Wings and Heartbeats (Manorian Fanfiction and crossover between ACOTAR and TOG)

A Rip in the Sky (Literally)

The council chamber they were using was the same one that was used during the war. Only no, instead of an ancient wooden table, a newly carved redwood stood in its place. The faded gold walls now shining with a new gilded interior. The marble floor polished and gleaming, showing off the dark and pale veins that twined through the rose gold stone. Tall windows surrounded the round, tall ceiling room, the last of the day's light streaming weakly through to illuminate the crystal facets that formed the massive, ornate chandelier.

Manon watched the prim lords and ladies stride through the doorway, their gowns flowing and tight-fitting, their hair down and swept into complicated styles, the gold and silver on them glinted as they moved. She, herself, did not bother to dress up. She did not see the point to intimidate people through jewels and beauty. Though Dorian was sure she had no need for any jewels, the beauty alone, unadorned, was enough to bring kings to their knees. 

He watched as that stoic face scanned the faces that started to fill the room, landing every once in a while to give an acknowledging nod to those she recognized. And then that gaze landed on the doorway once more as the dark-haired Lady of Perranth walked through. Manon pushed off the wall, Dorian on her trail as she headed for Elide Lochan.

Elide stopped in her tracks as she turned to look at Manon, offering a smile at the witch. Lorcan, who now stood behind her, simply nodded. Manon bared her teeth at him and turned once more to Elide. "Long time no see," Elide commented, her arms falling at her side.

"Indeed," Manon said and glanced towards Elide's foot, covered within her socks and shoes ", Your foot as well?"

Elide beamed ", Better than ever! Thanks to Yrene."

Elide glanced around, those keen eyes scanning every face. Manon said ", She's here." 

The Lady of Perranth had a thoughtful look on her face, Manon tried to see through it and failed. Elide shoved Lorcan and chided ", Why don't you say hello."

Lorcan raised his eyebrows and said, ", In my defense, Dorian didn't say anything either."

Dorian offered him a lazy smile, crooning ", Hello Lord Lorcan Lochan." Lorcan's face flushed slightly. Brighter, Dorian noted, that cold-hearted Fae warrior he met all those months ago seems brighter. He can't help but think it's because of the Lady standing next to him. Mates, he heard. 

An equal. In many ways more than one. Soulmates, through matters both thick and thin.

It was an effort to not glance at the witch next to him. To the one who saved him from breaking when he was under the  Valg's control. Her golden eyes giving him a reprieve from the demon, even for a bit, it was needed. She had saved him in the attack on Rifthold, without knowing why, and he had jumped down to her when she was dropped off by Abraxos when she was thrown out and stripped of all her titles by her grandmother.

Mates cannot find it in them to harm each other or to see one another in pain.

Impossible, he thought as Aelin clinked two glasses of wine together from the head of the table. They all headed to the table in the center, dropping gracefully into the simple craved matching chairs that circled the table. Manon was on his left, Lysandra on his right, with Aedion by her side. Elide plopped down next to Manon's other, Lorcan on her other side. The other available lords and ladies sat on the opposing end.

"It would seem," Aelin drawled ", that there is much to discuss."

Silence. Utter silence.

"As of this afternoon," Aelin continued ", the immortal stag of Terrasen came to relay a message to us."

"A warning?" Elide asked.

Aelin nodded, raising her eyes to meet all the pairs in the room. "Danger is coming," Aelin declared. No one spoke, they did not accuse her of lying, to serve their queen is to put in utter trust. Not blind obedience, but faith.

"I want every territory in Terrasen to be ready for any sign of danger. See, listen, and observe. I will not have it that we are caught unaware."

Aelin glanced at Dorian and Manon and simply said ", I am going to assume that you would be doing same to your kingdoms."

A blunt angle of her head from Manon and a simple nod from Dorian had her continuing on. "That being said," Aelin said ", I do not want any provoking fights or threats."

"Do you hear me?"

"Yes," They all replied, some ending with 'Majesty' while most kept it short and straight to the point.

The meeting was about to end, Dorian realized, as many of the representatives starting standing up. Dorian made to do the same when he felt rather than saw Manon tense up from the seat. her back did not straighten, her feet didn't move, not a single strand of hair disturbed, but something caused her muscles to coil tight, freezing her with that immortal stillness. 

"What's wrong?" Dorian said as he came to stand by her, hands braced on the sides of her chair. Manon's eyes went unseeing then she jolted upwards suddenly, the movement causing Dorian to stumble and the remaining of Aelin's court to whip their heads towards them.

The witch-queen starting stalking towards the doorway, Dorian blindly following her before he noticed that the rest of the people in the room started to as well. It wasn't long before the stalking turned into quickened walking then into an outright sprint.  Once they cleared the threshold of the palace did Manon suddenly halt.

"Look up," Manon commanded. They blindly obeyed.

There was nothing. If nothing applied to the blanket of stars that glittered and sparkled in different shades and hues, some pale, others blinding, and in the middle of it all was the full moon; the clarity of night illuminating specks and spots of gray and silver that pebbled its surface.

One moment it was that then a moment later the moon ripped.

Simply ripped, as if it were paper, the tear audile as the painful scream Elide let out, followed by a grunt as Manon also thudded to the ground. Dorian rushed towards her, Manon already back on her knees, hands braced on the ground, behind them Elide was lying panting on the ground, Lorcan by her side, a good majority of Aelin's court, including Aedion, Lysandra, and Rowan flocking her.

Only Aelin looked at Manon and asked her with a stoic calm ", What is going on?"

"Someone used the powers of the ancient celestial objects to tear through the folds of the worlds," Manon replied, through gritted teeth and breathed ", and ancient witch magic." 

Dorian hated it, hated the way her face pinched whenever she winced, hated the position she put her body in to staunch it. He did not understand why she was in pain but he wanted it to stop-just stop. 

He felt a cool, chilly wind raked across his skin, and he knew everyone felt it too as they all immediately stiffened. Then a night breeze that smelled of citrus and lilac breezed in and two Fae formed in front of them.

One of them, darker-haired and blue-eyed stared at them in shock, the female beside him glancing around. They barely had time to move before Aedion and Lysandra-in ghost leopard form-pounced.