Lottie and Ellie are stood in the room, Lottie's eyes are filled with tears, Ellie's staring at her with an empty expression, her own eyes haunted.
Jamie grabs your hand, staring at Ellie in anguish. "That's how you looked."
Your breath jolts, the formula.
Lottie's eyes dart to you. "Y/n?" She gasps.
You smile. "Lottie, I'm okay."
Lottie looks anxiously to Jamie with you, her brow creasing apprehensively. "Jamie? You've- have you..."
"I've left them, the Leviathan."
She visibly relieves. "Good. I missed you so much Jamie."
You yell out as two figures reach out and grab Lottie by the arms. Twins.
"Sam, Stella, get off of her!" Jamie barks, immediately striding over.
You yank him back when you see the girl has a knife.
"So you're the famous pumpkin princess." Stella murmurs into Lottie's ear.
You slowly try to lift Sayuri's sword hidden in your skirts, but Sam notices.
He lifts his own knife to point it at you. "Don't move, y/n, and you Jamie."
"How do you know my name?"
Sam rolls his eyes. "Who doesn't?"
You clench your jaw and exchange a glance with Jamie, you could take them easily, together.
"Stella! Sam!" Ingrid suddenly barges in, then stops abruptly when she sees Jamie and you. "What are you two doing here? This isn't part of the plan..."
"It's because they're completely off script!" Stella snaps, "Your precious prince has turned against us."
Ingrid draws her dagger immediately, walking straight up to you. "Broke the formula did you sugar?" Her eyes then drift to Jamie, she looks betrayed, "I can't believe you did this."
Jamie looks upset, reminding you of the fact that he lived with these people for months. "Ingrid-"
"-Put Lottie up against the wall. I want her to hear the crowd cheer when we win."
Sam and Stella slam Lottie against the wall, as she protests weakly.
"Ingrid I am so fed up with you!" You yell, pulling out Sayuri's sword in one clean motion. A strange feeling washes over you as you hold it, you've always had the irrational discomfort when handling weapons. But now...the power you hold is exhilarating.
"I wouldn't do that." Julius growls, emerging behind his partner.
Sam smirks. "We'll hurt Lottie if you try anything."
Lottie squirms in their grasp. "You don't have to do this!" her voice cracks with emotion, "Ellie's a good person!"
You tighten your grip on the sword. "And Claude's a manipulative shit-face!"
Julius and Ingrid glare at you at the same time, Jamie smiles slightly.
"Don't let him win." Lottie murmurs.
Jamie looks at them earnestly. "Please."
You jump as Julius smashes a glass on the floor. "I'm sick of this! What do you want me to do Ingrid?"
There's a long silence as everyone awaits her answer, her eyes fall. "What else do we have?"
"No." You mutter, shaking your head in disbelief, "you're wrong you can't-"
"What is your objective Ellie?" Ingrid interrupts, turning to the princess.
"To kill the Wolfsons."
"Go." Ingrid commands.
Jamie pulls you closer protectively, your grip on the sword slackening as you watch Ellie leave the room, her black dress trailing behind her.
Lottie thrashes desperately. "You can't do this!"
The door is forced open behind you and Jamie, and hope fills your chest as you see Emelia, Haru and Sayuri.
"You have to let me go now." Lottie snaps.
You offer Sayuri her sword, grimacing guiltily. "Sorry."
She takes it and smiles.
"There's five of us, and four of them." Emelia begins, scanning the room with narrowed eyes.
Jamie throws you a sword that you don't question the original location of. "Y/n and I will get Julius and Ingrid, you three go for the twins."
Everyone immediately falls into action, you charge straight at Ingrid, and dodge a jab from her knife, grabbing her arm and knocking the dagger to the ground before twisting her arm behind her back.
Emelia, Haru and Sayuri yank the twins off of Lottie, holding their weapons to their throats.
Julius drops his knife before Jamie can act, everyone stares at him.
"I'm sorry Ingrid, I won't fight him."
Jamie frowns, then nods in understanding.
As soon as Ingrid comprehends Julius's words she releases a horrifying scream of anguish, chilling you to the bone.
You grip her tighter, not wanting her to act out and punch you or something.
"Go Lottie!" You and Jamie demand in unison, she chokes back a sob and attempts to run after her princess, but is stopped by someone else. Phi.
Phi grabs Lottie and you fight back the urge to release Ingrid in order to help her. Jamie does nothing, he's remaining calm to control the situation and you're immensely grateful for this.
"What is going on here?" Phi asks, gripping Lottie's arm tighter and tighter.
Everyone waits for Jamie to say something, but he turns to you. "Y/n, let Ingrid go."
Your mouth drops open. "What?" You hate Ingrid so much, why would you just let her go?
