#choal westfall

[yourfavoritebookclub]

You know what’s not talked about enough? The fact that when Aelin kept saying Fenrys’ name in KoA, Rowan didn’t even hesitate to go back for him.

He’s just gotten Aelin back, had just seen her for the first time, and he still went back for Fenrys, a male he historically did not like at all and barely tolerated.

[i-only-see-daylight]

Dorian: Look at me straight in the eyes and tell me the truth, Chaol! 

Chaol: You can’t expect me to look into your eyes and be straight.

[galaxyofstars]

thank you to everyone who sees my absolutely hypocritical posting history and simply scrolls by. sorry to everyone who thinks ah yes she dislikes what i dislike about that work and then sees me simping over a characters fanart (pls know that chaol is not included in that statement). also sorry to everyone who goes 'oh yay she loves this thing too' and then sees me posting about how i think certain characters have a stick up their ass and should should actually just shut the fuck up. i have complex evolve opinions (i have never made a decision in my life without a hard deadline and literal weeks of agonising over it beforehand)

[omgliveandlovelife]

When someone is saying something bad about your favorite fictional character and you feel like they rather punch you in the heart.

[swankii-art-teacher]

Seems to be a massive lack of communication here. They're so locked into their own feeling of lacking agency they can't talk to each other.

If Aelin has just said Oh, there's my friend DoriN, did you know he's the King of Ardalan? And there's Choal Westfall his chief advisor, I wonder where his wife Yerene is, I really enjoy talking to her. I'd love to go greet them, please go meet them with me. OR Upon finding Aelin with Dorian and Choal Rowan could have said something like Hello, I'm Rowan Whitethorn, Aelin's fiance, I haven't met many of Aelin's friends yet... so the angst and misunderstandings grow.

When they work things out, things will explode in repressed feelings... looking forward to it.

Little Did I Know

Chapter 3: The Engagement Party

LDIT Masterlist | General Masterlist

Word Count: 2k

TW: angst

Being engaged was…strange to say the least. Aelin always thought that once she got engaged, happiness would be abundant in her life. She would be living her dream with the love of her life, treating every day like a gift. In reality, it was anything but. She and Prince Rowan still could not stand to be in the same room without bickering. Things between them were cold and tense, yet she sometimes saw a warmth in his eyes when he didn’t know she was watching him. 

The castle was currently preparing for the upcoming engagement celebration. It was Darrow’s idea, the old man hoping that a cause for celebration would life the spirits of the newly engaged couple. The only thing Aelin was excited for was getting to see friends that she had not seen in a while. 

Dorian and Chaol were flying in from Adarlan for the party and their significant others were accompanying them. Yrene was a delight, a true friend that Aelin was glad to have. She was glad that she and Chaol had each other, soulmates in every sense of the word. Manon was…different. Aelin respected the unusual woman but she could never tell if Manon liked her or wanted to rip out her throat. Leave it to Dorian to find the most intimidating and terrifying woman to fall in love with. Aelin wasn’t sure what they were calling themselves. As far as she knew, they weren’t engaged or married, yet they always were looking at each other with love in their eyes. Even if Manon refused to publicly admit that. 

The party was to be a simple affair according to Darrow. A small ball celebrating the guests of honor. Darrow’s definition of small was much different than Aelin’s, though. She would have been content to have her closest friends in attendance. To Darrow, small meant at least one liaison from each kingdom with an extended invite to the royalty, as well. Along with all the lords of Terrasen, the number in attendance was sure to be in the hundreds. 

Aelin, luckily, did not have to do planning of any sort. She simply had to attend and look pretty. And look happy. That was going to be the greatest challenge of all.

Lysandra dressed her in Terrasen green, a silky number with a sweetheart neckline and a waist that tightened until it reached her knees. Gold accents were placed in her ears and on her neck, though with the flashy diamond ring, she was sure she looked too overdressed. 

The diamond was beautiful, to be sure. The three-carat central diamond was surrounded by smaller diamonds in a circular formation. It was pretty. But it wasn’t what she would’ve chosen for herself. Aelin didn’t need frilly, expensive adornments. She would rather have something simple and inexpensive. A square cut emerald, maybe, honoring Terrasen just like her mother's ring. Hell, if she loved the person she was marrying, she would’ve taken a ring pop and it wouldn’t have mattered. But this was an orchestrated piece of jewelry. Darrow had picked it out and gave it to Prince Rowan to propose with. No thought or love went into the purchasing of this very expensive jewel. 

