Life after the War - A Throne of Glass Fanfic

Training

Nesryn and Sartaq had left early this morning and Aedion had gone to meet the Bane. The others were in the training room which was, according to Aelin's calculations, just a double dozen meters away from the Crown court.

It was quite a nice room with tall, faint mustard walls and a ring for practice bouts. All of them had already started warming up for the session. Aelin and Manon, Rowan and Lorcan, Fenrys and Dorian were working in pairs while Chaol was teaching the basics to his wife Yrene and Elide.

There was the weapons section at one side of room full of little 5-inch daggers to broadswords longer than her arm, arrows and spears, and everything which can be used for defense. Aelin strolled through the swords section, stopping occasionally to have a better look at them. She finally took two identical swords, throwing one of them at Chaol.

"What?" He said, catching the sword just before it could hit him.

"Come on. For old time's sake." Aelin said with the pleasantest smile she could make at that time.

Chaol moved forward, a smile forming on his face as he remembered the good old days. He gave a look at the males in the room, their bare chests already covered with sweat. None of them seemed to take notice of the friendly match about to begin. He drew his sword and stood in a defensive stance, beckoning Aelin to make the first move.

She charged at him with the sword and he dodged the move. She tried to hit him again but he dodged it too, though not as efficiently as the first one.

"This is the best you got?" Chaol teased as he hit her sword, making her steps falter a little.

"You'll see." Aelin said and launched at him again. This time, he was not as lucky and she was too fast. In a minute, he was down, Aelin's sword dangling at his neck. Aelin had a wicked smile on her face when Chaol raised his hands to surrender. She turned around, that smile still stuck on her face, to join Manon back.

The others seemed to notice their little swordfight now and Rowan frowned at her.

"No weapons today. Only hand to hand combat." He said as he took the swords back and put them back in their original place.

"Not bad actually. It is been months I have had a good brawl." Manon said and Aelin immediately lightened up.

"Oh, they would wish it were weapons." Aelin replied as she tied her golden hair into a high bun. She kind of missed the fights back in the Pits at Rithfold. It was a type of stress busterfor her. But now, in front of her was a centuries old Blackbeak-Crochan witch Queen and not some half-drunk man who underestimated her strength.

"No permanent maiming." She stated the only rule besides the no-magic rule and no-weapon rule. Manon nodded and retracted her iron teeth and claws. Aelin sprang towards Manon, pinning her to the ground to her advantage but Manon just rolled over and kicked her ankle, making her fall to the knees. Aelin made her comeback by making Manon fall face-first on the ground.

"What the hell?"

It was Fenrys' voice. The others were standing in a circle around the two queens. Manon and Aelin stood up and dusted their clothes. Now, they saw the reason behind the comment. They were both covered in red and blue blood and there were bruises all over. How long have they been fighting? They studied each other.

"Unfortunately, it is a tie." Manon said, flashing a pathetic smile.

"I guess it is." Aelin accepted and shook her hand. It was a mercy that there was no need to knock the opponent out cold in such mock fights. They both instructed their magic to heal the wounds.

"Now, would you like to explain this?" Rowan snarled, fear very evident in his green eyes.

"Looks like we got too involved in the fight." Aelin gave a lame excuse but Rowan still looked worried.

She went to him and put an arm around his waist.

"Come on, this is nothing. I am healed." Aelin tried to convince her mate. She had been through worse. Much, much worse. He still looked angry at her but not worried. That was an improvement.

"Come on you both need a bath." Lysandra shoved them outside the room.

Love,

Memeismeme : )