Disclaimer: I do not own the Throne of Glass series or any of the wonderful characters and stories told by the lovely Sarah J. Maas.
Summary: "Elide, my darling girl. It's time to come home." (OR what if Vernon doesn't go down without a villainous, manipulative fight). KOA what if scenario.
"No," Elide moaned in horror as she was dragged toward Maeve's archway. Before she was abruptly shoved toward a small alcove she hadn't noticed before. The obsidian walls made it hard to understand the space. Maeve was standing there with her ethereal glow, and she wasn't alone.
Elide ignored Maeve completely as her eyes zeroed in on Lorcan. Who was bowing before Maeve. Bowing with his head on the ground, hands extended, palms up.
"Lorcan, let's show Elide your true self. She seems to be under the impression that you love her."
Lorcan lifts his face from the floor, looking up at Maeve. Elide choked on the look in his eyes. It was utter devotion. Devotion to his beautiful queen.
"Yes, my beloved," Lorcan murmured, bowing his head, "command me your will."
"Lorcan!" Elide choked out.
It's not real. He's not really here.
Maeve snapped her eyes from Lorcan's bowed body. "It's very real, my pet. Lorcan belongs to me. He's mine. He was always mine. You think he'd actually find you attractive? Find you worthy of his love and affection? No, my darling. You're a child. A broken, silly child," Maeve dismissed with a pointed look at her leg. Which in the eerie swirling lights looked disgusting with the swirling scars standing out starkly on her pale skin.
Elide tried not to let the blows land. But she flinched as Maeve's words fed her greatest doubts.
Maeve can't be here. She's trapped in the wall.
"Lorcan, my pet, tell her. Tell this child who you are."
Lorcan stood, but kept his head bowed before Maeve. Not sparing a glance for Elide.
"I am Lorcan Salvatarre, bound to Queen Maeve. Leader of her armies, touched with death. I live to do her will and spread her glory"
He pivoted and lifted a blazing glare at Elide, "and you are nothing to me, human. I hate you."
Elide flinched, but didn't falter, "I know you love me. I know you will find me."
It's not real. It's not real.
Maeve reaches for Lorcan and pulls him into a tender embrace. They kiss and he lets out a moan.
It's not real. Lorcan, help me.
The scene melts away. Elide's hanging from silk strands, her arms stretched above her head, silent tears rolling down her cheeks.
Is this real?
Lorcan emerges from behind her and draws his knife across her skin leaving trails of blood.
No, it's not real.
Elide lifts her head and sees Lorcan splayed at Maeve's feet once more. Maeve locks eyes with Elide as she commands Lorcan to turn his knife against himself. He does.
Elide screams.
It's. Not. Real.
Lorcan is once again bowed before Maeve.
Elide moans in despair.
Another Lorcan bursts into the room.
"No!" Maeve shrieks from the mirrored obsidian.
"Elide it's not real. I'm right here." Lorcan runs to Elide and pulls a knife from somewhere. He cuts her down, holding her close.
"Lorcan," Elide choked, "You came."
"Of course, my pet. Now let's get out of here. Come this way"
He doesn't wait and starts moving with purpose. Dragging her behind him. Elide closes her eyes, stumbling behind him with relief. Lorcan was here. Lorcan came for me.
It didn't matter that her body hurt. Her head was fuzzy. That she couldn't exactly remember that-
But. See.
My pet?
She tried. She yanked her arms and scrambled backwards, but it was too late. He had twisted her arms in front of her and was bodily pushing her forward. To Maeve. In a few short strides Elide was at the wall, being pushed toward a triumphant Maeve who eagerly reached forward to pull her to her. Elide screamed and watched in horror as Lorcan's reflection shifted back to Borte then Aelin then to her true self. A creature of darkness sadly watching her as she was forcibly shoved into the reflective obsidian wall.
"Go. Gather my daughters with you. We need to go get the man. Be ready," Maeve snapped at the creasture, "I'll take care of the girl." There was no response or acknowledgement.
