"I cannot believe you made those demands last night," Nesta laughed from beside me at training the following morning. It was the last training for a couple of days to allow everyone the chance to celebrate the holiday properly. Everyone would be sleeping all day tomorrow after watching the stars all night anyway, I figured.
"I can't believe they were accepted," I replied with a shrug. I stretched out my biceps. "I was expecting a no."
"You're a good businesswoman," Emerie said. "You're wasted in that library." She passed me a sword. "You are right though, these swords are ugly and heavy."
"If there's not a Pegasus on one of our swords I'm sending it back." I told her and she grinned.
"Maybe you should put that in the armour design," Nesta laughed.
"I've already drawn up a few ideas," Emerie admitted, "I might have gotten a little excited."
"Are we just going to chat all day, females?" Cassian called from across the ring. "Because if so you're in the wrong place."
Nesta swung her sword and straightened up. "Let's work up a sweat." She grinned and we laughed as we moved into position.
—-
My bath after my training session was much needed. The bathroom was shared with several other priestesses and was small, as was the tiny bathtub, with moderately warm water. Nothing fancy, just some flowers and mixtures added so that it smelt nice. But my muscles needed it and so did my skin. I soaked myself in longer than usual, cleaning off every last bit of sweat on my body and refreshing myself.
I lit some candles and I breathed in the scent with a sigh. I was nervous about Starfall. Nervous to be around the High Lord and his friends again, in a dress that was out of my comfort zone, dancing and drinking. But to see the incredible event… I was excited too, I supposed. I squeezed the sponge and let some cooling water dribble down my neck. I shuddered at the cooling sensation.
A knock at the door interrupted me.
"Yes?" I called out.
"Are you going to be much longer?" Deidre called out. "I'd like to have a quick wash before the ceremony."
"I'll be out in a moment," I replied. How nice it would be, I supposed, to be able to bathe without being interrupted. I got out of the bath, dried myself off and dressed in my priestess robes ready for the ceremony, before heading back to my room to dry and style my hair.
The temple was decorated with white flowers for the occasion and paper stars hung from the beams above us. Some candles were already lit on the altar and the smells of vanilla and jasmine filled the air. Clotho bowed to me in greeting as I walked up the aisle and I responded with a bow of my own. She handed me a candle to carry in the ceremony and then I headed to where the other priestesses waited for it to begin.
The ceremony was just before sunset, but the temple was bathed in darkness, lit only by the candles. I walked in behind the other priestesses, our candles in our hands and their invoking stones displayed on their heads. The sound of a harp filled the air as we walked along. We reached the altar and stood in our formation. And started to sing.
The warmth of the song flowed through me, filling me like magic as the noise drifted through the air and towards those who had chosen to attend the ceremony. Goosebumps prickled over my skin and my hair felt as if it stood on end as I sang, harmonising my voice with the other priestesses. Our song was of both old and new, telling tales from long ago in the old tongue, but it praised and celebrated the Mother at the same time. And when that song finished, after readings had been shared and blessings made, the next song began. As the service continued, I felt the light radiating off of me, as it always seemed to do when I sang. I smiled then as we sang the final song and then with a bow of our heads, our candles were placed on the altar amongst the flowers and we walked back up the aisle.
Only then did I see that Nesta was sitting on a bench at the back of the temple, with Emerie, Cassian and Azriel beside her. Her eyes were brimmed with tears as she smiled up at me when I passed. Cassian's face showed respect and Azriel's was harder to read. His shadows peered over his shoulders, watching but his eyes were wide, almost surprised. I turned my focus ahead and quickly hurried back to my room to grab what I needed for the Starfall party.
—-
I met Emerie and Nesta in Nesta's room in the House of Wind. I passed the wraiths and a few other High Fae moving around, putting the last of the touches to decorations and drinks and food ready for the party and slipped into the room quietly.
"I told you she could sing," Nesta said to Emerie as I appeared, giving me a wink.
