#or aelin and rowan are her father's side and manon and dorian are her mother's (and hypaxia's)

[androjello]

lidia the woman that you are

[throneofsapphics]

can i please request one where reader is rowaelins daughter and she goes out and parties with lysaedions daughter, manorians daughter and elorcans daughters? in this elorcans daughter is dating reader , they all know but help them hide,they organize a sleepover at the palace and sneak out when their parents are busy. they party all night long, going from club to club praying to all the gods that their parents don't catch them. they drink and flirt and dance until they grow bored and decide to go to a brothel for some fun. they finally leave and are met with the most scary sight ever, they freeze be they are caught by all of the parents.

all good things come to an end  

Reader (Rowaelin’s daughter) x Elorcan’s daughter 

Summary: you and your friends have a night out. 

Warnings: drinking, drug use, overprotective parents

Word Count: ~1.8k

A/N: a bit different, but still similar. thank you for the request I loved writing this! coming up with names was a struggle, but Elorcan’s daughter is Emelyn, Lysaedion’s is Brielle, and Manorian’s is Astra. 

Their parents went on the hunt. Well, the immortals were doing most of the searching. Elide and Lysandra watched in amusement. 

They knew their kids were up to something. Even though they’re of age, they couldn’t help worrying about them. Still, the mothers mostly wanted to catch them in the act. Aelin maybe to have something to hold over them - or make fun of them for. She loved a good challenge, and so far they’d done well. In a way, she was proud. The males, on the other hand, were in something of a panic. 

They were clever enough they’d never been caught, yet, each inheriting the best - or worst - of their parents. It was made tricky by Astra, Manon and Dorian’s daughter. She had inherited his magic, and used it to subtly alter their features - enough none of Orynth’s citizens would recognize the trio. Rowan figured it out when y/n came back last time - her normal Ashryver eyes hazel. They were fixed by the morning. 

“Fussy bastards,” Lysandra murmured affectionately, tugging on Aedion to get him to slow down. 

-

You spun Emelyn, your girlfriend, in a circle - the small laugh that left her brought a smile to your lips as you pulled her closer, running a thumb over her cheek. She leaned into you and pressed a light kiss to your lips. 

“Gross,” Astra hissed. 

“Don’t be jealous,” Brielle teased her. Astra had dragged her away from the male she was flirting with, one who’d bought all of them a round of drinks - a hopeful expression on his features. Like he might get very lucky tonight. 

“We’ve been here too long,” the witchling snapped back at her, eyes darting across the room. You’ve all had a feeling you’ve been hunted tonight. Astra insisted on modifying their features with each bar they went to. 

“Why are you so paranoid?” You sighed, separating yourself from her. 

“What’s the worst that can happen if they catch us?” Emelyn piggy backed. 

“Your father,” the other two said in sync. 

You ran a hand through your hair. She did have a point. Lorcan was the most likely to … overreact. Your parents were protective, but if they figured out exactly what you were up to when your friends visited, you couldn’t guarantee their reactions would be pleasant. When you and Emelyn were … “discovered,” Rowan had quickly shoved him out of the room, meanwhile your mother’s started asking when you’d be married. 

You’d stood in the garden, arms wrapped around her as you buried your face in her neck, breathing in her scent. Your thumb ran gentle strokes up and down the back of her neck. They’d approached so silently you had no chance of covering it up, “I didn’t expect this,” the Lady of Perranth’s voice hit your ears. 

“I’ve been hiding our scents.” You hedged. 

“And you give us a new look every hour.” Lysandra and Aedion’s daughter, Brielle, tagged on. You shot her a grateful look, that she was on your side for once. 

Golden eyes narrowed at you. “Let’s go.” She jerked her head towards the door. 

“Bossy.” You muttered under your breath. She was the unofficial leader of your group, even if the three of you gave her slack for it. She would either roll her eyes, or snap iron teeth at you, depending on her mood. 

“We should be afraid of your mother,” you said wryly. Emelyn’s elbow jabbed you in the side, and she shot you a look that said “don’t jinx us,” you returned with a grin you knew would irritate her. “I know where to go,” you announced. Orynth is your city. You led the way, stopping briefly for Astra’s magic to do its job and led them somewhere hopefully your parents wouldn’t recognize. 

The owner, a demi-Fae, smiled at you - undoubtedly recognizing your scent again, even if you showed up wearing various faces. “One of these days, you’ll tell me who you’re hiding from, she chuckled,” and led you inside. 

A small room in the back, a door securely locked and shielded with three layers of magic. 

“I wish I didn’t end up naked every time I shifted,” Brielle muttered - to no one in particular. 

You started re-arranging the small pipe on the table, surrounded by a few bottles of wine. You’d never pressure anyone into smoking, of course, and usually only you and the shifter indulged, the others picking up wine instead. 

“Mixing is a bad idea,” your girlfriend cautioned. 

“I’m an expert.” 

Astra snorted, rolling her eyes at you. “Say that again when I’m dragging you home.” 

“I,” you pointed a finger at her, “can drink any of you under the table.” Nobody disagreed. 

An hour later, you lay against Emelyn’s side, giggling at Brielle’s recent recounting of her latest encounter with visiting Courtier’s in Cavarre, she’d taken up her mother’s role of prowling the halls as a ghost leopard. Maybe taking a few too many liberties with her new position. 

“Do you ever want to leave?” Astra asked everyone, and the room fell quiet. 

“Sometimes,” you admitted. You weren’t first in line to the throne, thankfully. Emelyn ran a hand through your hair, combing out the slightly tangled strands. The two of you spoke extensively about traveling - leaving Terrasen to see other places. 

“Where would you go?” 

“The southern continent,” your answer was automatic. If you could convince the King and Queen to agree to a trip. Well, the bigger issue was convincing the Lady and Lord of Perranth to let you take Emelyn. You glanced at the clock. It was nearly three in the morning. 

“We should head back.” You stood, swaying slightly on your feet. 

“For gods-sake,” Astra muttered - not at the thought of leaving, but at your current state. You knew an alcohol flush was over your cheeks - and likely your eyes slightly red, pupils dilated. There wouldn’t be any hiding that, but hopefully everyone else was asleep when you got back. 

Emelyn grabbed your hand, leading you out the door. You called out some thanks to the owner, slipping her another few silver marks. She winked at you, wishing you a safe walk home. 

-

Tracking you had failed, again. Rowan was caught between being impressed and pissed off. Lorcan and Aedion were stewing, Aelin and the other females seemed more amused, insisting they could take care of themselves. Elide yawned, but they’d insisted on staying awake to see them home. Actually - to catch them at the gates. 

With a flash of white light, he shifted, taking in the air to circle around and search for four females stumbling back to the castle. Finally, he spotted a group - heading towards a smaller side gate, all of them supporting each other. The group paused, one - Astra, using some sort of magic. He was right - about you all changing your appearances. 

-

Astra spotted them first, a string of very creative curses leaving her. “It’s too late to turn back.” She muttered. “Act normal.” She snapped at you, and you tried to straighten yourself. It should be fine. Should be. 

“They all came,” Emelyn whispered softly. “Are you sure we can’t turn around?” 

“It’ll be fine.” Brielle said, fake confidence edging into her as she straightened her shoulders. “We haven’t done anything illegal.” 

“Only mildly.” 

“You’re telling us this now?” Her eyebrows raised, voice rising. 

“Quiet, don’t pretend you didn’t know.” you tried to hush her and turned to the others. “There’s no law saying it’s legal but there’s none forbidding it.” An exaggerated groan left her. “I’ll take the blame.” 

“Yes you will.” Astra snarled and grabbed your arm, keeping you firmly upright. 

“Wouldn’t it be better if Emelyn held me up?” You turned to look at her, the world slowing down as your vision blurred. The female in question was currently propped up against Brielle. You swallowed your fear, and kept heading towards the castle gates, Astra catching you each time you tripped against a small stone or crevice in the path. Maybe you'd smooth this walkway out tomorrow. 

The Queen of Terrasen watched you approach, eyes identical to yours dancing, even if her arms were crossed. Your father looked decidedly less amused. His eyes tracked the entire group, stopping on Emelyn. 

“Your eyes are the wrong color.” He deadpanned, and you snapped your head towards her, swaying slightly. They were. Still dark blue instead of their normal Onyx. Astra hissed under her breath, probably taking it as a personal insult. Emelyn only gave a sweet smile. 

“I’m trying out a new look.” 

Lorcan, apparently, was fed up because he strode towards her, the rest of you shifting out of his way, as he tossed her over his shoulder and stalked back to the castle. You watched her pound against his back, calling him an overstepping bastard and many other things you’d never say to his face. Out of self-preservation. 

“I’ll have words with you tomorrow.” His head snapped over his shoulder, glaring at you. 

Aelin stepped in front of you, returning his nasty look. “You will not.” His eyes rolled, and he kept walking, probably cursing your name the entire time. Elide mouthed sorry, and took off after him - yelling for him to slow the hell down. 

Dorian snorted, eyeing the three of you left. “I’ve done worse.” He admitted. You fought the smile creeping on your lips - you could always count on him, or Fenrys when he was present, to de-escalate. “Impressive with your magic,” he admitted to his daughter. She shot him a smile - one that definitely didn’t come from her mother, in return. “And yours.” He turned to you. 

“I don’t know what you mean.” You tried to say innocently - words all slurring together. 

Your father let out a sharp exhale, and your mother took you off of Astra’s hands, giving thanks to her. “Just because you’re not first in line …” 

“Rowan shut up.” Aelin snapped. “That can wait. She won’t remember it now.” 

“Yes I will,” you insisted. 

“At least two of you are responsible.” Aedion muttered. His wife elbowed him sharply and he winced. 

“Rude,” you frowned at him. 

“Go inside.” Manon snapped. You were surprised she hadn’t spoken yet. 

“You don’t give me orders.” Aelin countered. Aedion, rightfully, had an alarmed glance on his face. 

“I think I’m going to-” you mimed throwing up. Rowan almost looked like he would call your bullshit,  but realized what you were doing. 

After you’d gotten inside, your mother out of earshot, he spoke to you, “you’re lucky I hid your scents. Lorcan won’t be out for blood.” 

Gods, you hadn’t thought of that. “It was only me and …” 

“Don’t tell me.” He interrupted. 

Fair enough. He steered you towards your room, making sure you actually got inside. “I don’t need you fussing.” 

“Would you rather your mother come in here?” 

“No. Nope. No.” You quickly said, heading towards your bathing room. Maybe you’d burn your clothes - hide the evidence for now.

[azeretha]

pov: You are Fenrys's mate. 

Word count: 861

Every year there was a celebration of victory over Maeve and Erawan. Laughter, joy and light spread everywhere. Everyone across the continent was looking forward to something that had been missing for a long time. A better world. You sat on the ledge of the window and looked at your friend. Laughed. Honestly. After the years of suffering and darkness that attracted him, and the tears you cried together, he finally laughed with those sparks in his eyes. Your mate. Beautiful, strong, brave and wise, even though everyone thinks he's just a beautiful face.

You drank from the whiskey you took with you as a friend to make your time more enjoyable. You looked around you again. The Lorcans and Elidine's children ran around the hall. Two older boys and a younger girl who looked more like her father, as if she were willing to admit Elide. Manon was talking to Dorian in the corner of the room. Interesting that the chemistry that was between them during the war still did not disappear. And it was also clear to everyone that the little witch who would be born one day would be a fear of the world.

Lysandra, Aelin, Elide and Evangeline laughed at something and danced at the same time. You couldn't help but notice the boys spinning behind Evangeline. But Aedion always growled at them, and the young men always bowed their heads. Maybe one day, someone who does not bow their head will come and growl back. I would look at that.

You wanted to look at your beloved mate again, but he wasn't where he was. Only Rowan and Lorcan stood where he stood a few minutes ago, talking about something.

"What mischief are you thinking about?"

You just rolled your eyes when you saw Fenrys move you like a rag doll, so he could sit behind you. He rested his head on your shoulder and tilted his head so that you could only see his stupidly beautiful face. So you turn your head the other way to the window. "I'm thinking about what someone needs to make such a tasty whiskey."

"Really?" You can feel him breathing down your neck. He is very close to that damn neck.

"Hmm." It is so beautiful outside.

The idiot kissed your collarbone. "And what have you come up with, my love?" You want to stab him. An ass.

"Well ..." You won't have time to say anything because you feel like someone's pulling your clothes. You push Fenrys's head back and look at the wrecker.

In front of both of you is a small image of Lorcan. And she frowns as only Lorcan can and looks at Fenrys. "Dad and Uncle Ro tell you to go with your tools somewhere private. I have no idea what that means, but they said they would give me a cake for breakfast tomorrow if I came to say it. " And with that, little Lochan left. You looked in their direction, and they looked at you again, grinning from ear to ear. You rolled your eyes and looked at Fenrys. You thought he would look badly at those two bastards, but he was just looking at you. With such love and desire that it could destroy one ordinary individual. But he was not ordinary. It was Fenrys Moonbeam. Your mate. And so you opened the bridge that bound you. The bridge that sometimes stopped your heart from the feelings you felt across it. Thanks to whom you were connected with the best fae under the Sun.

"That little Lorcan will put the whole army in parade one day."

"I bet 10 coins, everyone will be afraid to ask for her hand." He told you back, still looking into your eyes. He crouched the fabric on the sides of your dress and leaned closer to you.

You covered his hand with one hand. "I bet 20 coins, she will be the nature of her mother and charm the strongest of them." That was your game. Betting. It was about winning. Even though it always ended more fiery, no matter who waited.

A smirk appeared on Fenrys's face. Those beautiful sinful lips. How many sins have you done with those lips? Still not enough.

"I bet 30 coins that ..." You didn't care what he wanted to say. You just kissed him. You didn't care who was watching. Let them think what they want. That was your specialty. Shit on what others think. And Fenrys didn't care either. The kiss returned to you with passion as always. You literally fought for who would win. Neither of you was able to lose, and neither of you ever backed off from the challenge.

However, breathing is important.

"Damn oxygen." You murmured on his lips as you pulled away and looked him in the eye. His pupils were dilated. "Shall we disappear until the small form of Lorcan reappears?"

"I've heard that the walls in this castle are especially favorable." He took whysky out of your hand and drank it for you. Then he took your hand and pulled you out of the room until you found the right wall.

[meliia]

Throne Of Glass **WITH BIG SPOILERS**

i have just finished Kingdon Of Ash and i am DEPRESSED. i have become so attached to this series that now im sad i cannot continue on with these characters.

the final book had me sobbing not stop in its final moments. even though i knew The Thirteen were going to do The Yielding i did not expect them to do it in the way they did, but im especially happy that Asterin was the one to finally end Mother Blackbeak.

but Sarah, I NEED A MANON AND DORIAN BOOK. i just want to see Manon (and Abraxos) heal from her loss and finally find peace with Dorian by her side.

i adore Aelin as a main character mainly because she reminds me so much of Villanelle from Killing Eve. her and Rowans relationship made me also emotional seeing most the things they did were things she corrected from her time with Sam. like with the soap, she never let Sam use her expensive soap but its the first thing she gives Rowan.

the graveyard scene where Rowan put the stone on Sams grave as a thank you was an attack from Sarah herself.

going into this i had never even heard of Erawan, even from the things about the series i already knew, i just always thought Maeve was the main villain, and in a way she was. Sarah did an excellent job with Maeves character because there were so many times in the final book where i question if she really was the bad guy. i believe she really did want to save Erilea and she had good intentions but after some time she started to lose her grasp on what she truly stood for and started to see alternative ways to get what she wanted, even if that made her the villain. there was a moment where i thought maybe she was going to turn good with Dorian but then i realized that damn this entire time i was being manipulated.

YRENE KILLING ERAWAN?! DIDNT SEE THAT COMING

this is completely all over the place but so this isnt massively long here are some short thoughts:

- Lysandra and Aedion are cute

-will never forgive Gavriels death

-Lorcan i warmed up to you

- Chaol your book was so boring mainly because i dont like you but i love your wife so i stuck through it

- seeing all the character from The Assassins Blade pop up made my heart soar

- Manon, Elide and Abraxos are the best charcters and i will die on that hill

- Nesryn loved you, you were fun. have fun being empress and shout out to the rukkins and Sartaq

-Manon and Elides friendship gave me butterflies

- hey Feyre nice to see you pop up, btw your child will kill you when you give birth to it, be better to Nesta

- Rysand cool to see you, thanks for slowing Aelin down but could you tell your wife that her life and the baby's life is in danger, thank you

- that fight between Manon and Aelin will always be one of the best

-Dorian finding some sort of peace with his father (also him being named after his father :') ) im happy for him but another reason i need a him and Manon book is because wtf happened with his mother and brother, do they just chill in a mountain now?

-Fenrys im glad you got your justice in killing Maeve

-every time the Thirteen showed up i lost my shit. big rest in peace i hope Asterin is with her man and baby again.

-kinda wish the guys from Mistward were at Aelins coronation

- RIP Sam hope you beat the shit out of Arobynn in the Afterworld

- Rip Elena, you kinda deserved it but not in that way

- REST IN PEACE NEHEMIA I WILL FOREVER LOVE YOU

- another example that we need a Manorian book is where the fuck did the Bluebloods Matron go?

-shout out Rolfe

- shout out Fleetfoot

my full thoughts from every book would take forever but here is my ranking (for now):

Kingdom Of Ash > Queen Of Shadows > Heir Of Fire > Empire Of Storms > Crown Of Midnight > Throne Of Glass > Assassins Blade > Tower Of Dawn

5/5

[nikethestatue]

My Rankings Across SJM books

Best Lead:

1. Aelin

2. Feyre

3. Bryce

Best LI:

1. Rowan

2. Rhys

3. Hunt

Best Siblings:

1. Ruhn

2. Aedion

3. The bat boys

Worst Siblings:

1. Azriel’s brothers

2. Tamlin’s brothers

2. Lucien’s brothers

Best Side couple:

1. Elorcan

2. Nessian 

3. NightBright

Best Friendship:

1. Bat Boys

2. The AUX and all the strays they keep picking up

3. The Valkyries

Best Parents:

Randall Silago 

Gavriel

Rhoe and Evalin

Worst Parents:

1. The Autumn King and Azriel’s Father

2. The Archeron parents

3. Beron

Best Villains:

1. Micah

2. Maeve

3. The Asteri

Most Boring Villains:

1. Hybern

2. Beron

3. Briallyn 

Worst Friendships:

1. Bryce and Danika

2. Feyre and Morrigan

3. Vaughn and the Cadre

Best Sidekicks:

1. Fenrys

2. Ithan

3. Lucien

Best Pet:

1. Abraxos

2. Syrinx

3. Fleetfoot

Best Monsters:

1. The Suriel

2. Bryaxis

3. Lanthys

Their stories have to be told:

1. Asterin and her hunter

2. Gavriel and Aedion’s mother

3. Rowan and Lyria

Best Couples:

1. Feysand

2. Rowaelin

3. Quinlar

People we want more of:

1. Emerie

2. Fenrys

3. Helion

Worst Couples:

1. Lysandra and Aedion

2. Manon and Dorian

3. Helion and LoA

The bustiest:

1. Nesta

2. Lysandra

3. Bryce

The buffest:

1. Cassian

2. Hunt

3. All other winged men

The prettiest:

1. Azriel

2. Fenrys

3. Elain

WTF is going with these people?

1. Eris

2. Tharion

3. Morrigan

Most Tragic Characters:

1. Kaltain Rompier

2. Lyria

3. King of Adarlan 

It was just for fun. Feel free to add your own.

[confused-as-all-hell]

Aelin Galathynius

She vaguely felt the light shifting on the lake. Vaguely felt the sighing wind, warm as it brushed against her damp cheeks. And heard, so soft it was as if she dreamed it, a woman's voice whispering, Why are you crying, Fireheart?...

"Because I am lost," she whispered onto the earth. "And I do not know the way.”

Aelin Galathynius, fierce and proud and exquisite. Adarlan’s Assassin, Aelin of the Wildfire, the Queen Who Walked Between Worlds. A girl who held death in the circle of her arms, who knew sorrow and misery by their first names, who gave herself for that glowing future ahead.

Aelin, my love, is not perfect. She says some awful things, and her actions are far from worldly and pure. Her mistakes are common as her own laughter. But I don’t know who told you characters have to be perfect, polished as gold. 

She is allowed to be arrogant, dramatic, proud, daring, reckless, without being told off. These are the qualities often recognized in men, and so when a woman embodies them, she is instantly cut down for it. Aelin loves herself without fail, acknowledges her own beauty, is genuinely kind to herself.

I see so many posts encouraging girls to love themselves, and when one is portrayed in literature, everyone just turns on her. If your excuse is “well, she’s just too arrogant” please shut the fuck up. You do not get to decide what is too much. Nobody stupidly granted you that privilege.

It is perfectly fine for Aelin to see her appearance, her hair and eyes and body and smile, and say “I am happy with myself. I am beautiful.”

Don’t you fucking dare encourage feminism and then detest Aelin for admiring who is she.

Yes, she is out of the ordinary in terms of her looks, yes, she is curiously and suspiciously pretty. But if you dislike Aelin for her appearance, you’re shallow as fuck, I pray you do not like those oddly plain characters either. 

