Manon's Child

Part 59

Chaol's POV

I might kill Dorian. Or Aelin. Or them both. After I've spent three days, three days, searching for them, covering up their absence from the court - Gods, I even had to call Rowan down from Terrasen to help me search for his mate - after all that time, the two missing monarchs have been in catacombs drinking the royal wine cellar dry. They've spent three f*cking days giving in to the easily oblivion of expensive alcohol, and I am pissed.

Scowling, Rowan a foreboding force behind me, I clatter two saucepans together (I brought them for exactly that purpose) and yell. "WAKE UP."

They both shoot upright, blinking blearily in an attempt to clear the remains of the alcohol from their heads. Dorian winces, his hand going up tenderly to his head, and Aelin immediately covers her ears.

"You cannot seriously have been down here drinking while I've been worried sick about you!" I yell, deliberately loud. "Do you know how hard it's been covering up two of the most important monarch's absence?"

Dorian squints up at us. "Do you think - you could - stop shouting?" Dorian asks.

"NO I CANNOT!" I shout louder.

"Have you seriously been drinking for three days straight?" Rowan asks from behind me. 

At the sound of her mates voice, Aelin takes her hands away from her ears and peers up at him. She grimaces at his expression. "We were sleeping as well?" she offers

"That doesn't make this better!" Rowan says, his voice rising. "Have you any idea how worried I've been? Aelin, you disappeared from Terrasen without saying a word, and the next news I get of you is from Chaol saying you've disappeared? And Dorian too?" Rowan runs his hands through his hair. "How could you be so irresponsible?!"

The guilt is obvious on Dorian and Aelin's faces, but that doesn't make me any less cross. "I should've brought Yrene down here as well," I say. "She would've taught you a lesson."

"I don't need Yrene to teach me a lesson," Dorian says, wincing still. "This is lesson enough. This is the worst hangover I've ever had. I'm never drinking again."

"This isn't a joke! You could've been in serious danger!"

"We're sorry," Aelin says. She looks to her mate, who offers her a hand to stand up. With a sigh, he pulls her up. She sways and almost falls, but Rowan catches her, and she reaches down a hand to pull Dorian up after her. He goes green.

"I gonna puke," he says.

"Serves you right if you do," I snap, turning away. "Hurry up. You both have a busy day of meetings and excuses ahead of you." With that, I turn around, storming from the catacombs."

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HI peoples, 

bc this is quite a short chapter, there's a bonus rowaelin scene in a sec.

i',m still finishing off this fanfic but people aasked me to update so i did, its not done yet thats why its so short .

have any of you watched the shadow and bone show? I've been bingeing it since half 5 this morning (i'm 4 episodes in so no spoilers) and it is SO GOOD!! like honestly i thought I was gonna be disappointed but i wasn't, it is honestly AMAZING

anyway here's the rowaelin scene :)

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Aelin's POV

It's the end of the day, just as packed as Chaol promised, and my head hasn't stopped pounding once. I had to duck out of the first meeting to vomit into a plant pot, and worst of all Rowan is still pissed at me. 

I collapse onto the bed in the rooms we've been given. We're heading back to Terrasen tomorrow because if I rode now I would fall off my horse. Rowan goes silently to stand by the window. I last all of a minute before I sit up and say, "Fine! I was stupid, and irresponsible, and I know you were worried, and I'm sorry ok? I'm really, really sorry, but you know what, it's hard being a perfect queen all the time and I just wanted, for one night, to let go and get drunk. I didn't think we were gonna be gone three days. I'm sorry, Rowan. I'm really sorry."

Rowan comes over, sitting next to me. To my surprise, he pulls me into his arms, his face in my hair. "I'm sorry too, Aelin. I knew you were finding it hard recently, but I should've realised. Then at least you would've been safe. I should've been there for you, and for that I am truly sorry. But you have to realise - I was so worried about you. I thought - you know what I thought. I just -" he cuts himself off. 

There are tears streaming down my face. He gently cups his hand against it. "I love you, Rowan," I whisper. "To whatever end."

"To whatever end, my Fireheart."