Tears of Raven

75

She had to be lying. There was no other explanation. She recalled arms, holding her tight. Holding her with everything that had and then a snap.

The bond had gone silent. There was no more pulling. And she knew he had felt her restlessness.

"The last thing Amidala said before crushing to the ground was that your hair, looked so dark it resembled tears of a Raven."

No.

"My mother called me that. There was no way she could have known about this."

"Maybe it was a coincidence but after what you've been through Raven, after where you ended up, can you believe it was not destiny that brought you today before me? That you were destined to fall in love with Zephyro, that he was waiting for you to heal him."

All Raven could think was the only clear memory she had, she was on her knees and the moment she had heard the soldiers rush toward her, she had bolted to the forest. She didn't look back, she ran with until her lungs were on fire, until she was so deep in the forest, no human sound was left to hear.

And she knew she was Raven and that she had to stay free. Because her mother had wanted it-

"I'm convinced that if destiny hadn't already picked you as our savior, Amidala made sure of it. She would laugh knowing that the prince of the prophecy was her son and I'm absolutely positive she would have loved you beyond comprehension."

All those years, Zed had gone on not knowing. Blamed himself for not being there. What would he say, when he found out that she was the reason his mother was gone? How could she look them in the eyes? Zelda had been so young. And all because of a stupid prophecy that didn't even depend on her anymore. All this blood for nothing.

Raven slid away from the couch and on the ground. Her chest aching like the time Vesperius had drag a dagger though it, maybe more now. She ached for Zed, for when she'd tell him that the person he had loved the most in this entire world had died to save her.

"He's not a prince though. Why do you keep calling him that"

Raven's head tilted to the side then Seraphyx voice irrupted, sweet and tender. "He's, our prince. The prince of dragonkin. This was the title we gave him after he had saved us. He couldn't be our king because-"

"There is no king, only the emperor." And that was Araxys.

"Exactly." Seraphyx nodded mentally.

"He's the prince of dragonkin." Raven repeated out loud and the queen fixed her dress now genuinely smiling. "And I killed his mother. The thing he loved more than his own life."

The queen rose, walking to sit next to Raven on the pavement. "My son did. He killed her. She was there because of him. What happened next, has nothing to do with you." she brushed some curls away from Raven's face. "The curse can be broken only by you, because no matter how many times your heart has been crushed, ripped or frosted, you have always managed to be kind. Your path has been cleared by a mother's love at any point of your life, Raven. You are the embodiment of female affection and I feel it in my bones that you will free us all." Raven was shaking, she couldn't concentrate on anything beside Zed and the way he had burst when he talked about Vesperius killing his mother. "My son liked your curls. That's why I asked your maid to always keep them straightened. So he wouldn't lust over you. I did my part in this story, now it's time you do yours."

Raven didn't jerk away.

"What is my part exactly?" hoping that someone might know.

"You came here to free that dragon, give him the possibility of choosing from what side of history he wants to be. Ask the dragon what happened to his heart. Find it and put it back into place so he can fix what he broke. If you can, be merciful with my son."