The Fae are a race known for their grace and beauty, so do not tell me it’s funny how everyone is tiringly pretty. They’re supposed to be. That’s literally the whole point. 

For those who complain her story is so special, would you rather read about the citizen who couldn’t find their favourite socks? I dare say no. The general idea of a story is to tell it from the most interesting point of view, in this case, Aelin’s. She is in the thick of everything, not by chance, but because she seeks the source of the trouble.

Her mistakes are plentiful, but Aelin has no trouble admitting this. She apologizes when necessary, admits to her wrongdoings, and she tries to be better. It’s not like she walks around with a blindfold. She works to understand others, never retracts her extended hand, loves her family without fail.

Aelin Galathynius is not thousands of years old, with all the wisdom of the centuries. She is a girl of seventeen, trying desperately to do her best, to save her home and her people and herself. 

She woke between her parent’s cold corpses as a little girl, watched men and women die horrifically before she was eight, killed time and time again to save her own life. She found her best friend lying in pieces on her bed, bowed to her mother and father’s murderer, was enslaved and tortured and beaten and scourged. 

Her trauma is not to be forgotten. Aelin is trying to save a world, and she’s still working through the terrors she witnessed so long ago. The inside of her mind was a lightless place, with no lamps to be seen.

It is okay for characters to fuck up. It’s okay for them to make mistakes and lash out. It’s okay for them to make bad choices, so long as they learn from them.

Nobody is made of gold. Nobody is unworthy of love. Nobody deserves your hatred.

Aelin is not the most powerful of her court, despite much bitter discourse.

Rowan is physically stronger, and far more capable with weaponry. 

Lysandra is prized as a shape-shifter, her talent stated to be utterly invaluable.

Aedion commands his own legion, the fearsome Bane.

Elide is the cleverest, with precious insight and incredible wisdom.

Lorcan is a extraordinarily strong warrior.

Manon is the Witch-Queen, with plenty of influence and power.

Dorian has the strongest magic of them all, in the largest quantity.

Chaol is... 

Anyways, Yrene’s healing gifts are considered their greatest asset in the war.

Though Aelin is certainly important, she does her part and only her part. She does not attempt to take credit for what she has not done. She will take the suffering upon herself, but never the joy.

Aelin is bleeding and bleeding, dashed on the rocks, and all of you can only scoff at her beauty and talent. 

I am capable of writing eloquent pieces, playing several musical instruments, charming several adults, making people laugh, finding lovely angles for photographs, and much more. 

Am I conceited to say so? I can appreciate my better qualities and absolutely hate work on my worse attributes. 

Aelin isn’t the not-like-other-girls cutout. She is like other girls. She loves dogs and candy, can wield her weapons with staggering competence, chooses her favourite gowns cautiously, is proud of herself for her accomplishments, works to lift other women up.

Aelin, at the very least, can appreciate being like other girls is a compliment. Girls (and boys!!) are fucking amazing. 

You can hardly expect a girl of eighteen to be perfectly polished. 

Aelin herself knows this. She listens when Darrow says she’s unfit, and she works to prove why she is capable. She wants to be better, to learn how to properly rule her country.

As well as the whole ordeal with her keeping the allies secret, she was afraid. Aelin had a group of people shout at her, tell her what an awful job she was doing, how she didn’t deserve to be queen. She didn’t want to let them down more. 

Everyone hates “perfect” characters, and then they hate the characters who fuck up. Pick a side. Pick a struggle. Pick a fight, if you like, I’m happy to give one over.

Aelin, the defender, the hero made history. She is so often hated; I would like to show her a little love.

[charincharge]

Cruel Summer, Part 18

cruel summer masterlist

AN: This chapter is almost 4k words... whereas most of them have been just over 2k, so -- we had a lot of things going on. And some hopefully insightful revelations. Anyway, thank you all for your patience while I struggled with this one. I hope you enjoy learning a litttle bit more about Aelin. Okay, ONWARDS!

Aelin glances at her buzzing phone and silences it. It rings with another phone call from her dad that she sends straight to voicemail. It’s been almost three weeks since her blowout fight with her mom, and her dad has tried in vain to get them to reconcile – she’s just not ready yet.

“Your dad again?” Rowan asks, coming to sit on the couch with her. Rowan has been an undeniable pillar of strength through it all. He hasn’t pushed her to talk about the fight – he’s simply let her exist in his space, giving her a wide berth to process everything. Which is ironic, because Aelin has refused to process a single thing. She’s pushed all her discontent to the back of her brain, easily compartmentalized and boxed away to be dealt with at a later date. It’s Aelin’s most impressive ability. But, regardless of “not dealing,” she knows that without Rowan’s silent support she would have fallen apart already. She can’t even begin to express her gratefulness to him. Though, she’s tried. With her mouth. And other parts of her body.

Rowan’s fingers gently dance against the bare skin of her shoulder, and she leans into him and nods. He pulls her tighter into his side and kisses her forehead, and Aelin melts into him further.

Their moment is interrupted by Manon entering the small apartment. She takes a look at the couple on the couch and attempts to reign in her scowl, but Aelin spots it anyway. She’s come to realize that Manon might not be her biggest fan.

“Oh, you’re here…” Manon says, tossing her bag onto the kitchen counter.

“Not for long,” Rowan replies, and Aelin perks up, curious. She’d assumed they were just going to hang out in his room, like usual. Rowan looks back down at Aelin. “I was thinking we could go take some photos on the beach before the sun completely sets.”

Rowan’s favorite activity makes Aelin smile. He received a brand new Nikon and zoom lens from his mother in the mail, and she’s never seen Rowan so outwardly blown away as when he pulled it from the box. He’s snapped more pictures than she can count over the last few weeks, most of them of Aelin, which she pretends to be annoyed by but secretly loves.

Aelin glances down at her outfit – comfy leggings and one of Rowan’s old college t-shirts. “I’ll go get changed.”

He squeezes her hand as she gets up from the couch, and she makes her way into Rowan’s room to sort through the pile of clothes Dorian pinched from her room at home. She throws on a dark blue maxi dress and pulls her hair from its top knot. She fluffs her hair in the mirror, feeling more camera ready.

Rowan smiles when he sees Aelin emerge from his room, and her stomach flutters at the sight of his contented face.

They wave goodbye to Manon, who replaces them on the couch with her dinner, looking relieved to have the place to herself.

“Where to?” Aelin asks as Rowan ushers her down to his truck.

“Know any good private beaches?” he asks, and she frowns. She does. It just happens to be a very short walk away from her backyard. Rowan sees her face and squeezes her hand over the center console. “We don’t have to see your family. But. I thought maybe you’d want to.”

Aelin scrolls through the many texts from her father, which she’s left unanswered.

Fireheart, we understand you need time to cool down, but please call us when you’re ready.

Please, Aelin. Talk to us.

Your mother is sorry. She didn’t mean what she said. She was just emotional. She loves you so much. It’s upsetting her every day to know that she hurt you so badly.

Do you plan to stay with Elide indefinitely?

Are you really going to miss out on our family park day?

Gavin and Evie asked where you were today.

Dorian stopped to get your clothes. He says you’re doing well, but I’d really like to see for myself.

Fireheart, I understand that you’re hurt, but cutting us out isn’t going to make this better.  

We return to Adarlan in less than a month. Let’s not have this argument ruin the rest of the summer.

The texts feel endless. And Aelin does miss her dad. She just can’t believe her mom hasn’t tried to reach out and apologize to her. After everything she said… Aelin shakes it off, not willing to think about those hateful words and shrugs at Rowan.

“Sure.”

“Really?” he asks cautiously. Aelin nods. He’s right. Their private beach is the perfect place for a sunset photoshoot.

They park at the Playland, which is still bustling with activity, and walk down the beach until they get to the pale sand behind the Ashryver’s estate. Aelin glances up at her room balcony in the distance, half covered in twining roses, and her chest clenches uncomfortably.

Rowan surprises Aelin by wrapping his arms around her waist, pulling her back against his chest, and she relaxes into him. He leans down and sticks his nose against her neck, and Aelin releases a shaky breath. As his chin finds a place to rest on her shoulder, Aelin’s eyes slide toward him, taking in the periphery of his tanned face and messy hair. She can’t help but smile.

Click.

The shutter of the camera whirs as Rowan takes a picture of them.

“Test shot,” he says, straightening up and looking at the display. Aelin peers over his arm to look, too, and she gasps at the casually beautiful photo.

It’s a closeup of their faces – with a soft pastel sunset out of focus behind them. But the thing that really shocks is the way she looks at Rowan. And the way he smiles back at her. She looks so happy with him. Aelin is so happy with him. She wants to print that photo out and keep it forever so she can remember this feeling long after this summer ends. Her stomach rumbles with something akin to sadness, but she pushes it far, far down. She knows her feelings about her mother aren’t the only thing she’s decided to compartmentalize – but she’s not going to unpack those either.

“I think that’s the first picture you’ve taken of us together,” she comments coolly, and Rowan lifts an eyebrow.

“I guess it is.” He looks down at the display screen again, then back at her with a confident smile. “We look pretty good together.”

“You’ll send that one to me, right?” she asks, and Rowan’s green eyes glow brightly as he assures her he will.

He leans down and kisses her forehead – his new favorite place to kiss, and a blanket of warmth and joy caresses Aelin’s face. Rowan directs her down to the water, where the small waves crash against the sand, and Aelin pulls up the long skirt of her dress, so as not to get wet. As she skips through the waves, her feet dancing in circles across the darkened sand, Rowan snaps pictures.

Aelin lets her heavy worries about her mother and their fight and the impending end of summer float away as she enjoys living in this moment. The setting sun casts shadows of deep magenta and purple and orange across the water, shimmering across the small ripples in the water. Feeling the cool sand beneath her toes, Aelin tilts her head back, closes her eyes, and grins.

She breathes in the salty sea air, especially pungent with the evening tide, but her moment of calm is disrupted by a large wave, which knocks against the back of her thighs, breaking all over her skirt, drenching her up to her waist.

Her eyes shoot open as she squeals loudly, and her peals of laughter float across the beach as Rowan continues taking pictures from the dry safety behind his camera.

Aelin runs out of the water and drops her dress skirt to the ground. It’s completely soaked.

Rowan finally lowers his camera, and she can see him biting his lip in an attempt to hold back his laughter.

“Shut up.” Aelin pouts as a cool breeze whips through the air, whirling around her and making her skin prickle with goosebumps.

“Come here,” he says with a soft smirk, and she happily obeys.

Rowan rubs his hands up and down her bare shoulders, trying fruitlessly to warm her as the sun completely descends behind the horizon. As she tries to wring the water out of her dress, Aelin shivers. Searching for more heat, she tries to pull herself closer to Rowan, but he takes a large step back.

“You’re dripping everywhere,” he laughs, and Aelin winks.

“You didn’t seem to mind that last night.”

Rowan’s cheeks redden, and Aelin cackles, loving how easily she can fluster him, just with the mention of sex.

He stares at her, and she watches as his bright eyes darken as she takes a large step toward him. He steps back again.

“Aelin, no…” he warns.

“Aelin, yes,” she decrees as she leaps into his arms, pressing her wet body against his as she attacks his face with kisses. He laughs against her lips, and she tightens her grip around his neck, pulling him as close as he can get to her.

“You’re evil,” he mumbles between kisses, and Aelin thinks he’s far too coherent if he’s able to reply so easily.

She squeezes her legs around his waist and drags her mouth to his ear. She scrapes her teeth down his strong jaw and lets her tongue snake out and taste his skin. Aelin’s efforts are rewarded with a pained groan and the feeling of Rowan’s fingers sliding through her hair and caressing the nape of her neck.

She reaches back for his lips and she hums happily as he lets her deepen their kiss. After she’s sated, she slows and pulls her face back to catch her breath. She smiles and kisses his lips softly.

Rowan smiles back, and as she looks into his eyes, she sees the depths of emotion that truly terrify her. Her box of emotions threatens to open and spill everywhere, and she can’t have that. She closes her eyes and kisses him one last time before sliding down onto the cold sand, awash in guilt. And not just for dampening his clothes with ocean water.

“Should I sneak into your room and grab you something dry to wear?” he asks, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. “You’re freezing.”

Aelin lifts her nose as the faint traces of cigar smoke waft through the air. She would know that smell anywhere. It smells like summer nights on her back patio with her dad. Her stomach clenches.

“No,” she whispers. “Let’s just go.” She bolsters herself by plastering a cocky smile across her face and squeezing Rowan’s hand. “You can warm me up when we get home.”

“But that means you’ll be getting wet all over again,” Rowan deadpans, and Aelin’s feet stop moving in shock.

“Rowan Whitethorn,” she says, eyes wide. “Did you just make a dirty joke?”

His cheeks flame with a dark blush, and she drags him back to his truck quickly, so he can follow through on his promise.  

He does, and then some, and Aelin wakes up the next morning sore and satisfied.

She stretches out and frowns at the cold spot next to her where Rowan should be. He’s up early today. She hears voices murmuring outside in the living room and decides to get dressed and join them. She’s stepping into her shorts when she hears Manon’s sharp voice ask, “And what about our no live-in girlfriend rule?”

Aelin moves closer to the closed door and listens as shame rises within her. She knew she’d overstayed her welcome.

“It doesn’t count if she’s not my girlfriend,” Rowan quips back, and Aelin bites her lip, worrying the skin there. She can hear the anger in his biting tone, and it unnerves her.

“Oh please, you gave her apartment keys, Rowan.” Manon says with an undignified snort.

“So she doesn’t feel like a prisoner, trapped with nowhere to go!”

“Come on, dude,” Manon drawls. “If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck…”

“We’re not ducks,” Rowan insists, and Aelin almost laughs with Manon at his reply.

“You are ducks, and also liars,” Manon insists. “Quack, quack, bitch.” A long beat of silence.

“I’ll talk to her,” Rowan says, his former anger turning into resignation. Aelin knows this means she needs to start thinking about where she’s going to go next. She knows Aedion and Lysandra would let her crash, but she’s not sure she’s forgiven Aedion for everything he said about Rowan, either. She definitely can’t stay at Dorian’s; his father gives her the creeps. And with Elide and Lorcan just getting together, she has no intention of being a cockblock to one of her best friends. Maybe it’s finally time to go home.

She remembers the faint smell of cigar and sighs. As if on cue, her phone buzzes with another text from her dad.

Can I take you out to lunch? Anywhere you want. You won’t have to see your mom.

Aelin finally responds.

Okay.

Her dad is ecstatic, and replies back quickly, arranging details to meet at Aelin’s favorite sandwich shop in town. A small little hole in the wall Italian deli called Rinaldi’s.

When Rowan enters his bedroom, he clutches at his hair nervously, and Aelin decides to put him out of his misery quickly. She doesn’t need him to explain why she needs to leave.

“So, I finally texted my dad back,” she says, and Rowan’s eyes widen in surprise. That is not the conversation he was expecting to have.

“Wow. Uh… what prompted that?” he asks, looking at her seriously.

She shrugs. “Maybe being at the house last night. Maybe it’s just time to get over it.” She looks around the room. “I know I’ve been here way too long.”

Rowan looks alarmed. “No, no. I told you you could stay as long as you want, and I meant it.” He pauses and swallows nervously. “I’ve really enjoyed having you here.”

“I’ve enjoyed being here,” she admits, and her heart beats faster at the blinding grin that takes over Rowan’s face. “But, we’ll see how convincing my dad is.”

“Okay,” he says nervously. She kisses him softly and smiles.

“Now go, before you’re late to work.” She grabs him by the collar of his polo and kisses him again, and she loves the way the tips of his ears turn pink – the first tell tale signs of his arousal. She likes leaving him flustered and wanting more. Plus, it’s nearly impossible for her to keep her hands to herself, so it works out nicely.

Aelin lazes around Rowan’s room for the rest of the morning, too scared to run into Manon, who works from home. She finally sneaks out and makes her way to the restaurant. She hopes to get there with time to spare, but when she arrives, Rhoe is already waiting outside, arms crossed nervously.

Aelin resists the urge to hug him, nodding tightly instead. She leads him in and orders her favorite sandwich – prosciutto and provolone with hot peppers and vinegar on a roll. And her dad’s – hot pastrami with swiss and mustard on rye – and then finds a small table near the window.

Rhoe looks tired. If the bags under his eyes are any indication, he hasn’t been sleeping much.

“You look good.” He reaches out a hand across the table and then retracts it, nervously, unsure of what to do.

“You look terrible,” Aelin replies. Her filter must be broken this morning. Rhoe laughs, despite her comment.

“The two loves of my life are fighting,” he says quietly, and Aelin is torn between wanting to scream at him or cry. Either way, she’s about to unleash three weeks worth of feelings she’s been ignoring.

Crying wins out. Moisture stings the corners of her eyes as her eyes fill with tears. She blinks rapidly, trying to keep them in, but a rogue tear drips down her cheek. She swipes at it hastily and breathes deeply, trying to get her emotions back under control. But she can’t. And she suddenly feels very, very small.

“Is that really what mom thinks of me?” Aelin asks, her voice barely a whisper through the thick frog in her throat. “That I’ve been a waste of her time and money?”

“No, Fireheart,” he assures her, finally reaching for her hand across the table. Aelin lets him.

“I’m sorry I don’t like Sam, but he’s not nice, Daddy.” Another tear falls from her eye. And another. Aelin can’t swipe at them fast enough. “He’s so spoiled. And entitled. And…” Her voice breaks. “And I don’t want to be anything like him. But… she likes him, and she hates me.”

“Oh, baby, she doesn’t hate you,” Rhoe insists. “She loves you. So, so much.” He pauses. “She just doesn’t understand why you don’t want the same life she has.” Rhoe sighs. “Believe it or not, this is a fight I’ve had with her many times before. Every time she enrolled you in etiquette classes or ballroom dance lessons or cotillion…” He sighs.

“Aedion was just so eager to fit in,” he continues. “He wanted to follow in the Ashryver footsteps. To join the business. But you have never wanted that.” Rhoe laughs, recalling a memory. “I remember the first time you came home from your etiquette classes. You pulled those little white gloves off your hand and said ‘YUCK’ so loud. You were disgusted by the fact that you had to touch some little boy’s hand.”

Aelin remembers those lessons. The girls stood in a circle on the inside, while the boys stood in a circle on the outside, facing them. They’d learned how to give a proper handshake, and curtsey and bow. She was only nine. She had hated every second of it. The dance lessons were even worse.

“They were sweaty,” Aelin chokes out, and her dad smiles sadly.

“When you started dating Chaol,” he begins again, and Aelin tenses up. She’s not sure she’s ready for the commentary on her five year long failed relationship. “Mom was so excited. Long time friends with the Havillards. In your college class. Destined for business, just like his father. But, you never quite fit with him. And I watched you try and change yourself, contort yourself to be the partner Chaol wanted. And we all saw your light dim.”

Aelin doesn’t bother swiping her tears as her father talks. They run in steady streams down her cheeks and down her chin, dripping onto the table.

“But since you’ve been free of him, you have bloomed again. You have been glowing this entire summer, and I’m sorry your mother hasn’t seen it.” He looks her straight in the eye. “But I do.”

Aelin sniffles loudly. The waiter places their sandwiches in front of them, looking terrified at the scene in front of him, so Aelin waves him off, assuring him she’s fine.

“So, you’re not going to sell me off to the highest bidder just because I don’t know what I want to do with my life yet?” she asks.

“All we want you to do with your life is be happy,” Rhoe says and takes a large bite of his sandwich. “Whatever that means to you.”

“What if what makes me happy doesn’t live up to her expectations?” Aelin fiddles with her napkin.

“We’ll deal with that when we get to that,” Rhoe says, patting Aelin’s hand comfortingly. “So, will you please come back home?” he asks, and Aelin nods.

“On one condition,” she says, and Rhoe clasps his hands, waiting patiently for her to continue. “I want to go on the staff overnight next weekend.” She clears her throat. “Elide has been talking about it for years. That it’s her favorite weekend of the summer, and I’m friends with all of them anyway, and I want to go.”

Rhoe chuckles. “That’s the condition? Not… an apology from your mother?”

Aelin shrugs. “I only want her apology if she means it.”

“Fine,” Rhoe replies. “I’ll have your mom talk to Lorcan about adding you to the list of attendees.” He pauses. “You know there’s a ropes course, right? And hiking?” Aelin nods. “It’s just… you’re not much of an outdoor girl, honey.”

Aelin frowns. Her father’s right, she’s not much for hiking and trust activities, but she doesn’t want to lose a whole weekend with Rowan either. Not with so little of the summer left.

“I’m going.”

He holds up his hands in defeat. “Your condition is accepted.”

The pair finish their sandwiches in relative silence, which is good because Aelin can’t begin to process everything her dad just said to her. She feels somewhat reassured, but she can’t stop hearing her mother’s shrill voice repeating, “You have been a waste of my time and money!” over and over in her head. And she knows without a doubt if she really told her mom what was making her happy this summer, she’d be saying much, much worse.

Her dad is right – she has never wanted to be part of the family business, nor has she wanted to be married off and slip into high society life. And those are the only paths her mom views as viable.

Aelin can’t allow herself the privilege of thinking of other possible paths. Other paths with other people. She has no idea what that life might look like, but she knows it’s not allowed for her. If she even barely contemplates the possibility of that future, she knows she will be crushed when she can’t have it. Her chest tugs, wanting her to open that box, and see what that option holds for her, as dead ended as it might be. But she ignores it.

