The Past Lies Ahead (A Throne Of Glass Fanfic)

Chapter 17

The wind blew a strand of hair out of her braid as she stood a few paces away from Rowan on the sandy beach, the scent of crackling embers tickled his nose. Rowan had been slightly taken aback when she agreed so easily to go training with him, considering how reluctant she had been in Wendlyn. So here they were, face to face alone on a secluded beach.

«Before we go back to the continent it is important that you know how to control your magic. But first you must be able to shift at will.» he expected to object, walk away, anything. But no. She just placed her hands on her hips, in that swaggering way she always did, and smirked at him.

«Will that be the sole focus of todays training then? Or will it take weeks?» She drawled, gleaming of youthful arrogance and... was that mischief glinting in her eyes?

«That depends entirely on you.»

She walked the few paces between them and stopped right before his face. Then a bright light flashed, making him blink, and before him stood Aelin in all her fae glory. He blinked in surprise.

«I suggest we move on to the next subject.» Aelin said and stalked over to the bag she'd brought with her, and pulled out a handful of candles. «Ever since Sam and I arrived here I've had what I thought was dreams, but from what you told us earlier today it turns out they are memories. For weeks now I've been diving into the dream to view every magic lesson I've had with you, and I practiced with Sams help. But, well, I'm kind of stuck on the candles.»

For a moment he just stared at her. Amazed at how different she was from the woman he found drunk on a rooftop. This would go smoother than he had anticipated, and probably way faster too. He was about to speak when she continued.

«I may not remember a lot of the things you talked about today, but I did notice several holes in your story. You didn't tell us everything. Why?» she stared fiercely into his eyes, silently commanding him to answer truthfully. He turned to look out across the ocean.

«When the gods sent me back in time it took me a while to realize exactly when I had arrived.» he turned to look at her. «When I saw you and Sam shadowing Farran, I knew I would have to make a choice that would change your future and mine. The Farran mission was a trap, Sam would have been tortured and killed and you would have been shipped of to Endovier.» her eyes looked distant as if she was looking deep within herself for the memories hiding inside. Then she focused on him once more, realization written all over her face.

«So you and I, we were... uhm, lovers?» he nodded, and she blinked. «You love me, and still you saved his life. You have to have known that...»

«Yes, Aelin. I saved him knowing you would choose him. I do love you, and I want you to be happy. And he makes you happy. Look at you, you've come further in a few weeks now that he is in your life compared to the life when you lost him.» he took a deep breath and grabbed the candles Aelin was holding. «The two of you make a great team, and I couldn't let you feel the pain of losing the man you love again.» he set one candle in the sand. «But that's enough for now, light the candle.»

«Did we ever...»

«Light the candle, Aelin. No more talking.»

She searched his face for a moment then she swallowed and knelt down by the candle, and began to draw up her power from the fiery well.

_______________________________________

Her feet dragged heavily up the stairs to the apartment she shared with Sam. When she entered the living room she spotted Sam lounging on the couch reading a book, she stumbled over to him and collapsed unto the coach.

Sam looked her over and tried, and failed, to hide his smirk. «You've got sand in you hair.»

«He is absolutely ruthless. Every time I failed to light those stupid candles we were to dual. Needless to say I've spent most of my evening face down in the sand.» she exhaled sharply, sinking deeper into the pillows. Sam huffed a laugh and ruffled her already messy hair.

«There's some meat pie left in the kitchen. It looks like you might need some.» she flashed him a beaming smile, he grinned back at her and to get the pie from the kitchen.

She ate her pie in silence while Sam continued reading his book. While chewing her food her mind wandered back to the conversation with Rowan. He loved her, well at least he loved the other version of her. Or maybe there were no difference between the Aelin he had known and who she was now. And he still chose to let her go, to let her live a life with another. She didn't know how to feel about that, he was just someone she had just met after all. She didn't remember ever having a relationship with him, or maybe she would after some time.

Her musings was interrupted by three pecks on the window, and Sam got up to open it. A tiny sparrow flapped inside, then shifted into a woman.

Lysandra strode over to a chair and slumped down.

«So, how did Dorians meeting go?» After this morning Dorian had been due to meet with the Kaghan and his family, to do what he had promised his father he would. Weave his way into friendship with them, except that the second part of the plan was that Dorian would accidentally let crucial information about his fathers empire slip.

«It went boringly well. I think you would like princess Hasar actually, you seem like kindred spirits.» Lysandra helped herself to a piece of Aelins pie and gobbled it down, she glanced at Sam «I have to admit that Sam was right about you, you're not so bad as I thought.»

Aelin chuckled, and patted his leg as she met Lysandras gaze. «He was right about you too.»

«And it took you two stubborn women a long time to see it.» Sam said with a dramatic sigh and draped an arm around Aelin.

«I sent your letters as well. May ask what they were about, there were quite a few of them.» Lysandra said.

«Potential allies and people who owe me. We will need all the help we can get when we return to the continent.» she leaned her head on Sams shoulder. This was happening. A war was coming and she would go home to a country she never thought she would ever see again.

But first they had some demons to kill.