#º ✧ 。𝒔𝒂𝒃𝒊𝒏𝒂 𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒅𝒊 → 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏

[supernva]

closed starter for zacreus ciphenth @dcrkening

Someone was watching her . Sabina had felt their gaze prickling at her neck the same if someone had walked over her grave and spoken her name , demanding the awakening of some long dead thing . Or perhaps it had simply been waiting , ready as she turned sharply towards the source of the sensation with narrowed eyes . Some habits died hard , and even though the war was long past it was a warrior 's reactions that still claimed her movements when faced with an unknown . She found his gaze almost instantly , and a shock moved through her limbs as the shining and golden eyes seemed to pierce through whatever soul she had left . As if they already knew all her secrets . It was the arrogance behind them that solidified her irritation , and a breath later she marked the man as none other than Zacreus Ciphenth . It made perfect sense that he would be at her high lady's celebration in the House of Wind as well . After all he was a ruler in his own right .High Lord of the Day Court .

If that shouldn't have been enough to make her drop her gaze from the male's , his preceding reputation should have put a nail to that coffin . But her eyes didn't falter as they slit another centimeter closer in distaste . Sabina 's feet were moving before she was even aware enough to command them , leading her straight into the den of the dragon without so much as an instant of hesitation . She knew these kind of males . The ones who thought the world their playthings for better or for worse , and she'd always tried to knock them down as many pegs as she could manage . So despite the fact that she was a female fae with barely a lick of power to show , she slinked to where he was holding his impromptu court before replacing her expression with a smile that didn't meet her eyes .

" I thought I'd take this chance to introduce myself as it seems only right to make the rounds as the new emissary of the Night Court . " Her head titled curiously to the side , already savoring whatever reaction her next words might garner . " I'm Sabina Khoe . And you're the high lord of the Day Court . I've heard so much about your charming self . In fact - I was told you're so incredibly charming that you insist everyone simply call you Zac . " It seemed all sense of self - preservation had left her while she shredded the lines of impropriety .

[supernva]

Even as Sabina wished to be alone she couldn't bring herself to truly desire his absence, nor could she tear her eyes away from the golden gaze of his that filled her with warmth and seemed to awaken her very soul. She could see the wheels turning in his mind just as they were shifting in her's, the both of them playing an unseen game of chess where the pieces seemed to have minds of their own no matter how much they plotted or planned. At the mention of attacking each other her hackles had already begun to rise once more, and heated words were primed on the edge of her lips while her brows drew together. But his words kept coming and they stole the fire out from under her, drenching the flames in a confusion that had her trying to find her footing. How was it that he could unseat her with a few syllables where none other had managed such a feat?

"We?" Sabina echoed, taken entirely off-guard by including them as a set. The purpose of the innocent but all too intimidating word became clear while he finished his thoughts, though it only muddled the waters they were trying to tread with freshly stirred uncertainty. But with the way he was looking at her- as if she were the only thing that mattered in these moments...she leaned in closer to those eyes despite her better judgement and a lack of faith. Sabina was pulled in by the force that was determined to see her sucked into his orbit, and she wasn't sure she could have fought it even if she'd wanted to.

"You felt it?" Once again she could think of nothing else to say other than his own words, trying to parse together what was happening. He'd felt it. Felt what? Felt it as she had felt it when he gazed at her across the ballroom? When a string of her essence had become taut as a harp's while she waited for him to reach out and make music of her by plucking it? "What did you feel?" she asked, her voice dropping to a whisper. Her heart pounded in her chest as if it already understood what he was trying to say.

Her words stung as much as he was certain he had. he didn't understand why, but the two of them seemed to wish for a common ground, a thread that grounded them instead of whatever malice had been able to form between them. Zacreus wondered if his anger and her insecurity of him were misplaced, that in truth the two should trust one another instead of this continuous dance they kept on dancing. He clenched his jaw and was about to take back his words of never meeting again - but she spoke first and the comment of acting had him sighing heavily.

" it has nothing to do with dancing, nor acting," he replied rather harshly. His eyes locked upon hers. he didn't wish to utter any of what he'd thought as she had run away from the castle. he'd wanted nothing more than to find her and when he did he had no idea what he was supposed to say. Did he confess his worry? did he tell her that he'd felt something too during whatever she had experienced? he might've had it not been for the comments. they were fated to butt heads, weren't they?

