A/N: This is my first attempt at writing fanfiction for the Throne of Glass series, so let me know what you thought of it.

It smelled like I was in an old-people's home. I sniffed once again and then I decided that I should just ignore the smell, for I had to be here. I had never felt the urge to go to the library, but since I needed more information, the library was the only place to go. I had searched the entire internet for only a scratch of information, but it had seemed like every tiny bit they had had, was now gone. Like it had gone up in smoke. I sighed in frustration. For that exact reason, I had been obliged to go to this dustball full of books.

''Can I help you with something, sir?'' I heard a voice ask behind me. I turned around and looked down on the librarian who was sitting behind her desk. I had expected a small, elderly woman, but instead I saw a young girl with brown hair sitting behind the desk.

I smiled at her, ''no thank you, miss…- ''

''I'm Elide, the temporary librarian. Are you sure you will be able to find what you need?''

I gave her a small nod. ''I think I'll be quite alright.''

She nodded in reply, but kept staring up at me. ''It doesn't seem like you come here often.'' She noted.

I raised one eyebrow. ''And why do you think that?''

She laughed a bit. ''You have been standing there for a couple of minutes now, looking around like you're a predator waiting for his prey. Most people just walk to the bookcases.''

''I…''

''What's your name? You will need to have a library card if you want to borrow a book.''

I hesitated for a bit. ''Can't I just study here for a bit?''

She shook her head with a small grin. ''What? Afraid that we're going to keep track of you somehow? It's just for registration purposes.''

''Rowan Whitethorn.''

She typed it into her computer. ''Are you registered at university, Rowan?'' She asked, looking up again.

''Yes.''

''What do you study?''

I frowned. ''Do you have to know that?''

She grinned again. ''Just curious. That's all.'' She walked over to the printer and came back a second later with a piece of paper. ''This is your temporary card. You will be able to pick up your real library membership card next week.''

I nodded and folded the paper so it could fit in the back pocket of my trousers. ''Thank you.'' I turned around and walked to one of the bookshelves. After a while I had found a book I could use for information. There were some tables standing in the middle of the library. There were only three students sitting in the library at this point. It was dinnertime after all. I sat down at one of the empty tables and bowed my head over the book.

''Do you mind if I join you?'' Asked a female voice. I looked up and I was stunned by what I saw. I was staring right into the most beautiful eyes I had ever seen. Blue eyes and gold trimmed around the pupil. ''What? Speechless by what you see?'' She laughed deviously.

''No.'' I responded gruffly, trying to regain my composure.

She put her hands on her hips, and oh help me, but I couldn't stop staring at her. ''So, if you're done staring, can you give me answer to my question?''

''You can sit wherever you like.'' I answered irritated. Why did she have such an effect on me? You know exactly why. She's gorgeous beyond words, you moron. Say something nice to her. I ignored the voice in my head and bend over my book again, trying to concentrate on what I was reading. But I couldn't help and let my attention wander to the girl that was sitting right in front of me. She was reading a comic book. I kept looking up at her. Her long blonde locks falling for her face. She blew them angrily away, but they would just settle in the same spot again. I laughed a bit under my breath.

She looked up from her book, raising one eyebrow. ''What's so funny?''

I shook my head. ''Nothing.''

One of the corners of her mouth turned up into a lopsided smile. ''Yeah, sure.'' She clearly didn't believe me. She cocked her head to the side. She looked absolutely adorable this way. ''Why do you keep staring at me?''

"I'm not.'' I replied.

She grinned, ''yes, you are. Don't think you're the only one who looks at other people.'' She crossed her arms and leaned back in her seat. My eyes tried to stay on hers, but eventually they dropped to her lips. ''Like what you see?'' She asked with a cocky smile plastered on her face.

I shrugged and tried to be casual. ''It's not anything special in any case.'' It is, it absolutely is.

Her face fell for just a fraction of a second, but she immediately tried to hide it again by grinning. ''Seems like you don't know how to appreciate something when you see it.'' She placed her hands on the table in front of her. I looked at her hands and noticed that there were scars on both her hands. She saw me staring at her hands and she put them immediately under the table.

''I guess I've just seen too many pretty faces.'' I winked at her. I attempted to pretend as if I hadn't noticed the look on her face when she saw me staring at her hands.

''Now that's some interesting information. But I guess it wouldn't be too hard with your looks. Girls probably just being drooling when you walk in the room. But, don't think I'm the same, I've seen my fair share of handsome men.''

Dammit, I could have expected this. She has a sharp tongue.

She smirked, ''so, handsome man,'' she drawled out those words and I had to bite my tongue to stop myself from replying, ''what are you doing here during dinner time?''

''I could ask you the very same thing.''

She held up the book. ''Don't you see? I'm reading a comic book.''

I rolled my eyes. ''I obviously can see that, but why now? Shouldn't you be doing something with your friends?''

Her face fell and she shrugged lazily. ''I enjoy the atmosphere here.'' I knew there was more behind it, but decided to let it rest, for now. How could a girl like her capture me so fast? I've only just met her. That's because she's gorgeous, intriguing and mysterious, obviously. There was that voice again.

''So, what's your name?'' I asked her.

''Aelin.'' She replied. I shuddered. Her name was… so fitting and so different. ''And yours?''

''Rowan. Please to make your acquaintance.'' I answered.

''Well, Rowan,'' drawing out those two syllables, ''as you can see, I'm reading something and no matter how much I've liked this conversation till this point, I'd like to finish this book before the end of the day.'' I nodded and picked up my own book again.

After another thirty minutes of agonizing silence between us, I sighed in exasperation and laid my book on the table. ''Can you just stop looking so adorable? It's distracting, you know.'' I could have hit myself at that moment for saying that. I shouldn't have said that.

Slowly Aelin laid her book on the table and a smirk appeared on her face. ''I was waiting on the moment that you would admit it, buzzard.''

She stood up and I couldn't help but letting my eyes appreciatively glide over her. She set her hands on her hips. ''I'll see you tomorrow then, Rowan. Same time, same place.'' And with that she strode away. I shook my head. What had just happened? It was not often that someone left me speechless, but she had just done it and I didn't know how I felt about it. I shoved my chair back and walked to the desk.

''Can you keep this in store for me, I'll be back tomorrow.'' I said to Elide.

She looked up and smiled. ''Liked the book or maybe something else? Or should I say someone else?'' She waggled suggestively with her eyebrows.

I chose to ignore her comment. ''Do you know a girl named Aelin? She just walked out of here.''

''Oh, so it is about someone then.'' She smirked, but then nodded. ''Yes, she's my best friend.''

I raised my eyebrows up in surprise. I certainly hadn't expected that. ''What's her surname?''

Elide shook her head. ''I'm not the one who should tell you that, Rowan.'' She stood up, but hesitated for a second. ''Don't press her too much, she has gone through a lot.'' With that she walked away and I was left pondering about Aelin.

A/N: Thanks for reading and maybe till next time!