A Court of Legends and Myths

Chapter 23 - Sam Cortland

Viviane's POV

Wow, it's so sad, all of this. As Gabriel paused to let us process all of this I couldn't help but wonder how old they all were, so I asked.

"If I may, how old were they all?" I said. He looked at me smiled sadly and answered;

"Celaena was 16, she turned 17 on her way to the Silent Assassins. Sam was 17. Ansel was 18. Yrene Towers was 19. And Ilias was 19. Any other questions before I continue?"

None were asked so he continued his retelling of these events.

"As a thank you for saving his son's life the Mute Master gave Celaena a letter of approval as well as a chest full of gold. When Celaena returned, she found that Sam had gone nearly unpunished, and Arobynn claiming to regret his outburst of rage. He showered her with all kinds of gifts, including a black assassin suit filled with many mechanisms and blades." He said, when he told of the suit he pointed to a black suit in the corner. Helion went to inspect it, it must have been impressive for Hellion to have taken such an interest.

"This is amazing. Do you know who created it? What its made of?" He asked.

"I believe a merchant from Melisande created it. I do not know what material was used, however the built in blades are made of Adarlanian steel. 

Some say that two suits were made, it is not known who the second one went to, but rumor claims that it has spider silk sewn into it." Gabriel answered.

"What's spider silk?" Helion inquired.

"Spider silk is a rare material, it is spun by the stygian spiders, also known as the Kharankui. It is flexible, durable, light, and nearly indestructible. It cost a fortune, it is so expensive that the only people alive who are known to possess some either, stole it, or traded something of value for it, with the spiders themselves, or they were given it. You can no longer acquire any as all the spiders who weave the silk were killed during the war. Only Manon Crochan-Blackbeak, and our queen Aelin, are in possession of some." Gabriel told us.

"Very interesting." Helion mused aloud.

Then Gabriel continued. "Despite Celaena and Sam's differences and previous hatred for each other they soon became friends. Soon after her return they took a job together, their target: kill a nobleman from Melisande rumored to been dealing in the slave trade. And recover documents containing lists of names of people who wish to stop slavery.

They succeeded, but soon learned that their target was the one trying to stop the slave industry while the one who hired them wanted to establish a slave industry in Melisande.

After learning that they were manipulated, Celaena sold her asterion mare to the queen of Melisande who was in Rifthold visiting for a festival. She then used this money along with what she was given by the Mute master to pay both her own and Sam's debts to Arobynn. This along with the very hefting fee to leave the Assassin's Guild, left them broke.

They took a job that would pay them enough to get away from Rifthold, away from their continent entirely and start a new life somewhere else. They were tasked with killing Ioan Jayne and Rourke Farran, the lord and his underling, of Rifthold's underworld. While Sam was completing the first part of their plan he was captured. Not many details past this point were released, but we do know that he was killed.

After learning of Sam's death, Celaena went after Ioan and Farran for revenge, in her fit of rage she missed the obvious trap laid in front of her. When she attacked the two men she was able to kill multiple guards along with Ioan Jayne, but was struck down by a blade coated in gloriella. When she was caught she was imprisoned in the royal dungeon until her trial.

Her sentence had been decided long before she was trialed; a death sentence. But at the last minute the King decided that she would be sent to Endovier. No one knows why the King changed his mind at the last second but we thank him for it every day.

She later discovered it had all been a trap, from the very beginning. An elaborate plan by Arobynn Hamel, to kill Sam Cortland, and get his best assassin back.

Soon after Celaena's capture, Rourke Farran was killed by Arobynn Hammel's personal bodyguard; Wesley. To restore balance and his name, Arobynn had Wesley killed." He finished.

17, she was 17 when all this happened. What a cruel master she had, and she had grown up with him. One could only imagine what he did to her, to them. Yet she survived. It must have been so hard for her, to lose all those you love, then to find friends, only to be betrayed and lose them. Then be sent to a death camp right after.

For fifty years I was separated from my love, separated from many of those I loved, and cared for, from my friends, not just Mor of course but many more. I was left to care for my court all alone, but at least I got them back, at least I was relatively safe, at least I was still in my home. But she was separated from everything and everyone she knew and loved, so many of them dead, or believed to be dead.

Feyre, ever the artists walked towards the paintings and read what was one each of their plaques out loud. 

The first one she went to depicted a filthy city on the coast of a bay, in the bay itself were eight ships docked, at the mouth of the bay was a giant broken chain. A watchtower in pieces, and a woman with gold hair, fighting off another man.

" 'Celeana, Sam, and The Pirate's little adventure'  by Adwin Labrone." Feyre read. She moved onto the next one.

Two women in an alleyway, one who seemed terrified, with rich brown hair, and another who seemed wicked and wild, as wild as wildfire, with golden hair. Though the alley was dark and gloomy, the women lit it up, they glowed in it.

" 'Celeana and the healer'  by Theodosia Monroe." Then to the next.

Two girls, the same one from the previous painting, the one with gold hair, and one with wine red hair, were lying on the ground under the stars. The golden haired one was pointing up towards the stars, a constellation of a stag to be precise.

" 'A friendship under the stars'  by Ophelia Faiella." And the next.

The golden haired girl was in it again, she held a bow, her arrow flying in the distance. Towards the girl with wine red hair riding away on a night black horse.

" 'An extra minute can change the world forever'  by Fernando Gaetz." The next one after that.

This one depicted two people, again the girl with gold hair. She was sitting on a rooftop wall, beside her, a young man with chestnut brown hair. They were sitting close, nearly touching.

" 'First taste at freedom'  by Nipon Wayiett" And the final one.

It was heart wrenching, it was the girl again. But she was chained, covered in dirt, and locked in a prison wagon. She was so full of despair, so full of sadness. She was so...

Broken

" 'A wagon ride towards death'  by Paula Ryaln"

A/N

Again sorry for the heartbreak this may have caused. I do hope you enjoyed this chapter though, and the rest of the story as well.