A Court of Legends and Myths

Chapter 31 - To join an army

Vivianne's POV

She sacrificed herself, for those she loved. Aelin wasn't an entitled, self-absorbed brat. She was a strong, selfless, hurt, young woman, who would do anything for those she loved. She may seem cruel on the outside, but on the inside she was warm and loving, and an all round amazing person. I'd bet everything I have on it.

"Elide had been wandering Oakwald for weeks surviving on berries she harvested and water from the many little streams that flowed through Oakwald. She may not be a slave, or prisoner anymore but she still wasn't free. She had things to do, a war to survive and fight. She had a message and a gift for Celaena Sardothian from a prisoner of Morath.

Her travels north were difficult, tiring, long, and they were just getting worse, because now she was being hunted. She was being hunted by a creature in the woods, by monsters sent from morath, and possibly witches as well. By the middle of the third week in the woods Elide faced the one who had been following her for three days. He was a tall, dark haired and dark eyed, fae male. He wore a scowl and had an array of weapons. Her feeble knife would do nothing against this person, but he was not there to kill her, just use her for information. She was spared from enduring the no doubt brutal interrogation from a pack of ilken landing near them and attacking.

Lorcan had been tracking the girl for three days, she wore the leathers of the witches and smelled of morath, there was a dark magical presence coming from her. She looked like the witches but did not act like them. She had gotten close to spotting him where he hid on more than one occasion, she got closer than most. He knew she had information that could be vital for his success in infiltrating Morath. He was going to interrogate her, question her till he got what he wanted, then leave her like her sisters. He never got to his interrogation, no, a pack of ilken attacked him before he could.

Elide ran from them knowing she did not stand a chance against those beasts. But Lorcan stood his ground and fought them off. His magic did next to nothing against the valg and so it was his steel he used to kill them, decapitation that was how to kill the ilken without magic.

Though she ran from them she still came face to face with them. Unlike Lorcan, she used a much less messing way to escape the valg. She bluffed her way out. She knew the ilken did not know what Elide Lochan looked like, and she knew that the riding leathers of the witches she looked like one, and so taking a risk she pretended to be one. She pretended to be the wing leader, and they fell for it. She got away unharmed.

As she was leaving her encounter with the ilken she ran into Lorcan this time. They both had questions for the other, and they both had use for the other, so they made a bargain. The pair would travel together, Elide would Locan information about the layout of morath, its strengths and weakness, the witches rotations, its uses, and any other information she had. In return he would offer her protection against any would be threats, and help her in her journey to find her lost queen.

They travelled together for weeks, at one point joining a travelling carnival troupe, she as a fortune teller, and he as a sword thrower. They travelled in relative peace, until one particular town where the ilken came looking again, while Lorcan was able to kill the ilken with minimal damage, he and Elide were discovered. The next town they hit they knew they were being sold out so they stole a boat and started to travel south, now knowing, or rather believing Aelin Galathynius to be heading towards Benjali. On the way they had to stop for supplies, during their stop Elide was cornered by the one who had held her captive for so long, and many more ilken, there was no bluffing her way out of this one.

As the ilken dragged her towards an iron box, Elide went through her choices. Inches from the box she whirled on the ilken holding her and grabbed a knife, she broke her nose in the process. With this knife and a distraction from Lorcan she plunges it into the wing of the closest ilken. She killed one, while Lorcan killed the rest. They were thankfully able to escape without many more injuries.

From there their travels south were pretty smooth.

However soon they had taken the river as far inland as they could so they had to continue their trek on foot. On their way south Lorcan felt a tug from the god who looked over his shoulder, west, they had to go west, towards the Stone Marshes, that's where Aelin was. And so they walked south. They walked for days before reaching the marshes. It was another two days, into the marshes before they saw her.

They only saw after Lorcan sent out a warning, a warning to warn Aelin Galathynius and her companions of their on coming doom. Because it was five hundred flying ilken that flew their way. Even Aelin Galathynius couldn't beat all those ilken. Or so Lorcan thought, because she did, she burned every last one of them to ash. Nearly killing Lorcan and Elide in the process.

But they lived. And they prepared to meet the queen. But they weren't prepared to face Gavriel and Fenrys. So when they attacked out of nowhere, Lorcan stood no chance. Especially with his focus on Gavriel and his spine exposed to Fernys's open maw. The only reason he survived this attack was Elide stepping in and taking the blow herself.

All horrified at what had just happened the fight paused, Lorcan took this opportunity and wrapped an impenetrable shield around them. His magic could do so much, but healing a wound as severe as Elide's was not something he could do. Gavriel however could, so he made a deal, he would lower his shield and let the two warriors rip him apart in exchange for Gavriel healing Elide. Fernys, Gavriel, and Lorcan, were spared from this deadly battle when Aelin stepped in. Lorcan and Elide were now under her protection, and any attempt on their lives meant war. She spoke ancient words, words that couldn't stop a blood oath, but could at least postpone the inevitable.

Finally after ten eleven years, Elide reunited with her queen, her court. She finally reunited with Aelin and Aedion. Together they were three of six, surviving children, of the court of Terrasen. All others were killed.

Elide also was reunited with Manon.

Lorcan was reunited with Rowan, Fernys, and Gavriel, though this was most definitely not a happy reunion. From then on they returned to Aelin's ships.

And well you already know how this return went.

Any questions?"

Their story just keeps getting more and more interesting. It also gets more and more heartbreaking. Six children survived the slaughter of the noble houses of Terrasen. I couldn't believe it, children are so precious to lose even one was horrible, how many had not survived. I wanted to ask, but that question seemed too personal, too sad. So I instead decided to ask about this world's gods.

"How do the gods in this world work? I've heard a few people mention them but I don't seem to understand them. Do they have any influence over how the world works? Our own world only has the mother and the cauldron, no gods."

When I said our world has a cauldron, Gabriel looked at me as if I was crazy. But I suppose, hearing that an entire world worships a kitchen appliance may seem a little odd to people.

"Well that question has a complicated answer. There are technically only 21 gods, though an extra twelve are still worshiped, but they're dead, and not in our world, so they don't have any power over our realm. Though they once did, and it is then we speak of when it is said that some of the royals and nobles of our world are scions of sorts, and have a god or gods looking over their shoulder. Queen Aelin had both Deanna and Mala watching over, and guiding her. Lady Lysandra has always been protected by Temis, goddess of wild things. For lady Elide it was Anneith, her husband was watched over by Hellas, god of death. I guess it's not that surprising that they fell in love, seeing as Anneith and Hellas were consorts. King Dorian was also guided by Mala. Some say Empress Nesryn is guided by Neith, but that's only a theory born from her considerable skill with a bow and arrow."

Oh, well that was a complicated answer. But it was an answer nonetheless. We continued on to the next exhibit.

A/N

Like the previous chapter I didn't want to proofread this one, so if there are any grammatical or spelling errors let me know and I'll go back and fix them. Also thank you to all who have read this story. And if there are any characters you want to see more of, or any places within Prythian, you'd like to see, leave a comment and I'll do what I can to fit it into the story. As well as leave a comment with your favorite quote from the books along with who said it, and I might put it in an upcoming chapter.