"I suggest instead of either of us attacking the other-" he avoided his eyes before closing them, taking a deep breath, signaling that his shields were going down at least for a few seconds, perhaps minutes. "we try to figure out what happened." his voice was calm now and his eyes blazing with daylight as he looked at the lady of the night. "please, I do not wish malice, I'm here because -" he knew it was a risk to take, yet he was willing to take it. "I felt it."

[supernva]

closed starter for iphigenia nassa @wingedtm

The other fae hadn't been staring per se , but Sabina had caught her gaze more than once over the last half an hour . She supposed that wasn't all that unusual for her current situation after a rather public vision had slapped her against the ground . The difference was that she recognized this face as one of the dawn court's inner circle . An emissary like herself . Perhaps if she was already ensconced in conversation less fae would bother her with their never-ending questions . It only took a few strides before she was next to her fellow emissary . "So is this your first Starfall? Or have you been before?"

[supernva]

closed starter for icarus xiang @ravenflcmes

The sparring ring that lay beside the House of Wind was not a typical haunt of Starfall party-goers , but that was exactly why Sabina had sought it out . Sure enough , there wasn't a single soul in sight as she approached the grounds . She supposed changing out of her eye-catching dress had assisted her in escaping the throng of nosy fae , and she'd always been more at home in the leathers she was now wearing . And yet...her pointed ears pricked at the sound of footsteps , and she sank into a shadow as an attempt to avoid being seen first . When the other fae had come close enough she called out to him , the shadows blocking his face as well . "Are you lost ? These are the sparring grounds . The party's back the way you came . "

[supernva]

closed starter for celestina vanserra @fataviam

Sabina had been doing her best to keep a low profile following the display she'd unwillingly took part in on the balcony , and her latest place of refuge she'd thought of was that of the library beneath the House of Wind . After all , the only people who could enter it were the priestesses it housed and those who they allowed inside . Certainly they'd have no desire to admit the countless fae who'd been barraging her with questions . But lingering just before the entrance she spotted something that didn't belong .

It was easy enough to recognize the daughter of the Day Court and lady of Autumn that cut a gentle figure in the night . A feeling of dread rose in Sabina's gut as she recalled just how disastrous her meetings with her brothers had been . Still- it would be impossible to enter the library without walking past her , and it'd be beyond rude not to acknowledge someone of such standing . Reluctantly she opened the conversation while she drew closer , hoping the sister might prove a pleasant surprise . Or at least a decent one . "Are you lost ?" she asked . "Unless you were trying to gain access to the library . Are you someone who'd rather read than be at a party ?"

[supernva]

closed starter for aziz zorlu @cosmicbluds

Thus far there were only a handful of fae who had gotten the full story of what it was Sabina and Tiarnan had seen . But the moment the vision had ended she'd known that Aziz would be near the top of her list when it came to those who'd be privy to the information . Surely the spymaster would need to know all he could about anything that might affect the Night Court , even if the emissary had little idea as to what the barrage of images could mean .

She'd sent a messenger to bring him to the meeting chamber of the inner circle , figuring there was no safer place to divulge the secrets that far too many had tried to badger out of her . Beyond those logical reasons was a deeper set one- one born of comradery and an understanding . One that came from sharing a hometown . If one could even being to call the Court of Nightmares a home . Her hands were braced against the large map of Prythian that sprawled in the center of the room , but it was a chart of the stars she'd laid over it . Sabina looked up from her intense stare down of the skies when the male she'd been waiting for entered , and her shoulders relaxed a fraction of an inch . If Aziz were here , there was less reason to worry . Such was a lesson she'd learned after working next to him and knowing him . "Thanks for coming. I know you were probably incredibly disappointed to be pulled away from the party," she joked with little mirth . "But...the sooner you know what I saw, the better."

[supernva]

Another flicker of affection crossed Sabina's gaze while Niamh asked after her wellbeing before diving into anything else. A note of tension left her shoulders, but she still couldn't help but be all too aware of the lines that now separated them. Growing up in the Night Court had been easy, and there had been nary a secret between the two Aromdee siblings and Sabina. Niamh had even known about the seer's crush on their elder sister long before Callista ever did, much to Sabina's annoyance. But now their loyalties were scattered, and while the heart wished to confide in her oldest friend and ally, the head said exactly the opposite. "I rarely ever know what to make of them immediately. I think that's what I hate the most. Giving me these visions that have to be picked apart and analyzed. If you have something to tell me- just fucking tell me. Even if the vision itself isn't unsettling the drama around it is always infuriating."

