A World Without You Chapter 13
Author's note: Here's the next chapter. Hopefully it will make up for the last chapter. Also, I'm going away from my laptop for a few days on Thursday and so I won't be able to update next week, so I'll try and add the next chapter on Tuesday or Wednesday for you guys. There's another time skip of about a month this time.
I hope you enjoy this chapter, and please let me know if you want me to add anything for you or if I've got something wrong because I'm no biology or fighting expert.
Celaena's POV
Aelin Galathynius, the weak princess who let others die for her, was truly dead. She was replaced now by Celaena Sardothien, who was stronger than the princess.
"Your weapon skills are much better." Arobynn said causally as he leaned against the wall next to Celaena. "But now you need to learn how to get out of any situations regarding the law."
Celaena looked at him, confused. She'd guessed whatever she was doing wasn't exactly legal, but she didn't think she'd have to learn how to get out of any dangerous situations by using a means other than fighting. Arobynn saw her look and raised his eyebrows in surprise.
"Celaena, what if they chained your hands behind your back and your ankles together? You wouldn't be able to use any weapons with your hands unless you wanted to stab yourself in the back, and you wouldn't be able to use hand to hand combat if you couldn't use your feet. What would you do then?"
Celaena remained silent as she thought. She didn't think it would come down to anything like this when she had accepted his offer over 3 months ago. Still, this was better than begging for food, especially during the immigrant purge. No doubt the King would recognise her and have her killed. With the public thinking her already dead, he'd have the perfect cover.
But what would she do in that situation? Knocking them out somehow and find the key to the chains would be her best option, but she might end up outnumbered and knocked out herself, only to wake up on the butchering block. Her silence caused a small smirk to form on Arobynn's face.
"I thought as much. Luckily, I have the perfect way to teach you."
*Short time skip brought to you by Lysandra's beautiful face*
"Now, move your shoulder like this," Arobynn guided Celaena's limbs. She screamed out slightly from the pain. Arobynn smirked again at this.
"You've just dislocated your shoulder. Now you can move your arm out," he continued, guiding her arm through the chains.
"Relocate it by moving it like this." Celaena hissed in pain, controlling her screams. Arobynn repeated this with her other limbs, guiding her through the motions and helping her dislocate and relocate her limbs to escape from the chains.
When she was free, she stood up slowly on shaky legs. Arobynn smiled at her again.
"I won't be there to help you when you do get caught. Tomorrow you'll be trying that on your own without my help."
Aedion's POV
Aedion sighed as he rode slowly from Rifthold. He'd escaped the city early that morning when the King started killing off the immigrants.
Aedion felt sick to his stomach. Again, he'd just abandoned his people when they needed help. Aelin would hate him for what he'd done to her people. Aelin would think of him as nothing but a coward and a traitor. He'd left his people and he planned to join forces with the known enemy of Terrasen. He was a disgrace to his people and his title.
Aedion continued to ride in silence. Although he was a few miles from Rifthold, he could still hear the screams of the helpless people in his ears. Images of families being brutally torn apart flashed across his mind, similar to how they had done after the fall of Terrasen. (Sorry this bit is so short; I didn't know what else to write.)
Dorian's POV
The silence of the library engulfed Dorian as he sat reading. His parents were busy planning his tenth birthday celebrations, but Dorian couldn't care less about his birthday. He wanted to spend the day with Chaol playing with the dogs, but his parents would want a big celebration. Due to them constantly plaguing him with questions, especially his mother, Dorian found the silence of the library and the alone time comforting. He could get lost in the literature and he didn't have to worry about Rifthold, Adarlan, or Erilea. He could block out the horrors of the immigrant purge occurring in the city outside and lose himself in tales of adventure.
Monks milled around him quietly, breaking his focus to ask if he needed anything every few minutes. Dorian tired of them. He hated to have his focus broken when he was reading due to someone talking to him. It ruined his immersion and he couldn't truly get lost in the story.
A shadow Dorian recognised fell over him. Dorian looked up slowly to see the Duke standing over him, smiling. The smile caused a shudder to go down Dorian's spine.
