A week later, Aelin and her court were in the middle of a discussion about what to do with the Fae who had been stuck in their animal forms. A stack of letters were at Rowan's side.

"We could offer them training and shelter," Aedion suggested.

"Why? We shouldn't need them," a man called Alex objected.

Aedion cocked his head to the side, the Wolf of the North incarnate, but Aelin interrupted.

"We will need them when and if my aunt sends a legion to eliminate us, as well as that we need an army to hammer on Perrington's. They will rise, eventually and when they do, we will be ready," she said with a determined light in her eyes.

The court nodded their acceptance and the topic moved onto the speech.

"My dear people," she began. "I ask you what you know of the assassin, Celaena Sardothien."

Some paled, some coughed, some didn't have any response.

"My lady," a farmer started. Aelin shot him an exasperated look. "Aelin," he amended, "we know that she was a notorious assassin and killed many, but from what we have heard, never a child nor a natural born Terrasen. Sardothien was known as Adarlan's Assassin and Queen of the Underworld."

Someone else continued, "And that she was betrayed by Arobynn Hamel then captured and sent to Endovier for a year before the Crown Prince of Adarlan found her and pulled her out. She competed in a competition to become the former King's Champion, but she never killed any of her targets, except for Archer Finn, who betrayed and killed the Eyllwe princess, Nehemia."

The woman handed the speaking back to the farmer, everyone else nodding. "She was sent to Wendlyn to kill the royal family there but she never did it. Your return was coincided with when she disappeared a few months earlier. And when she went back to Adarlan, it was as if she had vanished from existence. That is all we know, Lady."

Aelin nodded, not bothering to correct the farmer again and Rowan could sense that she was nervous as to what she would reveal next. "I ask that you not tell anyone of the information I am giving you next. Please," she said in all seriousness. "But I am the notorious assassin known as Celaena Sardothien."

Everyone else stared at her in shock. The silence lasted but a moment before the court was bombarding the queen with questions, the noise increasingly louder.

"What do you mean?"

"You are Celaena Sardothien?"

"Do you still kill people, Lady?"

The questions continued on and on in the same line of thought until Aelin's cousin cleared his throat.

Everyone settled down, watching him, Lysandra and Aedion.

"Tell us, do you still murder people?"

His queen sighed in relief. She had been anticipating that her people would start screaming for help, that they wouldn't trust her anymore.

"No." Everyone relaxed minutely, knowing that their queen was no longer the cruel assassin that had been rumored to kill for fun. "But I will be able to fend for myself. I do not wish that I am to hide behind men. I will fight with my people when war comes."

"We have a brave queen," the carpenter, Dameon, commented. "We are lucky."

His fellow court members nodded their agreement. Aelin smiled slightly. "These are letters-" she held up a letter from Rowan's side, "-that I have written for your families, when you tell them. Please ask they do not divulge the information. I will announce in soon."

"Yes, Aelin," they said simultaneously. "We will be with you when you announce this to all of Terrasen, stand by you when they doubt and ridicule. We shall personally make sure that all of Terrasen rest in peace, knowing that you are no longer a killer."

Aelin thanked them for their support and understanding. Her people asked for what had happened in all the years she had spent as an assassin and she provided them with every answer, never faltering. It seemed easier for her to speak of the past now when she knew they would not fear or reject her as queen.

They talked late into the afternoon, servants bringing in lunch. The servants in the castle were chosen from the people, who thought it an honor to work in the castle. Every six months, the servants change over, the current ones going back to their former lives and families, after training a new batch to come take their place. Anyone was allowed to leave if they wish, they only need to ask it. This made Terrasens love their queen and become devoted to her; it was a good system.

When the meeting was finally adjourned, Rowan stood up and stretched, stiff from the hours of sitting still. Lysandra shifted into a ghost leopard and yawned, slinking out to hunt before settling for a nap.

As Aelin, Aedion and himself walked out, a young maid came rushing over.

"Someone is here, my Lady."

"Alright, entrance hall?" Aelin inquired. The maid nodded and they set off, when they got there, someone familiar was there. Remelle, he thought. What was she doing here? But he didn't question it further.

Remelle walked up the steps and curtsied to the queen.

...

"Remelle!" Aelin exclaimed. "Why, how are you?"

"Good, thank you," Remelle said before hastily adding "My Lady," when she remembered that Aelin was queen of Terrasen.

