Rowan lay limp on his back, Aelin's warm body pressed against his side. Her arms were draped across his chest, their legs intertwined. His breaths were ragged from the restrain it took to not draw her closer. She was drunk, he reminded himself, very drunk. When Rowan decided he could trust himself, he rolled over so he was facing Aelin. She murmured and snuggled closer to him. He drew in a sharp breath, but couldn't resist a small smile. Aelin shifted again and tucked her head under his chin. He buried his nose in her hair and breathed in her scent, drifting to sleep.

Aelin hissed as the light reached her eyes, blinding her. God. She couldn't remember anything after her first drink in the bar. Her heart caught in her throat as the bed shifted behind her. She turned, only to see sepia skin and white hair. Rowan. Thank god. She let out a sigh of relief. Unless? No, even her drunk self wouldn't be that reckless.

"You okay Princess?", Rowan asked his tone suspiciously cheery. He was staring up at her, his hair ruffled, and a mischievous glint in his pine eyes.

She groaned and rolled over, pulling the sheets over her head, curling in to a ball.

Rowan chuckled, "Hungover?"

The blanket bundle growled. Her head was pounding, she swore to herself never to get drunk again.

Rowan laughed and she felt the bed shift as he got up, and walked into the bathroom.

"Prepare to get up. We're going to train."

"WHAT?! You can't be serious? I don't think I can even walk!" She screamed from her cocoon.

Rowan growled from the bathroom, "And whose fault is that, princess?"

"But Rowan?" She pouted.

"You haven't trained in months. You're becoming weak and soft."

Aelin snarled.

"Prove me wrong.", she heard the bathroom door close.

When Rowan emerged Aelin was dressed and awake (barely), but not happy. She was back in her skintight black suit. Her arms were crossed and she look as if she was going to kill him. Rowan struggled to keep his eyes on hers.

"Took your sweet time didn't you prince?" She sneered.

Rowan smiled and pushed past her, "Come. Or are you scared?"

She snarled and jogged after him.

Aelin was bruised, sore, and angry. Rowan had beaten her ten to nothing, and she meant beaten. Though she hadn't trained in weeks, and could barely stand due to her hangover, he went just as hard as ever and had pounded her into the ground. She winced as she lowered herself into a chair, her whole body was throbbing. Rowan, who was leaning against the counter, gave her a guilty glance, she glared at him, sending his lips twitching upward.

Aedion walked into the kitchen. Aelin look like she had fallen from a tower, she was bruised from head to toe, and her face was twisted into a permanent wince. His eyebrows scrunched and he gave her a concerned look, completely ignoring Rowan who was lounged against the kitchen counter. Aelin hissed as she twisted her head to look at Aedion, she immediately regretted it and groaned putting her hand to her throbbing head.

"What happened?" Aedion asked, slightly on edge.

Aelin groaned again, her eyes fluttering close, "Rowan."

Aedion clenched his jaw and his eyes flickered to Rowan, who was ignoring him.

"And alcohol. Lots of alcohol."

Aedion gave an exasperated sigh, then a snarl as he remembered the word that had been terrorizing his thoughts; carranam.

His eyes snapped back to hers, the built up rage burning there, "Aelin. We need to talk." He glanced at Rowan who was staring intently at her, "Alone." To Aedion's delight Rowan tensed, "No." he snarled, his eyes finally meeting Aedion's.

Aelin rolled her eyes, and glared at Rowan, who slowly turned to meet her gaze.

"Shoo." She said gesturing at him to leave.

No. Anything he wants to say to you, he can say in front of me.

She snarled, This is not the time .

Will it ever be?

Rowan, please just leave. For now. She quickly added.

No Aelin. No. I refuse to leave.

Why? What are you so scared of?

Rowan opened his mouth then shut it, biting his lip. He averted his eyes, and pushed off the counter. Rowan sighed as he stepped out of the kitchen, closing the door behind him.

