Elain was outside the townhouse a couple of hours before sunset, kneeling in her flowy pastel blue chiffon off-shoulder dress and wearing a cream sun hat. She had foregone her gloves since she loved the feel of the soil in her hands. She was planting flowers for the upcoming spring: daffodils, forget-me-nots, lilacs, and hyacinths. It wasn't long before she also started planting vegetables in the front yard garden. Imagine her joy when her beetroots grew well. She's usually tending to her vegetable patch, but not this time; her plan is to get ready for spring.
With Nesta and Cassian at the House of Wind and Feyre's family in the River House, it was just Azriel and her left in the townhouse. For Elain, it was perfect, though it was kind of lonely when Azriel had to be away for days due to his duties. Not that she complained—she was sometimes busy with gardening, landscaping for her business, and her seering abilities. Now that she could control her power, she would immediately request a meeting for the Inner Circle whenever there was an important vision.
Before reaching happiness and a perfect life with the one she chose—her shadow singer—it was hell. The threat of the blood duel loomed over them, alliances with the Spring and Day Courts teetered on the brink of collapse, and she endured emotional and physical agony as she severed the mating bond she didn't want. They both didn't want. Elain had genuinely tried to make it work with Lucien, recognizing him as a good male, but he simply wasn't the one she longed for. They simply were not for each other, though they both wished each other happiness before they broke it off.
The intense disagreements and discord within the Inner Circle did not help either. It wasn't long before she exploded, put her foot down, and faced them herself to demand that no one should decide for her but her own. She was tired of them thinking that they were better than her and Lucien's decision. She was done being careful and docile to fit everyone's expectations of her. Wrinkling her nose, she didn't want to go through the secret meetings with Azriel and the feeling of tiptoeing around everyone ever again. She finally had to choose for herself, fate or Cauldron be damned.
Eventually, everyone had no choice but to accept their relationship. Feyre, who unsurprisingly was ever so supportive at the start, was the only one who understood, and for that, Elain was genuinely grateful. However, it was still hard to tell with Rhys what he thought of her relationship with Azriel, as he initially forbade her and him from being together. Not that she cared, she thought with a scowl.
Azriel had been away for two weeks, and she missed him, of course.
Sighing, she placed soil on top of the daffodil seed, but an impact a few feet away caught her attention. Turning to her side, she saw him. The male whose very presence was constant in her thoughts and heart.
There he stood, Azriel, looking effortlessly beautiful. His hair had grown longer than usual, and his hazel-gold eyes sparkled. His wings were tucked in, and he wore his Illyrian leathers that fit him like a second skin. He was grinning at her with his toned and muscular arms crossed over his strong chest. Seeing him again brought a tremendous spark of happiness to her chest. She immediately got up, brushed her hands quickly on her dress, and ran toward him, fast enough but still being careful not to step on any bushes, giggling as her sun hat flew away, "Az!" she called.
Spreading his arms as Elain closed the gap between them, Azriel's grin widened. The impact slightly took his breath away as Elain jumped on him, looping her legs around his torso and wrapping her arms around his neck.
"You're back!" she exclaimed, looking at him with her doe eyes that Azriel had come to love like he was her world.
She raked her eyes over him, asking, "Are you okay? You're not hurt?" She checked for any injuries, both hands now on his cheeks.
"Hello to you too," Azriel chuckled, noticing her soil-dirtied hands.
She laughed and said, "I hope you don't mind my hands being dirty."
For a moment, they did nothing but gaze at each other, forehead to forehead, grinning like lovesick fools. Oh, only if Cassian were here, he would certainly puke.
The spell that wasn't there broke when Elain asked, "Have you eaten yet?"
Azriel shook his head. Elain moved to get out of Azriel's grasp, but he only tightened his hold on her and said, "No," then proceeded to walk towards the townhouse.
"I wasn't sure when you'd come back, so I cooked meals for you every day since you left, just to make sure. Today, I roasted some chicken with..." Elain babbled.
