The twins immediately rushed to the throne room.

Auriella begged for her fathers to be okay. She felt her heartbeat out of her chest as she ran up the flights of stairs, her brother keeping pace behind her.

Once they arrived, the doors were off their hinges, debris clouding the hallway. Her fathers were in the room, their faces pale and full of undeniable horror. And when their eyes locked, Auriella could see relief take over.

She looked around the room, acting like she was taking in the destruction, but in reality, she wanted to see those hazel eyes. And soon, she spotted them.

Azriel was looking right at her, breathing heavily. He was right next to his companions, not taking himself an inch away from them. Auriella felt the relief rush down their bond on both sides, like a wind rushing through the air. She could see a small cut on his face, but it didn't seem to faze him.

A second later, he ripped his gaze away, winnowing with his companions. Auriella immediately felt the absence of his presence, feeling like something had been torn away from her.

Zephyr went towards his children, scanning them up and down for any wounds. "Are you both alright? Are you hurt?" He asks. The twins shake their heads.

"If he wants war, he will receive it! I will mount his head on a pike for messing with my court!" Thesan yells. He turns to his guards, "Gather the soldiers of Dawn. We must prepare ourselves at this very moment! The fucking barbarian will not gain Prythian under any means!"

The High Lord walks to his children. He looks at Damian, "I know better than to ask-"

The Son of Dawn interrupts him, "Then don't, Father. I will help you kill the bastards in the front lines. I will not leave you alone nor will I stand doing nothing. Let me lead them along with Pa." He says, his voice stern.

Auriella stared at her brother. His face was full of seriousness. She had never seen him so determined to do something like this. He was asking to lead along with her father, knowing the possibility that he could die. But he trained for this, to fight for his court.

She looked to Thesan, "As I am further behind than my brother in training, I will stay with you, Father. I will use the days we have left to train and make sure I can properly wield Soulender again. But please, do not ask me to stay in the Dawn Court. I must be out there." She tells him.

Thesan looks to Zephyr. His partner takes a deep breath, turning to his daughter. "We do not want to put you in harm's way, Ella. After everything-" She interrupts him.

"I will not let the events of Under the Mountain change my decision. I want to do this. As the Daughter of Dawn, I am willing to put myself in harm's way to defend my court. If we die, then we die as a family, knowing that we tried to defeat Hybern." Auriella says.

Damian nods, "We all have been through a lot. But we need to do things together, as a family, no matter the outcome." He says.

Auriella could see the hesitation on her fathers' faces, but they did not say a word of rejection towards them. Instead, her fathers embraced them.

She would fight. For herself, her family, and her court.

***

As the days pass, Auriella finds herself standing at the Summer Court cliff overlooking the border that leads to Spring.

She had done what she said she would. She trained with her brother everyday before the battle, getting used to the movements again, letting herself recall what she had once learned. She spent the majority of her time in the training room with Damian, taking little breaks, and going to bed with pain running through her body.

And now she was here, in her gold suit, protected with silver armor. Soulender was sheathed at her side, waiting to be unleashed on enemies that dared to cross.

Hybern's army was visible in the distance. They were a sizable battalion, walking towards the border. Auriella could see the glimmer of their swords in the sunlight and the shields they carried in their free hand.

It wouldn't be long until the battlefield was stained with blood.

Damian and her father, Zephyr, were in the front lines with the Dawn army. They were ready, prepared to strike at the moment the Night Court made the first move.

The thought made Auriella's heart skip. Azriel was going to be a part of the bloodshed. His power would surely be shown on the battlefield, but still, she couldn't help but worry. She looked over to the Night Court camp, which was right next to Dawn.

Auriella could see the Third Commander, Morrigan, looking out to the distance. Feyre was right next to her, doing the same. She could see the anticipation weighing on them. It was almost time.

The Daughter of Dawn walked back to Thesan, standing by his side. She could see that he was hiding his emotions, trying to appear unafraid, but Auriella could see through it. She entwined her hand with his, squeezing it lightly.

"Whatever happens, Ella, you fight. Do not hesitate or freeze. Do not show mercy. You are the Daughter of Dawn. Let our enemies and allies see that." Thesan looks at her, "You are my daughter, not in blood, but like me in every way. You do not bow to anyone nor do you surrender. One way or another, you will prevail." He tells her, planting a kiss on her hand before winnowing away into the battlefield.

Auriella let his words fuel her, giving her the strength she needed.

The Daughter of Dawn was a title bestowed to her, not just for its literal meaning, but because of the power it held. It hadn't existed before her, making her the first. She had responsibilities to uphold, tasks to complete, and keep her court in order. She worked alongside her family, each of them having their own workload.