"Psh," I shrugged it off and walked over to my dress. The other two had already started getting ready. Nesta's hair was already braided across her head and Emerie's was in a loose braid with strands of some kind of thread woven in. I ran a comb through my straight auburn hair and then braided a few parts back on just one side, showing the gold ear cuffs that I'd found at the bottom of my chest of belongings. Then I let Nesta sweep on a bit of kohl eyeliner to match our Valkyrie aesthetic.
I wasn't sure my black sandals looked the part when I saw Nesta fastening on heels, but Emerie had boots under her gown so I decided I didn't mind- no one would see it anyway. I pulled up the skirt of my dress and fastened my dagger onto my thigh, earning a snort from Nesta.
"You're going… armed?" She laughed.
"I always have it on," I shrugged, "Even under my robes."
"Even in the temple?" Emerie's eyes were wide.
"I shouldn't as it's a place of peace…" I adjusted the golden scale-mail on my shoulders. "But after what happened… well I'd rather be ready."
Nesta gave a nod of understanding and then straightened up our dress, "Let's go and turn some heads shall we?"
My cheeks flushed. I wasn't used to being the centre of attention. I liked to blend in, which is why it had been so out of character for me to sign up for training in the first place. Emerie and I let Nesta take the lead and we followed her into the main floor, where the party had already started.
The guests were all in their best, each with a glass of some kind of celebratory liquid in their hands as they mingled with one another. Some I recognised from the mating ceremony, others I did not. But as Nesta led us through the crowd, with Emerie and I flanking her like we would in a battle, heads started to turn and I knew that some of the hushed conversations were about us.
Nesta walked us right over to where Cassian was and as he turned around, his jaw dropped and his eyes widened. And then the Shadowsinger started choking on his drink. I smiled a feline smile at the response and Cassian blinked.
"You boys scrub up well," Nesta said and Cassian's dropped jaw turned into a smirk.
"Boys?"
"Yes," Nesta smiled.
"Well I suppose you ladies scrub up pretty well too," Cassian said to the three of us. "In fact, you're all pretty intimidating." Cassian patted his friend on the back as the Shadowsinger finally sorted himself out.
"Can I please be a Valkyrie?" Morrigan said, appearing at Azriel's side. "Because you all look so badass!" She looked every bit a Queen in her usual red but this time it was a velvet dress with cut-out sides and matching gold jewellery. I didn't miss Emerie's blush as Morrigan glanced her way.
"You're already a far greater warrior," Emerie said and Morrigan smiled at her.
With a bow of the head, she replied, "Thank you." She added to Nesta, "Rhys and Feyre are on the balcony if you want to say hello."
"I will," Nesta nodded and then excused herself. Cassian let out a low whistle as she walked away and I was fairly certain that the extra hip-swaying was just for him.
"Can I… can I…" Azriel blinked.
"Spit it out brother," Cassian hissed.
"Get anyone a drink?" He finished.
"Yes please," Emerie and I chorused. "I'll help you," I added, leaving Emerie to talk to Morrigan. She widened her eyes as we walked away and I winked at her.
A string quartet was playing on one side of the room and I recognised the song that was playing. No one danced yet, it was clearly still hours for socialising, but I noticed more and more people moving to gather on the balcony, waiting for Starfall to begin. Canapes were being passed around, lots of dishes I didn't recognise and most in the shape of stars for the occasion. We reached the side of the room where a bar had been set up. Drinks were already laid out, as well as bottles and pitchers containing some kind of cocktails labelled with different names. One cocktail even had glitter in it.
"I guess Emerie and I will have some wine," I said, spoilt for choice.
"A wise choice," Azriel replied, "The cocktails usually have far too much alcohol in and can be pretty dangerous."
"I'm not used to drinking as it is," I laughed. "Wine is definitely the safer option." He grabbed two glasses of wine and passed one to me, before grabbing himself one. He moved to head back towards Emerie but I stopped him.
"Give her one more minute," I said.
He raised an eyebrow, "You're not trying to play matchmaker are you? Because Mor… well she's not shown an interest in relationships in years."
"No, I don't like to pry into people's relationships," I replied, "But speaking to her will do Emerie some good and maybe stop her being such a flustered mess." I turned to face him, "Speaking of flustered messes, are you okay?"