It was more than that with this particular one. Sabina could have faced the tearing of the horizons with staunch determination and a battle-ready sword. It was the starry god's eyes that had chilled her and made her wonder if he'd seen her just as she had seen him. It was like he'd known her- as if he knew the secrets she herself hadn't yet uncovered. A lengthy sigh was her only respite from her rekindled unsettling. Just as the rest of the courts, Niamh couldn't know the details until Rhaeya allowed it. And even Sabina's mental state might be too much information when it came to its contents. Nevertheless she gave the other fae's hand a squeeze. "Sometimes I wish things could go back. That we could go back." Not just her and Niamh. But Callista too.

attention to detail caused niamh to notice the quirk of sabina's brow, the hard set to her jaw as they dared to mention the high lady. they made a mental note of it, deciding to press that button after she ensured that what had happened . . . that sabina was okay. it was what callista would have wanted. otherwise, that semblance of doubt would have sent the commander on edge, sirens blaring in their head of what line they would continue to toe. ❝ that's what i wanted to hear. though, hearts are still intact ; i didn't take it that far. be reasonable. ❞

dark brows stitched together, assessing the appropriate way to gauge her second's well - being given the circumstances. it was obvious, signed by the expression written across sabina's face, that whatever she had seen had touched a nerve. such a ' glorious night ' for her court to be shredded to bits as she collapsed to the floor in front of everyone ⎯ a spectacle of the danger that hovered above their heads even now. if she could hold her tongue, if they could refrain from adding to the interrogation, they would. just to ease her mind.

a pale hand reached forward, taking hold of sabina's ⎯ a desperate display of some sort of humanity that still resided within. ❝ you're okay? ❞

[supernva]

The steps that led down to Velaris were nearly impossible to count , but the restlessness in Sabina's soul was glad Rhaeya had chosen to walk . With any luck the lengthy descent would settle the buzz of her mind , and it was an added bonus that there weren't many other places as isolated as the neverending staircase . Their words would belong only to them .

Despite being the high lady of night , Rhaeya's light was nearly always infectious- and the corners of Sabina's lips turned up as her high lady made the dark a little less foreboding . "How angry do you think Dorian would be if we summoned him and then demanded a ride ?" The thought of the Illyrian's reaction was all too amusing . "Even if he didn't give us a lift I bet it'd be worth it ."

Anyone interesting ? Interesting was as borad a term as could be , and Sabina suspected Rhaeya's word choice had been intentional . "If you're asking if I've met sanyone annoying beyond belief, the answer is yes ." The piercing and golden eyes of Zacreus seemed to haunt her every thought- even as she walked further away from him . "What about you? Anyone of note?"

life has not been easy for rhaeya since her father's passing. there have been countless days where she's wondered if this was, perhaps, the correct path to walk on. ruling is not a singlular job, as she relies so heavily on the others in her circle to come to a decision, but heavy are her shoulders. she is the face of their court, the one everyone turns to in times of duress. she will also be the one they turn to when the world crumbles around them.

sabina's strength and friendship has made the burden lighter. her presence, like a shining star in the night sky, has helped rhaeya from straying from her path.

" walking, " rhaeya replies with a smile. she lifts her dress with her free hand and starts their descent towards the city below, escaping from the madness of the house of wind behind them. she is allowed a moment of reprieve - this is what rhaeya tells herself when her duties tug at her conscious.

" winnowing is so boring, " she laughs, relishing in the wind in her hair and the sound of her people below. " if only you and i could fly, " like dorian, undoubtedly their favourite illyrian.

" have you met anyone interesting tonight ? " she grins, squeezing sabina's hand. " hopefully we aren't stuck with them for too long. "

[supernva]

Sabina made a quick study of the other fae, noting how she seemed to embody everything an emissary should be. A flicker of annoyance colored her mood while she yet again wondered why she'd been given this position in the first place. The trickle of irritation only strengthened at the mention of her vision, but she schooled her expression into one of calm. "Thankfully you still haven't seen someone faint." It had irked her to appear weak in front of such a large crowd. "Fortunately, I still had consciousness when I was on the ground." Even if it had been a barely there subliminal space that she'd occupied while whispering strange words of the vision. "But now that I've gotten another drink and a few more desserts I'm even better off than before the star fell. I don't think there's anything as healing as a few over-sugared pastries."

