After Empire of Storms

Chapter 3 - Lysandra

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Oh god, how did Aelin deal with it ? With the responsibility of it all. Lysandra didn't blame her for not wanting to take up her kingdom straight away, it's hard work and it had only been a couple of weeks.
"Ly.. Aelin?" Aedion asked only looking at her for the briefest moment before finding something better to look at. Lysandra didn't care that Aedion was still mad at her, she only answered to her Queen, to the woman who had saved her.

"As I was saying, our armada is ready when you command so." Ansel said starting to sort out the piles of paper laid across the large wooden table in which all the leaders sat around.
"Perfect!" Lysandraelin said as she got up from the chair at the head of the table. "Then this meeting is dismissed," Lysandraelin started walking towards the huge wooden double doors at the other end of the room. She needed to get out of here, she could feel the walls closing in, it was hard to breath.

"Aelin wait!" Illias ran over to her. Aelin had told her of her adventure with the silent assassins. Lysandraelin had noticed the tension between Illias and Ansel but it never got in the way of what they both came to do.
"Are you okay, Aelin? You seem a little distracted." Illias asked with nothing but concern for his friend in his eyes.
"I'm fine, Illias I just need to sleep." Lysandraelin replied picking at her nails, a habit of Aelin's. Illias didn't look convinced so Lysandraelin through him one of Aelin's smiles which she had perfected and strutted away towards the towering oak doors. Air rushed into the room as she opened the doors filling up her lungs making it easier to breath.

Trapped in just one body felt suffocating. Lysandra never dared shift not even when she slept for fear of someone walking in and discovering, then all they had accomplished would crumple. Allies would see that they lied to them and withdraw their armies, it would be catastrophic. Everything Aelin had sacrificed to make this work would be for nothing if Lysandra failed.

She finally made it to Aelins chambers where she ran out to the balcony gulping down gallons of fresh air. Her heart rate slowly started to decrease and her breathing returned to normal. She gazed out over the woodland garden Aelins room overlooked. A crow flew over head swooping down towards the fountain for a quick drink before it continued on his journey. Lysandra desperately wanted to shed her skin and join him. Not that Aelin's body was uncomfortable, it's just no one could be Aelin like Aelin and all the constant stares and pressure just made it harder. She smiled as the crow soured off across the horizon remembering on their first trip to Terrasen, to meet with the Lords,the time she had been a crow. God, they should have treasures those times more, simple times where they were all together.

The lords thankingly hadn't caused any trouble, when they saw the armada Aelin had brought them. Lysandra hated them, it was hard to be in a room with them without exploding and telling them how much Aelin gave up for her Crown, her kingdom. She had given up her mate for her people. Tears started rolling down Lysandra's face, she only ever let herself cry when she was alone. Here she was complaining about hard work when Aelin was stuck with Cairn in a torture chamber. The tears were free falling now, nothing would stop them.

Knock knock.

Except the sound of the door. "Just a minuet!" Lysandraelin called as she hurried over the the bathroom to rid her face of tears. "Come in"
Aedion walked in. His eyes met hers and from the look of worry that quickly passed and then left his face Lysandra knew that he knew she'd been crying. He chose to ignore it, choosing instead to cast his glare to the stone floor while he muttered " We're all having dinner and dancing in the ball room at dusk." Then he left, not casting her a second glance.
"Great, dancing and dining" Lysandra muttered as a servant  came in with a selection on gowns for her to chose from for this evening. She guessed the celebration was necessary considering they were all going to war at the end of the week and who knew what would happen then.

Lords after Lords spun her around the ball room. her green dress elegantly fanning out each time. She was exquisite, Aelin was exquisite. People looked up to her the warrior Queen who was going to save them all. Lysandra wondered what they would do if they found out that their Warrior Queen was currently under torture in the hands of the fae Queen Meave. Tortured. Lysandraelin excused herself from the Lord she was currently dancing with muttering some lame excuse about getting air.

Outside was calmer, a sweet melody of birds harmonising with the cricketing of crickets. Suddenly, a piercing screech of a hawk interrupted the song. A hawk! Lysandra looked up to the sky and sure enough she saw the outline of a unusually large hawk. A bright flashing light and then Rowan landed next to her. He winced when he saw Lysandra as Aelin but she couldn't shift back, she was too visible. "I need to talk to you and Aedion." He demanded looking away from her face, Lysandra could only imagine the memories looking at her were bringing up.
"Of course." She replied asking no questions "let me go get him." She ran back inside the ball room quickly scanning the room for Aedion until she saw him dancing with Ansel. Approaching careful, Lysandraelin tapped him on the shoulder, "I'm sorry to interrupt but we're needed." She said nodding her head towards the open doors that led out to the balcony. Aedion glanced over to where Lysandraelin indicated noticing the large male with silver hair standing there, she didn't miss the glint of hope that shon in his eyes. He nodded, muttering an apology to Ansel and walked towards the balcony. Lysandraelin followed closely behind.

Aedion didn't hesitate "Where is she?" He asked storming up to Rowan.
"Doranelle." Rowan replied bluntly. Lysandra noticed the darkness which had started to cloud his eyes.
"Wh..." Aedion began to say and Lysandra felt a rant coming along.
"Aedion, let him explain."
"We were on our way when we were interrupted by a message from Fenrys, i flew straight here whilst the others continue to sail to Doranelle; I'll meet them there with our decision." Rowan took a deep breath "If we give Meave the keys she'll give us Aelin." a pregnant pause filled the air as Lysandra and Aedion contemplated what they just heard.
Lysandra spoke first "Meave didn't say whether she'd give us Aelin alive, it's most likely a trap, we can't....Aelin wouldn't want us too."
"Oh and you know what Aelin would want because you're supposedly her now?" Aedion began.
"Aedion no I ... I just think that it wouldn't be clever because ...."
"Stop Aelin, we need Aelin more than the keys. We have to give them to her trap or no trap."
"But ...."
"I agree." Rowan added "we need her."
"Your both making a grave mistake!" Lysandraelin warned "I understand how you both feel, I do, because I feel it too every damm day but we can't do this, handing Meave the keys would be the end for us. No light could ever outshine the amount of darkness Meave would bring."
"We need her." Was all they said in response.

Who's point of view do you want the next chapter to be from?

By the way do you guys want me to add chapters from Chaol's point of view, including aspects of Tower of Dawn and his journey back from being healed etc ?

Please comment your opinion or ideas.

1300 words

Thanks so much for reading!