This is nothing more than a summer fling, she reminds herself. When she gets back to Adarlan, she’ll recalibrate and figure out what her life’s purpose is. But for the next few weeks, she’s sticking with what makes her happy. Here. In Terrasen.

She pulls out her phone and texts Rowan:

My dad was pretty convincing. I’m headed back home tonight.

I’ll leave the window unlocked for you ;)

“Everything alright?” Rhoe asks, wiping the crumbs from his mouth.

“Yup,” Aelin assures him, far too brightly. It is. At least, for now.

~*~*~*~*~

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[julemmaes]

Person A buying a giant, silly, inflatable sprinkler toy for the backyard and Person B teasing them, saying they don't need it and that it's ridiculous. Then one day, Person A comes home to find Person B in the backyard playing with it bromance for Aedion and Aelin? Please?

Ridiculous - October 13th

Aedion Ashryver - Aelin Galathynius

A/N: I really didn’t know what to do with this, I hope it’s enough and that you like it;)

Word count: 1,320

Aelin was bouncing from foot to foot making shrill verses of excitement as the delivery men left the giant package in the backyard of their house.

Lorcan and Fenrys would come and help Rowan put it all together that afternoon. The first one was forced by Elide, who had threatened to leave without sex for two weeks if he told his sister that he wouldn't help her and Aelin couldn't wait to have her own inflatable house in the back garden.

"Gods, guys," she squealed, "I'm so excited!"

Rowan laughed, putting his arm around her shoulders, "Please don't make me regret agreeing to buy it."

Lysandra gave him an amused look and then turned to Aedion when her giant blond boyfriend snorted, "You don't need this. It's ridiculous."

Aelin's eyes snapped in his direction, shocked as much as disappointed. She opened her mouth, certainly to insult him, but then she closed it. Her lips were reduced to a thin line until she found the perfect comeback.

She grunted when Aedion raised an eyebrow, an evil grin on her lips, "What? Do you think I'm right?"

She scoffed, "No, I'm just sad." Rowan stiffened beside her, bending his head backwards, making a noise of exasperation. Lysandra mimicked his movements, muttering a 'please don't'.

"You're jealous because Lys would never let you put something like that in the garden." Aedion looked at her slightly open-mouthed, "My fiancé is better than yours." she stuck her tongue out.

It was Lysandra's turn to chuckle, her forehead wrinkled, "Yeah, because I'm not a simp, unlike someone else."

Rowan looked at her upset, bringing a hand to his chest, "Excuse me?"

Aedion ignored him and turned to his cousin, "That's not true. I would never want anything like that in my house. It's a waste of energy."

"Nah."

"We'll talk about it when your bill comes at the end of the month." Aedion joked.

Aelin shook his head, "Stop playing dumb, you wouldn't come down for a moment."

Lysandra seemed inclined to agree with her.

"It's stupid, it's for kids." Aedion defended himself, "And then those things were ugly even when we were kids. I don't know how many times I've thrown headbuttons at random people on inflatables," he said massaging his forehead, as if he could still feel the pain.

Rowan smiled, "Maybe that's why you're so stupid now."

Aelin burst out laughing and then turned to her cousin, "What a sad childhood."

Before she knew it, Lysandra had hit her in the side. Aelin brought her hand to her mouth, choking on a laugh. She dared a look at Aedion, who had a vaguely amused expression on his face.

"I had completely forgotten about the whole no-father-there-for-half-my-life thing."

Rowan brought a hand to his face, releasing a sigh, "You're tremendous."

***

"Rowan!" Aelin screamed as she entered the house, Elide behind her, "I have the cake!"

She heard her fiancé answer that they were all in the garden and saw Elide running out when Lorcan called her urgently. The blonde grinned, thinking which shirt the newcomer to the Salvaterre family must have just vomited on.

It didn't take her too long to arrange the stuff in the fridge so that she could put the cake in there and join the others.

As soon as she went out into the backyard, her heart warmed up. Her whole family was there.

Rowan in front of the barbecue smiling at her, the hand holding the spatula to turn the burgers up in midair to greet her. Elide laughing carefree next to him while holding little Mikail in her arms and passing a clean shirt to a shirtless, not so happy, Lorcan.

She approached the trio, only to leave a light kiss on Rowan's lips and then turned towards the others. Fenrys and Nehemiah were talking to Asterin and Dorian and - judging by the excited looks they were exchanging - it must have been something very stupid, like what new cartoon their children had decided to watch.

Manon didn't seem to be anywhere, she was probably hiding somewhere with Connall and Vaughan, to avoid all the excited screams of kids running around the garden and conversations about children's movies that seemed to haunt her wherever she went.

"I just want to spend a day without having to argue about which super puppet is the best." Manon once said.

The first couple's daughter shone with her own light, dark skin, much more like her mother's than her father's, and a head full of braids that flew left and right every time she moved and ran away from Manon and Dorian's son. Seen side by side they seemed two opposite faces of the same coin. Just as the little girl was a distinct copy of her mother, the boy was so bright and simply silvery that he shone in the sun.

When she saw Lysandra next to the inflatable house, Aelin made a confused face.

Rowan, next to her, noticed it and huffed, "Please don't start again.

"What should I...?" she stopped, clutching his arm as she leaned forward with her mouth wide open. She began to tremble with emotion, "Is Aedion in the bouncing house?!" she shouted so loudly that everyone noticed that she had arrived. Lysandra looked at her on the other side of the garden and nodded.

Yrene approached her, with little Amelia in her arms. Elide was forced to cling to the other new mother when her son began to squirm at the sight of his friend.

Lorcan and Rowan exchanged a strange look and then fist bumped, nodding with two knowing smirks on their faces.

"My smart little man," murmured Lorcan.

Aelin squealed and ran towards the inflatable, pulling her hand away from his arm too late and almost knocking Rowan down. Lorcan was immediately there to hold him up.

"I knew it!" cried Aelin, laughing as soon as she took off her shoes and went inside the little bouncy house.

Aedion, who was jumping as if his life depended on it as he laughed his head off, suddenly froze. Evangeline, next to him, kept jumping with such an impassive face that it was almost worrying.

Aedion approached her with fast steps, bouncing from one side to the other, "I'm not having fun, Eva made me do it!"

The little girl stopped, shaking her head. Aelin laughed, "I see it."

Evangeline passed by her, puffing, "That's not true. He paid me to get on this thing."

Aelin opened her mouth wide and hit Aedion in the chest, "Admit you want an inflatable house too."

Aedion came so close to her that their noses touched each other, "Never."

"You literally just paid a little girl to pretend to make you come up here with her." she deadpanned.

When he remained silent, Aelin turned her head slightly, keeping her eyes fixed on him, and shouted, "Eva! How much did he pay you?"

"You paid her?!" cried Lysandra, looking out into the little house.

"I didn't!" Aedion defended himself.

Evangeline's face appeared under Lysandra's, "He gave me 50 bucks." and then she disappeared.

"Aedion!"

They all broke out laughing when the boy started running around the garden, chased by his girlfriend. Lysandra was yelling at him to stop so she could beat him up for giving money to a little girl just to have fun on an inflatable.

Manon appeared next to Elide and Yrene and the grin on her face promised nothing good, "The time has come..." then she stepped forward, "Nadia! Adrien! Attack!"

The two children broke out in a war cry and began to run toward Aedion, who seemed sincerely frightened when he saw Nadia spriting toward him.

They tackled him to the ground almost immediately and climbed on him while everyone around them laughed.

Aelin, still sitting on the edge of the bouncy house, burst out laughing, happy and carefree with her family.

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[abraxos-is-toothless]

The Beauty That Is She

Started this a few weeks back but never finished so I decided I would:) It will be in about 4/5 parts? Maybe a few more if I feel as though it needs it.

This will be about Fenrys and an Original character, but the character’s name came from the books:)

Full Masterlist.

—————

Fenrys was feeling the most relaxed today than he had in weeks, they had all been run ragged with meeting after meeting, everyone wanting to see his Queen about requests for this and requests for that. He loved his Queen he truly did, she’d saved his life. She gave him a home and a family. But damn it if he didn’t want to strangle her sometimes for making him sit through the boring shit every day. Fenrys was glad they finally had a short break from it all since today it was the twins’ twentieth year of life, and he had only been given one order from Rowan this morning. Search all the rutting nooks and crannies of the castle to find his mischievous son. Connall –Aelin had asked him the day their son was born if he’d allow her to name him after his brother, he’d cried (not that he would ever admit that) and said he’d be honoured- was only seventeen and looked exactly like his father but had the same fiery and devious personality as his mother. They could often be seen plotting together in the corner and then be a new plank played on his elder sisters a few days later. The twins –Nehemia and Evalin- always got revenge after going to their father for new ideas.

Connall was meant to be testing his magic with Rowan while the girls trained with their Uncle Aedion, however he would never go the first time you asked and eventually you would have to drag him out to the courtyard, but luckily for Fenrys he knew all of the boys hiding spots. He found him sitting in front of the window of the corridor leading to the Great Hall with his nose buried in a book; Dorian brought him a new one every time he had to visit for boring royal business. “Con? You know it’s your turn to train with your father, the sooner you do it the sooner you can go back to your books.” Once those pine green eyes met his gaze and the boy let out a very audible sigh he chuckled lightly- he was too much like his mother for his own good.

“I’ll never be able to live up to the power he holds so what does it matter if I train or not?”

They had this argument every time and Fenrys’ answer was always the same, “It doesn’t matter if you hold the same power that Rowan does, your parents just want you to learn so you have multiple things to fall back on if you ever get put into harm's way.” Con finally put his book down and agreed to go train as long as he would come and help him too. He said yes, as he always had to each of the kids since the day they were born.

Once they had both stepped out into the courtyard you could hear Aedion’s deep laughter and a war cry from one of the girls from not being able to get the upper hand on him yet. As they got closer Fenrys noticed that his Queen was sitting up in one of the trees, smirking as she watched her girls trying to figure out where they were going wrong. Rowan was stood off to the side with his arms crossed over his chest and a calculating look on his face, and Lysandra was reprimanding her husband whilst rubbing a hand across her swollen belly asking him to ease up on them for a few minutes and as for the girls, they were throwing insults back and forth blaming each other for their screw up. Nehemia was her mother through and through. Looked like her, sassed like her and had even inherited the power of fire. Not a lot of course, but she and Aelin trained with it as much as they could, the Queen knowing from experience what happens when you don’t. Evalin was different from any of them. She looked like Rowan, most likely because of the hair, but she had Aelin’s eyes. Her powers were extraordinary too, being able to bring forth her father's ice and wind, yet she too could master fire.

Rowan had been almost out of his wits when they had realised what she could do, having witnessed Aelin’s power almost destroy her several times. It had taken Lorcan and himself what had felt like days to reassure him that she would be fine, that all three of them would teach her how to stay in control and Aelin would teach her how to disperse little increments, as not to be overloaded by it.

“Rowan, I’ve found your devil spawn, he’s all yours.” With a wink at the boy in question he shoved him by the shoulder towards the magic lecture that awaited him and walked over to lean against the tree that Aelin was currently sat in. Looking up at her he asked “How’re they doing today?” Dragging her eyes from the girls to focus on him she said, “Mia just wants to throw herself head first into the chaos but Lin keeps trying to tell her about the strategies that you taught her.” He grinned then and turned back towards the sparring blondes muttering ‘That’s my girl.’ Eva -the name only he was allowed to call her; she said it was because people always chose ‘Lin’ or ‘Eve’ but he was the first to use ‘Eva’- had always been the sensible one, using that beautiful brain of hers constantly to break down each sparring scenario they were given and trying to find the weak spots of each opponent she was given. Mia on the other hand had inherited her mother’s stubbornness and seemed to favour the teachings of Lorcan whenever he came for training; kill first and ask questions later. Gods, someone needed to start keeping a closer eye on the two of them on Lorcan’s day for lessons. Maybe Elide could chaperone for a change. Lady Lochan despised watching her husband train, so she always says, yet the two would disappear the minute he stopped. But she was the only one that was able to keep him in check, so he would suffer with the scent of the two of them, if only to stop Mia from becoming a terrifying mix of Death and Fire.

After a few hours had passed, Fenrys was watching Connall throw shard after shard of ice for his father to dodge when Eva caught his eye from across the yard and he watched her pull a manoeuvre he’d taught her a few days ago on a clueless Aedion, making him laugh. She turned towards him then, but he froze suddenly as turquoise eyes locked with his. There was a sudden tug on his soul that left him breathless and made his senses feel heightened. She had felt it too it seemed because her sword arm had fallen limp at her side, however the distraction cost her, when Aedion’s blade managed to slice across Eva’s shoulder. He watched her cry out and drop to her knees yet he couldn’t hear anything past the blood rushing in his ears but from the vibrations in his chest he knew he was growling. All eyes were flicking between the wounded female on the floor and him; Rowan had stopped just short of his daughter when he heard Fenrys. He couldn’t focus on anything other than the fact that Eva was hurt and bleeding and that there was a voice in the back of his head that would not stop shouting at him, over and over.

Mate. Mate. Mate.

Of all the people fate had to choose for him, it gave him someone that was very much off limits. Rowan fucking Whitehorn’s daughter. Oh he was so very, very dead. Everything had come back to him now and he could still hear himself growling when he said “Whitehorn. Do. Not. Move.” The threat was stupid of course because that was her god’s damned father, but she was hurt, she was bleeding and Rowan was incredibly close to her and nearly cutting her from his line of sight.

He knew that Rowan knew then, when he caught him scenting the air and turned to look at him but simply stated, “Do not assume to think you have some claim on her because of what has just been revealed, she hasn’t even accepted you yet. She has no idea what this means.”

Aelin had come down from the tree now and was steadily walking towards them, eyes only for her daughter. Eva looked to her mother when she was close enough to kneel at her side and, voice laced with confusion, asking, “What’s happening? What haven’t I accepted? I don’t understand.” Every instinct was screaming at him to go to her, to soothe her and tell her everything was going to be alright, however, as he dared to lift his foot to do just that, Rowan was blocking his path in an instant.

“Please. Please just let me go to her. You know how this feels, just. Please.” There was a hand placed on his shoulder then, as a comfort or a restraint he wasn’t sure.

“Not until she understands.”

Connall was now on the ground by his sister helping her to heal faster with his magic. Mia was looking at them all with confusion and curiosity. Aedion and Lys seemed to be torn between leaving to give them privacy and staying to provide some sort of back up just in case. Not they needed to; he’d never, ever, put her in danger.

“Lin,” Aelin was saying, “I need you to listen to me carefully okay?” A nod for her mother but her eyes were focused on him. “Do you remember the story I told you about when Manon and I fought?”

“You said that when you were trying to get away again, Manon’s friend Asterin shot an arrow that was aimed for you but daddy jumped in front of it.” Eva’s words were a little slow and shaky, probably trying to recall as much of the story as she could. He tried taking another step, growling again when Rowan tightened the grip on his shoulder. He watched as her eyes went wide, and there was a slight twitch of her hand, as if she too wanted to reach out for him.

“And then what did I tell you about that moment?”

Eva’s brows furrowed and he wanted to press his thumb into the spot, smoothing it away. She was beautiful, truly, no matter what she was doing and he wanted to tell her, wanted to breathe the words against her lips, neck, her stomach, and then lower. The last few years, he hadn’t stopped noticing her beauty, and it was difficult at first. She had always been Rowan’s daughter but now, now he didn’t care. Now he just wanted, wanted, wanted.

“You said that you had screamed because in that moment you had felt...you had...he was...” Her eyes widened and her head whipped towards her mother, her breathing ragged and the scent of her filling the air. She was a mix of pine and jasmine, a mix of her parents, and it was the most intoxicating scent. He breathed in deeply as his eyes fluttered for a moment, letting it calm him.

Suddenly, Eva was standing, legs a little wobbly as she walked over to him and tapping Rowan’s arm, silently asking him to move. His brother hesitated but relented and stepped back, taking Aelin’s hand in his own as they watched their daughter. She was right in front of him now, head tilted back to actually look at him and that voice in his mind returned.

Mate. Mate. Mate.

His breath caught in his throat when she lifted one of her hands and stroked from his temple to his jaw, then cupping his cheek gently in her palm. Fenrys let out and unsteady breath and his heart soared when she whispered into the space between them;

“You’re my mate.”

—————

I’ll probably make a little personality thing on each of the kids at some point, just to go into more depth. If you want to be in the tags for this then just let me know!!:))

Tags: @bryaxisthefaceofnightmares @fancyclodpaintercookie @empress-sei @acourtofterrasenandvelaris @tswaney17 @queen-of-glass @thesirenwashere @awkward-avocado-s @b00kworm @http-itsrebecca @eatmysandwiches @poisonous00 @flowersinvegas @julemmaes @mu-si-ca-l @spyofthenightcourt @sis-it-dont-add-up  @mad-madeline-ace​ @df3ndyr @jesstargaryenqueen @notyournymphetish @nightcourtcinnamonroll @acourtofmarauders @rhyswhitethorn @booknerdproblems

[dawninlatin]

Queen of Peace - chapter 11

A Manorian High School AU

Words: 2601

AO3 Link

Masterlist

Summary: Manon Blackbeak is flawless, untouchable. From the outside at least. Her grandmother pushes her to achieve greatness, and she doesn’t let anyone get too close in fear of being hurt. How can anyone love her when not even her parents could?

Dorian Havilliard has always felt safe and confident around his friends. He might not have the greatest of families, but with Aelin and Chaol by his side, nothing can go wrong. That is until he tries keeping his greatest secret from them.

What will happen when Dorian and Manon gets to know one another? Can two lost souls find their way back together?

And the heart is hard to translate

It has a language of its own

-Florence + The Machine, All This and Heaven Too

«Manon! Gods, are you okay?» Asterin ran over to her, voice frantic, eyes lined with worry.

Throwing a glance over her shoulder, Manon contemplated the crowded hallway. There were too many nosey ears and eyes that could eavesdrop.

«Not here,» Manon hissed to her cousin, pulling her into an empty classroom and closing the door behind them. This wasn’t a conversation meant to be had in public.

For a moment, none of them said anything, and Manon let her eyes rove over Asterin. She was seemingly unharmed, and Manon couldn’t stop the wave of relief that coursed through her.

The same couldn’t be said for herself. She’d spent a grueling hour that morning trying to cover up the thin cut on her cheek, but to no avail, the angry red line still visible. She hoped Asterin was too distracted by the fact that she had just been kicked out to notice.

Uncomfortable silence filled the room, and in lack of better words, Manon asked her cousin, «How are you?» She wasn’t sure if she wanted the conversation that would surely follow.

«I’m fine,» Asterin answered, looking down at her shoes. «She was so eager to get me out that she didn’t even bother to fully yell at me.» She let out a low laugh, but it was devoid of any emotion.

«Anyways, I’m staying with Hunter from now on. I should have left months ago.»

Manon didn’t say anything, only crossed her arms. Her grandmother’s words from last night echoing in her mind.

If I hear you talk to her, so much as look at her, I’ll make you regret it.

This was a mistake. She should have ignored Asterin from the second she approached her. Already, Manon was disappointing her grandmother, was ruining everything for herself. How could she be so stupid? So weak?

She had lain awake most of the night, worrying about her cousin, trying to convince herself that she didn’t really care where Asterin was. For she was merely a distraction, an obstacle, keeping her from reaching her goals, keeping her from doing better.

I truly thought you could be different from your mother. Better.

She would. She would do better. Be better.

Yet here you are, that vicious voice in her head whispered.

«You can move in with us too. It’ll be a bit crowded, but we’ll figure something out. I’ve already clarified things with Hunter. We’ll figure this out, Manon.»

Manon blinked in confusion, taking a step away from her cousin, who looked at her with such worry, such pity. Manon didn’t want any of it.

«What are you talking about?» she hissed back, brows furrowing.

«You can’t stay there. You don’t have to endure her anymore.» Asterin’s eyes were burning with clarity, with determination.

«And why not?» How could she possibly think Manon wanted to move away from their grandmother? The woman who had done everything in her power to make sure they succeeded in life. To make sure they didn’t end up like their own mothers. And here Asterin was, throwing it all away. It was her own fault, Manon said to herself.

Asterin nodded towards her cheek, saying in a quiet voice, «She did that, didn’t she?»

Manon stilled.

Was it that obvious?

She focused her eyes on the wall, a feeble lie ready on her tongue. «I don’t know what you’re talking about. I startled Abraxos and he scratched my cheek. It won’t even scar.»

Guilt churned deep in her stomach for bringing her innocent cat into this, but she couldn’t handle Asterin’s judgement if she had known the truth.

It didn’t work though, for Asterin said, «We both know that’s bullshit. Abraxos wouldn’t hurt a fly.»

And it was the anger in Asterin’s voice that made Manon meet her cousin’s gaze once more.

Betrayal, that was the name of the thing burning in Asterin’s eyes.

«Why do you keep defending her?» Her voice was shaking, with anger or sadness, Manon didn’t know, and Asterin didn’t budge.

«She only wants what’s best for us,» Manon said, chin held high.

«You can’t possibly believe that? She’s insane, Manon.» Asterin was raising her voice. Anger, then.