She and Rowan met in front of the doors to the ballroom, waiting for Darrow’s introduction. Despite being a future queen, Aelin hated the nerves that accompanied making a public appearance like this. This wasn’t volunteering at the homeless or orphan shelter. This wasn’t a simple walk through the garden with paparazzi watching from afar. This was an up-close ruse. One where dignitaries from other kingdoms would be watching her and Prince Rowan very closely. She had to put on the performance of her life to keep the other royals from sniffing out their lie. 

As she approached Prince Rowan, he paused. If she didn’t know better, she would have said she took his breath away. But she did know better. And the look was wiped off of his face before she could even blink. 

She took his outstretched arm, trembling from her nerves. The Prince glanced over at her with a furrowed brow. It almost looked like he was concerned. Prince Rowan opened his mouth like he was about to say something but before he could, they heard Darrow announcing their arrival. 

Aelin allowed Rowan to lead her forward into the ballroom, cheers erupting from all around them. Aelin plastered the most dazzling smile on her face and knew that the prince next to her was doing the same. These people looked happy for her. For them. She knew that a lot of the other royalty were here only to get a glimpse of the latest gossip. But many of her friends and acquaintances gave her smiles that would’ve warmed her heart under different circumstances.

As they took their seats at one of the head dinner tables, Darrow stood and proposed a toast.

“This marriage between my niece and Prince Rowan ushers in a new era in Terrasen, as well as a new era in this world. It is a marriage that joins not only our two countries but also our two families. Prince Rowan and Princess Aelin deserve the best and I wish you the happiest marriage full of love and adoration.” He raised his glass and took a sip after a moment. Aelin thought he had laid it on a little thick but the crowd seemed to eat his speech up. Aelin thought that one speech would be enough, but apparently it wasn’t for Lord Hamel, who stood and began to speak.

“Continuing on with what Lord Darrow said, I truly want to say how happy the Lords of Terrasen, especially how happy I am for you, Aelin.” 

Aelin tensed at the casual use of her name. Though they weren’t on the best terms, she could feel Prince Rowan’s hand settle on her back. It was a calming balm that soothed her rising temper. 

“We wish you many, many years of happiness and love and a bountiful marriage that will continue the Galathynius line for generations to come.” Aelin couldn’t help the chill that ran over her back. To anyone who didn’t know Lord Hamel, it was an innocent speech from a Lord to their sovereign. But to Aelin, who abhorred the causal use of her name and Lord Hamel’s slimy tongue, it was a chilling notion. A reminder that if this marriage failed, it would be Lord Hamel who would take the throne. 

Aelin took a deep breath to calm herself, sipping from her glass when prompted. She turned her head toward the Prince at her side and gave him a grateful smile and nod. She hoped that he understood it for what it was: a thank you to him for being by her side at that moment and for recognizing how Lord Hamel made her feel. 

The hand that rested on her back gave her hope. Maybe they could do this. At the very least, maybe they could be friends. They definitely had a lot to work through but perhaps Prince Rowan could be someone she grew to enjoy the company of. 

As the night progressed, Aelin had her fair share of alcohol. She wasn’t intoxicated but she was feeling a subtle buzz that normally loosened her tongue a bit. She and Prince Rowan had been making the rounds for what felt like hours, drinking to many toasts and thanking all in attendance. 

It was late into the evening when she was pulled away from an emissary by strong hands. Typically, being manhandled would’ve terrified and infuriated her, but as soon as she was pulled into a familiar chest, she relaxed. Dorian’s cologne met her nostrils and she wrapped her hands around his stomach. 

“Long time no see, your Highness.”

“Back at ya, King.”  They both shared a chuckle before pulling back. Chaol materialized from the behind her and embraced her in a tight hug, as well.  

“I think some congratulations are in order, Aelin.” Aelin plastered a smile on her face, though she knew it didn’t reach her eyes. She knew that both Dorian and Chaol could see right through it. They both pulled her into a group hug, again enveloping her in a familiarness she hadn’t experienced in a while. She certainly missed them. 

“And where are your lady loves?”

“Manon is probably hiding in the shadows to be honest. I wouldn’t be surprised if she left without me,” Dorian chuckled. “She hates these kinds of things. Really, you should feel honored that she even showed up.” To that, Aelin laughed. 

“And Yrene is somewhere around here. She said she needed some air so she was making her way to the balcony.”

“Tell her what else….” A slow smirk crawled over Dorian’s face. Chaol let out an exasperated sigh. 

“Shes….we’re,” Chaol started. Aelin lifted her brow in wonder. “I’m gonna be a dad.” 

Aelin couldn’t contain her squeal of glee. She jumped and threw her arms around Chaol, who caught her easily. 

