AUTHOR'S NOTE: A lot of you have been wondering why I use the name Celaena, and not Aelin. The answer is that I prefer the name Celaena. It gives her so much more character, in my opinion, and fanfiction is all about working with characters in new ways and making them your own, right? Anyways, I hope it doesn't bother anyone too much that I use her original name. Thanks for reading! ;)

Celeana lay on the sofa, her head dangling off the edge as she snored over a book. A fire crackled in the hearth, smoking a little because she hadn't tended it for over a day. Smears of chocolate adorned her blouse, and a heavy blanket covered up dirty and torn pants.

Rowan surveyed her. She'd been like that for over a day.

It was time for action.

"Wake up," he called, yanking the blanket off her limp legs. She grunted and curled herself into a ball, mumbling, "Sod off."

"Not today, Celaena. You need to get your ass up and get back into shape." He grinned. Oh, a challenge would be fun.

She sat up, her hair sticking out in all directions as she stretched and yawned. "Rowan, I just saved Adarlan and Terrasen two days ago. Can't you give a girl some time to recover?"

"It's been three months, Celeana. I think that excuse is getting old."

"Damn," she said, and then glanced up at Rowan. "You know, I think Chaol or even Dorian would've let me sleep."

He resented that. As if he hadn't been caring for her devotedly over the past months. As if he hadn't lovingly carried her to the shower and cleaned her clothes and given her food and warmth. As if he hadn't sat in an armchair by the fire, night after night, guarding her. As if he hadn't worried constantly that his queen - no, the Queen of Terrasen - would never recover from her terrible experiences. As if he hadn't bloodied his knuckles every day, training and battling in the sparring room, trying to take his feelings for her out on a punching bag. As if he hadn't carefully sharpened and polished her swords and armor, dreaming about the day she'd be back and ready to train with him once more.

How dare she.

He bared his teeth, letting his canines show. "Go take a shower and be out in the fields in ten minutes, or I'll come back in here and bite you. Hard."

She rolled her eyes. "Testorone much?"

He banged out of the room and ran all the way down to the fields.

Catching his breath at the fence, he fought a battle within himself.

Her bra strap showing through her shirt had been so damn hot.

No. NO. He had to control himself. She had had such a difficult life already, and he didn't need to add more stress to it. She would let him know when the time came, if she wanted to... move on with their relationship.

But for now, he was her coach and friend. No more, no less.

If he occasionally scared her a little... well, he wasn't perfect.

"Rowan? Hey, dreamboy? Let's go!"

She ran past him, her legs fluid in liquid motion, her chest heaving with labored breaths, her eyes sparkling in the morning air.

Damn, this was going to be hard.

Damn damn damn damn damn.