I love Rowan as a partner for Aelin because from the moment they decide to be friends instead of enemies, she’s like it for him.
Rowan Whitethorn isn’t out here with like a list of goals and ambitions, and if he does have a list it’s like:
how do i best protect and serve and worship my queen and goddess divine aelin
does aelin need me rn better go check
This is not a story of Rowan’s radical self improvement in order to be with Aelin. It’s a story in which they improve themselves together but don’t enter into a romantic relationship until he’s like, completely and utterly committed to her. And after they happen as a couple, rowan never makes his other issues (Lyria, feelings of worthlessness, guilt) aelin’s problem, nor does her ever try and alter her life in order to make her a better fit for him.
Aelin wants to be queen? Rowan’s going to help her get there.
Aelin wants to get married in the middle of the night for no apparent reason? Rowan knows she’s got some shit planned but sure he’ll do it for her.
Aelin gets possessed by a goddess who wants to take over her body? Rowan is like okay today’s the day i face down a literal goddess im okay w it
Aelin has issues she doesn’t want to discuss? Rowan won’t force her to discuss them but he will make sure she eats and gets on a regular sleep schedule!
Aelin gets captured by an evil demon queen? Rowan counts the days and minutes until he finds her.
Aelin thinks she has to sacrifice her life for the lock? Rowan is out here being the only SINGLE CHARACTER IN KINGDOM OF ASH who comes up with a plan to try and SAVE AELIN.
It’s refreshing that his story never becomes more important or as important as hers. It’s nice that Aelin never takes a backseat to the romance between her and Rowan, that the plot is always about her, rather than about them. And part of this is because Rowan doesn’t want to make it about himself. In fact he doesn’t even think he can offer her much and in thinking this way he gives her the most valuable type of partner: a selfless one.
(god just think about how few people aelin has had truly fight for her. I mean once she leaves Terrasen, it’s like Sam until her gets murdered, and same with Nehemia. Chaol and Dorian are largely confused and useless in CoM. Lysandra is the other person who fights for Aelin as much as Rowan and I stan her for it)
He’s very much her partner in everything, and he’s 100% completely comfortable with being a stay at home warrior dad/husband whiles she’s out running terrasen and killing her enemies.
