Queen of Everything (Jurdan OneShots)

cardan's pov

I love Cardan, I really love Cardan. I wanted to write his POV from the moment Jude goes to him as a snake to the part where she tells him she loves him, so I did. I wrote it side by side with the original book, so there are parts that are word by word The Queen of Nothing, all the dialogs are the same (the exact same) and it is long. I hope you like it, I do!

Everything's black. I'm trapped in a complete darkness. I'm so angry and scared. I have to kill. Kill. Destroy. Hate. Fear. Darkness. Kill. Destroy. Hate. Fear. Jude. Jude. Jude. Jude. Jude.

She comes closer, she's holding a weird golden net. "Cardan" I drawback. I'm Cardan?

"It's Jude," She says, her voice cracks. "Jude. You like me, remember? You trust me."

Jude. I like her, I trust her, I love her. I slide as fast as I can to reach her. She lifts that golden net, scared. I stop, I didn't mean to scare her. I can't stop looking at her. Jude. Jude. Jude. Jude.

She takes a step towards me, and another. She touches my scales. Jude. Jude. Jude.

"I do love you," she whispers. "I will always love you." She tucks the golden thing into her belt.

She draws a sword from her back. I can't stop looking at her as she raises the sword and swings it at my head.

I'm back, I can't remember how it happened but I'm back. Covered in serpent blood and completely naked, but alive. I step out of it. Everyone is staring at me, kneeling.

I take another step forward. "The curse is broken", my voice echoes through everyone. "The king is returned."

Jude is running into my arms. Jude.

*****

I dig my fingers into her back. I'm trembling, I thought I'd never see her again. She feels like the only thing in the world.

Soldiers approach and I let go of her. I wave away a knight who offers his cloak. "I haven't worn anything in days," I say, I can't let them notice I'm still shaking. "I can't see why I ought to start now."

"Modesty?" Jude says, playing along. I smile at her, hiding behind it. "Every part of me is a delight." I can see the pain in her eyes, and I think she can see the same thing in mine.

"Your Majesty," Grima Mog says, addressing Jude. "Do I have leave to chain your father?"

I can see she's hesitating, so I answer for her. "Yes. Chain him."

A carriage is brought. Grima Mog shouts orders and two generals clasp manacles around Madoc's wrists and ankles. Archers keep arrows pointed at him as they lead him away.

His army is surrendering, taking oaths of submission. Redcaps freshen the pigment of their hats, a few Folk feast on the dead. The air smells of smoke, sea, blood and moss. The revel probably already begun back at the palace and will last far longer than the fighting.

I slump inside the carriage. She's staring at me, at the blood drying over my body and my hair. She looks out the window.

"How long have I—" I hesitate, I don't know what words to use.

"Not even three days," she tells me. "Barely any time at all." It felt like forever. I had forgotten who I am, who I was.

The carriage draws up, and we are chivvied out. Servants have brought an enormous velvet cloak, and I accept it this time, wrapping it around my shoulders as we make our way through the chilly underground halls.