"Dorian. Your Mother's been looking for you all morning. She wanted to discuss plans for your birthday celebrations next week."
Dorian nodded and produced his polished, public smile. The Duke left as he gathered up his books. Heading towards the gardens, Dorian saw his mother standing by the roses. She smiled as she saw her older son walking towards her.
"Hello Mother, how are you this morning?" Dorian said, his genuine smile across his face instead of his public smile. Dorian loved his mother as she was more genuinely caring towards him than his father.
"I've been wonderful darling. I was thinking, Dorian, we could have a ball for your birthday."
Dorian's smile wavered slightly to be replaced by his other smile. A ball was one of the worst ideas he could imagine, but he smiled and nodded to keep his mother happy.
"A ball sounds wonderful, Mother."
"I'll start arrangements right away then."
Chaol's POV
Chaol had been avoiding his father since they arrived in Rifthold. He knew that his dad didn't care for the immigrants in the purge occurring in the city beyond the glass walls of the castle, however Chaol did. They too were immigrants, but his father forgot that fact because they were staying in the castle. The way his father disregarded their lives was sickening to Chaol.
"Master Westfall?" a voice cut off Chaol's train of thought. He turned to see a young guard facing him.
"Yes?" Chaol said cautiously. Few people called him Master Westfall; he'd told most people in the castle to call him Chaol by then.
"Your father has sent for you. He wishes to talk to you in the gardens."
Chaol nodded and headed towards the gardens. If he didn't, the guard could be punished and, unlike his father, Chaol cared about people's lives.
In the gardens, Chaol saw his father standing by a fountain. Not too far from him, Chaol saw Dorian and his mother talking. At least he wasn't the only one whose parents wanted to "chat" to them.
"Chaol," the Lord of Anielle said.
"Father," Chaol replied in a bored tone. His father's eyes narrowed and Chaol could tell he'd picked up on how much Chaol didn't want to be there.
"Why have you been avoiding learning your duties as the future Lord of Anielle Chaol? You're eleven, and that means you're old enough to-"
"Father, how many times do I have to say I do not want to be Lord of Anielle? Terrin can be lord instead of me." Chaol said, interrupting his father.
"What are you going to do instead then Chaol?" his father asked, his voice dangerously quiet.
"I've told you, Father. I want to be one of the royal guards here."
His dad rolled his eyes. "You're too young to be considering this sort of thing, Chaol. Sooner or later, you're going to accept your future."
His father stalked off, leaving Chaol in the middle of the gardens alone. Dorian tapped him lightly on the shoulder.
"Did you get stuck in a conversation with a parent that you'd rather have avoided?" Dorian asked with a slight smile.
Chaol nodded. "And was yours the same conversation they've had about fifty times in the hope that you'll change your mind?" he asked, a grin slipping onto his face too.
Dorian rolled his eyes and nodded. "Politics, duties, birthday, something else blah blah blah. What was yours?"
"Lord of Anielle, too young to want to be a guard, blah blah blah." Chaol paused before adding. "Want to spar again?"
Dorian nodded as they walked into the castle together deep in conversation.
*Time skip brought to you by Sam's sword skills (try saying that 5 times fast)*
"You're pretty good, Your Highness." Chaol said, teasing Dorian.
"You're not so bad yourself, Lord Chaol." Dorian said, dodging Chaol's thrust and sticking his tongue out.
The guards training in the sparring room watched the pair, bemused. They moved together as if they had rehearsed their moves prior to coming in. Both could read the situation quickly and reacted accordingly. They acted as though the only thing in the world that mattered was the two of them and their fight. Other worries and thoughts drifted away as if meaningless balloons filled with helium. (I get that they wouldn't have had balloons back then. I only mention them for the simile). The focus of the two and the ability to discard other worries impressed the guards.
After a while, Chaol and Dorian shook hands. They put the swords back onto the racks before they walked together towards the dining hall.
And that's it! Sorry for the way too short Aedion part; I had another writer's block. I'll try and get the next chapter up by Tuesday, and Wednesday at the latest. If it's not up by then, then I'm very very sorry.
I hope y'all enjoyed it and I'll see you soon x