Elide fell to the ground of this new place. The other side of the wall. It was dark, but mist was curling along the ground. Only Maeve's glow offered a small bit of luminescence.
Maeve bent over Elide and touched her shaking shoulder. Maeve was touching her. Her fingers fluttering up Elide's neck. Her hands were smooth like silk but unrelenting as they captured Elide's face and forced her gaze up, forced Elide to look into Maeve's depthless eyes, her perfect face, blood red lips. She was otherworldly with a soft pulsing glow. Elide found she couldn't look away. She couldn't move and yet felt like she was falling. Something was slipping away from her.
"Now Elide. Elide, my darling," she cooed, "I am here. I am with you now. You don't need to be afraid. Finally, we can have a true conversation. True introductions. No distractions or interference. It's just you and me. I need you to relax, my darling pet. My brave girl. Worthy of a queen's devotion and a warrior's heart. You are a gift. You are a marvel."
Elide tried to buck away from Maeve's grip, but Maeve's voice was slippery. It was pouring over her and entering every crack of her being. Whatever force had burst through her earlier was subdued. Or defeated. Or hiding. Elide's gaze was enthralled against this onslaught. Her shaking stopped, her breaths slowed to an even rhythm.
What is happening to me?
"No," Elide whispered, feeling a tear slide down her cheek as her body calmed against its will. Magic thrummed in the air. Maeve's words were a balm, soothing, perfect. They wrapped around her very being. Offering comfort. Her eyes, those bright eyes demanding calm. Elide's defenses washed away and she found she didn't even want to look away. Their inky black depths offered peace.
Maeve was peace? Yes, her eyes twinkled. Yes.
"Yes, this is as it should be. That's right, my darling witch. See, it's not anything too hard. I will take you to your friends, you can see them again. If you just relax."
Elide sagged against Maeve who slowly lowered them both to the ground, holding Elide as a mother holds a child. Her gaze latched to Maeve's the entire way down. It wasn't until they were seated Maeve lifted her gaze and Elide was released, blinking she found her gaze flickering away from Maeve to take in their surroundings for the first time.
Where are we?
"We're through a door. Inbetween another," Maeve explained as if she heard Elide's thought. "This world is not just one, but infinite. Infinite worlds. If you only know how to take the journey. It's how I can be here, but also not here."
Elide wasn't listening. The dark space was moving. It was roiling around them like shimmering night cloaked in stars. Maeve's relentless grip pulsed and she drew Elide's head to her chest, pressing her cheek against her breastbone with one hand, forcing Elide's gaze to the right while the other hand snaked around Elide's neck. Almost like an embrace. Elide gasped.
The scene before her, it called to her. It crashed around her. Just like before.
They were there. All of them were there, including Maeve. They were looking for her, waiting for her to reveal her hiding spot. Her clever spot. Maeve was calling out for her, laughing with the others as they played the game. It was so real. But why couldn't she remember?
"See, my darling. All will be well. Are you worried?"
Elide turned into Maeve's chest and slowly nodded. Her voice silenced.
This is not real.
Her head ached and she drew her arms in close hugging around her naked chest. Maeve let her, her hand slipping away from her head and switched to soothing circles on her back. Elide's body tingled from the sensation of Maeve's magic.
"Then let's chase that worry away, pet."
Elide tensed, but the tingling offered her aching body soothing relief. Elide felt like she was drowning or freezing, but in a way that was painless, like she was only falling asleep. The sensation roved from her feet to knees to hips before crawling up her back. Maeve's magic skittered across every piece of her. Clothed her naked form with its numbing comfort.
Elide lost track of time as she fell into the pool of Maeve's magic.
Lorcan let death sing to him.
He hadn't stopped all of them, about a dozen spiders made it up the wall away from his death-tinged magic. But dozens more lie piled dead around him. Chaol and his soldiers had fought well.
Lorcan dropped his hatchet to his side as the soldiers let out a victory shout. His arms were covered in spider gore as he panted. His black magic agitated still.