❝ not recently, but i've been fortunate enough to witness the event a handful of times before. ❞ iphigenia smiles as she opens her body towards the high fae, her tone warm and genial. ❝ all beautiful, but i've surely never seen anyone faint as a result of it. ❞ her sacchrine concern doesn't betray a single thought, ❝ are you feeling well ? ❞

was she shocked sabina sought her out ? no. not only was iphigenia the life of any party, but she was also staring. not obviously. sort of. for the most part. but could you blame her ? iphigenia trusted sabina as far as she could throw her. for the majority of after the evening's jarring events, the peregryn kept the high fae in her sights, ensuring she could see her in her periphery as she shared niceties with other courtiers. there was little that she knew about the fellow emissary and that was saying something considering their entire occupation was knowing people.

[supernva]

Sabina squinted into the wind that constantly plagued the training grounds and had granted the House of Wind its name. With the sparring ring settled on the roof of the house it was open to the elements, but tonight was thankfully calmer than most evenings. "Well then- did you intend to come this way?" Sabina replied the male, still not entirely able to make out his features in the darkness while her eyes were still adjusting. Relied that he either didn't recognize her or didn't care enough to question her about the vision trickled into her next answer, the sarcastic words more playful than biting. "You don't recognize the most popular dance floor the party has to offer?" she said while motioning to the ring. "Or the latest party fashion?" Her hand waved over the leathers she was wearing.

it  did  not  matter  the  centuries  that  had  passed  for  icarus,  but  he  found  the  formal  aspect  of  these  kinds  of  celebrations  quite  boring.  the  one  occurring  at  the  house  of  wind  was  no  exception  and  he  had  considered  wandering  down  the  city  proper  instead.  but  as  he  stood  upon  a  balcony  something  had  caught  his  eye.  he  hadn't  expected  a  training  ground  so  close  to  the  house  of  wind  and  his  curiosity  won  out  the  more  he  thought  about  it.  finding  his  way  to  it  quite  easily,  he  had  felt  a  bit  of  surprise  of  seeing  another  dressed  in  leathers.  tilting  his  head  as  she  spoke  out,  he  waited  more  seconds  than  truly  needed  before  stepping  further  into  the  light.  "  i  am  not  lost  if  i  intended  to  come  this  way,  don't  you  think  ?  "  it  is  made  to  sound  like  a  question  but  he  does  not  truly  expect  an  answer.  icarus  takes  a  moment  to  gaze  around  the  sparring  grounds  before  returning  to  her  form,  "  and  why  are  you  here,  after  all,  the  party  is  back  the  way  i  came.  " @supernva

[supernva]

The fae parted like a sea before them and Sabina was once again reminded just how powerful Zacreus was . She'd done her own clearing of fae in her time , but none like this . Those fae had been cut down by her battlefield prowess and laid bare to never rise again . Zacreus hadn't lifted a finger other than the ones that now held hers while she twirled to the minstrels' song . And yet she couldn't shake the feeling that she wasn't moving to their song but one that the high lord had spun . It irked her to no end even as he pulled her closer in their dance and their closeness became a new sort of torture . She lingered a moment too long against his chest , suddenly plagued with whether she'd hate him more or less if there were fewer layers between them while his hips drove into her's . Her nose flared at the thought- a mistake as regretful as any while his scent was so close that it threatened to take her over . But that was exactly what he would want- to dominate her and snuff her out with himself . The very thought of it was enough to send a pure wave of stubbornness into steeling her spine .

It didn't escape her notice that he'd avoided saying her name any more than necessary , and she wondered if it was out of an attempt to remind her of her place below him . An ancient anger rose at the feeling of being made lesser , and there was no hope of hiding it while she followed his lead in the steps of their dance . "Does my name hold so much power? Are you so afraid of saying it?" Her voice had dropped to little more than a whisper , and she wondered if he'd draw ever nearer to hear it . Beyond that she doubted anyone had accused him of being afraid of anything in recent times, perhaps in his entire life .