"What brings you here?" he asked. Aedion knew who this woman was since she had told him but Remelle was not supposed to be here.

"I thought I'd stop by," she said innocently. "I wanted to see how being queen is suiting you. You look rather fabulous, if I must say so myself."

"Oh no! Aedion and I are dead tired. We've been sneaking out at night to spar," she says dramatically. Aedion smirked, knowing this was not true but decided to play along.

"Rather unfortunately, I say, up till dawn. My queen is... determined, to say the least. She insisted we keep going till the sun rises and who am I to deny my cousin anything."

Rowan laughed. "Of course not, we shall do anything for our queen." Aelin grinned; even Rowan was playing along. Remelle looked surprised to see Rowan laugh. Aedion guessed he didn't do so often but he'd seen the prince laugh a lot with Aelin; he suggested they look for food, eyes dancing with amusement. What, you want to fight? Aelin asked.

He quirked his eyebrows at her. How about it?

...

After dinner, they talked and talked and talked some more. Aelin and Aedion were the sole consumers of the wine and had been constantly going at each other for the past hour.

"I like bananas," Aelin suddenly announced. Aedion laughed.

"And I like... I like nothing," her cousin admitted, grinning.

"Rowan, why don't you stay here with Remelle," Aelin suggested, her words slurring together adorably. "Show her the rooms. Our room. The public training yard. Everywhere but Aedion and Lysandra's quarters. Aedion and I will be fighting about something or rather in his room."

Joking and shoving each other, the queen and Aedion staggered off, laughing as Aedion nearly fell over when she overdid it. Rowan was watching after them fondly with Remelle sourly regarding Aelin and Aedion. They might've had too much to drink, Rowan thought, amused. Or maybe they're just acting drunk for the sake of it.

His good mood dampened when he turned back to Remelle. Why did Aelin have to leave him to deal with the woman? But as long as Aelin was happy he could accept it. He stood up and Remelle followed him to the outdoor public training yard.

"Aelin made this yard available for everyone, should they wish to come here to train themselves, so the can defend and attack. Aelin herself trains them sometimes, so when news spread that she's available, many flock here," he explained, walking around the yard. "You won't find many in Terrasen who can't defend themselves or attack using basic techniques. She's trained them well. Not up to her own professional standards, but she won't force her people to break their hand so they can become adept at swordplay and other maneuvers with both hands, as Arobynn made her do. She's not that cruel."

"Arobynn? Arobynn Hamel?" she asked, her interest peaked.

"Yes, the former King of Assassins and owner of the Assassins' Guild. He trained her personally, so she would be his most devoted and lethal protégée. She killed many for him, but, yes, Arobynn put his every effort into making sure she was the best in his business." He was babbling but he didn't care. Talking about Aelin made him happy, happier than he'd been his entire life. He did as Aelin had asked; the kitchens, servants quarters, everywhere.

Then Rowan led her to the rooms he shared with Aelin.

...

Aelin and Aedion were still joking, as they'd been this past hour. About anything and everything. She could barely remember what they had been talking about.

"Maybe next time we should lay off the drinks," he suggested almost incoherently. She giggled. Giggled?

"Yes, probably," she replied, laughing. "What you gonna do now?" He pulled faces at her and quirked his eyebrows. She cackled with laughter. My, my, she thought. I have a hilarious cousin. She didn't realize she had said that out loud until Aedion nudged her with an elbow. Somehow, they had ended up sprawled across his bed and he had his tunic off, claiming it was too hot. She had her head on his muscled abdomen, her hair coming loose from its braid.

"And as if you yourself aren't funny," he mocked, flicking her nose. She laughed again.

"Well, I am a notorious assassin after all," she said, putting on a strange accent.

"Yes, and I'm not attractive," he said.

"Since when! You liar, you could literally go out right now and every woman who knows you will flock to you, my dear, handsome cousin."

"Liar."

"Am not! And you know it! We look enough alike that we could be twins for gods sake, if you weren't twenty-five."

"Alright, alright. You win!" he announced.

"Win what? We weren't competing for anything!"

"Yes we were!"

"Oh do pray tell what it was?" she asked.

"Telling the truth!" he said grandly.

"Aedion! You-" she shook her head vigorously "-you are insane!"

"And you're not? If I'm insane, then so are you."

"Oh, fine. But telling the truth is hardly competition. You are either naturally honest or you're an effortless liar!"