“I’m so, so happy for you! Congratulations! You guys will absolutely be the best parents.” Chaol sent her a grateful smile and was about to reply when a throat was cleared behind her. 

Rowan stood in his six-foot-four glory, looking not too happy to see her hiding in a corner with her friends. Aelin quickly caught her surprise by introducing him to her friends, who quickly congratulated him on their engagement. After the congratulations were over, the conversation quickly became awkward, Rowan’s stoic and broody demeanor causing Chaol and Dorian to flee at the first chance they got. Rowan pulled her none-too-gently by the hand to a door that led into an empty hallway. 

“What is your problem? Let go of me!” Aelin wrenched her hand out of his grasp.

“What’s my problem? What’s yours Aelin? People kept asking me where you were and I had no answer for them. When all of a sudden, I see you hiding in a corner with two men?” “So what? They’re my friends. Am I not allowed to say hello and catch up with them?”

“I don’t care what you do but you have to realize what it looks like to outside eyes. Cavorting with handsome young men in a dark corner while your fiance is trying to find you doesn’t paint us as this happy couple your uncle keeps trying to make us out to be, Princess.”

She couldn’t believe this was even an argument. “Well you have to trust me enough to know that those are my friends and I feel no romantic inclinations towards them whatsoever. Been there, done that.”

“So at one point, you were with one or both of them? Romantically.”

“Well, yes. But that doesn’t matter.” “It does matter!” Rowan seethed. “It matters because while I am here giving up everything, you choose to continue on like nothing has changed. Do not make a mockery of me, Princess. If we are engaged, then I expect you to be respectful of me, of this engagement. If you’re going to take other lovers, at least be subtle about it.”

“Other lovers? What in the hell are you talking about?” Aelin knew she was probably screaming but she couldn’t help herself. How dare he accuse her of being unfaithful. “I figured since we can’t even stand each other that it would happen eventually anyway. Most arranged marriages turn to other parties for…comfort.” Aelin felt all hope break completely inside her at that moment. She thought they’d be able to be friends at the least but all this time, he was planning on finding comfort elsewhere. He’d fulfill his duty, sure. But that was where it seemed to end. Her voice was cold when she spoke again, “You don’t have to worry about me cavorting with them. I’m not in the business of being unfaithful even if this is an arranged marriage.” Rowan had the good sense to look a little sheepish at that. She turned to walk away but before she left completely, she turned back to him. “By the way, Chaol is happily married with a baby on the way and Dorian is like a brother to me. So before you accuse me of anything like this ever again, how about you talk to me about it first. You aren’t the only one who’s life was taken away from them.”

Aelin felt tears start to swell in her eyes but she would rather die before letting Prince Rowan see that weakness. She felt that she’d had enough of the ball for the night and the celebration was almost over anyway. So instead of returning to the grand ballroom, she trudged up the stairs to her rooms to contemplate every way in which her heart was broken.

A/N: It's been a hot minute but I'm hoping to get the next chapter done in a few days! So keep an eye out for that. I promise the angst will soon be....lesser...at the very least. I'm super excited for the next chapter! It's gonna be an emotional rollercoaster :) As always, let me know if you want to be tagged

tagging: @cretaceous-therapod @morganofthewildfire @tomtenadia @live-the-fangirl-life @charlizeed @violet-mermaid7 @euphoric-melancholyy @kritical24 @rubyriveraqueen @dealfea @maeclin @ayaashryver @anna-swims @leiawritesstories @whoever-you-choose-to-love @holdthefrickup @kyereads @heirofflowers @bananaanna23 @thecrispypotatochip @shanias-world @rowanaelinn @bruiseonthefaceofhumanity @hanging-from-a-cliff @fantacysoup @swankii-art-teacher @thegreyj @fromthelibraryofemilyj @westofmoon @lovely-dove-zee @books4eva04 @backtobl4ck

[allison-hargreeve]

Charlie Bowater’s GORGEOUS KOA art!

[azricl]

character in a book: *smirks*

me: first of all, how dare you

[maturitywasterd-blog]

Every time I think of the Thirteen.

[vegabookishpoetry]

Manon told us first:

“The queen was mostly quiet from where she walked at the head of their company, her mate scouting overhead,”

- EOS Chapter 54

How has nobody pointed this out? Manon knew before Rowan did, before we did, before anybody but Dorian and Aelin herself knew.

[illryian-blackbeak]

LESS THAN A MONTH, IM SO EXCITED TO GET WRECKED

[saltierthanbottomofapretzelbag]

Tell me tomorrow.

I'm not saying that SJM is a magnificent writer...

