Feyre
The screaming eventually stopped, and Feyre could only hear the sound of her own breathing. Feyre didn't know how much time had passed, as the candle finally died out, and there was only darkness. It was an effort to not start panicking when no one opened the door. The shackles made it so she couldn't use any of her magic, and couldn't reach out to Rhys. But Feyre had a feeling that even if she could use her magic, she still wouldn't be able to reach Rhys. As Rhys made no contact with her, and it was likely that Maeve had put some sort of shield around this place.
After what felt like an eternity, the iron door finally opened. Maeve walked into the room with a plate of food and water. She walked over to where Feyre was sitting in the room, and put the food in front of her and on the ground.
"Eat," Maeve said. Feyre looked down at the food, and then up at Maeve. Feyre made no motion to eat the food. Maeve sighed. "It's not poisoned. That would defeat the purpose if it was." Feyre considered not eating it. But she was starving, and Feyre didn't know when she was going to eat again. Feyre reached down, picked up the piece of bread, and devoured it. Followed by her gulping down her water. Maeve only smiled.
"Let's try to have a nice and civilized conversation," Maeve said. Feyre said nothing as Maeve continued to look down at Feyre. Feyre refused to look up at Maeve.
"Wouldn't you like to know where you are? Where Aelin is?" Maeve inquired. At the name Aelin, Feyre glared up at Maeve. "Thought so. You are now going to come on a walk with me. And if you try to escape, Aelin will scream again." Feyre said nothing as Fae guards came in, and unlocked Feyre's chain from the ground. One guard kept a hand on her arm, as they led Feyre out of the room. The walls were made of concrete, as was the floor. There were no windows, only lots of hallways and turns, and endless iron doors. Feyre didn't want to know what was behind them.
They made so many turns that Feyre lost count. Each hallway looked the same, and Feyre knew that she would never be able to find her way out of this maze. They walked up several sets of stairs, and Feyre wouldn't have been surprised if they tried to confuse her even further, by taking unnecessary turns and taking her up the same sets of stairs. But Feyre knew that trying to escape would be pointless. At least not when they had Aelin. Feyre had yet to see Aelin, and she had a feeling that Maeve wouldn't let her. If it weren't for Aelin's screaming, Feyre might have considered that Aelin could be dead. And in some ways, it might be better if she was. Feyre didn't want to know what she was going through. Her screams would probably haunt her until the day she died. She couldn't believe that Aelin was captured, and tortured by Maeve once before. Only the thought that, Aelin had made it out kept Feyre going.
Feyre eventually saw sunlight, as they walked out of the prison she was just in. Feyre wasn't paying attention to where the entrance and exit was, as she was lost in her own thoughts. But Feyre only breathed in the fresh air, and snowy mountains. It looked like they were nowhere near any civilizations, as Feyre could only see trees and mountains across the horizon. It was beautiful scenery, as if it were untouched by any mortals. Feyre glanced behind her to see the prison that she was just in. The only sign of something being there, was a single iron door, built into the mountain. Well that's great. Really makes it easy for Rhysand and the others to find us, Feyre thought.
They continued to walk down the mountain and into some trees. Feyre knew that there had to be some magic heating the area, as she wasn't cold, and the surrounding mountains were littered with snow. Feyre knew that she was underground inside her cell, but she didn't realize that the prison was carved into a mountain. Feyre had no idea where she was, and she only prayed that she was still in the Night Court, to make escape and rescue easy.
They continued to walk for some time and the guards grip on her was still firm. They travelled with four other Fae males, all dressed in black, and their face covered by a mask and a hood, concealing everything but her eyes. Feyre knew that there was no point in trying to flee. Not with Maeve here, and certainly not when Aelin could be tortured even more if she made a reckless mistake. But Maeve never threatened to kill Aelin, only to make her suffer even more. Which slightly relieved Feyre, knowing that they wanted her alive. And the fear of what Aelin was going through, was triumphant over the fear of Feyre being kept underground in the dark.
They eventually stopped walking, and before Feyre stood a massive oak tree. Feyre had never seen a tree this big before, it looked ancient as the trunk towered above her. Feyre wouldn't have been surprised if the tree was a few centuries old--at least. And despite the snow topped mountains surrounding them, the tree leaves were bright green. As if rain or shine, the tree's leaves will never fall.
"This tree is probably as old as I am," Maeve mused. Based on what Aelin told her earlier, Feyre knew that Maeve was probably as old as Amren--if not older, which is to say ancient. "You are far less chatty than Aelin. When I first met her... well she was very demanding to say the least." Feyre said nothing as she continued to stare at the massive oak.
"Well I hope that you wouldn't be as arrogant as Aelin. She has quite the mouth. And you're probably wondering where we are. Welcome to the Southern Continent," Maeve said with a smile. Shit. We are in Aelin's world. My god they are never going to find us. Feyre thought. Feyre had to believe that Rhysand was coming for her. Because if she didn't have hope....then she might break.
