A/N at end :)

Elide
Elide felt guilty after Lorcan snapped at her. When was the last time he had been with a woman? She felt foolish for not expecting Lorcan to react the way he had. She was still a virgin, and she wasn't even sure she had been ready for anything more to happen, yet she had pranced out in the nightgown. Elide sighed through her nose, mortified by her own actions. Well, she supposed she hadn't been acting like herself since she'd been thinking of Queen Aelin. But then he had just turned on his heel and left, probably now slinking around in the dark being a broody Fae male.

Elide huffed. She turned on her side and tried to think about something else. Tossed and turning, she eventually fell asleep sometime after Lorcan stepped out. She slept fitfully, dreams and nightmares flitting through her consciousness as she tried to reach a deeper sleep. Shadows moved throughout her dreams, and she could have sworn she saw the dungeons of Morath. Thankfully, the shadows swirled away, but the scene was replaced with a beach, the smell of salt and seawater, and…

Maeve's violet eyes were boring holes into her, a wicked smile playing on her lips as Cairn stood smiling silently by her side, a whip in his hands. Fear rose inside of Elide, like a bottle uncorked. It's not real, it's not real, Elide chanted, willing herself to wake up. She screwed her eyes shut and starting running down the beach. Darkness opened up in front of her and she screamed as she collided with the inky black.

Elide swore she could see Uncle Vernon in the corner of the room, smiling nastily as he waited for her to wake up. She opened her mouth to scream, to warn Lorcan, but it was like she was underwater. Her arms and legs were heavy as she tried to get out of bed to run. Vernon opened his mouth to speak and –

Elide's eyelids finally snapped open, and she bolted upright, her chest heaving. Her eyes wildly scanned the room, but she only saw Lorcan, fast asleep in the chair by the window. He hadn't seemed to sense that anything was amiss. The sun had not started to rise yet, and eventually, her breath started to slow. She still trembled from the dreams; they had seemed so real.

Before she could convince herself from doing it, she swung her legs over the bed and padded over to Lorcan, wishing for some comfort. The lines on his chiseled face were smoothed out, and he looked much more peaceful than he normally did during the day. He was real, wasn't he? Elide's trembling fingers reached out to touch his jaw.

Lorcan's eyes opened before his fingers reached him, his onyx eyes finding hers. Elide let out a small squeak and stepped back in surprise.

"I– I– was just," Elide stammered, "I was having a bad dream and– and– wanted to know if you were real." She swallowed hard. Lorcan noticed that she was still trembling from head to foot and knew she wasn't lying about the dream. His magic subtly braced her ankle. It was silent for a few breaths.

So softly it was barely a whisper, Elide asked, "Will you hold me?"

Lorcan's heart ached as he watched her eyes cast downward, as if she expected him to reject her when she was standing there trembling like a leaf, scared and vulnerable. He knew he would truly be a monster if he refused her, so he allowed himself to instinctively scoop her into his arms and settle back into the armchair. Lorcan leashed his thoughts, even though she was still wearing that gods–damned pink slip that had sent him wild last night. He brushed his lips against the top of her head as she tucked her knees against his chest.

His arms were wrapped around her and gods, his skin was hot. He was a living, breathing furnace. Elide couldn't help but nestle into the radiating warmth, and she was surprised at how safe she felt, encircled in his arms. Elide's hand absentmindedly traced some of the scars on his chest, and she wondered how he had gotten them. One day, she would have to make him be honest with her. Lorcan had moved so that his mouth was by her ear.

"Sorry, you woke me up so I might not be in full control of myself right now," Lorcan breathed roughly into her ear. She knew what he meant because she could feel something hard pressing against the side of her thigh. Elide shuddered slightly as Lorcan's hot breath raised the hairs on her neck and down her spine.

"It– It's okay," she managed to squeak out. Her eyes closed and Lorcan could feel her soft breath on his chest. Lorcan's eyes closed as well. He let her comforting smell and her warmth envelop him. He would enjoy this small, sliver of peace for as long as he could. It soothed his miserable soul. And Elide had stopped trembling, which was a bonus.

Rowan and Gavriel came in through the window shortly after dawn broke, instead of knocking on the door like normal individuals. Lorcan immediately woke and practically threw Elide onto the bed. He glared at her when she tried to sleepily protest and rolled her up in a blanket. Gavriel was looking at him with his eyebrows raised and Rowan looked slightly bemused, although his eyes still beheld their usual sadness.

