Rowaelin: Locked in the Dark

Call it a Blessing

Hello readers and fellow Rowaelin shippers! 

Here's the last part of Locked in the Dark. I hope you've enjoyed the journey! And I'd like to thank all of you who have stuck with me and this fic-- this one's for you.

I'd like to give a shoutout to Tidela471 for the writing advice you gave me in the last chapter. I really appreciate it! Also, Zilly26 and SkylarNightingale, thanks for the votes on the last chapter!

And thank you to everyone who has voted and commented on the story! <3

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When she next woke, it was to see Rowan packing up the tent. He smiled in her direction when he saw her eyes were open. "You slept for nearly an entire day, Fireheart. We were waiting for you to wake up so we could get back."

Aelin tried to sit up, but Rowan was there in only a second, holding her arms and carefully picking her up above her bandages. "Easy there. You're not healed yet."

"Rowan, put me down. I can walk."

"No."

"Don't be a stubborn—"

"Territorial fae bastard, I know. It can't be helped. You're going to have to deal with it."

She only glared, knowing there was no way to talk him out of it. She sighed and tried one more time, against all hope. "Rowan, there are soldiers out there and I don't want them to see me like this."

"I don't care. They've seen me carry you in from Maeve's so it doesn't even matter. Stop fighting it, Aelin."

Rowan walked out their tent, arms full of Aelin. He nodded at one of the men that had already finished packing, Gavriel. With a look of understanding in his eyes, Gavriel went to quickly pull together the tent Rowan had left mostly unpacked.

Once everything had been stowed away, everyone mounted their horses. Rowan had chosen the strongest mare of the lot, for it would have to carry double; he wasn't letting Aelin out of his sight. Not that Aelin was much added weight with the aftereffects of her confinement. He would have to do something about that.

He sat Aelin down first before pulling himself up behind her and wrapping his arms around her waist with careful precision.

Then, they were off.

***

While Aelin had started the ride completely coherent and invigorated at the prospect of seeing their friends again, the repeated movements of the horse and Rowan's body heat against her still aching back combined to pull her into a restful doze.

"Wake me up?" Aelin rested her head against Rowan's chest and looked up at his face. How she had missed that glorious face. He leaned down to press his lips against her forehead in answer, his arm tightening around her waist in reassurance.

With a smile on her lips and peace written on her face, Aelin Ashryver Galathynius fell asleep in the arms of her King.

***

"Aelin." She groaned. "Fireheart, wake up. We're here."

She shook herself awake and a grin slowly crept onto her face at the sight of their ship. Aedion and Lysandra, looking like her usual self, were running for them with eager smiles.

"Aelin!" She didn't even have a chance to properly dismount from the horse before Aedion was pulling her into his arms. He was pressing into her wounds, but she didn't care. Oh gods. Gods. She never thought she'd see them again and the sight of their delighted faces made her tear up.