The Past Lies Ahead (A Throne Of Glass Fanfic)

Chapter 59

Their morning meeting had been going on for an hour, and still both Aelins were absent. Rowan frowned at the door. Which was a problem since the Old Aelin was the one who had wanted to make some changes to their plan and had called for the meeting. They were probably of doing something together, Rowan thought, since Aelin hadn't been in bed when he woke up, and her side had been cold enough for him to know that she had been gone a long time. 

Rowan frowned. He couldn't get Old Aelin's words out of his head. She seemed to think that the younger version would be better for him, even though she herself had finally been freed. But... he did not agree with her. Initially he had thought they were one and the same, in a way they were, but the younger one wasn't really the woman he had fallen for. She was Aelin ,true, but she wasn't his Fire-Breathing-Bitch-Queen. 

He sighed and rubbed his face, what a mess this had become. Engaged with a young, happy and jubilant queen, while also married to another who was intent on self sacrifice. He didn't know what kind of male that made him, but he really did not want his original woman to die, even if he was left with a different version of her. She had been through enough, she did not have to die for them. But that left the options to Young Aelin and Dorian, and he didn't want any of them to die either.

«Maybe they forgot...» Dorian suggested, but right then the door swung open and the two women strode inside. The one with the facial scar yawned behind her hand, and the other one smiled apologetically.

«Pardon us, we overslept today.» Old Aelin said, then took a seat next to Dorian, across from Rowan, making the seat next to him the only one available. Young Aelin took the seat, only glancing at him quickly before turning her attention to the others around the table. Rowan swallowed down the guilt, she was clearly uncomfortable with the situation, and his behavior must have put her really on edge. 

«Now that you've finally graced us with your presence, care to enlighten us about the changes to our plan?» Manon said snappily, not too happy about having to wait all morning. Both Aelins exchanged a look that said that they were going to enjoy whatever they were about to reveal. They had probably been up all night scheming. If one Aelina was enough to stop his heart dead in his chest, what would two do? Old Aelin smiled at Manon, and it was not a reassuring smile, he thought.

«Aelin and I go alone, that's the plan.» She said bluntly.

«Absolutely not.» Rowan said sternly.«I'm not letting either of you anywhere near Erawan and his cronies.» 

Old Aelin folded her hands and rested them atop the table.«We are perfectly capable of taking care of ourselves, Rowan. Besides our magics are the Valgs greatest weakness, and we have the wyrdmarks.»

«Then I'm coming too.» he said through grounding teeth. He would not let her, well they, just waltz into danger like that.

«Two people are easier to sneak in than three, Rowan. So no, only she and I will go.» Old Aelin said calmly. He opened his mouth to protest, but  Young Aelin interrupted him.

«It's already decided, and we're not changing our minds.» she said, staring at him hard.

Rowan brought his face close to hers, staring daggers at her.«You. Are. Not. Going.» he grounded out through clenched teeth, then he glared at the other one.«Neither are you. We follow the original plan.» He couldn't lose her, he couldn't lose any of them. Both Aelins rose from the table in unison, sharing a look that had shivers run down his spine.

«Then we have nothing more to talk about, if you are being so blatantly dismissive.» Old Aelin said, then turned to leave the room. 

«Where are you going?» he asked. Old Aelin turned, giving him that neutral, ageless gaze she so often wore now.

«None of your business.» she said, then left. He grabbed the Young Aelin's hand as she made to walk away as well. 

«You're not serious about this, are you?» he asked. She tried to tug her arm free from his grasp, but h e held firm.

«I am, and let go of me.» she said through pursed lips, and she tried to get loose again, but he didn't budge. Why, just why would they do this? Why would they endanger themselves like this when they both knew he would be worried sick?

«If you're doing this to prove that you're capable, then I'll tell you right now that we all know you are. You don't have to do this Aelin.» he said, straining to keep in his growl.

«I'm not trying to prove anything. We are going in because we are the most suitable for the job. Now stop being an overprotective, territorial prick. And. Let. Go. Of. My. Hand.» She hissed those last words right in his face, but still he did not let go. Instead he just stared at her, willing her to change her mind. He would have to talk to the other one too, he would not let them go into Erawan's tomb alone.

Her eyes began to glow as her anger rose, and a chair scraped against the floor as someone stood.«Let her go.» an angry, quiet voice said from across the table, and Rowan turned to find Sam glaring at him. He slowly loosened his grip on her wrist, then watched her as she too left the room not even giving him a second glance.

Great, now he had managed to piss them both of, and now Sam was looking mighty angry as well. He shouldn't have held her like that, but he had been unable to stop himself. It was absurd that they would both go, what if something went wrong? He could still feel Sam's angry stare, burning into the side of his head. Even though the boy had taken a step back when Rowan had swooped into Aelin's life, he apparently had never stopped loving her.  

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«He's pissed as hell.» Young Aelin said as she eventually caught up to Old Aelin.

«Don'y worry, he's just like that because of what happened to me. But there's no way I'm sitting on my ass waiting for everyone else to do the work.» Old Aelin said, while walking towards their destination, the tunnels connected to her chambers.

«I promised him that I would never keep anything heart stopping secrets from him.» she said, and was unable to hide the uneasy feeling that was riding her.

«It's not really a secret. We informed him of our plans, he got the opportunity to object, which he did, and now we're doing it anyway. It won't surprise him, trust me.» she said.

Aelin squared her shoulders.«Let's go, before he figures out the real reason why we both left.»

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Rowan stared at the note he had found on his pillow. All the fear and anger from before had evaporated when he had read the words. Dread and emptiness instead filled his being.

My dear Rowan,
I leave you this because you really need to make up your mind. I don't blame you, I truly don't, but I need you to figure this out. I won't lie, it tears me apart, but I can't bear this ring when I am uncertain if you'll stay with me or not.

I'm sorry for how the meeting went, I didn't mean to anger you. But we are doing this, whether you approve  of it or not. We'll be back within three days. Don't worry, buzzard, I'll make sure she gets back in one piece.

I love you
Aelin the Young

He clutched the ring in his fist. He had found this letter several hours after the women had left the meeting. They were long gone, especially with Aelin's knowledge of portal making. He couldn't catch up to them, but there was something else he could do. He rushed out of his room, and quickly made his way to Dorian's quarters. 

«They left, me need to start marching our armies down there now.» he said, quickly, then left as fast as he had appeared.

If they wouldn't let him have their backs on the mission, then he would make sure that Erawan's eyes were focused on the approaching armies. And he could only pray that it would be enough to keep them out of harms way.