Kaida's finger twitches while on the floor.
She was still alive. Whatever Maven had done, was a smoke screen.
He had gently closed her eyes shut, as she 'took her final breath' and she went along with it.
It was her blood on the floor, wasn't it? She felt the pain. Oh God, that searing pain. It was real. And yet here she is, alive and conscious, remaining as still as she could. Waiting for her chance...
Maven circles back up to the throne, shielding Kaida's body from Adrien's view.
Adrien arches a blonde brow, still somewhat fascinated by the turn of events, but content, nonetheless.
"You sit on the throne for now Adrien, but just know I have as much power as you do. If not more."
Maven gives a barbed warning to Adrien as he stands by his right-hand side, with his hands clasped behind his back.
The Prince looks down at him with a particularly pointed glare.
Adrien looks up, he heeds the warning, but he does not reply.
Maven was exactly how people described him as to Adrien. Adrien is intrigued by his stunning countenance which does not match his cutthroat nature.
Perhaps there was someone Adrien could finally relate to, after 36 years of walking alone.
"ADRIEENNNNNNNNNN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
A rough and deep shout rips through the throne room, echoing off the baroque walls and stained-glass window.
Maven's eyes widen in recognition.
Cal comes staggering down the central path that leads to the throne.
He shoves aside a few of the corpses that guard the door. And they melt to the floor.
The fight with Adrien's horsemen had evidently been to the death.
In the 4 vs 2, Elias had been gravely injured as him and Cal fought back-to-back.
Cal himself had a very cut across his eyebrow, the deep face wound dramatically leaking lines of silver, making it appear deeper than it actually was.
He's got a silencing collar half broken on his neck, the exposed wires digging right into his jugular.
The horsemen had attempted to stop him permanently, and they nearly did.
But fighting against Cal and Elias, together. No chance. All they could do was weaken Cal, and they died in their efforts to stop him.
Cal had to fight through the chaos ensuing outside the Palace walls with Elias draped around his shoulder, barely able to stand.
The allies were still fighting off the undead, as well as their own traitorous silvers. The sounds of shouting, sword against sword and the drone of the undead filled the air.
Cal had handed Elias straight over to some Blonos healers, ready to help, before making his way painstakingly to the Palace.
Even on the way, he was still fighting. The undead would run at him, trying their luck, and he would blast them with stray infernos. Damning them to fiery hells.
Cal himself holds onto his shoulder as he staggers in a few more feet, he grits his teeth in pain. He had dislocated it, but had proceeded to pop it back into place. But it was still sore as hell.
There is a large gash across his once gleaming armour. The metal torn to bits, and inches away from skin.
The first thing Cal sees is Adrien sat on his throne, with the crown atop his head.
"Usurper. Get up!"
The last bit of Cal's word slurs, just from pure fatigue.
Adrien leans forward.
"You alright there, champ?"
There is mock concern in Adrien's voice. He had always wanted to fight a Calore.
"Finally come to contest your crown? Fair enough, I suppose."
Adrien drums his fingers on the arm rest. Slowly.
"You are a worthy King... strong, formidable. Your only mistake was crossing paths with those Red unfortunates. They weaken you. Unforgivable, Tiberius."
Adrien tuts.
"Either way, you are the one factor I have no defences against. I couldn't account for you. I had hoped my horsemen would handle you. Keep you out of the equation. But here you stand. Which tells me all I need to know."
His men were with the lost souls now. Adrien stands, relinquishing his comfort.
"I don't care much for family politics. But, it makes sense to fight a Calore with a Calore. Even if Maven loses, you'll be banged up so much, it'll take a fraction of my efforts to kill you. Regrettably. I hate to see fine warriors go to waste."
Cal reaches up to rip the remnants of the collar from his neck, in a rather attractive tug it breaks apart, and a little more of his strength is restored.
"You talk so much."
Cal wants to get this over with, tired of his ear being yapped off.
"Maven, we take him. And it's over."
Adrien liked his odds a lot better now.
But Maven isn't listening to them. Cal hadn't seen Kaida yet, so he waits...