Azriel, staring at her, focused on her as the background blurred and the sounds around them faded. He leaned slightly to touch his nose to hers and softly breathed, "Thank you." He couldn't describe the feeling, but after centuries of longing, he finally had someone to spend his lifetime with, someone who sacrificed so much for him. To feel loved and cared for, and to give the same thing in return without a cost, was beyond words, even if he still felt he didn't deserve it.
Elain only nodded, leaning to give him a kiss on the forehead. "Of course," she continued, "then there are also cannolis in the oven. I just baked them this morning."
When they finally reached the kitchen, just before the countertop where the food was, Elain giggled and said, "This is ridiculous."
Azriel, shifting his gaze from the food to Elain, raised his brow and asked, "What is?"
"You're carrying me like a babe! Put me down." Elain replied.
Azriel gave her a mischievous smile and said, "No, this is perfect."
Elain rolled her eyes but tightened her hold around his neck. Azriel's free hand reached for the plates and utensils, deftly scooping food for both of them while his other arm remained securely on Elain's behind as her thighs and legs were still wrapped tightly against his torso. After placing the second plate on the table, he gently set Elain down and pulled out her chair so she could sit before taking his seat.
Always a gentlemale, Elain thought, but Elain stood again.
Azriel's brows raised, as if to ask where she was going.
"I need to wash my hands, silly," she said, lifting her arms in front of him to prove her point, showing the residue of dirt from her gardening.
Azriel only shrugged and poured them wine. When Elain finally returned to the table, she told him what he had missed while he was away, mentioning that she had no important visions. Oh, rest assured that she didn't miss the gossip that was going around between the Inner Circle and how Amren and Varian broke an inn—not a bed, not a table, but the whole inn. No one knows what they did to break it, but Cassian and Nesta had ideas and wouldn't stop teasing them about it, not noticing how everyone else avoided the House of Wind because of them.
Azriel and Elain were only relieved to get their own place. For peace and quiet. After they finished eating, Elain took Azriel's hand and led him to the stairs, making their way to their bedchamber. "Come now, you need to rest. I know you're tired," she said.
Standing at the foot of the stairs, refusing to take a step any further, "Hmm," Azriel tilted his head to the side slightly, "but I don't think I'll get any rest tonight."
Elain blushed furiously and said, "No." and proceeded to take a step.
Azriel remarked, "I need a bath," then wickedly leaned to her ear and softly whispered, "Would you care to join me, Elain?" Azriel leaned back, looked at her expectantly.
With a glint in her eye, she let go of Azriel's hand, bit her lower lip, and turned around to take the stairs. She glanced back at him and said, "Make it quick."
To her credit, and to Azriel's disappointment, she made the bath quick, scrubbing all the dirt from the garden off her and washing her hair swiftly. She kept her word well, except for the stolen kisses that Azriel gave or tried to give her, which she desperately ignored and thwarted. She did not want any distractions. After their bath, Azriel handed them towels to dry off. She donned her silver silk robe, while Azriel put on loose pants.
As they fell onto the bed, so huge to fit Azriel's wings, tomorrow, Elain would know about his journey. As he usually did, they would sleep and Azriel would tell everything when they woke up. It never unnerved her, considering that interrogation and torture were part of him. It was for the better to protect the court, realm, and the fae and humans alike. She accepted who he was. When she was human, she might have been wary, but not really. Ever since she laid eyes on him, when she was still human, he was already beautiful, regardless of the darkness and the shadows that swirled around him. He was hers, and she was his; that's all that mattered. Azriel wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer to his chest.
After Azriel listened to what Elain had been up to the past couple of weeks and her plans for the coming days, it wasn't long until his breathing evened out, indicating he was asleep. Elain gave him a peck on the lips, buried her face in his throat, and went to sleep, their tangled bodies revealing the peace and content that they could only get from each other.