The Princess of Terrasen

Ch.5

Aelin Whitethorn Galathynius was looking at her daughter. It was her and yet not. Her daughter now appeared as the 21 year old she was, as tall as Rowan, as athletically built as her and with Aedion's shit eating grin, her turquoise eyes as gentle as a warm summer sea. A misty veil separated them.

"Aiyra" the word escaped as a gasp and her daughter smiled. Her daughter.

"Are.." Aelin swallowed past the lump stuck in her throat "are you... alive?"

Aiyra nodded.

Aelin's hand flew to her mouth and she fell to her knees, staring up at her daughter even as her face crumpled and tears obscured her vision. Alive. Aiyra was alive. Not dead and buried but alive.

And then she awoke, gasping and laughing. Rowan was awake instantaneously, his pine green eyes scanning her bemusedly.

Her hair tumbled over her shoulders as she lowered her head into her hands and sobbed, joy and relief cracking her heart. Half choked laughs forced their way up her throat and soon she was pressed against Rowan

"What is it Fireheart?" he murmured as he wrapped his arms around her

"Aiyra" was all she could say as she lifted her head.

Rowan seemed to have aged a thousand years with that word alone, grief dimming his animal bright eyes.

"No, no, Rowan" and Aelin laughed, even as she sobbed "She- she's alive"

Rowan's mouth opened, forming questions but Aelin said

"I saw her in a vision, Rowan, she's alive" she pressed her face into his chest and she could feel the tears that fell into her hair

She looked up once again

Rowan's eyes were closed as tears slipped out.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Oh gods.

Aella almost vomited as she awoke. Something, some deep feeling in her wicked, immortal bones told her things would go to shit. She had barely managed to pull on halfway decent clothes when she felt the moon kissed flicker of power and understood the summon. Still clasping her cloak, she stormed out.

Her cadre fell into step behind her as they approached the throne room. Sebastian's scent washed over her and she grit her teeth.

Maybe accepting their mating bond had been stupid. Because now, whenever Aella saw Sebastian, she had a strong urge to pull him into her room and see just what he could do. Since they hadn't fully claimed each other other yet, possessiveness ran rampant in both their bodies. Part of the mating process was to mark each other and because they hadn't, they found themselves snarling and punching anyone who dared look at the other.

Honestly, it was getting irritating. Only last night, a maid had delivered Sebastian a message and Aella had lost it. She doubted that poor female would be walking anytime soon.
Sebastian had almost killed the barkeep when he asked Aella what drink she wanted. Kamien, Waylay and Jaena seemed to understand what was happening and kept the hell away from both of them.

Not only was the constant fury starting to get to her, but it was getting increasingly dangerous. If Deanna found out who was the cause of all these random injuries, she would execute them. It was all because of those goddamned Fae instincts. Which was why she threw those stupid doors open with renewed vigour.

She almost stopped right there at the sight in front of her, but walked forward.

She didn't look at the figure thrown on his knees in front of Deanna's throne. Instead, she walked up the dais steps and stood on Deanna's left. Then, as Deanna smirked at him, she dragged her gaze to him, made sure it was as cutting and cold as a northern wind.

His gold hair was short, his muscular body tall and his Ashryver eyes bright. Gavriel Ashryver, the son of Aedion and Lysandra Ashryver knelt in front of her, his teeth bared in a silent snarl.

Her lips twitched upward in a cruel smirk.

Behind her, she could feel Sebastian's aggression pouring out in waves and the sign she gave was little more than a twitch of her fingers but he peeled away from them and went outside. Waylay and Jaena were already there, guarding the room from the outside and Sebastian joining would not be suspicious.

"What shall we do with him, General?" Deanna's voice was coldly amused as she surveyed him

She grinned in a way that she knew made her elongated canines gleam, a reminder to the shape-shifter that she wasn't without her claws too.

"I think, my Queen, you've found someone to send a message to Terrasen."

The future general of Terrasen pushed his shoulders back, cold humor dancing on his features

"That is a declaration of war, General Astern"

She twirled a dagger between her fingers as she leaned against a pillar

"I was getting bored anyways."

Ashryver huffed out a mocking laugh

"They will slaughter you all"

She bristled at the threat and this time, when she looked at him, she let her magic roil and thrash in her eyes. He wasn't frightened, though she could see his pulse beating above his collarbone, much faster than it should've been.

"They're welcome to try." she let a little bit of that demon inside her show when she smiled at him with horrific sweetness.

He said quietly

"You'll deserve what they bring upon you."

Deanna stiffened, but raised a lazy hand

"Be done with it. Do it outside. "

Aella prowled toward the door and smirked at him. Without looking back, she said evenly to two of Deanna's wolves,

"Lyall, Archer, get him into the courtyard."

_

Gavriel watched as two wolves snarled at the order. Astern stopped. And turned slowly, a vicious snarl ripping from her throat as she stared down the wolves.

"I have given you orders. Carry. Them. Out." each word was a growl, a malicious threat that told him just how much power she had here.

The wolves lowered their gazes, as did the female who walked and stood behind her the entire time. Her second, perhaps. In fact, nobody in that room dared meet her gaze as she stormed away, the wind that always played around her picked up, howling like a northern storm. The door slammed shut behind her. The wolves shifted into two men who hauled him up and started to drag him out. But Gavriel had seen everything he needed to. The males, some of them at least, did not believe her fit for her title.

It was possibly the most stupid thing he had ever heard of. They would be fools to challenge someone like Astern. He had seen the magic that thrashed in her eyes, the way in which she walked. No, they would be damned fools to pick a fight with someone like her.

But, to gauge how deep that resentment went, as they left the throne room he spat

"She's a bitch isn't she"

One snorted.

"That's an understatement."

And both paused to spew profanities that even someone as heartless as Astern didn't deserve.

There was the dull whine of a blade, a flash of light and the two males were shuddering on the floor as blood leaked from their slit throats.

Gavriel whirled to see who did it, fully expecting Astern to be standing there. What he didn't expect what the male- Sebastian Miyron-from earlier who left when Astern had given him a hidden signal. Even now, a chill ran down Gavriel's spine as he stared at the burning fury in his light eyes. Miyron flipped the dagger in his hand, fingers flexing, as if debating whether to kill him right now. His fingers went white with restraint as he shoved the dagger back into it's sheath.

The smell of blood stuffed itself into Gavriel's nose.