Hey guys - I'm going to be swapping in between characters more often in this chapter than others; I just wanted to have a wider variety of character P.O.V.'s, and getting a little bit more used to them. I'm also re-re-re-re-rereading Throne of Glass at the moment, so I'm sorry if the storyline is a bit all over the place. So, from here on, I will leave you to the chapter. Peace.
Again, I had to drag my attention to Maeve, because with her looking at me like that, she could do anything. And I meant anything (I speak from experience…).
Chaol Westfall:
I trembled. I could feel my eyes betraying my fear. I registered the shock on my face and let it hang there. As I stared at at the girl – no, the Fae, I sneered – I thought I knew, I couldn't see a single hair on her that I recognised. I couldn't help but look at this alien creature standing mere metres away from me, who should have been laying dead on the ground, at the feet of that dark haired monster, instead of standing next to her, giving her what looked like a grim smile.
How? I thought. How is she still smiling, when she should have been dead, thanks to the witch? How did she beat that witch anyways? The thoughts raced through my mind. I could barely even think straight. It was almost like my thoughts had placed a blindfold over my eyes, leaving me unable to see anything.
I took a breath, and I felt the weight of Celaena's eyes on me. Her turquoise eyes reflected no emotion, they just showed emptiness, almost like they were hollow. As if the Celaena I knew was a fake. Almost as if the Celaena I loved was never really a living being. Celaena – no, the Fae called her Aelin. Wait. Was she named after Aelin Galathynius, the heir of Terrasen? Or was that just a mad coincidence? I frowned mentally. No, I didn't believe in coincidences. All I knew, is that I will find out whether or not the Fae standing metres away from me, is the lost heir of Terrasen or not. I gritted my teeth at the vow, and schooled my features quickly, and started to make up some plans of what to do.
A few hours later…
Aelin Galathynius:
A few hours had passed, and by that time, the bitch of a Fae Queen had decided that Chaol should have his accomodation in the dungeons, whilst the Duke got to share a room with one of the slaves. I could imagine how pissed he was when the bitch delivered that news to Perrington. And so, for those past few hours after Chaol and Perrington were dragged away – literally – I was being bellowed at by the Queen.
But that was like I said, a few hours ago. For about the past half an hour, the Queen had set most of her best soldiers – fifteen to be exact – the task of beating the crap out of me, whilst keeping me conscious. Sounds fun, right? And that's not even the worst of it. The worst, was probably that just before the crap beating started, what seemed like her entire court flooded through all the doors to see the show. Manon went back to her small throne mere seconds before the beating started, and Rowan was forced to Maeve's other side. Both were forced to watch as well, as my beating started.
I knew better than to fight back, but the onslaught of soldiers had my blood roaring to make them suffer, even if it was the tiniest amount of blood that I could draw. But if I fought back, I would gain a little bit of pride momentarily, before the bitch's soldiers were infuriated and stepped the beating up a notch.
The beating went on and on for almost an hour and a half, before Maeve got bored and waved her hand airily. I sneered at her for a second, and whirled on my heel, unsheathing both my daggers and started to fight the soldiers. I blocked and counter attacked continuously, and slowly the fifteen Fae warriors died. The numbers got down to three, before they worked harmoniously, with one slipping through my defence and slicing at my right wrist, while another aimed low for my legs, just as the other Fae jumped over my head, landed, and swung the pommel of their sword into the back of my head and I dropped to the ground, hard, on my knees, and sunk into unconsciousness.
Rowan Whitethorn:
I couldn't help her, even as I felt myself itching to do so. I watched in horror as Maeve almost casually flicked her hand towards the soldiers, and they moved in to pressure Aelin into fighting them, and getting the 'glory' of beating her senseless, and continuing to do so even after she was far gone. I felt myself starting to shake when they moved agilely towards her, but she was ready. Aelin threw a sneer in Maeve's direction, making her clench the throne's armrest creak quietly, before pivoting on her heel, and unleashing Hell upon the fifteen Fae males - fifteen male Fae, all trained from birth to crave spilling blood.
My mind thrashed against my eyes to look away, she was surely going to die, but my eyes couldn't be torn from her, as her daggers whirled around her in bright flashing arks. Painfully slow, Aelin somehow managed to kill them off. One by one, they fell to her wraith, her unstoppable fury and rage, that struck fear in Fae alike. Maeve tensed up slowly as some of her best warriors died at her nieces hand, and I had to smile slightly to myself. Go Aelin, you've got this, I silently encouraged.
The killing kept at the same pace, but slowed slightly as the last few remained. The killing was halted as Aelin came to the three of Maeve's best soldiers, that had centuries of wars under their belts. I hadn't had a clue of how Aelin had survived until now, but I knew that she was not going to get anywhere with these few. Not even a minute after reaching the three, Aelin buckling under the onslaught. One managed to slip under her defence and slashed at her wrist, another aimed at her legs, while the other leapt neatly over her head, landed lightly, and swung his swords pummel into the back of her head with a large crack.
I gaped slightly, as I watched her fall. It was almost played out in slow motion, and I held myself back from lurching forward to her aid, from smashing the shit out of the three warriors as they stared down at her unconscious form with blank looks, and from smashing a triumphant looking Maeve into a bloody pulp in front of the gathered court. Even Manon flinched back at the sound the pummel made against Aelin's head, and had a wary look in her eyes.
Maeve was wearing a demon-like grin splattered over her face, and her eyes shone with childish glee. Jutting her chin at the guards stationed at the base of Maeve's throne, they stepped forward and started to haul Aelin's limp body away. The court that had gathered all looked at Maeve with burning hate, and more fear than with what they entered. My aunt addressed them.
"Thank you for gathering to watch this display," She started, the grin fading to a cold smile. "Let this be known, that what you were gathered to watch today, was a punishment fit for anyone in this court. Aelin had disobeyed me far too long, and she had reached the end of my patience." The smile was gone all together now. "You will keep this entertainment in your minds as you stay or work in my court. You will do so, to erase any thoughts you may have of becoming anything like that piece of filth." I stifled a growl quickly, as Maeve addressed Aelin. "Be gone from here. Now."
My aunt's command thundered through the silent and still room. Then, the court bowed and flooded through the doors. Within minutes, the throne room was empty. I bowed to Maeve as well, before following the last few stragglers out of the room. As I walked away, I felt her eyes burn into my back with a glare. I continued walking, and soon heard light footsteps behind me. Manon came into view, and we walked silently side by side. When we were out of hearing range of Maeve, we both started to sprint. Wingbeats sounded through the walls, as Abraxos flew beside Manon.
She yelled at him to meet him at Aelin's room, and Abraxos flew swiftly ahead. The windows flashed past us, as we flew up the stairs. Up, and up, and up we ran. Finally we reached the corridor of Aelin's room. We raced towards it, and Manon fell back, letting me slam into the door. I nearly broke the door off the hinges, but I didn't care. We stormed into the room and looked around. Abraxos had already stuck his head in through her window, and was looking at Aelin as she lay on her bed.
Blood trickled slowly from her wounds, and dripped onto the sheets. Her right arm had a jagged and deep looking gash, her legs had almost a pattern of cuts, and multiple cuts, both deep and shallow, almost clothed her body. Bruises had started to form around one of her eyes, and on her arms and neck. I swallowed my disgust. Maeve wasn't kidding with how the other beatings must have been almost like a mercy. From the other beatings, she would have already been conscious. She would have been pacing around her room, cursing, swearing and breaking anything that might get her anger out.
But not this time. She was still out cold. And it scared the shit out of me.