I'm just pointing out that the last line of TOG is "Do you want to know what your first mission will be?" "Tell me tomorrow."

And that it oh so perfectly mirrors the ending notes of KOA: "Can I give you a suggestion of what we should rebuild first?" "Tell me tomorrow."

...Okay, so maybe I am saying that she is

[acourtoftog]

Throne of glass spoilers ahead, you have been warned kiddos

Firstly , god damn that was a rollercoaster of hardcore battle , like seriously

The forging of the lock... idk the scene of aelin kinda flying across worlds gave me shivers, and even though I haven’t read acortar or whatever , it’s kinda made me want to read them now, it was so beautifully written

Tell ya who the queen of slow burn is, SJM like god damn that woman, yeh we god elide and Lorcan(obvs) but freakin Lysandra and aedion , I’m kinda still starved for content like, ik aedion was pissed but still a lot of the dialogue between the two of them was Lysandra feeling like shit

LYSANDRA WAS UNDER APPRECIATED JEEZ

aelin- 10/10 character development, Sarah kinda broke her down and built her back up again, from a cocky arrogant queen (who I adored) to a kind, almost wise still cocky queen

Was it just me who thought rowan and the cadre and elide finding her was kinda... anticlimactic... yeh rowan skinned that douchebag alive but still. I felt sjm could have done it more justice

Dorian and manon my little cuties honest to god, their scenes were awesome, manon found her humanity

Crochans were awesome, but like obviously they were important but we didn’t really find out much about them if that makes sense ?

IM ALSO GONNA GET A LAWYER, SARAH OMG WHY TF DID YOU KILL MY BEAUTIFUL THIRTEEN, YEH IT MADE MANON GO APESHIT N FIGHT HARDER. AND YEH THE STAIN ON THE BLOODIED GROUND, AND THEN ALL THE DIFFERENT KINGDOMS PUT FLOWERS WAS AWFULLY BEAUTIFUL. BUT STILL YIELDING? WASNT THAT THE COWARDLY WAY OUT? ASTERIN NEVER MET FENRYS REALLY? I WANTED HER AND BORTE TO BE BEST FRIENDS OMG. HONESTLY WAS SOBBING AT 3am ONLY BIG DEATH THAT MADE ME CRY OTHER THAN NEHMIA, ALSO ASTERIN GOT TO KICK THE BITCHES ASS N TAKE HER DOWN, she’s going to be with her hunter and witching remember that guys :(((((

NOOOOOOOO GAVRIEL AND AEDION NEVER GOT TO TALK CUS AEDION WAS A STUBBORN ASS 🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️😤😤😤😤

ngl thought nox was gonna have a bigger role, like we all knew he was gonna be in there somehow but still... did he even meet aelin ? Did I miss something

Also thought that it was gonna be Dorian that would have forged the lock ? Anyone else , like ik it wasn’t supposed to be glorious and yeh aelin kinda hAd the right to do it but she just pushed him aside tbf , also neat little thing sjm put in about Dorian wondering about his humanity, and about his father who turned out to be cleverer than we thought.

Maeve was an absolute bitch, her death was kinda anticlimactic, but my main boi fenrys got to have one of the killing blows which was pretty cool

Sartaq and neseryn was awesome as per usual, but I kinda wanted there to be more interaction between them and the other characters , but then again they were just their so we could get birds eye view of battle and also the dam which was freakin awesome like that was really cool , there was an impending threat that wasn’t maeve or erwan

Rowan didn’t really give aelin more time which kinda pissed me off like yeh , he was wary In a worrying way for the couple of chapters in the boat and caves but still.

It was fenrys that honestly just took my mind away, the communication whilst my main girly was getting tortured by the dickhead. That was really cool the way that was written, 11/10 maas for keeping that going throughout the book dammmn

Ik it was a battle but WHERE TF WAS FLEETFOOT , yeh she was mentioned which means she was safe and yeh she was sleepy on the floor , but I wanted her to take a bite outta someone for nehmia

Abraxos didn’t die hahahaha hahahaha my theory of big spikey doggo was correct 😏

HE HAD A MATE OMG SERIOUSLY MAN , he’d gone through so much effectively torture, then he was happy and then his mate and all his friends just got killed

Erwans death was awesome like good on yrene who is a freakin goddess in my books definitely a favourite character for evermore. She was pregnant and she managed to save everyone

Aelin still kinda has her power to remind herself and everyone what she had to do to save their world

Ngl I felt kinda sorry for maeve when she wasn’t plotting and scheming , yeh she’s the evil lady that tortured aelin for months, mentally and physically, but she genuinely just wanted to escape from her husband and brothers

