If She Didn't Set Sail

Who She Truly Is

Aelin Galathynius knew he was gone. She knew he was gone forever and he would never be in her reach again. Only 4 years apart she and her cousin had the bond of a brother and sister, and how the King had not realized it was her, she had no idea. The young blonde women wanted to forget her past life, she wanted to wash it away with the blood of others. She wanted her freedom to do as she pleased. To live once again. She lost so many due to living. She wanted to get away from everyone and live in total solitude. Seeking the attention of the high and mighty captain of the royal guard was foolish even for her.
Chaol tried to give her that freedom, he wanted to cast her away to Wendlyn. To her mothers home kingdom, and the kingdom of the women that caused her mother and father so much grief. She supposed that was a good thing, with the Kings magic barriers no longer holding her back, her fire could set the libraries of either kingdom to ashes and blaze. She could set anything ablaze and there she would be, causing more problems. She was fine with staying here, because here she could work for her freedom and get away. But she gave Chaol a set of numbers that day, the day that she almost left Rifthold. That fateful day where a storm rocked their boat so fiercely that the king had 24 more hours to change his mind on her departure, forcing her to come back to the glass castle for more missions. More of his bidding. So she stayed, she stayed and did his dirty work. Trying to keep her head cool, Chaol would not look at her the same anymore. He knew who she was, who her parents were. Her past, and why she wanted to get away. She wondered if he had been breathing when he found out.

Sitting around the fire, General Aedion Ashryver sit with the Bane. His men, he took pride in them. But he heard stories from them. "My brother sent me word from the palace, there's a new women there who is free game. She has no one to warm her bed at night." One man said, there had been a lot of talk of this women. By the name of Celaena Sardothien, she had won the title of Kings Champion. Pitty he wasn't there to see it. No matter he would be at the glass castle soon enough, he would be able to meet this women and assess her for himself.

Guard Duty once more, it was one of the Kings ravishing dinner parties. One of those parties that left her standing in the shadows only being able to watch people eat the most delicious food. She took her regular spot and stayed their all night, bored out of her mind. Roland Havillard was driving her out of her mind, she was his next target to bed. She knew it too, but the man was a coward, one look at him and he was slowly backing away. She was cold now, heartless. She cared for no one, she only showed compassion to Fleetfoot. Even Dorian stopped visiting as often. She jolted back to consciousness as the massive doors to the Kings Court opened. The guards standing at attention so still she wondered if they were even breathing. But then. She saw him.
And her world sank into the floor.
Aedion Ashryver, her cousin, stood there in front of her. Nearly 400 feet from her. He was there, he was alive. He shoulder length hair matted and dirty from wherever he came from. She felt her knees slacken slightly. She leaned against the wall for support, she needed to sit down. He was alive, he was ok, he was still there. His bright turquoise and gold eyes shining in the candle light. She believed many people realized at once, who she was to him. She sunk closer into the shadows.

Aedion wondered why many people at the Kings table stared at him longer than usual. He wondered why Dorian Havillard  looked at him with question and then sunk back in his chair. He wondered why the Captain of The Guard looked at him with pitty and fear. Once he bathed all of the grime off of his body he tumbled into bed and slept the adventure away.
He took off his black ring and studied it, obviously the king hadn't realized it was a fake yet. He stood up that morning and got dressed, marching down to have breakfast and maybe torment some prince whose father took everything away from him. As he came closer to where Dorian and Chaol sitting. The three men chatted and then she finally came into subject "So who is this Kings Champion that I need to know about? My men sure have heard of her, who is she?" Dorian ground his teeth "If you want to meet her then find her." Chaol's eyes went cold at that statement. Why would Dorian want them to meet?

Celaena lay in her bed, with Fleetfoot sleeping next to her. She did not sleep that night. She had no desire too, her cousin was here. Working for the same king she was. She didn't know wether to be happy or sad at that knowledge. The same man that killed her mother and father, her people, and so many others, now used her cousin as his pawn. Aelin sighed and stood up, Fleetfoot groaning and getting up with her. She out on her suit and went on a run. She may be mad but she still had to train, she still had a job to do. She saw him talking to Dorian in the garden, running a different way. Dorian turned and saw her, and felt guilty.

Aedion saw who Dorian was looking at "Ah so that's her? She is much smaller than I thought the Kings Champion would be. Maybe I'll go say hello and act upon myself like we did in the old days." Dorian bit his lip, it was bad that Aedion was here but it was worse that Dorian had to entertain him. Aedion would meet her tonight at dinner then, and that was final.
That afternoon he sent out a letter for her, to meet him in the dining hall so they could discuss her duties as Kings Champion. She sent a letter back with only a short sentence "I'm sure much more will be discussed." He knew that handwriting, but no, it couldn't have been. He dressed in a clean tunic and pants, Damaris on his hip and other weapons hidden on his body. He made his way down to the dining hall, she was the only person down there. Wearing a lovely dress made of green velvet, his heart skipped a beat as it did every time he stepped onto Terrasen soil. She turned on her heel, her eyes, his eyes staring right back at him. "Hello Aedion."
His world, plunged.
She was alive.
She was safe.
She survived.
Tears welled in his eyes and he stepped towards her. "Aelin..." was all he managed to say, when he noticed she too was crying. Tears falling down his face, he stepped towards his cousin, the last bit of family he had in this world. He took her into his arms, she broke. Tears stained his tunic, his tears soaked into her hair.

Aelin took him back to her rooms, let the servants believe what they wanted. She didn't care anymore. He met Fleetfoot, the massive white dog licked his face. Noticing the resemblance between them almost immediately, the dog lunged herself towards him and wouldn't let him go. They talked for hours and hours. About everything, about the attack, about Nehemia, about Arobynn, Endovier, everything. He promised he would comeback, he just had a meeting to attend to with the king about the Banes up coming arrival. And so she waited.

But his return was unlikely, and she knew it.