He called her little so that she might feel like no more than an annoying fly at his ear. Sabina was sure of it . But the problem was she'd always been bigger than her bones . "You'd like me to be little- wouldn't you , Zac?" He couldn't murder her in front of all these people without provoking an all out war...right?

the insolence, rudeness, and sway of her hips as she walked away without even replying to him made his blood boil in a way he hadn't felt in decades. she was doing everything in her power to not bow to him, to submit like the rest did when his eyes fell upon them. it was like a toxin seeping into his skin, latching itself against him - he wished to rid her of his company, to forget she existed before he got to know more, feel more, and swirl himself around her. She was infuriating to the core and zacreus found himself in limbo. did he wish her dead? was he eager to be disobeyed further? All these questions seemed to swirl in his mind as the young fae turned back to him, looking at him with eyes that promised anything but what he wished.

with long strides he walked over, knowing high lords and ladies watched and zacreus had not come to the night court to start a war with the night, quite the opposite in fact. "lead the way emissary." he mused as he took her hand and placed it upon his arm. he wasn't rough, but he wasn't gentle either - this vixen had decided to play, so he would play - until he came out victorious of this little game that had walked over to him, not giving a care in the world that he was a high lord.

arriving at the dance floor, the sea of the fae split in two, making room for the high lord and the emissary. there was no denying she had a good reputation in her court, zacreus could figure as much out - yet, he would ask his friend the high lady about this little one. She vexed him in a way that made him question if he wished to bring her to his chambers or hang her from the wall of the house of wind. yet, his goal for the celebration wasn't her, it never had been and he hadn't decided if she was a happy encounter or a miserable one. "now that there's only the two of us-" he lifted her fingers with his hand, spinning her towards him. "will you listen, little emissary?" he mused as she fell to his chest, his eyes raking over hers. he'd devour her, he had no doubt - but this was neither time nor place, not with eyes watching. She was a political toy and he was ready to play when the time was right.

[supernva]

The male before her had garnered a reaction Sabina had never encountered in herself before this evening . Her very being was at war , a battlefield between the infuriating and smug curve of his lips and the need to wipe them clean with either a slap or her own mouth . The latter realization was enough to stoke the fire of her ire even higher , her stomach turning in a horrific need . She listened all the while to his pretty speech , her tongue darting out to unconsciously wet her lip while she waited for him to be finished and her eyes dropped for the slightest of moments to his infuriating mouth while he stepped closer . If her bones could have jumped loose from the jail of her skin they would already be against him with a violent crash .

The closeness only strengthened the stubborn set of her jaw while she bid her hands to keep from curling into fists, craving the knowledge of what it would feel like to crush his immaculate attire between her clenched fingers . It would have been difficult to focus on his words if he had not suddenly seemed to posess the gravitational pull of the sun that lit his court from above . Her name on his voice became a flame that licked its way down her spine , urging her to rebuke his demands . But there was only so much she could get away with when there were eager ears all around them, and she answered as if she hadn't heard a single word he'd uttered . "I think we should dance ," she finished with a smile that bore more teeth than joy . Dancing would most likely be enough to get them away from prying courtesans . And maybe her hands would cease their senseless burning if they were laid upon his shoulders .

Finally she withdrew from their entanglement, only able to do so by knowing that he'd have little choice but to follow after her . After all, it would be even abhorrently rude to decline a dance before all the courts of Prythian . Sabina turned her beckoning gaze over her shoulder towards him while she waited , as if trying to lure him to a grave they might both lie within . "Are you coming?"

there was an overwhelming sense of conquest when it came to their interaction as if the one who surrendered would be underneath the whim and demands of the other. zacreus found himself brave enough to step closer, but as she did the same he knew this was no ordinary encounter. few dared to go to him head-on and offend him, even less dared to take a step forward when he had done so too, challenging him to a dance that could end in nothing but bloodshed - yet a part of him wished for it to end in a completely different scenario. his mind raced through the thoughts of her legs wrapped around him, her graceful body pressing up against his with the taunting she seemed to have adapted towards him the second their eyes had locked.

"It is your duty-" he began and let his eyes fall upon her orbs, beautiful eyes which seemed to whisper for him to take her, to capture her and bring her home, lock her away before any horrors could be released. Perhaps their meeting was fated to happen, perhaps he would find his match in a sense he believed he never would - but as of this very moment? Sabina was scratching an itch he never knew he had. "to treat high lords with respect is it not?" he cocked his head to the side, a small smile evident. "you must've been misinformed when it came to me." he chuckled then and took another step towards her - closing the distance, falling into the dark pit of whatever had been created between the two.

