A Court of Iron and Shadows

Broken Glass Roses

Aelin's POV

I watch as Cassian challenges Mor to a drinking contest, laughter crawling up my throat, begging to be released. "2 bottles, whoever downs them first, wins 10 gold marks." Cassian says. I sit back, watching in amusement and see everyone else doing the same. 

"Make it twenty!" Mor shouts back, a gleam in her eyes. Cassian has a lopsided grin on his face, and I watch unfazed as they shout, "Begin!" at the same time, and start drinking the wine like it was air. 

They gulp down the wine greedily, and no one looks shocked at their outburst. To be honest, neither am I. I could tell from the beginning that they were the trouble makers of the group, this only further proving my point. 

Plus, I could drink that much wine in my human form and still be mostly sober, Arobynn's training kicking in. Mor finishes her first bottle of wine, Cassian not far behind. She drops the bottle, reaching for the next, her blond hair swinging with the movement. 

Grabbing the bottle, she bites the cork, spitting it out onto the table, and downing the bottle. Cassian does the same, and cheering comes from Rhys and Feyre, immensely enjoying the display. 

I chuckle slightly to myself, watching as Mor finishes with a loud burp, and a "Ha!" directed towards Cass. Casein finishes his second bottle, glaring daggers at Mor. I snort at the sight, thoroughly amused. Mor just holds out a hand, waiting for her gold, smirking when Cassian puts it in her hand. She makes a point of counting it before she slightly stumbles towards her seat, drinking too much, too fast. I feel someone's eyes on me, and turn towards Cassian who's eyes are squinted. "What?" I ask flatly. 

"Nothing." he says quickly. I don't believe him, but i'll drop it for now. I squint for a moment, before looking back at my plate, at the small amount of food that adorned it. I push it around with my fork for a moment before standing up to excuse myself. 

"I'm going to bed." I state. Everyone turns to look at me, murmuring goodnight or nodding their heads before turning back towards the conversation at hand. Azriel watches me with curiosity and something like awe, but I turn towards Cassian who still looked at me with narrowed eyes. 

I turn on my heel, walking out of the room while managing to hold intact the arrogance I had sauntered in with. Once I'm out of the dining hall, and have walked an appropriate distance away, out of ear shot, I lean against the wall, letting out a big sigh. I slid down to the floor, closing my eyes and letting a single tear run down my cheek. Just one. 

Images of Maeve greet me, and I snap them back open, blinking away the scars that lingered--inside and outside. I let out a soft sigh through my nose before I get up, continuing to walk through the hall. 

And as I do so, I can swear that the shadows are watching me, whispering things of long since past. 

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Azriels POV

I watch Celaena throughout the rest of the meal. She can hear my shadows. She's the first person I know that can hear shadows like I can. It makes me feel a surge of joy--to know that I'm not the only one anymore. That someone else understands. 

Mor and Cassian finish their drinking, and Celaena's eyes gleam with mischief, although she looks slightly unimpressed, as if she could do better. She pushes her food around her plate for a few more minutes, and I observe her. I watch her face, she looks tired. Although I guess being tortured for months does that to a person. 

She stands up, excusing herself and walking out of the room. I don't hesitate to follow her, leaving without so much as an explanation, melting into shadows and darkness. I find Celaena in a hallway, when she deems it okay to lean against the wall, letting her guard down and allowing her mask to slip. 

She closes her eyes, letting out a soft sigh, sliding down to the ground, letting a single tear run down her face. Her eyes snap open not a minute later, and thinking she saw me, I duck further behind the pillar I hid behind, my wings squeezed together tightly behind my back. 

I look at the girl who was shattered before me. Broken, but maybe not beyond repair. I can see the demons she hides, the mask she wears to fool everyone. I know what it's like. To be in the darkness so long that it begins to stare back. To not be able to tell from what's fake and what's reality. She gets up with a sigh through her nose, and continues walking down the hall. 

I follow her until she finds her room, and opens it. She closes it with a soft click, but not before I see her beautiful turquoise eyes ringed with gold glassed over, holding back tears that told stories. Memories. I don't watch her in pity though. I watch her in recognition. 

Recognition for all she's been through, and all she will go through. Because it's not easy being a human on this side of the wall, regardless of if you've lived happily or not thus far. Because the journey ahead is a long one, and once you find the end of the long road you have walked...everything becomes clearer, held in a new light. 

I plan to see that light. To find it, and look at everything I've faced through the years, whether it be horrors long since past, or pranks I've attempted to talk Cass out of. With a small smile of the memories that flood through my head, I look at the door that held the beautiful girl inside. 

She was very beautiful, with golden hair and stunning eyes. Although she bore scars, and had bones thin and frail as sticks, she was still beautiful. Maybe not to the people like Beron and Tamlin, but to me...she was gorgeous indeed. 

Beauty like that is hard to find. The kind of beauty that had faced the terrors throughout the world, and survived them. I plan to cherish that beauty, every day. And so, I make it my mission to repair the broken glass rose that was Celaena Sardothien. 

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Word Count: 1068

Hey guys! I know this chapter is shorter, and I was going to write more on this one, but I had a good idea for the next chapter, and thought it would have a better effect if it was it's own chapter...does that make sense?

Also, before anyone comments about Celaena not being a rose, in Az's POV, it's supposed to be like..she's beautiful, and deadly, but bears scars and stuff. It's also a reference to the title, A Court of Thorns and Roses.

I also got the idea from a quote that I like, "She is a rose in a field full of weeds, but she is the most dangerous of them all with her hidden thorns."

Did anyone get the quote from ACOMAF? Comment if you did!

 "When you spend so long trapped in the darkness, you find that the darkness begins to stare back."

That's all, I'll try to get another chapter posted today. Also, I just added another sentence onto Whispering Shadows, so that's why it says I updated that as well, I just added to where Feyre asks her name. Read it if you want, don't have to though. 

It's just explaining how Az knows her last name. Anyways, I'll get started on that chapter now. 

Love, 

Hannah Elizabeth Rose