The royal court of Terrasen was unlike any court the world had seen before. Queen Aelin Ashryver Galanthynius Whitethorn and her consort King Rowan Ashryver Galanthynius Whitethorn had done everything in their power to succeed, to defeat the darkness that loomed over them, to save the world from Maeve, Erawan and finally pull through what their ancestors had failed in.
There was peace – peace like none had known before. Peace that allowed for the people of Erilea and the known continent had not known for many years.
The fog had the mountains in its grips as the sun was making its' glorious rise. Dawn.
Rowan kissed Aelin's forehead as he left their bed to go watch the sun rise over their beautiful kingdom for yet another day. He shifted, ready for his usual morning flight – a habit he had not dropped since his days in Maeve's service. It was like a workout, a ritual of self-care, something to ease his mind and prepare him for the day ahead. Feeling the chill on his feathers felt like the embodiment of freedom – something he and his mate had fought for and sacrificed everything for.
"Morning." He kissed Aelin right after shifting back to his human form, only to find her not smiling back at him. "What's wrong?" It seemed like she had barely slept, with dark circles under her eyes. Something was haunting her.
"We have to talk." She said gravely, looking down to pick on her nails. He raised her head with one finger carefully.
"Whatever it is, Fireheart, we can face it. Together." He pulled her to his lap and she curled around him like a cat. He caressed her bare back, something he knew that soothed her.
"I missed my period." She admitted barely audibly. They had talked about having children someday and they'd had that talk before the Great War, when Rowan still hadn't known that Aelin was his true mate, when everything he'd gone through in losing Lyria, when Aelin's wound from losing Sam was still fresh – then it hadn't been possible. But it had been years since then and they had barely brought it up. It made sense – Aelin was his queen, his Fireheart, everything he'd ever dreamt of, his mate.
"You are with child?" the smile on his face was growing by the second. He'd dreamt of having children for centuries, he'd had that hope torn away from him, when Lyria and their child had died, and for the longest time he hadn't dared think about having a family again.
Aelin didn't answer, only buried her face in the crook of his neck. Soon enough he felt her tears on his neck.
"What is wrong, Fireheart?" he couldn't understand what Aelin was upset about, they'd had peace and prosperity within their kingdom and all of the darkness was behind them. He'd seen her upset, he'd seen her broken, he'd been there when the coffin that Maeve had locked her in was opened – he'd been there through the darkness. To whatever end. They'd promised each other.
"Even before the war, before I met you, before Chaol sent me to Wendlyn to seek out the Ashryvers, back when I walked around as Adarlan's Assassin, as Celaena… a carnival came to Rifthold and there was this witch, the Matriarch of the Yellowlegs coven that was doing readings. At the time, only Nehemia had seen right through my lies, when I was fighting Cane – she had saved my life with the wyrdmarks. Back then I denied everything I ever was – the Queen of Terrasen, the last living Galanthynius – and I still did not know the whole truth. Baba Yellowlegs had threatened Dorian. She had done a reading for him, had realized what he was and what he could do and had threatened to sell him out to the highest bidder…" She traced the scars he knew very well on her neck. "I met with her, offered her money and she threatened to expose me next, I took her life. Before she died, she told me – "You will find great love, lost heir of Terrasen. You will know great pain, greater loss and greater happiness. When Dawn breaks, Darkness will find its way to claim it. Your happiness will slip away and for years, you will be trapped in dusk, for Darkness awaits. It is not the brutal forces that gather that you should fear, but you should fear for your heart breaking into a million pieces. Save your heart, Heir of Terrasen." She shivered and Rowan was completely startled.
"What does that mean? Darkness? We defeat Erawan!" he was panicking now, his inner warrior shining through to protect his mate and their unborn child.
"Dusk will come whatever we do. I read many books, I consulted witches who are gifted with sight, I did everything I could…" Aelin looked defeated. "When our baby is born, we should send it away…"she started and Rowan lost it.
