First Fanfiction please read and review.
Moments of Weakness
Huntsdale was warmer than usual Niall noticed while he was walking back to the loft.
It was a welcoming change. It had been cold for far too long. Niall guessed that the change had conspired mostly because of Aislinn's queen ship. The girl had only recently taken the title, and in such little time things were starting to look up. Niall was happy for his King and his Court. The curse was broken, the Winter Queen was dead, and the wretched game was at long last won.
Yes Niall was happy, but he felt a certain bitterness as well.
He didn't have a cause anymore and the temptations were all around him.
He felt isolated from his own court because he knew deep down that he could never be one of them.
He hated that. He hated that the place he really belonged was with-
I'm a fool. The summer court is my home. It is the only court that has given me kindness and sanctuary.
That was not entirely true there had been another court years ago that-
No that court betrayed me and hurt me. He hurt me.
He shook his head to clear it. He had to stop thinking about that. It had been centuries and the thoughts still plagued him.
I'm pathetic. He laughed bitterly. He never cared about me. What we had was based on lies, even if Fae can't tell one. Since the movement we met.
He felt eyes on him and he turned. His eyes fell on a mortal girl of avenge height with light hair and a pretty face. She was openly staring at him.
"Are you alright?" she called.
"Not really," he admitted.
She approached him cautiously as if she could sense something off about him.
"What wrong?" She asked and her voice was soft.
"Old wounds," Niall muttered. "Nothing a pretty girl like you needs to worry about." He could hear the bitterness in his voice.
Her green eyes looked at him with concern, curiosity, and a hint attraction.
"Pretty girls can handle more than you think."
When he didn't say anything she winked. " I promise I won't tell."
Niall smiled slightly, amused by this girl, and he decided to give her the benefit of the doubt. "Just a broken heart. It happened ages ago. I'm not sure why I'm still dwelling on it."
"What exactly happened?"
"They betrayed me and lied to me." Niall said bluntly. "Gave me this." He gestured to his scar.
Her eyes widened. "And you hate them?"
"Yes and no." He sighed. " I am angry still. Very angry, and I try to convince myself that I hate them, but I'm still concerned for their well being." Niall admitted.
"And you're wondering how can you really hate them if you have concern for them?"
"Yes." This girl was more insightful than she appeared.
"That is a pickle." She sounded thoughtful.
Niall laughed and for once it held no bitterness. "That is a strange way of putting it, but yes it is a pickle."
"You have a nice laugh," She said suddenly. Then blushed, seemingly to wonder why she had said that.
A stray hair blew into her face, and Niall brushed it away without thinking; his fingers grazing her heated cheek. Her blush deepened and Niall pulled back.
"What's your name?" He asked, partly out of curiosity and partly to detract himself.
Keenan would kill me if I indulged.
"Ariel." she swallowed. "What's yours?"
"Niall," he whispered softly. He couldn't hold back his smile when he saw her eyes go darker.
"Nice to meet you." Her voice was shaking and uneven.
"Nice to meet you." He returned as his lips slowly descended on hers.
A sigh slipped though his mouth. It had been so long since he'd done this and one little kiss couldn't hurt.
She deepened the kiss.
He heard a familiar ghostly chuckle that snapped him back to his senses .He flipped his head around to meet the amused dark eyes of Irial. His eyes widen in shock before narrowing. Irial gave him a lazy wave and motioned that he should come closer. He glared at him and the Dark King laughed.
He heard Ariel make a small noise behind him and only then did he remember her presence.
"Sorry," he said turning back around. "I shouldn't have done that."
"I didn't mind." She giggled and tilted her face up towards his.
Shame and self-hatred filled him. This was why he didn't kiss mortals. One moment of weakness and look what he'd done.
He pushed her gently away. "You should go home Ariel. You'll be safe there."
She pouted and tried to kiss him again. He could hear Irial's laughter behind him and it angered him.
"Go home!" He shouted at her.
She shrank away from him. "But-"
"You don't want to be with a guy like me. Trust me on this." He sighed then his temper gone." You're a smart girl. Go home."
She nodded slowly. "Okay." Her voice wavered.
"Goodbye." He turned away from her and shut his eyes.
Niall heard her foot steps retreating.
"She's a pretty one," Irial commented once Niall had opened his eyes.
Niall glared at him but said nothing.
"Though I must say your control is slipping Niall. What will you do when it runs out?"
Niall still said nothing. His emotions in were in a faux.
"Why tempt fate any longer? Your King doesn't need you anymore. Not now that he has his Queen. You do not belong in the Summer Court, you never have."
Hearing his silent thoughts spoken aloud made them seem real. It unnerved him enough to speak. "Why that is any concern of yours I'll never know."
"It is my concern because of this. You belong with the Dark Court Niall, with me." Irial's voice was pure temptation. " I am still in need of a successor."
Niall was shocked. He had shamed Irial on more than one occasion after all. He did not expect a such generous offer from him.
A tempting offer at that.
It shouldn't be.
Niall was angry at himself and at Irial. The Summer Court was his home now. He owed the previous Summer King everything. He had given Niall a new start and Niall couldn't betray him.
"You are a fine Dark King." Niall's tone was cold. "You are not in need of a successor. You never were."
"That's where your wrong, love. War grows stronger by the day and I am growing weary." An odd look of sadness appeared in his eyes, making him look both older and more vulnerable than Niall knew him to be. "The time has come for a new leader."
Niall was concerned despite himself. Irial was mild compared to War, who was pure chaos. If she was gaining ground...
Niall shook himself. " The problems of the Dark Court are no concern of mine."
"Are you sure about that?" Irial's voice was soft and dark, like he was. Niall could tell his temper was surfacing." Are you not concerned for my well being? You told Ariel as much when she was here."
"You heard that." Niall spoke quietly.
"Yes. "Irial's eyes soften briefly. "I miss you Niall. I miss your companionship and what we had."
"We had nothing." Niall's voice was resentful. "What we had was based on deceit. You betrayed me."
"You always were a grudge holder." Irial muttered.
"You never cared for me."
"You can say a lot of things about me Niall but don't say I never cared about you. I still care!" The Dark Kings temper was flaring.
"This is how you show you care about someone!" Niall shouted pointing at his scar. " I trusted you, loved you even and you threw it back in my face!"
"A King makes hard choices." Irial's face was hard. "Choices he doesn't want to make." His face broke then, the mask slipping. " I'm sorry Niall. How many times must I say it?"
Niall didn't want to see him like that. Angry Irial or Mocking Irial he could deal with. It was seeing him vulnerable that made Niall pause. Niall was silent as he observed him. He had the same black hair the same dark eyes. He was like sifting shadows, like temptation personified, but he looked thinner and weary. His mocking smile was absent.
Niall tried to hold onto his failing angry. "I can never forgive you."
"So be it then." The Dark King smiled wickedly the mask slipping back into place. "If you are going to be so stubborn about it Niall, I might as well try to convince you otherwise."
Before Niall could ask just what he meant by that. His lips brushed against his.
Niall stood there in shock for a minute before he realized what was happening.
Irial is kissing me and I am doing nothing about it.
He tried to get himself to move but his body seemed to have other intentions.
All the rage, pain, humiliation and shame he had felt that night poured out of him and left him dizzy.
For another moment of weakness he forget all that had happen between them, and just simply kissed Iri back.