«Where would we have been without her?»

«She kicked me out. She doesn’t care about us.»

Manon scoffed, crossing her arms once more. When she stayed silent, Asterin said, «How can you be so blind?»

She could feel her anger growing at Asterin’s accusations. How could she be so blind? Asterin was the blind one for throwing it all away. For choosing something as stupid as love over her own future. Manon was done with this conversation, wanted to end it as fast as possible.

Which was why she delivered one last blow to Asterin. «Getting kicked out is the least you  deserve after getting yourself knocked up by a boy who will leave at the first sign of some real responsibility. Don’t come crawling to me when you find yourself homeless and heartbroken. You’re off the dance team, by the way.»

Asterin had opened her mouth to say something, but she quickly shut it as Manon’s words hit her. Tears began gathering in the corners of her eyes, and she placed a protective hand over her still-flat stomach. The sight made Manon want to vomit.

She was certain that Asterin would run crying out of the room, but she didn’t. Instead, she took a steadying breath, looked up at her cousin with narrowed eyes, and hissed, her voice as vicious as ever, «I thought you were different, but you truly are her creature.»

Manon slumped against the wall as Asterin left the room, not understanding why it felt as if she’d been punched in the gut.

You truly are her creature.

-

Dorian had been staring at the same page for five minutes now. All day, he’d been looking forward to lunch, to finally finish the thrilling book he’d started reading earlier that week. Except it was impossible to focus.

Everywhere, it was so loud, too loud. The cafeteria, his friends, his own head.

The past week had been stressing, to say the least. Manon still wouldn’t talk to him, and he hadn’t had the chance, either, since he barely saw her at school. It was as if she’d become a ghost.

He tore his eyes away from the book to scan the cafeteria, hoping to spot that white ponytail somewhere in the crowd. His heart skipped a beat as he spotted Asterin, Manon’s cousin, but she was sitting alone, Manon nowhere in sight.

As he finished scanning the room, his eyes met Aelin’s. She lifted an eyebrow in silent question. Everything okay?

Shaking his head, Dorian shifted his gaze to the door. He jumped slightly as he spotted something resembling white hair, but it wasn’t Manon, and he couldn’t help the disappointment that filled his body.

When he looked back at Aelin, her face said, Don’t worry. She’ll come to you if she wants to talk. Giving him a kind smile, she dived back into the conversation she’d been having with Rowan and Chaol. Dorian had no idea what it was about, so he tried to focus on his book.

Don’t worry.

She made it sound so easy.

Nothing about the he was missing Manon was easy. In fact, it was close to driving him insane. And it was only the tip of the iceberg of the many worries he had…

Like yesterday, when he’d had to sit through another one of the weekly family dinners.

Dorian wasn’t sure what was worse. His parents fighting or them pretending everything was fine.

Through the entire dinner, he’d fought the urge not to vomit. All because of his father, sitting there, spewing out offensive comments, one after the other, his mother, pretending she didn’t hear any of it, and his brother, throwing ridiculous tantrums just to get their attention.

And it had been another dinner, where courage failed him, Dorian still hiding the fact that he was bi.

Someone in the cafeteria laughed a little too loud, and Dorian had to stop himself from covering his ears. He glanced at the clock. There were still 20 minutes left of lunch break.

«I-I have to get some air,» he stuttered to his friends, abruptly standing up, his chair scraping against the floor.

Before any of them had the chance to reply, he was out the door, heading towards his spot in the library.

He would have opted for outside, but it was pouring rain, so the library it was.

As Dorian rushed for the hidden alcove, he willed his breathing to calm, his head to keep quiet. All he wanted was some peace to read his book and not think so much.

What he hadn’t expected, was to find Manon.

-

You truly are her creature.

Since the argument with Asterin the day before, this had been the sole clear thought in Manon’s head.

She couldn’t focus anymore. Not in her classes, not at dance practice, not at night, when all she wanted was deep, dreamless sleep. Instead, Manon laid awake, worrying.

It was all too much. She couldn’t possibly keep her promise to her grandmother when she was unable to focus. She had a math test tomorrow, damn it, but whenever she tried to study, her mind went blank.

Luckily her grandmother had left for work again that morning. It made it all a little easier when she didn’t have to constantly lie about her schoolwork.

Manon had no idea what to do when she got a bad grade on that test though…

Right now, it felt as if the world was moving faster than what she could follow.

And all that guilt, for lying to her grandmother, for what she’d said to Asterin, for failing, again and again. It was choking her.

She’d gone to sit in the library, in that hidden alcove where she’d first met Dorian, during lunch, didn’t want to risk running into Asterin in the cafeteria, or the rest of her dance team for that matter. The news that Asterin was off the team hadn’t been met very well.

At least the library was better than the girls bathroom. Her life hadn’t gotten that sad yet.

You wouldn’t be so lonely, had you not pushed Dorian away, a voice echoed in her mind.

Manon cursed it.

Still, thinking about Dorian made her feel all strange. Was she missing him? Was this what was happening?

It had been a mistake to befriend him, if she could even call it that. A stupid mistake.

After she’d finished her lunch, Manon glanced at the clock and saw that it was still 20 minutes left of the break.

She relished the stillness of the library. Here, breathing was a little easier, thinking, too.

That was, until a panicked-looking Dorian appeared around the corner of the shelf.

It felt as if they were back to that day, months ago, when they’d first met.

«Why do you always show up whenever I want to be alone?» Manon tried her very best to hide the surprise and comfort and sadness in seeing him.

Her words seemed to pull Dorian out of whatever stupor he’d been in, and he gave her a narrowed look. «That was one time, and lucky for you, I’m not in the mood to talk right now.» His shoulders sagged at the last part, but his voice remained empty, cold.

As he sat down next to her, Manon was tempted do gather her things and leave, but she didn’t, as if curious to see what happened next.

You can’t stay away from him, can you?

She sighed, leaning her head back and closing her eyes.

Dorian didn’t say anything, the silence stretching out, becoming uncomfortable.

Sighing once more, Manon asked, «What’s up with the mood, anyway?»

«I thought you wanted to be alone?»

She didn’t answered, only stared, raising an eyebrow.

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Dorian said, «It’s just…a lot, right now.»

Then everything poured out of him.

«Senior year is more stressing than I thought, and my parents are fighting all the time, which makes it really hard for me, because I’ve been trying to come out to them as bi for months, but my dad keeps being a homophobic asshole and I don’t think my mom knows what planet we’re on, and then you stopped talking to me all of a sudden and just-»

He groaned, head falling into his hands.

Manon had no idea what to say, what to do. She’d never been good with emotions. So she asked about the least complicated part of what he’d revealed. «You’re bi?» There was no accusation in her voice, or shock, only curiosity.

Dorian let out a breath of relief. «Yeah,» he said, voice weak.

«Cool,» was all Manon said in answer.

«You don’t care that I’m bi?»

«Why the fuck would I care about that?»

Dorian looked like he wanted to say something, but he didn’t. Instead, that awkward silence returned.

Manon felt like she had to say something again. «I mean it Dorian, your sexuality is none of my business.»

«Thanks,» he said, giving her a tight smile.

Manon looked down at her hands, picking at one of her nails.

«So,» Dorian started, drawing a deep breath. «Why are you brooding in the library?»

She gave him a look that said, I’m not answering that.

«You’re the one who started this conversation.» Dorian stretched out his long legs, getting comfortable.

Oh, she wasn’t getting out of this one.

«I’m just-» Manon sighed, not knowing where to start.

I feel like a constant disappointment to everyone.

I feel like a failure, a liar, a fraud.

I miss you.

«I’m lonely,» she said.

Dorian searched her with those blue eyes of his, his expression going sad.

«Maybe you wouldn’t be so lonely if you hadn’t ignored me for weeks,» Dorian suggested quietly, still looking at her.

«You know nothing,» Manon hissed.

The realization of what she’d said, what she’d accidentally referenced, hit them both at the same time, and Dorian’s chuckle was quickly followed by one of her own.

«I’m sorry,» he managed to choke out between the fits of laughter. «This isn’t funny,» Dorian continued, but it was. It really was.

Why had she thought it was a good idea to ignore him? Manon asked herself as she tried, and failed, to control her laughter.

Because for the first time in weeks, she could breathe again…even if the breathless cackling said otherwise.

But everything it felt light, and easy.

Maybe…just maybe, this was what she needed to stay focused. To do better.

The only thing she was sure of, was that laughing with Dorian made her feel good, worries be damned.

When the laughter had died down at last, a few giggles still escaping them, Manon and Dorian were sitting against the wall, face to face, eyes locked on one another.

«Why are you staring at me?» Manon whispered, butterflies in her stomach.

Dorian swallowed, not breaking eye contact. «I’m contemplating how stupid it would be to kiss you right now.»

Manon drew a shuddering breath, all while gazing into those blue eyes. She could get lost in them.

To hell with it, a voice said inside her. A voice she hadn’t heard before. It sounded wise, and confident, and Manon decided to listen to it. To hell with it, indeed.

Then she leaned in and pressed her lips to his.

A/N: What's up my dudes!

As always, it's been forever since last time, but hey! It wasn't six weeks this time....

Things are starting to happen now, though! Next chapter will be a filler, and therefore quite short, but that means I'll hopefully get it out in the near future:)

Taglist: @fireheartdreamerstarborn​ @bookishwitchling​ @ladywitchling​ @kit-12​ @onfma​ (this is a taglist for ALL my manorian fics, let me know if you want to be added!)

[creampuffqueen]

Manon x Dorian baby heacanons

Introducing: witches!

-Manon and Dorian are, to say the least, an interesting couple

-They both have a TON of rebuilding to do after the war, so they're incredibly busy. They do see each other fairly frequently, though, as their countries border one another and Manon comes to train the wyverns.

-And whenever she's over in Adarlan, Dorian always meets her. Like always. Almost like he misses and cares about her or something.

-And we all know what these two get up to when they meet. We know what goes on in those bedrooms, closets, bathrooms, abandoned hallways, etc.

-But as Dorian's court, and his mother, return to the castle, people are pushing him to get married. His mother is flinging courtly ladies at him every other day.

-The witches don't care if Manon gets married, because it wouldn't matter anyway. A man that married into the royal bloodline could never be a witch king, unless he was an actual witch.

-But people in Adarlan want a queen.

-And Dorian is thinking about Manon all the time, he never stops thinking about her. He also thinks about what Yrene said when they parted, about them getting married.

-Finally when Manon comes to visit, Dorian decides to talk with her about it. She's slowly getting better at talking about her feelings, so she doesn't immediately slice Dorian in half when he suggests they talk.

-Dorian remembers her proposal, that night in the snow during the war. He knows she could never stand to be shackled to someone.

-So they talk about it

-And they come to the conclusion: They could stand to be married to each other.

-But the problem is that both are sole rulers of their countries. Manon has no heirs, nor does Dorian, and there's no way in hell he's letting Hollin have the throne.

-So they decide that they will be married. But they will live in their own countries and see each other as much as possible. That way they can still rule, but they will appease the people and themselves. And since they won't always be living together, Manon won't feel tied down.

-Dorian jokingly gets down on one knee to pop the question, Manon just rolls her eyes, says "yes" and hauls him to his feet before shutting him up with a kiss.

-They announce it right before she leaves, and Dorian is surprised his mother doesn't faint with the shock.

-Dorian decides to go with Manon to the wastes to announce it, and nobody there is surprised. Like at all. Glennis just grins at him, and the rest of the witches are like "congrats. Let's eat".

-The wedding is a quiet affair. They invite their friends and family, and it's a quick ceremony. Manon wears her flying leathers and strides down the isle with Abraxos at her side.

-Despite the simplicity, it's a good wedding, and Manon feels happy for the first time in ages.

-For the first six months they hardly leave each other's sides. They alternate between the Wastes and Adarlan. It's great. After six months they separate just a little, like Dorian going back to the palace for a while, and Manon stays in the Wastes. They still prefer to be together, though.

-After Yrene, Aelin, and Elide start popping out children left and right, Manon and Dorian are like "oh yeah, we should probably do that soon."

-Honestly they're the most chill couple out there. They have a chill talk about the whole heir situation, and decide this:

-They need two heirs, one for each kingdom. As a man Dorian can have kids for like seventy more years to come, but they want to have some while he's still young, and they want to have some near the age of the other kids they'll inevitably be hanging out with.

-So they try for a baby.

-With Manon's Crochan blood and Dorian's magic, they conceive quickly.

-With how busy they've been, Manon hasn't had much time to dwell on the past. But when she finds out she's expecting it all comes rushing back. Asterin would have been so happy for her. All of the Thirteen would have been so happy for her.

-Her pregnancy is fairly easy, compared to some. She's mostly just very emotional, and it's annoying because she has to keep up a badass reputation with her subjects.

-Dorian is so on top of things, he just wants her to be safe. Manon is conflicted between letting herself be cooped up, as is the witch custom, or just going on normally. She decides to act normal around everyone except Dorian, who is the only person she will allow to bundle her up and keep her confined.

-Dorian is so so excited to be a dad, he's already a bomb uncle to little Amelie and Rygan, and he adores all the other kids he's around. But deep down he's super super worried, because his dad was an asshole and what if he ends up like him?

-Manon is sick of being pregnant when she's like five months in. Because people are treating her differently, even Dorian, acting like she's fragile. And she's not fragile, but at the same time she's scared that she is because she grew up hearing the horror stories of witch birthings. But Crochans have it easier, they often have multiple children, so she hopes she can make it through.

-Yrene offers to deliver the baby, which Manon is fine with. Even more fine with when she suddenly goes into labor about a month early.

-Its a good thing Yrene was at the castle with her husband and children for a small party (Celebrating Chaol's birthday)

-The baby comes fast, like, born in only a few hours fast.

-Manon holds her baby in the wee hours of the morning. The baby doesn't have the same birthday as Chaol.

-It's a girl, which Manon already knew. She knew she'd have a little witchling.

-Despite the fact that the baby was born early, Manon is perfectly fine.

-And despite the fact she was born early and is a little small, the baby is perfectly fine as well.

-The baby has shining black hair, like her father. But when she opens her eyes they are a burning gold like her mothers.

-They decide to wait a bit to name her. They want to know what her future will be.

-After some talking a bit of debate, they decide again. This couple has become very good at making decisions.

-This baby girl will be the Crown Princess of Adarlan. This is since Dorian is mortal, and he could die, at like, any time. In theory.

-He won't, but you know what I mean. Adarlan needs an heir before the Wastes do.

-Because she's Adarlan's princess, Manon hands over the naming to Dorian.

-He wonders aloud if its tasteless to name your baby after a dead lover. Manon shrugs and says "Aelin and Rowan have done it. Just name the gods damned baby"

-She is named Aris Sorscha Blackbeak Crochan-Havilliard. Her name rivals that of Lyria Nehemia Ashryver Whitethorn Galathynius.

-Aris is a good baby. A very good baby. She's always smiling and is sweet and very curious

-Surprisingly, Manon takes to motherhood very easily and naturally. At first whenever the baby cried she put her in bed with her and Dorian, but eventually she just gives up on the crib and they all co-sleep, which Manon later informs Dorian is something most witch mothers do. But she thought she wouldn't be able to stand having a baby in her bed, which is why she tried the crib.

-Dorian is a bomb dad. He never puts that child down, like, ever. Manon thinks it cute until she wants to hold the baby, then its annoying.

-They don't know if it's safe for a baby to travel by wyvern, so Manon rules her kingdom by messenger for about six months.

-Then she starts wyvern-training Aris

-She and Dorian take the baby to Abraxos, who falls in love with the babe at first sight. A few days later they take her on a small flight around a tower. Then around the garden, just over the top of the bushes. Then around the castle. Aris loves it, and she lets out little baby squeals and giggles.

-Being a witch, the air pressure doesn't bother her, and Manon watches her infant daughter flick down her third eyelid against the wind on instinct.

-They bring her to the Wastes, where everyone is happy to see them. There's an actual party for the homecoming of Aris, despite the fact the witches know she's not their heir.

-Glennis takes on her role of grandmother, or in this case, great-grandmother.

-Aris takes her first steps in the Wastes, as any proper witchling should. By this time its plain as day that she has Ironteeth blood. Whenever the baby gets excited she accidentally flicks out her iron teeth or nails.

-Her first birthday is celebrated in Adarlan, and she says her first word the same day. It's "dada"

-After her first birthday, Aris starts to show signs of her father's raw magic. Random objects will be thrown from the shelves whenever she throws a tantrum, gusts of wind blow through the nursery whenever she dreams, water will spurt from her bottle across the room, and other incidents occur.

-Aris is extremely curious, and she has a bit of a free spirit. She has a whole castle to roam and explore, and explore it she does. Dorian and Manon lose count of how many times they lose the baby.

-When she's about a year and three quarters, Manon suddenly gets a little bit of baby fever. She can't believe her daughter is almost two, and she longs for the days when she was just a wee babe in her arms, and not a squirming, magic witchling toddler. She loves her baby, but she can't believe how fast she's grown.

-She thinks its a bit undignified to feel like this, but she tells Dorian anyway. They decide to start thinking about another baby, an Heir for the Wastes.

-Well, thinking apparently leads to doing, because Manon finds out she's pregnant again about a month later.

-They tell Aris first, that she's going to be a big sister. She's so excited that the bedspread catches fire. Good thing they're used to things like that at this point and Dorian quickly puts it out and gets new sheets.

-Manon's second pregnancy isn't as emotional as it is nauseating. She's so sick, she can't hardly think about flying or else she'll puke. They're in the Wastes at this point, and Dorian has to return to Adarlan for an important meeting, and he doesn't want to leave Aris with Manon when her mother can hardly move without getting sick. So he takes the baby with him, and Aris is separated from her mother for the first time.

-She handles it surprisingly well, except for asking "wheres mommy" every ten minutes.

-Dorian spends as much time with his wife as he can while she's pregnant, but because the pregnancy is so rough he often has to take full charge of Aris, which usually means he has to leave Manon.

-It's upsetting, but it all works out in the end.

-The second Blackbeak Crochan-Havilliard girl is born in the middle of the afternoon, in the Witch Kingdom. Dorian had planned to bring Aris with him to stay with Manon in the final stretch of her pregnancy, but the baby comes early, while Dorian is still in Adarlan.

-Another witchling, with moon-white hair and sapphire eyes.

-Manon's heir, the Crown Princess of the Witch Kingdom

-Manon names her daughter Nysa Asterin

-She wishes she could name her daughter after all of the Thirteen, but that would be way too many names. So she settles for Asterin

-Right from the start, Nysa is a difficult baby. Unlike Aris, she is very fussy all the time and only quiets down if she's being held. After being separated from her family for so long Manon isn't going anywhere anytime soon, so she's fine with constantly holding a baby.

-Aris loves her baby sister, she always wants to hold her, but that makes Nysa cry, so then Aris gets upset and cries too.

-Nysa is wyvern-trained as well, and she loves it as much as her sister does.

-All of Nysa's firsts are in the Wastes. First steps, first words (Mama), first birthday. She goes to Adarlan as well, but she waits to have a first until she gets back to the Witch Kingdom

-Its right after Nysa's first birthday that Manon starts to feel funny. Like a, morning sickness funny.

-Oh

-They didn't plan for a third baby. They didn't plan for another baby at all. They had their heirs, their perfect and wonderful daughters, and that was all they needed.

-But, hey, it's happened, and there's no turning back now.

-So they tell their girls that they're getting another sister. Because Manon is sure that she's having another girl.

-This pregnancy isn't hard, like, at all. It's a breath of fresh air after the last one, especially since she has to look after two toddlers this time.

-And as usual, Manon is right. It's a baby girl.

-Her hair is white, like hers, but her eyes...

-One is bright gold. And the other is sparkling sapphire

-She's gorgeous

-They decide on her name together, because she technically is heir to both kingdoms.

-Her name is Kerrigan Rhiannon, along with her massive amount of last names.

-And holy gods, Kerrigan is a wild child.

-She walks and talks earlier than both her older sisters. By the time she's one and a half she's stringing together full sentences.

-And like both her sisters, she has both the iron nails and teeth, and raw magic. And she uses all her abilities to make trouble. Since she's not really a Crown Princess like her sisters, she gets away with a lot more and gets into way more trouble.

-When the girls are six, four, and three, Manon and Dorian decide to split them up and take them to their respective kingdoms. They see each other and visit often, but they spend a majority of their time with one parent. Except for Kerrigan, who hops between her parents nearly every time they visit.

-As the girls grow and their training gets more intense, both as warriors/magic wielders and princesses, they spend less and less time together.

-Of course, except for Kerrigan. She does what she wants. She has basic etiquette lessons and basic fighting lessons, but that's about it. Sometimes she requests more training, sometimes she doesn't.

-Manon and Dorian do their best to keep their children on good terms with each other, but it can be hard. Mostly between Aris and Nysa.

-The schedule for living with their parents is that they stay with one for nine months, and the other for three. Aris stays with Dorian for 9 and Manon 3, and Nysa has the opposite. And again. Kerrigan does what she wants.

-Some jealousy grows between the sisters, for getting to spend more time with one parent or whatever. Sometimes Kerrigan gets jealous that her sisters have such a structured life, and sometimes her sisters get jealous that she gets to do what she wants.

