Golden scars

Chapter 2

dedicated to TransparentWorld

Celaena opened her eyes, staring at the white ceiling in front of her eyes. She was trying to remember last night, her own tiredness turning every memory into a blur. She stayed up all night, shocked and scared, trying to understand everything around her. She had managed to calm herself the other night, until Aelin and the fae, who she later found out was called Rowan, had opened the door of her apartment, to find general Aedion Ashryver standing on the couch. He had been standing in front of some papers, reading them with intense concentration, and he hadn't observed anything strange until Aelin coughed trying to get his attention. At first he seemed annoyed, furious almost, until his eyes narrowed to Celaena, then back to Aelin, then back to Celaena. His expression might have been funny if not in the considered circumstances. But of course, her expression had been funnier, as her face had become blank and ghost-like, looking as if she was ready to pass out. She didn't, thank the gods, as she would've humiliated herself by doing so. She was Adarlan's most famous assassin after all, she wouldn't pass out in front of some strangers. Aelin had read her like a mirror no doubt, as she told her to go get some rest and they would talk more in the morning. She had heard them murmuring half of the night, until finally they went to sleep.

"Good morning" said a voice in the doorway. Aelin was dressed in a blue tunic she knew too well, her short hair pinned in a bun, watching her with tired eyes. "Breakfast's ready, if you're hungry"

Celaena blinked, trying to gather her thoughts, to pay attention to the girl speaking to her. "Just a moment" she said, hoping Aelin would leave her alone with her thoughts once again. She did, after a moment of hesitasion, and Celaena saw Aelin opening her mouth in an attempt to say something, but changed her mind. She knew she couldn't appear in front of everyone else in her lacy nightgown, so she silently reached for the clothes Aelin had given her and started dressing. She hadn't realized until she looked at herself in the mirror that she was actually wearing her favorite green tunic, a fact that, of course, was known by Aelin. So after she braided her hair into a messy fishtail, she reached for the door and opened it, making her step into the kitchen, where everyone was silently eating, not surprised by her arrival at all.

"Good morning" she said, trying to fill the awkwardness that had fallen over the silent table. Of course it didn't changed anything, so she went to the empty chair and took a seat, watching the food with suspicion. She didn't know why she was so suspicious, so reserved, after all, she was standing at the same table with herself and her court. Suspicion should be the last thing she'd be supposed to feel. So she gathered all those thoughts at the back of her head, and tried to concentrate on eating. She hadn't realized she was starving until then, so she took grip of her fork and started eating. Halfway through her omelet, she realized everyone was staring at her.

"So, I suppose you have a story for us" said Aedion Ashryver, with a look of sadness blinding his feral figure.

"Aedion!" said an alarmed voice on the other side of the table. "What are you trying to prove? At least let her finish eating!" Aelin's auburn head was turned towards her cousin, her eyes burning. Rowan put a hand on Aelin's arm, and Celaena saw Aelin taking a deep breath, and then turning her head to face her.

"Sorry for this. Finish your omelet and then we'll talk" she said, giving Aedion a challenging glare.

Celaena watched them for a moment, until she realized she was already full, and that Aedion was right— she had some things to clarify to them. So she stood up and gestured for them to follow her out of the kitchen.