Thank you for all the positive reviews for One Shot #20! It was meant to be the best one yet, and according to the 2 people the reviewed, it was! Of course, that's only 2 opinions- It might have been horrible. But, when you laugh at your own fanfiction...
You know you either did something right, or something is extremely wrong with you. I would like to think the former.

Okay, lets get to the fanfiction now. If you haven't already read chapter 20, go read it now! Also, I'm probably going to go on a fanfiction writing spree tomorrow- So keep an eye out! I'm expecting 5-15 new fanfictions to be posted... Depending on how many ideas pop into my head.

Warning. Character mental enslavement ahead... I haven't written a dark fanfiction in a while, and this was just begging to be written. Don't judge too hard...

Maeve enslaves Aelin (Wyrdkey)

I held the Wyrdkey Collar in my hand, inspecting it with a critical eye. I smiled coldly- how could this small object end the rebellion against me? Aelin and her companions- including that desolate waste of space, Rowan- had caused me so much trouble after I betrayed them. I had offered them help to defeat Erawan, but had ordered my bonded warriors to retrieve the keys afterwards. They had succeeded, of course, but I had felt their disapproval and grief through the bond. No matter. I had become the most powerful fae that had ever walked this earth. I had taken over Erilea and the Southern Continents- the world was entirely mine. However, with my niece leading them, the rebels had done what their name entailed- rebelled.

My smile widened into a feral grin. Word had traveled to me that Lorcan and the rest of my bonded had captured Aelin, along with Aedion Ashryver and Rowan Whitehorn. They would be arriving shortly.

As if on queue, the doors of the throne room banged open. My warriors walked in, Aelin and her two warriors in tow. They were all chained in manacles of iron- just as I had specified. If I hadn't my warriors would have chained them in dust- They didn't agree with my plans whatsoever. Gavriel bared his teeth at me, forcing out-

"My queen." The words had no warmth in them. I ignored him and rose from my throne. My warriors all remained standing. I narrowed my eyes.

"Kneel." A few of them twitched, then obeyed, forced by the bond between us.

I turned my gaze over to Aelin, who was glaring at me defiantly. I lifted the Wyrdkey collar, flashing teeth, in some strange form of a smile. She paled almost imperceptibly, but the smell of her fear increased.

I laughed. "Oh, don't be afraid, Aelin. Its all going to be okay." I prowled closer to her.

"No!" I turned to see who it was. I was faced with Aedion Ashryver, who was on his knees, his eyes pleading. "Please don't!"

I smiled coldly at him. "Aedion Ashryver. Why shouldn't I, exactly?"

He blinked. "You- I-" He stuttered.

I laughed softly. "Exactly." I turned face to Aelin again. Once again, I was interrupted, but this time by my old bond mate.

"Don't you dare." he growled. I sighed.

"Rowan. This is just like Lyria, isn't it? Except this time, you get to witness me destroy her." He paled at the mention of his murdered lover.

"Wait!" Rowan growled, but I ignored him, a feral grin plastered on my face as I approached the source of all my problems. She still glared at me defiantly, despite her situation. I opened the Wyrdkey collar, and her eyes flicked to it once. A flash of fear appeared on her face, but it was quickly replaced with an angry glare.

"Why, why, niece. Is that a way to treat your aunt?" She lifted her chin, and squared her shoulders, taking a deep breath.

"Why hello, Maeve." Aelin said, opening her eyes.

Aelin POV

I squared my shoulders, lifting my chin and taking a deep breath.

My name is Aelin Ashryver Galathynius, and I will not be afraid. I repeated in my head.

I exhaled, and turned to face my aunt. "Why hello, Maeve." I purred, despite my situation. She smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes.

"Aelin, Aelin. How far you have come." Her eyes flicked to my manacles, then she looked into my eyes with a ferocity I hadn't expected; But I refused to flinch under her scrutiny.

I replied with faked strength. "Funny, I was about to say the same about you." Her eyes narrowed. I continued, trying to keep my voice from shaking with anger. "You slaughtered thousands. You enslaved continents. You are worse than Erawan himself."

Amusement danced in her eyes, than faster than I could react, her hand came flying towards my face. The sound bounced off the walls of the silent room, as I fell to the ground. Pain shot up my side, and my cheek was throbbing. I glared at her with all the hatred I felt.

She sighed. "I suppose I should get to it then. Your friends are surely getting bored."