Lorcan didn't react when a white wolf appeared at his side, snapping his teeth as he took in the sight of the dead spiders.
"Is Vernon secure?" Lorcan growled.
Fenrys gave a curt nod. Lorcan let a small sigh of relief out. Letting the tension out of his shoulders, holstering his hatchet, while Fenrys transformed back to his Fae self.
"Maeve is here."
Lorcan snarled, "I know."
"You need to come with me. Back to the others."
More quietly, "You know we all want to find her too."
Lorcan clenched his fists before abruptly relenting.
"Fine," he bit out.
The flash of relief in Fenrys eyes didn't go unnoticed as he reached out to grab Lorcan.
Before they could leave, the post-battle quiet was shattered as a women's scream rang out. But not from the camp. Fenrys and Lorcan whirled to face the cliffside. Lorcan's heart breaking against the anguish pulsing in her cries. He roared.
"ELIDE!"
"How are we feeling? Let me look at you, pet," Maeve quietly intoned pulling Elide back so she could look at her face. Whatever Maeve saw had her nodding, perhaps a flicker of satisfaction flashing.
"See darling, look at you. We'll just forget that wretched business earlier." Elide found she didn't care. She felt no alarm. She was floating and sat docile, her legs splayed haphazardly in front of her as Maeve released her and backed away. Her arms fell to her sides.
The dream was gone but Elide found her gaze drawn into the swirling darkness. It was a lullaby for her, encouraging her to rest. Her head felt like it was being filled with- with something. She couldn't remember-
"Your queen required a heavy hand to bring to heel. But not you. Never you." Maeve's words echoed out of the darkness somewhere behind Elide, "I'm sorry I forgot that earlier, darling. You were alone, abandoned and forgotten by all. Even your uncle didn't recognize your staggering value. But I did, and I sent help. Remember?"
"You- you sent him, to me, to- to- to-" Elide voice stuttered to life before quickly falling back to silence. Her voice stronger as she exhaled a quiet "no."
This is not real.
Maeve glared daggers at her from behind. This stubborn bitch of a girl. She found her fists clenched, yet her voice did not betray her as she cooed, "yes, darling. You must remember. He wasn't yours. He was mine. I sent him."
"You- you sent him," Maeve heard the truth ringing reluctantly in her voice. Finally. Her magic pushed further into Elide.
"Yes, that's right. I sent him. And remember, he then called me? To come and get you. And my pet, I was so worried when I received his call. I knew I had to come. To see you. And bring you back home."
"He, he did call-call for you." Elide sounded defeated.
That is real.
Maeve circled back around to face the girl. Looking down at the wilted posture.
"Look at me," her voice was barely a whisper, but Elide responded. Her face rose. And Maeve couldn't help the smirk as she reached out and wrapped the girls hair in her grip, keeping her gaze locked on Maeve's own. She looked at Elide's eyes and saw only the swirling darkness of her magic reflect back at her. Her magic finally finally finding the right pressure point. Lorcan.
The spark of defiance cracked. The girl was hers. Was theirs. The tool that would bring Aelin Galanthelius to her knees. That would cripple those traitorous fae. That fucking cadre.
"Who, my dear? Who is he?" Maeve kept whispering, continuing to snake the magic around her, not allowing this girl to break from the thrall, "there was just you. Remember?"
"Only me," Elide whispered, a tear falling, a soul shattering.
"I was alone. I - I- I am, I don't remember who…"
Maeve released Elide and shoved her away. She watched Elide crumple forward. Her black hair tumbling forward covering her face. She circled around behind Elide and dropped to her knees in front of her.
"My darling pet, I already told you all would be well. I am here."
"You are here," a mimicked response.
Maeve brought her hand up and ran her fingers through Elide's long hair. She gathered the strands and set it over Elide's left shoulder.
Elide gaze drifted up. Met Maeve's jet black, glittering eye.
"Darling, you are a gift. You are my gift."
And snapped the collar in place.
