Rattle the Stars

Chapter 14 Pt. 2

Le promised part 2!

Immediately, the room fell into a series of stilted conversation. Aelin stayed quiet for an entire 5 minutes, already determining where this was going to go. Rhys was reasoning with the black queen, Imazel, who was as stone-faced as ever. The queens, except for a amused Vassa, seemed to have so much pride that they couldn't even admit to not knowing who Aelin was.

So instead, they ignored her entirely. The best course of action, and the queen who appeared least likely to anger her, was Vassa. Stretching her hand out across the table, she gave the firebird a smile. There was something inherently twin to herself in Vassa. The fire in their souls.

"I am Aelin Ashryver Whitethorn Galathynius, queen of Terrasen. Otherwise known as the Firebringer. The others are my court." Vassa raised an eyebrow at Aelin, brows raising at the title tacked onto the end of her statement. The other queens had quieted, her introduction heard by all.

Imazel's brighter counterpart, Arryn, cocked her head to the side. The smile planted on her face was so sweet it was obviously fake. "A queen? There are no other queens, whether it's in Prythian or The Continent." Demetra just looked at them curiously.

"I'm not from this world." The blunt words caused their appropriate stir. Zaleria clenched her fists in their matching blue gloves. "I don't know what you think you are achieving here," She said coldly to the Inner Circle. "Bringing more outlandish tales and twisted stories to us. Another world? That's preposterous."

"Do we look like any fae you've ever seen before?" The asssembled stirred, examining the pointed canines and elongated and arched ears. "Then what are you?" Imazel spat.

"I said it once, I'll say it again. We're from Erilea. A world, which, coincidentally, is under attack from the same things that are the reason we are here. A war has begun, and everything  has been torn apart because of it."

Demetra folded her hands in her lap, twining the thin fingers together. Silence, so Aelin went on. Went on to explain the Valg, and who the people in her court they had so blatantly disregarded were. When she finished, Vassa smiled, and gave Aelin a bow of her head. "I like you," She said, grinning, as Aelin tossed her hair behind her shoulders and lounged back upon her rickety chair.

"And why should we ally with you? You fared well enough in the war against Hybern without out assistance."

Cassian started out of his chairs. "Well enough?! Well enough does not justify the thousands of lives lost, the families, ruined, all because of you-" Mor grabbed his arm, tugging him back into a chair. "This threat is worse than Hybern." Lysandra cut in.

"We lived under a tyrannical rule as well, in many ways like Amarantha in Prythian. If you thought for one second that she was bad, that Hybern was bad, Mantyx is the worst of the worst. Aelin has already given testimony to this, and if you can't believe that, can't find it in your hearts to stop this world from burning, then you don't deserve to be here!"

Briallyn let out a shaky and dry sigh. "Listen to them," She croaked. "For I know what she is talking about more than anyone here. If this Valg King was able to hijack something as powerful as the Cauldron... we have no chance. We did make a mistake in this last war."

The Mortal Queens turned their heads away, murmuring amongst themselves. After the outburst, they continued wheedling at each other for what must have been hours, until Vassa abruptly stood. "The sun is rising. We must make our decision."

Arryn looked at Aelin again, her smile a tad more genuine. "You see them as your equals, don't you?" She only nodded in response. The shining queen made a small noise of approval. "I would like that, one day." The queens turned together, their voices low.

Her fae hearing could have picked up the words, but out of respect she blocked them out. They turned their heads up, all gazing at this assembled group- who had the world resting on their shoulders. A half breed. Several bastard-borns. Women who were stronger than most men. Warriors, the broken, and an assassin turned queen, who would fight tooth and nail for this victory.

Without a single bow of their heads, the queens disappeared.

As the queens winnowed away, a single piece of paper floated to the stained table, words scrawled in neat ink. We will ally with you this time. Don't make us regret it.