Chapter 4

"Who are you?" "What are you doing here?" "Are you with the king?" "Why did you try to kill us?"

These seemed to be the only questions they were interested in. Each repeating it more curiously than the last.

"I can answer one by one," Aelin replied as she relaxed back into the broken chair.

"Who are you?" the first question came. All of them towered her, anger dripping from them, intense looks on each of their faces. Most had crossed their arms, demanding answers from her.

"It makes me devastated that you can't tell," a pause as Aelin's grin crept in, giving them the benefit of the doubt. "I am a woman."

A punch met her face as soon as the answer left her lips, sending her jaw jerking to the side, a stinging pain rising in her jaw. Conan. Again. It had taken her a minute, but she had realized he cared for her. Cared for the woman she had struck, for the princess that he had sat next to even as she was about to take. She had realized soon enough.

And now she knew exactly how she was going to play the game.

"What did me knocking out the princess make you angry?" Oh she was toying with delicate lines. Conan, the only one she now knew, clenched his jaw as he pressed on his fists, his knuckles white from the impact. "I think we should burn her," he answered, earning a glare from her. They wouldn't just burn her. She knew that for sure. But some part of her wondered if they would, if they were monsters like her. She didn't know about the rest but Conan would. The bastard would pay for all of this once she laid her hands on him. And she'd make sure he would suffer.

Immensly. Gods this man infuriated her. It made her hate him so much.

"Or maybe leave her here until she decides she wants to answer," one with moonlight hair answered. A wise one. Or so she seemed. The scars on her face begged to differ. The woman had been standing queitly all this time. Calmly. She hadn't slightly been interested in the interrogation they were having but was watching each of them with her deathly stare. Like a hawk watching its prey.

Aelin turned her face away from them, making sure they understood she wouldn't open her mouth. She'd suffered worse. Tortured to extents these bastards couldn't comprehend so she kept her mouth tightly shut as she turned leaving each of them walking out the room slowly, some cursing her, some letting out sighs. Leaving her alone in the room, where all she could see were the outlines of a door and a window.

~

Astra shot out of the room, towards the inn. She was infuriated by the woman. Who wouldn't say a word. Her body was heating up, her fire begging her to let it explode. Blood shot in her veins as she fastened her pace towards the inn hoping to be left alone so she could think. Think. Her mind was screaming, heart pounding louder and louder. Sweat started forming on her forehead, her hands shaking vigorously. She was having another anxiety attack. One that had become too usual now.

Footsteps behind her stopped her midway as she turned around ready to tell anyone who was following her to go away. But her expression softened, her heart sinking into her chest as she spotted Conan a few fest away, his arms crossed, head cocked to the side as he looked at her up and down. He slowly started stepping towards her, his footsteps making no sound on the ground.

"Are you okay?" the prince asked, worried. The sun had almost risen. The sky a swish of purples and blues. The air hummed around them, the silence carrying weariness of unspoken words. She didn't dare speak, because she knew Conan would immediately know she was not. She was not okay. War was coming. One that would change the history of the world. One that would be recorded in every book and told in every story.

She clutched her hands, letting calmness take over her face, trying not to cringe at all.

A mere nod of the head had Conan stepping towards Astra, ready to embrace her. He knew her too well to know she was lying. Even as he hated that she had to lie because of him. So he wouldn't worry. Things already consumed his mind, things that were far more important than this, but still atop everything, Astra still remained the most considerate thought in his mind.

"I'm sorry princess, I'm sorry I wasn't there to protect you when that bitch attacked. I'm sorry I couldn't be by your side and kill her before she dared touch you," Conan's voice sounded wobbly. He ran his hand through Astra's soft brown hair as he breathed in her cinnamon scent, the hug providing warmth and comfort to him. Astra moved her head up, her hands now around Conan's face as she cupped his cheeks, gently rubbing her soft fingers against his cold one. "Conan," she started, the anxiousness now disappearing from the safeness of this male. But he didn't let her complete her sentence as he pulled her waist closer, pulling her lips to his own as he caressed them with his. Her soft lips moved in sync with hers, blood rushing in both their veins. Sparks shot through them both as their mouths intertwined as his tongue swept in, making Astra clutch onto him tighter.