But Jamie has that look in his eyes, and your following questions die in your mouth. You trust him with the world. So you let her go.
Ingrid stumbles forward, confused. "Why?"
He smiles his beautiful smile. "Because, no one has to lose."
Leviathan or not, everyone is entranced by Jamie, and the struggle seems to cease. You join his side and he grips your hand.
"You all trust me right?"
He knows the answer is yes.
You're surprised to hear a sudden sob from Stella. "Ellie's a nice person! She's my friend."
Julius tightens his jaw. "I trust you Jamie. More than Claude. Because you showed us the truth. You're kind, and fair, and your annoying girlfriend is too."
You blush profusely, one for being labelled Jamie's girlfriend and two for the compliment.
Phi struggles to get any words out, her grip faltering. She releases Lottie and drops to the floor in a bow. "My Prince."
You stifle a laugh despite the circumstances, then silently scold yourself for laughing in the circumstances.
"Go Lottie! Save your Princess," Jamie calls after her, then turns to you, his eyes warm again, "I saved mine."
——————————————
It's suffocating.
The crowd of people below, all watching in apprehension as Ellie and Lottie stand in front of the throne, the King and Queen behind them, Ellie clutching a knife in her trembling hand.
You had dragged Jamie out of the room and sprinted through the palace halls to get to the ballroom and now you weren't certain what to do at all.
Tears stream down Lottie's face as she tries to hold it together, staring at the girl she loves utterly broken.
You're so frightened you don't know what to do, and feel the urge of the panic attack resurfacing, like your lungs are fighting against you. Snatching the oxygen away, your own body is trapping you in cold, murderous hands.
Jamie notices, he places an arm around you and pulls you close, sheltering you from all the evil and terror in the world.
You breathe in, the oxygen is back, but lost again as you spot a dark head in front of you in the crowd. You unravel from Jamie and instantly feel cold, the world is scary again, but you're brave.
You tap Claude on the shoulder, forcing your partizan expression.
He turns sharply, and his eyes widen in surprise as he sees you, he knows immediately. "You broke it. Didn't you?"
You nod slowly, still holding the sword Jamie gave you and gripping it tighter, hiding it in the fabric of your dress.
Lottie kisses Ellie, relief swells in your chest as you smile, then look back to Claude. "And your niece will too. Thanks for the dress Claude, but you might want to run before Lottie sees you."
Claude's jaw hardens, his eyes darkening with hate, a sickly smile finds its way onto his face, tugging at his wry lips. "You're a special one y/n."
"Get out of my sight." You spit.
Claude stumbles past you, unknowing of Jamie's presence so near by. But both you and the Prince let him go, and he rejoins you, smiling genuinely for the first time in a very long while.
"Lottie!" You yell, "He went that way!" Lottie sprints through the crowd with her sword in her hand, looking like a ferocious warrior so angry she could kill hundreds.
You and Jamie instantly following her, forming the plan as you run.
"Jamie, find Ellie, bring her back."
"Okay. Stay with Lottie, and be careful, don't get hurt, and don't let your sister get hurt."
You split from Jamie so Claude doesn't see you both together and eventually find Lottie with her sword raised, standing strong and powerful before the evil Master of the Leviathan, standing with his subjects.
"You and what army?" Claude chuckles, glaring at Lottie.
"With me." You declare, standing next to your sister and gripping your own sword.
"Urgh not you again." Claude groans, "Phi, take care of precious y/n here."
There's a long silence, Phi does nothing.
Claude's face falls in confusion. "Phi? Do what I say."
"She won't." Jamie states, stepping forward out of the shadows with Ellie, "you lose Claude, the Leviathan has been abolished."
Dread floods the man's empty eyes, his head gently moving from side to side. "No..."
Ingrid's nostrils flare slightly but she stares ahead, not able to even look at her former master.
Lottie swiftly steps forward and swipes his leg with her sword, causing the now feeble man to tumble to the ground with a grunt of pain.
"I won't lose, I always win." Claude spits, his hair more unruly and his eyes crazier than usual.
Phi lifts him from the ground and leaves with the rest of Leviathan (excluding Haru and Jamie) trailing behind, no doubt to take him to security.
"Cool so, I can't anymore." You say out of the blue, dropping your sword to the ground with a clatter. You don't know what to do next when you see all of your friends running towards you and suddenly a wave of emotions overwhelms you.
Questions erupt from your group of friends, all buzzing with worry and excitement and confusion.
"How are you y/n? What happened?" Binah asks, picking a speck of dirt from the strap of your dress and scanning you for any injuries.
You shake your head, jaw quivering.
"Y/n? Are you okay?" Raphael asks, concerned.
"Are you hurt?" Jamie's beside you immediately, squeezing your shoulder.
You just burst into tears.