Set Fire to my Atmosphere

Chapter 29

The day the Queen returned

It was almost sun down. But it took her a while to process that.

Every small action had a big effect on her ever since she came back. The clang of her fork on her plate as she ate her first real meal in months. The click her door made when the servant left the room. Then the small whimper that came out of her as she asked Rowan to, "Please unlock it."

Everything seemed like an eternity away to her.

And she wasn't sure if she would ever mentally be, where she now physically was.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~"Aedion!" She yelled after looking at the door for a long five minutes.

And it only took seconds before Aelin heard her out-of-breath cousin rush through her open door.

"Are you okay?!" Aedion breathed. "Do you need anything? Rowan's probably nearby, I can-"

"Swear the blood oath."

And the words stopped flowing out of his mouth.

"I-I need you. To swear the blood oath. Right now. That is if you still want it," Aelin whispered.

Aedion's mouth was still open.

"I know you wanted a big crowd but Aedion, I cannot explain why. I just need you to take the oath now."

"To hell with the crowd Aelin," he quietly laughed, taking a spot on Aelin's bed next to her "I'm just surprised you still want me to take it," Aedion slowly let out.

Her hollow eyes reached her cousin's eyes, right now the brighter of the two belonged to the male.

"I want you to take it," Aelin said. "And I want Lorcan, Fenrys, and Gavriel to take it too."

Aedion looked at her for a while.

He wasn't mad, no. He was shocked. Not by the last two names, but the first one. Lorcan.

"They saved me, he saved me" she said, as if she read his thoughts.

"I know," he said, forming a smile. "Well, Aelin. I would like to do this in the main hall if you'll allow me that?"

Aelin weakly smiled as she attempted to get into her wheelchair.

"Here," Aedion rushed to her side, taking both her hands, and helped her onto the chair.

She didn't want to take anyone's help but when she couldn't put her socks on without pain a few hours before, she quickly coped with the fact that this was going to be her life now whether she liked it or not. Accepting help from others.

So they wheeled down the ramp that Lysandra had installed, really quickly, for Aelin.

"Hey, are you okay?" Rowan asked from the couch.

Aelin sent him down here to relax, claiming she was fine on her own. Rowan however knew that Aelin wanted some alone time so the prince didn't push her.

"Can you call the cadre?" Aelin asked Rowan.

"Yeah," he said, no questions asked.

A few moments later, Lorcan and Gavriel walked in, Fenrys close behind them.

"You called?" Gavriel asked.

Aelin nodded. Aedion took a seat on the couch, next to her wheelchair.

"I know i'm young and inexperienced. And get myself and my kingdom in the deepest shit possible. But you three saved me," Fenrys raised an eyebrow, Rowan doing the same. "Gavriel, you helped find me. You helped Rowan from breaking when I wasn't there to save him myself." Rowan stroked her dull, golden hair. "You were the only one who stopped that day in Wendlyn against General Narrok. Fenrys," Aelin's voice cracked on his name. Rowan stood up and grabbed Aelin's hand.

Fenrys just looked at Aelin.

"You fought your hardest for me. You're the only one who knows what happened...there," Aelin was shaking now.

"You don't have too..." Fenrys whispered.

"You convinced her to tell Cairn to stop whipping me when I was on the verge of death."

Rowan clenched his jaw and the scent of Aelin's tears hit his nose and the look of her back hit his memory.

Fenrys loosened a breathe.

"Lorcan, you saved my life by killing her, and I know how hard that probably was for you."

Lorcan just looked at his shoes.

"I don't know how to repay you three," Aelin said wiping her tears.

"You don't need too," Gavriel said.

Aelin shook her head.

"I want you to take the blood oath."

Rowan let the surprise show on his face.

"All four of you," she gestured at Aedion and the three warriors. "Only if you want too."

Aelin started to worry as silence overcame the room for a minute.

"It would be an honor," Lorcan finally said.

Gavriel smiled and nodded in agreement.

So Aelin looked at Fenrys.

"I don't deserve it," he whispered.

Aelin gestured for Rowan to wheel her to Fenrys.

"You opened the coffin everytime," she whispered back. Tears filled his eyes as he realized what she meant.

So he nodded.

Rowan handed a knife to Aelin as Aedion stood up next to the three of them.

The four of then kneeled in front of Aelin's wheelchair as she said as confidently as she could, "Do you, Gavriel, Aedion, Fenrys, and Lorcan, promise to serve in my court until the day you die?"

"Yes, Your Majesty," they all echoed.

And in a matter of seconds. Through blood, honor, and loyalty.

They were blood sworn to the Queen of Terrasen.

Author's Note - "You opened the coffin everytime," BROKE ME. I literally broke down in tears while writing that line. Anyways I hope you liked this one! :)) It's set in the evening on the day that Aelin woke up in her bed in her castle. Everyone was asleep except for the cadre. And Rowan and Aedion. Also as of 9-23-18, Set Fire to my Atmosphere is #1 in Sarah J Maas!! Thank you isn't enough for all that you do for this story.