DISCONTINUED A Court Of Blood And Night (Tog & ACOTAR crossover)

Interlude - Aelin

Aelin had been traveling for just about a month and a half. Nox had bought her clothes with riches he had almost undoubtedly stolen, and nabbed her a cloak with a large hood to cover her face. Aelin missed having a place to call home, but never complained about it. She was far away from Maeve and that was good enough for her.

Aelin's wounds had not healed as fast as she had hoped, and even now they ached. Nox had reported only a few days before that the scarring would likely never fade. She had guessed that, but she still grieved over it silently. Rowan would likely redo the tattoos if she requested it, but it wouldn't be quite the same.

They were far away from the Jungle of Morla and the Frozen Wastes by now, but it was still bitterly cold as they emtered the mountains. Aelin wanted nothing more than to return to her mate and friends. She wanted to forget what had happened in the Frozen Wastes. And then they'd absolutely decimate Maeve along with the Valg. Aelin would enjoy that.

"You look more pensive than usual," Nox noted, snapping Aelin out of her thoughts. They had entered the Ruhnn Mountains a mere few days ago, and headed for Terrasen. Maeve, Nox reasoned, would anticipate her going straight to Terrasen, so they went the long way. "What's wrong?"

Aelin shook her head. "I'm just ready to go home." For however long I'm still breathing. She had not forgotten about The Queen Who Was Promised. What she had to do to return the Valg and their King to whatever world from which they first emerged. She would do it to keep her court safe. To keep the world safe. But she did not enjoy the idea of dying so soon. But if she was to die, wasn't it best to die for the ones she loved? To die for a cause she stood by?

Even if you could have lived for hundreds of years? A voice in the back of her head whispered. Her throat tightened. She had done her best not to think about what Maeve had revealed in the moments before her capture. If it's any consolation, Aelin, you would have had a thousand years with Prince Rowan. Longer.

Yes, she thought fiercely. Even then. She didn't believe herself.

"I don't blame you," Nox said, looking ahead to the distant mountains. "Nobody wants to be away from home for so long."

Especially after being away from home for eleven years already. Aelin was itching to return to Rowan and Aedion and Lysandra and the rest of her court, to say the goodbyes she didn't get to say before.

A thought struck Aelin, and a tremor of worry flashed through her. "After I return home, where will you go?"

Nox glanced at her in surprise. "I was thinking that I'll stay with you and your court, so I can help out in any way I can."

Aelin nodded, relief washing over her. "You'd be welcome."

Nox smiled. "Well, first we have to get there." He helped her over a log, and she winced as some of her wounds stretched painfully. "And we have a while to go."

Aelin opened her mouth to speak, but there was a shout. It echoed across the mountainside, a long, throbbing note. She and Nox looked up, wondering what was going on. Perhaps a traveling farmer had lost an animal on the treacherous path. Perhaps it was a warning.

Nox had the same thought, and bundled them against the sheer face of eroded rock. Aelin didn't complain about her wounds, even when the rock ripped through her clothing and scraped painfully against the tender skin. Silence was key for survival in times like this.

Nox peered out of the space. "I don't see anything," he whispered to her so softly that he was nearly mouthing the words. They strained to hear anything over the roaring wind, but even with her Fae hearing, Aelin could hear only an echoing silence.

But then she heard beating wings in the distance. Large beating wings. She didn't dare hope, didn't dare begin celebrating before she knew for sure. She quietly reported what she heard, and Nox tensed beside her. The wingbeats became louder with each passing second, each breath, and soon, even Nox could hear it.

He met her gaze. "Do you think we should be worried?" He murmured under his breath. "Do any Valg have wings?"

"Yes," she breathed back, "but not as large as these ones."

The wingbeats came closer, thrumming loudly in her ears. "I think--" she began, stepping out of the shelter of the rock, but stopped when the shape of a wyvern outlined in the sky appeared above the moutaintops. Then another. Another still. She began counting as more and more appeared, but there was another shout-- softer this time. She looked to where it had come from.

Outlined by a rising sun, a group of people approached, their silhouettes hazy and shadows looming against the ground. As they came closer, Aelin's eyes adjusted. The leader called out-- not to her, but to the wyverns above, and the witches riding them. Aelin recognized many the faces. She fell to her knees, and Nox looked at her worriedly. "Aelin?"

Relieved tears were streaming down her face. "Aelin, are you alright?" Nox asked softly.

She nodded, unable to speak. She swallowed the lump in her throat, hands trembling. She met the gaze of the leader, her heart throbbing painfully in her chest. She called his name, surprised when her voice came out strongly and echoed across the mountainside instead of coming out as a croak. "Aedion!"

I did a happy dance as I finished this chapter. Hehe. Well, this is the last Interlude. From now on, Aelin is a regular character.

To the people who kept asking when Rowaelin would be reunited: I TOLD YOU IT WAS COMING!

Okay techincally it still hasn't happened but come on. You know it's coming.