It wasn't just a title. It was a responsibility; an honor to be named. Auriella could never take advantage of it, especially when it came to the safety and security of the Dawn Court.

"I love you, Pa." She whispered before Rhysand lifted his power, showing Hybern how immense their army was against his. His battalion was taken aback, not expecting this many soldiers at once, especially allied with one another, ignoring the courts they were from.

Auriella could see Rhysand, Cassian, and Azriel in the front lines. The powerful trio were demolishing every enemy that came their way, spilling their blood all over the field. Rhysand, being the strongest of the three, used his abilities to his advantage, making way for a quick kill.

Cassian was merciless. His sword was stained with blood, along with his armor. He was cutting through Hybern's men like he was fighting air. He screamed for his soldiers to keep fighting, motivating them throughout the deadly ordeal. A commander in every way.

Then there was Azriel. The Illyrian male unleashed his might on all who lunged at him. He used his daggers to cut their throats, making them fall on the ground one by one. He moved quickly throughout the battlefield, killing those who made it past and making sure to protect his companions.

Auriella could sense the fury in him. It sent chills down her spine.

Soon, the soldiers of Summer, Day, and Dawn, clashed with Hybern's men that came through the Spring border.

Everyone from the cliffs watched, holding their breaths. There were already bodies from every court starting to hit the ground. Blood rained down upon the battlefield, the battlecries of the soldiers becoming deafening. Auriella prayed to the spirits that her family would be okay. She couldn't lose them, not in this war.

But as quick as the first wave had come, it was already over. Hybern's soldiers were dropping to their knees, surrendering, begging for our side to show them mercy.

Auriella could spot Tarquin out there, his unusual armor sparking in the sunlight. The High Lord used his power over them, drawing the enemies without putting them in water, their life leaving their eyes rather quickly.

***

As night took over, the fighting had stopped.

The battlefield was full of bodies, red with blood. And yet, Auriella became used to the sight; wasn't bothered by any of it.

Ella, we both survived dark times, you more than me. Damian had said. He was right.

Auriella tended to her brother's wounds, while Thesan tended to Zephyr's. The three of them were stained with blood, but it wasn't theirs. While they had minor injuries, Auriella could see Damian wince when the damp cloth touched the cut on his shoulder. Zephyr twitched away whenever Thesan used his abilities to mend together the gash on his left wing.

"That was a smart tactic from the Night Court, wasn't it?" Auriella asked Damian, trying to strike up a conversation, uncomfortable with her family's silence.

Her brother scoffed, "I suppose it was. Took the bastards by surprise," He took a sip of his water, "Those two Illyrians and their High Lord are something else. They truly live up to their names. They created a massacre out there like it was their hobby."

Auriella's mouth twitched up, "The Spymaster moved like shadows. I could see bodies dropping with the quick swift of his knife. It was unbelievable." She says. A small sense of pride flickered in her chest.

Damian chuckled, "And what about your dear brother? How did I do? Or did you just focus on the Night Court the whole time?" He asked her.

The Daughter of Dawn's face filled with heat. She did not take her eyes off of her mate. It was more like she couldn't. She was fascinated with how he moved, the sheer strength he held, and how his fury was let out on the field. She didn't know she could be transfixed with such violence.

She kissed her brother's cheek. "I am sure that you were amazing. I'm glad you made it back in one piece and not limb by limb." She says to him, bandaging his wound.

Auriella stood from her seat, going over to Zephyr. She kissed his forehead, "I'm glad you're safe, Pa." She whispered to him. He grabbed her hand, planting a small kiss, his eyes revealing how much he loved his daughter.

Later that night, Auriella went into her tent, sitting on her cot and washing her hands in the pail that was next to her. The water quickly turned to red. Her memories quickly went back to Under the Mountain. Those walls were stained with blood, even though you couldn't see it. Lifeless bodies were all around, even though they were taken away and turned to ash.

The battlefield was nothing to her. She had been in one for thirty-nine years.

Auriella laid down in her cot, closing her eyes. She ignored the sounds of metal armor and weaponry, letting herself go into silence. She hoped to find comfort and relief, but there was nothing. There was just her and the utter darkness.

Slowly, she felt the bond tug, signaling that he was close. She could feel him scrambling to find her in the chaos, his emotions running rapid.

I am okay. Go rest. Auriella sends down the bond.

A wave of calmness immediately went over her, warming her body. She waited for his response, still sensing him. He was out there somewhere, trying to figure out where she was, if she was okay.

But instead of hearing his voice, she felt a gentle caress slide down her cheek. Auriella took a deep breath, feeling the emotions build up inside her. Seconds later, the bond went silent, and she could no longer feel the closeness of him.

And finally, she let her tears fall.