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Chapter 8: Friends

Dorian's eyes shot open. The sound of light knocking filled his ears, but it wasn't coming from the door it was coming from the window. Manon. Unwrapping his arms from around Aelin who was peacefully sleeping beside him, he sat up. A grin spread across his face as he looked at her. She was so beautiful. Her pale skin a lovely contrast against the red sheets. Rolling back over he kissed her, a smile formed on her lips as she wrapped the sheets closer around her body.

The tapping at the window was a little louder this time. Sighing Dorian swung his legs off the bed and quietly walked over to the balcony window. As he approached he could make out the Ironteeth witch standing on the balcony, her silver hair glowing in the moonlight. He unhitched the window lock, the clank echoed through the room as he pulled the window open slightly. Glancing over his shoulder he saw that Aelin hadn't moved. Good, he didn't want to disturb her. He turned his attention back to the window where a pair of golden eyes were staring at him through the glass.

"Hello Princeling" She purred.

"Hello Witchling" Dorian enjoyed watching as her eyes narrowed at him, she hated when he called her that. "To what do I owe the pleasure of your company tonight?"

She bent pulling a letter out of her boot handing it to him. "It's all in there". She looked past him, her eyes resting on his bed. A smirk, not quite a smile formed on her lips. "You have been busy princeling" "I'm not like that, it's not like that" She narrowed her eyes at him again as she took a step backwards. "Manon, wait." Dorian pulled open the window and followed her out onto the balcony. She paused leaning against the railing, her arms crossed in front of her chest.

"Thank you, for you know everything." She jerked her head toward the window "Do you love her?" "Yes" he breathed. "Manon, I would like very much to be your friend." "Friend?" She said the word like it was foreign to her, raising her eyebrows as if she didn't understand it. "Yes friend, like one of your thirteen" Her eyes widened and he knew he had used the wrong example. "Okay, maybe not like that but how Chaol and I are friends, do you understand?"

She stepped closer to him. Her lips grazing his as she breathed "I'll see you later... friend", and in an instant she turned jumping off the balcony landing on Abraxos bellow. Dorian stood watching as they vanished into the darkness of the sky. His hand going to wipe away the presence of her lips. Sighing he shook his head. They would have to establish friend ground rules. Gripping the letter he walked back inside only to be met by Aelin sitting with her legs crossed in the middle of the bed, glaring at him.

"Would you like to explain.... Princeling?" Of course she had overheard everything. His Assassin Queen. Sighing, Dorian showed her the letter in his hand. "After Manon learned that you had been successful in freeing me from the collar she has been delivering information about Morath and Perrington when she finds time to slip away. Over those few months we became for lack of a better word friends of sorts." Dorian lowered his gaze. "The last time I saw her, was before you got here. The change in me must have even shocked her." He chuckled. "Anyways, I don't remember much I remember her asking what she could do to help, and I kept saying your name, and she was gone and you... you were here." He looked up to meet Aelin's gaze.

"Hmm... and you kiss all of your friends... princeling?" Dorian laughed as he sat wrapping his arms around her shoulder. "Next time we will have to define the word friend." He smiled at her as she rolled her eyes. "Maybe I should explain it to her next time," she added narrowing her eyes.

Sighing he tackled her onto the bed. She squealed out with laughter as he tickled her. "Stop! Stop!" He did, she was breathing heavily as he bent down and kissed her on the forehead. "Let's get some sleep, I have a busy day ahead of me which I think involves attempting to knock a seasoned Fae Warrior Prince on his ass." Aelin grazed his ear with her teeth as she whispered. "You better not let me down." Dorian just smiled.