"Stunning isn't it," Maeve commented. Feyre continued to say nothing. Feyre took in the surrounding peace around her. The land was practically untouched by civilization. Feyre wanted this for the Night Court, and for Prythian. Peace and serenity. No war. No conflict. Just peace.
"So what the hell is all of this about? Do you just want revenge?" Feyre snapped. Maeve chuckled. "For a second there, I was wondering if you forgot how to speak. And to answer your question, to keep the peace."
"Seems to me, that Aelin's world is already at peace."
"That's what they would like you to believe."
"What do you mean?"
"Despite what you may think, there is war going on here. But this time it's with each other. Kingdom's fighting over territory and land. Armies sacking cities. Innocents dying. That sort of thing," Maeve responded. They didn't mention any of this to Feyre. But then again, Maeve could easily be lying. Actually, Feyre wouldn't be surprised if she was lying. Because Aelin seemed to have saved everyone two years ago, and be friends with several queens and kings.
"What do you want with my world?" Feyre snapped.
"To have peace. Your world is in a far bigger mess than Aelin's. Most of your court doesn't even like you and your mate," Maeve chuckled. That much was true. Feyre could hardly stand to be in the Court of Nightmares, not to mention the problems they were still having with Illyrian war bands. And Tamlin still hated Feyre, Hybern wasn't on the best of terms with Prythian, and humans feared the Fae.
"And combining The Book of Breathings, The Walking dead, and my own book, it would make ruling both of your worlds much easier. And with far less death," Maeve stated.
"We aren't giving you anything," Feyre sneered.
"No. But your mate might. Especially if your life is on the line," Maeve said, with a wicked smile. Feyre's face paled. Fuck. That is exactly what Rhysand would do, if it meant that I would get to go home and stay alive. He offered Velaris just so the human queens would trust him. Not that it did anything, besides tell Hybern that Velaris existed.
"Stop torturing Aelin. I will take her place instead. Just please, let us switch stops," Feyre begged. Maeve cracked a smile. "I must decline your offer. I do wonder how you would hold up though, but I am afraid that I need at least one of you thinking straight. And Aelin is quite the opposite, as of the moment. She thinks that meeting you, saving the world, and Rowan saving her, was just another illusion." Shit. She probably thinks that she is still Maeve's prisoner. Oh fuck.
"Please, just let me switch places with her. I don't care what you do with me, just leave her alone," Feyre pleaded.
"Can't do that, I'm afraid. Don't give me that look. Do you wish to watch her be tortured? Or see her scream? Fenrys certainly didn't enjoy it. He hated me before he even met Aelin. And ever since they both escaped, the wolf has grown rather loyal to Aelin. I wouldn't be surprised if he wanted to kill me, more than Aelin."
Fenrys. My lord, that's why he was always covered for Aelin whenever they talked about Maeve. He was still blood sworn to Maeve, when Aelin was captured. Did she make him watch Aelin being tortured? Did he also hear her scream?
"Especially after Connall." Fenrys brother, Feyre thought as Maeve continued, "That broke him. Probably as much as being helpless when Cairn did his work on Aelin. Shame that he broke the blood oath, and survived." Feyre heard a growl from the guard who had a grip on Feyre's arm. The guard let go of her arm, and Feyre's shackles around her ankles and wrist disappeared. The guard already had a sword pull out, and immediately lunged for Maeve. Maeve was able to side step his swing of a sword, but she wasn't quick enough to dodge the hit to the head, from the hilt of his sword. Maeve fell to the ground, unconscious. Without thinking twice, Feyre let her magic fly. But the masked guard already had killed the other four guards. Feyre immediately put a shield around her incase this mysterious man had ill intentions.
"Who are you?" Feyre demanded. She was free. Feyre could balk if she left like it, but she wasn't leaving without Aelin.
"We don't have time for this," he said in a low voice. His onyx eyes locked with mine. "Where is Aelin?"
"I'm not telling you anything, until you tell me who the hell you are," Feyre demanded, her eyes wary of the guard. But Feyre didn't have time for this. Who knew how long Maeve would remain conscious for, and Feyre had to get Aelin back.
"I save you, yet you still think I want to harm you," the man snapped, his sword still out.
"Who are you?" Feyre growled. She wasn't going to believe a word this guy said without proof. The man shook his head with disappointment, but pulled off his hood, and removed his mask. Feyre gasped. He looked exactly like Fenrys. He had the same dark onyx eyes, and golden brown skin. The only thing they didn't share was Fenrys golden hair, as this Fae male had black.
"Connall Moonbeam, at your service."
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Fun fact: Originally I wasn't going to have Connall be alive, because I did not want this thing to be more complicated than it needed to be and/or be longer than it needed to be
But then
I decided that I like Fenrys too much, and that he deserves to have Connall back
Soooo he's not dead :)