-'๑'-Chapter One -'๑'-
Adelith stood in the center of the room, her porcelain skin and black hair gleaming against the fire light. Her deep sapphire eyes gazing into the almost similar blues, only accented with gold rings belonging to her Queen. Maeve of the Fae. It had been little more than three days since they're arrival at the outpost. Why Maeve wanted to come here of all places was beyond her. She was told nothing as she was dragged from her chambers of the crystal palace in the early light of the dawn to go on this Gods forsaken journey. And for what? Just to meet some refugee from Adarlan. What was so special about her anyways?
A knock on the door shook Adelith from her stare as Maeve turned her attention towards the only entrance to and from the room. Rowen entered and bowed to Queen Maeve as she beckoned them in. A small slender figure trailed close behind in shackles. Her golden blond hair gleamed against the firelight, shielding her face from unwanted noticers until her eyes fell upon Queen Maeve. The girl's eyes widened as did Adelith's as she noticed the female's bright blue eyes ringed with gold. This was not just some random girl they'd found worthy upon the refugee ships, but a member of the Ashryver family.
Maeve stood, rounding the desk. She waved the other guards out of the room and Rowen off to the side as she began to circle the young woman who only stood still. Expression unreadable. She watched as Maeve surveyed her.
"In your days before becoming the King's Champion you've caused quite a commotion among your continent. Is this not correct?"
The King's Champion? Of course.Adelith thought to herself. The young woman. The notorious Adarlan's Assassin. Adelith should have recognized her upon first look while her recent adventures to western continent had landed her in the courts of Adarlan itself undetected as a child of the Fae. More than a few times had she crossed paths with Celaena Sardothien. Though not as close as to communicate, but vaguely throughout the sleepless nights and busy days of the glass castle had she managed to catch a glimpse of the famous woman. Especially the weeks prior to the crowning of her right hand title to the bastard King of Adarlan. Adelith quietly reprimanded herself for not taking notice many times prior to this meeting.
No response. "Where do you hail from Celaena? Originally."
Celaena still didn't reply. Barely even winced as Maeve closed the distance between herself and Celaena's face to analyze the almost mirrored reflection of her eyes.
"I have patience my darling," Maeve said gently as she backed away, "But if you test it..."
"Maeve," Adelith interrupted. Maeve perked her pointed ears in Adelith's direction.
Adelith eyed Celaena up and down, "I am not one to encourage such treatment, but perhaps if we give her time alone to ponder such questions, she may come around."
Maeve turned her attention back to Celaena who eyed Adelith in turn. After a few long seconds of pondering her words she nodded.
"Very well. Take her to her chambers." Maeve commanded Rowen, "Guards are to be stationed outside her rooms at all times. She is filthy. Have the help draw her a bath and retrieve clean clothes from Adelith's wardrobe. They look to be about the same size."
The muscular and obedient captain bowed deeply to Queen Maeve and when Celaena didn't repeat his actions he saw it fit to show her. As he extended a hand towards her neck that seemed to be of unfriendly nature Adelith snatched the pressure points of his wrist and brought him to his knees in one swift motion and Celaena spun around to watch.
"Touch a member of the royal family and it will be your head." Maeve growled as she bared her fangs.
After a few tense seconds she nodded to Adelith to let go of the captain. She dropped his tattooed wrist and he recovered himself with a grunt. Maeve turned back to her chair and began flipping through a book.
Adelith looked to Rowen as he snarled under his breath, "Take her to her quarters in the halls undergrounds. As soon as she's in her rooms remove the shackles."
Rowen waved to the guards to handle Celaena from there and they turned towards the door.
"And Rowen," he stopped as Adelith spoke, "I'd see it fit to be far from her chambers when the shackles come off. Miss Sardothien does not seem to be very fond of you." Celaena let out a small smirk in Rowen's direction as he eyed the assassin carefully.
As they left Adelith and the Queen, Maeve looked up from her book to eye her faithful companion.
"What do you think of Miss Sardothien, Adelith?"
Adelith just shrugged as she came to lean onto the desk across from Maeve, "she seems rather harmless to me."
Maeve shut the book and set it down on the desk as she sighed and leaned back in her chair, crossing her long slender legs as she clasped her hands waiting for a more elaborate answer.
Adelith sighed, "I believe with time she will come to open up to us as Aelin Ashryver Galathynius. I believe in good time she will come to trust us as we might come to trust her. For right now, she needs a bit of time to adjust. We do not even know what she looks like in Fae form, let alone how she can act, nor the extent of her gifts."
Maeve listened intently as Adelith continued, "I believe she needs some time to adjust to Wendlyn before we travel any closer to the city's walls. Just being near the sacred city could send her into a shifting fit."
