Castle of Wind (A Throne of Glass Fan fiction)

Burning

That was the day, Rowan decided as he found a way to enter the castle. That was the day he would save his Queen. And come back to Terrasen, back to their court.

He had remembered how he used to come in before. He had a place for his own, where he could get in with no one noticing him.

There had always been some perks of being the most powerful Fae male.

He was almost in his old rooms when he saw him.

Fenrys. What was he doing there?

Fenrys looked at him with a sad look. Rowan didn't understood why was that.

"She is outside." Fenrys said, trembling. He was probably going against some rules, or trying to. Rowan remembered how it was like to be blood bounded to Maeve.

But he didn't care as he rushed outside, to the woods surrounding Doranelle. He didn't thought how or why as he saw his Queen.

There were no marks, no bruises. No blood.

But there wasn't either flame nor happiness in her.

"Fireheart" he whispered.

She turned to him. Her grin nothing human as the demon inside her muttered. "Hello buzzard."

That was not his mate and he didn't know how to make her come back.

~^~^~

"Aelin, I know you are still in there. Fight it, I know you can."

The silver haired stranger had said over and over to her.

The dark princess was now recoiling. She could move her face. She could through her eyes. Smell and hear again. Even thought she couldn't move her body yet. She couldn't even talk. To warn him.

He knew her but she couldn't remember anything about him.

Aelin he had said.

Aelin.

Her name.

Don't say that. The darkness hissed as it had done before.

And just like before, she forgot.

~^~^~

He had found her. They were together. And she was safe. Not completely, but safer than with Maeve.

Somehow Maeve had found a way to possess her with a Valg.

But she seemed more like herself again. Her eyes were again blue. Even thought there was no fire in them, she had to heal. She had been through a lot. Too much.

They had started walking somewhere safe.

Aelin only needed resting. And healing.

Once he found a hidden and safe place, away from paths and trails, he stopped and turned to look at her.

Maeve could already have sent the cadre to find them, but he needed to look at her once more. To make sure it was not just a dream.

It was true. She was there with him.

He needed to touch her, to kiss her, to hold her, just like they had done before.

But he could wait. Until she was ready.

But then she fell on her knees, sobbing.

Without a second thought, Rowan rushed to her and held her in his arms. "You are safe now Fireheart." He whispered in her hear.

Something flickered in her eyes. Hurt and...

Sorry. Her eyes seemed to say as he glimpsed a shinning object in her hands.

He escaped the blow, but not without the dagger cutting his arm. Nothing really deep.

It hurt, but not as much as the thought of those beautiful hands trying to kill him with a dagger through his chest. His heart.

His Fireheart was lost.

She turned to him again. Rowan knew what she was about to do, and still he would let it happen. If his Aelin was gone. There was no reason for him to be alive.

~^~^~

She remembered him. Rowan. Something deep inside her growled.

Rowan.

Fire started burning inside her. Warming her.

And she was not afraid.

Not when the Fae warrior was there. Rowan had come for her. To save her. Despite what she had done. Despite all the lies she had told.

Her carranam, her husband, her king and her mate.

Her Rowan.

She had already faced three Valg princes alone. She could deal with this dark princess.

She knew how the Valg liked to play with her darkest memories. She had been prepared.

Those last days she had been recoiling in her own body. Gathering her flames, preparing to strike at the right moment. That was not the right moment, but she would not let the Valg princess take away her mate.

And Aelin was ready as her eyes turned into a golden flame and she burned and burned, until there was no darkness left beyond the one that was already there before.

The one she couldn't face. Not yet.

She was Aelin Ashryver Galathynius. And never again would she be anything else.