A Court of Scars and Steel (Completed)

Chapter 10 - Aelin

Rhiannon nodded sadly. "I suspected as much."

"Wait..." Azriel interjected, "Erawan is back again?"

Aelin winced. "For the third time. This time the mantle has fallen on my shoulders to defeat and hopefully kill him."

Rhysand, Feyre, Rhiannon, Azriel, Cassian, and the Morrigan exchanged glances. The similarities between our two worlds strike me again, for they have obviously faced something similar.

"Why did you call Amren Rhiannon?" Rhysand asked, narrowing his eyes at the petite dark haired woman.

Rhiannon, or Amren, grinned, a chilling, terrifying grin that reminded Aelin of Manon. "Because I'm from her world, of course."

Everyone's eyes widen. "So, after over 500 hundred years with us, we only get to hear where you're from now?" Cassain demanded angrily.

Amren grinned, revealing white teeth. Then, with a twitch of her jaw, and a flick of her wrist, iron teeth and nails slipped out.

Aelin raised an eyebrow. Apparently Rhiannon was like Manon. Half Crochan half Ironteeth.

"Yes, I am half and half." Rhiannon said to Aelin. "It's one of the reasons the Matrons were so set on killing me. But the combo apparently worked in my favor, because when the Yellowlegs Matron attempted to cut off my head, I got transported here."

Aelin nodded. The story made sense, except for the transporting here part, but what were the chances the gods were behind that?

"What does this mean, Amren?" Azriel asked, finally speaking up.

"Fate. It is no coincidence that both Brannon's heir and I appeared in this world."

Now that the others seemed to have cleared up Amren's questing, all gazes turned to Aelin.

"So," the Morrigan said, and Aelin shivered under the weigh of her gaze, that pure truth, "Who are you really and what is your story?"

Aelin swallowed. Once again she was at that threshold. How much should she tell them. Again, her trustlessness, honed by Arobynn and her time in the Glass Castle, won out, and she stuck with a simplified version.

"Once upon a time there was a young girl growing up in a kingdom named Terrasen. She was very powerful, so when she turned 11 the neighboring kingdom banished magic from the continent and sent an assassin. This assassin killed her parents, and the young girl fled. Nine years later, she was summoned to the Glass Castle of that neighboring country, Ardarlan, who had taken over the continent.

Soon, she left Ardarlan for Wendlyn, the human country on another continent. While in Wendlyn a Fae prince came and brought this girl to her aunt, Queen Maeve of the Fae, who lived in Doranelle, a Fae country.

Because this princess was Demi-Fae, she had to prove herself before entering, so the Queen sent one of her blood-sworn warriors to train her. Multiple months passed, and this young girl, now 19, learned not to be afraid of her powers, which had returned on another continent, and control them.

Back at home, though, trouble was stirring. One of the three Valg kings, Erawan, had returned, and was raising an army of witches to ride on the wyverns he created.

Anyway, this girl finally got her answers from Maeve, and not longer a girl, but a woman, she returned to free her country, Terrasen, from Ardarlan, and defeat the Valg. First, this woman freed the magic on her home continent. She called in old debts and promises. To raise an army of assassins and thieves and exiles and commoners. To finish what was started long long ago."

It was so silent in the room that Aelin could've heard a pin dropping.

Aelin's voice softened when she continued. "But then Maeve caught us off guard. She attacked us right after a huge battle, when her court was drained, and captured the princess."

Aelin's voice broke a little bit on this next part. "She imprisoned this girl in an iron coffin that blocked her magic. And for three months, I was tortured. Beaten, starved, and tortured. Until I created a portal to bring me away. And I ended up here."

Silence reigned after Aelin finished speaking. Finally, Feyre said softly. "Aelin, we're so sorry. Until you want to go home, you are welcome to stay here.

Aelin nodded. "Thank you. I do need to go home. I have a Valg to kill and a Fae Queen to murder. But - I'm not healthy enough to go home. And even then, I don't know how."

"Well, how did you get here, then?" Cassian demands.

"There is a language called Wyrdmarks that do it. I can create the portal, I just can't control where it leads to."

Rhiannon's face paled at the mention of Wyrdmarks, but she only asked, "Aelin, can I ask you about the fate of my.. Kingdom and line later?" Everyone knew she wanted to catch up.

Aelin smiled. "Of course, but I don't know everything."

Silence reigns again for a few more minutes before Rhysand announced with forced cheer, "Let's eat dinner!" He clapped his hands, and dinner appeared on the table.

Some light chatter struck up among the members of the Inner Circle, but everyone was mostly silent for the rest of the meal.

A/N My longest chapter yet!  Thank you, my readers so much for reading, voting, commenting, and adding my story to your reading list!