𝐀 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐭 𝐎𝐟 𝐐𝐮𝐞𝐞𝐧𝐬 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫𝐬

Ch 11: The meeting

Aelin POV
Standing infront of the back gate which would lead us to the meeting room, I couldn't help but feel insulted. Sure no one knew who I was, or where I was from, or even my real name for that matter but the irritation of being made to use the back door, was trying to penetrate my innocent facade.

My wrists were throbbing like someone had me wearing really tight hand cuffs, which I knew was because Rowan probably had chains around his wrists right now, the image burning in my head. Rhysand audibly sighed before he walked in, the rest of his court and us following him inside.

"He finally decides to show up." commented someone from inside the room, the view still hidden by that overgrown bat, Cassian. "It's called being fashionably late Beron, keep up." responded Mor. I liked that girl.

I stepped in last, the door slamming itself after me, and looked up to see a lot of fae in the room, some with displeased looks and some with unconcerned ones. I saw Tamlin standing next to a guy who's skin seemed to glow, literally. He was glaring at Rhysand as if his prolonged stare was enough to burn him. I rolled my eyes at him and then surveyed the rest of them, the glowing guy gave me a lop-sided grin.

"You didn't tell me our topic of today was so pretty Tamlin, I would have dressed better." said the glowing guy, at which Fenrys stepped infront of me and sneered at him, and Tamlin shifted his glare to me. I felt like I was being threatened by a puppy, which left him shocked cause he was probably expecting at least a flinch. "Leave her alone Helion." said Rhysand for which I shot him a grateful look before giving an innocent smile to the people present in the room. Helion just chuckled and waved his hand in a dismissive way.

"I called this meeting to discuss the stealing of my property. The male may be fae but the girl is human and since she entered through my lands, she is therefore mine." said Tamlin. In my head he was already a roasted kebab but my face only had a scared look on it. I was unfortunately acing this 'act innocent and pretty' thing if you ask me. Every head in the room that didn't belong to the night court or Fenrys turned to me, trying to get a look at my ear to confirm Tamlin's claim.

"She might have entered from there but she is now under my security. You try to take her and you will have a conflict on your hands that you really don't want." defended Rhysand. "You have been stealing my things since a long time Rhysand. My father, my wife, you will not take my human too." said Tamlin, his teeth bared in an almost animalistic way. Fenrys's teeth were bared too, his toned body standing right infront of me protectively. "Sam stop." I said and thankfully he moved aside, resting a hand on my shoulder. I sighed at looked right at Tamlin.

"Look I just want to go back home to my husband. The high lord said he would help me find him. Please just let me go." I said in a pleading voice. My throat was burning to raise my voice and scream at him but I got myself under control. Some of the high lords' eyes' turned soft and understanding, but Tamlin's gaze didn't even break. "No." was all he said before he turned towards Rhysand.

"My next attempt at taking what is mine won't be as peaceful Rhysand." Tamlin declared. He opened his mouth to continue his bullshit when a voice I had heard before interrupted him. "I would honestly really like to see you try."

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Aedion POV
Lysandra was still wearing Aelin's face. It had been three months and she was still wearing her face. Our soldiers were losing morale, losing the will to camp in discomfort and waiting for an army that should have come by now.

I had received a letter from Kyllian two days ago which said that he had spotted Morath's troops making a landfill in Eldrys and destroying the city. Orynth was barely a day's walk away, so reaching Oakwald should have been easy. Their delay in arrival worried me but I had more important things to worry about.

Lysandra walked out of the Queen's tent, not hers, Aelin's. But no one knew that which infuriated me. "You have to talk to me, if not for real then for show. You are still the commander no matter what the lords say, because Aelin says so, and the commander and his queen not talking doesn't really paint the best picture Aedion. Please." she said before she walked away, not looking at me once. I understood where she was coming from, but I couldn't help it. Every time I saw her my failures threatened to drown me in their poison. I was supposed to be her sworn protector, I had been since her birth, and I had failed her no matter how many people said otherwise. It was, -is my job to protect her, with my life, and I couldn't.

I picked myself up from the ground, the memory of sitting down eluding me, and started walking towards my tent when a shout was heard from across the camp. "They're here" someone shouted, alerting every single breathing soul in the vicinity. Getting over the shock of what just happened, I unsheathed my sword and shouted my command in response, "Assemble!".