His cheeks flushed a little, "I think I was taken aback by the three of you coming in ready to bring people to their knees."
"Oh?" I raised an eyebrow.
"Black… suits you," He said.
"I wear black regularly for training and our Valkyrie uniform will be black too," I reminded him.
"I know," He said, "But that dress…"
"Yes?" The corners of my mouth tipped upwards into a smile and I sipped my wine.
"I wasn't expecting it… it's very different to what you were wearing in the temple earlier."
"I think if I wore this in the temple then I'd be going to hell," I told him and he smiled at that. I watched as his shadows skittered over his shoulders and stopped at his wrists, watching, waiting. "What were you doing in the temple anyway? You don't normally attend the services"
"Nesta wanted company."
"Oh," I said, a little disappointed that was the only reason.
"And I wanted to hear you sing." He looked somewhat sheepish.
Just then, Emerie appeared in front of us, red-faced. "Did you forget my drink?" She said, blinking. Azriel reached out his arm and passed it to her. "Where were you both?"
"Sorry, we were talking," I apologised and Emerie narrowed her eyes at me. She lifted the drink to her lips and drank it all quickly, then grabbed another.
Then she glanced between the two of us, "I think I'll go and find Nesta and see if she's found a good place for us to stand." As she walked off, I laughed to myself.
"I'm guessing things didn't go well then," Azriel said with a shrug.
"She'll get there," I smiled. "We probably should go and find a place to stand too."
"I know where there's a great view."
Azriel let me down a flight of stairs, not in the direction of the library, I noted, and not up where Cassian and Nesta's quarters were. The stairway was still similar but here, I noted, was a small library on one side and a few doors I presumed led to bedrooms. There was a small seated area on one side, open with large windows and a door that led onto yet another balcony. The furniture down here was more worn, lived in and comfortable, than the sleek furniture on the floor upwards and a… newspaper was sat on the coffee table that sat in front of the fireplace. Azriel held open the balcony door for me and we stepped out. The music still sounded as did the voices, but it was definitely quieter down here, on the far smaller balcony.
"Is this your floor?" I asked him as I passed him onto the balcony.
He gave a small nod, "Yes, but sometimes Mor and other guests stay on this floor when they need to. Lucien stayed here for a while when he first left the Spring Court."
I moved to the railings and leaned against them as a gasp escaped me at the view below. The training ring never really showed Velaris, neither did the temple. But here… Even though we were on the lowest balcony, you could see the whole of the City of Starlight. And it took my breath away. I could see the lights where the marketplaces were, the Sidra just about lit between them. I could see the hills that Nesta had spoken about, where her father's grave was and where the flowers bloomed at this time of year. I could see the ocean in the distance, sat under the light of the moon. So much of the city I still hadn't seen.
"I… I forget how beautiful Velaris is supposed to be," I said softly and he moved to lean on the railings beside me.
"Supposed to be?"
"I've never really been down there… never really seen it all," I admitted. "Merrill says I'm afraid."
"And are you?" He asked.
I let out a sigh, "I guess I am."
Quiet hung between us. Not an awkward, uncomfortable silence, but a calm one.
And then I saw it. The first star streaked across the sky, lighting the way for the others. I gasped as did the onlookers on the balconies above us and then there was silence as the others came. It was like nothing I could have ever imagined. Hundreds of spirits dancing across the sky, one after the other, little beacons of light, of hope. They stretched as far as the eye could see. A tear rolled down my cheek and then another and I turned my head away from the Shadowsinger so he wouldn't see.
A shadow moved to my face, curling around in front of me and my crying paused as I watched it and then felt the shadow brush a tear away from my cheek in a gentle caress. It then moved to the other cheek and did the same before drifting back to its master.
I sucked in a deep breath and turned to the Shadowsinger to apologise for crying, but he spoke first.
"Sorry," He said.
"For what?"
"My shadows… they seem to like you," He gave a small smile.
I laughed softly at that, "Oh, that's okay. I'm sorry for… being a sniffling mess."
