107 Stories of Rowaelin

11. Foreshadow Dreams

OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG It's like 11 and I just checked and 101 people have read this thank u guys so much this is the best early birthday present ever (not-so-subtly advertises birthday) but I'm serious thx so MUCH! <3 

Aelin stood bound with ropes, though she could feel nothing but the clothes on her body. She did not know where she was. The room was white. And- and there was Rowan, bound to a table. And a faceless person stood behind him. All Aelin could see was the whip. It cracked down onto Rowan's back. Blood sprayed. Rowan's face tightened in pain. Again. His eyes looked into Aelin's. The whip-holder cackled. 

     "You can make it stop. Just count to ten, girl. Then it will stop." The whip cracked down again. Aelin's mouth opened, her lips moved, but no sound came out. "Count, girl, and you can make it stop." Crack. Rowan's eyes bored into Aelin's, begging, pleading. Crack. 

    "Please Aelin..." Rowan's voice broke.

     Crack. Rowan screamed aloud. Aelin tried to count, but no sound would come out. Her throat was raw. Crack. A scream again. So full of pain that Aelin's heart cracked in two.

Rowan

Rowan awoke to Aelin whispering his name. He looked over and tears rolled down her cheeks. He shook her shoulder gently. 

    "Fireheart, wake up. Fireheart, it's alright." 

    She awoke with a start, sitting bolt upright, tears still rolling down her cheeks. Her breath caught when she saw him and she curled in on herself, making herself smaller and smaller. He drew her closer. She was still crying. Ever so gently he brushed away her tears. She cried for a long time. She could only murmur his name over and over. Finally, her tears stopped. He looked at her, looked deep into her turquoise eyes. 

     "Fireheart, what's wrong?"

     "Rowan... They- they whipped you. And I- I couldn't stop it. I can't do this. I can't do anything. Rowan..."

     He drew her closer to him, enfolding her in his arms. "Aelin, Fireheart. You can do anything if only you dared. And I swear to you, no one you love, and no one I love, will ever be whipped again. I swear to you that is my mission, to whatever end."

     "To whatever end," she whispered, and fell asleep with his body curled around hers.

Sorry this one's kind of short. But seriously, 101 people have read this (!!! squee !!!) and at least one of you has an idea for a fic I could write because we had our Passover seder today and I had to listen to my uncle explain, in great depth, what bitcoin was and the creative part of me that comes up with fic ideas gave up and died. PLEASE COMMENT, PEOPLE!!