Sorry but who TF were those random wolf fae/ humans like heya they saved their asses but I’ve never heard of the wolf tribe before unless I’m being stupid lol

So ummmm Dorian and shapeshift? What can’t that kid do 🤨 but his and chaols reunion was the best like I almost cried , they found each other again, the boys are backkkk

Chaol and yrene didn’t have that many chapters tbf, and when we saw them it was kinda a couple of pages and that’s it each couple of chapters, like I would have liked to have seen more interaction with other characters

Chaols dad didn’t turn out to be as much of a massive dickkk whooooooooop but still I wanted to meet terrin and his mum. Like how cool would that have been if terrin used his diplomatic skills to make the wild men fight for them, like we could’ve had some more character development from chaol who would have faced the bad aspects of his past with the good ones

Sjm could definitely do another series idk she’s kinda set it up like she could write tonnes more on it , but I’m mmm guessing theirs gonna be some more storytelling aspects to the guide book next year than we thought

THE ENDING OMG THE ORIGINAL TRIO WAS BACK AND THEY ACTUALLY ACKNOWLEDGED EACH OTHER IN THE BEST WAY LIKE CHAOL WAS CRYING DORIAN WAS SOBBING AELIN WAS JUST KINDA GLAD THAT NONE OF THEM HAD DIED. However wtf was chaol going about them seeing each other again.? I’m expecting yrene and chaol and Dorian to be all up in Terresan for yulemas etc, aelin and Dorian better send each other books

Nawwwwww manon was a powerful queen who united the clans of witches like that was sickkkkk

Yano I was kinda expecting to meet Vaughan tbf (idk if that’s how you spell his name ) but I’m glad we didn’t because aelin probably would have given the blood oath to him so she could have the full cadre (other than Conall) which I’m still pissed about, like him killing him self, surely he loved fenrys enough to fight it ? Bros before hoes ? Jks it was relevant 😖 and it wish it wasn’t cus I wanted him and fenrys to be free together

AND THIS CONCLUDES PART 1 OF MY LONG AND TEDIOUS TED TALK , THERES GONNA BE MORE I CAN TELL, BUT THAT WAS ME TRYING TO CONDENSE MY BIG PHAT SAD FEELINGS OMG I SOBBED AT THE END OKAY COOL YOUR WELCOME 😎

[paper-mashe]

*THRONE OF GLASS FREAKOUT*

*CAUTION KINDA SPOILING BUT REALLY NOT* 

OK, I know I’m a little late to get on the bandwagon when it comes to the Throne of Glass series. I’m literally three quarters into Tower of Dawn, and I mean this entire series should come with its own health warning. 

I literally fear for my life with every page turn because I have no idea if I’m going to have a heart attack or if someones going to get it on with someone. I mean, I just got FUCKING DERAILED, like proper jaw unhinged- eyes almost falling out of my head- face turning red because I’ve forgotten how to breathe- kind of derailed. 

Nothing prepared me for that spider bitch when she reveals who Maeve is to them. 

                  I was NOT READY! 

It hit me like a freight train!

I WAS READING IN MY LOUNGE ROOM AND MY BOYFRIEND WAS WORKING NEXT ME....I screamed...like I screamed LOUD. 

HE ALMOST PEED HIS PANTS BECAUSE THE ENTIRE HOUSE HAD BEEN SILENT FOR HOURS...

                          I’ve been screaming ‘IT ALL MAKES SENSE’ for half an hour, and he has no idea what I'm talking about. 

YoU TrY EXplaINing ThE THronE of GLAss SeRIES TO soMeONE WhO HASn’T ToUCHed a BoOK iN sIX yEars- literally like willing a cat to understand English

Giant spiders

Giant birds people ride on 

Valg demons 

Sea dragons

Fae People

                         AND THAT’S JUST A FEW THINGS!

He genuinely asked me if I was ok...

                      The answer- FUCK NO! 

I AM NOT OK!

I AM NOT OK!

I AM NOT OK!

FUCK! SARAH J. MASS YOU SHOULD BE WORSHIPPED YOU SHE-DEVIL/OH POWERFUL GODDESS OF WRITING 

[ravendesk86]

The Spirtual Machines and Imagine Dragons kept running through my head as I read Kingdom of Ash. What songs or artists give you a Kingdom of Ash vibe?

[themaraudersboy]

Me finding the strength to read Kingdom of Ash after SO MANY MONTHS WAITING

[broby---dick]

Wow, Tower of Dawn is a long one if you don’t really care for Choal huh