*Aedion PoV*

Aedion was pissed. The last thing he needed was the whining, spoilt prince to show him round the gardens he had walked many times, offering banal activities with which to entertain him. All he really needed to do was train, as he hadn't had the chance when he'd been travelling to Rifthold. Besides, the king's new champion was supposed to be very good to look at. And a renowned assassin.

That settled it. He would go to the training area and test himself against the king's champion. Quietly, he began taking corners in such a way that it would lead him to the training ground.

"Maybe you would be interested in ..." he heard the prince whine as they rounded the corner into the spacious courtyard. "Or perhaps you want to train?"

The prince's courtly trained voice made Aedion want to bash him into smithereens, but that wasn't allowed. Instead, he settled for joining the current fighting competition. The rules were simple: the judge pulls pairs from names in a hat, the people in the pairs fight each other in first-blood duels, the winner's name goes back in the hat. Then it repeats. The last person standing wins the game. His name was pulled, and he went to fight the never-heard-of-before never-heard-of-again guard. As per usual, he won. And then he won again. And again. And again. Then -

"Last pair! Aedion Ashryver and the king's champion!" Perfect. It would be good to test himself for once.

Behind him, he saw some onlookers passing coin around.

Grinning, he sauntered up the steps to the main ring.

It faded when he saw who stood before him.

*Celeana PoV*

Celeana hated these competitions. She really Gods-damned did. Especially considering that she should be on her way to Wendlyn by now, if not for that stupid storm. But she couldn't have the men thinking she wouldn't participate because she was scared, so she competed in them regardless. If only to show them she was the best. But when she heard the last pairing, she honestly considered running.

Aedion. The cousin she hadn't seen in ten years, duelling with her. What if she was recognised, what if...

No! She thought at herself angrily. There's nothing to be done about it now. He's just another opponent. Maybe he won't even recognise me any more. She pulled herself up into the ring with her twin stilettos, and almost laughed at the shocked look that crossed Aedion's face.

"Well? Are we just going to stand here all day? Or are we going to fight?"

*Aedion PoV*

Aedion's mind just wouldn't stop spinning.

Aelin Galathynius and the King of Adarlan's Champion, one and the same.

His cousin, lost for ten years, just a few meters in front of his face, her scent filling his nostrils as she thoroughly sassed him. So Aelin.

His cousin, challenging him to a fight, her face covered in all manner of scars. By the muttering of the men around them, she was pretty good too.

If she thought he would go easy on her, she was wrong. He drawled,

"Well, I suppose the audience will get bored watching us all day, so why don't we get on with it."

Then they started fighting.

*Dorian PoV*

Dorian couldn't quite believe his eyes. Before him, Aedion and Celeana were fighting like he'd never seen anyone fight before. Duck, turn, swipe, retreat, all within the span of one second. They were panting hard, neither willing to give up. Probably trying to prove a point to the men. He chuckled and left them to it.

They could exhaust themselves all they want.

*Aedion PoV*

Aedion's body was screaming at him, "STOP! PLEASE! NOW!" thanks to his fight with Aelin. She was fast, and strong, and really knew what she was doing. However, his size gave him an advantage that he knew how to make use of, resulting in and even match. Suddenly, he found that Aelin was slicing from behind, and he couldn't move in time. He fell over, a small amount of blood trickling behind his thighs, and the judge called off the match.

Aelin leaned down to help him up, whispering in his ear,

"Palace roof, 11pm, above the clock tower courtyard."

Aedion rushed off to have lunch in his rooms. He really needed to sort out what was going on in private.