To the Stars | Throne of Glass

78

A leather-bound canvas lay inside the box. Her hands began to shake slightly as she peeled away the fabric. The smell hit her first. So heart-wrenchingly familiar...

'How?' she whispered to Ben.

It was a painting, no larger than the length of her forearm. But what was illustrated on the canvas...

Pine and snow. The Staghorn Mountains, Orynth the shining light before them. It was so real. Celaena reached out with her fingers, stroking the flurry of snow which fell upon her homeland.

'Thank you,' she said. Beautiful. Better than any dress, better than any present she had hoped for. She lay the painting down and flung her arms around Ben's neck, and he gripped her back tightly. 'How did you do that?'

He drew a fistful of green needles from his pocket. Pine needles. Rubbing his fingers together, the scent of forest filled the air. 'You are so wonderful,' she said into his shoulder.

'I love you too,' he laughed.

~

With Ben long gone, Celaena gazed at the painting before her.

The rage hit so suddenly - and red clouded her vision.

She grabbed the painting and raked her nails down it before attempting to rip the pice in half.

She hurled it across the room with all her might, and marched over, snatching it up again. Three slashes into the canvas with a dagger.

Then she stared at the ruined beauty, breathing heavy and ragged. Celaena threw it down upon her bed, and slammed a fist into the mattress. Collapsing upon it, she roared her grief and fury into the sheets, sobbing.

Terrasen - a land she would never see again.

Her duties - her rutting duties and debts tied her to this shit-hole, this shitty city named Adarlan.

Celaena clenched her fist round the mangled painting, a whole new wave of despair crashing down upon her.

Ben. He must've taken so long to do this - and she'd just...

Unable to think straight, unable to do anything, she cried.

Her body shook, tremors making her quiver.

Too much. Sometimes, it was all too much.

Celaena wept.

***

have you guys ever thought about how hard her life is sometimes? under that mask, she's really a child who'd lost all her family in one night - and suddenly found herself amongst strangers. nightmares haunt her, and she's often alone to bear them. only Ben is there for her. and the burden; the weight of her past that she carries... it's a lot.

she may be Adarlan's Assassin - but don't forget that.

😔