Adrien looks at Maven expectantly, but Maven ignores him.
In a split second Maven's eyes dart to Kaida's body and Cal follows his brother's line of vision.
In Cal's anger and with his sole focus on Adrien, he had not spotted the body that lay disregarded. That lay wholly forgotten about amongst the men's contest.
The red armour was a dead giveaway but the red blood, even more so.
Cal feels white hot, and alarm bells RING in his head, he loses all sense of self. And all sense of awareness.
His natural reaction is to take a step towards her.
"Kaida?"
She does not answer. She is still. Seemingly lifeless.
Cal goes into autopilot, and the lava in his blood begins to bubble and broth, until he is emitting scorching temperatures.
"Kaida?"
Cal asks again, more frantically, almost going into shock. He feels his battle clarity completely falter.
He had lost everything, all over again.
The kelvin scale creeps up and up, and the corpses around Cal literally begin to melt, their rotted flesh not durable enough to withstand such heat.
He has only one thought. Vengeance.
"Cal, WAIT!"
Maven shouts, finally making his presence known and his voice heard.
Cal's head whips to Maven with ferocity.
"You did this didn't you? Even after what I told you. Your chaos always happens to bleed into my life. My life. You're rotten. To the core. She deserved better than this. Better than you."
Cal's voice is heart-wrenchingly empty.
"Cal, please, for a moment, just wait."
Maven tries to stall, but his brother is imprisoned by the rage.
"You're not my brother. You're not anything to me. You're the bad in the World I have to eliminate."
Cal's fist lights up a second later.
Maven takes a step down from the dais. He hoped it wouldn't have come to this.
Maven finds he can withstand the raw heat coming from Cal, which is quickly beginning to reach nuclear levels.
Adrien rolls his eyes and withdraws his battle axe. The heated handle burning into his palm.
"Oh, for goodness sake."
Adrien just told them he didn't care about family politics and look at them now.
"If you want something done, do it yourself."
He mutters and sees a small window of opportunity, which he decides to take. Adrien never hesitates.
He huffs, then all of a sudden, he runs at Cal at full speed, bolting right past Maven.
He's like a blonde battering ram and he builds momentum, taking a leap, both of his hands secure on the axe handle.
He aims for Cal's head, bringing it down with all his might.
Cal's hardened eyes watch Adrien's ascent and stops him in his path. His fiery hand reaches out to grab Adrien's neck with scary speed and precision.
Adrien is already a big guy, but Cal has him dangling mid-air.
The crown that has clung to his golden tendrils drops to the floor now and rolls straight into a blood puddle a few feet away.
Adrien looks into Cal's golden eyes, lit up with flecks of amber and the inferno he sees there is enough to make his blood turn cold.
His own brown and blue ones turn snake-like.
Cal squeezes and Adrien's throat constricts.
He drops his axe to the floor, his hands instinctively going to his neck to keep the pressure off.
He looks down at Cal with a devious glint in his two-toned eyes.
"She didn't... put up...much of a fight."
Adrien still squeezes out, aiming to rile the King up even more.
He's sweating now, his skin practically breaking out in blisters and burns from being this close to Cal.
Maven assesses the situation, his brain analysing the best outcome and the positions of everyone in a quick scan. He begins whispering under his breath.
Adrien clicks and the dormant corpses spring to life. Cal can hear the approaching clink of their armour. They try and swarm him, but he rolls his eyes.
"Pathetic."
He looks at Adrien with disgust.
The undead can't even get close, they burn, some combusting into actual flames.
Cal winds back a fist, and it charges through the air, making contact with the centre of Adrien's chest.
On impact, his armour cracks from the heat, and explodes off his body, the metal components blowing off in shrapnel.
Some fragments cut up Adrien's eyes and face, miniature silver gashes and opening of skin sting painfully.
Adrien is entirely exposed, he has no defences.
Cal winds back another fist, a killing blow.
Before he can deliver the skull-scattering punch, a sword rips through Adrien's back. It tears its way up through his abdomen before being violently twisted and lodged deeper.