Conan had always known he was in love with her. From the minute he had met her he knew she was different from the others. The way she excited him, infuriated him, no one had made him feel that way. He thought back to the day he'd met her. When he had first met the girl he was now deeply in love with. The one he loved dearly. The one that consumed his mind entirely.

It was two years back. The prince was about to drive his sword, an old family heirloom, the Andraxos, a blade that was stained with blood of millions on it, through an old man who had only rejected the prince's offer to move his cart of apples somewhere else.

He remembered each and every detail clearly. 

It had only stopped raining, the smell of fresh rain, still lingering in the air, pools of water formed in every corner of the busy street. Spices, cultures, all persisting in the humid air. People had finally left their houses, to return to their workplaces. The street was packed with people all busy in their mundane duties. The prince had been drunk since last night. gulping bottles of the fanciest whiskey one after another. 

All he had done was ask an old man with a cart full of green, fresh looking apples, lined perfectly on top of each other, to move to the side so he could get off of his mare. The old man had merely smiled, his wrinkles becoming prominent as he narrowed his eyes while smiling, his white hair shining even without the sun's light. And in the politest way he could have, declined the prince from moving.

The reason was simple. One because the street was so full there was hardly any place to go. Two because he did not realize Conan was a long forgotten prince.

God's Conan was so angry. Rage had fueled him as he had unbuckled his sword, sending gasps his way. The murmuring getting louder by the second. People had already gathered around him, looking at the enchanting sword, and the drunk stranger that held it.

The sword was not like any other mortal weapon. Its blade had been created with finest of silver and iron, derived from the deepest parts of the caves by his ancestors themselves. It was polished still to shine the best it could. It had been in his family for as long as he knew. The blade was a family heirloom passed on for generations to the eldest of the family.

He had almost killed the man, when a woman, a brown haired one, had deflected the blow, and sent a kick into his groin. The hood of her cloak was thrown over her head, concealing her features, but the prince had still made out how angelic the woman was. 

Her brown hair was tied in an elegant looking ponytail, no strands escaping it. Once she let down her hood, Conan looked at Astra for the first time. She was beautiful. Her face angular and tanned. Skin glowing, light blue eyes gleaming. Her pink lips were pulled in a straight line. she was medium height, her tight jumpsuit, exposing all her nice curves. Her pointy yet delicate ears told she was Fae. 

"Stay there you piece of shit," she said as she started walking in the opposite direction leaving Conan and the people behind.

 He still remembered the clink of his sword as it had fallen to the ground, his hands moving to his groin, holding it as the pain coursed through. 

He chuckled at the thought. The fact that they were now together, surely even mates. He loved her dearly. Enough to kill anyone that would try and harm the princess.

"Are you okay?" Astra asked, finally pulling back from the kiss. Both of them caught their breath, their faces only a few inches away. She could feel Conan's hot breath. Heat radiating off of both of them now. "Yes princess I'm fine, besides how could I not be after what just happened?" Conan remarked. Astra chuckled slightly, her canines showing slightly.

The heat that was roaring to be let out had finally gone back to slumber, it's flames still burning like an ember. "Oh really?" Astra asked.

He moved his hands to her lower waist, pulling her closer to him once again.

But it was cut off from a muffled scream sounding from their side. The side where the female was kept. Another scream came their way, now sounding like their names being called from a distance. Both Conan and Astra were now alert looking in the direction of the scream. Fennis came running towards them, his long hair now cruising with the wind.

"It's," he panted, sweat slightly forming on his forehead, "The woman, she, she said she'll talk."

Before they knew it, Conan and Astra were both running behind Fennis, thoughts and questions running through their heads. The wind hit their skin, the sun now in its position, darting over them. Gods what was happening? 

This was a question that was being asked too often now.

~

Aelin had only taken three minutes to get rid of the chains that held her in the room. She made sure no noise was made as she did, avoiding outside attraction. Her hands had red band marks, from the chains that had met her skin burning slightly as they did.

She touched the spots where she kept her weapons, her back and belt bare, the spots feeling empty as they did.