-As Aris gets older, she gets very bookish. She lives with Dorian for nine months of the year, so it's natural she loves reading. But she loves reading so much that she'll stay up late and be tired in the morning. Dorian, with a heavy heart, tells Aris that she can't read at night so she won't be tired. And Aris, naturally, doesn't listen, and instead reads by a single candle, or sometimes by moonlight. She does it so much she wrecks her eyesight.

-Nysa, living with witches for most of the year, is a lot more ruthless and bloodthirsty than her older sister is. She isn't raised to be a killing machine, like Manon was, but she's raised to be powerful.

-This difference in training creates a bit of a rift between Aris and Nysa, as Nysa believes her sister isn't using her full potential as a raw magic wielding witch when she spends so much time reading, and Aris thinks her sister is too bloodthirsty.

-However, they keep their arguments to themselves. So much, in fact, that their own parents don't know they don't get along

-When Nysa is ten, she begs Manon for a wyvern. And in this case, Manon relents to her children right away. She lets all three of them get a wyvern.

-She lets them each pick a hatchling and train it themselves. (Or really, train it themselves with quite a bit of help from Manon)

-And honestly it's the best feeling ever for Manon to be riding Abraxos through the clouds, with her daughters following behind her on their own wyverns and whooping to the skies.

-It's the best mother-daughter bonding moment possible. When they go off riding Dorian always conveniently has something to do. Really he just loves the idea of his wife and daughters all having bonding time together.

-For Dorian, the best bonding moments with his daughters differ for each. With Aris its either reading together or teaching her to do ballroom dances. With Nysa it's fencing and sparring. And with Kerrigan it's teaching her how to use her magic.

-They're a sight to see all together, five terrifying yet attractive people, all on wyverns.

-And even though they squabble and fight, they still all love each other.

-And that love is all Manon and Dorian could ever ask for.

The story Worlds of Fire and Darkness takes place when Aris is 18, Nysa is 16, and Kerrigan is 15

[theladyofdeath]

After the Fall {2}

Throne of Glass fanfiction.

Warning: mature content throughout.

Centered dominantly around Aelin + Rowan, Lysandra + Aedion. Others make appearances throughout.

Click here for the masterlist.

“You’re not scared?”

Sam laughed, bright and beautiful. “Of course, I am. I’m scared shitless. But...I don’t know. I...we created a baby, A.”

Aelin smiled, despite the gut-wrenching fear that had been tearing at her since the little blue plus sign showed up on that pregnancy test days before.

Sam picked her up and swung her around before laying her back on his bed. Once he was hovering gently over her, Aelin pressed her palm against his stubbled cheek. “You don’t think we’re too young for this?”

“Of course we are,” he replied, simply. But that was Sam. Even the biggest things seemed like the smallest. He always looked at the bright side. Always saw the light at the end of the tunnel. “But it happened. It’s happening. And whatever you decide, I respect that. But, if you want to have this baby, A, I’m going to be the best damn dad in the world. Okay? I’m not going anywhere. I’m going to be here, every day, supporting you, supporting our child…”

Aelin reached herself up to kiss him. “I have no doubt that you will be an amazing dad.”

Sam was everything a woman could hope to find in the father of her children.

Although she was only eighteen - shit, she even had months left until graduation, the year had just begun - she felt a steady calmness as she stared into Sam’s deep, brown eyes. “Am I crazy for wanting to keep it?” she asked.

“If you’re crazy, then so am I,” he smiled, pressing his lips to hers.

They were young, completely naive. They had no idea what it would take to become parents.

And Aelin had no idea that she would be forced to do it all alone. 

High school was over. 

Over, done with.

Not that the end of high school had been all that pleasant. She was eight months pregnant at graduation and had Mara two weeks after. The summer had been pleasant enough. Aelin had always been decent at saving up, so Mara was able to have what she needed and Arobynn paid the bills.

But after he died and life became clear for the first time in a long time, Aelin decided that her savings were running low and it was time to find a job. Three months was more than enough time after giving birth. Of course, it meant she could have to find care for Mara while she was working, but she would work that out later.

“The leaves are starting to fall.”

Aelin smiled. She had always loved Autumn. When the leaves changed colors and graced the ground with their presence, Aelin loved nothing more. “It’s beautiful.”

Lysandra agreed.

It was cold enough to feel a chill but warm enough to only need a light coat. Terrasen was breathtaking in the Fall. 

Mara was enjoying it, too. Her brown eyes were wide open beneath the hat that Aelin had forced her to wear. The blanket that Aedion had given her the day she was born, covered in cute pink, blue, and green cartoon wolves, was wrapped around her as she sat snugly inside of her stroller. 

“Hair salon down the street is hiring a front desk girl,” Lysandra said before sipping on her coffee.

Aelin scrunched her nose. “Eh.”

“Okay,” Lysandra said. “How about janitorial work? I know it doesn’t sound like too much fun, but I know the high school is hiring. For full time, the benefits aren’t bad.”

Aelin shrugged. “I don’t know.” Her voice was clipped, frustration settling in. “I’m not qualified for anything. I have zero experience. All of these places will probably want experience. All I have to offer is a high school diploma.”

Lysandra seemed to pick up on the tension and nodded. “So, what are you thinking, then?”

“That we walk until we see a help wanted sign,” Aelin said, although not too excitedly. “And someone will give me the time of day with a job that has great pay and fantastic benefits without wanting experience.” 

Lysandra had an urge to tell her that it was a shitty plan, but she held her tongue.

So they walked.

And after an hour passed, and Aelin had ignored every help wanted sign that they passed, Lysandra suggested that they stop for lunch.

Mara was in agreement.

They entered a small restaurant and bar and sat in a booth next to a window that looked onto the main strip. Aelin cradled Mara and gave her a bottle while Lysandra read to her off the menu. After agreeing to split a pizza, Aelin sighed. 

“None of the places we passed that are hiring are right for me.”

“Can we really  be picky?” Lysandra mumbled.

Aelin shot her a look. “I’m not being picky. I just don’t want another shitty job.”

“Shitty job?”

Both girls looked up from their subtle argument to find Dorian Havilliard giving them both a sly grin.

Aelin laughed, shaking her head. “I was wondering what happened to you.”

They had gone to high school together, had been in the same circle, but he had graduated the year before and fell out of touch after the death of his father.

“I work here,” he said, smiling, eyeing Mara as she fell asleep in her mother’s arms. “This must be your little one.” 

“Mara Galathynius Cortland,” Aelin said, proudly.

Dorians smile faltered. “I heard about Sam. I saw you at the funeral, but I didn’t want to bother-“

“It’s okay,” Aelin interrupted, because she didn’t want to get into it. “Anyway, how have you been? Still with Manon?”

Dorian’s smile had returned. “Yeah. Three years.”

Aelin felt a sudden pang of jealousy, but quickly brushed it away. “That’s awesome.”

“Hello?” Lysandra sang. “I’m here too.”

Dorian chuckled. “Always a pleasure.”

Lysandra grinned. “Likewise. So, what is it you do here?”

“Oh, I serve while I go to school,” he said. “Usually on nights and weekends, but I’m filling in this afternoon.”

“Are you hiring?” Lysandra asked. “A is in desperate need of employment.”

Lysandra grunted as Aelin kicked her in the shin under the table.

“A server just quit, actually,” Dorian said. “So, yes. I can get you an application-“

“No, that’s okay-“

“She’d love one,” Lysandra smiled. 

“But I’d have to be here on nights and weekends,” Aelin said. “Who would watch-“

“Me,” Lysandra said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. “I work weekday mornings, it’s perfect. You wouldn’t have to pay for daycare like you would if you got a day job.”

“I can’t ask that of you,” Aelin said. Meanwhile, Dorian stayed quiet and watched the two sisters go back and forth.

“You’re not asking. I’m offering.” Lysandra leaned against the table, smiling softly at Mara. “That’s my niece. And you're my sister. We’re family. There’s nothing I’d rather do.”

Aelin looked unsure, but before either of them could say anything more, Dorian left and came back, a piece of paper in hand.

“At least fill it out,” he said, gently, as he put the application in front of her.

Aelin promised to think about it, just as their pizza arrived.

. . . . . 

“Havilliard, huh?” Aedion grinned. “And Blackbeak still has a hold on him.”

Lysandra rolled her eyes. “They’re good together.”

“So are we,” he shot back.

Lysandra scoffed.

Aelin was grinning, though, enjoying the usual banter between the two. 

They were finishing going through all of Arobynns stuff. They had tossed the stuff that was worthless, and sold what little did have worth. The house was paid off, and left to them, so it was officially going on the market.

“I can’t wait to move out of here,” Aelin said, once the others had quieted down.

Lysandra nodded. “Same. This place just feels evil.”

Aedion said nothing, his smile gone. “You know, you two could stay with me until your apartment is ready.”

He had offered as much multiple times, but Lysandra wouldn't have it. Besides, it was a one bedroom which means the three of them would be in the living room. Aelin didn’t want to give Aedion that burden.

“They said they’d have it ready this week,” Aelin smiled. “We should be able to move in by Friday.”

Aedion nodded, although she could still sense his unease. He knew what had gone on within those walls, knew the horrors in which the girls had endured.

“You’re going to apply for that job though, right?” Aedion asked. “I can help with Mara, too, you know.”

Aelin did know. She also knew that being absent for Mara to go to work was a necessity, even though she wished it wasn’t. 

“Yeah,” she sighed, at last. “I am.”

Lysandra beamed. “Good!”

Aelin shot her a look.

Aedion looked back and forth between his cousin and the love of his life. “I sense tension. Why do I sense tension?”

“Aelin thinks she’s too good for waitressing so I had to give her a wake up call,” Lysandra said.

Aelin scoffed. “Not true! I never said I was too good for waitressing.”

“Liar.”

“Am not.”

“You don’t want to wait tables,” Lysandra said, forgetting what she was doing to cross her arms.

“Does anyone want to wait tables?” Aelin said, voice raised. 

“Yes!” Lysandra said. Aedion took a step back. He was in the middle of two women known to have tempers. Not a good place to be. “I’m sure some people love waitressing and are thankful for the job that they have.”

“I never said I wasn’t grateful for the chance,” Aelin snapped. “Obviously I’m thankful for any chance to support Mara.”

“Doesn’t seem that way,” Lysandra hissed.

Aelin threw down the photographs she was sorting through and stomped down the hallway, into the back bedroom where Mara was fast asleep.

Lysandra took a deep breath, rubbing her temples. “She’s being ridiculous.”

Aedion said nothing.

Apparently, that wasn’t the response she was wanting, because Lysandra spun around to face him, eyes ablaze. “What? Now you’re choosing not to kiss my ass?”

Aedion stared back. “I don’t know what your deal is, but-”

“What my deal is?” She spat, laughing humorlessly. “I have been going through my dead prick of a father’s shit all day, and you want to know what my deal is?”

Aedion, once again, said nothing. 

“You were tossed around the system, Aedion, which is shit, yeah, but I was adopted and it was supposed to be a blessing but instead turned out to be my own personal hell. Now he’s dead, but it’s like he’s still here, breathing down my neck,” she said, voice having calmed. “I hated Arobynn. I hate being here. I hate looking around, going through this junk, sleeping in my bed like nothing has changed. I still expect to walk out of my room and find him passed out drunk, ass in the air, in the hallway, or the kitchen, or that damn chair.” She gestured to an old, torn up lazyboy in the corner of the den.

When she said nothing else, Aedion took a step forward, and when she didn’t move, he put his arms around her. Both of them stayed silent, but Aedion’s gentle stroking fingers along the middle of her back was comfort enough. Lysandra kept her arms crossed against her chest, but she allowed herself to lean into him. 

After a moment, she cleared her throat. “I’m- I’m going to talk to A.”

Aedion nodded and took a step back.

Lysandra didn’t meet his gaze. She simply turned her back to him and padded down the hallway until she turned the corner.

Aedion watched her until she disappeared.

. . . . . 

Aelin was watching Mara sleep. She would miss these days, when her baby girl was so small. The thought alone had made her feel lighter. The last three months had passed by in the blink of an eye.

This little gift was hers. She had made a tiny, perfect human.

“Hey,” Lysandra said, quietly, from the doorway.

Aelin jumped, then turned. “Hi.”

“I’m sorry.”

Aelin nodded and sat down on the edge of her mattress. Lysandra sat next to her.

“I don’t think I’m too good to be a waitress. I need a job. I realize that. I’m qualified for nothing. I wanted to go to college after high school, but I can’t do that now. You’re right, I can’t be picky. And I’d make great tips.”

Lysandra nodded. “I was too harsh though.”

Mara stirred from her spot in her crib, but didn’t wake.

She looked so much like her father.

“He was supposed to be here with me, helping me raise her,” Aelin began, voice breaking. “I’m so grateful for you, and for Aedion, but Sam was supposed to be the one to help me.”

Tears began to spill down her freckled cheeks, but Lysandra caught them and brushed them away. “I know.” 

They sat there for a moment, Lysandra’s hand on Aelin’s.

“I think we should stay with Aedion,” Lysandra said, and when Aelin gave her a surprised look, she added, quickly, “Just for tonight.”

Aelin nodded, slowly, as if Lysandra had somehow lost her mind. “Okay.” 

. . . . .

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[pintofteaforthesoul]

Fenrys’s Mate OC, Nyssa

Not that anyone asked for it, but it’s an idea i’ve been bouncing around in my head for forever so here it is: Fenrys’s Mate- Nyssa. 

~~~

Rowan and Lyria’s child survived thanks to Maeve having the tribe that killed Lyria take her. (200 years prior to ToG)

Their daughters name is Nyssa.

She was raised by the tribemen until she was tent, keep under constant watch by the leader and being groomed to be his bride.

When she was 10, Maeve sent Lorcan and Gavriel to wipe out the tribe before Rowan would have a chance to- to keep Nyssa’s identity hidden.

Lorcan and Gavriel make quick work of the main tribe but it is Lorcan who discovers Nyssa- being held by the Tribe Leader with a knife to her throat.

Even then, Lorcan recognized the fire in Nyssa’s eyes and related it to Rowan.

Unbeknownst to the Tribe Leader, Nyssa carried a knife and stabbed him in the thigh with it. Free from his hold, she hunkered down while Lorcan made the killing shot.

With Rowan still away from Doranelle Gavriel and Lorcan brought Nyssa back to Maeve where she swore Lorcan and Gavriel to secrecy. She gave the task to Lorcan to train Nyssa into a warrior.

Maeve cast them from Doranelle on a “secret” mission and Nyssa grew up with Lorcan as her father.

Nyssa is the spitting image of Lyria except for her green eyes and keeps her dark hair short and curly. As a child she was small and grew up to be lithe but short. She has the barest of tipped Fae ears and smells of sweet grapes and fresh lavender (exactly like her mom). Nyssa has the ability to shift into a small calico house cat, something Maeve detests because its mostly useless in battle, and has more raw magic than any other Fae despite not knowing how to use it very well (Lorcan trained her as best he could but there were just some things he couldn’t teach).

Lorcan and Nyssa spent 30 years together before Lorcan was called back to deal with a war. While the Cadre were away for nearly a decade, Nyssa spent more time in Doranelle and became close with Connall despite his blood oath to Maeve and being forced to be her lover.

Connall believed Nyssa to be his mate and told Maeve, to which she laughed.

Nyssa believed she was to take the blood oath and finally meet her true father when they returned, but Maeve sent her on another task- her first one alone.

When Rowan returned to Doranelle, he could not figure out why Lyria’s scent was there and almost went off the rails again due to renewed grief. Those of the Cadre who knew about Nyssa and sworn to secrecy were bursting at the seams to tell him- all except Lorcan who views Nyssa as his own daughter.

Nyssa is gone for a few years but called back to Doranelle when an invasion becomes imminent. Maeve instructs her to only stay in her feline form as to not gain the notice of Rowan- with the off-hand promise that if she cooperates of her own free will for long enough, Maeve will grant her the blood oath and permission to meet Rowan.

To stop that invasion, Maeve sends Nyssa into enemy lines as a prostitute to seduce the leader of the army and slaughter him. In Maeve’s words, Nyssa does “magnificently”. This disgusts Lorcan, but he says nothing as he is still in love with Maeve.

Nyssa grows to hate Rowan, as Maeve tells her the whispers of what happened to Lyria and how it is all Rowan’s fault. She fully accepts that she never wants to meet him.

A couple decades pass as Nyssa acting as Maeve’s infiltrator, with no further mention of Nyssa swearing the blood oath, until the whisper comes that a powerful child will soon be born on Erilea (about 100 years before ToG).

Knowing the Cadre will be too suspicious, Maeve sends Nyssa- making her swear a blood promise to bring whatever child this is to her in Doranelle. Nyssa gladly accepts under the condition that should she return successful that she will be granted the blood oath. Maeve is begrudgingly vague and sends Nyssa off.

Nyssa travels to Erilea in search of this powerful child and finds utterly nothing, moving from kingdom to kingdom with little direction but mostly staying south.

During her travels, Nyssa meet Manon and they have a casual fling whenever they run across each other. Manon likes Nyssa’s stubborn and fiery spirit- and her tongue.

Fifty years into her task, Nyssa is ready to give up when she crosses the border into Terrasen. Some power tells her to remain, so Nyssa makes her way to capital where she meets Orlon.

Orlon guesses who she is and why she’s there, but is kind to her. Nyssa tells him of her story and her task to Maeve. Orlon knows it is inevitable and gives her a place in his court to wait.

Nyssa finds happiness like she has never known in Terrasen, but especially after Aelin is born. Orlon offers a blood promise to Nyssa of his own- to protect Aelin from any who should harm her. Nyssa takes it, eager to repay the kindness Orlon has showed her over the past 30 years in his court.

Nyssa takes her cat form in Aelin’s house and becomes known to the young princess as KitKat.

After the King of Adarlan’s visit and Aelin and her parents are forced back to their home outside of Orynth, Nyssa (as KitKat) is forgotten at the palace. She is not able to make it in time to save Aelin’s parents or the princess who finds herself in a river.

Nyssa vows to find Aelin again no matter what it takes, but she is trapped as KitKat after magic falls.

It takes 2 years for Nyssa to trace Aelin back to The Assassin’s Keep in Rifthold. Aelin, now Celaena, is adored at finding a calico cat that reminds her so much of KitKat. And thus names her “new cat” Snickers (not after the candy bar, but after the sound she thinks Nyssa makes)

Nyssa watches over Aelin as Snickers, never letting the girl out of her sight for long, until Celaena and Sam Cortland go to Skull’s Bay.

After the wrecking of the city, Nyssa is found by Rolfe who identifies her as Aelin’s beloved cat. Thinking to have something over the assassin, Rolfe keeps Nyssa- completely unaware of the Fae girl.

Nyssa, as Snickers, gains the favor of everyone in Skull’s Bay while trying to figure out a plan to escape. She soon learns that not long after Celaena left, she was sent off to Endovier.

Nyssa is distraught at the news, knowing she is useless in her current form and now stuck in Skull’s Bay.

Nyssa hears everything of Rolfe’s business, since he believes her to be just a cat. After hearing that Aelin is alive, she bides her time until the young Queen settles in one spot- set on returning to her side even in her useless feline form. When magic is once again released, Nyssa begins to formulate a plan as to how to reach Aelin.

Cut to the events of Empire of Storms. Nyssa is shocked when some of the Cadre appear in Skull’s Bay. Fearing the wrath of Maeve for breaking her blood promise to bring Aelin to her, Nyssa hides any way she can.

When Rowan appears, it takes all of Nyssa’s self-control to not reveal herself- still hating him for what happened to Lyria. But she knows that if Rowan is here then Aelin will follow.

Indeed after Aelin shows up, Nyssa bides her time for the best moment to reveal herself.

Unfortunately, Gavriel catches her scent and he and Fenrys track her down as a cat.

Fenrys, as a wolf, carries Nyssa, as a cat, in his mouth to where Aelin has set up shop in the inn. Fenrys drops Nyssa in a chair but she does not shift.

Aelin is delighted to see Snickers again, but Rowan stops her from approaching- his face twisting at Nyssa’s scent.

Rowan orders Nyssa to reveal herself while Fenrys and Gavriel take up their places at the door, Aedion off to the side. Aelin tells Rowan to shove it, not believing that her childhood pet could be a Fae in disguise but Rowan just has his eyes on Nyssa.

Nyssa shifts, not once looking at Rowan (whose breath catches when he sees her) and addresses Aelin.

Aelin is shocked, but not terribly surprised by the reveal- piecing together that Snickers and KitKat are one and the same.

After a little coaxing, Nyssa tells her story, barely flicking eyes to Rowan except when she describes being taken by the Tribesmen. Rowan grows paler over the course of the story. Fenrys, not having met Nyssa before now, calls out how poetic the moment is (since Gavriel had just found out about Aedion).

Aelin asks about the blood promise to Maeve, but Nyssa swears that it is gone because she already broke it and thus poses no threat. Rowan tries to talk to Nyssa, to which she replies nastily and flippant.

Taking advantage of being in human form again and that it’s late, Nyssa stalks off- taking Fenrys with her to both piss off her dad and to give her a place to sleep for the night.

Unbeknownst to them, Nyssa and Fenrys are mates. It’s why she and Connall had had such a close relationship but never took that next step.

Nyssa and Fenrys have a very loud night together. Rowan talks to Aelin about being horrified and she helps him through it.

Nyssa grows close to Lysandra and Aelin again, but not Aedion as she hates the way he treats Gavriel. Aedion calls her a hypocrite since he believes her to be acting the same towards Rowan. Nyssa tells him to fuck off and shouts that at least Aedion had gotten the chance to know his mother before she died.

Nyssa helps in the Battle at Skull’s Bay, delighting in the fact that Dorian also has raw magic. They learn off of one another.

When Manon appears in the sky, both Nyssa and Dorian are the ones to save her though Nyssa is reluctant to explain her relationship to the witch.

Nyssa, in feline form, guards Manon day and night while also discovering more of her relationship with Fenrys.

Nyssa and Rowan have a scene on the deck of the boat, where she screams at him for abandoning Lyria. It cause Rowan’s grief to surge and Nyssa chokes down the rest of her anger after realizing just how deeply Rowan cared for her and Lyria. Rowan vows that had he known of her existence he would’ve fought to the ends of the Earth to find her. Nyssa does not reveal that it was Lorcan who raised her despite Rowan’s repeatedly asking which member of the cadre it was.

When Manon wakes to full consciousness, she is relieved to find Nyssa there. At some point they have a small scene where they tease Fenrys who was on guard duty at the time by Manon pleasing Nyssa. Fenrys gets territorial and calls for a shift change, taking Nyssa back to his cabin to stake his claim on her. They still have no idea that they’re mates.

Despite knowing each other for nearly a century, Manon and Nyssa have no deep feelings for one another and Nyssa is not surprised when Manon takes a liking to Dorian. She jokes with Manon that it must be the raw magic Nyssa and Dorian have in common that makes them so irresistible. Manon brushes it off.

After that point, Nyssa is only with Fenrys.

When they trek into the stone marshes, Nyssa goes along. But when the ilken attack, Nyssa senses Lorcan’s presence and throws all of her magic into bolstering his shield.

When Lorcan appears, and Gavriel and Fenrys disappear, Nyssa tries to go for him. Much to Rowan’s horror, she addresses him as her father.

Fenrys and Gavriel attack and Nyssa is physically restrained by Aedion, much to her great displeasure and rage. Nyssa screams for Fenrys to stop. Elide gets hurt by Fenrys, Lorcan puts the shield over them both and the talking ensues.

When the battle resumes, Nyssa uses the last of her magic to blast Aedion back and races toward Lorcan. She jumps in front of Fenrys without fully knowing that he’ll stop before hurting his mate.

Lorcan rages at Nyssa to get away, which prompts Rowan to step in and declare Lorcan and Elide under Aelin’s protection.

Lorcan greets Nyssa by grabbing her hair and growling that if she ever tries that again, he’ll kill her himself. Nyssa nearly cries with relief and Lorcan embraces her tightly. Rowan addresses Lorcan stiffly and they all make their way back to shore.

Before they move, Nyssa draws her blade to Aedion’s neck and threatens that if he ever holds her back again that he’s dead.

Nyssa joyfully fills Lorcan and Elide in on her adventures, already reading the mating bond between Lorcan and Elide. She ignores Fenrys entirely. Elide loves Nyssa immediately.

Rowan and Lorcan have a discussion about Nyssa when they return to the boats, filling in the side of the story Nyssa could not. Rowan is displeased, but ultimately understands.

Fenrys tries to talk to Nyssa but she slaps him.

After the arrival of Maeve’s armada, Nyssa is one of the guards put on Elide. She accepts the order from Lorcan without question, vowing to protect the girl with her life.

When Maeve comes to take Elide, Nyssa manages to kill two of the guards before being grappled. Maeve is displeased to see her and Nyssa is horrified to see the Dark Queen in person again. Maeve simply states that they’ll have to talk later and calls Fenrys and Gavriel to her side.

Knowing it will be too late once they do, Nyssa makes an attempt to get to Elide. She slices the guard’s throat who has her and makes a running leap, but Fenrys appears and grapples her now. At the same time, Lorcan now has Elide. Maeve gives the order for them to all freeze and not run away.

Maeve reveals all about Aelin and Rowan and Nyssa cries in disbelief, now understanding that Maeve hadn’t sent her to Erilea because she was the least suspicious option but because Maeve delighted in knowing that Lyria’s daughter would be the one to protect Rowan’s true mate.

Nyssa attempts to fight out of Fenrys’s grip, to which Maeve instructs Fenrys to bite his mate- to claim her. Because of the blood vow, he does. Maeve tells Nyssa how disappointed she is and that they will discuss later about the punishment for breaking her promise. Maeve uses her darkness to render Nyssa unconscious, much to the horror of both Fenrys and Lorcan.

Nyssa is not conscious through Aelin’s lashings by Cairn and Fenrys is ordered to take her aboard the ship.

When they arrive back in Doranelle, Maeve has Nyssa beaten while she still has no magic- making both Connall and Fenrys watch.

Maeve delights in revealing that Fenrys and Nyssa are mates and Connall grows angry, still having believed that it was him. It’s another thing he holds against Fenrys.

Maeve ponders Nyssa’s usefulness as a tie between the twins and makes a show of deciding who Nyssa will be with. Nyssa is exhausted and broken, her wounds healing slowly.

Maeve reveals that this isn’t the full punishment for breaking the promise and Connall offers himself up to take the punishment in Nyssa’s stead.

Maeve merely laughs and states that she has a better idea. She uses the blood oath to make Fenrys hold Nyssa down while Connall carves into her back with his magic- the world Oathbreaker in the Old Language over and over again down Nyssa’s spine.  Both brothers are horrified, but have no other choice and the word is branded into Nyssa.

Only then, Maeve reveals that the punishment has been paid and gives Nyssa the chance again to swear fealty- finally offering her the blood oath because her Cadre’s numbers have dwindled with the loss of both Gavriel and Lorcan. She also tells Nyssa that should she accept, Nyssa will have the choice of whose bed she will take- Connall or Fenrys.

Nyssa, seeing no other choice, takes the blood oath to Maeve, but uses the last remnant of her magic to burn the blood away before it can enter her system.

Going back on her word, Maeve uses her magic to twist Nyssa’s mind- making her believe Connall to be her true mate despite the blood oath. When Maeve then offers up the choice between them and Nyssa chooses Connall. Fenrys is practically a statue at this point. Maeve then orders the couple to make love every dusk and every dawn, the blood oath taking effect on Connall but Nyssa knows if she is to refuse then she would reveal what she’d done.

Maeve then considers how entertaining it would be to make Fenrys watch the couple, but reconsiders and orders him to stay in wolf form to watch over their new “guest”.

>to be continued after I read more of KoA<

[shyvioletcat]

Show Me: Part 6 - Rowaelin

Sorry, I meant to post this on the weekend but I was just crazy exhausted and my writing needed heavy editing. This is the second last part. Next weekend will be the final chapter. I’m actually really excited because I’ve never finished a fic before. Thanks to these lovely people for following and asking to be tagged.

@huntress-of-velaris @aelin-and-feyre @ohmyrowan @viajandosinalas@until-theveryend @rowanismybae @bluephoenix222 @fucking-winchester-trash

Special shout out to @nish247. I think you asked to get tagged ages ago and I forgot. Sorry about that. 

If you want to be tagged or I’ve missed you let me know and I’ll add you to the list. 

