16 Years before the Assassin and the Pirate Lord
Pacing from one side of the drawing room to another, the Rhoe listened to the screams of his wife, Evalin, a few rooms down. She had gone into early labor, the child within impatient to leave the safety of her mother to take on the world. . Quinn, a friend of the family sat with them for support. Rhoe's Uncle Orlon sat in one of the chairs reading a book on the ancient languages.
Or at least trying to. He was having trouble concentrating with the knowledge of the danger two of his family were in.
Evalin came to Terrasen six years ago, at the age of fifteen and married Rhoe, who was twenty at the time. Over the years, respect and friendship developed, and eventually love. To their dismay, Evalin could not conceive. They were forced to resort to magic. It took an immense amount of power over the past seven months to prevent the child from miscarrying. The best healers on continent were asked to preside. Now at thirty- four weeks, the child was about to be born.
"I cannot take this for much longer" Rhoe breathed. Evalin had been in labor for over a day now.
"It shouldn't be much longer" said Orlon, "the woman who came out said the child was crowning. It goes by much quicker after that".
Sure enough, no more than five minutes later, the whole world seemed to go silent, and just as Rhoe thought the silence would never end, a soft wail could be hear from the next room.
Quinn jumped from his chair to hug and congratulate Rhoe. The new father himself stood as if frozen, watching the door, as he listened to the cry of his child and to the footsteps coming down the hall.
The door soon opened to emit one of the many tired women who attended the birth. When she saw the inhabitants of the room, she curtsied. Orlon stood and said "Rise" as he smiled, "and deliver the news".
"As you wish, my king" said the woman as she stood. "Though it was a difficult birth, both mother and child are well. My Lady asked me to not reveal the gender, for she wished to tell you herself. She is ready for you to visit."
The men filed out of the room and walked down the hall. Upon reaching the bed chamber they entered to see Evalin sitting up in bed, as people fussed around her. As people began to notice they were there, they curtsied and bowed and left the room. Rhoe rushed forward and saw that his wife was holding a bundle of light green silk, with a small nose sticking out.
Rhoe sank down on to the bed and wrapped his arms around his wife, as he peered down at his child. Two eyes ringed with gold stared back up at them. Ashryver eyes, his wife's eyes. The child had his nose but her dainty lips and cheek bones. He knew before she said it. This precious person was his daughter, a girl, a princess, and future queen.
"Aelin, Princess Aelin Ashryver Galathynius of Terrasen"