Cal looks down in confusion, as the sharp end protrudes from Adrien's body.
"Huh?"
He drops Adrien, to reveal the bearer of the sword.
Slender hands grip the hilt and Cal's eyes widen at the sight of Kaida, still breathing before him.
Her chest heaves up and down and she lets go as Adrien collapses to the floor.
"How's that for fight?"
Kaida hisses.
Cal grabs her instinctively. Laying a protective hand on her head as he pulls her into a fierce hug.
"Kaida, oh my goodness, I thought you were dead. I thought... I thought I was going to have to do this alone."
Cal feels relief, more than anything.
Whilst they embrace, Adrien crawls away from them. He claws at the floor, his fingers curving into talons. He has to create some distance between him and them.
As he drags his own body away, he leaves smears of silver on the floor, bright and iridescent.
It had been a bloody day, but blood is still yet to come.
Adrien manages to sit up, when he is some feet away from the King and Queen.
With all his effort, he reaches behind his own back to grab the sword buried inside him, and with a massive grit of his teeth he pulls it out with a disgusting squelching sound.
More blood leaks out from the gaping wound right below his chest cavity.
Even in his messed-up state, Adrien's lack of pain is quite terrifying. He was as tough as nails, there was no debating that.
He throws it to the side with a rattle, and he flicks his head up, his blonde waves becoming even more unruly.
"Is that it? Is that all you've got Kaida?"
Kaida's brown eyes narrow and she storms towards him with hell in her eyes.
Cal tries to hold her back, and keep her away from him but she refuses. She brushes off his arm. She only has Adrien in her sights now, and has a singular aim in mind.
"No, Cal, he's mine."
Kaida grabs Adrien by the neck of his under armour, burnt and scorched from Cal's own attack.
She punches him in the face, and the sound of flesh meeting bone rings in Adrien's ear. Kaida punches again, and his lip splits open. She punches. And she punches. She thinks of Yuri and she deals another blow. She thinks of Macanthos and more rain down. She can't stop.
She punches until her knuckles are raw and split open, until silver blood leaks from nearly every orifice on Adrien's face.
Kaida is distracted, and she pauses, thrown off by the sound of a deep chuckle. Laughter. Adrien was laughing.
He smiles and his mouth is full of blood that creates little rivers between the indents of his teeth. He spits some of the liquid out and proceeds to laugh even louder.
"You can take back what you think is yours, Red Queen. But I'll always be with you. You'll always know how close you were to losing everything. You'll have nightmares about me. About my face. You can kill me, but you can't kill history. What I've done here today is permanent. My ideology has taken root, and I will always have believers. You can't kill that."
Every word he speaks incites Kaida to no end.
She grabs him firmly, both hands gripping the garment around his neck. At half his height, she stoops to meet his face.
"Bring me his axe."
There is a coldness to her tone which causes Cal's black eyebrows to knit together in concern and worry.
She opens her hand for it. This wasn't a request.
Kaida looks up at Cal and they are locked in a battle of wills all of a sudden.
In that split moment of distraction, Adrien reaches into a little slot above his waist, and his fingers carefully withdraw a tiny hidden blade, curved and deadly sharp.
His eyes dart between Kaida and Cal and then he lunges without warning, going for Kaida, but simultaneously Maven's voice rings out, stopping him in his attack.
"GUYS, MOVE! GET OUT THE WAY!"
Kaida and Cal look back at Maven, who had remained still throughout this altercation. Almost too still. Poised in his position by the throne.
Cal and Maven make eye contact, and Cal sees the urgency in those cerulean eyes.
He shouldn't trust him, but there is something instantly different about Maven. Something changes in his countenance.
Cal makes a split-second decision, to listen to his brother.
He grabs Kaida's wrist and he follows his instinct.
He leaps to the edge of the throne room, noticing a second earlier, they were lined up perfectly above the stained-glass window.
Cal knew they had to move from there – something was coming...he could feel it.
He shields Kaida with his body and they skid and slide across the Marble floor, hitting the pillars at the outskirts.
Crystal clear, and with as much power as he could muster, Maven's voice rings out...