~~~~~

Aelin was deflecting, and avoiding, and straight up denying any attempt by Rowan or the others to get her to play the beautiful new instrument that had arrived weeks ago.

Aelin wanted to play, she was yearning for it. But she had had lost count of the many times she sat on the bench and felt nothing. She had tapped at the keys and Rowan had even bought her an array of sheet music, just to give her that extra bit of encouragement. Aelin looked at the notes and at the keys that would bring the music to life but couldn’t bring herself to do it. 

She loved the pianoforte. It made her heart ache at how much thought Rowan had put towards the gesture. She just couldn’t bring herself to play. When Rowan had been in the room during her attempts Aelin saw him become alert, his pine green eyes intent on her. She refused to see them when they fell when nothing became of it.

Besides all that Aelin was tired.

The moments she had sat down at the instrument were stolen between meetings or before she succumbed to complete exhaustion then collapsed into bed. They had been to the theatre a couple of times and each time the music swept Aelin away, but her own expression was a void

Aelin was now hunched over her desk, going over the reports for the upcoming trade agreements with Adarlan. They seemed fair enough, she hadn’t expected Dorian to try and cheat her country of anything, it was practically an agreement between friends. But she needed to be well versed it what was being requested and also given, she didn’t want to seem like a unaware young woman who let those around her run the country. She wanted to show whoever Dorian was going to send that she did her job. And she did her job well.

Finishing the page Aelin lent back in her chair and wondered who in fact Dorian would send. Obviously not Chaol. First of all, Aelin was sure it wasn’t exactly part of his job description. And secondly, he had a small baby. She doubted her loyal hearted friend would want to leave his wife and daughter anytime soon. The thought of Chaol being a father brought a smile to her face. Aelin couldn’t help but smile as she wondered how he  had gone during the birth. Maybe Yrene educated him enough that he was less likely to bolt from the room, red faced when faced with the functionings of the female body.

There was a knock at the door and Aelin called for them to come in. Nox stepped into Aelin’s study and gave a quick bow.

“Majesty, the trade delegation from Adarlan is here.”

Aelin just stared at him for a moment, then tilted her head. “Pardon?”

“The trade delegation. They’ve arrived.”

“They’re no supposed to arrive for days,” Aelin said as she squeezed the bridge of her nose. Then she sighed. Her hands were covered in ink and her clothes were rumpled and a little too casual for meeting an official political delegation. “Thank you, Nox.”

Nox nodded and then left.

Taking one last glance at the trade agreement, Aelin left her study and made her way back to her private chambers to quickly bath and change to officially greet her visitors. She entered her suite of rooms assuming she’d be alone, Rowan was off in the city doing something that didn’t require fine clothes. So when she saw a male figure standing in her lounge area she halted and went for the non existent weapon at her side. Then she realised who it was and let out a broken laugh.

“Dorian?”

~~~~~

Dorian turned as he heard his name and smiled at the Queen of Terrasen. She came out of what he assumed was a defensive stance and walked towards him. He met her halfway with an embrace which she readily returned, they held onto each other tightly for a moment. Aelin’s eyes were shining when she pulled away and Dorian felt emotion rising in his own chest.

“You’re the trade delegation?” Aelin asked as she took him in.

Dorian gave an indulgent shrug, “I wanted to make sure you weren’t taking my country for all it’s worth.”

Aelin laughed, wiping at her eyes . “These surprises will be the end of me.”

Dorian laughed at that and went to say something along the lines of you get what you’re given, but Aelin held up her hand and waved him off.

“I know, I know,” she said, “Rowan’s already lectured me. Multiple times.”

Dorian now took in Aelin as she had him. She looked well. Healthy. But Rowan was right, there was something missing. Just that little spark. He wasn’t surprised, a little concerned maybe, but he was pressed to think of anyone who wasn’t still harbouring some form of scar after the war. Aelin led them to a couch and they sat.

“How’s Chaol? And Yrene? How are you?” Aelin rattled off and she tucked her feet under her, facing him with her arm stretched along the back of the couch.

“They’re both… tired,” Dorian said with a smile. “Myria has her father wrapped around her little finger. Yrene adores watching them together. But a baby is hard work, especially when they’re both working so hard for our country.”

Aelin was smiling, “and?”

Dorian bristled. By that wicked grin he knew what was coming, but decided to bait her anyway. “And what?”

“How are you? How are you… and Manon?”

“I think I’m much like you,” Dorian said. “Tired to my bones, barely a moment of peace. But I am well. As well as I can be.”

Aelin just gave him a long look. It made Dorian laugh.

“Manon is well,” Dorian said with a shrug, “you could ask her yourself. She’s here. That’s how I got here. Much quicker to travel by wyvern”

Aelin’s eyebrows rose in surprise, a knowing smile on her lips.

But Dorian’s face fell when he said, “She’s down on the plain.”

The two friends became quiet at that. Indeed. Everyone was carrying scars.

To make sure Aelin didn’t pry further into his and Manon’s personal life Dorian turned to the pianoforte that had become the feature of the room. He’d seen it before. He was glad it had arrived all the way from Adarlan unscathed.

“That,” Dorian said with a nod to the pianoforte, “is a beautiful instrument. That colour… it’s like whoever commissioned that knew you very well.”

Aelin gaped at him a little and Dorian smiled.

“It was you! You helped Rowan with all of it!” She gave his shoulder a shove. “How did I not think of that before.”

“Most likely because you haven’t had a moment of quiet to think about it. He didn’t tell you?” Dorian asked as he rose from the couch and went to the instrument.

“No,” Aelin replied as she followed. “Rowan said something about a gentleman having his secrets. I reminded him he’s about the furthest you can get from being a real gentleman but he still wouldn’t tell me.”

Dorian sat on the bench and patted the seat next to him, Aelin complied and sat down next to him. “I would say he’s genteel enough.”

Aelin gave a snort of laughter. Aelin still didn’t reach for the keys so he did. With one hand he started to play a simple child’s song.

“I didn’t know you played,” Aelin said, pretended shock in her voice.

“My mother had me take lessons, but I developed other pursuits,” he said glancing at Aelin.

Aelin laughed and gave him a knowing look.

“I was talking about sword fighting, Aelin,” Dorian said.

That only made Aelin laugh harder.

Dorian played the song through again and he noticed how intently Aelin watched his fingers.

“I remember,” Dorian said, playing clumsily through a few notes, “a lovely young woman who could play beautifully. She played in a way I had never heard before, she lived through that music.”

Dorian watched as Aelin’s hand hovered over the keys of then curled into a fist, then she rested it down by her thigh. Dorian stopped playing.

“I… I,” Aelin’s voice broke. “I don’t think that woman exists anymore.”

Dorian looked at Aelin, tears were falling down her cheeks and he rested his hand on her still clenched fist.

“Of course she doesn’t. Either does that boy who was reckless enough to fall for an assassin,” Dorian smiled as Aelin let out a shuddering laugh. “There was no outcome from what we went through that would let us remain whole. Everyone lost a part of themselves, for good or for bad.”

“I know,” Aelin said as she wiped her cheek with her sleeve. “But that part of my soul, my mortal soul, it… died. It held so much of who I was. I want it to be part of me again, I want to feel those things again. But they’re gone.”

Dorian wrapped his arm around his friend, pulling her closer to him.

“I shut off many parts of myself. Buried them so deep it took me a long time to reconnect with those parts. Which I know is nothing compared to what happened to you. But…” Dorian took in a deep breath as he thought of Chaol, of Manon, even Aelin, “But the thing is it took me realising that there is no going back, our only choice move forward and to rediscover or reforge those missing parts of us. I didn’t find myself, I didn’t heal, alone. We’re here Aelin. You ask and any of us will be there for you. Anyone of of your friends, your family, will do anything you ask of us. Just say what you need and it’s yours.”

“I know, I know,” Aelin said quietly. “I just don’t know how.”

Dorian sat there with his arm around his friend, waiting for Aelin to move away, letting her decide when she had taken all the comfort she needed.

It was a long while before Aelin stood up, a small and hopeful smile on her face.

[pitterpatterpot]

Lion’s Pride: Chapter Seventeen

“Well, we should all leave!” Dorian bursts out of his room, carrying his bags with everyone else trailing after him.

“You all can’t just leave!” Aelin snaps.

“Yes we can,” Chaol deadpans, and barges right past her, both his and Yrene’s bags in his hands.

“Where’s your cane? You’re supposed to be lamed and need help!”

“I don’t need help running away from you!”

“Goodbye,” Yrene gives her a strained smile as she walks past, her baby clinging to her chest.

Dammit. Aelin can’t be angry when such a cute little blob waves its hand at her. But she can wince as another howl comes from the lounge room, Gavriel and Lysandra’s distressed voices raising in pitch as they try to calm Aedion. Moving him to the very room itself had been hell.

“His memories should slowly return to him!” Yrene calls back. “Just try to keep anything from shocking him!”

“He lost nineteen years of memories!” Aelin roars down the hall. “He’s five! What the hell are we supposed to do?”

“Pray,” Manon smirks as she slides past Aelin, striding down the hall to catch up with Dorian, who has long fled the scene.

Cursing under her breath, Aelin barges back into the room, and winces at the image of Aedion sitting in a corner, scowling, a book in his hand and raised above his head. Gavriel and Lysandra hover at the other side of the room, both seeming shocked and shaken.

“Have you seriously been letting him throw books?” Aelin snaps, eyeing the paper volumes scattered across the room with dismay.

“He has no idea who we are!” Lysandra says, clearly distressed, her hair and clothes in disarray. “And he’s angry now!”

Gavriel has crouched down as they bicker, making himself level with Aedion, who growls and pulls his arm back. Wincing, Gavriel places up his hands in surrender, fully aware that even with the mindset of a child Aedion still has the strength of an adult.

And he does not need to be hit with another hardcover book. The bookcase Aedion is curled up against is already half-empty.

“Aedion,” Gavriel keeps his voice to a soft coo. “Why are you angry?”

“Go away!”

At the cry, Gavriel shifts back a step. “Alright, alright. Do you want to see Aelin?”

The queen and shifter pause in their bickering to watch the interaction. Aelin smiles as Aedion glances at her, and winces at the tiny growl he releases.

“She isn’t squishy!”

At that, Aelin’s mind blanks. “What?”

“Aelin is tiny! And squishy! You’re not my squishy!”

Aelin stares, not even paying attention to the loud laughter that erupts behind the door, no doubt the rest of the court listening in. Lysandra has to turn away, shoulders shaking, even Gavriel clamping his lips tight together so as not to shock Aedion with booming laughter.

Oh, they’ll all laugh later. They’ll laugh all right.

“Aedion,” Gavriel says, ignoring Aelin as she slowly turns away with her face in her hands, “do you know who the cadre are?”

At that, interest sparks in his son’s eyes, and Aedion nods quickly.

“So you know who Gavriel is?”

Another nod, this time slower and more suspicious.

Gavriel points to himself. “That’s me. I’m Gavriel.”

Silence ticks throughout the room as Aedion narrows his eyes, clearly thinking over what Gavriel has said. Everyone holds their breath, inside and outside the room, as they wait to see if any recognition will be made.

“You’re not a lion!”

“Oh dear gods,” Aelin mumbles, collapsing in an armchair.

Yet Gavriel’s lips simply twitch up into a smile. “I am a lion.”

“No you’re not.”

His son’s abruptness and stubbornness makes Gavriel chuckle, and he shifts. Eyes wide, Aedion scrambles against the wall for a moment, staring at the large mountain lion now in front of him. Licking his jaws, Gavriel lies down, setting his head on his paws. Best to allow Aedion to come to him.

Creeping forward, Aedion sniffs his scent, eyes narrowed still as he observes Gavriel. He tentatively reaches a hand out and touches Gavriel’s back, stroking it down his fur much like one would do a cat. Releasing a rumble, Gavriel bumps his nose against Aedion’s leg.

“Lion!” Aedion grins, face lighting with joy. “Gavriel!”

Sighing, Lysandra collapses in a chair next to Aelin, watching as Aedion pokes and prods his father, crawling around him. It doesn’t take long for Aedion appear to fully relax, sitting back and allowing Gavriel to sit up. Aedion smiles charmingly at them, eyes full of childlike curiosity. It’s very sweet, considering how distressed he was before. An amazing change, really, that they didn’t expect.

However, as soon as Gavriel shifts back, the male is met with a scowl and a book to the head.

“Shit!” Gavriel barks in surprise, a hand darting to his forehead in surprise as he falls back.

At his exclamation Lysandra and Aelin both stand up, going towards him, only to be shocked once Aedion darts past them and shoots out the door. Gavriel, Lysandra and Aelin all stand, ready to run after them, only to pause at the commotion that suddenly explodes out in the hall.

They dart out, and are met with the image of Vaughan collapsed on the ground, Lorcan shielding Elide, Fenrys standing on a small table and Rowan pinning a squirming Aedion to the ground. The demi-fae struggles under Rowan’s grip, not seemingly bothered by the domineering presence of the king and full-blooded fae. Apparently, children have little consideration for such titles.

“Calm down!” Rowan growls, pinning Aedion’s arms behind his back and forcing him back onto his stomach.

“Off!” Aedion snaps, kicking out a leg and catching Rowan in the hip, making him grunt even if he doesn’t move.

“Rowan!” Gavriel surges towards them. “Let him up!”

“He’s not dangerous!” Elide agrees, scowling as she pushes Lorcan to the side.

Aedion’s eyes lock on Aelin’s. “Evalin!”

Aelin sucks in a quick breath at once again being compared to her mother. Yet Aedion’s distressed look, the way he cowers away from everybody as if they are strangers…

Because they are strangers. Because, to him, he has woken up in his home with strangers who say his name and won’t tell him where his family is. Only Aelin looks like Evalin, looks like someone Aedion knows and would seek for comfort.

Everyone else is scary.

“Yes, Aedion,” Aelin says slowly, ignoring everyone’s gasps.

She nods to Rowan, and he releases Aedion. He knocks into her, staying on his knees as he buries his head into her stomach and shakes. He doesn’t shed a tear, Aedion being as hard willed as a child as he is an adult, yet clings on with desperation. Aelin stiffly places a hand on top of his head.

“Did you meet Gavriel?” Aelin asks, fully knowing the answer.

“Lion!” Aedion nods against her.

“Why did you throw a book at his head?” Aelin asks, everyone turning to look at the purple mark blooming on Gavriel’s forehead that’s sure to fade soon.

“Stranger danger!” Aedion scowl fiercely, stubbornly refusing to look at anyone but Aelin.

Fenrys coughs, the sound clearly a masking of laughter. Vaughan simply groans from his spot on the floor. He was a stranger, apparently, and the granted him a full-on tackle.

Sucking in another breath, and summoning all her patience, Aelin kneels down to take Aedion’s hands in hers. “He’s your father, Aedion.”

One again, silence falls. Everyone tenses as they wait for his reaction, fully expecting more tears.

Instead, Aedion turns to curiously gaze at Gavriel, eyes bright and curious.

“My papa?”

“Yes,” Aelin nods, feeling exhaustion fill her bones.

“Really?”

“Yes.”

Aedion stays quiet, seemingly to think for a moment. How well would a five-year-old take the news? Would it shock him? Make him overjoyed? Has Aedion even felt the pain of his father’s absence yet?

Instead, Aedion seems to look at Gavriel with curiosity. “…do you wanna play?”

Gavriel blinks. “Yes.”

Nodding, Aedion clampers to his feet, grabs Gavriel’s hand, and pulls him down the hallway. “Come see my room!”

Everyone watches them go, before Lysandra jolts, remembering that the room is no longer as it once was. Aelin seems to make that same realisation, meeting each others eyes in fear. But they can leave Gavriel to deal with that, they’ve done enough.

Vaughan moans from the floor as Fenrys nudges him with a foot.

