Day Four- Azrael

“I do ask that you not mention to Finn I was here today,” Tava said, smoothing a hand over her rounded belly as she stood from the small sofa. Somehow she was still graceful even a few months away from welcoming another child.

 

“Of course, your Majesty,” Azrael replied, conjuring an earth portal for her return to Baylorin. 

 

She gave him a pointed look at the use of the title before she turned back to Talwyn, who had also stood from the chair she’d been occupying. “You will think about the request?”

 

“Yes,” Talwyn answered, pushing her braid over her shoulder. Even after residing in the arid climate of the Earth Court these past years, she still wore the same brown pants and white shirt nearly every day. The jacket she wore while flying with her griffin was tossed over a nearby chair. Tava had requested this meeting during Talwyn’s usual flying time, so he could only assume she was going flying as soon as Tava left.

 

“Thank you,” Tava said. Her turquoise eyes held his when she added, “Until next time, plant prince.”

 

Then the mortal queen stepped through the portal before he could reply to her newest passive aggressive revenge. He’d grown used to the threats of sending Scarlett to annoy him, but using the nicknames from Nuri was a new low for the queen.

 

“Did something happen this morning?” Talwyn asked, moving to the sofa and picking up her cup of half-finished tea.

 

His brow furrowed. “No. Why do you ask?” he replied, lowering beside her.

 

“You look irritable.”

 

“The Windonelle Queen is getting crafty with her retorts as of late,” he grumbled, swiping up one of the remaining pastries from the meeting.

 

“Tava is incredibly cunning. It is unexpected, which makes it all the more brilliant.”

 

“I’m aware,” he said dryly. “Can I ask what she wished to speak with you about?”

 

He had not been invited to the meeting, and unlike the other overbearing royalty of the realm, he didn’t feel the need to monitor her every move or constantly have a guard with her. Of course he took some extra precautions with her new mortal-yet-not-mortal existence, but Talwyn had ruled Fae Courts for decades. More than that, she’d been trained extensively by Fae and Witches alike. Even without her powers, she was still formidable. Anyone could see that. In fact, the only one who didn’t seem to see it that way was her.

But if Talwyn didn’t want to tell him about this meeting or what Tava had requested of her, he wouldn’t push it. She was more than capable of making these types of decisions.

 

Unlike a silver-haired queen who constantly made him question her sanity.

 

Not looking at him, Talwyn said, “It was nothing. Some training thing she asked me to help with.”

 

“Oh?” he asked, more than a little intrigued now.

 

She set her tea aside, moving to spread jam on a biscuit. “Something about helping to train mortal women in the poorer districts to defend themselves. It doesn’t matter. I won’t be doing it.”

 

“But you told her you’d consider it,” he countered.

 

She slid her eyes to him, unimpressed. “I’m brash, Az, but I do recall my etiquette lessons. Besides, it’s nearly impossible to be rude to Tava Solgard.”

​

“No, it’s nearly impossible to say no to Tava Solgard.”

 

“She’s too nice,” Talwyn muttered, taking a bite of her biscuit.

 

“Agreed,” Azrael replied, stretching his legs out in front of him and slinging an arm along the back of the sofa. “But…”

 

He could practically hear Talwyn’s eye roll. “But what?” she sighed.

 

“Because it is Tava, and she is too nice, how, exactly, do you plan on telling her no? More importantly, why?”

 

“Why?” Talwyn repeated. “Why wouldn’t I say no?”

 

“I think the better question is why would you?” he countered, already knowing the answer. But by Silas, maybe this was exactly what she needed.

 

“Because I’m not the one for such a task,” she answered brusquely, brushing off her fingers from the biscuit.

 

“Because…?”

 

Finally, she turned to face him fully. Her jade eyes locked with his as she said, “Just say what you want to say, Azrael. You know I hate it when people dance around with their words.”

 

“I think you’re the perfect person for such a task, and clearly Tava thinks so too,” he answered bluntly, just as she’d asked. She opened her mouth to argue, but he continued before she could. “You are impeccably trained, Talwyn. Who would be better to train mortal women in self-defense? You are not a Witch and you are no longer in a royal position as a Fae, but you do have all that expertise. More than that, you’re not nice.”

 

She blinked at him before saying flatly, “Thanks, Az.”

 

He sent her a dry look. “You know what I mean. Scarlett would find them too fragile. Eliza would find them too weak, but you? You would know what they’re capable of because of what you’ve been through. You would know how far to push them. But more than any of that, they would see what they are capable of.”

 

“Because I’m basically mortal now,” she said, looking away.

 

But he was gripping her chin and turning her back to him. “Because you know how to survive, Talwyn. You know how to survive, and you know how to sacrifice. Anyone knows proper training involves knowing that balance.”

 

“You truly think I should do this?”

 

“I do,” he answered. “Besides, it’ll force you to spend time with someone other than an overgrown bird.”

 

“I’m going to tell Thorne you called him that,” she muttered.

 

Azrael shrugged. “I call him that every time I see him.”

 

“That’s why he doesn’t like you.”

 

“The thing doesn’t like anyone. He scarcely tolerates you,” he replied as Talwyn leaned into him. His arm slipped around her shoulders, pulling her closer, and he started toying with the end of her braid.

 

After a few moments of comfortable silence, she asked, “So what else is on your agenda today, plant prince?”

 

He went preternaturally still, and Talwyn dipped her chin, trying to hide her smile. “Careful, Talwyn. I can’t tie up the Windonelle Queen, but you…”

 

She huffed a laugh as she got to her feet. “I’m counting on it, Az,” she replied, bending down to brush a kiss to his lips. She smiled again when she added, “But for now, I’m going to go flying with an overgrown bird.”

 

Grabbing her flying jacket, he let her saunter out of the room because she smiled a lot more than she used to, and if an overgrown bird brought that out in her, he’d begrudgingly be grateful for the thing.

 

©Melissa K. Roehrich, 2024