Queen Of Glass

Chapter 20

Walking through the spacious halls of the palace, Celaena Sardothien and Princess Anuksun enjoyed each other's company. They had taken to strolling the palace grounds together after they were done for the day with their lessons, and they often stayed out until after sunset. It was quite a sight: Celaena was dressed in men's clothes and Anuksun garbed in the traditional style of her homeland. When they passed by, ladies looked the other direction and men stared. Neither of the girls bothered to care.
The pains of her moontime were over, but she continued to bleed. Thanks to the thick cotton strips that lined her undergarments, Celaena could now go to her lessons and walk around the palace with Anuksun on their daily adventures.
Anuksun's language skills had greatly improved since her arrival two months ago—making verbal communication less of a barrier between them. They were now able to converse without many obstacles, though she had to considerably limit her vocabulary to make sure that the princess understood.
Despite this, Celaena was fascinated by the princess' description of her country—and was also greatly sorrowed by what it most has lost in wealth and pride when it was conquered by the legions of Adarlan.
The princess showed no remorse for her befallen country—but if she possessed any bitterness of emotion towards the empire, Anuksun dared not to express it while staying in Renaril.
I wonder how it feels to be the princess of a conquered country such as Eyputiusunn. I wonder if she even considers herself a princess anymore...
The assassin looked at Anuksun's beautiful face and pursed her lips. I wonder how it feels to be asked to go on an important mission for the sake of the land that destroyed your country. Would you do it, Anuksun? Would you aid the hand that strangled your home?
"You have not been yourself for...five days now, Lithaen." Beside her, Anuksun stopped. Celaena halted her step and turned with a sad smile towards the girl.
Lithaen. How would you react if I told you that my real name is Celaena Sardothien? Would you even know who I am? "Forgive my wandering mind, Anuksun. I have had much on it as of late."
"Is there any help that I can do?" the foreign girl had a face full of concern.
"I'm afraid not, but thank you for your considerate offer." Celaena touched the princess on the shoulder affectionately.
Anuksun's face turned thoughtful and she was quiet for several minutes before she spoke. "I see much worries in your face and I hear much worries in voice. You do not talk of worries, but we have friendship. When need help, Lithaen, I will be here."
Celaena's throat tightened and she clasped Anuksun's hands in between her own. No one had called her a friend with such meaning in a long time. No one would have dared. But here...Here it is as if I have been born anew. It as if I have begun life all over again, or stumbled into the life that was denied to me so long ago. Thank you, Anuksun. Thank you for giving me a second chance.
The assassin looked into the woman's eyes as she said with sincerity: "Thank you, Anuksun. Thank you for your friendship, thank you for your kindness, thank you for your trust. You are a true friend." Thank you for finding me...
Anuksun nodded and they continued walking until they reached a part of the castle that Celaena had never been in before. "Where are we going, Anuksun?"
The princess smiled at her. "Dog houses. I show you little dogs that Prince show me other day."
The kennels? It's a sweet gesture, but why would the Lady Lithaen be interested in dogs? "Are you sure that we're allowed to go in?"
Anuksun pointed at herself. "I am Princess of Eyputiusunn. I can go anywhere."

Celaena laughed and followed the girl through a large wooden door. The sounds of barks filled the air and it began to smell like a barnyard. Wrinkling up her nose, Celaena walked past cages and stalls filled with dogs of all shapes and sizes—some were so large that they came up to Celaena's hip. Others had legs the length of her finger, yet their bodies were as long as her arm. There were many more breeds, but the kind that fascinated and aroused awe within the breast of Celaena Sardothien were the sleek hounds with arched bellies and long legs that were so thin that they were no wider than half the width of her wrist.
Are these all hunting dogs?
"Come," Anuksun said, and hopped over the gate of a stall. Celaena stopped at the wooden gate and looked down. Inside were Dorian and Anuksun...and four yapping puppies. All were exquisitely black. Then she noticed the fifth. It was the runt of the litter. And the most beautiful. But its golden coat barely shone as it cowered in the corner of the stall, hidden in shadows. Dorian must have rejected it already, she thought with a flash of anger.
"...Lady Lithaen. It's a surprise and pleasure to see you down here."
Celaena looked at Prince Dorian and tried not to glower. His words from the other night rang through her head, causing her to forget her momentary contempt in an attempt to control the blush that rose to her cheeks. She had been trying to forget that moment when he had said the words: 'Will you be my Yulemas lover?' It was a moment in which the world had spun in and out of focus. Everything seemed to be spinning and still at the same time. She hadn't meant to drop the cup—her hands just seemed to collapse onto her lap, losing sense of the object that they had been grasping. The assassin had been dreading someone asking her to be a Yule-time lover, but to hear it from Dorian...
I probably should have been flattered. But I just felt so...so...
Terrified.
That was what had scared her the most. For thirteen years, she had never feared anything. Before those six words had been spoken, nothing had ever made her feel so helpless. Not even in the mines. Death would have been a welcome visit during those two years—for I had no fear of it.
It would have been easy for Celaena to turn down Roland or any other man of the court, but to turn down the Crown Prince, the man in whose hands her life lay...I could not have said 'no' to him.
"It's an absolute thrill to see you, your highness," she said, watching the two humans inside the stall. Anuksun was being tackled by three of the puppies. "I had no idea that you liked to roll around in the dirt with dogs."
"Well, at least I now know that it's not beneath you to do it either," he said with a sneer that matched her own. Anuksun, unaware of the spat that was beginning, picked up an onyx-colored pup and stroked its head as the other three animals played at her feet. "How old until you train it?" Anuksun asked.
Dorian turned his attention to the princess and ran a hand through his hair. "We'll begin after Yulemas."
"Running dogs, no?"
"Yes, they are racing dogs—but they're also used for hunting swift prey, like rabbits and foxes. Excellent animals."
"Yes, we birth hunting dogs in Eyputiusunn—but no...racing dogs."
Celaena sighed, drowning out their conversation, and climbed over the gate. She had never been too fond of dogs— especially ones that could hunt you down. But these were only puppies.
Sitting down against the gate, she held out her hand, waiting for a dog to sniff. "How old are they?" she asked. "Almost two months," Dorian replied, allowing for one of the animals to gnaw on his finger.
"Where's their mother?" Celaena looked around the stall for the bitch, but couldn't find her.
"Resting in her cage—she only appears to them at feeding time."