~~~

“Why don’t we go to my room instead?” Gavriel suddenly suggests as they round the corner. “I have games there.”

Aedion pauses and turns to him, cocking his head to the side. “Games?”

“I have lead and paper, you could draw me something,” Gavriel knows he’s said the right thing as soon as Aedion’s eyes light up and he nods.

He leads Aedion to his room, keeping a firm grasp on his hand as Aedion all but tries to pull in front of him, never minding that he has no idea where Gavriel’s room actually is. It’s as if something has electrified him, or at the very least has removed whatever dampers Aedion held.

His eyes are bright, his grin wide and innocent, and he almost looks as though he’s shining with light.

Gods. Gavriel doesn’t know how to look after a child! Nothing at all! This wasn’t taught in the war camps; much less how to look after a fully grown demi-fae who thinks he’s five! But he can’t panic. Yrene said it was temporary, and that it would be best not to confuse or hurt Aedion to worsen the situation. He needs to stay calm, if only for his son’s sake.

“This is my room,” Gavriel opens the door. “Down the stairs, and to the left. If you ever need to find me try coming here.”

Aedion nods quickly, bursting into Gavriel’s room as soon as his father releases his hand, eager eyes taking in everything around him. Gavriel stands guard as Aedion feels the covers on the bed, pokes the items on his dresser, and admires the weapons he keeps against one wall (yet Aedion never tries to touch any of them, no matter how much his wide-eyed look of wonder worries Gavriel).

“Here’s some paper,” Gavriel walks over to his desk, and opens the draws, pulling out the supplies. “And here’s some pencils. I don’t have any colours, but I could find some if you’d like?”

But Aedion simply sits straight down on the floor, takes the paper, and starts scribbling. Gavriel sits down in his chair, watching Aedion for a few moments before eyeing some of the papers on his desk. May as well accomplish work while they’ve been blessed with a few moments of peace.

It doesn’t take long for Gavriel to fill out forms and compose letters, or so he thinks. Once he feels a tug on his pants he jolts, then looks down at Aedion, who stares up at him with inquisitive eyes. A glance at the clock shows an hour has passed.

An hour. Thank the gods he gave Aedion extra paper, because every sheet is filled to the brim with some kind of image.

“I’m bored,” Aedion mumbles, looking down at the pencil as he toys with it.

“Of course,” Gavriel glances at the clock once again. “You know, it’s nearly time for lunch, so why don’t we go do that?”

Perking up, Aedion clampers to his feet and makes a dash for the door.

“Wait!” Gavriel sprints after him, and grabs his hand. “You can’t just run off. We’re going to go back to the room we were in before, and have someone bring us lunch.”

Seeming very unhappy with the idea, Aedion nods slowly, and allows Gavriel to lead him from the room. The Lion has to sigh at the mood coming from Aedion as the demi-fae fidgets on a couch, glancing at the window and obviously itching to be outside.

But they can’t have people knowing that the general is… unavailable at the moment, a five-year-old instead taking his place.

“After lunch,” Gavriel considers his words carefully, “why don’t we go out and take a walk?”

“Yes!” Aedion immediately grins, seeming ready to leave the room at the very moment.

Gods, Gavriel has no idea what he’s doing. They can’t go outside. What if someone spots Aedion and sees it as an opportunity to attack? But how does he now explain that they can’t do what he just promised?

Then Fenrys walks into the room.

Immediately, his eyes widen, and he starts backing away.

“Fenrys!” Gavriel jumps to his feet. “Do. Not. Move.”

The male freezes, eyes darting between them, dark and worried. “I’m busy.”

“Doing what?”

“Work.”

“What kind of work?”

“Trading documents.”

“Strange,” Gavriel narrows his eyes, stalking towards Fenrys. “Because this morning you were happy that you finished it all.”

They both stare at each other. Gavriel darts out and grabs Fenrys’s arm as he tries to run out the door, Fenrys groaning as Gavriel drags him back into the room.

“Aedion,” Gavriel drags Fenrys to stand in front of the staring Aedion, “this is Fenrys. Do you know who he is?”

“Wolf!”

“Yes,” Gavriel grins, “and he’s going to stay with you while I get some lunch.”

Fenrys whips his head around to stare at Gavriel, fear illuminating his face. “Gavriel, I can’t,” Fenrys drops his voice into a hushed whisper. “I don’t know how to look after children!”

“You love them! And he’s not an actual child!”

‘Exactly! He throws another book and I’m dead!”

“Want to play with Fenrys?” Gavriel suddenly asks Aedion, who perks up and nods.

“Yes please!” Aedion stares at Fenrys, eyes shining with joy.

Fenrys’s heart cracks, and he sags in Gavriel’s grip.

“Damn you,” Fenrys whispers to the older fae. “Damn you to hell.”

Gavriel claps him on the shoulder. “He likes drawing. And animals.”

“I can only do one of those thing!” Fenrys calls as Gavriel runs out of the room.

He turns and stares at Aedion, who sits cross-legged on the couch. Aedion blinks at him, and Fenrys blinks back. What would the boyo have liked as a child? From what he’s seen so far Aedion is just as headstrong as he usually is, not being fazed by much. Perhaps even less now that in caution as an adult has melted away.

“Can you really turn into a wolf?” Aedion asks, chewing on a finger.

“You bet,” Fenrys smirks. “Stop chewing on your hand and I’ll show you.”

Aedion’s palm immediately drops into his lap, and Fenrys shifts.

“Wow!” Aedion scrambles forward, running a hand through Fenrys’s fur. “You’re a wolf!”

Fenrys may preen slightly as he sits, his tail wagging while Aedion admires him. It’s gratifying, he must admit, to be looked at with such awe.

“Can we go for a walk?” Aedion tilts his head to the side, eyes wide and curious. “Please? You could run really fast!”

Fenrys barely refrains from shifting back so he can say he’s not a dog, but just dips his head in agreement. Cheering, Aedion surges to his feet, and Fenrys follows him out of the door. They hurtle through the halls, only gaining slight notice before they burst outside and sprint into the centre of the garden. As soon as they reach a patch of lush grass Aedion rolls onto his back, laughing loudly.

“That was fun!” Aedion yells, staring happily into the sky.

Fenrys shifts back, and sits next to him. “It was. Hey boyo, do you like Gavriel?”

“Yes,” Aedion watches a bug fly past.

“Are you alright with him being your… papa?” Fenrys tries to say it as casually as possible.

“He’s not,” Aedion makes a grab for the bug, scowling as it flies out of reach.

Fenrys, however, freezes. “He’s not?”

“Nu-uh,” Aedion squints at the insect. “My papa didn’t want me or my mama.”

Staring, Fenrys tries to process what has been said. So Aedion doesn’t really accept Gavriel as his father, especially if her doesn’t consider him to be such a thing at all.

“He smells good though,” Aedion gains Fenrys’s attention once again, those blue eyes staring at the fae male. “Like Aelin and Evalin and Rhoe.”

That brings a small smile to Fenrys’s face. “Yeah?”

“Yeah. Like sunshine.”

Fenrys nods, humming to himself. Oh, he is going to tell Gavriel that. And everyone else. And Aedion once he gets his memories back. Really, this fact is simply never going to be forgotten.

“Hey,” Fenrys nudges Aedion, “want to go see the dogs?”

“Yes!”

Fenrys laughs as he pulls Aedion along with him, the latter barely containing his excitement.

~~~

“One job!” Gavriel paces the room, running his hands through his hair. “Fenrys had one job!”

Rowan watches from the doorway. “I’m sure they’re just having lunch or something.”

“I was getting lunch!”

“Then they went out.”

Gavriel slowly turns to meet Rowan’s gaze. “If they went out, then that means my twenty-four years old son, who now has the mentality of a child, could be engaging with all sorts of people.”

Rowan pauses, and hesitates. “That may be the case…”

“We’re finding them!”

Sighing, Rowan follows the Lion out of the room.

~~~

“Where’d you learn to make flower crowns?” Fenrys asks, watching Aedion weave roses together.

Of course, he already removed all the thorns. He values his life after all, and knows that angering Gavriel would place it in threat.

“Aelin,” Aedion states proudly, holding it up. “She’ll want them.”

“But she’s a baby?”

“Uh-huh!” Aedion starts on another. “But I can teach her!”

“You’re already practicing to teach her?” Fenrys’s heart pangs. “You must really love her.”

Aedion nods, then looks to Fenrys. “Do you have a sister?”

“I have… I had a brother,” Fenrys turns away slightly, busying himself with cutting away thorns.

“Connall!” Aedion says in recognition, the flowers now forgotten in his hands. “The other wolf!”

“Wow, you’ve really heard all the stories, huh?” Fenrys grins. “Who’s your favourite? The Wolves, Lion or one of the birds?”

“Connall!” Aedion grins. “Connall’s my favourite! The cool wolf!”

Normally, if it was anyone else about anything else, Fenrys would be indignant. He’d argue, laugh it away, or simply roll his eyes. But the fact that Connall, his brother, used to be Aedion’s favourite, the one he loved as a child…

And he’ll never meet him. Gavriel’s child will never meet his favourite member of the cadre. Connall will never know that, no matter how in the shadows he believed himself to be, the son of one of their closest companions held him in such a light.

“Yeah,” Fenrys swallows thickly, reaching out to muse Aedion’s hair. “He was the cool wolf.”

Aedion nods seriously, as if a true statement has been made and confirmed. He turns back to the plants in his hands, missing the way Fenrys’s eyes darken and gain a sheen.

“Aedion?”

But the look is quickly wiped away, Fenrys turning to greet Gavriel’s voice. The Lion turns the corner, glancing around the hedge. He visibly sags as he sees Aedion sitting with Fenrys, both of them laden with flowers of all kind. Rowan follows after him, raising brows at the scene.

“Hi!” Aedion waves.

“Oh, thank the gods,” Gavriel sighs. “What are you two doing?”

“Making crowns,” Aedion holds one up as an example.

“Aedion,” Gavriel looks to his son, “you were supposed to wait for lunch.”

“But we came out to run!” Aedion scowls, apparently just as argumentative as a child as he is an adult. “You said we couldn’t go for a walk, not that I couldn’t go with him!”

Coughing, Fenrys turns away, Rowan himself needing to clamp his lips shut as Gavriel blinks at Aedion’s rebuttal.

“That,” Gavriel hesitates, “is not the point.”

“You said to play with Fenrys!”

“I-I did,” Gavriel struggles for words, “but you can’t just leave like that without telling an adult.”

Aedion points to Fenrys. “Grown-up.”

“I- yes,” Gavriel glares at Rowan’s shaking shoulder. “But you need to tell me.”

“Why?”

“Because I need to know.”

“Why?”

“I just do, Aedion,” Gavriel rubs at his face.

He’s relieved when Aedion nods slowly, seeming to accept this fact.

“But why?”

Apparently not.

“Let’s go have lunch,” Gavriel mumbles, ignoring Rowan and Fenrys’s wheezing.

~~~

“Aedion! Put the spoon down! Rowan isn’t a stranger!”

~~~

“I’m tired,” Gavriel groans, closing the door to Aedion’s old room, the latter inside and sleeping. “I’m so, so tired, Fenrys. And did you have to tell him that last story? It just riled him up.”

“Better than being stupid enough to give him a spoon,” Fenrys scowls.

“I didn’t think he was still afraid of Rowan!” Gavriel unlocks the door to his own room once they reach it. “You weren’t exactly jumping to stop him either.”

A confused look flashes across Fenrys’s face. “Stop him?”

Gavriel shakes his head, eyeing the mess in his room. “At least he’s asleep now.”

Fenrys releases a low whistle at all the drawings strewn across Gavriel’s floor. “The boyo does like drawing. Or did? I’m not sure what tense to use.”

He continues on, even as Gavriel kneels on the ground, staring at a drawing in his hand. Then he picks up another, comparing the two as all blood drains from his face.

“I mean, he’s still Aedion, but he has the mind of a five-year-old, and that’s pretty much because he’s lost his memories. So do we use past tense since it’s not our normal Aedion, or do we use present tense because that’s who he is currently? I’ve been debating this and… Gavriel? Are you alright?”

But the Lion is still on his knees, hands shaking in a way they never have before. Fenrys slowly creeps forward, kneeling by his companion as Gavriel continues to stare.

“Gavriel?” Fenrys asks, trying to catch his eyes. “Gavriel, what’s wrong?”

Only a choked growl is given. So Fenrys looks down at the drawings in Gavriel’s hands, and for a moment his breath stops.

Horrifying. Horrifying depictions on fae children being burnt while their parents watch and scream and hold their arms out towards their precious offsprings. It is only worsened by the next image, where it shows the adults being murdered in a multitude of methods.

Movements becoming frantic, Gavriel reaches for the other drawings and quickly collects them into a large pile. Each one, each one depicting some grotesque memory. There are ones of slaves in chains, angry looking figures with raised, red fists and a few of the creations display such horrid acts happening upon Aedion that Gavriel feels bile raise in his throat.

“Shit,” Fenrys whispers, taking in the horrors. “Shit.”

Swallowing the foul taste, Gavriel sits properly and places down the sheets. “It’s his memories. He’s slowly remembering, like Yrene said. He’s been drawing them. I just… I didn’t notice. He showed some of them to me, but I only glanced at them. How- how could I not-“

“Gavriel,” Fenrys squeezes his shoulder, brows bunched in concern. “Gavriel, breath. It’s alright.”

“It’s not alright!” Gavriel roars, standing. “How can it possibly be alright when these are the things my child suffered through? I failed him, Fenrys. I failed in protecting him, the one thing a parent is supposed to try their hardest to do!”

“And you are!” Fenrys grips both of Gavriel’s shoulders. “It’s what you’ve been striding for since you learnt about his existence!”

“Gods,” Gavriel swallows, staring at one drawing. “No wonder he flinches.”

Taking a small step back, fenrys removes his hands. “Gavriel, there’s no right answer,” the authority in his voice causes the Lion to look to him, “and there is no single way to save Aedion from all of this. I know you want to, believe me I know, but these aren’t monsters you can scare away with a roar. The only thing you can do, and I mean the only thing, is to talk to him about this. Talk and listen so that he knows you are willing to stand by him even when he’s remembering all of these awful moments. Let him know you are not disgusted by this, by the nightmares he faces.”

“Right,” Gavriel inhales a shuddering breath, rubbing at his eyes. “Right. I… I need to see him. I’m going to check on him.”

“Alright,” Fenrys says softly, nodding. “If you need anything then just say.”

“Thank you, Fenrys,” Gavriel briefly holds the other male, clapping him on the back. “Really.”

“No need for thanks,” Fenrys flashes a strained grin. “Go and see your son.”

It’s a short walk up the tower to what used to be Aedion’s room. It’s strange for Gavriel to imagine his son, as a child, in such a high-up and isolated room instead of in one closer to the ground. Surely that would have been better for a child than the constant climbing and descending of stairs. But in terms of defence it was a good decision. It would give Aedion, and whoever was up the top of the tower, to find a route of escape before they were flooded with attackers.

He’s quiet, so quiet, when he slowly opens Aedion’s door. He peeks in, and his heart stops.

The bed is empty.

“Aedion?” Gavriel tries to keep his voice level as he opens the door fully. “Aedion?”

And then, above his head, is a muffled thump. Startled, Gavriel looks up. The only thing above Aedion’s room is a small attic space used for storage.

“Aedion?” Gavriel calls again, calm now that he is certain as to where his son is.

Yet no sound comes from above his head. Sighing, Gavriel goes to where the man-hole has unfortunately been left open, pulling himself up with ease. The top part of the tower is dark, illuminated by only a small light in the corner. Gavriel side steps a few of the wooden chests and boxes that have been left to collect dust and webs, instead staring at the corner of the space that Aedion has taken refuge in.

Many of the chalk drawings on the wall are old. Old, and faded, and barely there anymore thanks to times cold sterilisation of the past. They’re mostly stick-figures, crudely structured lines that bare the unsteadiness of a child’s hand. Broken pieces of chalk line the floor, only a few coloured but a majority of it white and crumbled. The wall itself is a mural of people and items, some happy, some devastated and some just the simple drawings of animals that children find themselves fascinated with. One drawing contains two children, one bigger than the other, both their names nearly invisible thanks to how many years have passed. Yet it isn’t difficult to guess who the two children are.

This must be where Aedion went as a child, where he snuck too, when he wished to do and worry about nothing. Where he finally committed the acts of a child, free of the pressure of becoming a warrior to protect his future queen.

And Aedion himself is sitting in the corner, staring t all the drawings with a forlorn look, a lantern sitting by his side. His head rests against the wall as he takes in the images, eyes lidded.

“Hey,” Gavriel quietly approaches, and sits opposite Aedion. “Are you alright?”

Aedion’s eyes flick to him, and then back to the drawings. “I’m an adult now, don’t worry.”

Gavriel blinks. “So soon?”

Never mind that it took him half-an-hour to process what was on the drawings. Never mind that he’s failed to notice how late it actually is, and how slowly he was walking towards the room. Never mind that the candle has melted low.

“Once you left the room something triggered me,” Aedion rubs at his face tiredly. “I don’t know what, but the shock managed to bring most things back. Except from before I fell down the stairs; I don’t remember much about that. Was it during the day or night?”

“Night,” Gavriel keeps his voice soft, analysing his son. “It wasn’t Silvia, it was one of my old generals seeking revenge.”

Aedion nods slowly, seeming to accept the fact with ease.

“Did you draw all of these?” Gavriel carefully circles a drawing of a cat with his fingers, wary not to smudge it.

“Yes,” Aedion sighs, closing his eyes. “When I was younger I would steal chalk and come up here to draw.”

“Why didn’t you just draw with pen and paper?” Gavriel questions. “Ask for supplies?”

“It would have been a waste of time and supplies,” Aedion’s voice leads Gavriel to question whether those words are truly his son’s or simply an echo of past denials.

A guilty pleasure, that’s what this place was. “Did you come up to draw when you were sad?”

Aedion’s jaw clenches. “Will you ever stop asking those kinds of questions?”

“No, Aedion,” Gavriel blinks. “No, I won’t. Do you remember what you drew earlier?”

His son’s look suggests that he does not.

“They were horrific,” Gavriel bites out, straining to keep his voice in line. “Aedion, you need to talk about this. If not me then someone else-“

A growl cuts him off, Aedion baring his teeth. “I’m dealing with it fine.”

“But you’re not,” Gavriel can’t keep the growl out of his own voice. “Gods, Aedion, you’re not!”

“You don’t get to decide that!”

“I’m not deciding it, I’m noticing it!” And they’re both standing, when did they both stand? “Do you realise how much of a shock it was to look at you over this past day and notice that I’ve never seen you smiling for such a long period of time? That you’ve never looked so free? And that was with your memories gone, Aedion. That was with everything you are now stripped away.”

“And what am I now?” Aedion’s eyes take on a familiar, darkened tint.

Gavriel says nothing.

“What am I?”

“It’s killing, Aedion!” Gavriel snaps, the candle-light flickering over them both. “You have no idea how much it is absolutely killing me to see you struggle so much with simply living!”

“I’m fine!” Aedion snarls.

“You’re broken!”

Aedion swallows, leaning back. “I’m not.”

“Aedion,” Gavriel’s voice turns soft and pleading, strained as he shakes his head, “you have to realise that you can’t simply make yourself alright by saying that you are.”

“I am not broken,” Aedion spits the words with venom. “Nothing broke me unless I let it, and I didn’t.”

“It doesn’t work that way,” Gavriel’s voice is devastatingly soft.

“Fuck you,” Aedion’s voice matches the volume of Gavriel’s, and it’s all the Lion can do not to reach out for his son as Aedion stalks towards the man-hole and disappears from view.