Silence fell as Maeve repeated Adelith's words over in her mind. "Very well then. Go to her and see how she is settling in. You are to accompany her throughout the days we are here. Even if she does not speak to you at first, she should open up eventually. If she does not, she will be sent back."
Adelith fought the urge to argue about being in the company of someone other than Maeve whilst away from the crystal palace. She was not too fond of anyone else. She barely tolerated the company of her fellow guards. Even when they were stationed for Maeve's comfort. On days when her services weren't needed she would not be caught dead around anyone other than the royal family itself. Too many people, too many conversations, and too many faces to memorize.
Without waiting for a response, Maeve waved Adelith out of her office and she headed downstairs to the third basement and down the long narrow hallway that seemed to stretch awhile if one's been down there plenty of times. Adelith counted the candle fixtures on either side of her as she strode over the felt red carpet beneath her. Stopping around the corner she found Celaena's room guarded by two of Maeve's most trusted sentinels, Therawin and Traen.
"How are things coming along?"
They exchanged a glance before Traen explained, "The little lady is definitely not too fond of Rowen. He hadn't heeded your warning and as soon as he removed her shackles-," Traen shrugged, "it almost would not have been an imaginable sight."
Adelith nodded agreeably, "Is she done bathing?"
Therawin concealed his laugh as Nydilia came storming out of Celaena's chambers.
"That young lady is no lady at all."
Adelith shot a warning glare at the young guard and he straightened his posture opening the door to head all the way in. Shutting it behind her, she found the young assassin had already bathed and dressed for bed, lounging by the fire with her book in hand.
Adelith glanced over the young woman and the leather bound parchment. An old but enjoyable story.
"How are you settling in?"
Celaena looked up from her book on the couch to spy the beautiful Fae creature that made it's way through her door. Pointed ears, pitch black hair that glinted against the fire light, feminine yet toned muscles protruding from the sleeves of her tunic. She was gorgeous, and knew how to make an entrance. Celaena couldn't tell if it was the cold begging to be felt in the damp humid air of the basement or the atmosphere this Fae woman gave to her surroundings. She had no idea what to think. Especially not when she first laid eyes on her in Queen Maeve's office and certainly not while she was making her way towards her in her own chambers.
"Well enough I suppose." Celaena replied before looking back to her book.
"Do you speak to everybody, or am I significant?" Adelith asked as she came to one of the chairs posted across from the couch.
Celaena didn't look up this time, nor reply.
"Forgive me." Adelith kept her snide accent in check. "I didn't mean to test you."
Celaena sighed and closed the book as she looked to Adelith the exact same way Maeve had in the office earlier. Almost frightening at how much alike they were, and definitely no doubt in the fact they were related.
Adelith leaned against the chair and started, "Queen Maeve has asked me to be your escort. I would be happy to honor you with a tour of our elegant outpost.We'll be staying here for a while so you may want to memorize it. Terribly easy to get lost down here."
"Why are we staying here? Is Dellaylyn not safe?"
Adelith cocked an eyebrow. A simple question. "Wendlyn is safe. There is no need to worry of that and trust me, I am about as fond of this place as you are but Queen Maeve has duties to tend to here at this point in time and I am to accompany her on every outing throughout Wendlyn as my duties to the kingdom states."
"Are you her pet?" Celaena asked casually enough hiding a hint of venom.
Adelith narrowed her eyes at the young woman but shook her almost glare. "I am no such thing. Rather, I am her champion. A guardian to the royal family."
Celaena stayed silent.
"Queen Maeve and her sister took me in when I was very young. I was sent to Erilea for other worldly training and ended up being captured by some insolent bastard who thought he could use me in some slave trade alliance. I nearly escaped from an Assassin's Guild in Rifthold with my life."
Celaena perked her attention even closer at the mention of the guild.
"The same one I presume you had been dragged into not of your own accord. With Arobynn Hammel."
The assassin stayed silent.
"I apologize if you're fond of him, but I am not. I will murder that man if I ever see him again. Since our last encounter he's done well to hide from me. Or at least he thinks."
Celaena's eyes flickered back to the memories of her days working as his right hand. Arobynn? Afraid of anyone? That was never an imaginable thought, until now. When she came face to face with the Fae, especially Adelith it seemed possible. It seems Adelith was a force not to be reckoned with just as she was not. But something about the powerful vibe of the Fae made her shrink inside. Having the ability to unlock her full potential as a Fae, she was no doubt much more of a challenge than Celaena could handle at the moment, until she trained more in their ways.
Adelith sighed and headed towards the door, giving up on attempting to get anything worth knowing out of Celaena. "I best be getting to bed since you're able to keep yourself entertained tonight. I have a rather big day ahead of me."
As Adelith reached the door, opening it she heard Celaena speak, "Goodnight."