Celaena felt something cold and wet touch her fingers and she looked down. The fawn-colored runt had somehow made its way through the throng of its excited brothers and sisters and up to her outstretched hand. It licked her fingers, wagging its tail. The assassin smiled at the animal and stroked its head.
"So, you've decided to stop hiding the dark?" Celaena softly said to the dog and laughed lightly as it leapt into her lap, trying to lick her face. Once she had succeeded in settling the pup down between her crossed legs, Celaena looked at Dorian, who surprisingly had a look of bewilderment upon his face. "What?" Celaena said, taking the pup into her lap.
"Do you know that that dog will not come near me or any of my breeders?"
Celaena ruffled the pup's short coat and looked down upon it affectionately. "That's because it knows you've already rejected it before it's had a chance to prove itself."
"I have no use for a runt."
The assassin cocked her head to one side. "You see?" she said defensively, "That's exactly what I'm talking about. But
it knows that I don't care about whether or not it's colored correctly or if it's as large as its brother's and sisters." "You give it too much credit."
"And you give it too little."
Dorian glowered. Celaena snarled. Anuksun, still oblivious, was stuck under a mound of licking black puppies.
Celaena kissed the golden head of the animal. "This runt and I are very similar creatures. We've both been rejected by higher powers at a young age and we both don't trust anyone except beings like ourselves. So, tell me, Dorian, do you plan on sending this puppy to work in the salt mines of Endovier as well?"
Take that, you bastard.
"And you're both bitches," he purred in reply.
This time, both the assassin and the pup growled. "For your information," she said, checking to make sure, "this one's a—" she paused, frowning, realizing that her joke wouldn't work. "Girl," she finished dully.
"My deepest apologies, my sweet lady."
"Go jump in a lake."
Dorian chuckled and reached for the runt. It whined and tried to flee in the opposite direction, but Celaena held onto it. "Don't you touch her," she warned, holding it to her breast. "You don't deserve an animal like this."
He leaned back and looked at the odd pair. Celaena ignored him as the pup licked her face, her soft tongue slimy upon her cheek. "All you needed was a friend to get you out of that terrible corner," she cooed. It settled back down in her lap, resting its head upon her knee. Petting it with a mother's gentleness, the assassin beamed down at the dog. "Well, I will come to visit you every week...that is, if you aren't turned into a meal for your larger kin," she said with a dirty look in Dorian's direction.
"Actually," he said, "I'm giving it away."
Her head snapped up and she stared at the Crown Prince in disbelief. "Where are you taking it?" "I don't know yet, but it can't stay."
"What? It's of no burden to you!"
"I have no use for it."
"How about a pet?"

"The dog hates me, Lithaen."
"So? Give it to some palace boy!"
"It's too good a breed for that."
"So, it's not good enough for you, but it's not good enough for someone else?" Celaena barked, resting a hand protectively on the dog's head.
"I've been looking for a home for a while..." he offered, his voice getting edgier.
"I'm sure you have," she snapped.
"I raise these dogs for racing and hunting—not for cuddling." There were sparks in his voice.
She didn't know what to say to that. Damn him! Celaena tore away her gaze, reluctantly accepting defeat, and cuddled the dog to her chest once again. "Just make sure to find a place where it will be loved...unconditionally," she said quietly.
Celaena didn't see the look that crept into Dorian's eyes after she spoke. In fact, she seemed to miss a lot of the emotions that he expressed. Except for his temper—she noticed that. It was so quick to rise and fall, just like her own.
But I don't know what makes him happy, what hurts him, what makes him affectionate. I hardly know anything about him except that he loves books, these stupid dogs, women, pool, and arguing with me. He's a complete mystery to me, but I don't dare to investigate.
"If you like, before I make a final decision, I will ask for your opinion." Her eyes rose to his face. "You would do that?"
"If you wish it, it shall happen."
Celaena smiled widely. "I'd be honored."
He seemed to calm down. "So, I'm not a demon from hell any more?" Celaena raised an eyebrow. "Only an imp."
He laughed, the rest of his anger fading. "Praise the gods."
O-o-o-O-o-o-O
They stayed in the stall for an hour before departing. Celaena bid the runt farewell, kissing it several times before Anuksun dragged her out the door.
As she lay in bed that night, the assassin wondered what kind of home the Crown Prince would find for the beautiful animal.
It would have to be some place in the open, where it could race against the wind...and they would have to be people that would pay it constant attention and make it feel loved. And it would have to be able to hunt whenever it liked... and...
Before she could finish deciding upon the perfect home for the dog, Celaena drifted down the river of slumber with dreams of a graceful animal running upon the back of the winds.