"I would appreciate it if you used my title and name - I will not tolerate being disrespected." looking down at his hands he lifted them slightly, rubbing them together, keeping them occupied as he'd like nothing more than to place them around her throat for her insolence. "do we understand each other, lady Sabina?" his voice gentle, charming and filled with promises he didn't even know he possessed. "let's start anew-" he announced let his hands rest back together in a group. "high lord of the day court, zacreus ciphenth and who is this charming, woman before me?" he grinned with mischief.

[supernva]

It had been a dangerous thing to goad him into saying her name for— the feel of it caressing against her cheek sent another wave of unbridled lust through her. If her name was not important, how had he made it sound like the most sinful of beckons ? It was wholly uncommon of for her to react with such a strong desire , and it was nearly enough to make her cut her losses and run . And yet...she couldn't stand to let him off so easily . "It does very little, but you insist on avoiding it until I call you out?" There was currently an ever-present quirk of her lips that was nearing a smirk while she spoke .

The tightening of his hand on her hip seemed all too possessive, and annoyance shown in her eyes while she did her best to ignore how she'd liked the feeling . Not to be outdone in this battle she trailed a hand from his shoulder further down his chest, drawing a few teasing swirls where her fingers landed .

Sabina had spent a lifetime being made to feel littler . Such was the reality when one of your parents was a lesser fae in the Hewn City and Prythian . It certainly didn't help that she'd never shown much magical prowess , relying only on her body and how far she could form it towards being a deadly weapon in its own right . "So you think age makes you big?" Her tone was that of someone finding the ignorance of a child rather precious, a hint of condescension sneaking into it . "Just because you're old enough to groan and creak when you don't get oiled doesn't mean much other than the fact that you need a little more maintenance ."

she challenged him in a way no other had done in centuries - it was enticing, yet infuriating. She spoke to him as if they were equal, or perhaps she was even higher than he was, and had it not been for whatever seemed to seep through his veins in need for her, he was certain he would make sure the two never crossed paths again. Zacreus was on a mission, on a road where betrayal and murder weren't his weapons, or at least not yet. he would use the means necessary for his goals but he would not step out of line, nor draw attention to himself before the time was right.

for a split second, he could have sworn to smell her arousal, something which he perceived as his own imagination as he was holding himself back. when was the last time he had needed to do so? He felt like a young fae again and it bothered him greatly - she bothered him tremendously. With the spin of his fingers she was spinning out of his grasp before he reached out and drew her near once more. "you name-" he murmured and let out a charming smile, covering the annoyance she brought forth. "does very little to me, Sabina." he replied while holding her gaze intently as if she could not escape his orbs even if she tried.

"Are you not?" he replied before guiding them along the dance floor once more, one hand holding on her hip - as gentle as a feather, the other in her fingers, squeezing slightly just to get a rouse out of her, to make her realize he was there and he wouldn't go anywhere soon. "to me you are young, to you -" he chuckled and let his eyes roam the room once more. "I might be the oldest fae you've met, right?"

[supernva]

Sabina detested the way his golden eyes captivated her's as if they had been made for the sole purpose of shackling her gaze from straying anywhere else . If this was the wordless charm other courts spoke of when it came to the High Lord of Day...it was easy to see how he'd made the name for himself— though she was loathe to admit it . Her only relief was the way they seemed to sparkle in his irritation , and she couldn't stop the corners of her lips from turning into the beginnings of a smirk .

The bend of his own mouth seemed as sharp as a blade , but he wielded it expertly . Her pulse quickened at having his undivided attention , a sickening beat beneath the heated surface of her skin that could have been warning of danger or telling of pleasure to come. Perhaps even both . After all , she was all too pleased with his reaction to her audacity . "It's definitely fortunate I was properly schooled by the one who told me of your fondness when it comes to forgoing titles before actually meeting. Imagine if I didn't know? What an awkward foot we might have started on." It was all too amusing to twist his words to her benefit , and she relished the thought that she might unsettle him in the same way he had unseated her with merely a look .