"I swear all of these idiots, need a good beating," she whispered to herself, her voice soft unlike it usually sounded, "And some good training too."

 She heard footsteps outside the door, the sound sending her into a defense position, her hand reaching the back of her hair where her hidden dagger rested. 

Out of everything Rick had offered her, this was one she had absolutely loved. The dagger that looked like a hairpin, sat in her hair, folded to the position of her hands on it. Unlike the rest she carried, it was a little smaller, the size of her hand, curled and embroidered with gold looking designs to hide it within itself. Yet it was still just as lethal. The tip was good enough to slice through any force.

She clutched the dagger tighter, staying alert for any kind of danger.

"Do you think the king is doing it for his own good?" a muffled male voice sounded from the door, gaining Aelin's attention in seconds. She let out a breath she didn't know she had held as her heart tightened in her chest, the feeling sending a weird sensation through her body. She didn't know if it was curiosity or bad luck as she took a soft step towards the door, leaning her head closer to the door. Not to escape, but to listen. Listen to what the people outside were talking about.

All her years of training felt like an absolute waste as she heard her own heartbeat getting louder and louder. She leaned towards the door further, half her attention still towards the window in case of any threats.

"No, I think Astra is right, he's doing it for someone else. Someone with power greater than even he holds," another voice answered. Another male one. Stern and steady. "I heard he has some kind of locket, an amulet of some kind that he's using to command the humans to his own will. You know, use them to create some kind of army. A not so human one. But I'm not so sure if it's all true."

A muscle in Aelin's jaw tightened as she heard the word amulet from the male's mouth. She sucked her teeth and swallowed quickly. Gods had the Queen lied to her? What was going on? Maybe making a deal with the Fae Queen was a mistake, maybe she had accepted an absurd offer too easily. A locket for a princess. Gods how was she so stupid? Maybe the Queen didn't have it, maybe she was just using Aelin for her own needs. Besides she hadn't asked for proof anyways.

She gritted her teeth as she moved back to the seat, its outline hardly present in the darkness and sat in it. Adjusting herself. All the thoughts whirled in her head as she did.

What she was now going to do would bring her doom.

~

The woman, was good with weapons but there was no doubt she was beautiful. Her platinum blonde hair was dull, yet long and thick, reaching her back even in a braid. She was around the same height as Zavia, her long, slender legs hidden within her cloak. Her face was long yet round, her cheekbones high and prominent. Her jaw wasn't as angular as Astra's but her eyes... Even as they were a significant Emerald color, her intense looks had only added to her beauty.  

He had been talking to Jude about his thoughts on their mission, when he heard the chains rattling from inside the room.

They were keeping him in an old warehouse, a few miles away from the inn. The inn itself was located in a mere corner in Belarus. One the king's men had not waged in yet.

It was bad.

Commoners were dying, demi-fae being imprisoned as slaves, Fae themselves being executed. Demi fae, did not have powers. They could only do small things, growing a plant, healing mortals. They possessed none of the Fae powers themselves.

The warehouse was old, wooden pieces sticking out of their places. The wood was worn, while the paint inside had already chipped off. It smelled bad. Very very bad. As if something had died and been left there to rot.

Once he heard the rapid rattling of chains, Fennis's eyes widened, his heart racing at the sound, "What the bloody hell?" he called out before abruptly opening the door of the warehouse and walking in. The ground was bare, dry grass. Yellow and dead. Like everything else in Belarus. 

It wasn't always like this. Belarus had once been the land of great riches. All kinds of cultures, arts and practices blooming within it. The place had the most magnificent of buildings, colors blooming everywhere. The people had been at peace, prosperity and good luck at its best. Trade, farming and professions of all kinds were the finest. The Land of the Wise was what they had called it. Once. He wished everything would go back to the way it were. The way Belarus was before...

The woman sat there, one leg crossed over the other now comfortable on the broken chair. She looked at him, a grin on her stiffened face, "Gather your fellows, will you? It's time we have a chat." His heart skipped a beat as he tried best to remain calm, everything around him coming to a stop.

Disaster was about to come.