Saviour of Ashes

Chapter 11

Of course the gown Rowan had chosen was a rich emerald green and the embroidery...silver and gold-red stitched to create flames along the bottom of the dress. The dress had capped sleeves made of a sheer silver material. The gown hugged her breasts and her upprr rib cage and flowed out, covering her tiny bump (unless she shaped it with her hands). It was completely backless. Good, Aelin thought. Let them see my scars. Proof of my suffering-my fighting for my people. I will not be ashamed of the scars that tell my stories. She was a tigress who had earned her stripes. For that same reason, Aelin refused the golden gloves Rowan had laid out for her. She wanted the attention to be solely on her dress.
The dress of Terrasen.

Lysandra twisted and swept Aelin's hair up and pinned it with silver and gold hairpins. Lysandra was in a simple purple gown with a silver bodice and long sleeves. After wearing provocative clothing that exposed so much of her, Lysandra chose to cover herself up. Especially when she was about to be judged for her past by strangers.

Aelin applied khol to her eyes and twirled for her friend.

"Its missing something," Lysandra frowned. She clicked her fingers. "Do your flaming crown."

Aelin shook her head. She would not provoke Darrow and the other lords by pretending she was already Queen. Rolfe had told her she would pay for her arrogance. She wasnt about to make that mistake again. Not when it was so crucial to her court.

There was a knock at the door and Nesryn came in. She looked at the floor.
"Are you sure you don't want me to be on guard?"

Aelin shook her head. "I think we can leave any threats to the males... Besides,  us ladies can still kick ass whilst looking beautiful."

Lysandra grinned. Then looked Nesryn up and down. "Why aren't you dressed?"

Nesryn shrugged. "I had nothing to wear." She gave a sheepish smile which meant she didnt know what to wear.

"Try this," Aelin said and flung a gown at the poor woman.

Nesryn looked beautiful in her dark red gown. It complimented her hair which Lysandra had platted and tied into a knot. The bodice of the gown had gold embroidery of swirls and stars.

As Nesryn stared at herself in the mirror, Aelin asked Lysandra if Manon had helped Elide find a dress. Lysandra informed her that she had handed Manon many dresses for them to choose from but Manon had growled at them, threatening to go stark naked than wear a gown.

Aelin chuckled. "That would definetly make an impression on the lords."

Lysandra flashed her a wicked grin. "Who knows, they just might make her Queen because of it." Lysandra laughed as Aelin clicked her tongue.

"Would your Majesty be prepared to bare all for the sake of the crown?" Nesryn asked, joining in after getting over her shock of how she looked.

"I think Rowan would mind," Aelin smiled at the thought.

"Everyone would be your eternal servant if you did," Nesryn said, falling into a chair.

"Rowan would throw my bare ass in a tower," Aelin laughed.

"You're right about that," Rowan said from the doorway. His scowl promised he would punish in ways that would make her realise her body was his.

Lysandra smirked at Aelin. "But you, I think wouldn't mind at all."

"Of course not," the twinkle in his eye grew. "She know she looks good and knows everyone else does too."

"Why hide such beauty?" She winked at him and he shot her a look that meant her gown would be ripped to shreds later.

"How did you know we were dressed?" Aelin quizzed him.

Lysandra feigned shock. "We could have been in our undergarments."

"Or worse," Nesryn added with mock outrage. "We could have been naked."

Rowan looked to Aelin who only raised a brow. He sighed and said, "if she doesn't take this long to get ready, I thought you two would be quicker."

Aelin scowled at him.

"By how beautiful you all look, I assume it is safe to say you are ready," Rowan smiled.

"Such a gentleman," Nesryn mocked.

"Say that in front of Aedion and he'll go for your throat," Lysandra told him.

Rowan understood. Especially now Lysandra was actually Aedion's lady, he would be very terratorial of her. She was his and no one else's - and Aelin was Rowan's alone.

Except he would have to share her with the court, with the people of Terrasen, with the world.

He turned to his wife, in her dress for Terrasen. The one he had picked on her behalf. She told him that she would wear whatever he wanted that pleased him as she could never make up her own mind anyway.

The back of the dress made him want to never leave the bedroom but he shoved the thought away as her two friends were standing beside her.

He offered Aelin a hand which she accepted. He pretended not to notice her trembling as she stepped towards him.

She stroked her small bump once - a promise to protect their child. He laced his fingers in hers.

Aelin let out a shaky breath. "Lets begin the first day of the new world."