He stepped closer and her breath caught in her throat , anticipation making the air stutter in her lungs . But what they were awaiting...she knew not . Sabina refused to be outmatched and met his approach with another step of her own towards him even as every cell of her body seemed to scream aloud . The slow look he gave the length of her did little to quiet them , and she no longer knew what they were demanding of her . "Brazen?" she echoed as innocently as she could , which wasn't all that innocent in the least . "It's brazen that I should be doing my duty by meeting you?" She knew it was the name that he referred to, but she wondered if his effortless charm would allow him to call out on her bluff in such public quarters .

entering the celebration of the high lady of the night court, zacreus walked in front, his court behind. he didn't like splitting them up, at least not his inner circle when in a different court. he might be a man of charms, elegance, and kindness - but you never knew what the other lords and ladies might plan, at least not when your own desires and wishes contradicted the very existence of the courts. As a tall high fae, his presence was known quickly, his demeanor radiating that of sun-kissed skin, covered by black garments. to think the high lord of the day court was dressed in what could be called the night courts colors had baffled most, but then again zacreus wasn't like the previous high lords of the day court, he was different.

standing with his court around him he scanned the area of known and unknown, he knew several courts held fae and none-fae he knew little about - but there were always those he would never forget. however, as his bright yellow eyes fell upon a dark-haired fae, he couldn't place them in his memory, yet something underneath his skin crawled at their mere existence. it bothered him so deeply that his eyes lingered upon her, watching every movement, every curve - who was this creature who he believed he knew, yet had never been in the presence of? lost in his own thoughts he didn't notice how she had started to approach and as she stood before him a feeling of dread settled within him, making him question what kind of woman she was.

with a charming smile, he let his eyes connect with hers now. he searched the depths of them but found no traces of who she was, yet when her voice danced in the air his skin seemed to crawl, prickle with anticipation enough that he folded his hands in front of himself. she was feisty and zacreus realized as she spoke - he disliked her. "it is always a pleasure to meet the emissaries of the courts-" he started and knew that in his eyes the anger of her using a nickname was present. "however little they know of the high lords they speak to." he smiled then, a charming yet threatening curve. he didn't like nicknames, he hated them and as a nine-hundred-year-old fae, she must know as much. "Sabina Khoe, I'll be sure to remember your name." he mused and took a step forward, tilting his head to the side just as she had. "would you mind telling me-" he began as he decided to be as rude as she had been, racking his eyes from her toes to her head. "when the emissary of the night court had become so brazen?"

[supernva]

Sabina had come here specifically because things had been too fresh , too confusing to fully don the mask she'd need to return to the Starfall celebrations . Her momentary vulnerability that came with Zacreus's arrival had been proof enough that she hadn't yet succeeded in pulling every piece of her back into line . For a second she thought that she might tell him all while his hand traced her cheek . The same tug she'd felt before was whispering to her that it was safe- he was safe . And yet she was far too paranoid to trust such an unproven and foreign thought as she watched whatever concern had brought him here fade from his eyes .

Embarrassment came hot and quick, flooding her as she looked away and his questions continued . Had she been so starved that the simplest of gestures from a male she'd wanted nothing to do with brought her to the brink of cleaving herself open ? Here was the high lord that she'd expected . The one that simply wanted information and would do anything to get it . Whatever part of her that had thought him sincere had obviously been mistaken . He would make a fool of her without hesitation if it meant having what he needed . And she refused to be anyone's fool .

"I think you've already answered my question ," she replied with an edge sharpening the corners of her voice . "So now what will you trade to get what you want ?" Sabina tried her best to hide the embarrassment hiding within her words . What had she thought ? That he was here because he cared ? All because of a feeling she'd had ? They barely knew one another . Their only meeting had been disastrous . Thinking him worried had been as ridiculous a presumption as they came . But why did her disappointment feel like it had seeped its claws into her very heart ? He wasn't important . There was no reason he should be important .