"OSARION, INCAENDO!"
A catastrophic fireball rips through the stained-glass shards and bits of coloured mosaic shatter in a detonation of sharp crystal.
It is the glass which hits them all first, followed by an overwhelming sensation of heat.
The flap of wings is loud and beats in rhythm as the fiery spray engulfs the throne room.
It is pitch black outside but the shimmer of scales and a dark red lining can just about be seen through the dimness.
"OSARION, STOP!"
Kaida commands and the dragon fire ceases.
Kaida fights Cal off her, much to his dismay and as fast as she can she crawls out from underneath him and stands.
Out of the corner of her eye, she sees the whip of a tail right across the bulb of the full moon.
The beautiful glass window that used to frame the throne is gone, revealing a patch of dark blue sky.
Bits of the throne room are on fire, the walls burn, and all of Adrien's banners alight in a blaze.
The flames lick at the walls and jump from area to area.
The soft crackle of burning wood can be heard along with the flapping of wings above their heads. Everyone can hear the dragon's claws grip into the spires of the Palace.
A guttural roar is released the second after, a shrill and long announcement to the city.
Osarion perches overlooking the city, with a satisfied glint in his serpent eyes. He was home.
"Kaida, what are you doing! Are you trying to save him?"
Cal sounds almost exasperated, rebounding up off the floor. The last few hours had been so out of control.
Kaida bats her hand in front of her face, fighting off the smoke filling the air.
She stops in her tracks when she finds what she's looking for.
Adrien Skonos.
His body is half charred, his left side completely melted. His skull bone is on show. His left hand and leg are barely there, having been scorched to ash. His skin is black, and the smell of roasting meat fills Kaida's nostrils and she gags.
He's alive. Albeit, barely. Clinging to whatever breath his blackened lungs can steal.
But a second longer and Adrien would have been evaporated, with no remains to even gather.
As Kaida stares at him, Cal joins her on her left and Maven on her right. All 3 of them falling perfectly in line.
"I forgot to mention, alliances aren't really my thing."
Maven addresses Adrien first.
"You thought I would be your lapdog? Why would I subject myself to being ordered around by someone...lesser."
Maven scrunches his nose.
"I am Prince Maven Calore, First of His Name. This is my family's kingdom, and it would be a cold day in hell before I ever contribute to the fall of my dynasty. A Skonos as King? That will remain nothing more than a humorous fantasy."
Maven lets his venomous tongue unfold now, the very tone he uses poisonous.
"You think you won? You think what you did here was a victory? You failed, Adrien. Silvers don't tolerate failure. You know that. You bring shame to your House. Your legacy is nothing compared to ours. If you're happy to be remembered as nothing more than an intangible nightmare, cheers to you."
Maven stares at Adrien, offering him mock praise. 100 times more scathing than real acknowledgement.
"But you still die a loser."
Maven offers the final barb before his face relaxes into its natural passiveness. He does not spare Adrien another glance. He turns away, not caring to look at him anymore.
Adrien tastes bitterness in his throat. He had no retaliation for any of it.
Cal warily glances at Kaida, who remains transfixed on the half burnt almost-corpse in front of them.
"Kaida, what are you waiting for? Kill him."
Cal speaks to her, trying to pull her out of her own head.
Her hands curl into fists.
"No. No! Death is too merciful. Look at him, he welcomes it. It is all he's ever known. He loves no one. He lives for nothing. Except to cause chaos and ruin and he has succeeded. He can die happy. To him, death is a blessing. I will not grant it to him."
Kaida's own fingernails dig into the flesh of her palms. She is still so furious, brimming to the top with irrepressible rage, still.
Cal shakes his head.
"Hey, look at me."
Kaida reluctantly turns her head to focus on Cal.
"What would you prefer, then?"
Cal challenges her.
"Heal him. Torture him. Heal him again. Endlessly, with no respite. That is the Silver way, isn't it?"
Kaida wants to make him suffer. She wants him to beg for death.
"You aren't Silver."