"Precisely my point!"

"Then what you said a minute ago doesn't make any sense!"

"That is why I am insane, you said so yourself," he retorted.

Aelin rolled her eyes. "Aedion, I think we are drunk."

"No, of course not," he said sarcastically.

"Or we are just babbling idiots," she told him.

"Indeed, we are."

Lysandra popped her head in through the door. "May I ask what you two are going on about?"

"Lysandra! Join us for a drink!"

"I'd rather not. But why not! Let's enjoy the night!" she exclaimed.

"Immensely!" they both cried, making faces and crossing their eyes.

Aelin got up, went to Aedion's cabinet and drew out a bottle of wine.

"How did you know that was there?" Aedion asked as she flopped back down on his stomach, popping the cork.

"You're my cousin, how do I not know?"

Lysandra snickered and took a swig. "She's right."

"I like bananas," Aelin stated, making them all howl with laughter.

Soon, all of them were intoxicated.

"Lysandra, let's take a bath," Aelin said.

"Would you mind if I joined?" Aedion asked slyly.

"Aedion, stay out!" Lysandra replied. "Be a gentleman!"

"Never," he told them sarcastically.

...

They came back out, dripping wet. They got the servants to fetch some clothes and dressed in the bathing chamber; running around outside, they came back in with their hair a mess but dried. After they had drunk all the wine, which didn't take long and messing around some more, Lysandra staggered out the door.

"I'm going to bed," the shifter mumbled. He and Aelin laughed as she nearly ran into the wall outside his rooms. "I shall be hungover tomorrow!"

Aelin flopped down again, resting her head on his stomach yet again.

"Let's have secret code names," Aelin suggested.

"I shall be Baron Hotchshaft von Hugenstein. It's an awesome name," he announced.

"Aedion, what shall mine be?"

"Hmm... how about Lady... Heather?"

"Ugh, fine."

They joked back and forth about who they were going to kill next.

"Rowan!" he tried.

"No! Let's go find Arobynn Hamel the Second and kill him. Or her!"

"Fabulous idea, cousin!"

"Indeed."

Aelin yawned.

"Let's take a nap, Aedion."

He chuckled, "sure. Whatever you want, Aelin."

"Whatever I want?" she asked with a sly expression on her face.

"Don't you dare ask for anything stupid."

She faux pouted. "Fine. I was going to ask for a chocolate fountain."

"You could have said so! I bet Lysandra wants one too. If you find or make one, can I share it?"

"Whatever you want. And no, don't say it."

They laughed and Aelin snuggled close against him. Soon both their breathing evened out.

...

Rowan could hear the faint laughter of Aedion and Aelin echoing through the massive structure of the castle. Then came the shouting, back to laughing... he can just make out that they were arguing about why they were both insane. Well, Aelin made good on 'fighting about something or rather in his room', he supposed. Lysandra's voice joined in on the din, soon, they were all yelling about baths and gentlemanly behavior. Aedion must have asked whether he can join and the burn of jealousy ripped through him. They're having fun, he thought, chagrinned. And they're completely drunk. Not fair-not fair at all to leave him stuck with Remelle.

"Rowan," Remelle said, pulling him back from where his thoughts had gone.

He sighed and glanced back to where she had been looking at the maps on his desk. Aelin had said to bring her here; perhaps she had been planning to greet Remelle properly after dinner but forgot when she got herself, Aedion and Lysandra completely intoxicated.

A laugh echoed, the voices belonging to the drunken trio in Aedion's room. After a moment, he looked out the door in time to see Lysandra stagger off to bed, mumbling something that sounded a lot like "hangover". He faintly heard his name being shouted then something about Arobynn Hamel the Second? He chuckled, but stopped when he realized that Aelin was now alone with Aedion. He had heard people talk about the use of an Ashryver-Galathynius union and the jealousy flared up, more forceful than before. He shut out the thoughts, believing that Aelin loved him, not her cousin, in a romantic way.

Nonetheless, he would go check.

"Remelle, I'll be right back. I need to check on something," he told her. She opened her mouth to object but he darted out before Remelle could say anything.

