Life after the War - A Throne of Glass Fanfic

Nightmare

The concept for this chapter was suggested by @lissamz. Thank you very much.

There was darkness everywhere. She was all alone in this seemingly endless abyss, walking and walking till she reached a bed – not a sign of comfort but of torture. Her parents lay there, cut from ear to ear in their sleep. She gave an inhumane cry and tears started rolling down. Aelin ran as far as she could only to find Sam's mutilated corpse. She sat there for a while, not able to move. She turned around to find Nehemia, tortured and murdered by the sadist killer. The whole place was filled with people she had lost, of people she had failed.

She sat there crying until she saw young Aelin who had given her the strength to fight the Valg at Mistward. She walked towards her for a last piece of hope but when she looked in her eyes, there was just disgust. Slowly as she came towards her, the young Aelin turned into a whole different person. Her golden hair changed into black, her turquoise eyes ringed with gold transformed into dark purple. Maeve, the Valg Queen, came towards her with her face full of hatred. She gave a malicious laugh and the place behind her filled with dead bodies, some known and some unknown. Her court lay there dead at the Valg Queen's feet. Then a cruel-looking fae warrior appeared from behind Maeve. Cairn walked towards Aelin on his queen's order.

Aelin was not afraid. No, she did not fear death or torture. After what she had done, after all the people she had failed, she deserved this and she was ready for it. But Cairn just went past her and Aelin turned to see where he was going. She was definitely scared now. Cairn was hauling a half-conscious Rowan towards Maeve. Aelin was crying and shouting. Praying to Maeve to leave him and take her instead. An iron-tipped whip magically appeared in Cairn's hand and he began whipping her mate mercilessly. Aelin's screams for help and Rowan's roar of pain formed a deafening noise. Cairn bowed to his queen, offering her the whip which she gladly accepted. Maeve whipped Rowan and the cries grew louder.

Cairn now walked towards Aelin, turning into the Valg King, Erawan. He looked at her wickedly and spat on her face before forcing her watch her mate. Rowan was now unconscious, lying in a pool of his own blood.

"Fireheart." Rowan called.

He was awake, watching his mate shouting in her sleep. "Please", "No not him", "Take me instead", "Rowan" and "I am sorry" made most of her cries. He pulled her closer, trying to wake her up from whatever nightmare she was in. She has had quite a few nightmares after the war but none of them looked as intense as this one.

"Fireheart."

Aelin woke but didn't open her eyes. She didn't want to see her mate dead.

"Where am I?"

"Fireheart, you are home. We all are safe." Rowan said softly and put his hand on her golden hair, "It was just a dream."

Aelin opened her eyes, happy at the reassuring voice of her mate. She put her head deep in his chest and began crying.

"I don't think I can ever be a Queen. I don't think I can run from what I have done. I don't think I can run from the people I have failed." Aelin said, burying her head deeper in his chest.

"Fireheart, it was not your fault. We had decided to leave our past together. We were going to let it stop haunting us." Rowan said, consoling his queen but she just kept crying. For some time, they didn't say anything. They just hugged each other tightly.

"You are going to be a great Queen. You have been through a lot and so have I, but we together make each other whole. Make each other wish to live even after the horrors we had to face." Rowan said to her, lifting her face to meet his. He kissed her on her forehead and put her head on the pillow, instructing her to sleep.

"You need rest". Rowan said and adjusted the blanket. Aelin came closer to him, pushing her pillow aside to put her head on his hands.  

Please vote and share if you are enjoying this. I think the last chapter did not feel complete so I may  have another chapter to fill it.

Love, 

Memeismeme : )