It was unnerving when they had those wordless discussions, Aedion thought. He watched Aelin closely she pinched her nose, her eyelids fluttering close for a split second. Then she turned her attention to him, leaning back in her chair.

"What is it?" Aelin said, her mind obviously on other things.

Aedion snarled and crossed his arms, "So when were you planning on telling me that you and the Prince are carranam?"

It was her turn to snarl, "When ever I got around to it." The way he said it, like it was an insult that they were carranam, like it was her fault, made her want to punch him in the face.

Aedion growled and bared his teeth. Aelin look straight at him, she refused to feel guilty about this of all things.

"Why is it a problem the he's my carranam?" She said, her eyes unrelenting.

Rowan was one of the few things Aelin was completely irrational about. Insult him, it didn't matter who you were you were going to see flame. But Aedion refused to give up, he was just as stubborn as her, "Why? Why is it a problem? I can't believe you! First, it's a problem because-"

"Yes, why is it problem? Because if anything it makes him more reliable!", Aelin interrupted.

"No. It doesn't. It makes him more likely to use you! Do you know of all the stories of fae tying up their carranams, so they can use them for their magic? They become shells!" He yelled, his panic rising.

Aelin could see the concern in his eyes, but couldn't bring himself to care, how dare he suggest that Rowan would do something like that?

"Rowan isn't like that.", She said her voice barely more than a whisper, her eyes shinning with promises of violence.

"How do you know? You've know him for what? Three months?", He sneered.

A growl rippled through the room. She forgot about her headache, her bruises, and her aching limbs, "You know nothing. About him or about me." Aelin saw him wince, but kept going. "I trust him with my life, I trust him more than any of you." She must have been feeling pretty reckless, because just for spite she added, "and that's why he is bound to me."

The room went deathly silent. She didn't even think Aedion was breathing.

"What? He's what to you?" He said finally breaking the silence.

She said nothing. He knew what she had said.

"He's bound to you!?" He screamed and Aelin flinched, this wasn't the way she had wanted him to find out.

The door swung open as Rowan stormed in. He turned directly to Aelin, "I heard shouting."

"It was my birthright!" Aedion shouted from behind him.

Rowan whirled, and the air grew cold around them. He took a step forward, but Aelin stepped in front of him.

"Aedion, you have to understand, you weren't there for me at the time-"

"You don't think I know that? It kills me every day that I wasn't there for you." Aelin bit her lip at the pain in her cousin's eyes.

"Aedion! I don't blame you for anything, the things you did, and the things you didn't do."

"But, if I could go back and prevent Rowan from being bound to me.."

Rowan tensed behind her.

"I wouldn't. I wouldn't change anything. And for that, I'm sorry."

Rowan stepped beside her, still snarling at Aedion with his arms crossed. Aedion looked up at Aelin, ignoring Rowan. His breath was shaky but he kept his face a blank mask. He turned from her and stormed out of the apartment. He didn't know what to do anymore, his one aspiration in life had been stolen from him.

Rowan sighed and turned to the queen, her back was facing him and she was hugging herself with her head bowed.

"Are you okay?" He asked slowly approaching her, ignoring the urge to go after Aedion and beat him into the ground.

"Why is everything so difficult? Whatever you do, you hurt someone." She said, her voice was a void of hollow despair built up in her short life. He forgot she was only nineteen, she had been through so much, sometimes he felt that she was older than himself.

"It was so much easier when it was only me. As soon as I let someone in it all when to shit."

She lifted her chin, threw back her shoulders and strutted out of the kitchen. Leaving Rowan in the lifeless room.

So hoped you liked it! I'll be flying to Utah tomorrow. I'm also really sick. Thanks Pierre. Anyways, I'll be there for five weeks, so it is very likely I won't be posting for awhile... sorry. Now I've got to prepare myself for a 12 hour flight, with a layover in Atlanta. HAVE A GOOD SUMMER!