Still Aelin's POV
The first night I spend at Adarlan, we don't do much. I stay in private chambers, and no announcements are made about my arrival. The only people who know I'm here are Dorian, Chaol, and the private guards that took me up.
Dorian and I briefly talk over official stuff, but move off that topic as quickly as we can. As my visit here is not official, I don't see why we should treat it as such. I ask nothing of Manon, and he doesn't say a thing about her wither. Then, true to our inner selves, we - including Chaol - sit around a fire and read, ignoring all the stuff we always have to do.
The next morning, I wake up early but refreshed. It was nice to spend a night relaxing and doing nothing, something I certainly wouldn't have been able to do at home.
I crawl out from under the warm covers, shivering in the chill air, and pull on the most comfortable looking thing I can see. For once, I don't bother with jewellery or makeup. Since I'm not officially here, I don't see why I should dress like it.
I poke my head around the door, and the guards immediately come to attention. I'm surprised to find that my own guards from Terrasen were allowed up here, though I doubt they would have trusted anyone else to, allied kingdom or not. I'm glad to see familiar faces rather than Adarlan's guard, anyway. "Your Majesty," they bow. "Is everything alright?"
"Yes, all's good," I say. "I'm going to visit Dor - King Dorian." Though I don't hide that we're friends, I have to keep up appearances.
"Of course," they say, and fall in behind me as I make my way up through the castle. I know most of the quieter passages from my time here, so we take a longer route to his rooms.
I'm not surprised to find Dorian already awake, and despite being allowed all the way up here, Dorian barred my guards from entering any further into his private chambers. Fair enough. I follow him into his study, where Chaol is waiting. "Cake?" he asks, offering me a piece.
"Always," I smirk, taking it from him. I frown, and turn to Dorian. "Aren't you supposed to be doing official King of Adarlan stuff?"
"Aren't you supposed to be doing official Queen of Terrasen stuff?" he counters, grinning.
I straighten," I will have you know, I say mock-seriously, trying not to smile. "That I abandoned my many things to do, and rushed down here, blowing them all off, to come and see you, your highness."
His face goes serious. "Thank you for that."
I smile, waving a hand. "No problem. So what're we actually doing today?" The two men glance at each other. "What?" I say, putting on my most ridiculously posh voice, acting offended. "You can't tell me you dragged the Queen of Terrasen away from her mountain stronghold all the way down here and don't have her itinerary planned?" I pick my nails, looking down my noise. "How rude."
"Well, your Magnanimous Holiness," Chaol says, bowing stupidly low and grinning. "I assure you, we can find something to occupy your precious time." He offers me his elbow, and I take it. He leads me towards the door, before turning back to Dorian. "Coming, peasent?" There's a beat of silence, then I burst out laughing. After another moment of looking completely shocked, Dorian does the same.
"Why, Chaol," he says, coming to stand nest to me and offering his elbow to my other free hand. "I never knew you had it in you."
We all laugh again, and make our way through Adarlan's castle.
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Dorian's POV
I take Aelin on a tour of my castle, avoiding all the places I know will bring up bad memories. While the castle itself hasn't changed much since Aelin was last here, the atmosphere is so different from last time and I'm glad I can show her how great this place can actually be.
First I take her to the puppies one of my bitches gave birth to a few weeks ago. "Oh, puppies! We're staying here all day now," she say, stroking them. They wag their tails happily. "You're never getting me away from these."
True to her word, it is a challenge when we eventually have to leave, but she eventually stands and follows us. "I can't believe we're leaving," she mutters.
I laugh, glancing around the corridor to make sure there are no lords outside waiting for us, when Chaol lets out a startled exclamation behind me. I spin around. Aelin's coat is wriggling, and a second later, a furry head peeps out.
"Aelin!" Chaol says.
"Dorian," she says. "I need it." Chaol raises an eyebrow, and I take the puppy from her. "Fleetfoot needs a friend," she protests, reaching for it.
I keep the puppy away from her, placing it quickly back with it's mother. "Why can't Fleetfoot have her own puppies?" I ask, smiling as we round the corridor.
