[DISCONTINUED] TOG and ACOTAR Crossover

05

"You know, Aelin," Fenrys said as he dug into his food. The Inner Circle were listening to their chatter curiously "you're like my celebrity crush."

"You have a crush on me?" she raised her eyebrows.

"Of course? Who doesn't..." he trailed off "I also have a crush on Dorian, he's pretty hot."

"Dorian, seriously?" she waved her fork in the air "you know Manon will gut you, right?"

"Yeah but I don't think I would mind that either."

Rhysand stared at him, no words for the conversation that was currently being held.

"Why would you like that?"

"Because he has a crush on Manon as well," Aelin guessed. The wolf shifter nodded proudly.

"Do you have a crush on me, Aelin?" he set his cutlery down, resting his chin in his palm and fluttering his eyelashes at her with exaggeration. She scoffed and shoved a piece of beef into his mouth.

"Sorry, I don't date blondes."

He placed a hand over his heart mockingly, acting as if he had just been stabbed.

"Anyways," Amren drawled, "how did you get here in the first place?"

She picked up a glass full of red liquid. Aelin thought it was more of that faerie wine, but on closer inspection, she realised it was blood.

"Not sure. The portal just opened up beneath me and I fell."

"Same with me," Fenrys mumbled.

"I'll look through the libraries. Let your priestesses know that I'll be there tomorrow morning," Amren directed the last bit at the High Lord, who gave a curt nod in return. With that, she downed the rest of her drink and left the room.

"So," Aelin smiled wide, "do any of you fight?"

-+-

This was a bad idea, Feyre thought. Cassian and the fiery woman were stood in the ring, swords in hand. Of course, the Illyrian warrior wouldn't back down from a fight when asked.

And so here they were - stood around the small arena as the battle began. Fenrys was now in his wolf form, laid on the ground resting, but still alert. Feyre knew that he would never let anything happen to his friend.

Cassian charged forward first, but his attack was met head-on with Aelin's sword. Metal clashed against metal. The pair were unrelenting, but it was becoming obvious that Aelin would not loose.

Despite Cass being the best fighter in all of Prythian, the woman's moves were new - fast, sleek and unpredictable. She moved like water, gliding on her feet and bending away from the opponent's offences gracefully.

Cassian picked up a dagger and threw it swiftly. She dodged the first one but was too slow to avoid the second. It found its mark in her right shoulder.

Amren and Mor sighed, expecting the girl to yield because of her new wound, just like many males before she had. However, she simply pulled the knife from her flesh and threw it to the floor with a growl. The sound was more fae than human.

As swift as an asp, Aelin swiped out her foot, knocked the male to the ground and jumping on top of him. She now sat on his waist, holding him down and pointing her sword at his throat. There was no way for him to get out of the situation.

"Surrender," she said. Swallowing his pride, the general did just that. It was over within minutes. Aelin held out her arm for him to grab as a show of friendship, but she stumbled back with dizziness.

The small cuts that Cassian had managed to get on her leaked with blood. They didn't seem too deep, but she was a human and she could not heal as fast.

Fenrys stood up instantly and walked over on large paws. His maw curled back to reveal a row of sharp teeth when he growled.

"I can heal you," Feyre mumbled. She walked closer but stopped when the wolf's hackles rose. Aelin looked down at her friend, who blinked three times.

"Yes," she said. The Inner Circle looked at them in confusion - it seemed as if they had a silent code. Useful for when he became the beast, considering he couldn't speak in that form.

"Alright," the High Lady stepped forward, rallying her magic, "you just need to take your shirt off."

The woman paused at that and Fenrys looked up at her and pawed her foot. The gesture seemed to say, 'It's alright. You don't need to do that, I can heal you instead.'

"No, it's okay," she sighed to him, "I'm not ashamed of them."

The group had no idea what they were talking about. That was until Aelin pulled the shirt over her head to reveal the large expanse of her skin. There was not one part of it that was unscarred.

Some were thick and short, others long and thin. They were all over her arms, her chest, her abdomen and even reached her neck. But when she turned around... The Inner Circle were at loss for words.

Three large marks (that the Night Court assumed were from a whip) raked their way over her back. They started at the top of her spine and stopped just above the rim of her pants. Other smaller ones swirled about around them.

There were more scars on her back than unharmed skin.

Feyre paused but soon regained her composure. She held glowing palms over the injuries and the flesh began to knit together again.

Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Mor clutch a hand over her mouth in horror and turn around. Cassian stared, face hard and angry - angry at whoever had done this to her.

And when Rhysand looked at Azriel, he saw that he was showing emotion. His shadows were beginning to curl around his ears and head, but there was stark distress on his face. Even amren's unyielding face was softer; her silver eyes churning with emotion.

As soon as Feyre was finished, the girl immediately pulled her top back over her head.

"What happened?"

She looked hesitant to say, but Rhysand urged her on with a deal.
"If we tell you our stories and about our world, will you tell us yours?"

Aelin didn't know whether to accept or not. She did need to know how this world worked if it meant getting home, and she was not embarrassed about her life.

And so Aelin found herself nodding, walking into the House of Wind with her newfound friends.

-+-

A/N
Written: 1st August 2020
Edited: 22nd October 2020