Throne of Glass Short Stories

Alone - Part 3

Sorry I've been so long in updating, but I've finally got the last part of Alone written, so here you go! 

Two months later

"I've got the best idea ever!" Cried Aelin.

We were all sitting around the breakfast table: Lysandra picking at her croissant- she was always like this at any meal now; Aelin eating at chocolate cake (according to her you could never get enough of it) and me eating anything and everything in my line of sight, I was constantly hungry these days.

"We could have a sleepover party!" Aelin was very clearly pleased with her idea. "We could do each other's hair, try on each other's dresses and eat chocolate, it'd be great fun."

It did sound like a lot of fun. "Yeah, that sounds great Aelin."

"Well, Lysandra, what about you?"

"Sure, why not?"

"Let's have it in my room, it's the biggest, we'll meet there at lunch time. Elide, you can bring lunch, and some of your dresses; Lysandra you bring your cosmetics and dresses, too; I'll get beds and hair stuff. The clothes can go in my closet." Aelin quickly takes charge of it all, a and I'm about to reply when I feel the familiar bile rise in my throat. I'm going to be sick. Again.

Hurtling for the bathing room, Aelin and Lysandra rise, but I shake my head at them, I want to be alone for a bit.

I retch into the toilet bowl, letting the cool air filter in from the open window. Sweat beads on my head, and I sit down on the cold floor, letting it soak into me. I'm finally alone in here, and the thoughts rush into my head like waterfalls. It feels like the last piece in the puzzle that is my heart and soul is missing, and I can only find it once my mate comes back to me. I miss him. I want to believe that I am independent, I don't need him around me all day, every day. But I can't. I don't know how I did before.

             ******************************************************************************

The kitchen bustles with energy and life, every person in here has a place, a job. I stick out like a thorn on a beautiful flower. Still, I carry on packing the hamper that I was given by the head cook when I insisted on packing our picnic lunch and other various snacks. At least I know what I'm doing in here, thanks to the small amount time I spent in a kitchen in Morath. At the thought of the name, I shuddered, but at least I didn't have to poison anyone this time.

Making my way back upstairs, my weight considerately heavier now I had a massive picnic hamper full of food hooked over one of my arms and dresses hooked over the other. My ankle dragged behind me more than ever, now that Lorcan was gone and I was carrying a heavy weight. It didn't really matter to me, but in the past year I'd grown used to the magykal brace that supported my ankle every day. I pushed open the door to Aelin's generous suite of rooms, thankfully she and Lysandra were already in there; the latter picking up my dresses, the former grabbing the picnic basket from me, trying to not be noticed as she peered inside of it.

"So, what shall we start off with?" Asked Aelin. "Picnic, or dresses?"

"Picnic please, I'm starving!" I reply to her question. It's true. I'd never been one for eating lots before, unlike Aelin, but now I had to feed an extra person I was always feeling peckish, to say the least.

Aelin hungrily peers into the basket as Lysandra lifts the lid, licking her lips.

"What did you put in the sandwiches, Elide? And, where is all the chocolate? And what about drinks?", Aelin asks me.

"Calm down!" I half speak, half shout. "In the brown paper bag there are cheese sandwiches, and in the other are duck, in case you wanted something more interesting than cheese. The chocolate is in that little side section on the left, and there are glass bottles of lemonade, a little wine; for you and Lysandra, and peach juice in the one on the right. The crockery are strapped to lid, and there are some other snacks in the main basket."

"Excellent!" Aelin replies, smiling into the hamper.

"Who cares about all that stuff you two, let's eat!" Interrupts Lysandra, already unstrapping plates and cutlery, reaching into the basket for food.

Later

"I'm going to go to bed early, guys, I'm too tired to stay awake for much longer." Lysandra announced, and popped off the edge of Aelin's bed, which we'd been sitting on and chatting together, heading towards the door.

"Ok, do you want to stay in here tonight, Lys?" Asks Aelin, as she opens the door to leave Aelin's large suit of rooms.

"Nah, I'll sleep in my own room tonight. Anyway, it's just across the hallway."

"Goodnight!" I call to her, Aelin echoing my words.

"So what do you want to do now, Elide?"

"I'm tired out too, do you kind if we go to bed soon?"

Aelin shakes her head at me, and I start to untie my hair, my fingers scrabbling at the piece of fabric I used this morning to tie up out of the way. Great. It was tied too tight and stuck in my hair, so I couldn't get it off.

"Aelin," I say, "Can you get some scissors and cut my hair tie, it seems to be stuck in my hair."

"Sure." She replies, snipping at my hair tie with a pair of bejewelled sewing scissors. I didn't even know she could sew. Picking up a wooden hairbrush from her bedside table, she starts to gently tease the knots and tangles out of my messy hair. I wonder silently to myself when my mate will be back home again, then I realise something. The bond has gone blank. Mute. It's stopped. My breathing stops for a moment, and Aelin taps my shoulder, asking me what's wrong.

I debate telling to her, but in the end I give in to what I know is right and tell her, "The bond... It's gone blank. I can't feel Lorcan one the other side of it, as if he's not there. I don't know what's going on anymore." I say, a tear gathering in my eye. The overwhelming truth hits me like a tsunami. What if Lorcan never comes back? What if he doesn't want me? "I- I'm scared." The tear slides down my face, I lean back into Aelin.

"Shhh.. Shh.." She whispers to me, dabbing the tears that have started to silently slip down my face away with a tissue. "It will be alright, Elide. You have to keep telling yourself that, whatever happens. It will always be alright."

I nod, but I can't bring myself to believe that what she is saying is true. I turn around and hug her tightly, tears streaming from my eyes. Just as I turn around to get myself some more tissues the door bangs open, and I squeak in fear, grabbing back onto Aelin.

"I think," a familiar make voice says, "that is my mate, and it is my job to comfort her, not yours." Lorcan. He was back. My mate was back home.

Aelin wisely let go of me, muttering something about territorial fae males, and Lorcan plucked me from the bed as if I was a mere feather and carried me to our rooms.

"I missed you." I said, my heart lifting as the mating bong hums in my chest.

"I missed you, too." Lorcan paused, his fae ears pricking at the sound of something I could not hear. "Looks like the others are already at it." He muses, placing me on the bed.

"I lightly slap his shoulder, laughing at the same time, "It's rude to listen in on people, you know!"

"It's not my fault." He replies, hands raised in the air. "Anyway, I'm tired out, I'll be asleep soon."

We snuggle into our bed, and I curl against him. "Before you go to sleep, Lorcan, there's one little thing."

"Yes.." He replies, kissing the top of my head.

"I'm pregnant."

Word Count: 1389