"Send it away?! Why? Because of some prophecy from a crazy witch a million years ago, before the end result of the war was even clear?"
"YOU THINK I LIKE IT MORE THAN YOU DO?" she yelled back at him. "YOU THINK I WANT TO SEND MY CHILD AWAY SO IT WOULDN'T ENDURE WHATEVER IS COMING FOR US? YOU THINK I DON'T WANT TO BE TA DOTING, LOVING MOTHER?"
"We keep baby here and fight whatever is coming." Rowan said. "We can't give up. Not yet, not when we have no idea what is coming."
"Dawn is coming, and when she comes, we send her away from whatever is coming to get us. We save our child, we fight for its future, we rattle the freaking stars, we get her back. That's what we are meant to do. We are meant to protect her. That's what I think that prophecy was, and as much as I hate prophecies, I want to keep this," she put her hand protectively over her stomach. "Safe. At all costs." Her eyes shone in a way that he knew too well – she couldn't be moved to change her mind.
Months rolled away too quickly – Aelin was growing, she was glowing, doing her best to enjoy this rare moment while they organized for the baby to be sent away. She was kept away from the public eyes, Lysandra taking her spot on official meetings and public appearances – they had made a vow to keep the child safe and sound, and for Terrasen to never learn the truth of its' new heir.
Dawn. That's the name they had picked for the baby should it be born female – something Aelin was certain to be true. They had taken many measures to ensure the child safe travel – consulted Rolfe as to where it would be safe for a newborn Fae princess to be born. Rolfe had taken his time in finding an answer for them, and then had shown it on the map that was spread over his body – a land called Prythian. Rowan had gone and read everything any library could offer in regards to that land – a land separated in Seven Courts – Four seasonal, where the ruling season went on year-round and three Solar courts – Dawn, Day and Night court.
They hadn't decided where to send her but had composed a letter addressed to the ruler of one of these courts – a plea, to keep her safe and to give her shelter, and in turn, anyone from said court would always find a safe haven within Terrasen and Adarlan. Dorian and Manon had helped them immensely, as well as pretty much every one of their friends. Chaol had found a safe ship that had travelled to Prythian and returned, Manon and the witches had found a fellow witch from Prythian and sent word ahead that someone important to them would be travelling over and to keep an eye on them. All of it was oddly coming together, especially since Aelin convinced Aedion and Lysandra to go with Evangeline and their godchild, Aedion incredibly reluctant to be parted from Aelin once again, and Lysandra doubtful that she would see Terrasen, Aelin or any of her friends ever again.
"What's on your mind?" Aelin asked from her seat on a rocking chair that they had moved into their room.
"You know what is on my mind." Rowan looked at her. They couldn't even commission a painting of Aelin in this beautiful state because it would be too painful of a reminder of what they would lose too soon. "I made the baby a book… and wrote one for it. I gave it to Aedion, to pass on one day, when the child is old enough." He admitted shyly. He had wanted to have something to give to his unborn child, he'd always thought that he would have all the time in the world with it, but it wasn't the case – he and Aelin would have less than a few hours, depending on the tide, before Aedion, Lysandra, Evangeline and their child would sail away to safety.
"We will make it through this war, Rowan." Aelin got up slowly, wincing from the relentless back in her pain that had been haunting her for months now, and moved to sit closer to him. He rested his hand on her back to support it.
"We have to. Our baby needs us both and we will get her back as soon as possible." He kissed Aelin's temple. Time was passing by too quickly, and he wanted to give up everything, take Aelin and move with her and the child instead of leaving it with Aedion and Lysandra.
The birth took a toll on Aelin – it took close to a full day for their daughter to make her appearance and Rowan was terrified that he would lose both of them in the process. It was something he could not go through again, he could not lose his mate or their baby and he would be sending the baby off too soon. Damn.