And the Lion is left with nothing but broken pieces of chalk.

~~~

“Fuck,” Aedion breathes in the cold night air, tipping his head up towards the stars. “What do I do?”

He hasn’t asked his mother questions in years. Not after Rhoe explained to him that by going into the stars people meant she’d gone to the afterworld, and that Aedion could not speak to her there.

But something about the night, about the speckles of white blood above him, makes it seem just a little less pointless.

“What does he want from me?” Aedion frowns at the sky. “What does he expect? I am happy. I’m not broken; I didn’t let anything break me.”

‘It doesn’t work that way.’

Gritting his teeth as the words flash through his mind, Aedion continues his walk in the gardens. It’s so much easier to breath underneath the sky, surrounded by the very greenery that supplies every breath he inhales. It’s always been easier like this, where he doesn’t need to worry about the walls around him caging in his breath to the point his heart is ready to burst from his chest. Where the air is crisp and clean instead of a burning razor dragging through his throat in a sick act of kindness.

It would be so much easier to make a house from stars and live among the world. And that’s what he and Lysandra shall fight for; a place where they and all the wild people may live. Where the stone walls all open to the wilderness and sky.

It’s a sweet dream.

A sweet dream that a broken male can have no part of.

Shaking the thought from his head, Aedion makes his way towards the gurgling fountain. The steady sounds of the water is soothing, running through his mind and clearing it the way a new flood of water does to a dirtied stream. He peers into the water, barely able to make out the small stones thrown into the water as a substitute of coins.

And he just glances at the face that leers over his shoulder before something grabs the back of his neck and plunges his head under.

~~~

“It’s been three hours since Fleetfoot tracked Aedion’s scent to the garden,” Aelin growls, her hand running through the thick coat of the very angel in question.

“He could have gone into the city,” Fenrys suggests, yet even his voice is uneasy.

“Without even coming to me?” Lysandra’s question poses the problem they’ve all been facing.

“He could be anywhere,” Gavriel bites out by the fireplace, his hands gripping his biceps tightly.

“Did anything happen?” Lysandra asks the court in the lounge room. “Anything that could have upset him? Gavriel, you said he regained his memories. Did anything happen after that?”

“I called him broken.”

Everyone turns to look at the Lion, both because of the words and because of how his voice breaks. The ancient fae has his head in his hands, his normally golden skin ashen and gray.

“You called him broken?” Aelin’s voice has reached a dangerous, quiet tone.

Gavriel sucks in a shaking breath. “We… we were talking, about how he’s been functioning, and I just… I called him…”

To his and everyone’s surprise, Lysandra moves forward to place a hand on his arm. “I’m sure that in whatever context you said it to Aedion you did not say it out of cruelty.”

Swallowing, Gavriel shakes his head. “I shouldn’t have said it at all.”

“We’ll find him,” Rowan growls under his breath. “We found tracks leading down into the forest by the slums. It looks like Aedion put up a fight.”

“Let’s go hunt,” Aelin stands.

~~~

“Where’s Gavriel and our general?”

Aedion smirks at the fae man in front of him, never mind the fact that he’s tied to a tree. “You mean the bastard that tried to break my neck down a flight of stairs? You may want to check a witch’s stomach.”

A fist cracks against his jaw, adding to the flourish of bruises. And, yep, that’s not good for his head. Things shouldn’t be blurring so much.

Instead of making a sound Aedion simply spits out the blood flooding his mouth, throwing his captures another rakish grin. The two fae males snarl as they circle him, one already holding a knife in his hand.

As if that scares him.

~~~

“I’m going!”

“Evangeline,” Lysandra winces, “it would really be safer if you stayed here and-“

“I’m going,” Evangeline scowls. “I’ll stay with Gavriel.”

“Gavriel’s already gone,” Vaughan states, nodding to the space where the said male once was.

“Shit,” Rowan stares.

~~~

“You two are idiots.”

The fae males stop in their pacing to glance over at Aedion, who does nothing but sag against the tree with his eyes closed.

“Keep your mouth shut, half-breed,” one of the snarls.

Aedion lip curls up at the slur. “Half-breed? I see. And you know who my mother is?”

“Evalin’s cousin,” one of the males frowns.

“Right,” Aedion cocks his head to the side. “And why would you wish to mess with the male she deemed worthy enough to lay with her?”

The second male scowls. “He couldn’t have been that good of a male to fuck a princess then leave.”

Aedion pauses. The two men pause. Silence stretches between them.

“Fuck. I let myself be captured by two idiots.”

“Excuse me?” One male marches forward, roughly fisting Aedion’s hair in his hand and tugging it to the side. “Why the fuck do you think you’re talking to?”

“Two idiots who aren’t smart enough to realise how much trouble they’re in,” Aedion drawls the words, as if bored. “Apparently, you can’t even tell when a lion is standing behind you.”

Both males freeze, and slowly turn their heads.

Gavriel crosses his arms. “Granted, I’m not a lion right now, but I believe my son has given you the general idea.”

“Son?” One of the males croaks.

“Son,” Gavriel eyes Aedion’s bloodied form. “Doesn’t look like you cut him, but judging by the state of his face and body I suppose you must have gained a few punches and kicks. Not enough to kill, but to hopefully gain information. Efficient. Brutal. Good work.”

Both males seem rooted to the spot at the utter malice lacing Gavriel’s voice. Aedion, for his part, just closes his eyes and leans against the tree once more, head too heavy to watch the proceedings.

“Now tell me,” Gavriel takes a step forward, his low baritone a quiet rumble, “what made you think that I would be in a lenient enough mood to forgive someone for harming my son in such a way.”

“We didn’t know,” one of the male gasps, dropping his knife and holding up his hands. “We’ll go quietly.”

“Yes,” Gavriel narrows his eyes. “You will.”

Yet someone with extremely keen eyes could have sworn that disappointed briefly flashed across his face if they had been there to witness it. Granted, Gavriel gives no sign of such regret, simply moving with a cold detachment that leaves both males trembling in their boots as he kicks them both to the ground and firmly ties their hands behind their back.

“Aedion,” Gavriel releases his son’s name as a relieved sigh as he unties to ropes connecting the said male to the tree. “Are you alright?”

He sways on his feet slightly, wincing, but Aedion simply wipes the blood away from his mouth. “I have a headache like you wouldn’t believe.”

Sagging in relief at the attempt of humour, Gavriel braces a hand on his arm. “Come back with me. Aelin will collect these two soon enough.”

Aedion eyes the two males dropped on the ground, rendered entirely immobile by the ropes, their faces in the dirt. “Alright.”

They walk off, Gavriel keeping one hand firmly between Aedion’s shoulder blades lest should he stumble or suddenly lose consciousness. They end up only a few meters away before a spark of an idea enters Aedion’s head.

“Wait, I need to at least kick on of them.”

“You’re bleeding! Do it tomorrow!”

“Fine,” Aedion glares, allowing Gavriel to pull him along. “I didn’t think you could show that much restraint.”

Pursing his lips, Gavriel keeps his gaze straight ahead. “If they had not surrendered then their fate would have been much different. But as it is I cannot simply murder people who have thrown down their weapons and are willing to cease harm.”

“There’s the honour side we all adore,” Aedion sighs as the palace comes into view. “How nervous is everyone?”

“Beside themselves,” Gavriel looks to Aedion. “As I was. What happened?”

“I was in the gardens, and they surprised me from behind,” Aedion growls lowly under his breath. “I was still feeling off so it didn’t take that much effort.”

“I’m sorry I called you broken,” Gavriel’s voice is as soft as it’s ever been, even as his eyes stay firmly ahead of them.

He’s prepared for the silence that follows. Neither of them exchange words, even as they walk through the gardens, coming closer and closer to their final destination. A part of Gavriel screams at him, berates him, for making such a horrendous mistake. He called his son broken; now he will never be allowed in his life. He will never be allowed to take over the role of being Aedion’s father and he’ll never get to watch him and Lysandra marry and never go with them to Caraverre and-

“I think I am broken.”

Gavriel pauses, stopping where he stands. Aedion continues on for another step before also halting, turning to look back at his father. Clenching and unclenching his fists at his sides, the Lion goes over the quiet, broken words in his head once more.

“You’re not.”

Scoffing, Aedion looks ready to turn away once again. “So it’s alright for you to call me broken but the moment I do it’s an issue?”

“No, Aedion,” Gavriel swallows, “I was wrong-“

“But you’re not,” Aedion strains the last word, his voice cracking just slightly. “You’re not. Don’t you get it? You’re not supposed to be right about these things but you are. I’m broken and crumbling like the damn chalk because there’s not enough of me left and I’m not going to be enough and-”

Gavriel’s eyes widen as the way Aedion’s breath picks up speed, and he reaches forward to grabs his shoulders. “Aedion, cub, calm down. You’ve had a bad week, a bad night, and above anything else need food and water.”

“But you’re right-“

“Maybe,” Gavriel cuts through, his voice steady and strong. “Maybe in some ways. You are hurt, Aedion. You have been hurt badly and put through trauma I would not wish upon anyone, much less a child forced to fight in a war. But I was wrong when I said you were broken. If you were truly broken then you would not care so much if you were.”

“I-“

“No,” Gavriel shakes his head. “I can see it in your face, Aedion, and no. You are not broken. I have many regrets in my long life, but I can tell you now I have nearly been as ashamed or wrong as when I said that to you. Do you understand that? I am proud that you are my son. The moment Silvia came I announced you were my son. I state it to anyone who will listen because I am proud of it. You are not broken. You are hurt, and attempting to rebuild yourself into something different than you once were, but you are not broken.”

Sucking in a deep breath, Aedion ignores the liquid rolling down his face, slowly composing himself and looking towards the palace once more. “I’m tired.”

The words hold so many implications, so many different meanings. “I know, Aedion. We’re nearly there. You’re nearly home.”

The word ‘home’ seems to create a shudder that rolls through Aedion’s body, his shoulders sagging in relief. Gavriel gently guides him towards one of the back doors accessible by the garden, not at all surprised by the fact that Lysandra is already running towards them. Her green eyes flash as she scents Aedion’s blood, immediately holding herself back from colliding into him as she assesses his injuries. As she assesses the tears.

“Are you alright?” She places one hand over his heart, tone so gentle that Gavriel looks away.

Cupping her hand in his own, Aedion kisses her palm. ‘Tired.”

Those hard emeralds soften. “I know. We already have the healers ready. Gavriel, can you tell Aelin and Fenrys where the… assailants are?”

It’s clear that a much worst word was thought of, and seeing how claws still peek at the edge of her fingers Gavriel bows his head. “Of course. Make sure Aedion gains some rest.”

“Aedion can hear you two,” the demi-fae raises a brow, earning a relieved sigh from Gavriel and an elbow to the ribs from Lysandra.

“We’ll patch you up,” she assesses him, “and assure whoever did this knows the consequences.”

It even causes shivers to run down Gavriel’s spine, those cold words spoken by a wild beast ready to hunt her prey. Still, he stays and watches as Lysandra leads Aedion down the hall, one arm wrapped around his waist as she helps support him. It’s good that Aedion has someone he relies on to be weak around, that he trusts to hold him up.

yet Aedion looks over his shoulder, for a brief moment, something questioning passing over his face.

Yet he simply follows Lysandra, even as he calls back out, “thank you, Father.”

Something in the Lion’s chest stops, pausing before once again continuing its rhythm. The rest of his body and his mind takes a little longer to process the words that have been spoken. Once he understands he covers his face with his hands and draws in a long, ragged breath.

Worth it.

Every piece of hell they’ve fought through has been worth it.

[goforwardgreenwriter-blog]

The Worm Reads: Empire of Storms, Ch 51 - 53

Sorry these have been coming out a little later than usual, I was sucked into a Nuzlocke playthrough.

Eyllwe’s coast was burning. For three days, they sailed past village after village. Some still burning, some only cinders. And at each of them, Aelin and Rowan had labored to put out those flames.

You get three guesses as to whose feelings over innocent people being burned alive are focused on. The first two don’t count.

Rowboat and the narrative splooge over how ~angsty and tortured~ Alien feels over Eyllwe being burnt and attacked, and how much she’s doing by staying on the ship and trying to put out the flames from there. Yawn. Maybe if Alien wasn’t a shitty character, I’d care.

Also there’s a rumor that Alien herself is starting these fires??? It probably won’t be important, it’s probably just for Alien to cry over so Rowboat can comfort her.

[Rowan]’d breathed [Aelin] in, and she knew he detected an answer to the question that had caused him to flee that morning on the ship. No, she was not carrying his child.

Oh great, this is returning. SJM uses this to briefly describe a sex scene between Rowboat and Alien where Alien reveals she’s not taking anything to prevent pregnancy. I mean, well, where would she get that on a medieval ship?

And then [Aelin] had explained that if she’d inherited so much of Mab’s Fae blood, she might very well have inherited the Fae’s struggle to conceive. And even if the timing was horrible … if this was to be the one shot she had of providing Terrasen a bloodline, a future … she would not waste it.

UMMMM WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK.

WHAT THE FUCK DID I JUST READ.

It literally explains after this Alien didn’t ask Rowboat if he wanted to have kids. She is literally using him to have sex with in an attempt to have children without his consent. WHAT THE FUCK. THIS IS NOT OKAY!!!!!!!!!! THIS IS NOT CONSENSUAL OR HEALTHY!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh, but since Alien is a woman and Rowboat is a man, it’s suddenly okay???? WHAT THE FUCK AM I READING

So aside from that extremely horrifying implication, the gang makes it to the Stone Marshes and Manon has to say goodbye to Abraxos, since he’d be too noticeable on the marshes. I cry.

Manon swallowed hard. “You saved my life. Many times. I never thanked you for it.” Abraxos let out another low whine. “You and me,” she promised him. “From now until the Darkness claims us.”

I can’t believe a bloodthirsty witch and her pet wyvern are the only two characters I care about on this entire ship besides Gav. Despite SJM trying to ruin Manon’s character, she and Abraxos still deserve better.

Manon tears up that red cloak from her half sister she killed and uses it to tie her hair back, before chucking the rest of it into the sea. SJM can’t resist the urge to then make it all about Alien’s feefees.

Aelin Galathynius said quietly, “You never stop seeing their faces.” It was only when they were rowing for the shore, spindrift soaking them, that Manon realized the queen hadn’t meant the Thirteen. And Manon wondered if Aelin, too, had watched that cloak floating out to sea and thought it looked like spilled blood.

Manon just had to cope with the idea her Thriteen might be dead and it’s all about Alien feeling upsetti some country people she’s never met died. adhjgfjah I’m fine, I’m fine, it’s all fine.

Next chapter opens up with Lorass and Elide on their journey to find Alien. Lorass says that the dark god himself Hellas is guiding him or some shit...? I don’t really care. They’re off the boat and come across a place that got fucked up by something.

Indeed, the hair on his arms had risen, every instinct on alert as he scanned the marshes, the ruins, the brambles, and thick foliage that had choked some of the islands. Even the god of death halted his nudging and ducked behind Lorcan’s shoulder.

You.. just spent several paragraphs splooging about the connection between the god of death and Lorass and how badass it is, and now you’re saying the god of death is cowering behind Lorass. SJM, you’re killing me I hope you know. You’re killing me.

“What is inside these marshes?” [Elide] asked instead. “Why is Aelin headed into them?” (...) “I don’t know,” [Lorcan] admitted. “No towns or outposts exist anywhere nearby.” Yet this was where the dark god had led him—and where that hand still pushed him to venture, even if it quaked.

I’m tired. Have a reaction image to sum up my feelings.

They travel for a couple of days across the marshes. One night, Elide hears some spoopy noises, so she asks Lorass to tell her about Maeve.

“Do you love her?” Those eyes, darker than the gaps between the stars, slid to her. “I have been in love with Maeve since I first laid eyes on her.”

Maeve treats all of you like servants, and in some cases slaves, and has no real affection for any of you. You’re her soldiers, and she’s not exactly a caring queen. Why are you all in love with her? Is it because she’s hot?

Elide’s like “uhh that doesn’t sound like love at all” and Lorass gets all pissy. Lmfao he’s just angry because she’s right.

“I think love should make you happy,” Elide said, remembering her mother and father. How often they had smiled and laughed, how they had gazed at each other. “It should make you into the best possible version of yourself.”

Funny how SJM understands this........ but writes Ratlin as posessive and abusive assholes to each other and has Alien not ask Rowboat for consent.... *thinking emoji*

tl;dr Elide kisses him and Lorass decides to make out with him. I’m not... horribly offended as I am with Ratlin, it’s just kinda a dumb ship with no chemistry, but hey, I’ll take that over the pile of dogshit that is Ratlin.

Lorass is about to slide into second base when he hears a bunch of Ilken arriving, and it’s implied they’re coming for Alien. I feel bad for how short this review is at the moment, so let’s keep going to chapter 53.

Two days into the endless labyrinth of the Stone Marshes—two, not the day and a half that gods-damned Rolfe had suggested—Aelin was inclined to burn the whole place to the ground.

Oh no, one half of a day more than his estimate... stop being such a whiny lil shit, Alien.

[Aelin] kept the [insects] away with a shield of invisible flame, revealed only by the zinging as they slammed into it. She might have felt bad, had they not tried to eat her alive the first day here.

Why would you feel bad for killing insects? They’re bugs who could possibly be carrying diseases. So Alien feels bad for killing dangerous insects, but not some of Rolfe’s people?? Lmfao you are so full of shit, SJM.

[Fenrys] could no doubt leap the gaps between the islands in wolf form, as could Gavriel. Why they bothered staying in Fae form was beyond [Aelin].

Ok, so like... why are they staying in Fae form, then? Also, that wording implies that Gav also has a wolf form, which he does not, he shifts into a lion.

Lysandra and Fenrys lowkey flirt with one another over their brands or some shit? Skipping this like my life depends on it tbh.

Dorian and Manon hauled themselves onto the bank below, dripping wet

But did they haul their asses onto the bank? This is important information the world needs to know, SJM!

Aedion, seated beside [Aelin], passed the too-light skin of wine. She swigged from it, glad for the sour slide that washed away any lingering taste of the meat.

Oh my god... they drink wine instead of water? This explains so much about these books. Corrected by @kittyinhighheels that this is actually historically correct! Thank you for correcting me on that.

Anyways, some swamp beast attacks them out of the blue, aiming for Manon, but Dorito stops it with his ice magic.

But Aelin looked back at Rowan, holding his stare. How convenient that your shield vanished right as that thing waddled up. What an excellent opportunity for a magic lesson. What if it had gone wrong? Rowan’s eyes glittered. Why do you think the hole opened up by the witch?

So Rowboat was willing to risk  Manon’s life - and possibly others - in order to... shoehorn in a magic lesson for Dorito? Nope. This was an excuse for Dorito to save Manon, and you all know it.

Apparently, the amulet Alien carries is an entirely different symbol and meaning in the witches’ culture. That’s actually kinda cool, I like it. Manon tells the story of Rhiannon Crochan and how she cursed the other witches before she died. It’s pretty neat; SJM really should’ve cut out the Alien bullshit and kept the series about the witches.

Later on, the male Fae fuck off to have a private conversation.

Gavriel said, “You should take Aelin a thousand miles from here. Tonight.” A wave of [Rowan’s] magic and honed instincts told him all was safe in the immediate vicinity, calming the killing rage he’d slipped into at the thought.

Jeeeeeeeeeeeesus, Rowboat. I get wanting to protect your loved ones but he gets such a fucking raging anger at the thought of anyone near Alien and it’s so fucking gross.

Fenrys points out the similarities between Manon and Alien, like they’re both have different sides of heritage, both lsot queens, etc. Yeah, but you also forgot that Alien is a raging selfish asshole and Manon isn’t, so.

Fenrys breathed, “Maeve will not allow herself to lose. Already, she’s replaced you.” Rowan whirled on Gavriel. “Who.” Those lion’s eyes darkened. “Cairn.”

Why do you care? This is treated as a big reveal when A) Lorass already told us about this dude, and B) Of course Maeve would replace you after you left.

Cairn … No amount of training, both off the battlefield and on it, had ever broken the Fae warrior of his penchant for cruelty. Rowan had locked him up, flogged him, disciplined him, wielded whatever shred of compassion he could muster in himself … nothing. Cairn had been born savoring the suffering of others.

Oh, of course he’s a one dimensional evil bad guy, too. SJM doesn’t know what nuance means.

For Maeve not to have given either male a gag order through the blood oath

I had to read that, so you do too.

Apparently Maeve wants Lorass dead because he and Rowboat are the msot powerful males in the world. Hnnnnnnnngh and as if that gushing isn’t bad enough, Fenrys literally asks Rowboat to kill him if Maeve makes him kill Alien.

Alien is such a goddamn Mary Sue, literally every character loves her and kisses her ass and those who hate her are villainized to hell and back. I’m so tired.

“I’m glad, you know,” Fenrys said with unusual graveness, “that I got this time. That Maeve unintentionally gave me that. That I got to know what it was like—to be here, as a part of this.” Rowan didn’t have words, so he looked to Gavriel. But the Lion was merely nodding as he stared down at the little camp below. At his sleeping son.

F-fuck... this got to me. Gav and Fenrys deserve better and they better not die I swear to god.