The Princess of Terrasen

Ch 1

Ten years ago
"By the wyrd I hate you!" Aiyra screamed as she stormed down the stairs

"Aiyra, don't you dare step out of that door!" Her mother, the Queen of Terrasen -Aelin Ashryver Whitethorn Galathynius- yelled back, flinging a finger out. If Aiyra wasnt completely mistaken, she could've sworn there was genuine fear in her mother's voice, but pride getting the best of her, she took a step out.

She barely had time to think when something grabbed her and flung her over it's shoulder. She felt fear course through her like a river. She tried reaching for that curse of hers, the magic that was so strong she couldn't control it, but the panic coursing through her made her incapable of doing anything but scream. Normally, when she didn't need it, her magic would flare, decimating anything near her. Her father came running out, her mother not too far behind, both easily caught up to them. It wasn't her mother she focused on, it was her father -closest to her- she looked at the harsh line of words on his face, the story of a loss she had never been told of and she screamed in pure, blind panic.

She screamed for them, flinging her chubby arms out so he could reach her, and he tried, by the Wyrd he did, but whoever was carrying her flung up a shield that even the mightiest Fae warrior couldn't breach. The tears streaming down her face made her blind to the fire, her mother's magic and ice, her father's, that pounded again and again against that shield.
She choked on her tears as she punched the male's back repeatedly with her tiny fists.

"Stop!" She wailed "take me back!"

But they didn't and her father and mother did all they could to get through that shield, even as they strapped an iron mask to Aiyra's face that made it almost impossible for her to breathe, that stifled her magic and made her nauseous. She could hear her father roaring in anger as he pounded his fists against the shield and used every ounce of his magic to try and save her. To no avail. She could hear her mother screaming in utter fury and for a second, the flames cleaved a crack in that shield. But there was a burst of light. And they were gone.
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Aella stormed down the gilded halls, her blue cloak snapping in the breeze that only surrounded her, running it's fingers through her hair, teasing it, playing with the water that lapped the sides of marble floor. Kamien, her second, on her heels.
She was the General of her queen's armies and the most powerful Fae female in the world. It had once been Aelin Galathynius in the north, but Aella had long since taken that title. Her cadre consisted of possibly the deadliest Fae in the known world.
Jaena who had grown up in a hellhole that made her all the more vicious, a trait that defined her cadre, had her disappearing act where she could go from one place to another in the span of a blink. Kamien, on the other hand, loved her family-the cadre- and burned with it, making her deadly to anyone who posed a threat to those she cared for. Waylay, who had developed an affinity for water, was gentler than the rest of them but still cutthroat by usual standards and Sebastian was the icy cold counterpart to Aella's wild, fiery heart. It was why he was her third, the ice to Kamien's burning passions and Aella's own wind, ice and flame.
Their power, however, didn't stop them from being closer than she usually would've let anyone be.
People smiled at Kamien in the halls but she paid them no heed. Not now, at least. Kamien knew everyone here by name, but Aella knew it was just a ruse, to get people to trust her. Just to tear them down if they proved to be threats. People often made the mistake of assuming that Kamien was the one to plead to, to try and sway in case they were at the mercy of the cadre. It was the last mistake they ever made.
Her cadre's structure was more like those of the Ironteeth witches. They were the most vicious and deadly group under Deanna's control, but while the rest of the cadre were relatively equal in skill and power, none of them forgot just what Aella was, no matter how much they tried to pretend like they were equal. Another one of Deanna's ploys, to alienate her and remind her that her magic was still capable of snapping her in half and taking over her mind and soul.
Sebastian was a mere two steps away from Kamien, Kamien a step away from Aella when Aella flung the throne room's doors open to see Deanna lounging on her throne, about four wolves at her feet.
Aella sketched a bow, shallow enough to prompt a warning snarl from one of the wolves but Deanna paid no heed.
"Yes, Commander?"
Aella tossed the wooden box at her feet.
"I brought you a gift" she crooned
Deanna's smile became serpentine
"I have another task for you, Commander"
"And that is?"
"There is a city off the coast, Rosk, find it, and end it."
"Prisoners?"
"No."
Aella allowed a cruel smirk to play along the corners of her mouth, allowed that bloodthirsty part of her to show in her eyes, allowed her bloodlust to hone into something razor sharp that roiled in her veins, thrashing, begging to be let out.
And then, she whirled around not waiting for dismissal, catching Kamien's gaze as she did. Kamien was smirking as well. Sebastian was standing near the doors, cold delight setting off his already accentuated features. A person would be a fool to not recognise the bloodlust in his eyes.
That bloodlust only added to his cruel beauty. Sebastian was beautiful, even by Fae standards. He had sharp features, icy blue eyes and light brown hair, high cheekbones, strong jaw, and a cruel smirk that made him look even more devastatingly beautiful than he already was. His shoulders were pushed back, his chin high, a regal sort of cruel indifference made up his icy cold aura.
And she pushed through the doors, turning to the rest of the cadre who had been stationed outside.
"Rest today and tomorrow. We leave day after tomorrow at dawn for Rosk. Be prepared."
Sebastian walked out of the throne room, his own blue cloak billowing behind him as he prowled toward her, making her toes curl in her boots. Aella nodded to them and they understood the dismissal, leaving her alone with him.
"Sebastian" she said quietly, silently beckoning him to come closer. As he did, she saw the cold calculation in his eyes switch to an amused sort of wariness as he noted that the winds shifted, rising and howling, drowning out any sound.
"You travel to Rosk tonight." Aella explained, "assess the situation. Warn them. Subtly."
Sebastian nodded and the winds died down, reducing to a breeze that made her cape snap behind her.
"Now, rest lieutenant. You'll need your strength." she announced before stalking down the hallway.
She made it a point to give a subtle warning to whatever city she was to wipe off the face of the world. Even if no one understood it, it eased her conscience. It was the only form of mercy she could offer. Sebastian came to her room at three in the morning and sat on the bed, a few feet away from her and Aella groaned as she pushed herself up and stared at him through sleep bleary eyes.
"One family," he said, so quiet that it might have just been the sheets rustling
Aella nodded, now fully awake
"It's a relatively small city, but it might actually require some semblance of concentration. They have about fifteen hundred highly trained guards at the palace, equally well trained city guards and three demi fae. They switch rotations in 90 minutes. The palace would have been impossible to breach had it not been for the fact that they have no wards stopping Jaena from doing her disappearing act into the castle and opening the gate."
"And the fact that we're a race of exceedingly good looking, freakishly strong Fae" Aella smirked and Sebastian shot her a quick glare before continuing
"Everyone aside from the guards will panic if we kill one figurehead, the King's guard. He's well known and respected as being the best swordsman in Rosk. People rely on his capabilities. Once the city is in chaos,-"
"We finish it." Aella finished thoughtfully, over the decades, she had seen a pattern. When people were in chaos, the city was already doomed.