A better world

Aelin stood on her balcony breathing in the slightly chilly morning air, the sun barely touching the evergreen hills with Kingsflame flowers adorning them. She was truly happy, no wars, no conflict, except for some minor squabbles with some of the lords of Terrasen.

Her arms straining slightly from the small weight in her arms she closed her eyes and felt a single tear silently sliding down her cheek, a tear of true happiness.

She hadn't heard the footsteps walking towards her, just felt her loving mate behind her wrapping her up in a blanket against the chilly morning and then hugging her tight, careful of the little babe in her arms. Their baby, their own creation. A beautiful little girl, a true mixture of them both with teeny, tiny pointy ears. A wonder, that's what their daughter was.

Yrene and Chaol had come to Orynth about a week ago when Aelin had called in the promise she had given Yrene about her being Aelin's midwife. They had been there when Aelin felt the first cramps. It had been as cruel as any fae birthing but Aelin had not been the problem. She did just fine, even though she was in agony through it all and it took hours. The one Yrene had to calm down and talk to was Rowan. That brute had paced and paced and paced, the worry in his eyes made Yrene think about knocking him out and wake him up when she was done and the babe was out. She had given Chaol one look and her husband had taken care of the King of Terrasen, knowing precisely how he felt.

As soon as their daughter was out and gave that beautiful scream, Rowan came running in, almost falling over the furniture. He stopped before an exhausted mate and walked silently to her said and there he sat, with his mate and newborn daughter for hours. Yrene and Chaol, knowing precisely how they felt had stalked out as quietly as they could as soon as Yrene was done with the after check and went downstairs to their own beautiful, handsome kids, who was now ten years old and the twins were three.

It had felt weird seeing Aelin and her mate not showing a single sign of age after ten years when Chaol and his wife had visibly aged the last ten. From their twenties to thirties, not old but still. Seeing his friend not ageing made him a bit sad, knowing they would live way longer than him and his short human life. He shut out that thought quickly when his son had looked up at him after seeing Terrasen's beautiful castle, his face lightening up like the brightest sun and said, "Do you think auntie Aelin will allow me to run in their castle like uncle Dorian does?" Chaol had laughed and whispered back, "If you tell auntie Aelin that Dorian let's you do it then you will be allowed to.". His wife had looked at him and laughed silently, knowing very well that both Aelin and Dorian will compete with each other over who's best. And they both will do that for centuries with their grand children and grand-grand children.

"What's wrong?" Yrene had asked when walking up the stairs to the vast, newly built castle. Chaol debated not telling her right now because of the three-year old twins holding their mothers hands but thought the better of it, "I just thought about how short our lives will be compared to theirs and also that no matter what, our family will know safety for all of Aelin and Dorian's days."

"I know." Was all she had said with a sad, knowing smile on her lips.

Rowan had been in their chambers with Aelin and their daughter, gods... their daughter, for a week now. The only time Rowan's fae instincts had him go away from his mate was when he felt that Aelin needed to eat and ran downstairs and back up to give her food or when Aelin had told him to get a bath or get out so he wasn't just staring at her being an irritating, territorial fae bastard or an overbearing mother hen.

He still couldn't believe what was laying on his mates chest sucking on her breast and sleeping at the same time. He had changed every diaper and carried Aelin to the bathroom, no matter how much she protested. He was still scarred from seeing the beginning of the birth and standing outside listening when Yrene got enough of his nervous pacing. She had done enough and needed to rest, he on the other hand refused to rest until Aelin was feeling good and refreshed. Aelin had scolded him of when he refused to sleep or eat before Aelin but he didn't care.