Cal cuts in, his tone harsh. The whole reason why she was here, fighting this fight was because of her blood. They never wanted her to conform to the Silver ways, that is not what she represented to the Nation.
"I know how you feel. Right now, in this moment, I know. I swore I would be the one to end Elara's life. For what she did to me, and for what she made me do."
Cal relives the moment he found out Elara had driven his mother to insanity, leading to her suicide. And in the moment after, she had him behead his father.
He had never known someone to have such capacity for wickedness than Elara Merandus. Her life was his to claim.
Maven folds his arm, his ears taking interest in their conversation, even though his back was turned to them.
"When I heard she had been poisoned, I just felt empty. It should have been me. Quick or slow, painful, or painless. It should have been me. I never had the chance to look her in her eyes, in her final moments. To let her know, she did not break me. But you do. He's yours Kaida. End it. Now rather than later."
Kaida stews for a bit.
Adrien's right eye blinks at them, the left one has melted in its socket.
"Cal, don't push it. Let her decide for herself. This is her decision to make."
Maven turns his head to them slightly.
Adrien can only listen as they debate what to do with him. His life hangs in the balance.
"Kai...da..." Adrien wheezes
"Don't be-Hckk..bleurgh..."
Kaida doesn't let him finish his sentence. She stabs her sword down, right into his neck. She does it slowly, so he can feel the blade going in and the blood gushing out.
Adrien gargles audibly.
Then she removes it with a quick flick. And he's dead. His eyes go clouded and his limbs relax, lifeless.
Cal nods. He places a hand on Kaida's shoulder briefly, a sign of comfort, then he taps his earpiece.
"Hello?? Hello! Is anyone there? There's a fire in the throne room, in fact its entirely destroyed. We must contain it before it spreads. Uh huh...yeah...immediately. What does it look like outside, what's going on?"
As Cal speaks, Kaida turns her back on Adrien and approaches Maven.
"I have so many questions for you, Maven Calore. What just happened? How am I alive? Why is Osarion here?"
Maven answers none of them, instead opting to laugh one of his addictive chuckles.
"I got you, didn't I?"
Somehow, with all that happened today, there was a silver lining for Kaida. And it was Maven.
They stand facing each other, in a burning throne room. The world seems to slow down, and they have all the time together. In this very moment.
When they look at each other, all the emotions they've felt over the course of the past few months erupt through gaze alone. Pain, relief, admiration.
Kaida sighs, exasperated, and she falters a bit, exhaustion catching up with her. She leans on her sword, using it as a crutch.
"Yeah, you most certainly got me. Now, get to talking."
Kaida has this mischievous look on her face, one she only has when she orders Maven around. He raises a brow but he speaks.
"While you were training, Adrien came to me. With his proposal. After that, I did some research. The mutations have largely introduced Silver powers to the Reds but only ones we know. What about the ones we don't? If there are any?"
Maven's eyes dart from Kaida's left to her right.
"Abilities not ever before documented. Even you, as rare as you are, there is record of your history. But what about those who have just recently popped up?"
Kaida shakes her head in confusion, still not getting it.
"David. Make yourself seen."
David?
Kaida looks around, instantly curious.
From out of the fibres of air itself, a young man appears. He peeks out from behind one of the marble pillars of the throne room.
He's young, that much is sure. Around 16 years old if Kaida had to guess.
His hair is twisted and wound into neat locs, which fall to jaw-level. His eyes are chestnut brown, and his skin is a very deep umber colour. He has a peculiar look about him, big eyes but slight features.
He approaches Kaida and Maven cautiously. His gait is light, and the way he carries himself is different.
"You did well, David. Relax, your job is done."
David loses some of his nerves. He blinks and stares at Kaida with fascination. Even after hours of battle, blood coating her hair, head and hands, her beauty is still radiant.
He is entranced by the Queen.
To him, she looks like a Warrior. One of the ones he would read about in his mythical books. Described as Goddesses spun into human form.
"Hello?"
Kaida softly says.
David tilts his head. And then signs 'Hello' back.
"He doesn't speak. He can hear you though."
Maven rests a sure hand across the young boy's shoulder.