He listened hard, checking for signs of life. The laughter had stopped and so had the talking. Curious as to why, he cracked open Aedion's oak doors, wincing as the doors creaked slightly. Aelin was lying against a shirtless Aedion, a hand on his muscled abdomen. Aedion was still half wearing his finery but Aelin had changed into a gown, he stared at them, thinking the worst of the situation, unable to help himself from doing so. It hurt, watching them doze; he didn't know why but it hurt. Aelin looked so peaceful, and Aedion too, yet still protective, he had his hand tangled in her hair. He backed out of Aedion's chambers, carefully shutting the door before leaning against it. Rowan sighed, maybe it had been a bad idea to start down this road with Aelin; maybe he wasn't ready yet, after losing Lyria.

He went back to Aelin's room.

...

Remelle watched Rowan stride out of the room, undoubtedly looking for his queen. She snorted. That queen is useless, having servants who work because they want to and letting them go if they wish. She couldn't imagine how she'd manage to get Rowan to be so concerned over her.

She hated the queen. Aelin Ashryver Galathynius had taken Rowan away from her, she deserved to be called fire-breathing bitch-queen. The queen had almost killed her in Mistward.

When Rowan came back, she monopolized him, forcing him to give all his attention to her.

Remelle formed a plan to break the queen. She knew that Aelin was fond of Rowan, maybe even in love with him; she would ruin the bitch's life. And make her friends watch as she does it. Finally, Rowan would see that Aelin was underserving of him; that she was better, braver and smarter.

She would ruin the Queen of Terrasen with one simple act.

...

Aelin startled awake to see Aedion's face above hers. She groaned.

"What time is it?"

"Midnight, about. Go on, out. Back to your rooms now. Don't forget to greet Remelle."

"Aedion, why can't I stay here?" she complained.

"Because your prince will get jealous," he said, eyes dancing with amusement.

"You're kidding me. I've got a hell of a headache and you want me to get out of your bed?"

"Yep," he grinned. "Your headache isn't my fault; you're the one who chose to drink the night away. Plus, I've got my own headache. So you can get out or sleep on the couch."

"Godsdamn you, Aedion," she muttered before flinging back the covers and lurching to the door. He chuckled in response.

"See you tomorrow, sweetheart." Aelin turned back around in time to see him flop back into bed and immediately fall asleep; she shook her head, smiling. But tonight had been fun, despite the raging headache; drinking the night away had been hilariously dumb of her but she had nothing to do tomorrow so she can sleep in. What a relief, Aelin thought as she stumbled her way towards her room.

...

Rowan had just gotten back when Remelle came up to him, the scent of lust hitting him; slightly perturbed, he step around her. Expecting Aelin not to come back anytime soon, he walked around to his desk and organized her schedule for the next week, when she would be giving the speeches.

Remelle drags him to his feet. Rowan stepped back, but she followed. He kept trying to back away but Remelle had cornered him to the front of the bed. Rowan knew he wasn't trying hard enough but he couldn't find it in himself to back away. He wanted a distraction from the slight ache in his chest.

The ache from missing Aelin even though she was only on the other side of the castle. The ache from seeing her so happy with Aedion.

The hurt and fear of losing her.

...

Remelle had cornered Rowan, just as she'd planned, sensing that the queen will return soon. They were standing in plain view of the door; she had waited, waited until she can just vaguely make out stumbling steps and moved closer to Rowan.

Her plan had fallen in place without a problem. The queen will be here to witness this and it will break her.

And Rowan will finally be hers, as he should have been all along.

...

Rowan only had time to hear someone staggering outside before Remelle kissed him, full on the mouth.

Maybe it was surprise or maybe it was his want of a distraction, but he kissed her back, his hand going to her hair.

Maybe this would be better, he thought. I can have Remelle instead of Aelin. It'll work better, right?

Aelin's scent hit him and he glanced up surprised. He hadn't expected her to come back. Not while she had been asleep with Aedion.

Aelin's scent held a world of hurt and self-hatred. He blinked and she was gone, as if she hadn't even been there. Rowan just shrugged before Remelle kissed him again, demanding entrance to his mouth. He didn't realize Aelin had actually been there and she was already heartbroken over what he was doing.

When he did, he pulled away but it was too late. Aelin was already gone. He had already lost her, before he even got her.

_________________________________________________________________________________

Extra long chapter! Yay! So busy with life right now... you get what I mean.

Dedication to Phantomhive1875 for giving the confidence to publish this! I know it's a bit late into the story but I am so grateful to you!

Hopefully, I might be able to finish this... I don't know. As long as there are people reading, it's fine by me. :)