I turned my gaze to Aedion, who held his head in his hands, shaking- from fear, grief or anger, I couldn't tell. My eyes moved over to Rowan. He looked at me pleadingly.

Don't leave me. Keep fighting. Don't leave me. His eyes seemed to say.

I smirked at him, but I was certain it didn't reach my eyes. I guess I'll see you in the Afterworld.

No! I refuse to accept that! Don't- I looked away from him.

Maeve was watching me with feline curiosity. She lifted my chin with a cold fingernail, making me look at her and exposing my empty neck.

"I suppose this is the end."

"I suppose so."

"No!" I heard Rowan growl, but refused to face him. "Aelin, look at me!"

I flicked my eyes towards him. I love you, Rowan.

Fireheart... I could feel the wrongness emanating from the Wyrdkey collar, which was approaching my neck. Rowan seemed to notice this too. I love you. I will always, always love you.

Then the cold stone hit my neck, and it closed with a hiss. Then,

Oblivion.

Maeve POV

I grinned at my niece, whose face had suddenly gone blank. Her eyes lost it's defiance, being replaced with pure obedience. I looked over to her companions.

Rowan was slumped over, defeated. I could hear his ragged breaths from where I was. I turned my gaze over to Aedion, who stared at his cousin blankly, as if everything in his world had fallen apart. Though I suppose it had.

Aelin turned her head to Rowan. Rowan seemed to sense the gaze of his queen- and his head shot up. "Aelin, I-"

She cut him off. "My name is no longer Aelin." She turned to face me, her face still blank. "My name is whatever my master wishes it to be." I closed my eyes and turned to face Rowan. I had altered the Wyrdkey collar to my liking- I hadn't wanted some Valg Prince inhabiting my niece. I had wanted her will to be mine- She was an exceptional warrior already. No Valg could compare- They wouldn't be able to use her magic, either. It would have been a waste. So instead, the collar made her completely obedient to me, and made her confuse friend with enemy. Over time, she would regain her character, her fire. But the Wyrdkey collar was still adjusting to her personality.

Rowan was gaping at me and his lover, as if it had only dawned on him now what the Wyrdkey collar was doing. "Aelin works." I said. I didn't want to change her- she was incredible as is. I just wanted her to change sides.

She bowed her head. "Yes, my queen." I laughed. This was going to be a lot of fun.

Rowan POV

I was locked in the cells of Wendlyn's famous dungeon. I always knew I would end up here- Except I had always imagined myself freeing the prisoners of war, not becoming one of them. I resisted the urge to sob- Aelin would have chastised me for it.

But Aelin was gone.

Maeve had enslaved her, and had thrown me in the dungeons. She had wanted to see me suffer. She told me everything about what she had done to that Wyrdstone collar- About what she had done to Aelin.

And it was all my fault.

I was snapped out of my thoughts by the sound of my cell door opening. I knew who it was immediately. I knew who it was by the sway of her hips, by the flow of her cape, by her smell alone. Of course, Maeve ordered her to come down here every week.

Aelin sauntered in, sniffing. And grimaced. "It wouldn't hurt to take a shower, you rutting piece of trash."

I shut my eyes. Aelin had regained her personality slowly, and I welcomed it happily. After a few weeks of meeting with an empty shell of my former queen, I was begging for Aelin to come back to me, for my Fireheart to come back to me. Begging to the gods who did not care. And I suppose I got her back- except that fire, that anger and rage... It was all directed at me.

"You know I can't shower." I replied in monotone, my voice hoarse from a week of disuse.

She smirked at me, but her eyes were only filled with anger. "Well I suppose that's what you deserve."

I hung my head. "Aelin. Fight. Fireheart. Come back to me."

Aelin blinked, and jerked her head to the side. I knew she was fighting. But soon she regained her composure, shaking her head twice, and my heart plummeted. "Stop calling me Fireheart. You deserve what's coming to you." She growled, never looking at me. I was glad she didn't- all I would see is hate in the gaze that used to be filed with love.

You deserve what's coming to you. Her words repeated themselves in my head. I vaguely heard her leave, slamming the door behind her. She was right- I hadn't protected her. Even Aedion had done better than me- he was executed after attacking Maeve in the throne room. I had just sat there and stared as Aelin, my Fireheart, was enslaved.

I hung my head, expecting tears to come. But my tears were long since spent, my prayers gone unanswered.

I had failed again, just like I had failed Lyria. I welcomed the oncoming darkness, and fell into the abyss.

I had failed.