Aelin was half-awake, too tired to think, her body weighing her down, it was all too much. Her heart was being torn out from her chest, she fought the labor, fought hard to keep her daughter close even for a moment longer, even if it killed her, just to have one more moment with her.
"Give her to me." The queen demanded of the wet nurse, a woman commissioned and sworn to secrecy, set to travel with Lysandra, Aedion, Evangeline and the baby. She struggled to a sitting position with Rowan's help and reached out for the small bundle that was currently in the healer's arms.
The healer took a look at the king and queen and knew better than to argue. He passed the baby to the queen's open arms and showed her how to support the little head.
"My precious princess." Aelin sobbed, smelling the child's head. "You are my whole heart." She let the tears slip and was grateful for Rowan being there, holding her. Aelin looked up just as the sun was rising and illuminating the horizon.
"Dawn." Rowan said barely audibly, looking at Aelin. So far the cursed prophecy was coming true. He held his two loves tight, afraid of what will happen if he were to let go.
"She has to go, Rowan." Aelin kissed the baby's forehead once more and looked up to Aedion and Lysandra who had been summoned to the royal chambers. Aedion looked at his cousin gravely, his heart breaking that they would have to go through this, through so much heartbreak again. He knelt infront of the bed.
"I will protect her with everything I have, everything I am, and will lay down my life for her if need be." He vowed and lowered his head. Lysandra looked at the man she loved kneeling infront of her best friend and moved closer to the bed, sitting just on the edge and took Aelin's hand.
"I will never try to replace you, but I will tell her all about you, I will tell her all about Terrasen, I will teach her about her heritage, about her homeland, and before you know it, we will be back here."
"Try not to die, please." Aedion looked at Aelin's pale face. She was exhausted and the birth had been messier than she would have liked it to.
"No way in hell will I die without seeing my daughter again." She jabbed him in the shoulder. "You better come back with her, both of you, or I will come to haunt you." She looked at the two of them. "Thank you. Thank you for taking her as your own and making sure that she would be safe." Aelin teared up once more. She turned her gaze to Rowan. "Go with them. Go as far as you can and then come back to me. Please." She held back her tears but it was clear to Rowan what the effort of not crying was costing her. He didn't say anything but only nodded and kissed her forehead.
Everything was set for the journey. Manon and Dorian did not manage to come in time for the birth, but they had agreed that they would visit the grieving parents as soon as possible. Rowan helped Aedion and Lysandra with Evangeline and loading everything onboard and then took the air, to clear his head, to find the right words to say to the infant, to make sure that he would go back to Aelin level-headed.
He flew for half a day, knowing that it would take just as long to get back but he would push to go back faster, his heart torn between the two creatures that he loves most in this and any world. He landed on the deck of the ship, with Aedion looking out. The Ashryver prince immediately offered him a glass of water which Rowan took gladly.
"Lysandra and Evangeline and below deck with the baby." Aedion looked worried. Aelin had confided in him about that prophecy but something was out of place and he was worried that the royal couple would regret their choice.
Rowan nodded, patted his brother on the back and went below deck to find Lysandra holding the baby close.
"She cried for an hour but then fell asleep after the wet-nurse fed her. Came to say goodbye?" she was also concerned for her best friends. Rowan only nodded and she passed the baby to him. Little Dawn opened her eyes that were still too-dark to distinguish the true color that she would grow up to have but he still found her the most beautiful baby ever.
"Dawn Ashryver Galanthynius Whitethorn." He said quietly. "Your mother and I love you with all our hearts and we will fight to get you back. Uncle Aedion and Auntie Lysandra will take good care of you, and very soon you will come back and we will put all the pain behind us, I promise. I love you with all my heart and soul." He sobbed quietly, holding her close to him one last time. "Please come back to us." He kissed her little forehead and gave her back to Lysandra, unsure that if he kept holding her would ever let go, and he knew that his mate needed him.
"Thank you. Both of you." Rowan bowed to both of his friends and shifted before they could say anything to dissuade him.