Aelin pauses. "Because I hadn't thought of that," she eventually says. I laugh.
We avoid everyone in the corridor's, to the extent that, at one point we all hide around a corner, holding our breaths and waiting for a group of my most pretentious and 'important' lords to pass. They're looking for me and seem rather annoyed. Apparently the word got out that Aelin's here because they're looking for her too. Chaol does an impression of them that has us laughing silently, trying not to make any noise unless we alert them. We're acting like children, but I don't care. I know they're important or whatever, but I cannot be bothered to deal with them or take them seriously today.
We creep out of our hiding space when they eventually leave, still laughing a little, and end up in the maze in the garden. "That was hilarious," Aelin says, leaning her shoulder against a bush.
"Yeah," I agree. I turn to Chaol. "How come you can't do impressions like that all the time? It would certainly make council meetings more interesting."
"Yes, and get me hanged," Chaol says, laughter in his eyes.
"I wouldn't let them," I say, waving a hand. "Who cares about their opinions anyway?"
Chaol raises his eyebrows. "If you really feel that way, would you like to see my impression of you?"
My eyes widen, and Aelin cackles. "Yes we would," she says evilly.
"No we wouldn't!" I exclaim. "Do not - I -"
"Do it!" Aelin chants.
He opens his mouth, grinning, just as someone smacks the back of his head from behind him. "Do you know how long I've been looking for you?"
It's Yrene, looking comically furious, her baby in her other arm. "Get a husband, they said, he'll help with his own child, they said," she continues, advancing on her husband. She pauses her stalking, turning to Aelin. "Hold the baby."
Aelin gently takes the child, "Hello, baby," she coos, rocking it.
Yrene turns back to Chaol. "I asked you two days ago, two days and I reminded you last night, if you would look after your own son, and of course you said yes. And when I wake up this morning after my meagre hour of sleep, where are you? Galivanting around the castle with your friends like a ten year old boy! I haven't slept in a week -"
Chaol glances at me, a request for help in his eyes. As much as I'm enjoying this, I step forward. "Yrene, if I may -"
"No, you may not," she says, turning to me. "As for you, your highness, do you know how worried you've got your court? Yes, they're stupid old men, but they're stupid old men who you told there was going to be a war. I've had to deal with them and a month old baby all morning!" I am no longer enjoying this. "For the gods sake, Dorian, you called another Queen down here! I know they're annoying, but they do care about this country."
"Yrene -"
"Don't interrupt me! You need to go and talk to them before they execute someone." She mutters, "The gods know they've already tried.
She turns back to Aelin, smiling widely at her, and takes back the baby from her. "Thanks," she says, then turns back to her husband, and puts him in Chaol's arms. "It is your turn."
"But - "
"No. He's your child too." With that, she turns back, hugging Aelin tightly and then taking her arm. "It is so good to see you!" she says, smiling. "It's been so long. How's Terrasen? Honestly, it'll be so nice to have another woman around here, however shortly you can stay."
"Yes," Aelin agrees. "You know, you should come up to Terrasen sometime and discipline some of my lords.
The two laugh, beginning to walk away, and I snap out of the shock Yrene's words put me in. "Actually, Yrene, Aelin was -"
"Aelin is coming with me until you've sorted out you're court, Dorian," she says, fierceness back.
"I - but - fine!" I say. It's really the only thing to say.
Yrene turns back to Aelin, and the two saunter off chatting, leaving me and Chaol in shocked silence behind them.
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HI peoples,
im sorry its been so long, this chapter is mainly fluff but i hope you enjoy it anyway. i meant to upload it sooner but then i had homework, and acosf came out (which i've finished, it was AMAZING), and then my computer started glitchign and apparently has battery problems or whatever. we dont actually know whats wrong but thats what they think.
OH and i've uploaded some of this to ao3. it's not all on there yet (i think i've put about 12 parts on, but it will say 4 chapters because i combined them to make them longer), but you can read it there if you want,
stay safe :)
oh also this is the longest chapter ive uploaded i think