Kaida had always been jealous of how Maven could talk to, and charm, just about anyone. It's why he was so good at using people, he made it so people wanted to be used. They wanted to do what he told them.
"David here, can control reality. Yeah, I know, I still have questions about it myself. About the extent it can go to. I asked him to make it appear that I killed you. I apologise about the pain when I stabbed you. I told him to try and remove the sensation, but he's still learning too. He's never actually killed anyone. He's very...sensitive."
Kaida's mouth falls open. She stares at David now, more intensely than she had done before. He feels his ears and cheeks burn.
He avoids her gaze quickly.
"That is...dangerous."
Kaida is almost fearful. If he could change reality, he could change anything. How far does the illusion go? Are his changes reversible?
David signs something Kaida does not understand.
"A demonstration..."
Maven fills in.
David looks at the throne room burning around them, miniature fires catching in the rafters. The roof is just about to come down.
In front of Kaida's very eyes, the fire changes form, becoming water, which gushes down in the gallons.
Cal turns around, still speaking into the earpiece.
"What the-"
He's momentarily distracted but continues speaking, still on clean-up.
Kaida, for the first time in the past few hours, cracks a subtle smile as some of the water sprays down on her, skidding over her face and down her armour.
Steam begins to fill the throne room instead and there is a hiss at the sudden change in temperature.
"See, I have no idea how he just did that. He's... he's truly something."
Maven lets out a genuine smile.
"Yeah? Why couldn't he magic Adrien and his army away like 7 hours ago."
Kaida sure as hell could have needed it. Before she lost Yuri...before she lost Macanthos.
"He spoke to Sylvanas of House Eagrie. Sylvanas told him about the future. David can't disrupt the timelines too drastically. If he kills someone, or brings someone back from the dead, the consequences could be universe ending. Butterfly effect or something like that. He can only skirt around the edges."
Kaida hums. Maybe there would be someone David found that would be worth a universe ending. Then what next? They all perish?
Maybe in the past, Kaida may have considered ending a universe for Maven.
Kaida is too mentally exhausted to sort through all the possibilities now.
"David, you can go back to your family now."
Maven pats his back.
David hesitates, stealing one more shy glance at the Queen, who offers one last smile, before he ducks away.
Kaida enjoys the silence that falls. Reflecting over the past day. When she is ready, she turns to Maven again.
"So...where do we go from here, Maven?"
Maven takes a step towards her, bridging the gap of air that had been created in David's presence. From this close, he can really see her.
"I cannot be scared that you'll betray me at every turn. It's not such an unfathomable thought after the year we've had. I've experienced enough loss today to last a lifetime. What's one more? I have to put myself first. As Queen. Maybe...maybe we should finally let each other go. We should end it-"
Maven places a finger on her lips, in a delicate move.
"Don't finish that. I have something for you. Close your eyes."
Kaida refuses, stubbornly. Not exactly thrilled with being cut off.
"Just do it."
She rolls her eyes and then sighs, closing them for him.
She senses Maven's hands on either side of her face, and she feels a weight being slowly lowered onto her head.
Maven fixes the crown on her head perfectly, not resisting a caress of her cheek as he does so.
He beholds her for a moment, her eyes closed and the crown on her head.
He knows for sure now, he's not letting go.
Maven slowly lowers himself to one knee as he takes Kaida's hand in his own.
Kaida can't help but peek her eyes open, and she is absolutely awestruck when she sees him knelt before her.
Maven doesn't kneel to anyone. He would never kneel to anyone. As Prince, as King, he would never subject himself to this.
"I've done some serious thinking these past few weeks. I can't correct my past wrongs, but I can look to the future. I can build what I've broken. I thought about leaving, to start afresh, but I can't. I can't leave you."
Maven peers up at her through the thick of his lashes, and Kaida goes lightheaded.
"Kaida, you are my everything."
Her eyes well.
"The impact you've had on me, your sheer presence in my life, it just cannot be erased. It's a powerful thing. And I choose to cling to it. To revere it."
Kaida's heart begins to beat faster. She is stunned.
