Elide's POV
Apparently, the court decided in advance to stay here overnight. Despite myself, I do agree with Lorcan that they should've sent some warning ahead. The servants have been in a frenzy trying to prepare space for the most important people in all of Terrasen to sleep, especially Queen Aelin.
I walk with Lorcan to the large dining room the servants have prepared for us all to eat in, listening to him grumble. "Seriously, Elide," he says, "I want some warning before these lunatics -"
"Imagine if Aelin heard you call her that," Lysandra says, the shifter catching up with us from behind. I suppress a smile at the vision in my head, but Lorcan, beside me scowls.
We're barely at the dining room, Lysandra going on about Elide, when another servant rushes up to me. "My Lady," he says, "There's a very dishevelled looking peasant at our gates claiming to be King Dorian of Adarlan."
"What?!" I exclaim. I've had enough surprises for one day. I turn to Lysandra. "Where's Aelin?"
"I'm right here," Aelin replies, appearing behind us with Rowan. She frowns. "Why? Is everything alright?"
"Come with me," I demand, and start half-running towards the entrance. If one more monarch turns up here, I don't know what the servants will do.
By the time we reach the gate, Aedion has joined us, as if magnetically pull to his mate. The guards pull the gate open, and Aelin, next to me, bursts out laughing. "What happened to you?" she asks between giggles, watching the King before us.
Dishevelled was an understatement. Dorian looks as though he's been riding non-stop for a year, which he probably has. But why is he here? Manon said he hated her. I frown.
Dorian scowls at Aelin. "What are you doing here?"
"It's my country," Aelin says, finally stopping laughing, though she's still smiling. "I can come here whenever I like. The real question is what are you doing here?"
"I'm looking for Manon," he says, turning to me, sapphire eyes searching. Aelin stops laughing.
"Well, this is awkward," Lysandra mutters from behind me.
"What?"
"Manon just left," I say apologetically. "She went back to Adarlan to find you."