didn't want to show it. "Want me to talk about the properties of the iron in the Ibris mines? Or the cold-hammering technique they used on the blades?"
"I got it," he said curtly, "You do know what you are talking about."
I smiled, "Thank you."
"Can you answer a question like that about everything you sell?"
"Of course. I didn't just give my money away to anyone. I was investing in businesses, I wanted to know who the artisans were and what they were doing, and why they were doing it. I could talk about the tobacco in the cigars, or the lineage of the horses, or the treads in the rugs I sold in the same detail."
I glanced at the shop we were in front of now, and saw it was a weaver. The tapestries in the window were so vibrant, I decided to pull open the door and look around.
"So anything catch your eye?" Cassian said. "Good enough for your fancy shops?"
I smiled. "This is stunning," I said, my hand feeling the texture of each piece. "But I always found the most enjoyment from buying from new, young artisans. You know, people who are just starting out and really need the financial freedom to do something great."
The faerie leaned on some rugs while I shopped. "So how rich are mortal princesses, anyways?" Cassian asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Well on this side of The Wall, I'm broke."
He barked out a loud laugh and I rolled my eyes. "But in Scythia I'm very stable," I insisted.
"Very stable?" He scoffed. "What does that mean?"
"I'm well-off, financially."
"What's with the coded language, are you rich or are you not?"
"I'm rich."
"How rich?" Cassian's brown eyes glimmered with mischievousness.
"I'm like the wealthiest person in Scythia."
"Like the wealthiest, or the wealthiest?" He pressed.
"Well, I don't know what's in every person's bank account and pocketbook in the whole realm," I said with a sigh. "But it is understood that I'm the wealthiest."
Cassian nodded and then tilted his head in thought. "Have you tried bribing Rhysand to let you go home yet?"
I felt my face drop in shock. "I- I did ask Azriel that. Wait, are you serious? Would that work?"
Now Cassian was really howling with laughter, and I knew he'd just tricked me bad. I pushed past him to leave the shop. "OK, I'm sorry, but that was too funny," Cassian said, still catching his breath. "Rhysand is also very rich, by the way, Princess."
"General Cassian!" A light, young voice called as we left the shop. Cassian stopped laughing and turned, but when he saw the small faerie girl fly over with her dark Illyrian wings, he smiled again.
"Hello," he said when she landed in front of him.
"Would you like to buy a bracelet for your friend?" She asked, and pulled out a handful of beaded loops from her pockets, all made with bright glass. "I made them myself and they are selling very fast! They will probably all be gone tomorrow."
Cassian turned to me and whispered, "A new, young artisan!"
I grinned and he crouched down to look at the bracelets in the faerie girl's hands. "Alright, what do you have that would look good with an ugly brass band my friend can't take off?"
I rolled my eyes, which caused the little faerie girl to giggle, but she still picked through all the jewelry until she found one with bright, ruby red beads. "This one!"
"I love it, what do you think Dellia?"
"It's beautiful," I agreed,
"How much is a fine bracelet like this going to cost me?" Cassian said, firmly staring down the little faerie girl. But she was not about to back down from her sale.
"3 copper pieces."
"3 copper pieces!" Cassian said with exasperated disbelief. The young girl narrowed her eyes at him, prepared to convince him, but Cassian continued with a wink, "It's worth at least 5."
"10, I'd wager," I said with a smirk, just to cause Cassian to lose more money.
Cassian muttered something about how destitute princesses shouldn't wager anyways, and then pulled out a silver coin. "You got change for this?" He asked the girl. She shook her head. "Well, I guess that's all yours then."
"Thank you!" She said, and took the coin excitedly. "Would you like a charm on the bracelet?"
Cassian shot me a look, knowing what my answer would be, but out of curiosity he asked, "What charms do you have?"
"I have one that keeps cut flowers from dying, but you have to put the bracelet around the flowers. I have one that makes anything you eat taste like cherry tarts. Oh! And I have another one that makes every dice roll a 6."
Cassian nodded, "I think the cherry tart one sounds interesting."
"Un-enchanted would be best," I said, and the faerie girl smiled and handed me the bracelet. "Thank you."
"And you can tell all your friends and future customers that a mortal princess is wearing your designs," Cassian said proudly, and the faerie girl's eyes widened.
"Really, are you a princess? Where's your crown?"
"I don't like to wear it, it tangles my hair."
"Oh, I have a spell for that too!"
"That's alright," I said with a grin, and the girl flew off with her coin.
I slid the bracelet on my left wrist next to the brass band and Cassian looked at it. "Nice," he said, and then, "So when you get back to Scythia, you can mail me a silver coin and interest."