Elide was finally awake and sitting up with the blanket wrapped around her, eyes wide. She would have found the situation comical if she hadn't realized that she was still wearing the skimpy nightgown. Her face turned red.

"I don't have anything else to say except that nothing happened," Lorcan said coolly, before anyone else could say anything. Elide fought the urge to smile.

"We're impressed by your restraint," Gavriel replied wryly, his tawny eyes showing slight amusement. His gaze met Elide's, like he was assessing her for injuries. Lorcan tensed and instinctively slipped into a crouch, lips curling up. Oh gods, he was being all territorial again. For the past few days, Lorcan had been snarling at Gavriel whenever he had so much as glanced at her. Even Rowan had said that past Lorcan would have laughed himself to death if he could see himself now.

"Lorcan, stop that," she commanded. Fussy Fae male, she thought to herself. She was surprised and slightly pleased when Lorcan listened and straightened up. She faced Gavriel.

"Gavriel, I'm fine." She hesitated, then added, "Some soldiers attacked me in my room last night but Lorcan took care of them."

Rowan and Gavriel's eyes both snapped to Lorcan's face, expecting his report. "Obviously nothing I couldn't handle. I eliminated the three soldiers, Elide was unharmed, and–" Lorcan quickly glanced at Elide with an unreadable expression, "–I buried the men out back. I wouldn't leave her unprotected, but she insists against my presence most of the time. I can protect her better if she doesn't run away from me." Lorcan finished, his tone neutral.

Gavriel's eyes found Elide's again. "It's for your own safety," he said softly.

Elide nodded. "I know. I won't complain anymore."

Lorcan was now looking at her too, but she avoided his eyes. She knew he must have been worried when she was ambushed.

Rowan cleared his throat and glanced sidelong at Gavriel. He must have something important to report. "Gavriel and I have searched high and low for news of Aelin, and we began thinking again. Maeve must know by now that Aelin doesn't have the Wyrdkeys. So what would Maeve do next?" Lorcan rolled his eyes, but Gavriel shot him a warning look. They had had this conversation many times already.

Gavriel picked up the thread. "We were reviewing Maeve's plan when she captured Aelin. Maeve had used the fires along Eyllwe to make the people think that Aelin was attacking the coast. So Maeve turns her enemy's strengths against them, but to guarantee her victory and add insult to injury, she also exploits their weaknesses."

Rowan's green eyes had that hollow, glassy appearance again. "Aelin loves her court… and she loves the people of Terrasen. And Maeve will find out eventually that the Wyrdkeys aren't there either. But to learn that…" Rowan took a deep breath. "We think Maeve is going to attack Terrasen."

Lorcan stiffened and hissed softly. Rowan explained that he and Gavriel had found some signs of unusual activity in the forests near Terrasen. Elide's head was starting to spin. What Rowan and Gavriel said made sense, and when she looked at Gavriel, she knew he was thinking of Aedion. And Elide was thinking about Lysandra and the rest of Aelin's court, and the people of Perranth. Her people, who likely didn't remember her and may never know she still exists. She paled and shuddered.

"We'll stop her," Lorcan said firmly, surely. Elide caught herself admiring him for being ever the commander. "We are no longer bound to her, and we do not do her every asinine bidding any longer. She will not control our lives any longer." Rowan nodded at him in thanks, and Gavriel inclined his head as well. They were all silent for a few heartbeats.

"We should set out immediately. We have to warn the others if we find out anything before they do," Gavriel said, breaking the silence. Everyone nodded, and they all began to gather their belongings. They would set forth towards Terrasen, Elide's homeland, and hope that their Queen would appear. But Elide knew that if Aelin appeared, it meant Maeve was near, which may trigger war against the already-weakened Terrasen.

A/N: hey everyone, I hope I haven't lost you all yet, we're just starting to heat up~! i've thought up some direction for this story, so maybe it will stretch out to about 10-12 chapters, perhaps beyond? will take me a little bit to write and review it all, so let me know what you all think so far and i'll keep writing when i can! i'm trying to stay accurate to the story's canon, so i may go back and edit lines regarding travel/distances/time it takes to travel, cos honestly i'm making it up at this point haha.

as always, fav/reviews/follows are appreciated :) thanks~

~k