"I understand if you have to let me go. If it is selfish or selfless, I'm not sure. But you are a Queen. The weight of it, cannot be taken lightly. Or alone."
Maven runs his thumb across her knuckle gently. Kaida blinks back her tears, an emotional lump forming in the back of her throat. Her stomach already in knots.
"I wasn't there for your coronation. I never got to do this. Queen Kaida Esosa LeRoux of House Ziyados, I swear allegiance to you, the rightful Red Queen of Norta, and offer my devotion to you. From this day, until my last."
The tears spill out of Kaida's eyes, she can't hold them back any longer. This entire day had been so overwhelming, and she breaks down in front of Maven. The floodgates finally open and she sobs her heart out.
"Long Live Queen Kaida."
Maven whispers, squeezing her hand.
He rises and they embrace, and she takes comfort in his arms.
"Shhh, shh shh. It's okay, Kaida. You did it. It's okay."
He squeezes her tightly, his hand cupping the back of her head, protectively. His words just makes her cry harder, now that she finally feels safe.
Kaida and Maven cling to each other, like they never want to let go. Her tears leak into the soft material of his outer shirt. And she grabs fistfuls of it.
"Oh, and one more thing, divorce Ichiro. You don't need to fabricate anything to keep your power. You don't need him anymore. Not when you have me."
Kaida wipes her tears. Deciding she can't just remain here crying, even though she would like nothing more.
"I can't believe you're doing this now. In a half-destroyed throne room, with Adrien's corpse right beside us, and your dragon on the roof. You never answered, how did you get Osarion here? He's been missing ever since you died."
Maven pulls her back, tilting her chin up to him.
"We're bonded. I've been calling to him for weeks. Honestly, I thought it was a longshot. I didn't think he could hear me. But he did. All I had to do was try."
They hear Osarion roar again, more powerful that the first. And he ruffles his wings above their heads.
"I'm a bit surprised to learn he listens to you..."
Kaida smirks and she shrugs.
Their faces inch closer, and they are nose to nose. Maven dares let his eyes fall to her lips, but Kaida was already watching his.
They share a kiss in the moment after, sweet and delicate. An act of pure affection as they long to be closer to each other. Kaida smiles against his lips and it just makes him kiss her deeper as he holds her face in his hands.
Cal walks up to the both of them.
"Ahh, sorry to interrupt. It's not exactly over."
Kaida blinks slowly, then pulls back, hesitantly, but she knew she had to. She regains her regal composure and nods at Cal.
"When Adrien died just now, most of the corpses fell too. Most, but not all. Some are not linked to his magic it seems, but to other Skonos members who have run for the hills. It's no problem though. We can take care of the stragglers easily."
Cal already has his military head on. Cool and composed in the aftermath.
Kaida takes a deep breath, steadying her nerves.
"And the separatists are still causing bedlam out there. They refuse to back down silently. This choice is yours Kaida. How would you like to deal with them?"
Cal gives her a level glare. He feels somewhat guilty for taking her satisfaction of seeing Adrien suffer away, so this was his compromise.
Kaida accepts his olive branch.
She looks at Maven.
"You can be any sort of ruler you want to be Kaida. You fought for it. You lost those you love, for it. No one can dare speak against what you choose to do from here on out. Not even Cal."
Kaida pulls herself together, wiping the dried tears and blood from her face. She looks out from the hole in the throne room, out to the city.
"Round them up. And burn them all."
________________________________
Author's notes:
This might possible be one of the longest chapters I've ever written! I hope you enjoyed all the twists and turns! Framing this last battle sequence was really stressing me out but all I had to do was just write and let it flow...
When I finished writing I got strangely emotional as I realised, this is like the penultimate chapter, and marks the end to almost 3 years now of the Blood Court series 🥹
I knew a few people were like wtf at the end of last chapter when Kaida was "dead", ahhaha I just had to keep my big mouth shut 😂 I could never kill Kaida, she is the centre of everything.
So much happened I don't even know where to start, but I'll leave it there.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for reading along, I owe everything to you guys! And Happy Holidays 🫶🏾❤️