Sabina told herself all this but still found herself wholly unprepared for what came next . This is the last time we speak together . His promise struck something entrenched in her very bones , as if he'd taken a pickaxe to her sternum and cracked her open . "Is that what you want?" she asked with mild alarm before she could think better of it . "Was I that bad of a dance partner?" It was a pitiful attempt at sarcasm , but she didin't want him to see the bewildering disappointment on her face . The emotion was back in his gaze , but she'd already fallen for that trick once before . "You're a very good actor , aren't you ?" Nothing had changed . And she'd been foolish to think it had in the first place .

her questions fell on deaf ears. She hadn't answered him, so why on earth would he use his time to tell her everything? his jaw tightened and his hand fell from her forehead down to her cheek. some sort of caress, yet emotionless and cruel as his eyes did no longer hold concern. she was safe, she was okay - yet he did not know what had truly happened to her, but he was going to figure it out. "question for a question." he said dryly before his hand removed itself from her cheek completely - instead resting against the bed. "Sabina, tell me what happened, what did you see?"

she might not wish to answer his questions and he wouldn't answer hers. he didn't quite understand why he was even there - he'd mere hours ago told Aurelio he wanted her away from him, kept away when he walked into a room and perhaps on the other side of the city so he wouldn't feel whatever she seemed to stir within him. was it some sort of trick by the night court? to trick him into giving them free access to the day courts library? was it a desire for a woman he didn't know he had? Had it been such a long time that he no longer could see beyond his own desires? everything felt strange and the worst of it was how during her seizure or whatever one might call it - he'd felt unwell too.

"tell me what happened-" a sigh escaped his lips, his eyes halfway pleading at this point for something - for just words of confirmation that at least she was alright. "tell me and I promise, this is the last time we speak together." a promise he felt regret saying - yet he knew was for the best. he couldn't be near her, not when she seemed to put every sense in his body in overdrive and make him forget his own responsibilities. she was dangerous, she was - a weakness.

[supernva]

The house was one she'd kept despite the grander lodgings she'd been offered upon becoming the night court's emissary . It had comforted her to know that it was always waiting for her , that even though she might have a title and lofty connections for the first time in her life...she was still the girl who'd been born the lowest of the hewn city . The court of nightmares . Here in this house she was only herself. No one else.

Sabina's hands were shaking between the delicate wires of a contraption she'd been tinkering with to distract the mind that was all too active when she sensed a presence in her home. The fragile thing fell to the floor while her hand automatically went to the hidden dagger on her thigh before she realized that she recognized this someone- this strange tugging on the edges of her conscience. But she couldn't believe it possible until he was sat on the bed beside her , wonder and confusion filling her gaze when she turned to him . "But how did you- ?"

The feel of his hand on her forehead put a pause to her questioning , and again she was filled with a disorienting flood of emotions. There was the urge she'd expected- the one that told her to pull away from a man who'd looked like he was deciding how best to kill her only an hour earlier . Then there was the wholly unexpected , an overpowering need to lean into his touch with the promise that safety would follow . The latter won out as her eyes drifted closed and a breath she didn't know she'd been holding was released.

Her head shook against him at his demand while new sensations muddled her mind . Things that didn't belong to her . Concern . Worry . And a disbelief just as strong as her own . "I don't understand," she uttered with her brows drawn together. "Why do you...care?" Because she was inexplicably certain that he did care, and not in the way she would expect . Not in the way of a high lord wanting answers to protect his court and further his own plans .

closed starter for - sabina trivedi - @supernva

the beating of his heart was rapid, more than it had been in several centuries. a dread of loss had overcome him in a way that made him wonder if it could be true, he refused to believe it. his feet had moved on their own, guided by something within, a light that barely flickered - different from the one he usually consumed himself around. like the smallest of sparks which seemed to halfway die every time he breathed, yet it was there. the streets of velaris were in panic, the stars hadn't fallen like they should've and the terror of what was to come? it was oozing out of everyone rushing past him.

he had no idea where he was going, why he wished to move towards a small house on the outskirts of the city. yet he couldn't stop. his feet wouldn't let him and within something was fighting as if it clung to him like life itself. his court but all forgotten, something very uncharacteristic of the high lord. but as he pushed the door open, his breath was shaken by a horror he thought was lost to him forever.

as he stepped into the dark house, he found her. As if something snapped within him, his protective side leaped forward. his eyes ablaze as she shook in what seemed like the corner of a very small bedframe. he didn't speak, in truth, he couldn't - a lump in his throat had formed leaving him unable to understand why he was there, why had he found her. he didn't wish to know. he walked towards her, seating himself on the bedside reaching his hand to her forehead and not letting go, no matter if she shook or not. "what happened." it was a demand, one which to strangers sounded emotionless - but to her? she must've felt something. as her eyes landed on his he could barely break free, was she caging him without knowing it? was she tricking him? if he needed to kill her, he would - but right now, all he wanted to do was hold her against him until she would stop the frantic shaking.