Rowaelin FanFic: Real Nightmare

Plan of Action

Rowan shifted within mere seconds, change sending a searing pain through his body that he almost blacked out. It was only his hawks' senses that he stayed conscious in the air. Below him was another flash of light and the roar of a mountain lion echoed round the forest. His hawk let out a piercing cry and Rowan took off into the air using his magic so that the wind propelled him through the air like an arrow. He sped through the sky so that the trees beneath him were nothing but a blur of green.

That ripple of magic had told him everything he needed to know. She was near and she was in danger and he would rip the whole world apart now just to see her face one more time. Rowan could almost smell her, the scent of jasmine, lemon verbena and crackling embers wrapping itself around him and spurring him on. But the warm scent was mixed with something sour and bitter... fear. He smelt that before, had let it linger on his senses as he slaughtered his enemies in wars no one in this cursed continent had ever heard of. He'd smelt it that day 3 years, 4 months and 16 days ago as it drifted like a dark shadow around the pool of red blood in the sand. And since then it had never left. It drowned out everything else and settled across the world like a black veil, leaking into the souls and hearts of every living thing. It doused the music that she had cherished so much but now not even the birds sung in the trees as the dawn broke over the mountains.

Suddenly he was pulled from his flight by a dark tendril of black smoke that lassoed him and yanked him back. His hawk let out an indignant shriek as he crashed through the canopy of trees. He shifted back just in time to stop himself from plunging into the muddy floor of the forest, the quick change sending an even more violent slice of pain through his body so that he had to double over and clench his teeth to keep from screaming. The black smoke was still wrapped around his torso as three figures hurtled through the bushes and skidded to a stop in front of him.

"Rowan what in gods names where you thinking!" yelled Gavriel who grabbed Rowan by the shoulders and shook him.

"Aelin," he gasped, pain still lacing his body, "I have to find... Aelin."

"What did you think that you could just walk into Maeve's stronghold and save her? Has 5 centuries of war taught you nothing," Lorcan roared, leaping down from his horse, dark magic flickering around him, "if we're going to save Aelin we can't just barge in and expect that Maeve will let us take her. We need a plan or we'll get ourselves killed, "Lorcan's voice softened a bit as he said, "Look I know you want her back but you're no good to her dead." it pained Rowan, to accept that he was going to have to wait but Lorcan was right, going in there with no plan could put Aelin at risk just as much as them.

"Fine," he said eventually, slowly standing up to face his companions. Gavriel let out a breath as if he'd been holding it in, "What should we do?"

"We should first try and scout the place out. There will be guards everywhere and a good number of them will be stationed by Aelin and Maeve. I say we capture one of the guards and force them to spill." Lorcan said calmly, looking into the forest where Maeve's camp lay a few miles ahead.

"And then what?" Elide snapped," Kill them after and dump their body in a river." Ice laced every word as the young woman glared at Lorcan. To Rowan's surprise and silent delight, the fae male winced at Elide's glower.

"Elide -" he said but she cut him off.

"They're your kind and you'd just slaughter them without a second thought." she hissed.

"They are no more our kind as you are to us Elide." Gavriel said coolly. The dark haired woman just scowled at the Lion and turned away from the two males to face into the forest. Rowan could've sworn a look wholly unhuman crossed her face, spiked with an uncontrollable rage.

After a long stretch of uncomfortable silence, Rowan loosed a deep sigh. "We'll take one of the lesser guards and get information from him. Keep it simple; where Aelin is, what state is she in, how we can find her. Then when it's dark we'll attack. In and out, no sidetracks, no distractions. We can't risk staying too long."

They all nodded in agreement and Rowan turned away from his friends.

"Get the camp out. We'll be staying for a while."

He heard a grunt and a small female noise of pain as Gavriel helped Elide down from the horse. Even after all these years he still couldn't understand why Elide held such a grudge against Lorcan. He knew what had happened on the beach, had practically drained every bit of information from his companions and yet it hadn't been enough. It had never been enough.

Without Aelin, without his Fireheart, he had become so lost that no amount of hope and information would ever be enough unless she was standing beside him once more.

A warm hand rested on his shoulder as Gavriel approached him from behind.

"We'll get her back." he said, determination sparking in his tawny eyes. Despite the Lion's reassurance Rowan could only give a weak nod.

"If she's not out by sunrise we raise hell." he didn't try to hide the violence in his voice, instead amplified it so that his friend looked slightly wary. However, Gavriel stayed silent, understanding washing over his features. They had all been waiting for this day, waiting for 3 years 4 months and 16 days and Rowan knew that they would all go to the ends of the world to get back their queen. And he, Rowan, would go further than the world to see her face once again, even if that meant destroying hell.

He would do it for her.

He breathed in deeply, savoring the cool air. He could've sworn the scent of jasmine and crackling embers were threaded into the atmosphere, a calling to him from Aelin to tell her she was here.

To tell him she was waiting.

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He was here and he was coming. The silver haired prince with pine green eyes who smelt like home was here. 

And suddenly from the depths of the dusty well of magic in her soul, and ember began to glow.

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Sorry this was short. Next chapter should be coming soon! Thanks so much for the support!

Keep reading,

Bookworm_1312

:)