Adventures In Oakwald: A Throne of Glass Modern AU

Chapter 6

Author's note

Sorry it's taken me so long to update! Hopefully the next chapter won't take as long to update. I haven't edited this chapter as much as I'd like to, and I might came back later and change some things. As always please like and give me feedback! Thanks for reading!

~ A few weeks later~

The bonfire curled and crackled in the crisp summer night air. The flames' dancing was stark against the dark black of night. The fire seemed to be calling to Celaena. She startled as the fire moved in rhythm with her thoughts. She embraced it and had never felt more free.

She was pulled from her blissful trance when a bold, red-headed woman shouted "Who's in for a round of never have I ever?" She was answered with several whoops and a threat from Fenrys if anyone refused to play. Everyone quickly gathered around the campfire. Celaena ended next to the fiery redhead, Ansel, if she remembered correctly.

"I'll go first. Never have I ever..." The girl who volunteered as it turned out didn't actually know what she had planned to ask. "...used a fake ID." Three hands went up. Celaena couldn't help but smirk as she saw those three hands belonged to Dorian, Chaol, and Nox. She had to bite her lip to stop herself from laughing when Chaol glared at Dorian.

Around the circle the game continued.

"Never have I ever campaigned for a political candidate." Celaena raised her hand along with a couple of others.

Finally it was almost her turn. Ansel was saying something at the moment. "Never have I ever...," she lifted her eyebrows, deviously bit her bottom lip, and dragged out the word 'ever' for dramatic effect. "...had my heart broken," she finished.

Sighs went up and over half of the group raised their hands. Celaena didn't care though. The light, free feeling of being a normal teenager living a normal, unscarred life was ripped from her chest. She felt it as all traces of light in her eyes guttered out.

Later she didn't remember stammering an excuse to get away or even leaving the camp fire. Nor did she remember stumbling to the forest and getting leaves in her hair and mud on her boots.

___________

She woke up in a narrow bed in a room full of stacked books, and herbs. It smelled of sweet apples and honey. At a desk sat a woman with full, curly golden hair.

Celaena cleared her throat. The young woman turned around and smiled. She had large brown eyes that seemed to embody comfort; Her face was soft and lovely; Her skin was a beautiful shade of dark honey.

"Hello Diana. I'm Yrene, the camp nurse. It's good to see you awake again." Celaena's head pounded making it near impossible to understand the woman. She rubbed her eyes in hopes of clearing away the grainy feeling.

"Uh.. um could- could you tell me how I got here?" Yrene's brows furrowed slightly.

"Diana do you not remember? Chaol carried you here. You seemed to be upset and wouldn't say anything, and you fell asleep shortly after you arrived." They sat in silence for a few moments before Yrene suggested freshening up a bit would make her feel better.

___________

Apparently she had been crying, or maybe bawling her eyes out was a better term. Black mascara streaked down her face, and her eyes were slightly red. A burst of laughter escaped her chest. Sam would have teased her endlessly about this, but then he would have called her unconditionally beautiful too. Gods, she missed him so much.

After wiping off the ruined makeup she went back to Yrene's office. She found Chaol waiting for her with the young nurse. She flashed him a grateful smile.

"Could we have a second alone?" she asked Yrene. The nurse's mane of hair bounced as she nodded and slid out of her office.

Celaena plopped down on the bench next to Chaol.

"How-"

"Wha-"

They both stuttered as they told the other to go ahead and talk. Celaena ended up going first.

"What happened? I- I don't remember much," she explained. She felt his body tense next to hers.

"You left the campfire and didn't respond when Fenrys hollered that you at least had to take your turn before leaving. After a while you still hadn't come back, and you hadn't gone in the direction of the cabins, so I went to look for you. I followed the direction you went and found you a ways into the forest. You were kneeling and kept muttering something. You couldn't stay there but I didn't think you would want everyone to see you like... I didn't think you would want them to see you crying, so I brought you here." Oh. Her heart felt a little lighter knowing that this oh-so-proper, tough guy truly cared for her. Exhaustion took over her body and she slumped against his side with her head on his shoulder. Her last thought before sleep took her was that it was nice to have a dependable male friend in her life again.

___________

The sound of a screen-door swinging shut jolted her awake the next morning. Chaol seemed to have already been awake but he was still by her side.

"I didn't want to wake you," he explained.

"We should probably go. Yrene might want her office back," she yawned.

"Probably," Chaol chuckled. He gave her a tired smile and turned to walk out.

"Hey Chaol." She reached out for his arm as he passed her.

"Yea-" She leaned up on her toes and promptly kissed him on the cheek. His caramel eyes widened.

"Thank you."