Golden scars

Chapter 4

Hey! Sorry for the long wait. I promise you it will never happen again. I hope you enjoy this and have an amazing day! - Emma

Celaena watched Aelin and Lysandra enter the room, a huge grin on both of their faces. Oh, she was furious. But she managed to keep herself relatively calm, despite the given circumstances, and followed Aelin's advice to sit down.
"Okay, I must admit I was quite surprised when I entered this room, but there's a reason for me coming here" started Lysandra, a look full of worry resting on her face. She looked at Aelin, then at Celaena, a silent question on her red lips.
"It's okay" said Aelin,"she's already in the future, we cannot simply hide everything from her" she said, gesturing to Celaena, who didn't know how to understand the look on her face. Strange, the way she changed so much in a few months.
Lysandra hesitated, but then her voice filled the silent room, her eyes narrowing from one to another. "Arobynn has requested a meeting with you" she finally said, fixing Aelin with her gaze. "Or at least, he's going to. But I have a bad feeling about it" continued her.
Aelin didn't look interested at all. In fact, her face seemed rather amused, a certain emotion filling her features-- lust for revenge.
"Then I will accept it" she said, her voice neutral, filled with utter indiference.
Celaena couldn't believe her ears. Or eyes. She was going to shout to her future self, but she was cut off by Rowan, who put his hand on Aelin's shoulder, whispering something in her ear. Her face lit up with something like fury, but she wasn't sure.
"Stop it Rowan, I will accept it and that's all"
She turned so that she was facing him, both of them looking as if they were having a conversation in their own heads. Which, Celaena thought, was impossible, of course.
"Will any of you please explain me what's going on? Why would.." she hesitated a little and shrugged, then continued, "Why would Arobynn invite you to dinner?"
They were all silent for a moment, and just when Celaena thought no one would answer her question, Aelin turned to her and began explaining.
"Look, I've seen the way you were shrugging every time someone called my name. You are probably thinking this must be a nightmare, but it isn't. I am not Celaena Sardothien anymore and I won't ever be her again" she paused, waiting for a reaction from her younger self, but she saw nothing written on the assassin's face.
"Why?" murmured Celaena in a small voice.
"I realised that I was being stupid. Hiding from my true identity all these years, living in such fear" Her voice became a whisper and she lowered her eyes to her lap, breathing slowly.
"But the king..."
"Oh yes" she laughed, a cold, bitter laugh. "He doesn't know who I am for the moment. All he knows is that Aelin Galathynius is alive, planning her next move, and Celaena Sardothien is in Wendlyn, assassinating the royal family. It's quite ironic actually"
"Ironic?! How could this be ironic?" asked Celaena. Aelin just shrugged, taking her eyes off Celaena's face. She stood up and eyed every person in the room, her face full of utter determination.
"Let's do it. But first, you have a story for us" she said, gesturing to Celaena.