"You're not a mess," He said and I wiped under my eyes, glad that no make-up came off on my hands. I gave a small smile of my own and looked back at the light show in front of us.
"I don't think I imagined it to ever be so beautiful," I whispered and then I began to softly sing one of the lullabies my mother used to sing me, a traditional, old song about stars in the night sky. My skin glowed slightly as I sang and then I smiled as some of Azriel's shadows danced around my breath in response to the music. I reached a hand out and then gasped as a star skimmed along it, leaving behind a green glow. And then as if I'd summoned the stars with my voice, two twisted and turned in our direction and moved around us, circling the Shadowsinger and I as I sang.
A gasp escaped from him as he watched the stars spin around us in a figure of eight before they darted back into the sky alongside the others as my song ended.
"How did you do that?" He whispered, his mouth ajar.
My cheeks reddened as I held out my star-spirit-covered hand in front of me, "I'm not even sure."
He stepped closer to me and my breath caught in my throat as his eyes met mine. He was beautiful and now, with the stars lighting his eyes as they looked at me… I swallowed and tried to push the thought away. Don't be ridiculous, I scolded myself inwardly. But he just kept looking at me.
Before he could react, I reached my hand up and splattered the star spirit on his nose. He flinched too late, but his seriousness was gone and replaced with humour as he wiped some of the green glow from his face and then leaped towards me. I moved this way and that, dodging as best as I could but then he was behind me, grabbing my waist and smearing the glow onto my own nose. He spun me around, admiring his handiwork as we both laughed at one another.
"Looks like I'm not beating you at any duels anytime soon," I smiled and he grinned.
"You put up a pretty good fight," He looked thoughtful for a moment, "That reminds me, I've got something for you, hang on." He disappeared back into the house as I caught my breath, looking back out at the stars still dancing across the sky.
I tried not to think about how close Azriel had been to me and how it had made my heart thud more quickly in my chest. Of course I'd always found him attractive, hadn't every female? I knew from training that the other priestesses were attracted to both him and Cassian and with everything that had happened with Elain. I cursed inwardly to myself as he came back, holding a long, blue velvet box.
"Happy Starfall," He said, holding it out to me.
I raised an eyebrow, "I thought we only gave gifts on the Winter Solstice."
He gave a shrug, "Well I messed that one up, so here… Happy Starfall, Calanmai… whatever it is you want to celebrate today."
I took the box from him carefully. It had a little weight to it and this time it was definitely too big to be jewellery. I opened the lid carefully and laughed softly at what lay inside- a dagger. But, it wasn't just any dagger. The hilt was gold and beautifully carved with what looked like stars and blue sapphires. And on the sheath itself was a pegasus, surrounded by more stars.
"Where…?" I blinked, running my hands over the metalwork.
"Cassian is sorting swords, so don't worry, the deal isn't broken," He said, stepping towards me. I lifted the dagger and he took the empty box in his hand as I did so. "I just thought, seeing as you always insist on wearing a dagger, that perhaps you should have a pretty one." He smiled as he repeated my words from the previous night.
"But to get it made so quickly…"
He gave a shrug, "The blacksmith has a quick turnaround when he's bribed." He pointed to an upper balcony where a High Fae male was drinking an amber coloured drink and laughing with a female. I presumed he was the blacksmith.
I turned my attention back to the blade in my hands. It was lighter than my current blade and no doubt far better quality. I unsheathed it slowly and examined the blade. Shiny. New. Sharp. "Well it'll look better with my outfit I suppose," I gave him a grin and rolled up the skirt of my dress to my thigh where the other dagger sat. I took the old one out and passed it to him as his cheeks flushed, and then replaced it with the new one. "Perfect fit." I glanced up at Azriel and watched as his throat bobbed. "Thank you, Azriel." I said with a smile and I smoothed my dress back down. His shadows moved to curl around my arms in a caress and the Shadowsinger watched with a shy smile on his lips.
"Az, Gwyn, get up here, Rhys is making a toast!" Cassian's voice called out from above, breaking the moment between us. I gave a nod and then escaped upstairs, Azriel following behind me.