107 Stories of Rowaelin

12. Endovier

     He'd said he owed the overseers of Endovier a visit and he was going to make good on that promise. Dorian was going to disband both Endovier and Calculla, but it was going to be awhile, and in the meantime, Rowan had some scores to settle.
     It was pitifully easy to get in. He was a prince of ice and wind, he was a whirlwind of anger and steel. He cut down the guards and overseers with ease. The slaves watched, with wide, starving eyes, as his sword slammed into their chains. He grabbed the shirt of one of the overseers.
     "Where is the head overseer's office?" His voice was deadly quiet. The man blubbered and whimpered. Rowan pressed his sword into the man's throat, sending a trickle of blood down the man's shirt. The man's eyes widened even larger, and with a shaking finger, pointed into the camp. Rowan put just enough pressure to slit the man's throat. He smashed his sword down on the slaves' chains and stalked in the direction the overseer had pointed.
     He opened the door to the office. The man sitting at the desk didn't look up.
     "What on earth is going on, Jerrold? Another uprising?"
     "I'm not Jerrold."
The man looked up. As his eyes widened, Rowan hauled him outside to the whipping post. The man was too frightened to move. Rowan tied him up and picked up the whip. Crack. Crack. Again and again, the whip slammed down, the man crying out in pain. Five. Ten. And then a voice broke through the haze of anger.
     "Rowan NO!" His hand froze as she tugged at the blood oath. She pushed through the crowd of slaves. "You're covered in blood." He looked down. He hadn't even noticed. "She took his hand and uncurled his fingers from the whip, dropping it to the ground. She cut through the rope, the overseer falling to the ground in a bloody heap.  She looked up at him with her beautiful eyes. "Please Rowan. No one deserves this. Not even them. Please, just- just stop. She took him by the hands and let him away. He followed her, blindly.
     In the forest where they camped, Aelin led him to the stream and bathed him, washing the blood and filth out of his hair. He watched the water turn red-brown.
    "I- I'm sorry Fireheart. You're right, no one deserves to be whipped." He felt her fingers against his scalp.
    "Rowan, I would have done the same thing." He knew she would have. "Take off your shirt, I can at least wash it." He struggled out of his shirt and she rinsed it in the creek. Abruptly, he buried hid face in his hands.
     "Gods, Aelin, what have I done? Rage and shame coursed through him. She tossed his shirt aside and looked up at him, really looked at him.
   "Thank you."
   What?
   I'm angry at you, Mala knows I am, but a part of me is almost glad, even though that was just... even though no one deserves that maybe they'll understand the pain. A bit. But... no one should ever do that. Ever.
     She pulled him into a hug. "I love you, you know that?"
     He almost laughed. "I love you too."
     He knew she would always be there for him and that he would always be there for her.
    They stayed there, in the stream, for a long time.

5/9: Dang. I just realized that I never published this. Whoops.